[1]Patented June 17, 1952 296019159 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,601,159 DISPENSIENG MACHI[NE Walton C. Marsh, Belleville, ]III., assignor to Marsh Stencil Machine Company, Belleville, Ill., a corporation @of ]Illinois Application April 15,1946, Serial No. 662,338 9 Claims. (Cl. 271-2.4) 2 The present invention relates generally to dispensing machines, and more particularly to gummed tape moistening and dispensing machines adapted to deliver moistened selected tape lengths for application to packages, cartons and 5 the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel gunimed tape dispensing machine which is adapted to deliver moistened tape segments of selected lengths. 10 Another object is to provide a novel tape dispensing machine which is adapted to deliver tape segments of selected lengths at rapid rates without overrun or retraction of the tape strip. Another object is to provide a novel tape dis- 15 pensing machine which is adapted to deliver tape segments of any selected length between predetermined minimum and maxiinum lengths. Another object is to provide a novel tape dispensing machine Nvhich is adapted to accom- 20 modate tape rolls of any -width between preselected minimum and maximum widths and which incorporates structural dispensing features adapted to smoothly recei've the tape strip from the roll and to pass it to a point of ultimate use. 25 Another object is to provide a novel tape dispensing machine incorporating operating mechanism by which stops normally used in the cutting of tape segments of preselected lengths can be rendered inoperative at will during a dispensing 30 cycle. Other objects are to provide a novel tape dispensing machine which is adapted to rapidly and accurately dispense tape segments, which is of sturdy and rugged construction and adapted 35 thereby to render long service under severe usage, which is simple in construction and readily fabricated, and which may be nadily operated in an efficient manner by a user with a minimum of instruction. 40 Other objects and advantages, in addition to the foregoing, are apparent from the following description tal,,en with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. I is a top plan view of a gunimed tape 45 dispensing machine constructed in accordance with the teachings of the. present invention, a portion being broken away to sbow the tape roll in its chamber; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, the 50 operating handle being shown in several positions and a part of the casing being broken away to show the tape roll in the tape chamber; Flg. 3 is a side elevational view thereof on a reduced scale of the other side; 55 Fig. 4 is a front elevational view thereof on a reduced scale, parts of the water bottle and the handle being broken away for conservation of space; Fig. 5 is a view thereof partly in pian and partly 1'n cross section; Fig. 6 is a 'vertical sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, the rnoistening brushes and the tape roll being shown in ele-vation; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a front elevational view thereof, parts being in cross section and parts being broken away for clarity of illustration, the handle being in the central position of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the operating arm assembly of the machine; Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line I 1-1 I of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is an isometric view of the reciprocable latch rider of the machine; Fig. 13 is an enlarged elevational detail view of a portion of the cutting knife operating mechanism showing the relation of the elements after initial movement of the operating arm and prior to tape dispensing; Fig. 14 is an enlarged elevational detail view simiiar to Fig. 15 but showing the parts in their relation just pi-ior to depression of the cutting knife to sever the dispensed tape; Fig. 15 is a Plan view of the tape chute; Fig. 16 is a section on the line 16-1 6 of Pig. 15; Fig. