Western Electric Company, Inc.

Asar Madhu P

Richard A Greene

A taping apparatus (10) is disclosed for applying a spaced array of transversely oriented material strips, such as in the form of plastic tapes (36), on each side of indexably advanced strip stock, such as in the form of a thin plastic film (12), during each dwell period of the latter, with corresponding tapes on opposite sides of the film being precisely aligned in pairs. The apparatus includes a film advancing assembly (13, 14, 16, 22, 24, 32), two mutually disposed tape applicator mechanisms (28, 29), a specially constructed platen assembly (26), mounted on a longitudinally disposed U-shaped support bed (27), and a control circuit (33). In order to provide the necessary solid backing for each of the tape applicator mechanisms (28, 29) when sequentially actuated, the platen assembly (26) includes a platen (90) formed with two longitudinally offset segments (91, 92) positioned at different elevations so as to define a film-receiving passageway (94) therebetween. The platen segments are retractably mounted on the support bed (27) such that they define film-guiding extensions of the bed across an opening (27b) formed therein. As thus constructed, and mounted, the platen segments (91, 92) can be rapidly positioned, in succession, into alignment with the respectively associated opposite film-side tape applicator mechanisms (28, 29). This advantageously allows two precisely aligned tapes (36) to be successively and respectively secured to opposite sides of the film (12) during each dwell period thereof.

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Reynoldsburg, OH, United States of America

Asar Madhu P