Adjustable spacing embosser

Claim 2

A tape embossing device for embossing alpha-numeric characters (16) with visually adjustable spacing capabilities in relationship to the prior embossed character on the tape (42) comprising a housing (10), a font ring (32) rotatably mounted on said housing (10), said font ring (32) having a plurality of selectable alpha-numeric character dies (34) thereon, means (14, 18) on said housing for rotating a selected alpha-numeric character die (34) to an embossing station (36), means (126, 128) for controllably moving the tape (42) in either direction to or through the embossing station (36), means (82) for embossing the selected die character on said tape (42) at the embossing station (36), means (38) for making the last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and the next selected character die (34) on said font ring (32) simultaneously visible to the operator, manually operable means (130) for operating said tape moving means (126, 128) to kern and to adjust the spacing between said last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and said next selected character die (34) of said font ring (32) whereby said next selected character may then be embossed in said tape (42) in a desired kerned, adjusted relationship (46) to the last previously embossed character in said tape (42), said font ring (32) being of transparent material, said simultaneous visibility means including lens means (38) on said transparent font ring (34) through which said station located characters (34, 40) may be observed, said adjustably spacing means including a spacing rule means (50) countersunk in said font ring (34) having aligning edges (52) aligned with said character dies (34) for aligning said embossed character (40) against said next selected character die (34), said countersunk spacing rule means permitting said embossed character to pass thereby free of contact therewith.

Claim 3

The embossing device of claim 1, said simultaneous visibility means also including an illuminator (37) lighting the character (40) and character die (34) in the embossing station (36).

Claim 4

The embossing device of claim 1, said embossing means including a pressure wheel (62), a peripheral pressure pad (56) on said pressure wheel (62), rotatable through the embossing station (36) and a pressure ram (94) cooperating with said peripheral pressure pad (56) for pressuring said tape (42) in the embossing station (36) into the selected character die (34).

Claim 5

The embossing device of claim 1, said means for selectively rotating said font ring (32), comprising an internal ring gear (30) in said font ring (32), a circular rotatably mounted selector dial (14) on said housing (10) having the alpha-numeric characters (16) of said font ring (34) similarly displayed on its top, a depending rim (108) on said selector dial having a circumferential gear (24) on its bottom, transfer pinions (24, 26, 28) in mesh with said font gear (30) and said selector dial gear (22), and indicator pointer (20) of said housing indicating the selector dial character (16) corresponding to the font ring character die (34).

Claim 6

The embossing device of claim 4, and index detents in the side surface of said rim (108) of said font ring (32) and a font index plunger assembly (110) in said support frame (74), coordinating therewith to hold said font ring (32) against accidental rotation.

Claim 7

The embossing device of claim 1, and a tape cassette (118), said housing (10) having a well (120) complimentary to said tape cassette (118) removably receiving said tape cassette therein, the tape (42) being feedable from said cassette (118) through the embossing station (32), said tape moving means including feed rollers (126, 128) in said housing pulling said tape (42) from said cassette (118) through the embossing station (36) to a tape housing exit (131).

Claim 8

The embossing device of claim 6 and a tape cutter (132) at said housing exit (131).

Claim 9

The embossing device of claim 6, the bottom one (128) of said feed rollers (126, 128) being grit surfaced to frictionally contact the bottom of the tape means (42, 44).

Claim 10

The embossing device of claim 6, said controllable tape moving means including a rotatable knob (130) on said housing (10) connected to said feed rollers (126, 128).

Claim 11

A tape embossing device for embossing alpha-numeric characters (16) with visually adjustable spacing capabilities in relationship to the prior embossed character on the tape (42) comprising a housing (10), font ring (32) rotatably mounted on said housing (10), said font ring (32) having a plurality of selectable alpha-numeric character dies (34) thereon, means (14, 18) on said housing for rotating a selected alpha-numeric character die (34) to an embossing station (36), means (126, 128) for controllably moving the tape (42) in either direction to or through the embossing station (36), means (82) for embossing the selected die character on said tape (42) at the embossing station (36), means (38) for making the last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and the next selectEd character die (34) on said font ring (32) simultaneously visible to the operator, manually operable means (130) for operating said tape moving means (126, 128) to kern and to adjust the spacing between said last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and said next selected character die (34) on said font ring (32), whereby said next selected character may then be embossed in said tape (42) in a desired kerned, adjusted relationship (46) to the last previously embossed character in said tape (42), said embossing means including a pressure wheel (62), a peripheral pressure pad (56) on said pressure wheel (62) rotatable through the embossing station (36) and a pressure ram (94) cooperating with said peripheral pressure pad (56) for pressuring said tape (42) in the embossing station (36) into the selected character die (34), said ram (94) being mounted on a ram wheel (92), an eccentric hub (88) rotatable within said ram wheel (92) for pressuring said ram (94) and a treadle (82) connected to said eccentric hub (88) for rotating said eccentric hub (88) within said ram wheel (92) to pressure said ram into embossing tape (42).