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectibnal view on the line 17-17 of Fig. 6, a portion of the feed wheel being shown in elevation; Fig. 18 is a section on the line 18-1 8 of Fig. 17; and Fig. 19 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the feed wheel. Referring more particularly to the drawings by reference numerals, 20 indicates generally a gummed tape dispensing machine embodying the Principles of the present invention. ]3roadly, the tape dispensing machine 20 includes side paneis 22 and 24, a cover 26, a supportiiig frame 28, an operating arm assembly 30 with associated elements, a tape moistening assembly 32, a cutting knife assembly 34, a tape feeding assembly 36, a tape guide construction 38, a buffer and return mechanism 40, and relating and connecting elements. More specifically, the supporting frame 24
[2]3 serves to mount the several working parts and assemblies of the present invention, and inciudes vertical side walls 42 and 43 of the configuration cleariy show-n in the dra,%,ings. The side walls 42 and 43 are maintained in spaced rigid relation bY a plurality of transversely disposed shafts such as shafts 44, 45, 46 and 47 anchored in the walls by suitable nuts 48 or the like (Figs. 5 and 6). Each side wall 42 and 43 is enlarged along the lower edge to provide an outwardly extending thickened flange 49, each of which has attached thereto underneath the ends thereof supporting bosses 50 of rubber or the like. The side panel 22 is attached to and spaced from the vertical wall 43 by a plurality of bosses 51 formed integral witl-i the wall 43 and bosses 52 formed integral with the panel 22 which; threadedly receive suitable screws 53. Similarly, the side panel 24 is attached to and spaced ftom the side wall 42 by bosses 54 formed integral with the wall 42, and bosses 55 formed inte,@ral with the panel 24 and suitable screws 50 ' The operating arm assembly 30 includes a shaft 60 having bearing support in bosses formed integral with the walls 42 and 43, to one outer end of which is keyed a handle arm 6@l by means of' a pin 62. As is best seen in Figs@ 2 and 9 through 12, the handle arm 6 I is of channel cross section and houses the vertically reciprocating elements of a latching mechanism generally designated 63. At its free end, the handle arm 0 1 supports a handle grasp 64 of cylindrical configuration. The grasp 64 comprises a tubular member 65 which, at one endi threadedly engages for support a housing 66 formed at the free end of the handle, and, at the other end, threadedly receives a cup-shaped member 67. VVithin the tubular member 65 is a reciprocable plunger 68@ having a conical end 69 extending into the housing 66 and a reduced portion 70 extending through the bottom of and into the cup-shaped member 67. A push button 71 is keyed to the end of the reduced portion 70 by a suitable pin 72. The push button 7 f is of a configuration to nestle within the cup-shaped member 67 for reciprocative movement and is biased outwardly by a compression spring 73. A cup-shaped member@ 74 threadedly engages the housing 66 for support thereby in opposed relation to the tubularmember65. Thecup-shapedmember74,carries a reciprocative plunger 75 of reduced length which has a conical end -iG adapted to be moved into the housing 66 and a reduced portion 77 extending through the bottom of and into the cup- 74. A push button 78 is keyed to the reduced portion 77 by a suitable pin 79 and is biased outwardly by a compression spring 80. A longitudinally reciprocable member 8 l@ is disposed in the upper portion of the channeled handle arm 6 I and includes a head 82 disposed in the housing 66 having a beveled annular surface 83 adapted to be contacted by the conical end8 69 and 767 of the plungers 68 and' 75, respectively. At its lower end, tlle member 0 1 extends tlirough an aperture in an upper flange 84 of a connecting member 85, a suital)le transver,sely@ extending pin 86 preventing removal of the connecting member 85. Similarly connected to a. lower flange 871 of the connecting member 85 by a; suitable, pin 08. 