CA1073865A - Bottle labelling apparatus - Google Patents
Bottle labelling apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA1073865A CA1073865A CA288,967A CA288967A CA1073865A CA 1073865 A CA1073865 A CA 1073865A CA 288967 A CA288967 A CA 288967A CA 1073865 A CA1073865 A CA 1073865A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- container
- containers
- conveyor
- cam
- opposing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
- B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
- B65C9/06—Devices for presenting articles in predetermined attitude or position at labelling station
- B65C9/065—Devices for presenting articles in predetermined attitude or position at labelling station for orienting articles having irregularities in their shape, the irregularities being detected by mechanical means
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Labeling Devices (AREA)
- Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
Abstract
A B S T R A C T
Container conveying apparatus comprises means for individually engaging conveyed, evenly spaced-apart containers to maintain such even spacing and to shift such conveyed engaged containers laterally a predetermined extent on the conveyor. Such container shift is useful in dividing a single row of conveyed containers into two rows for subsequent processing of containers, such as in labelling of containers.
Container conveying apparatus comprises means for individually engaging conveyed, evenly spaced-apart containers to maintain such even spacing and to shift such conveyed engaged containers laterally a predetermined extent on the conveyor. Such container shift is useful in dividing a single row of conveyed containers into two rows for subsequent processing of containers, such as in labelling of containers.
Description
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for lateral shifting of registered containers on conveyors and more particularly its use in labelling apparatus for applying labels to container sides and applying a label strip to a container top where control of the container position throughout the label application steps is accurately and efficiently maintained.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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Systems which involve multiple step label applications in applying several different types of labels to various surfaces on a container necessitate control of the container position so that each particular label is consistently applied to each container. In the distillery, some food processing and pharmaceutical industries, it is often required to place a security seal or tax e~cise stamp on the top of the container or bottle in conjunction with other labels on the body and neck of each container. As can be appreciated, the security seal cannot interfere with or overlap pertinent portions of a label on the neck of the container. It is, therefore, necessary to maintain correct registration and sometimes orientation of a bottle on the conveyor of the labelling apparatus to make sure that the labels are consistently applied to the same place on the bottle. The application of labels to the sides of containers may be done at various labelling stations which are separate from the means for applying a security seal to the top of the bottle. Most often these operations are carried out on separate machines where additional container orientation :
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73~f~5 and/or holding means are required in transferring the bottles from container body labelling stations to the security seal labelling station. Such an arrangement forfeits precise control on bottle or container positions on the conveyor which S results in sloppy placement of la~els on the container, mis-alignment of labels on the container and improper positioning of security seals on container tops.
Such precise control on container position as the containers are conveyed through the label applying apparatus has been difficult to achieve. For example, the!re is apparatus which uses intermeshing star wheels for transferring the containers from label applying stations to security seal applying stations. Round bottles tend to rotate as they are transferred by the star wheel system resulting in a variance in location of security seal application to each container top.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The labelling apparatus according to this invention provides in an efficient manner control on the container position throughout application of labels due to the interaction of components on the apparatus. The labelling apparatus comprises a conveyor for conveying containers along the apparatus and container registration means provided at the upstream end of the conveyor for evenly spacing such containers on the conveyor. Above the conveyor is an overhead container engaging means which contacts each container top and travels
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for lateral shifting of registered containers on conveyors and more particularly its use in labelling apparatus for applying labels to container sides and applying a label strip to a container top where control of the container position throughout the label application steps is accurately and efficiently maintained.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
.
Systems which involve multiple step label applications in applying several different types of labels to various surfaces on a container necessitate control of the container position so that each particular label is consistently applied to each container. In the distillery, some food processing and pharmaceutical industries, it is often required to place a security seal or tax e~cise stamp on the top of the container or bottle in conjunction with other labels on the body and neck of each container. As can be appreciated, the security seal cannot interfere with or overlap pertinent portions of a label on the neck of the container. It is, therefore, necessary to maintain correct registration and sometimes orientation of a bottle on the conveyor of the labelling apparatus to make sure that the labels are consistently applied to the same place on the bottle. The application of labels to the sides of containers may be done at various labelling stations which are separate from the means for applying a security seal to the top of the bottle. Most often these operations are carried out on separate machines where additional container orientation :
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73~f~5 and/or holding means are required in transferring the bottles from container body labelling stations to the security seal labelling station. Such an arrangement forfeits precise control on bottle or container positions on the conveyor which S results in sloppy placement of la~els on the container, mis-alignment of labels on the container and improper positioning of security seals on container tops.
Such precise control on container position as the containers are conveyed through the label applying apparatus has been difficult to achieve. For example, the!re is apparatus which uses intermeshing star wheels for transferring the containers from label applying stations to security seal applying stations. Round bottles tend to rotate as they are transferred by the star wheel system resulting in a variance in location of security seal application to each container top.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The labelling apparatus according to this invention provides in an efficient manner control on the container position throughout application of labels due to the interaction of components on the apparatus. The labelling apparatus comprises a conveyor for conveying containers along the apparatus and container registration means provided at the upstream end of the conveyor for evenly spacing such containers on the conveyor. Above the conveyor is an overhead container engaging means which contacts each container top and travels
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3t3~;5 with it to hold the container in its registered position for receipt of labels from label applying stations adjacent the conveyor. After labels have been applied to the sides and neck of the container, a label compression station is so arranged along the conveyor to begin compressing the labels against the container sides prior to the overhead engaging means disengaging each container top. The label compression station comprises a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel alongside the conveyor at the conveyed speed. The arrangement is such that the opposing compression pads receive and sandwich a respective container between them. As a result the container is held in its ~-~
registered position so that precise control of the bottle position is maintained in its takeover of the container from the overhead engaging means. A security seal applying means which is located downstream of the container body labelling stations, overlaps the label compression station. --' This sandwiching of the containers between the compression ~
pads maintains proper registration of the container for accurate ~-receipt of security seals on the container tops and reduces any chance of label smudging, tearing or dislocation.
The opposing compression pads may be adapted to move laterally relative to the conveyor's length towards and away from each other while they move along the conveyor. A pair -~I 25 of opposing cam rails are mounted on each side of the conveyor.
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Each compression pad is provided with a cam follower and there is means for biasing the cam follower against the _3 .. ' ' . ' ~ . . ' . . . .
l(rf3s~s corresponding cam rail. The cam rail may be configured to move the respective compression pad inwardly to contact a respective container side and press labels present against the container. Adjustment means may be provided for moving the cam rails laterally of the conveyor so that the spacing between them causes said opposing compression pads to move into proper contact with the container sides.
This labelling apparatus can be particularly adapted, according to this invention to label bottles whose neck is offset relative to the centre line of the bottle as labels are applied to the body of the bottle. The compression ~` station according to an aspect of the invention may be adjusted or modified such that the bottles are shifted laterally on the conveyor by the compression pads to align a container neck with a security seal applying device so that in a single pass of a container through the device, i labels are applied accurately to both the body and top of such peculiar containers.
The labelling apparatus therefore maintains ~-; 20 precise control on the bottle container position throughout ,, the label applying operation so that a consistent location of labels on the container is always maintained in high speed operations. There is also a more positive holding of the container throughout the label applying sequence and the :;
~ 25 apparatus requires substantially less space than prior art ;~ apparatus. Change parts on the apparatus are kept to a ~ minimum because there is no need to provide extra bottle .
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registration means between the container body label applying station and the security seal applying unit. Such an arrangement also eliminates any jerking or undue accele-ration or deacceleration of the container which could upset location of labels on the container.
In addition to the container registration means, the apparatus may include a container orientation means which orients all registered containers in the same direction on the conveyor so that container body labels are always ~ -~
applied to the same spot on each bottle. The overhead container engaging means and the compression station maintains the oriented position of the containers during label appli-cation.