Claim 12

A tape embossing device for embossing alpha-numeric characters (16) with visually adjustable spacing capabilities in relationship to the prior embossed character on the tape (42) comprising a housing (10), font ring (32) rotatably mounted on said housing (10), said font ring (32) having a plurality of selectable alpha-numeric character dies (34) thereon, means (14, 18) on said housing for rotating a selected alpha-numeric character die (34) to an embossing station (36), means (126, 128) for controllably moving the tape (42) in either direction to or through the embossing station (36), means (82) for embossing the selected die character on said tape (42) at the embossing station (36), means (38) for making the last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and the next selectEd character die (34) on said font ring (32) simultaneously visible to the operator, manually operable means (130) for operating said tape moving means (126, 128) to kern and to adjust the spacing between said last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and said next selected character die (34) on said font ring (32), whereby said next selected character may then be embossed in said tape (42) in a desired kerned, adjusted relationship (46) to the last previously embossed character in said tape (42), said embossing means including a pressure wheel (62), a peripheral pressure pad (56) on said pressure wheel (62) rotatable through the embossing station (36) and a pressure ram (94) cooperating with said peripheral pressure pad (56) for pressuring said tape (42) in the embossing station (36) into the selected character die (34), said ram (94) being mounted on a ram wheel (92), an eccentric hub (88) rotatable within said ram wheel (92) for pressuring said ram (94) and a treadle (82) connected to said eccentric hub (88) for rotating said eccentric hub (88) within said ram wheel (92) to pressure said ram into embossing tape (42).

Claim 13

The embossing device of claim 10, and a supporting shaft (72) on which said eccentric hub (88) is rotatably supported, a support frame (74) on which the support shaft is mounted, and an upstanding ram guide (96) supported on said support frame (74) for guiding said ram (94) into pressure contact with said peripheral pressure pad (56) to pressure the embossable tape portion (42) in the embossing station (36) into the selected character die.

Claim 14

A tape embossing device for embossing alpha-numeric characters (16) with visually adjustable spacing capabilities in relationship to the prior embossed character on the tape (42) comprising a housing (10), a font ring (32) rotatably mounted on said housing (10), said font ring (32) having a plurality of selectable alpha-numeric character dies (34) thereon, means (14, 18) on said housing for rotating a selected alpha-numeric character die (34) to an embossing station (36), means (126, 128) for controllably moving the tape (42) in either direction to or through the embossing station (36), means (82) for embossing the selected die character on said tape (42) at the embossing station (36), means (38) for making the last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and the next selected character die (34) on said font ring (32) simultaneously visible to the operator, manually operable means (130) for operating said tape moving means (126, 128) to kern and to adjust the spacing between said last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and said next selected character die (34) of said font ring (32) whereby said next selected character may then be embossed in said tape (42) in a desired kerned, adjusted relationship (46) to the last previously embossed character in said tape (42), an embossed tape coating and buffing apparatus comprising said housing (10) having a tape coating entry (134) and a coated tape exit (140), tape coating means (136) aligned between tape coating entry (134) and said coated tape exit (140), said housing (10) also having a tape buffing entry (142) and buffed tape exit (154) and tape buffing means (152) aligned between said tape buffing entry (142) and said buffed tape exit (154), and a common motor means (156) actuating both said tape coating means (136) and said tape buffing means (152).

Claim 15

A tape embossing device for embossing alpha-numeric characters (16) with visually adjustable spacing capabilities in relationship to the prior embossed character on the tape (42) comprising a housing (10), a font ring (32) rotatably mounted on said housing (10), said font ring (32) having a plurality of selectable alpha-numeric character dies (34) thereon, means (14, 18) on said housing for rotating a selected alpha-numeric character die (34) to an embossing station (36), means (126, 128) for controllably moving the tape (42) in either direction to or through the embossing station (36), means (82) for embossing the selected die character on said tape (42) at the embossing station (36), means (38) for making the last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and the next selected character die (34) on said font ring (32) simultaneously visible to the operator, manually operable means (130) for operating said tape moving means (126, 128) to kern and to adjust the spacing between said last previously embossed character (40) on said tape (42) and said next selected character die (34) of said font ring (32) whereby said next selected character may then be embossed in said tape (42) in a desired kerned, adjusted relationship (46) to the last previously embossed character in said tape (42), an embossed tape coating and buffing apparatus comprising said housing (10) having a tape coating entry (134) and a coated tape exit (140), tape coating means (136) aligned between tape coating entry (134) and said coated tape exit (140), said housing (10) also having a tape buffing entry (142) and buffed tape exit (154) and tape buffing means (152) aligned between said tape buffing entry (142) and said buffed tape exit (154), and a common motor means (156) actuating both said tape coating means (136) and said tape buffing means (152).

Claim 16

In the embossing device of claim 12, the tape (42) having a readily peelable strip (44) adhered thereto, said strip (44) extending laterally of said tape (42) and having sprocket holes (150) in the laterally extending portions, and rotatable sprocket means (146) engaging in said sprocket holes (150) actuated by said motor means (156).

Claim 17

In the embossing device of claim 13, and an inverted channel (144) over said sprocket means (146) directing said tape (42) and peelable strip (44) past said buffing means (152) to said buffed tape exit (154).

Claim 18

In the embosSing device of claim 14, said inverted channel (144) having laterally extending wings (166), said wings having longitudinal slots (164) permitting rotation of the sprocket teeth (148) therethrough.