4s a stub shaft '@19 which ex,tends through-. a partition 90 formed integral with- the handle arm 61 al-id' threadedly engages a latch rider 9-f-, preferably of the configuration clearly shown in Fig. 12. The rider 91 includes a. shoulder 92 having a beveled surfa@-e 93. An 2,601,159 4 anchor post 94 threadedly engages the lower edge of the rider 91 and extends through a second partition 95 formed integral with the handle arm 6 1. A tension spring 96 is connected at one end to the lower end of the anchor post 94 and at the other end to a pin 97 mounted transversely of and supported by the walls of the handle arm 6 1. It is manifest from the foregoing that the lo. compression springs 73 and 80, through the push buttons 71 and 78, respectively, maintain the plungers 68 and 75 retracted in respect to the head 82 whi-ch, by gravity and tension spring 96, normally is in a position so that the rider 91 r5@ rests- against the lower partition 95. Inward pressure on either of the push buttons effects vertical' movement of the head 82 and rider 91 to the positions shown in Fig. 10. In addition to the foregoing means,, there is also provided, 20 for raising the rider 91 to the position shown in Fig. 10 aild for retaining it so raised,, a pin, 98 which threadedly engages the web portion@ o:E the connecting member 85 and which is movable@ in an inverted L-shaped: slot 99 (Fig.. 2) formed@ in 25 the handl'e arm 61. The connecting member 8.6, is sufficiently smaller than the channel of' the handle arm@ GI to permit it to be rotated by manipulatibn@ of the pin 98. It is clear that, the, rider 91 may be raised against the tensibn of the 30 extension spring 96 by manually raising the pih @98, and will be maiiltained there by the spring 96@ after the pih 98 is rotated into the foot of. the L-shaped slot 99. An arcuate slot i,Og of the extent shown. in Fig-. 35 2- is formed in the panel 24 concentric with. the shaft 60. An arcuate channel' I 0 1: (Fig. 9,) is formed. on the inner surface of the panel 24 and is of the same radius as that of the arcuate slot I 00 (Figs@ 9 and 10). Located within the slot- I 00 .1 i) a-re two stops 1:02 and 103@, each of which includes. a; bolt 104: disposed in the slot 100, a head 105 disposed in the channel IO 1, a reduced extremity. I 0&, extending to a pos4@tion to be engaged by the shoulder 92 of the rider 9@i when the rider 9.1 I I; is di@posed against the lower partition 95, a se@ curing nut 107, and a suitable lock. washer I 08. Manifestly, tl@e stops 102 and 103 may be ad@. justed to any desired position iki the arcuate slot 100. More than two stops may be employed: if 50 desired. A large gear III is keyed to the shaft 60. ad.5,-, (,,!) jacent the outer face of the wall 42 and inwardly of the panel 24 by a pin 112 (Fig. 7). To provide a suitable predetermined amount of rotative play between the shaft 60 and the large gear I I 1, the pin II 2 is disposed in opposed fan-shaped openings f 13@ in the hub II 4 thereof. Hence, the large gear I l@l does not begin to rotate until the shaft 60 has rotated the pin 11 2 through the fanshaped openings 113. A stop pin 11,5 extends through the gear I l@ I to support a nut I I 6, or the like@ which engages a screwhead@ If 9@ mounted in the wall 42 to limit the return rotation of the gear I I I to insure the relationship between (;;5 the shaft 60 and the gear I I I as shown in. Plig. 7 at the initiation of the dispensing cycle. The cutting knife assembly 34 is pivotally mounted in the supporting frame 28 for spring actuation to raised or inoperativ(,- position and i f) for power actuation downwardly through the cutting stroke by the return stroke of the operating arm assembly: 3 O@, The knife assembly 34, includes twa blade elements 120 of, the configuration and disposedas shown in Fig. 9 which are 75 secured by suitable@ scre,@ks 121 to a transverse
[3]5 member 122 (Figs. 5 and 6) which is pivotally mounted on and between the ends of the legs 123 of a U-shaped member 124 pivotally mounted adjacent the bight 125 thereof on a transversely disposed shaft 126 anchored in the walls 42 and 43. A depending member 127 is secured to the bight 125 and has a tension spring 128 anchored to a stud 129 mounted on the wall 43 connected to the free end, thereby biasing the knife elements (20 into raised position. A ten- 10 sion spring 130 anchored to a stud 131 mounted in the wall 43 is secured to the lower extremity of each knife element 120 to bias the knife elements 120 into constant engagement with a fixed tape cutting blade 132 mounted on suitable 15 brackets secured to the walls 42 and 43. Depending