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i DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
, -~ 15 The aforementioned advantages and features and others of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the following detailed description ; of the preferred embodiments of the invention as shown in the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the labelling apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of this invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the labelling apparatus shown in Figure l;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a portion of the label compression station of the apparatus;
Figure 4 is a detail showing the preferred construc-tion of a compression pad of the label compression station;
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s Figure 5 is an end view illustrating the manner in which a bottle having an offset neck is shifted laterally on the conveyor;
Figure 6 is a detail of the bottle overhead engaging means at its downstream end; and Figure 7 is a plan view of alternative cam rail configuration for the label compression station.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention The labelling apparatus 10 as shown in Figure 1 comprises a base 12 which houses the drive mechanism for the labelling apparatus. A conveyor (not shown) runs the length of the apparatus 10 where at the upstream end of the conveyor is a portion of a conventional bottle registration device 14 which evenly spaces apart the bottles on the conveyor.
Incorporated with the bottle registration means may be a conventional bottle orientation or bottle spotter device (not shown) which orients the bottles all on the same direction on the conveyor. An overhead engaging means 16 is provided above the conveyor and comprises a plurality of resilient blocks 18 mounted on an endless chain system which is trained over sprockets bearingly mounted on shafts 20 and 22.
Support members 26 and 28 support the overhead assembly above the conveyor. ~ crank 30 is provided for raising and lowering the overhead assembly 16 up and down on the supports 26 and 28. This provides the adjustment necessary in handling bottles of different heights so that the distance between resilient blocks 18 and the conveyor is approximately the same as the height of the bottle to be labelled. It is ~ 7;~
understood that the distance between the blocks 18 and the conveyor determines the frictional force exerted on the : bottle as it is sandwiched between the blocks 18 and the conveyor. By fine adjustment of crank 30 this force can be readily altered. A further aspect of the overhead assembly will be discussed in more detail respecting the embodiment shown in Figure 6.
As the bottles exit from the bottle registration and spotter means, they are conveyed to the overhead engagement means 16, its movement is synchronized so that the blocks 18 contact the bottle tops to hold each bottle on the conveyor in its registered oriented position. The bottles are conveyed in this manner past a label applying - station 24 which applies labels to a bottle body, that is the sides and neck of the bottle. It is understood of course that several of these label applying devices may be located on each side of and spaced apart along the conveyor to apply labels on the container's sides and neck portions.
The label compression station conforms labels to the sides and neck of the container subsequent to their application at label applying station 24. There are various ~` forms of compression stations known in the art. The one shown in the drawings is representative of one form.
Among other known types is a unit which has a plurality of opposing compression pads mounted on endless chain systems.
Each chain system causes the corresponding pads to revolve in a horizontal plane where a portion of their movement is alongside the conveyor. The unit is synchronized and properly positioned to sandwich a respective container between 7~5 opposing pads as they swing towards each other at the upstream end of the unit.
, Label compression station 32 is a preferred embodiment of the invention. It comprises a plurality of opposing compression pads 34 which are mounted in an evenly spaced apart manner on endless chain systems located on each side of the conveyor as more clearly shown in Figure 2.
The movement of the label compression station is such that each bottle has freshly applied labels compressed against its body by opposing compression pads 34 as the pads move along through a vertical plane on the endless chain system with the corresponding conveyed bottle. As is shown in Figure 1, the compression pads 34 contact the bottle prior to the resilient block 18 of the overhead engagement means disengaging the bottled top.
While the labels are being compressed against the bottles, they are conveyed to and underneath the security seal applying device generally designated 36 which applies a seal to the bottle top. The security seal may take on various shapes and sizes as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the North American distillery business the security seal (tax excise stamp) is .
usually a long narrow strip which is applied to the bottle - -, top and is folded down onto and applied to the bottle neck.
The compression pads 34 maintain control on the orientation and registration of the bottle as it is conveyed to the label strip applicator to ensure accurate location of the strip on the bottle top. The compression station 32 therefore serves : . :
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a dual function. In this partieular embodiment the eompression pads 34 eontinue to hold the bottles as they are conveyed to the strip stamp compression station generally designated - at 38 which conforms the strip stamp to the bottled top and neck side. Each compression unit 40 includes pad members 42 which conform to the neck configuration to ensure a neat application of the strip stamp to the bottled top and neck.
The support members 44 and overhead assembly 45 for the strip stamp compression station 38, includes a crank 46 whieh allows the operator to adjust the height of the eompression station to accommodate various bottle heights.
Turning to Figure 2, the known bottle registration device 18 has rotating opposing screw members 48 which interact with the bottle sides to evenly space them apart on the eonveyor belt 50. The overhead compression station 16 eontaets the bottle top when the bottle is being moved `! forward by the registration deviee 18. In the same area as the bottle registration deviee there may be a bottle orienta-tion means for spotting every bottle in the same direetion on the eonveyor 50. Sueh bottle spotters are known and may be of the type diselosed in Canadian patent 693,147.
The label applying station 24 as shown in Figure 2 ineludes baek and front label applying deviees 54 and 56 for applying labels to the front and baek of the bottle. Sueh deviees may be of the type diselosed in Canadian patent 745,003. The bottle with the labels contacting its ; baek and front surfaces is eonveyed to the eompression station 32 where the eompression pads 34 travel along and ~7~ 5 initially inwardly towards the conveyor 50 to contact the bottles before their discharge from the overhead engaging means 16. Control on the registration and orientation of each bottle is thereby maintained.
The label compression pad assembly 33 is shown in more detail in Figure 4 where each interchangeable com-pression pad 34 is mounted by a "quick release" mechanism (not shown) on a rod 58 which in turn is bearingly mounted in a sleeve 60. The sleeve 60 is securely mounted on an endless chain system of two parts by pins 62. Followers 64 and 66 ride in channels to maintain proper location of the sleeve 60 alongside the conveyor as the chain system rotates which will be discussed in more detail with respect to Figure 3. The rear portion of the rod 58 includes a cam follower 68.
Located on each side of the conveyor are opposing cam rails 70, 72 shown in Figure 2. As the sleeves 60 move around the trained system through a vertical plane, ! the cam follower 68 of each compression pad contacts the lead 20 in portions 74 and 76 of cams 70 and 72 to move opposing ; compression pads 34 laterally inwardly towards the conveyor.
Adjustment means which will be discussed in more detail with respect to Figure 3 are provided on each side of the conveyor to adjust the spacing between cam rails 70 and 72. They 25 ensure that the compression pads 34 move inwardly the proper extent to engage each bottle and begin compressing the labels against each bottle. Also to ensure that they have a sufficient hold on each bottle prior to the overhead means :, : ~ - , . , . : : ~
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disengaging the respective bottle. The compression pads 34 as they contact the container with the pads at their inner-most position as determined by the intermediate portions 78 and 80 of the cam rails achieve the highest degree of label compression on the bottles. This is continued for the length of cam portions 78 and 80 which is usually long enough to allow the glue on the labels to set.
Tension springs 82 are provided on each com-pression pad assembly as shown in Figure 4 where one end of the spring is connected to pin 84 and the other end is connected to a side of the compression pad at 86. The tension springs 82 serve to bias the compression pad assembly in a manner such that with the pad in its "bottomed out" position, the cam follower 68 engages the lead in portions 74, 76 and maintains the follower against the intermediate portions and the fall away portions 88 and 90 of the cam rails to accurately determine the opposing position of matched compression pads 34 as they follow along with the conveyed container sandwiched between them.
The shape of compression pads 34 is such to conform to particular shape of bottle sides and necks to be labelled where the pads may be formed from resilient foam. The particular shape of the pad shown in Figure 4 is, for engaging a side of a circular bottle. The pad may include "add on" portions which are also activated by the cam rails to engage the sloping and neck portions of a bottle simultaneously with the pad contacting the bottle sides.
s As shown in Figure 3, a bottle 92 is conveyed on the conveyor 50. The compression pad assemblies 33 are mounted on endless chain systems 94 and 96 on each side of the conveyor 50. Cam rails 70 and 72 are mounted on support members 98 in which shaft 104 for sprockets 100 and 102 on each side of the conveyor is journalled. The chains 94, 96 are trained over the sprockets 100 and 102 and are driven by drive chain 106. The speed of chain 106 is synchronized with the conveyor speed so that each bottle 92 as it is conveyed through the compression station 32 is con-tacted accurately with opposing compression pads 34.
