Label printing and dispensing apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for printing and dispensing labels carried on a label ribbon for indexing step-by-step along a path of travel through the apparatus, the labels being printed with a prescribed minimum printing pressure, said apparatus comprising: a hand lever movable between a rest position and a depressed position; a return spring biasing the hand lever toward the rest position; a transport mechanism for moving the label ribbon along said path of travel through increments of advancement corresponding to the spacing of the labels on the label ribbon in response to movement of the hand lever; a second lever movable between a first position and a second position, the second lever having first and second ends; a printing table located along said path of travel such that each indexed label is delivered to the printing table; a printing device carried by the second lever at the first end thereof for movement toward and away from the printing table and the label thereat, in response to movement of the second lever, the printing device being away from the printing table when the second lever is in the first position and being at the printing table when the second lever is at the second position; an inking device urged against the printing device with a given inking force when the second lever is at the first position, and movable away from the printing device in response to overcoming the given inking force; coupling means coupling the hand lever with the second end of the second lever, said coupling means including a drive spring between the hand lever and the second end of the second lever, the drive spring being capable of compression in response to movement of the hand lever from the rest position toward the depressed position, relative to the second lever; a pawl movable between a locking position, wherein the pawl holds the second lever captive in the first position thereof against the force of compression of the drive spring and independent of the inking force during said movement of the hand lever relative to the second lever, and a disengaged position, wherein the second lever is released for immediate movement of the printing device toward the printing table in response to the force of the compressed drive spring; biasing means urging the pawl into the locking position to maintain the second lever stationary in the first position thereof as the hand lever is moved from the rest position toward the depressed position and the drive spring is compressed; and tripping means on the hand lever for intercepting the pawl during movement of the hand lever from the rest position toward the depressed position, said tripping means moving the pawl from the locking position to the disengaged position when the drive spring has been compressed sufficiently to provide a predetermined force capable of overcoming the given inking force and driving the printing device toward the printing table with sufficient momentum to establish said prescribed minimum printing pressure upon arrival of said printing device at the printing table whereby said prescribed minimum printing pressure is established independent of said inking force.