from each leg 123 near the bight 125 is a strap member 133 wl-Ach supports aghaft 134 adjacent the lower extremities thereof. The strap members 133 also support a shaft i35 of square 20 cross section in a position above the shaft 134. Th,e shaft 135 is secured against movement relative to the strap members 133. A rocking member 136 having a toe 137 is pivotally mounted on the shaft i34 and is biased by means of a 2@ spring 138 secured to the shaft 135 and to the rocking member 136 into engagement with an adjustable screw 139 threaded through the shaft 135, as is clear from Figs. 6, 13 and 14. A rocker member i40 is secured to the shaft 60 by means 3t) of a reduced extension 141 which extends through the shaft 60 and is maintained in position by a suitable setscrew (not shown), or the like. The relationship of the rocker member 140 to the toe 137 of the rocking member 136 is such 35 that, on the forward stroke of the handle arm 6 1, the rocker member 140 will just clear the toe 137 during the free movement of the handle arm 6 i, that is, during the time the pin i 12 moves in the fan-shaped openings 113, In the clearing 40 action, the rocking member 136 i-S pivoted clockwise against the tension of the spring 138 and then is brought back into the position shown iii Figs. 6 and 14 by the spring 138 as soon as the rocker inember 140 has cleared the toe 131. No e,5 further action takes place in respect to the cutting kp-ife assembly 34 until the shaft 60 through the handle arm 61 has completed its counterclockwise rotation and in subsequent clockwise rotation has returned the rocker member 140 in- 50 to engagement with the toe 137. Further movement of the rocker member 14@g against the rocking member 136 pivots the U-shaPed member 124 counterclockwise which moves the eLtting elements 120 downwardly to sever the dis- r)5 pensed tape, the spring 138 returning the cuttine,, elements 120 to the raised position immediatelv after the rocker member 140 has cleared the toe 137. The tape feeding assembly 36, best shown in (10 Figs. 5, 6 and 17 through 19, includes a driven wheel i45 having a suitably knurled periphery mounted on and keyed to a, shaft 146 journaled in suitable bosses 147 formed iiitegral with the walls 42 and 43 (Fig. 17). The shaft 146 has s- 65 pinion 148 keyed to a reduced portion 149 by a suitable pin. The pinion i 4 8 meshes with and is driven by the large gear I I I (Fig. 7). Adiacent the boss 147 formed in the wall 42 is a collar 150 which is secured to the shaft 146 by a sliitob.e 70 setscrew to maintain the shaft 146 against loiigitudinal movement, cooperating with the pinion 148. The driven wheel 145 is in the form of an overrunning clutch and includes an inner memr ber 151 keyed to the shaft 146 and an outer mem- 7 r) 2,601 159 6@ ber 152 @vbich,is freely mounted on the shaft 146 and maintained in contiguous position relative to the meriaber I 5 I by a collar 153 secured to the shaft 146 by a suitable setscrew (Fig. 19). The member 152 is cup shaped on one side to receive the mernber 151 and to provide a race 154 for ball bearings 155 located in pockets 156 (Fig. 18) formed in the periphery of the rnember 151. A plate 157, secured to the member 151 by suitable screws 158, maintains the ball bearings 115 in the Pockets 156. DisPosed beneath and in feeding contact with the periphery of the driven wheel 145 is a small roller i5g (Fig, 6) which is rotatably mounted on one arm i6D of a bell crank I 6 I Pivotally supported on the sbaft 45, the other arm 162 of the bell craiik 161 having a tension spring 163 serured thereto, the sp@ing 163 being anchored to a pin 164 mounted in the wall 42 (Fig. 9). I-rence, the roller 159 is biased towards constant engagement with the driven wheel 145. It is clear from the foregoing that on the forward movement of the arm 61 (after the 10st motion is absorbed) the wheel 145 is rotated clockwise to dispense tape and that on the return trip of the handle arrn GI the clutch elements of the wheel 145 take effect to perznit counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 146 but to prevent counterclockwise movement of the outer member 152 of the driven wheel 145, thereby preventing withdrawal of the tape on such return trip. The tape