The compression pad assemblies 33 travel through a loop in a vertical plane determined by endless chain - systems 94, 96. They are swung upwardly at the upstream end of the compression station 32 where cam followers 68 contact lead in portions 74, 76 of the cam rails to move opposing compression pads 34 inwardly. As mentioned the spacing between intermediate portions 78 and 80 determine the correct spacing between the pads to properly contact containers 92. As is shown in Figure 3, roller 66 travels in rail 106 located on each side of the conveyor to maintain constant positioning of the sleeve 60 relative to the conveyor 50. The additional rollers 64 on the sleeve 60 contact other channels (not shown) to ensure that the sleeve does not appreciably wobble during the label compression phase.
Connected to each chain system is an adjustment means comprising a screw shaft 110 which is threaded through a collar 112 in support members 98. The screw shaft 110 is also journalled in collar 114 mounted in stationary support :
-~ '7~ 5 plate 116. A crank may be provided to engage the shaft end 118 to turn it in either direction. The drive shaft 104 and other support shafts for the endless chain system and its sprockets, are spline shafts which allow the sprockets 100 and 102 and others to shift back and forth on the spline shafts without disrupting the timing of the mechanism.
As can be appreciated with the support member 116 stationary, rotation of the screw shaft 110 will move the chain assembly with cam rail 70 secured thereto in either direction towards or away from conveyor 50. A similar adjustment means is `
provided for the chain system on the other side of the conveyor to adjust the position of cam rail 72.
With this arrangement, the position between the cam rails and the compression pad assembly 33 always remain constant to eliminate the need to change the length of shaft 58 of each compression pad assembly 33 for extreme positioning of the cam rails. The adjustment screw 110 can therefore be used to precisely locate the distance between intermediate portions 78 and 80 to ensure proper contact of opposing compression pads 34 with the container sides.
This arrangement also provides for lateral ; shifting of containers 92 on the conveyor 50 in instances where the bottle neck and top are offset relative to the conveyor central axis during the application of labels to the container front and back portions. Turning to Figure 5 ;~-the conveyor 50 has located on it a container 120 with a j neck and top portion 122 offset relative to the centre line 124 of conveyor 50. The body portion 126 of the container ~7~ 5 is centrally aligned with the central axis of the conveyor for receipt of body labels. In most instances, the security seal applying device is aligned with the centre line of the conveyor because most bottles to be labelled are of symmetrical shape. The bottle 120 must be shifted, however, in the direction of arrow 128 to align the top portion 122 with applying device 36. In order to shift the bottle on the conveyor, the adjustment means 110 is used to shift the cam rails 70 and 72 in the direction of arrow 128 to the extent that once the compression pads have equalized and are in the intermediate portions 78, 80 of the cam rails, the container top 122 is aligned with the central axis 124 of ;
the conveyor 50.
To facilitate this shifting of the container 120, the overhead engagement means 16, the detail which is shown in Figure 6, has a cam rail 130 which determines in a precise manner the distance between resilient pads 18 and conveyor 50. As mentioned this distance determines the frictional force exerted orl the containers to hold them in position.
The cam 130 is thinner at its downstream end so that dimension 134 is greater than dimension 136. This reduces the frictional -force exerted on the bottle at the downstream end as it is :
sandwiched between block 18 and conveyor 50. The pressure on the bottle at the exit has to be, of course, sufficient to maintain the precise control on container position on .;
the conveyor 50.
The offsetting forces exerted by the compression pads 34 are sufficient to overcome the frictional force ~lt73~5 exerted on the bottle by the overhead assembly as the bottle tops slide out from under resilient blocks 18 and are shifted the desired amount in the direction of arrow 128 as shown in Figure 5. This arrangement avoids any scuffing of the blocks 18 or tilting of the container 120 between the compression pads 34 as the bottle top disengages block 18 so that the precise location of the labels on the container sides is maintained without any label smudging, dislocation or tearing of the labels.
With some container configurations having a high degree of neck offset relative to the container body the above arrangement is not always satisfactory for laterally shifting the bottles on the conveyor. However, the cam - rails may have downstream of a first portion of the inter-mediate portions 78, 80, a parallel lateral offset in the - cam rails. The first portion of the cam rails ensures that the opposing compression pads properly contact and sandwich the respective bottle. The lateral offset in the cam rails then serves via moving the compression pads to shift the ~0 bottle laterally of the conveyor the desired extent for accurate receipt on its top of a label strip. The positioning of the laterally offset portion in the cam rails is such that shifting of the bottle takes place after the overhead container engaging means has disengaged the respective con-tainer. A representative showing of this cam rail configu-ration is in Figure 7. The cam rails 70 and 72 include parallel laterally offset portions 71 and 73. They have lead in portions 75 and 77 which ensure a smooth shifting of each bottle across conveyor 50. Portions 78 and 80 of the cam rails ensure that the opposing compression pads have firmly contacted the bottle before cam followers 68 move onto portions 75 and 77. The centre line 140 of the conveyor bisects the body portion of container 142 for receipt of body labels. The particular shape for cam rails 70 and 72 cause a shifting of the container 142 so that its neck and top 144 is now aligned with the centre line 140 for receipt of the strip label.
It is understood that with this embodiment of the apparatus other modifications may be made to the cam rail configuration to serve particular functions, such as con-trolling movement of various "add-on" pads for compressing labels against container slanted shoulders.
It is therefore apparent that the labelling apparatus according to this invention includes a combination of elements which provide for a great degree of flexibility in labelling at high speeds bottles or containers o~ all shapes and sizes while maintaining precise control on the container position throughout the label application stages to ensure consistent accurate label application. The arrangement also provides for substantial reduction in shut down time in adapting the apparatus to new container con-figurations where it is understood that adjustments for the height of the bottle is provided by the cranks 30 and 46, for the width of the bottle by adjustment means 110 and for change in bottle configurations by interchanging pad portions 34 of the compression station. Further, containers with offset neck portions relative to the labelling orientation ~7~;5 present no problem with this apparatus.
It is apparent from Figure 1 that the timing of the strip label compression station 38 is such that the compression members 40 are aligned with the compression pads 34 so as to properly receive a bottle. Phase variators may be provided in the system, however, to accommodate bottle necks which although they are aligned with the central axis of the conveyor, they are offset relative to the centre line of the container. As a result the compression pad assembly 40 can be adjusted to be out of phase with the corresponding compression pads 34 to properly receive the bottle top and neck.
At the label applying station 24, only portions of the label contact the bottle and compression pads 34 complete the location of the label on the container. With this arrangement the compres$ion pads pick up the bottle directly from the overhead station where label portions not yet contacting the bottle are gradually moved onto the bottle face by the compression pads 34 without tearing of the label or disruption of the label configuration. This constant contact on the container body labels is maintained until the strip label is at least on the container. There is no transfer of the bottle from the label compression station 34 to another system before the strip label is applied.
There is sufficient time for the glue to set on the bottle so that as the bottle exits from the assembly all labels are in position and remain in position. Therefore, with this apparat~s there is very little chance of label smudging and ~ .
1~7~5 the like and at the same time there is an efficient effective control on the bottle positioning throughout the labelling process.
Although various embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
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SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
It is appreciated that the principle of bottle shift, as ~-shown and described with respect to Figure 7, can be modified to achieve shifting of bottles for other types of labelling or conveying operations. There is often a need to shift the bottle on the conveyor while maintaining control on its position to accomplish a step in the labelling operation, such as applying a tax excise stamp on the top of the container.
In other uses for eontainer conveying systems, it may be necessary to shift a bottle or container laterally of the conveyor to accomplish other operations, such as taking a single row of conveyed containers and shifting every other one in a direction opposite to that of the other containers or simply shifting every other container out of the row laterally to now provide two parallel rows of containers. In instances where it is important to maintain container registration control on its position, or even spacing between containers, then the shifting must be aceomplished in an accurate, controlled manner.
