Hand-held labeler

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, a shaft mounted by the body, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the body having a body section pivotally mounted on the shaft and movable between open and closed positions, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the body, wherein the inker includes a carrier pivotally mounted to the body section, an ink roller carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, spring means connected to the shaft and acting on the carrier for urging the carrier toward the print head to cause the ink roller to move into the path of movement of the print head, and means for releasably latching the body section to the body in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, a shaft mounted by the body, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the applicator including a roll received on the shaft between the arms, the body having a body section pivotally mounted on the shaft and movable between open and closed positions, the body section having spaced-apart arms having apertures for receiving the shaft, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the body, and means for releasably latching the body section to the body in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, a shaft mounted by the body, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the body having a body section pivotally mounted on the shaft and movable between open and closed positions, the body section including spaced-apart arms having respective open-end slots for receiving the shaft, the slots enabling the body section to be removed from the remainder of the body only when the body section is in the open position, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the body, and means for releasably latching the body section to the body in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, a shaft mounted by the body, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the body having a body section pivotally mounted on the shaft and movable between open and closed positions, the body section including spaced-apart arms having respective open-end slots for receiving the shaft, the slots enabling the body section to be removed from the remainder of the body only when the body section is in the open position, the applicator including a roll received on the shaft between the arms, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the body, and means for releasably latching the body section to the body in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen mounted by the body, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, means for delaminating printed labels, a shaft mounted by the body, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the body having a pivotally mounted body section movable between open and closed positions, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the body, the inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the body section, an ink roller carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member connected to the shaft and acting on the carrier for urging the carrier toward the print head to cause the ink roller to move into the path of movement of the print head, and means for releasably latching the body section to the body.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen mounted by the body, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, an applicator for applying printed labels, a shaft mounted by the body, the body having a body section pivotally mounted by the shaft and movable between open and closed positions, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the body, the inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the body section, an ink roller carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member connected to the shaft and acting on the carrier for urging the carrier toward the print head to cause the ink roller to move into the path of movement of the print head, and means for releasably latching the body section to the body.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen mounted by the body, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, an applicator for applying printed labels, a shaft mounted by the body, the body having a body section pivotally mounted by the shaft and movable between open and closed positions, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the body, the inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the body section, an ink roller carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member connected to the shaft and acting on the carrier for urging the carrier toward the print head to cause the ink roller to move into the path of movement of the print head, wherein the spring member includes an apertured portion for receiving the shaft, wherein the applicator includes spaced-apart rolls, wherein the apertured portion is disposed between adjacent rolls, and means for releasably latching the body section to the body.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen mounted by the body, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, means for delaminating printed labels, means for applying the delaminated labels, a traveling inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the body, an ink roll carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member mounted to the body and acting on and movable relative to the carrier, a roller mounted on the carrier, a cam on the print head cooperable with the roller, and the spring member causing the roller to follow the contour of the cam.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a body having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen mounted by the body, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, means for delaminating printed labels, means for applying the delaminated labels, a traveling inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the body, an ink roll carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member mounted to the body and acting on and movable relative to the carrier, wherein the body has a shaft, wherein the spring member is connected to the shaft, a roller mounted on the carrier, a cam on the print head cooperable with the roller, and the spring member causing the roller to follow the contour of the cam.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, a platen mounted on the subframe, a print head mounted on the subframe and cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, a shaft mounted on the frame, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the frame having a movable section pivotally mounted on the shaft and movable between a normally closed position and an open position, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the frame, and means for releasably latching the movable section in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, wherein the subframe has a pair of substantially mirror image side-by-side subframe sections, a platen mounted on the subframe, a print head mounted on the subframe and cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, a shaft mounted on the frame, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the frame having a movable section pivotally mounted on the shaft and movable between a normally closed position and an open position, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the frame, and means for releasably latching the movable section in the closed position, the latching means including a latch anchored to the subframe and accessible from outside the frame for releasably holding the movable section in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, a platen mounted on the subframe, a print head mounted on the subframe and cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, a shaft mounted on the frame, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the frame having a movable section pivotally mounted on the shaft and movable between a normally closed position and an open position, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the frame, and means for releasably latching the movable section in the closed position, wherein the latching means includes a latch anchored to the subframe and accessible from outside the frame for releasably holding the frame section in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, a platen mounted on the subframe, a print head mounted on the subframe and cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen, and means for delaminating printed labels, a shaft mounted by the frame, an applicator mounted on the shaft, the frame having a movable section pivotally mounted for movement between a normally closed position and an open position, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the frame, the inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the movable section, an ink roller carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member connected to the shaft and acting on the carrier for urging the carrier toward the print head to cause the ink roller to move into the path of movement of the print head, and means for releasably latching the movable section in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, a platen mounted on the subframe, a print head mounted on the subframe and cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, an applicator for applying printed labels, a shaft mounted by the frame, the frame having a movable section pivotally mounted by the shaft and movable between a normally closed position and an open position, an inker for the print head disposed in the space within the frame, the inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the movable section, an inker roller carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member connected to the shaft and acting on the carrier shaft and acting on the carrier for urging the carrier toward the print head to cause the ink roller to move into the path of movement of the print head, and means for releasably latching the movable section in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, a platen mounted on the subframe, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, rolling-contact bearing means movably mounting the print head to the subframe, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, means for delaminating printed labels, means for applying the delaminated labels, a traveling inker including a carrier pivotally mounted to the frame, an ink roll carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member mounted to the frame and acting on and movable relative to the carrier, a roller mounted on the carrier, a cam on the print head cooperable with the roller, and the spring member causing the roller to follow the contour of the cam.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, a platen mounted on the subframe, a print head cooperable with the platen for printing on successive labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into printing cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web, means for delaminating printed labels, means for applying the delaminated labels, a traveling inker including a carrier pivotally mounted on the frame, an ink roll carried by the carrier and cooperable with the print head, a spring member connected to the frame and movable relative to the carrier, and a pin-and-slot lost-motion connection between the spring member and the carrier.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle and a movable section, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the frame, a platen and a cooperable print head mounted on the subframe, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into and out of printing cooperation and for advancing the web, an inker disposed in the space within the frame for inking the print head, the inker including a replaceable ink roller, means mounting the movable section for pivotal movement between a normally closed position and an open position to facilitate replacing a spent ink roller, means for delaminating printed labels from the web, means for applying the printed labels, a latch for releasably holding the movable section in the closed position, the latch including a flexible resilient member connected to the subframe, the movable section having means for engaging the flexible resilient member, and means accessible from outside the frame for flexing the flexible resilient member and unlatching the movable section.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, comprising:

• a frame having a handle and a movable section, a subframe disposed in the space within and connected to the body, a platen and a cooperable print head mounted on the subframe, an inker disposed within the frame for inking the print head, the inker including a replaceable ink roller, means pivotally mounting the movable section for movement between a normally closed position and an open position to facilitate replacing a spent ink roller, means for delaminating printed labels from the web, means for applying the printed labels, the subframe having a pair of substantially mirror-image side-by-side subframe sections, the frame having a pair of holes and a latch mounted to the subframe and having means projecting through the holes and accessible from outside the frame for releasably holding the frame section in the closed position.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels, comprising:

• a frame having a handle and a movable section, means mounted by the frame for supporting a label roll composed of labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen, means disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying printed labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into and out of cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web to advance a printed label into printing cooperation with the label applying means, and means for inking the print head, the inking means including an ink roller cooperable with the print head, a carrier for the ink roller, means for pivotally mounting the carrier to the frame, post means connected to the frame, a leaf spring connected to the carrier and to the post means, and the label applying means including an applicator roll mounted for rotation about the post means.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels, comprising:

• a frame having a handle and a movable section, means mounted by the frame for supporting a label roll composed of labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen, means disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying printed labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into and out of cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web to advance a printed label into printing cooperation with the label applying means, and means for inking the print head, the inking means including an ink roller cooperable with the print head, a carrier for the ink roller, means for pivotally mounting the carrier to the frame, post means connected to the frame, a leaf spring connected to the carrier and to the post means, an extension on the leaf spring for anchoring the leaf spring to the movable section, and the label applying means including an applicator roll mounted for rotation about the post means.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels, comprising:

• a frame having a handle and a movable section, means mounted by the frame for supporting a label roll composed of labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen, means disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying printed labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into and out of cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web to advance a printed label into printing cooperation with the label applying means, and means for inking the print head, the inking means including an ink roller cooperable with the print head, a carrier for the ink roller, means for pivotally mounting the carrier to the frame, post means connected to the frame, a leaf spring connected to the carrier and to the post means, the leaf spring including a spring mounting section having an aperture for receiving the post, the aperture being sized to provide lost motion between the mounting section and the post, the mounting section further including an extension anchored to the frame, and the label applying means including an applicator roll mounted for rotation about the post means.

Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels, comprising:

• a frame having a handle and a movable section, means mounted by the frame for supporting a label roll composed of labels releasably secured to a web of supporting material, a manually operable actuator disposed at the handle, a platen, a print head cooperable with the platen, means disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for applying printed labels, means responsive to movement of the actuator for moving the print head into and out of cooperation with the platen and for advancing the web to advance a printed label into printing cooperation with the label applying means, and means for inking the print head, the inking means including an ink roller cooperable with the print head, a carrier for the ink roller, means for pivotally mounting the carrier to the frame section, post means on the frame for pivotally mounting the movable section, and a leaf spring connected to the carrier and to the post means.