guide construction 38 includes a tape chute 166 of the conflguration shown particularly in Figs 15 and 16. The chute I 66 includes ears 167, one at each corner, which are Secured to suitable brackets mounted on the w6,lls 42 and 43 for disposing the chute 166 in respect to the other working parts, as is clearly shown in Mgs. 5 and 6. The chute 166 also includes lateral guide flanges 168, an openin@ 169 through which the roller 159 extends, and @wo sets of slots 170 which selectively receive hook ends 171 of a pair of tape roll guide members 172 pivotally mounted on the transverse shaft 47 and secured thereto by an integral collar 173 and a set screw. The upper end of the chute 166 is disposed adjacent the transverse shaft 46 about which is a loosely mounted sleeve 174 which assists in the smooth passage of tape being dispensed, The forward edge of the chute 166 extends to adjacent the rear edge of the fixed blade 132. A guide member 175 (Figs. 5 and 6) cooperates with the chute 166 and the stationary blade 132 and includes a transversely disposed portion 176 disposed above the blade 132 and spaced therefrom by the thickness of the ears 167 of the chute i66, the sarae securing bolt, or the like, extending through the transverse portion 176, the ears 167 and the blade 132. The guide member 175 also includes rearwardly extending fingers 177 of resilient material which are located one to each side of the driven wheel 145, and which terminate in transversely disposed Portions 178 whirh are spaced from the chute 166, as is clear from Mg. 6. The tape-roll guide members 172 extend into a tape roll cbamber 180, the walls of which are formed by the rear portions of the walls 42 ancl 43, the bottom of which corqprises a plate 181 secured to suitable brackets mounted on the walls 42 and 43 by screws 182. The plate iB I includes a front flange 183 and a rear flange 184. Above the flonge 183 is a shaft 185 about which there i-s loosely mounted a sleeve i86 against which a tape roll 187 rotates during a dispensing operation. The tape roll 187 is loosely disposed
[4]7' in the@ tape,-roll chamber 180@ between the taperoll guides [7@, no@ tmnsverse mounting shaft being, necessary. At the forward end of: the tape dispensing machine 20 is the tape moistening, assembly 32 which includes a water cup. 1,90 and a water reservoir 191 connected. by a closed water channel 192,, all of which ma-y be formed as an integral casting (Figs. 1 through. 6). The water cup I 90 has@ a transverse groove 193 in the bottom which fits over the tra-nsverse shaft 44, the connecting channel 192 fitting into a niche 194@ provided, in the front of the wall 43. The tape moistening assembly 327 readily- slips, into position for support by- the transverse shaft 44 and the niche 194. In the water cup 190' are two brushes 195 and, 196 which, are@ disposed@ at, a forwardly directed angle, by suitabl'e ribs 197. The brushes 195 and 196 include bristles which feed water to the ftee ends thereof by capillary action for moistening tape, as is well known in the art. A bottle 1:98, supported in a bracket 199 secured to the panel 22, is inverted, in the reservoir 19 I' and is provided with any type of metering valve 200 to; feed water. into the reservoir 191 as it is used. The metering valve 2 0 0 is, of course, adapted to. be closed off when the machine 20 is not in use. A Presser and tape terminus guide member 2 02 is- pivotally mounted above the brushes 195 and 196 and rests on the bristle ends thereof. The member 2'02 includes a heavy body@ plate 203 having grooves in the underside in the direction of tape movement and' in each side of which, towatd the rear thereof, is a slot 204 adapted to engage projecting reduced. extensions 205 (Figs. 5 and 9) of suitable screws mounted on the walls 42 and 43. A thin. plate 206 is secured to and'is spaced from. the bottom of the body plate 203 to form a guide passage to direct tape forwardly between the bristle ends of the brushes 195 and 196, and the forward underside of the body 203. The rearedge of the body plate 203 is beveled, as is clearly shown in Fig. 9, to provide a widened mouth to the guide formed' by the Plate 206 and the bottom of the body plate- 203. It is clear from Fig. 6, th-at@ the