Accomplishing a shift of containers on the conveyor, while maintaining control on container position, has been difficult to achieve. For example, well-known approaches such as using deflector plates to move containers in one direction or another as they are conveyed, is satisfactory insofar as establishing new lines of conveyed containers;
however, it is necessary to incorporate into the newly formed ; 25 line a bottle registration or bottle spotter mechanism to C
10~ 5 re-register the conveyed containers.
In instances where bottle position orientation is not important, yet it is still desired to divide a single row of conveyed containers into two or more rows to regroup plural rows of conveyed containers, it is possible to obtain a machine which is timed to push conveyed bottles laterally on the conveyor. The difficulty with such pushing mechanisms is that at higher speeds, they tend to upset conveyed bottles as they contact them to move laterally of the conveyor.
Accordingly, another aspect of this invention relates to the container conveying apparatus comprising container shift means for individually engaging such conveyed evenly spaced containers and shifting such engaged containers laterally of the conveyor means a predetermined extent. Thus, the container shift means provides a row of shifted evenly spaced-apart containers. In other words, the position of the container relative to the direction of travel of the conveyor is maintained.
Such container conveying apparatus may be used in labelling apparatus, such as that for applying a label strip to a container top. The container shift means may, as mentioned be used to align bottle neck portions which are offset relative to the bottle centre line so that the bottle top is aligned with means for applying a strip thereto. The container conveying -20~
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apparatus may also be used in instances where it is desired to divide a single row of evenly spaced containers into two rows of evenly spaced-apart containers now having a spacing double that of the single row. In instances where the container tops are to be labelled, a pair of strip labellers may be used to label the container tops now proceeding in two rows.
According to a feature of the apparatus, a means for engaging such containers may comprise a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel alongside and with the conveyor and which are adapted to receive and engage individual containers. Each pair of opposing compression pads, with container therebetween, may be shifted laterally to achieve the desired new positioning of that container on the conveyor.
A further feature of the container conveying apparatus, according to this invention, is that it may be adapted to provide means for controlling movement of opposing compression pads such that one of the pads is removed from the container while the other pad, still in contact with the conveyed container, serves to shift it laterally on the conveyor. In this instance, container orientation and/or registration is not of importance and is applicable in areas where it is desixed to split a row of containers into two or more rows or regroup plural rows for purposes of container inspection, packaging of containers, etc.
Preferred embodiments of this other aspect of the C
ll) 7~5 invention are shown in the drawings where:
Figure 8 is a top view of container conveying apparatus wherein means is provided for shifting a single row of conveyed containers to provide two parallel rows of containers;
Figure 9 is a section taken through lines 9-9 of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a section taken through lines 10-10 of Figure 8; and Figure 11 is a top view of modified container conveying apparatus.
It can be appreciated that the shifting of the containers on a conveyor described with respect to Figures S and 7 may be useful for other types of container conveying apparatus.
Referring to Figure 8, another application of bottle lateral shift on the conveyor is shown. The apparatus for effecting bottle shift is generally designated 150. A single row 152 of containers 154, conveyed in the direction of arrow 156, are moving towards the container shifting apparatus 150. The single row of containers 152 is evenly spaced-apart on the single conveyor bed 158. This even spacing between containers may be accomplished by various registration means, such as that designated 14 in Figure 2. In instances when it is desired to take this single row of conveyed containers and split or divide it into two parallel rows of spaced-apart containers, to accomplish a subsequent operation on the containers, the C
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1~3'73~ 5 shift mechanism 150 may be employed.
In this particular embodiment for the bottle shift mechanism, a plurality of opposing pairs of compression pad assemblies 60 are used. The body portions 162 of each compression pad assembly may be of the type shown in Figure
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3t3~;5 with it to hold the container in its registered position for receipt of labels from label applying stations adjacent the conveyor. After labels have been applied to the sides and neck of the container, a label compression station is so arranged along the conveyor to begin compressing the labels against the container sides prior to the overhead engaging means disengaging each container top. The label compression station comprises a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel alongside the conveyor at the conveyed speed. The arrangement is such that the opposing compression pads receive and sandwich a respective container between them. As a result the container is held in its ~-~
registered position so that precise control of the bottle position is maintained in its takeover of the container from the overhead engaging means. A security seal applying means which is located downstream of the container body labelling stations, overlaps the label compression station. --' This sandwiching of the containers between the compression ~
pads maintains proper registration of the container for accurate ~-receipt of security seals on the container tops and reduces any chance of label smudging, tearing or dislocation.
The opposing compression pads may be adapted to move laterally relative to the conveyor's length towards and away from each other while they move along the conveyor. A pair -~I 25 of opposing cam rails are mounted on each side of the conveyor.
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Each compression pad is provided with a cam follower and there is means for biasing the cam follower against the _3 .. ' ' . ' ~ . . ' . . . .
l(rf3s~s corresponding cam rail. The cam rail may be configured to move the respective compression pad inwardly to contact a respective container side and press labels present against the container. Adjustment means may be provided for moving the cam rails laterally of the conveyor so that the spacing between them causes said opposing compression pads to move into proper contact with the container sides.
This labelling apparatus can be particularly adapted, according to this invention to label bottles whose neck is offset relative to the centre line of the bottle as labels are applied to the body of the bottle. The compression ~` station according to an aspect of the invention may be adjusted or modified such that the bottles are shifted laterally on the conveyor by the compression pads to align a container neck with a security seal applying device so that in a single pass of a container through the device, i labels are applied accurately to both the body and top of such peculiar containers.
The labelling apparatus therefore maintains ~-; 20 precise control on the bottle container position throughout ,, the label applying operation so that a consistent location of labels on the container is always maintained in high speed operations. There is also a more positive holding of the container throughout the label applying sequence and the :;
~ 25 apparatus requires substantially less space than prior art ;~ apparatus. Change parts on the apparatus are kept to a ~ minimum because there is no need to provide extra bottle .
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registration means between the container body label applying station and the security seal applying unit. Such an arrangement also eliminates any jerking or undue accele-ration or deacceleration of the container which could upset location of labels on the container.
In addition to the container registration means, the apparatus may include a container orientation means which orients all registered containers in the same direction on the conveyor so that container body labels are always ~ -~
applied to the same spot on each bottle. The overhead container engaging means and the compression station maintains the oriented position of the containers during label appli-cation.
: .~
i DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
, -~ 15 The aforementioned advantages and features and others of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the following detailed description ; of the preferred embodiments of the invention as shown in the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the labelling apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of this invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the labelling apparatus shown in Figure l;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a portion of the label compression station of the apparatus;
Figure 4 is a detail showing the preferred construc-tion of a compression pad of the label compression station;
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s Figure 5 is an end view illustrating the manner in which a bottle having an offset neck is shifted laterally on the conveyor;
Figure 6 is a detail of the bottle overhead engaging means at its downstream end; and Figure 7 is a plan view of alternative cam rail configuration for the label compression station.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention The labelling apparatus 10 as shown in Figure 1 comprises a base 12 which houses the drive mechanism for the labelling apparatus. A conveyor (not shown) runs the length of the apparatus 10 where at the upstream end of the conveyor is a portion of a conventional bottle registration device 14 which evenly spaces apart the bottles on the conveyor.
Incorporated with the bottle registration means may be a conventional bottle orientation or bottle spotter device (not shown) which orients the bottles all on the same direction on the conveyor. An overhead engaging means 16 is provided above the conveyor and comprises a plurality of resilient blocks 18 mounted on an endless chain system which is trained over sprockets bearingly mounted on shafts 20 and 22.
Support members 26 and 28 support the overhead assembly above the conveyor. ~ crank 30 is provided for raising and lowering the overhead assembly 16 up and down on the supports 26 and 28. This provides the adjustment necessary in handling bottles of different heights so that the distance between resilient blocks 18 and the conveyor is approximately the same as the height of the bottle to be labelled. It is ~ 7;~
understood that the distance between the blocks 18 and the conveyor determines the frictional force exerted on the : bottle as it is sandwiched between the blocks 18 and the conveyor. By fine adjustment of crank 30 this force can be readily altered. A further aspect of the overhead assembly will be discussed in more detail respecting the embodiment shown in Figure 6.
