Apparatus for applying adhesive tape to cartons

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AN ADHESIVE TAPE, STRIP OR THE LIKE TO CARTONS, INCLUDING A CONVEYOR FOR FEEDING CARTONS THROUGH THE APPARATUS, A TAPE APPLICATOR MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE IN THE APPARATUS AND OPERABLE TO APPLY A LENGTH OF TAPE TO A CARTON PASSING THEREUNDER, HEIGHT CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE TAPE APPLICATOR AND MOUNTED ON THE APPARATUS FOR ACTUATION BY A CARTON PASSING THERETHROUGH TO MOVE THE TAPE APPLICATOR TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION FOR APPLYING TAPETO SAID CARTON, AND GUIDE MEANS ON THE APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ALIGNING THE CARTON IN ITS DESIRED LATERAL POSITION RELATIVE TO THE TAPE APPLICATOR AS THE CARTON IS FED TOWARDS AND UNDER THE TAPE APPLICATOR, SAID GUIDE MEANS INCLUDING ELONGATED OPPOSED MEMBERS BIASSED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SAID GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING ABOVE THE CONVEYOR AND AT EACH SIDE OF THE CENTER LINE THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR BIASSING SAID ELONGATED MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER, SAID HEIGHT CONTROL MEANS BEING ATTACHED TO A PANEL ON WHICH IS MOUNTED THE TAPE APPLICATOR, THE PANEL BEING SLIDABLY LOCATED IN VERTICAL GUIDES MOUNTED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE APPARATUS.