mouth so formed is disposed adjacent the reciprocabre blade elements 120 to receive tape from between the fixed blade i32 and the guidemember 175. The buffer and return mechanism 40@ is best shown in Figs. 5 and 81 and includes a bell crank 2 1 0 keyed- to the other end of the shaft 60- by meaiis of a; suitabl'e pin 2 l@ I extending through the shaft 60- and a hub portion 212 of the bell cra@nk ZIO'. One arm 213 of the bell crank 210 haff a; conical projection 2,1@4 near the free end, which, in the rest position of the dispensing machine 2 0;1 snugly nestles in a lining 2,15@ of hard rubber, or the%like, disposed- in a cup 216 mounted on the outer face ofthe wall 43. Intermediate the- ends of the arm 213- is an apertured lug 2 17 to which is connected one end of a, heavy helical tensionspring2l3. The7spring2@18:isledaround a pulley 2'1 9 which is supportedc for rotation on the wall 43, by means of a screw 220 threadedlv engaging a boss formed integral with the wall 43. T@he other end of the spring 218 is connected to% an. anchor screw 22 1, which threadedl3r engages an apertured li-ig, 222 formed integral' with- the, wall 43 ' The anchor screw 221 may be rotated for adjustment of the tension of the spring 2 1 S' ' The, bell crank 211 0 inciudes a second arm 22@3 on the free encl of whith is rotatably mounted a pull@ey 224. In the path of the arm, 2,604159, 8; ZI'3 is: a stop sleeve 225'mounted on the wall 43and adapted to limit the forward movement of the arm 213. In Fig. 8, the buffer and return mechanism 40 is shown in dotted lines in the extreme forward position. It is to be observed that the pulley 224 on the extremity of. the arm 223 engages the spring 21.8 as the bell crank is rotated counterclockwise to maintain the tensioning effect 10 thereof. The panel 22 includes a scale 227 marked off in inches showing numerals from 3 to 36 (Mgs. I and9). Thescale227iso ftransparentmaterial aiid seats ih an arcuate slot formed in the flange 15 of the panel 22. The scale 227 is disposed over the path of the bell. crank 2 1 0, a head 2 2 8 being formed on the free end of the arm 21-3 and provided with a transverse mark 209 to serve as a poii-iter to indicate the tape length being dis20 pensed (Figs. 5 and 8). The cover 26 includes a front plate element 229 having a forward flange 230: terminating in a curled end which -.Lqts around a shaft 231 supported by the walls 42 and 43 (Fig. 6). The 25 cover 2G also includes a rear plate 232 having a curled portion 233 fitting around a transverse shaft 234 supported by the walls 42 and 43. A bracket 235 is secured to and depends from the underside of the plate 232 and is of a configura30 tion to maintain the tape-roll guides 172 against rotation in the sell,ected adjusted position and to liniit upward movement of the feeding tape. The operation of the dispensing machine 20 is clear from the foregoing detailed description 35 and explanation taken with the drawings, but a summary is in order. Tb ready the dispensing machine 2a for tape dispensing operation, the gummed tape roll 187 is inserted in the tape-roll chamber 180 after 40 pivoting the plate 232 rearwardly. The tape-roll. guides 172 are adjusted laterally to positions to centrally locate the tape roll 187 (Figs; 5: and 6). The tape is then led across the sleeve 174 and. down the chute 166 beneath the guide 175 into 4 @1) contact with the wheel 145 and the roller 159, the plate 22@il having been pivoted forwardly out of the way. The handle arm 61 is moved forward through a short arc to feed, the tape just past the stationary knife 132, forward movement of go the arm 61 effecting positive clocl,@Nvise rotation of the wheel 145. This are of forward movement of the arm 61 should be sufficient to clear the rocker member 140 with the toe 137 of the rocking member 136, so that, upon return movement 55 of the ai'm 6 1, the rocker member 140 will pivot the rocking member 136 and member 124 which will move the knife elements 120 past the fixed knife blade 132 to sever the extending piece of tape so that subsequent segments may be prop(3o erly metered. The talye moistening assembly 32 is filled with water to a suitable level and the brushes 195 and 196 permitted to pass an initial amount of water to the ends of the bristles@ The stops 102 and 103 are adjusted to the 65 desired position for dispensing tape segments of predetermined lengths. 1-n accomplishing the adjustment, it is but necessary to move the handle arm 61 forvrardly until the indicator mark 209 on the head 228 of the arm 213 beneath the 70 scale 227 is aligned with the inch number corresponding to the tape length desired ' and theri to move the stop 102 or 103 a.-ainst the shoulder 92 of the rider 91 carried by the arm 61 and tighten the stop 102 or 103 in the position thus 75 located. Similarly, the other stop is located to