As the bottles exit from the bottle registration and spotter means, they are conveyed to the overhead engagement means 16, its movement is synchronized so that the blocks 18 contact the bottle tops to hold each bottle on the conveyor in its registered oriented position. The bottles are conveyed in this manner past a label applying - station 24 which applies labels to a bottle body, that is the sides and neck of the bottle. It is understood of course that several of these label applying devices may be located on each side of and spaced apart along the conveyor to apply labels on the container's sides and neck portions.
The label compression station conforms labels to the sides and neck of the container subsequent to their application at label applying station 24. There are various ~` forms of compression stations known in the art. The one shown in the drawings is representative of one form.
Among other known types is a unit which has a plurality of opposing compression pads mounted on endless chain systems.
Each chain system causes the corresponding pads to revolve in a horizontal plane where a portion of their movement is alongside the conveyor. The unit is synchronized and properly positioned to sandwich a respective container between 7~5 opposing pads as they swing towards each other at the upstream end of the unit.
, Label compression station 32 is a preferred embodiment of the invention. It comprises a plurality of opposing compression pads 34 which are mounted in an evenly spaced apart manner on endless chain systems located on each side of the conveyor as more clearly shown in Figure 2.
The movement of the label compression station is such that each bottle has freshly applied labels compressed against its body by opposing compression pads 34 as the pads move along through a vertical plane on the endless chain system with the corresponding conveyed bottle. As is shown in Figure 1, the compression pads 34 contact the bottle prior to the resilient block 18 of the overhead engagement means disengaging the bottled top.
While the labels are being compressed against the bottles, they are conveyed to and underneath the security seal applying device generally designated 36 which applies a seal to the bottle top. The security seal may take on various shapes and sizes as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the North American distillery business the security seal (tax excise stamp) is .
usually a long narrow strip which is applied to the bottle - -, top and is folded down onto and applied to the bottle neck.
The compression pads 34 maintain control on the orientation and registration of the bottle as it is conveyed to the label strip applicator to ensure accurate location of the strip on the bottle top. The compression station 32 therefore serves : . :
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a dual function. In this partieular embodiment the eompression pads 34 eontinue to hold the bottles as they are conveyed to the strip stamp compression station generally designated - at 38 which conforms the strip stamp to the bottled top and neck side. Each compression unit 40 includes pad members 42 which conform to the neck configuration to ensure a neat application of the strip stamp to the bottled top and neck.
The support members 44 and overhead assembly 45 for the strip stamp compression station 38, includes a crank 46 whieh allows the operator to adjust the height of the eompression station to accommodate various bottle heights.
Turning to Figure 2, the known bottle registration device 18 has rotating opposing screw members 48 which interact with the bottle sides to evenly space them apart on the eonveyor belt 50. The overhead compression station 16 eontaets the bottle top when the bottle is being moved `! forward by the registration deviee 18. In the same area as the bottle registration deviee there may be a bottle orienta-tion means for spotting every bottle in the same direetion on the eonveyor 50. Sueh bottle spotters are known and may be of the type diselosed in Canadian patent 693,147.
The label applying station 24 as shown in Figure 2 ineludes baek and front label applying deviees 54 and 56 for applying labels to the front and baek of the bottle. Sueh deviees may be of the type diselosed in Canadian patent 745,003. The bottle with the labels contacting its ; baek and front surfaces is eonveyed to the eompression station 32 where the eompression pads 34 travel along and ~7~ 5 initially inwardly towards the conveyor 50 to contact the bottles before their discharge from the overhead engaging means 16. Control on the registration and orientation of each bottle is thereby maintained.
The label compression pad assembly 33 is shown in more detail in Figure 4 where each interchangeable com-pression pad 34 is mounted by a "quick release" mechanism (not shown) on a rod 58 which in turn is bearingly mounted in a sleeve 60. The sleeve 60 is securely mounted on an endless chain system of two parts by pins 62. Followers 64 and 66 ride in channels to maintain proper location of the sleeve 60 alongside the conveyor as the chain system rotates which will be discussed in more detail with respect to Figure 3. The rear portion of the rod 58 includes a cam follower 68.
Located on each side of the conveyor are opposing cam rails 70, 72 shown in Figure 2. As the sleeves 60 move around the trained system through a vertical plane, ! the cam follower 68 of each compression pad contacts the lead 20 in portions 74 and 76 of cams 70 and 72 to move opposing ; compression pads 34 laterally inwardly towards the conveyor.
Adjustment means which will be discussed in more detail with respect to Figure 3 are provided on each side of the conveyor to adjust the spacing between cam rails 70 and 72. They 25 ensure that the compression pads 34 move inwardly the proper extent to engage each bottle and begin compressing the labels against each bottle. Also to ensure that they have a sufficient hold on each bottle prior to the overhead means :, : ~ - , . , . : : ~
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disengaging the respective bottle. The compression pads 34 as they contact the container with the pads at their inner-most position as determined by the intermediate portions 78 and 80 of the cam rails achieve the highest degree of label compression on the bottles. This is continued for the length of cam portions 78 and 80 which is usually long enough to allow the glue on the labels to set.
Tension springs 82 are provided on each com-pression pad assembly as shown in Figure 4 where one end of the spring is connected to pin 84 and the other end is connected to a side of the compression pad at 86. The tension springs 82 serve to bias the compression pad assembly in a manner such that with the pad in its "bottomed out" position, the cam follower 68 engages the lead in portions 74, 76 and maintains the follower against the intermediate portions and the fall away portions 88 and 90 of the cam rails to accurately determine the opposing position of matched compression pads 34 as they follow along with the conveyed container sandwiched between them.
The shape of compression pads 34 is such to conform to particular shape of bottle sides and necks to be labelled where the pads may be formed from resilient foam. The particular shape of the pad shown in Figure 4 is, for engaging a side of a circular bottle. The pad may include "add on" portions which are also activated by the cam rails to engage the sloping and neck portions of a bottle simultaneously with the pad contacting the bottle sides.
s As shown in Figure 3, a bottle 92 is conveyed on the conveyor 50. The compression pad assemblies 33 are mounted on endless chain systems 94 and 96 on each side of the conveyor 50. Cam rails 70 and 72 are mounted on support members 98 in which shaft 104 for sprockets 100 and 102 on each side of the conveyor is journalled. The chains 94, 96 are trained over the sprockets 100 and 102 and are driven by drive chain 106. The speed of chain 106 is synchronized with the conveyor speed so that each bottle 92 as it is conveyed through the compression station 32 is con-tacted accurately with opposing compression pads 34.
The compression pad assemblies 33 travel through a loop in a vertical plane determined by endless chain - systems 94, 96. They are swung upwardly at the upstream end of the compression station 32 where cam followers 68 contact lead in portions 74, 76 of the cam rails to move opposing compression pads 34 inwardly. As mentioned the spacing between intermediate portions 78 and 80 determine the correct spacing between the pads to properly contact containers 92. As is shown in Figure 3, roller 66 travels in rail 106 located on each side of the conveyor to maintain constant positioning of the sleeve 60 relative to the conveyor 50. The additional rollers 64 on the sleeve 60 contact other channels (not shown) to ensure that the sleeve does not appreciably wobble during the label compression phase.
Connected to each chain system is an adjustment means comprising a screw shaft 110 which is threaded through a collar 112 in support members 98. The screw shaft 110 is also journalled in collar 114 mounted in stationary support :
-~ '7~ 5 plate 116. A crank may be provided to engage the shaft end 118 to turn it in either direction. The drive shaft 104 and other support shafts for the endless chain system and its sprockets, are spline shafts which allow the sprockets 100 and 102 and others to shift back and forth on the spline shafts without disrupting the timing of the mechanism.
As can be appreciated with the support member 116 stationary, rotation of the screw shaft 110 will move the chain assembly with cam rail 70 secured thereto in either direction towards or away from conveyor 50. A similar adjustment means is `
provided for the chain system on the other side of the conveyor to adjust the position of cam rail 72.
