Taping apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for applying tape to the top and ends of a carton of the type having abutting top closure flaps where the tape is located longitudinally to cover the abutting edges of said top closure flaps, and said top closure flaps have end tabs connected to the ends thereof which are folded downwardly to cover at least a portion of the end of said carton such that the tape must extend down the end of the carton to hold said tabs in position, said apparatus being operable sequentially and automatically on successive cartons as they are placed on said apparatus, said apparatus comprising: rail means on which said cartons may be located at a load station and on which said cartons may be advanced in spaced apart pairs to their longitudinal axis; reciprocating feed carriage means for engaging each of said cartons when placed on said rail means at said load station and advancing it into position beneath means for dispensing tape continuously and horizontally as said carton moves beneath said tape dispensing means, said tape dispensing means pressing said tape into position to cover a portion of the longitudinally extending abutting edges of said top cover flaps; said feed carriage means also engagable with each of said cartons positioned beneath said tape dispensing means to advance each of said cartons along said rail means away from said tape dispensing means to a predetermined position leaving a length of tape extending between adjacent cartons; vertically retractable means for cutting said tape between adjacent cartons being moved through said apparatus, said vertically retractable means also including pressing means for holding that portion of said tape covering the leading end of each of said carton in said tape dispending means down into position; said cutting means biased downwardly to hold said tabs in position on the leading end of a carton which is stationary beneath said dispensing means; control means for sensing a carton introduced at said load station and activating said carriage means to advance said carton beneath said dispensing means, said control means coacting to retract said cutting means to allow the carton beneath said dispensing means to be moved by said carriage means along said rail means; and elevator means includng a vertically reciprocating means for supporting a carton after the tape has been applied thereto and, after said tape has been cut, moving it upwardly into a chute which engages the ends of said carton and holds said tape and said end tabs in position to provide time for said tape to adhere to the tabs and ends of said carton.