US 4,382,836 AGranted

Bi-directional applicator head

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorEd Frank

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Abstract

A bi-directional tape applicator head for applying tape onto a working surface, in which tape can either be folded back on itself at the end of each tape laying pass, or may be cut and another length of tape applied in an opposite direction. The head includes a frame to which a swivel plate and a support member are movably connected. The swivel plate has affixed thereto two dispensing blocks and is shiftable between two positions to alternately engage the blocks with the tape while folding over tape extending between the blocks. The support member includes a feeder assembly and a shearing mechanism and is pivotable between two positions corresponding to the two swivel plate positions. The feeder assembly includes two feeder elements which are movable to engage or disengage tape extending therebetween. The feeder assembly is movable along the support member between a retracted position at which the feeder elements are spaced from the shearing mechanism and an extended position at which the feeder elements extend past the shearing mechanism between the dispensing blocks. After shearing the tape and completing a tape laying pass in one direction, the feeder elements are engaged, the swivel plate and support member moved to their other corresponding positions, and the feeder assembly extended to advance the cut tape end past the dispensing blocks. The feeder assembly is then retracted, the feeder elements disengaged, and a tape laying pass in the opposite direction initiated.

A tape applicator head for applying tape from a tape supply in two opposing directions onto a working surface, which comprises:

mounting means;
dispensing means, mounted to the mounting means adjacent the working surface, which includes two spaced dispensing blocks between which the tape passes and which alternately engage the tape during movement of the head in the two opposing directions, for imparting a tension to the tape to draw the tape past the dispensing blocks onto the working surface;
guide means, mounted to the mounting means between the tape supply and the dispensing means, for positioning the tape and defining, with the dispensing means, a path of travel of the tape between the guide means and the working surface;
shearing means, through which the tape extends, said shearing means being positioned intermediate the guide means and the dispensing means, for engaging and shearing the tape;
feeder means, through which the tape extends, said feeder means being positioned intermediate the guide means and the shearing means, for engaging and moving the tape between the two dispensing blocks toward the working surface, the feeder means comprising:
a feeder assembly which includes two feeder elements disposed on opposite sides of the tape extending therethrough and engaging means, connected between the two feeder elements, for moving at least one of the two feeder elements between a disengaged position at which the two feeder elements are spaced from each other and from the tape extending therebetween, and an engaged position at which both feeder elements are engaged with opposite sides of the tape extending therebetween;
and insertion means for moving the feeder assembly along the path of travel of the tape between a retracted position at which the feeder assembly is spaced from the shearing means intermediate the guide means and the shearing means and an extended position at which the two feeder elements of the feeder assembly extend through the shearing means in close proximity to the dispensing blocks.

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Abstract

Claims8