With this arrangement, the position between the cam rails and the compression pad assembly 33 always remain constant to eliminate the need to change the length of shaft 58 of each compression pad assembly 33 for extreme positioning of the cam rails. The adjustment screw 110 can therefore be used to precisely locate the distance between intermediate portions 78 and 80 to ensure proper contact of opposing compression pads 34 with the container sides.
This arrangement also provides for lateral ; shifting of containers 92 on the conveyor 50 in instances where the bottle neck and top are offset relative to the conveyor central axis during the application of labels to the container front and back portions. Turning to Figure 5 ;~-the conveyor 50 has located on it a container 120 with a j neck and top portion 122 offset relative to the centre line 124 of conveyor 50. The body portion 126 of the container ~7~ 5 is centrally aligned with the central axis of the conveyor for receipt of body labels. In most instances, the security seal applying device is aligned with the centre line of the conveyor because most bottles to be labelled are of symmetrical shape. The bottle 120 must be shifted, however, in the direction of arrow 128 to align the top portion 122 with applying device 36. In order to shift the bottle on the conveyor, the adjustment means 110 is used to shift the cam rails 70 and 72 in the direction of arrow 128 to the extent that once the compression pads have equalized and are in the intermediate portions 78, 80 of the cam rails, the container top 122 is aligned with the central axis 124 of ;
the conveyor 50.
To facilitate this shifting of the container 120, the overhead engagement means 16, the detail which is shown in Figure 6, has a cam rail 130 which determines in a precise manner the distance between resilient pads 18 and conveyor 50. As mentioned this distance determines the frictional force exerted orl the containers to hold them in position.
The cam 130 is thinner at its downstream end so that dimension 134 is greater than dimension 136. This reduces the frictional -force exerted on the bottle at the downstream end as it is :
sandwiched between block 18 and conveyor 50. The pressure on the bottle at the exit has to be, of course, sufficient to maintain the precise control on container position on .;
the conveyor 50.
The offsetting forces exerted by the compression pads 34 are sufficient to overcome the frictional force ~lt73~5 exerted on the bottle by the overhead assembly as the bottle tops slide out from under resilient blocks 18 and are shifted the desired amount in the direction of arrow 128 as shown in Figure 5. This arrangement avoids any scuffing of the blocks 18 or tilting of the container 120 between the compression pads 34 as the bottle top disengages block 18 so that the precise location of the labels on the container sides is maintained without any label smudging, dislocation or tearing of the labels.
With some container configurations having a high degree of neck offset relative to the container body the above arrangement is not always satisfactory for laterally shifting the bottles on the conveyor. However, the cam - rails may have downstream of a first portion of the inter-mediate portions 78, 80, a parallel lateral offset in the - cam rails. The first portion of the cam rails ensures that the opposing compression pads properly contact and sandwich the respective bottle. The lateral offset in the cam rails then serves via moving the compression pads to shift the ~0 bottle laterally of the conveyor the desired extent for accurate receipt on its top of a label strip. The positioning of the laterally offset portion in the cam rails is such that shifting of the bottle takes place after the overhead container engaging means has disengaged the respective con-tainer. A representative showing of this cam rail configu-ration is in Figure 7. The cam rails 70 and 72 include parallel laterally offset portions 71 and 73. They have lead in portions 75 and 77 which ensure a smooth shifting of each bottle across conveyor 50. Portions 78 and 80 of the cam rails ensure that the opposing compression pads have firmly contacted the bottle before cam followers 68 move onto portions 75 and 77. The centre line 140 of the conveyor bisects the body portion of container 142 for receipt of body labels. The particular shape for cam rails 70 and 72 cause a shifting of the container 142 so that its neck and top 144 is now aligned with the centre line 140 for receipt of the strip label.
It is understood that with this embodiment of the apparatus other modifications may be made to the cam rail configuration to serve particular functions, such as con-trolling movement of various "add-on" pads for compressing labels against container slanted shoulders.
It is therefore apparent that the labelling apparatus according to this invention includes a combination of elements which provide for a great degree of flexibility in labelling at high speeds bottles or containers o~ all shapes and sizes while maintaining precise control on the container position throughout the label application stages to ensure consistent accurate label application. The arrangement also provides for substantial reduction in shut down time in adapting the apparatus to new container con-figurations where it is understood that adjustments for the height of the bottle is provided by the cranks 30 and 46, for the width of the bottle by adjustment means 110 and for change in bottle configurations by interchanging pad portions 34 of the compression station. Further, containers with offset neck portions relative to the labelling orientation ~7~;5 present no problem with this apparatus.
It is apparent from Figure 1 that the timing of the strip label compression station 38 is such that the compression members 40 are aligned with the compression pads 34 so as to properly receive a bottle. Phase variators may be provided in the system, however, to accommodate bottle necks which although they are aligned with the central axis of the conveyor, they are offset relative to the centre line of the container. As a result the compression pad assembly 40 can be adjusted to be out of phase with the corresponding compression pads 34 to properly receive the bottle top and neck.
At the label applying station 24, only portions of the label contact the bottle and compression pads 34 complete the location of the label on the container. With this arrangement the compres$ion pads pick up the bottle directly from the overhead station where label portions not yet contacting the bottle are gradually moved onto the bottle face by the compression pads 34 without tearing of the label or disruption of the label configuration. This constant contact on the container body labels is maintained until the strip label is at least on the container. There is no transfer of the bottle from the label compression station 34 to another system before the strip label is applied.
There is sufficient time for the glue to set on the bottle so that as the bottle exits from the assembly all labels are in position and remain in position. Therefore, with this apparat~s there is very little chance of label smudging and ~ .
1~7~5 the like and at the same time there is an efficient effective control on the bottle positioning throughout the labelling process.
Although various embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
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SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
It is appreciated that the principle of bottle shift, as ~-shown and described with respect to Figure 7, can be modified to achieve shifting of bottles for other types of labelling or conveying operations. There is often a need to shift the bottle on the conveyor while maintaining control on its position to accomplish a step in the labelling operation, such as applying a tax excise stamp on the top of the container.
In other uses for eontainer conveying systems, it may be necessary to shift a bottle or container laterally of the conveyor to accomplish other operations, such as taking a single row of conveyed containers and shifting every other one in a direction opposite to that of the other containers or simply shifting every other container out of the row laterally to now provide two parallel rows of containers. In instances where it is important to maintain container registration control on its position, or even spacing between containers, then the shifting must be aceomplished in an accurate, controlled manner.
Accomplishing a shift of containers on the conveyor, while maintaining control on container position, has been difficult to achieve. For example, well-known approaches such as using deflector plates to move containers in one direction or another as they are conveyed, is satisfactory insofar as establishing new lines of conveyed containers;
however, it is necessary to incorporate into the newly formed ; 25 line a bottle registration or bottle spotter mechanism to C
10~ 5 re-register the conveyed containers.
In instances where bottle position orientation is not important, yet it is still desired to divide a single row of conveyed containers into two or more rows to regroup plural rows of conveyed containers, it is possible to obtain a machine which is timed to push conveyed bottles laterally on the conveyor. The difficulty with such pushing mechanisms is that at higher speeds, they tend to upset conveyed bottles as they contact them to move laterally of the conveyor.
Accordingly, another aspect of this invention relates to the container conveying apparatus comprising container shift means for individually engaging such conveyed evenly spaced containers and shifting such engaged containers laterally of the conveyor means a predetermined extent. Thus, the container shift means provides a row of shifted evenly spaced-apart containers. In other words, the position of the container relative to the direction of travel of the conveyor is maintained.
Such container conveying apparatus may be used in labelling apparatus, such as that for applying a label strip to a container top. The container shift means may, as mentioned be used to align bottle neck portions which are offset relative to the bottle centre line so that the bottle top is aligned with means for applying a strip thereto. The container conveying -20~
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apparatus may also be used in instances where it is desired to divide a single row of evenly spaced containers into two rows of evenly spaced-apart containers now having a spacing double that of the single row. In instances where the container tops are to be labelled, a pair of strip labellers may be used to label the container tops now proceeding in two rows.
