MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING PRESSURE SENSITIVE SAMPLE CHIPS TO A CARD

摘要

A machine for applying pressure sensitive sample chips (32) to a card (24) includes a linear conveyor (26) for receiving and transporting cards, and at least one sample application station (28) disposed along the conveyor. The sample application station includes a feed roller (46) overlying and spaced from the conveyor for holding a spool (48) containing at least one row of individual pressure sensitive sample chips on a substrate (50). A plate (56) has an edge (54) immediately overlying and spaced from the conveyor to permit passage of cards beneath the edge. A drive roller (58) is spaced from the feed roller and from the plate for drawing the substrate from the spool on the feed roller over the plate edge to separate the sample chips from the substrate and apply the chips to the cards. A resilient roller preferably is disposed adjacent to the plate edge for pressing the sample chips removed from the substrate onto the cards transported on the conveyor. There preferably are a plurality of such sample application stations disposed in series along the conveyor, with each station operating intermittently to apply a column of sample chips to the cards, which preferably have preprinted indicia for coordination with the sample chips applied immediately adjacent to the indicia.