Tape applying device

A portable device adapted for use with a supply length of tape of the type comprising a backing having front and rear surfaces and a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive along said front surface, the tape being helically wound around a core having a central opening with said front surface of said backing innermost to provide a tape roll, the device being adapted to apply the tape to surfaces and comprising:

• a roller frame;
• a first application roller having an axis, a cylindrical periphery around said axes, and first and second axially spaced ends;
• means mounting said application roller on said roller frame for rotation about said axis with said first end of said roller adjacent said roller frame, and said second end of said roller projecting away from said roller frame;
• a tape hub having an axis, and a periphery adapted to be frictionally received coaxially within the central opening in the core of the tape roll;
• means mounting said tape hub on said roller frame for rotation about the axis of said tape hub with the axis of said tape hub parallel with the axis of said application roller, with said tape hub and said application roller defining portions of a first tape path for the tape being unwound from the tape roll with the rear surface of the backing of the tape disposed partially around the periphery of said first application roller;
• a first blade having a cutting edge adapted to transversely cut the tape;
• means mounting said first blade on said roller frame along said first tape path between the tape roll and said first application roller with said cutting edge transverse of said first tape path;
• a first blade guard having a tape guide surface portion adapted to guide the rear surface of the tape backing;
• means mounting said first blade guard on said roller frame for movement between a normal position with said tape guide surface defining a portion of said first tape path between the tape roll and said first application roller and guiding said tape around the cutting edge of said first blade, to a spaced position with said tape guide surface spaced from the cutting edge to afford engagement of the tape along the first tape path with the cutting edge of the first blade;
• and
• manually actuatable means for manually moving said blade guard from said normal position to said spaced position to afford engagement of the cutting edge of the blade with the tape being pulled along the first tape path and applied to the surface to sever an applied length of tape from the supply length of tape;
• said manually actuatable means includes a handle assembly attached to said roller frame for affording manual manipulation of said portable device, said handle assembly including a handle frame including an elongate handle part having a longitudinal axis and adapted for manual engagement, and means for attaching said handle frame on said roller frame in any one of many fixed positions relative to said roller frame, in each of which many fixed positions the axis of said elongate handle part is disposed along an imaginary plane disposed at a right angle with respect to the axes of said application roller, said means for attaching said handle frame on said roller frame in any one of many fixed positions comprising a ring of projecting first teeth on said roller frame, said first teeth being disposed about a first tooth ring axis parallel to the axis of said application rollers, a ring of projecting second teeth on said handle frame, said second teeth being disposed about a second tooth ring axis at a right angle to said imaginary plane and being adapted to nest between the first teeth on said roller frame in many positions with said tooth rings coaxial to provide said many fixed positions of said handle frame relative to said roller frame, and manually releasable means extending coaxial of said tooth rings for attaching said roller frame and handle frame together with said teeth in said tooth rings nested together in one of said fixed positions;
• and
• said manually actuatable means for manually moving said blade guard from said normal position to said spaced position comprises a trigger mounted on said handle frame for movement between a normal position and a retracted position, and means between said trigger and said blade guard in any one of said many fixed positions of said handle frame on said roller frame for moving said blade guard from said normal position to said spaced position in opposition to said biasing means upon manual movement of said trigger from said normal position to said retracted position.

A portable device adapted for use with a supply length of tape of the type comprising a backing having front and rear surfaces and a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive along said front surface, the tape being helically wound around a core having a central opening with said front surface of said backing innermost to provide a tape roll, the device being adapted to apply the tape to surfaces and comprising:

• a roller frame;
• a first application roller having an axis, a cylindrical periphery around said axes, and first and second axially spaced ends;
• means mounting said application roller on said roller frame for rotation about said axis with said first end of said roller adjacent said roller frame, and said second end of said roller projecting away from said roller frame;
• a tape hub having an axis, and a periphery adapted to be frictionally received coaxially within the central opening in the core of the tape roll;
• means mounting said tape hub on said roller frame for rotation about the axis of said tape hub with the axis of said tape hub parallel with the axis of said application roller, with said tape hub and said application roller defining portions of a first tape path for the tape being unwound from the tape roll with the rear surface of the backing of the tape disposed partially around the periphery of said first application roller;
• a first blade having a cutting edge adapted to transversely cut the tape;
• means mounting said first blade on said roller frame along said first tape path between the tape roll and said first application roller with said cutting edge transverse of said first tape path;
• and
• manually actuatable means adapted to cause tape moving along said path between the tape roll and said first application roller to engage and be transversely cut by the cutting edge of the blade;
• said device further including a movable member mounted on said tape hub and comprising a flange around and extending radially of said tape hub adapted to locate the side of a said tape roll adjacent the roller frame, and manually adjustable means for moving said movable member relative to said tape hub to position said flange at different desired positions axially of said tape hub to thereby position the sides of different width rolls of tapes in a desired orientation with respect to the second end of the application roller.