According to a feature of the apparatus, a means for engaging such containers may comprise a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel alongside and with the conveyor and which are adapted to receive and engage individual containers. Each pair of opposing compression pads, with container therebetween, may be shifted laterally to achieve the desired new positioning of that container on the conveyor.
A further feature of the container conveying apparatus, according to this invention, is that it may be adapted to provide means for controlling movement of opposing compression pads such that one of the pads is removed from the container while the other pad, still in contact with the conveyed container, serves to shift it laterally on the conveyor. In this instance, container orientation and/or registration is not of importance and is applicable in areas where it is desixed to split a row of containers into two or more rows or regroup plural rows for purposes of container inspection, packaging of containers, etc.
Preferred embodiments of this other aspect of the C
ll) 7~5 invention are shown in the drawings where:
Figure 8 is a top view of container conveying apparatus wherein means is provided for shifting a single row of conveyed containers to provide two parallel rows of containers;
Figure 9 is a section taken through lines 9-9 of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a section taken through lines 10-10 of Figure 8; and Figure 11 is a top view of modified container conveying apparatus.
It can be appreciated that the shifting of the containers on a conveyor described with respect to Figures S and 7 may be useful for other types of container conveying apparatus.
Referring to Figure 8, another application of bottle lateral shift on the conveyor is shown. The apparatus for effecting bottle shift is generally designated 150. A single row 152 of containers 154, conveyed in the direction of arrow 156, are moving towards the container shifting apparatus 150. The single row of containers 152 is evenly spaced-apart on the single conveyor bed 158. This even spacing between containers may be accomplished by various registration means, such as that designated 14 in Figure 2. In instances when it is desired to take this single row of conveyed containers and split or divide it into two parallel rows of spaced-apart containers, to accomplish a subsequent operation on the containers, the C
.
1~3'73~ 5 shift mechanism 150 may be employed.
In this particular embodiment for the bottle shift mechanism, a plurality of opposing pairs of compression pad assemblies 60 are used. The body portions 162 of each compression pad assembly may be of the type shown in Figure
3, where they are secured to chains which cause the compression pad assembly to move through a loop which is essentially in a vertical plane. The plunger or rod portion 164 of each compression pad assembly includes a cam follower 166 which engages lead in cam portions generally designated 168 for ~-~
the bottle shift mechanism. The compression pad assemblies 160 may include tension springs to resiliently urge or bias the cam followers 166 against the cam rails.
In this particular instance, the bottles which are being shifted, may be of normal configuration, where the bottle tops are symmetrically aligned with the central axis of the bottle. The need for dividing the single row of containers into two rows is due to the spacing between the bottles in the single row being too narrow to permit the strip labeller to apply strips to the bottle tops.
To accomplish this division of the single row into two parallel rows, while maintaining container oreintation, alternate pairs of compression pad assemblies have their positions controlled by a corresponding pair of cam rails.
As shown in Figure 9, the plunger portions 164 of each C ~:
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compression pad assembly overlaps where the distinct relation-ship of respective cam followers to upper and lower cam rails is shown. The cam rail assembly includes two pairs of opposing cam rails; namely, an upper pair of opposing cam rails 170 and 170a and a lower pair of opposing cam rails 172 and 172a. The compression pad assemblies 160 include cam followers 166 and 166a which contact the correspondin~ upper cam rails and other compression pad assemblies include cam followers 167 and 167a which contact the lower set of opposing cam rails.
As shown in Figure 9, the sleeves 162 include depending guide rollers 174 which travel along in channels 176 to assist guiding of the sleeves in the manner discussed with respect to ; Figure 3.
As the compression pad assemblies engage the individually conveyed bottles, the cam followers 166 and 167 bring the compression pads 176 into engagement with the containers as the cam followers move up the lead in portion 168 of upper and lowercam rails 170 and 172. At this point, the containers are grasped by the compression pads 176 and their position held relative to the single conveyor 158.
The single conveyor 158 leads into parallel conveyors 178 and 180 where there is an overlap of the conveyors in the region of the end of conveyor 158 and the beginning of conveyors ]78 and 180 to provide an area over which the bottles may be shifted laterally to provide the two rows.
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At the juncture of the upper and lower cam rails generally designated 182, one set of compression pad assemblies are urged by cam rails 170 - 170a to move corres-ponding containers to the left of the single conveyor and the other set of compression pad assemblies are urged by cam rails 172 - 172a to move corresponding containers to the right of the single conveyor. The shifting of the bottle to the right - or left is determined by portions generally designated 184 of the cam rails, so that container 154a is positioned on conveyor 178 and container 154b is positioned on conveyor 180.
The compression pad assemblies have laterally shifted the containers while maintaining their original position relative to the length of the conveyor, so that the spacing between containers 154a is double the spacing between containers 154.
The same applies with respect to the containers 154b on conveyor 180.
The relationship of the compression pad assemblies with respect to the shifted containers is shown in Figure 10.
` The cam followers, in contact with respective cam rails, determine the positions of corresponding compression pads, therefore, the two pairs of opposing cam rails accomplish the shifting of containers 154 in either direction to provide the desired two parallel rows of conveyed containers.
This increased spacing between containers, as mentioned, may be applicable in one particular instance to applying ', S
strip stamps to containers~ The increased spacing between the containers 154a and 154b now allows strip stamper mechanisms to apply strip stamps to the tops of both rows of containers. The strip stamp labellers may be of the type shown in Figure 1 and designated 38.
The length of the bottle shift mechanism 150 may be significantly shorter than that shown; however, this - embodiment is for use with bottles which have been freshly labelled on their sides with labels. The compression pad assembly picks up the labelled bottles and by sandwiching them ensures securement of labels to bottle.
After the strip stamps have been applied to the containers 154a and 154b, the compression pad assemblies 160 release their engagement with the containers in the manner shown in the area 186 of the assembly. The cam followers 166 move down the cam rail portion 188 and 166a, down cam rail portion 190 to release their engagement and similarly the cam followers 167 and 167a release engagement with the container 154b. To ensure that all compression pads 176 are clear of the dual conveyors 178 and 180, there is a further outward ramp portion 192 in upper cam rail 170a and ramp portion 194 in the lower can rail 172. This ;
retraction of the pads permits them to return around the endless loop to lead in portions 168 to re-engage containers in the single row.
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73~fô5 Figure 11 shows a modification to the compression pad assembly area of Figure 2. As mentioned, there are instances when it is desired to discharge two rows of containers from the labelling apparatus, such as when it is desired to inspect labelled containers at slower speeds or in instances when it is desired to provide multiple rows of containers for purposes of packaging. In these circumstances, the orientation and spacing of the containers is no longer critical, therefore, the compression pad assembly can be modified to achieve this desired shifting of containers to provide two or more rows.
The container shifting device is generally designated 200 where a single row of conveyed containers 202 have been registered by way of a device, such as that shown in Figure 2.
The compression pad assembly 204 includes body portions 206 housing plunger portions 208, the lateral movement of which is controlled by opposing cam rails 210 and 212 as the respective cam followers 214 and 216 contact the rails. As -in the compression pad assemblies of Figure 3, springs may be employed to resiliently urge the followers against the cam rails. The compression pad æsembly may be mounted in the manner similar to that of Figure 3, where they travel on endless chains about a loop which is in the vertical plane.
Located above the compression pad assembly area 204 may be strip stamper, or the like, for applying excise tax stamps to conveyed bottles.
C
, 31.0'7~ 5 At the downstream end of the conveying apparatus, the cam rails 210 and 212 may be modified to effect compression pad movement which yields the desired two parallel rows 218 and 220 of spaced-apart containers 202a and 202b. During the intermediate portions 222 and 224 of the cam rails, the compression pads 226 and 228 firmly engage the container.
The cam rail 222 has been modified in area generally designated 230 to provide a fall off portion whereby the corresponding compression pads 228a are removed from the conveyed containers thereby leaving compression pads 226a in contact with the conveyed containers. In parallel with the single conveyor system 232 is a second conveyor 234 which overlaps conveyor 232 in the~rea which containers are to be shifted.
