Quick change knife blade assembly for a tape roll dispensing cartridge assembly of a case sealing machine

1. A quick change knife blade assembly, comprising:

a mounting plate;

a knife blade mounted upon said mounting plate;

said knife blade being provided with a pair of key-hole shaped slots having first relatively enlarged circular portions and second relatively narrow slot portions;

a pin plate having a pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted in an integral manner thereon wherein said pins have first relatively large diametrical portions and second relatively small diametrical portions such that when said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, is disposed at a first axial position with respect to said mounting plate, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to prevent said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins from moving through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade is fixedly retained upon said mounting plate, whereas, when said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, is axially moved to and disposed at a second axial position with respect to said mounting plate, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disengaged from said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade and said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to permit said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins to move through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade can be removed from said mounting plate; and

a pair of biasing springs disposed around said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins so as to be operatively interposed between said mounting plate and said pin plate for normally biasing said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, to said first axial position with respect to said mounting plate at which said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to prevent said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins from moving through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade such that said knife blade is fixedly retained upon said mounting plate, however, when said pin plate is depressed against the biasing force of said pair of biasing springs so as to axially move said pin plate, and said pair of pins mounted thereon, to said second axial position, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disengaged from said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade and said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to permit said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins to move through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade can be removed from said mounting plate.

2. The quick change knife blade assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

a pair of retaining brackets fixedly mounted upon said mounting plate for retaining said knife blade mounted upon said mounting plate.

3. A quick change knife blade assembly for use within a case sealing machine for cutting sealing tape used for sealing cases, comprising:

a support arm;

a mounting plate fixedly mounted upon said support arm;

a knife blade mounted upon said mounting plate;

said knife blade being provided with a pair of key-hole shaped slots having first relatively enlarged circular portions and second relatively narrow slot portions;

a pin plate having a pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted in an integral manner thereon wherein said pins have first relatively large diametrical portions and second relatively small diametrical portions such that when said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, is disposed at a first axial position with respect to said mounting plate, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to prevent said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins from moving through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade is fixedly retained upon said mounting plate, whereas, when said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, is axially moved to and disposed at a second axial position with respect to said mounting plate, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disengaged from said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade and said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to permit said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins to move through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade can be removed from said mounting plate; and

a pair of biasing springs disposed around said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins so as to be operatively interposed between said mounting plate and said pin plate for normally biasing said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, to said first axial position with respect to said mounting plate at which said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to prevent said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins from moving through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade such that said knife blade is fixedly retained upon said mounting plate, however, when said pin plate is depressed against the biasing force of said pair of biasing springs so as to axially move said pin plate, and said pair of pins mounted thereon, to said second axial position, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disengaged from said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade and said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to permit said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins to move through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade can be removed from said mounting plate.

4. The assembly as set forth in claim 3 , wherein:

said support arm is movably mounted between a first position at which said knife blade is disposed at a first inoperative position with respect to a sealing tape used to seal a case to be sealed, and a second position at which said knife blade is disposed at a second operative position, with respect to the sealing tape used to seal the case to be sealed, so as to cut the sealing tape at the conclusion of a case sealing operation.

5. The assembly as set forth in claim 4 , wherein:

said support arm is pivotally movable between said first and second positions.

6. The assembly as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising:

a biasing spring operatively connected to said support arm for normally biasing said support arm, and said knife blade mounted thereon, toward said second operative position.

7. The assembly as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising:

a knife blade cover which is movable between first and second positions at which said knife blade cover respectively covers said knife blade when said knife blade cover is disposed at said first position, and uncovers said knife blade when said knife blade cover is disposed at said second position.

8. The assembly as set forth in claim 7 , wherein:

wherein said knife blade cover is pivotally mounted between said first and second positions so as to cover and uncover said knife blade.

9. The quick change knife blade assembly as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising:

a pair of retaining brackets fixedly mounted upon said mounting plate for retaining said knife blade mounted upon said mounting plate.

10. A method of quickly permitting a knife blade to be removed from and mounted upon a knife blade assembly, comprising the steps of:

providing a mounting plate;

mounting a knife blade upon said mounting plate;

providing said knife blade with a pair of key-hole shaped slots having first relatively enlarged circular portions and second relatively narrow slot portions;

providing a pin plate having a pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted in an integral manner thereon wherein said pins have first relatively large diametrical portions and second relatively small diametrical portions such that when said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, is disposed at a first axial position with respect to said mounting plate, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to prevent said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins from moving through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade is fixedly retained upon said mounting plate, whereas, when said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, is axially moved to and disposed at a second axial position with respect to said mounting plate, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disengaged from said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade and said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to permit said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins to move through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade can be removed from said mounting plate;

mounting a pair of biasing springs disposed around said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins so as to be operatively interposed between said mounting plate and said pin plate for normally biasing said pin plate, and said pair of axially extending pins fixedly mounted thereon, to said first axial position with respect to said mounting plate at which said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to prevent said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins from moving through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade such that said knife blade is fixedly retained upon said mounting plate, however, when said pin plate is depressed against the biasing force of said pair of biasing springs so as to axially move said pin plate, and said pair of pins mounted thereon, to said second axial position, said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disengaged from said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade and said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to permit said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins to move through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade can be removed from said mounting plate;

depressing said pin plate is against the biasing force of said pair of biasing springs so as to move said pin plate and said pair of pins to said second position such that said first relatively large diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disengaged from said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade and said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins will be disposed within said first relatively enlarged circular portions of said knife blade so as to permit said second relatively small diametrical portions of said pair of pins to move through said second relatively narrow slot portions of said key-hole shaped slots of said knife blade whereby said knife blade can be removed from said mounting plate;

while said pin plate is maintained at its depressed position, a new knife blade may be inserted onto said mounting plate; and

releasing the depression force upon said pin plate so as to permit said biasing springs to return said pin plate to said first position so as to lockingly retain said new knife blade upon said mounting plate.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 , further comprising the step of:

providing a pair of retaining brackets fixedly mounted upon said mounting plate for retaining said knife blade mounted upon said mounting plate.