Label cutting apparatus

An improved label application apparatus comprising:

• a main housing;
• a printer mounted to the housing;
• an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer for applying a label to an object;
• a supply reel rotatable mounted to the main housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon;
• a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator;
• and
• a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut the labels from the continuous web of label material between the printer and the applicator;
• the improvement comprising:
• a shaft mounted to the main housing;
• the printer is pivotally mounted to the main housing shaft for movement between a first position aligned with the applicator and a second position pivoted away from the first position for servicing, the printer having an opening in spaced relationship to the main housing shaft and having a sloped flange adjacent to the opening;
• the main housing having an aperture therein aligned with the printer opening when the printer is in the first position;
• and
• a fastener mounted in the printer opening for axial and rotational movement with respect hereto and having an end adapted to be received in the main housing aperture when the printer is in the first position, the fastener having a cross pin engageable with the printer sloped flange, the cross pin is positioned against the printer sloped flange and, as the fastener cross pin is rotated against the printer sloped flange, the end of the fastener moves axially with respect to the main housing aperture to move the end of the fastener into and out of the main housing aperture whereby the fastener can be rotated to extend the fastener end into the main housing aperture to retain the printer in the first position.

An improved label application apparatus comprising:

• a main housing;
• a printer mounted to the main housing;
• an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer, the applicator comprising an applicator housing and an applicator head mounted to the applicator housing for movement between a retracted and an extended position for applying a label to an object;
• a supply reel rotatably mounted to the housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon;
• a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator;
• and
• a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut the labels between the printer and the applicator;
• the improvement comprising:
• the cutting mechanism comprises:
• a first blade movably mounted to the applicator head for movement with the applicator head between the retracted and a cutting position and for relative movement with respect to the applicator head between a cutting position and the extended position, the cutting position being intermediate the retracted and extended positions whereby the first blade moves with the applicator head between the retracted and cutting positions and moves with respect to the applicator head as the applicator head moves between the cutting and extended positions.

An improved label application apparatus comprising:

• a main housing having a roller;
• a printer mounted to the main housing adjacent to the roller;
• an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer for applying a label to an object;
• a supply reel rotatably mounted to the main housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon;
• a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator;
• a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut the labels between the printer and the applicator;
• the improvement comprising:
• the printer comprises:
• a roller mounted to the main housing;
• a printer bracket mounted to the main housing;
• a first arm pivotally mounted to the printer bracket and supporting a print head which is in registry with the roller;
• and
• a first spring biasing the first arm toward the roller.

An improved label application apparatus comprising:

• a main housing;
• a printer mounted to the main housing;
• an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer for applying a label to an object;
• a supply reel rotatably mounted to the main housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon;
• a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator;
• and
• a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut labels from the continuous web of label material between the printer and the applicator;
• the improvement comprising:
• an applicator support on the main housing and adapted to support the applicator;
• a main housing connector on the applicator and adapted to be received by the applicator support to selectively support the applicator and thereby restrict movement of the applicator in a downwardly direction but not in another direction with respect to the main housing;
• whereby the applicator is selectively removably mounted to the main housing for applying a label to an article when mounted to the main housing and is selectively removable from the main housing by moving the applicator in the other direction for replacement or servicing.

An improved label application apparatus comprising:

• a main housing;
• a printer mounted to the main housing;
• an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer for applying a label to an object;
• a supply reel rotatably mounted to the main housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon;
• a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator;
• and
• a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut labels from the continuous web of label material between the printer and the applicator;
• the improvement comprising:
• a quick-release mechanism disposed between the printer and the housing wherein the quick-release mechanism is movable with respect to the printer and the housing between a first position and a second position, wherein the printer is mounted to the housing by the quick-release mechanism in the first position and the printer can be removed from the housing in the second position, and wherein the quick-release mechanism is movable between the first and second positions without the use of tools.

An improved label application apparatus comprising:

• a main housing including a print roller;
• a printer mounted to the main housing, the printer comprising a printer bracket mounted to the main housing and a print head pivotally mounted to the printer bracket and in register with the print roller, at least one spring between the printer bracket and the print head biasing the print head against the print roller;
• an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer for applying a label to an object;
• a supply reel rotatably mounted to the main housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon;
• a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator;
• and
• a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut labels from the continuous web of label material between the printer and the applicator;
• the improvement comprising:
• the printer further comprises an adjustment plate abutting the at least one spring and mounted to the printer bracket for slidable movement toward and away from the spring to adjust the tension in the spring and thereby adjust the force of the print head against the print roller.

An improved label application apparatus comprising:

• a main housing;
• a printer mounted to the main housing;
• an applicator mounted to the main housing adjacent to the printer, the applicator comprising an applicator housing and an applicator head mounted to the applicator housing for movement between a retracted and an extended position for applying a label to an object;
• a supply reel rotatably mounted to the housing and having a continuous web of label material thereon;
• a feed mechanism for feeding the continuous web of label material from the supply reel to the printer and applicator;
• and
• a cutting mechanism associated with the applicator to cut the labels between the printer and the applicator;
• the improvement comprising:
• the cutting mechanism comprises:
• a first blade mounted to the applicator head for movement with the applicator head when the applicator moves between the retracted and a cutting position and for relative movement with respect to the applicator head when the applicator moves between the cutting position and the extended position, the cutting position being intermediate the retracted and extended positions;
• a second blade fixedly mounted to the main housing closely adjacent to the first blade;
• and
• at least one spring mounted to the first blade and to one of the applicator and the main housing for biasing the first blade toward the second blade.