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A new and improved case sealer assembly comprises a pair of oppositely disposed case drive mechanisms for conveying a multiplicity of cases through a sealing station. The drive mechanisms are laterally separated from each other such that an interior space is formed therebetween which effectively def

A new and improved case sealer assembly comprises a pair of oppositely disposed case drive mechanisms for conveying a multiplicity of cases through a sealing station. The drive mechanisms are laterally separated from each other such that an interior space is formed therebetween which effectively defines a sealing station for serially accommodating the multiplicity of cases to be sealed. The pair of drive mechanisms are mounted upon arms that are movably mounted in a linear manner so as to be capable of being manually adjusted toward and away from each other in a substantially infinite number of increments, and in addition, the arms are also pivotally mounted such that not only are the drive mechanisms manually movable toward or away from each other in order to initially adjust the lateral distance, defined between the pair of oppositely disposed drive mechanisms, to any one of an infinite number of predetermined dimensions whereby various different cartons or cases, having various, different predetermined width dimensions, can be accommodated by the case sealer assembly, but in addition, the pair of oppositely disposed drive mechanisms are mounted for automatic expansible movement with respect to each other so as to accommodate various different cases having various different width dimensions within a predetermined range of width dimensions.

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What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is: 1. Apparatus for sealing cases, comprising: a framework defining a sealing station therewithin, within which a case is adapted to be sealed; sealing means disposed at said sealing station for s

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is: 1. Apparatus for sealing cases, comprising: a framework defining a sealing station therewithin, within which a case is adapted to be sealed; sealing means disposed at said sealing station for sealing a case at said sealing station as a case is conveyed through said sealing station; a pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt drive means, comprising a pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts, for engaging a case to be sealed and for conveying a case through said sealing station along a longitudinally extending path such that the case can be sealed by said sealing means disposed at said sealing station; first means for mounting said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means upon said framework such that said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means can be adjusted in incremental amounts, toward and away from each other, so as to effectively define a plurality of width dimensions within said sealing station, as defined between said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means, whereby different cases having different width dimensions can be accommodated within said sealing station; and second means for pivotally mounting said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means upon said framework such that for each incremental adjustment of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means by said first means, said second means for pivotally mounting said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means upon said framework permits said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means to undergo a pre-determined amount of expansion whereby different cases, having different width dimensions which are within a predetermined range of width dimensions beyond said width dimension as defined by said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means having been adjusted to a particular incremental amount by said first means, can be accommodated within said sealing station. 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said sealing means comprises vertically spaced up-per and lower tape cartridge sealing mechanisms disposed at said sealing station. 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising: vertically adjustable carriage means for mounting said upper tape cartridge sealing mechanism thereon in order to adjust the vertical disposition of said upper tape cartridge sealing mechanism with respect to said lower tape cartridge sealing mechanism. 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first means for mounting said pair of late-rally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means upon said framework, comprises: a plurality of mounting blocks upon which said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts are mounted; and screw drive means, having oppositely oriented threaded portions defined thereon, threadedly engaged with said plurality of mounting blocks such that said plurality of mounting blocks, and said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts mounted upon said mounting blocks, can be moved toward and away from each other, depending upon the direction in which said screw drive means is rotated, so as to adjust the width dimension of said sealing station as defined between said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts. 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second means for pivotally mounting said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means upon said framework comprises: means for pivotally mounting said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts upon said framework for pivotal movement, within a common plane defined by said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts, between relatively innermost and relatively outermost positions. 6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed conveyor belt drive means further comprises: a pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms; a conveyor belt drive roller rotatably disposed up-on a forward, downstream end portion of each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms; a conveyor belt idler roller rotatably disposed upon a rearward, upstream end portion of each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms; each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts being disposed around one of said conveyor belt drive rollers and one of said conveyor belt idler rollers; and a drive motor suspendingly supported upon said for-ward, downstream end portion of each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally ex-tending conveyor belt support arms for respective operative connection to each one of said conveyor belt drive rollers. 7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: a pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending base plates fixedly mounted upon said plurality of mounting blocks; and means for pivotally mounting said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms upon said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending base plates. 8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising: spring biasing means, respectively mounted upon each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending base plates for normally respectively biasing each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, and said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts respectively mounted upon said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, toward said relatively innermost positions, and for automatically permitting outward expansion of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, and said pair of late-rally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts respectively mounted upon said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally ex-tending conveyor belt support arms, with respect to each other toward said relatively outermost positions. 9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, further comprising: first and second bumper means, respectively mounted upon each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, for respectively engaging each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally ex-tending base plates so as to limit and define said relatively innermost and relatively outermost positions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally ex-tending conveyor belt support arms and said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts respectively mounted upon said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms. 10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein: the range of movement for each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally ex-tending conveyor belt support arms, and each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts respectively mounted upon said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, between said relatively innermost and relatively outermost positions comprises ap-proximately one-half inch such that the range of movement for said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, and said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts respectively mounted upon said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, as defined between said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, and said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally ex-tending conveyor belts respectively mounted upon said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms, is approximately one inch. 11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein: rearward, upstream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts are pivotally mounted upon said frame-work while forward, downstream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally ex-tending conveyor belts are pivotally movable toward and away from each other so as to be movable between said relatively innermost and relatively outermost positions. 12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts are normally disposed in a convergent manner such that said pair of late-rally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts have a substantially V-shaped configuration with respect to each other wherein said rearward, up-stream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts being disposed further apart from each other than said for-ward, downstream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts, when said forward, downstream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts are disposed at said relatively innermost positions. 13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts are disposed substantially parallel with respect to each other when said forward, downstream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts are disposed at said relatively outermost positions. 14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising: bearing plate means interposed between each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms and each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending base plates for permitting each one of pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belt support arms to be pivotal-ly movable with respect to each one of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending base plates. 15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said rearward, upstream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts are normally disposed apart from each other by means of a distance which is greater than the width dimension of the case to be sealed so as to permit the case to be sealed to easily enter said sealing station and be conveyed along said longitudinally extending path by said pair of laterally spaced, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts, whereas if said forward, downstream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts, normally disposed at said innermost positions, are disposed apart from each other by means of a distance which is less than the width dimension of the case to be sealed, said forward, down-stream end portions of said pair of laterally separated, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts will be forced to pivot outwardly with respect to each other from said innermost positions toward said outermost positions so as to accommodate the case to be sealed as the case to be sealed is conveyed, along said longitudinally extending path, through said sealing station by said pair of laterally spaced, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending conveyor belts.