Patent ID: 7343842

Claim:
In a machine for applying cut lengths of film tubing as tubular labels to products, an apparatus for cutting the film tubing, comprising: a. a platform having a bore formed therethrough; b. a ring gear having external teeth and a hole formed centrally therethrough positioned on the platform coaxially with the bore, wherein the film tubing is passed through the ring gear; c. a plurality of pinions rotatably mounted to the platform in positions to engage the teeth of the ring gear, the plurality of pinions arranged about a periphery of the ring gear; d. a planar member is mounted to the pinions to overlie an area of the ring gear, the area being located between the associated pinion and the bore formed through the platform and spaced radially from the hole formed centrally through the ring gear, the planar member located in proximity to the ring gear to capture the ring gear between the platform and the planar member thereby limiting movement of the ring gear in the axial direction away from the platform by contacting the ring gear; e. a blade affixed to each of the plurality of pinions; and f. means for rotating one of the pinions.