cutting blade 102 when it is intended to sever a set length of tape 18 from its supply 20 and deposited onto the tape applying pad 80 when the block 108 is moved downward by the action of the piston 42 and against a retaining force exerted by the spring 44 the roller 112 will roll across the length of the cutter blade 102 and swing out of its way by the cooperative action of a roller 114a mounted substantially at the elbow of the l shaped arm 114 going around an articulated edge 108a formed on the movable block 108 with the wiping roller 112 out of the way the just cleaned and oiled cutter blade 102 can now engage and cut the portion of the tape 18 overlying the cutting block 110 the movable block 108 also has an adjustably mounted member 48 secured thereto by means of bolts 49 engaged in a slot 51 a curved surface 47 of the member 48 cooperates with a roller 39 of a switch 38 also secured to the stand 98 observe fig3 operation of the tape applying machine 10 of the invention is preferably by the pneumatic structure 130 connected to the pneumatic supply and controls 132 which of course includes suitable filters switches valves regulators and the like for purposes of clarity all tubes connecting a plurality of valves 136 to the respective cylinders 60 40 and 128 and to the supply 132 have been omitted the operator can carefully control the operation of the machine 10 by observing a number of pressure gauges 138 provided for that purpose a handy shut off valve 134 is provided by means of which the operator may turn the air supply 132 to the machine 10 on.