Article taping system

An apparatus for sequentially applying segments of sealing tape to a number of containers and for forming pull-tabs on at least one of the ends of each tape segment applied to each container, said apparatus comprising:

• conveyor means for carrying containers along a path in uniformly spaced relationships;
• means for indexing the movement of said conveyor means;
• means for dispensing sealing tape from a roll thereof;
• roller means arranged to receive said sealing tape from said dispensing means for applying said sealing tape to a leading portion of a container on said conveyor means and for ironing the tape onto said container as said container is carried on said conveyor means;
• said indexing means being arranged to stop said conveyor means after the sealing tape has been applied to two consecutive containers on the conveyor means to thereby form a linking section of sealing tape extending between the two consecutive containers;
• means for cutting said sealing tape applied to said two consecutive containers by said roller means;
• first control means for actuating said cutting means when said conveyor means has been stopped by said indexing means;
• means for dispensing masking tape from a roll of masking tape;
• means which receives masking tape from said masking tape dispensing means for feeding the end portion of said masking tape to a position registering with the adhesive side of said sealing tape;
• second control means for actuating said masking tape feeding means concurrently with the actuation of said means for cutting the sealing tape;
• means for pressing the end portion of the masking tape against the adhesive side of the sealing tape and for severing the masking tape adjacent the edge of the sealing tape to thereby form a segment of masking tape on the sealing tape;
• third control means for actuating said pressing and severing means after said feeding means has been actuated;
• means for mounting said sealing tape cutting means, said roller means, and said masking tape pressing and severing means in fixed relationships relative to each other and to said conveyor means so as to form masking tape segments on said sealing tape at intervals thereon corresponding to the desired length of the segments of sealing tape to be consecutively formed on said containers, whereby said means for cutting the sealing tape will sequentially cut the sealing tape at a segment of masking tape thereby forming a pull-tab at an end of the sealing tape segments applied to the containers.

A method of applying segments of sealing tape of selected uniform lengths to containers and for forming a pull-tab on at least one end of each segment of sealing tape applied to the containers comprising:

• dispensing sealing tape from a roll thereof;
• applying relatively short segments of masking tape onto the adhesive side of the sealing tape at intervals corresponding to the preselected length of sealing tape to be applied to a container;
• applying the sealing tape having a masking tape segment applied thereto to a first container;
• cutting the sealing tape at a masking tape segment to form a pull-tab at the end of the sealing tape applied to the first container;
• applying the preselected length of sealing tape having the following masking tape segment thereon to a second container;
• and
• cutting the sealing tape at said following masking tape segment, thereby sequentially providing containers with said selected lengths of sealing tapes and simultaneously providing pull-tabs at the ends of the tapes applied to the containers.