[5]9 dispense a tape segment of a different length. The cover plates 229 and 232 are replaced, and the dispensing machine 20 is ready for operation. In dispensing a tape segment, the operating arm 61 is moved forwardly to the first stop and relea,sed, whereupon it is returned to the starting position by the spring 218 (Fig. 8). During the initial forward movement of the operating arm 6 i, no tape is dispensed in view of the los mo ion connection between the large gear v@,heel I I I and the shaft 60 to which the operating arm 61 is keyed. As soon as the lost motion is taken up, the large gear I I I is rotated, which rotates the pinion 148 and, therethrough, the shaft 146 to rotate the wheel 145, which feeds the tape forwardly between the body plate 203 of the presser member and the plate 206 into mdistening engagement with the bristle ends of the brushes 195 and 190. As explained above, the rocker member 140 clears the toe 137 6f the rocking inember 136 during the initial movement of the operating arm 61, the knife elements 120 being maintained in radsed i-noperative position by the tension spring 128. The aforesaid clea-rin.movement of the rocker member 140 may be said to cock the knife assembly 34. Return movement of the operating arm 6 I does not withdraw the tape in view of the overrunnina clutch incorporated in the wheel 145. In the return movement of tl-ie operating arm 6 1 by the tension spring 2 1 8 or by hand, the rocker member 140 engages the toe 137 of the rocking inember 13 6, which lowers the blade elements 12 0 in a severing action against the fixed blade 132 as is set out above. The shock of the return movement is sufficiently absorbed by @he inipact of the projection 214 ag,,iinst the liner 215 in the cup 2 1 G. Should it be desired to clear the first stop 102 and to meter the tape by the stop 103, it is bUt necessary to raise the rider 91 to the p6sition shown in Fig. 10 by pressing el er pus bu ton 71 or the push button 78, releasing the same prior to reaching the second stop 103 so that the rider 9 I may contact it. Inasmuch as the shoulder 92 of the rider 91 is beveled at 93, it is not necessary to keep the b@utton 71 or the button 78 depressed in returning the operating arm 61 past the first stop 102, for the beveled surface 93 permits the rider 91 to ride over the stop 102. The two push buttons 71 and 78 are provided in order to insure one-hand operation of the arm 61 when using either the right or the left hand. The rider 91 may be locked in an operative position through manipulation of the pin 98 in the inverted L-shaped slot 99. It is :clear from the foregoing that tape segments of predetermined lengths may be accurately and rapidly @dispensed by the machine 20. It is further apparent that the means for dispensing tape segments of predetermined lengths inay be rendered inoperative and tape segments of any desired length between a miniinum of 3 inches and a maximum of 36 inches be metered by reference to the scale 227. The moistening and the severing of the tape ar@e manifestly efficiently accomplished. It is clear, therefore, that the object-s and advantages sought for the present invention have been accomplished. It is to be understood that the foregoing disclosure and the accompanying drawings are given by way of illustration and example. It is to be further understood that those modifications encompassing changes in the configuration of ele2,6012159 10 ments, rearrangement of parts and substitution of equivalents wh h will be apparent o se skilled in the art are contemplated as within the scope of the present inventioli, which is limited only by the claims vvhich follow. What is
