Apparatus for applying adhesive tape

Claim 1

A DEVICE FOR APPLYING A STRIP OF ADHESIVE TAPE TO AT LEAST THE UPPER SURFACE OF A PIECE OF SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING: A BODY MEMBER; A GENERALLY U-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A TAPING HEAD AT THE OPEN END THEREOF AND A SHANK PORTION ARRANGED TO HAVE SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BODY MEMBER; SAID TAPING HEAD HAVING UPPER AND LOWER TAPE APPLICATOR MEANS YIELDABLY URGED TOGETHER SO AS TO FORM A BIT AT THE ENTRY FACES THEEREOF, SAID BIT BEING LOCATED IN THE OPENING OF THE U-SHAPED MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR ACCOMMODATING UPPER AND LOWER TAPE SUPPLY SOURCES WHEREBY A STRIP OF ADHESIVE TAPE AND A STRIP OF CONTROL TAPE MAY BE FED, RESPECTIVELY, WITH THE ADHESIVE SURFACE OF THE ADHESIVE TAPE FACING THE CONTROL TAPE, FROM SAID SOURCES TO SAID UPPER AND LOWER APPLICATOR MEANS, THENCE AROUND THE ENTRY FACES THEREOF, BETWEEN THE BIT WHERE THE STRIPS BECOME JOINED TOGETHER, AND THENCE PAST THE EXIT FACES OF THE APPLICATOR MEANS; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION AND A SECOND POSITION SO AS TO EFFECT A TAPING STROKE; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER FROM THE SECOND POSITION TO THE FIRST POSITION SO AS TO EFFECT A RETURN STROKE; AND CLAMPING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID CLAMPING MEANS ADAPTED, WHEN ACTUATED, TO GRIP THE JOINED TOGETHER STRIPS OF TAPE EXTENDING PAST THE TRAILING FACES OF THE TAPE APPLICATOR MEANS WHEREBY, DURING SAID TAPING STROKE, THE TAPES ARE PROGRESSIVELY WITHDRAWN FROM SAID SUPPLY SOURCES.

Claim 2

A DEVICE FOR APPLYING A STRIP OF ADHESIVE TAPE TO AT LEAST THE UPPER SURFACE OF A PIECE OF SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING: A BODY MEMBER; A GENERALLY U-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A TAPING HEAD AT THE OPEN END THEREOF AND A SHANK PORTION ARRANGED TO HAVE SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BODY MEMBER; SAID TAPING HEAD HAVING UPPER AND LOWER TAPE APPLICATOR MEANS YIELDABLY URGED TOGETHER SO AS TO FORM A BIT AT THE ENTRY FACES THEEREOF, SAID BIT BEING LOCATED IN THE OPENING OF THE U-SHAPED MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR ACCOMMODATING UPPER AND LOWER TAPE SUPPLY SOURCES WHEREBY A STRIP OF ADHESIVE TAPE AND A STRIP OF CONTROL TAPE MAY BE FED, RESPECTIVELY, WITH THE ADHESIVE SURFACE OF THE ADHESIVE TAPE FACING THE CONTROL TAPE, FROM SAID SOURCES TO SAID UPPER AND LOWER APPLICATOR MEANS, THENCE AROUND THE ENTRY FACES THEREOF, BETWEEN THE BIT WHERE THE STRIPS BECOME JOINED TOGETHER, AND THENCE PAST THE EXIT FACES OF THE APPLICATOR MEANS; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION AND A SECOND POSITION SO AS TO EFFECT A TAPING STROKE; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER FROM THE SECOND POSITION TO THE FIRST POSITION SO AS TO EFFECT A RETURN STROKE; AND CLAMPING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID CLAMPING MEANS ADAPTED, WHEN ACTUATED, TO GRIP THE JOINED TOGETHER STRIPS OF TAPE EXTENDING PAST THE TRAILING FACES OF THE TAPE APPLICATOR MEANS WHEREBY, DURING SAID TAPING STROKE, THE TAPES ARE PROGRESSIVELY WITHDRAWN FROM SAID SUPPLY SOURCES.