Method for applying tear tape with discrete fiscal marks for discrete packages

1. A method of applying fiscal indicia to articles by enclosing at least a portion of an article with filmic packaging material and a portion of tear tape, wherein the tear tape comprises a base film of oriented thermoplastics material having a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive on one side of the film and having a coating of release agent on an opposed side of the film, and wherein the tear tape carries a plurality of discrete fiscal indicium, each said indicium being distinct from the other, and including a registration mark for each said fiscal indicuim thereon, each said registration mark located substantially identically with respect to each fiscal indicium, said method comprising the steps of:

bringing together a portion of the tear tape bearing one of said fiscal indicium and one of said registration marks with a portion of the filmic packaging material;

causing said portion of tear tape to adhere to said portion or filmic packaging material;

detecting each said registration mark to enable causing said portion of tear tape and said adhered portion of packaging material to register with an article to be wrapped so that said fiscal indicium occupies a predetermined location on the article in relation to the wrapped article;

said predetermined local on each wrapped article comprising substantially the same location for all like articles in a series to which the combined portion of tear tape and portion of filmic packaging material is to be wrapped, said fiscal indicium at said predetermined location being observable upon inspection of the article from the outside of the article; and

wrapping the article with said portion of tear tape and said portion of adhered filmic packaging material at least in part.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said filmic packaging material comprises, at least in part, a heat shrinkable filmic material.

3. A method of applying fiscal indicia to articles by enclosing at least a portion of an article with filmic packaging material and a portion of tear tape wherein the tear tape comprises a base film of oriented thermoplastics material having a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive on one side of the film and having a coating of release agent on an opposed side of the film, and wherein the tear tape carries a plurality of composite indicium, each said composite indicium comprising a discrete fiscal indicium, a second indicium and a registration mark, each said registration mark located substantially identically with respect to each fiscal indicium, said method comprising the steps of:

bringing together (i) a portion of the tear tape bearing said composite indicium and (ii) portion of the filmic packaging material,

causing said portion of tear tape to adhere to said portion of filmic packaging material,

detecting the registration mark to enable causing said portion of tear tape and said adhered portion of packaging material to register with an article to be wrapped so that said fiscal indicium occupies a predetermined location on the article in relation to the wrapped article,

said predetermined location on each wrapped article comprising substantially the same location for all like articles in a series to which the combined portion of tear tape and portion of filmic material is to be wrapped, said fiscal indicium at said predetermined location being observable upon inspection of the article from the outside of the article, and

wrapping the article with portion of tear tape said and said portion of adhered packaging material at least in part.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said filmic packaging material comprises, at least in part, a heat shrinkable filmic material.