In this instance, it is desired to shift every other container to provide the two parallel rows. As a result, the cam 212 includes a modification in the area 236 to split the single cam into two cam segments - upper segment 238 and lower segment 240. The corresponding cam followers 216 engage the upper cam segment and cam followers 216a are positioned to engage the lower cam segment 240. The arrange-ment may be such as that shown in Figure 9 with respect to ; the location of cam followers 166 and 167 as they engage the upper and lower can rails. With this provision, every other compression pad assembly, as it contacts a respective container, is shifted laterally of the conveyor so as to ~ :' G : -3~t~5 position containers 202a on conveyor 234. Cam follower 216, on riding down slope 238a of its cam, is then retracted to the position of the other compression pad assemblies so that they may be returned on the endless chain system for engage-ment with new containers in the single row.
As a result, employing the principle of operation ofcontainer shift, as described with respect to Figure 8, the compression assembly of Figure 2 may be modified to provide an arrangement which accomplishes shifting of containers using only one side of the compression pad assembly. As mentioned, this arrangement is most desirable in instances where orientation and spacing of containers is not critical.
The arrangement is also considerably less costly than known arrangements which are added on to existing container conveying apparatus to accomplish such shifting of containers. Also the arrangement permits shortening up or providing a shorter section on one side of the compression assembly than the other side, while still achieving container shift to provide additional room for other components in the conveyor apparatus and also cutting back on the cost with respect to one side of the compression pad assembly arrangement. Further, in using a compression pad which already contacts a conveyed container, when the other compression pad is removed, permits shifting of the container without causing impact between conveyed container and pad which shifts the C
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container. This overcomes the undesirable aspects of known container shifting devices which rely on a pad or device moving towards the conveyor, impacting the container and shifting it laterally of the conveyor.
A container conveying apparatus is, therefore, provided which includes a device for individually engaging containers and shifting such conveyed, engaged containers laterally on the conveyor to provide a repositioning of containers. As explained, this shifting of containers is useful in many areas outside of the labelling art; however, it is particu-larly applicable where a bottle neck portion is offset relative to its centre line, or where the spacing between containers is so narrow that subsequent strip stamping application could not be achieved unless the bottle spacing is increased. As a result, the need for bottle re-regis-tration and bottle orientation is eliminated.
This bottle shifting mechanism may also be useful in instances where the speed at which the subsequent operation in treating a container is slower than that which produces the single row of containers. In splitting up the row, the slower functions can now ~e accomplished in the split rows, which include lesser number of bottles per minute to be handled~
It can be appreciated from the description of the shift mechanism oepration that the single row of containers may C
~0'73~5 be split into more than two rows by way of proper arrangement for the compression pad assemblies and the provision of additional pairs of cam rails. For example, the single row may be split into three conveyed rows by the provision o~
yet another set of cam rails which would control the com-pression pad assemblies to shift every third bottle to a position which is different from the positions of the other two bottles. Further, it is understood that the mechanism of Figure 8 may be adapted to shift only every other bottle where the remaining bottles travel along the same path as the original single row. In instances where it is desired to maintaian container orientation, the complete set of compression pad assemblies may be provided to engage and hold the containers which continue travel along the same path. That arrangement would, therefore, require that conveyor 158 continue along-side either conveyor 178 or 180, depending upon which way every other bottle is to be shifted.
It is also understood that the bottle shifting mechanism of Figure 11 may be modified to shift bottles from a single row in a manner to provide triple row discharge for purposes of subsequent container handling. This flexibility in container shift is provided by the arrangmenet of cam rails controlling movement of the compression pads where multiple level of cam rails may be used to shift corresponding compression pads any desired extent to establish one or more C
ti$5 new rows of conveyed containers.
Although various embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
~,. 10 . .
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the bottle shift mechanism. The compression pad assemblies 160 may include tension springs to resiliently urge or bias the cam followers 166 against the cam rails.
In this particular instance, the bottles which are being shifted, may be of normal configuration, where the bottle tops are symmetrically aligned with the central axis of the bottle. The need for dividing the single row of containers into two rows is due to the spacing between the bottles in the single row being too narrow to permit the strip labeller to apply strips to the bottle tops.
To accomplish this division of the single row into two parallel rows, while maintaining container oreintation, alternate pairs of compression pad assemblies have their positions controlled by a corresponding pair of cam rails.
As shown in Figure 9, the plunger portions 164 of each C ~:
1~(3~7~1~tiS
compression pad assembly overlaps where the distinct relation-ship of respective cam followers to upper and lower cam rails is shown. The cam rail assembly includes two pairs of opposing cam rails; namely, an upper pair of opposing cam rails 170 and 170a and a lower pair of opposing cam rails 172 and 172a. The compression pad assemblies 160 include cam followers 166 and 166a which contact the correspondin~ upper cam rails and other compression pad assemblies include cam followers 167 and 167a which contact the lower set of opposing cam rails.
As shown in Figure 9, the sleeves 162 include depending guide rollers 174 which travel along in channels 176 to assist guiding of the sleeves in the manner discussed with respect to ; Figure 3.
As the compression pad assemblies engage the individually conveyed bottles, the cam followers 166 and 167 bring the compression pads 176 into engagement with the containers as the cam followers move up the lead in portion 168 of upper and lowercam rails 170 and 172. At this point, the containers are grasped by the compression pads 176 and their position held relative to the single conveyor 158.
The single conveyor 158 leads into parallel conveyors 178 and 180 where there is an overlap of the conveyors in the region of the end of conveyor 158 and the beginning of conveyors ]78 and 180 to provide an area over which the bottles may be shifted laterally to provide the two rows.
C .. , 11)i73~5 ~:
:
At the juncture of the upper and lower cam rails generally designated 182, one set of compression pad assemblies are urged by cam rails 170 - 170a to move corres-ponding containers to the left of the single conveyor and the other set of compression pad assemblies are urged by cam rails 172 - 172a to move corresponding containers to the right of the single conveyor. The shifting of the bottle to the right - or left is determined by portions generally designated 184 of the cam rails, so that container 154a is positioned on conveyor 178 and container 154b is positioned on conveyor 180.
The compression pad assemblies have laterally shifted the containers while maintaining their original position relative to the length of the conveyor, so that the spacing between containers 154a is double the spacing between containers 154.
The same applies with respect to the containers 154b on conveyor 180.
The relationship of the compression pad assemblies with respect to the shifted containers is shown in Figure 10.
` The cam followers, in contact with respective cam rails, determine the positions of corresponding compression pads, therefore, the two pairs of opposing cam rails accomplish the shifting of containers 154 in either direction to provide the desired two parallel rows of conveyed containers.
This increased spacing between containers, as mentioned, may be applicable in one particular instance to applying ', S
strip stamps to containers~ The increased spacing between the containers 154a and 154b now allows strip stamper mechanisms to apply strip stamps to the tops of both rows of containers. The strip stamp labellers may be of the type shown in Figure 1 and designated 38.
The length of the bottle shift mechanism 150 may be significantly shorter than that shown; however, this - embodiment is for use with bottles which have been freshly labelled on their sides with labels. The compression pad assembly picks up the labelled bottles and by sandwiching them ensures securement of labels to bottle.
After the strip stamps have been applied to the containers 154a and 154b, the compression pad assemblies 160 release their engagement with the containers in the manner shown in the area 186 of the assembly. The cam followers 166 move down the cam rail portion 188 and 166a, down cam rail portion 190 to release their engagement and similarly the cam followers 167 and 167a release engagement with the container 154b. To ensure that all compression pads 176 are clear of the dual conveyors 178 and 180, there is a further outward ramp portion 192 in upper cam rail 170a and ramp portion 194 in the lower can rail 172. This ;
retraction of the pads permits them to return around the endless loop to lead in portions 168 to re-engage containers in the single row.
.~ :
.. .. . . . . . .
.
73~fô5 Figure 11 shows a modification to the compression pad assembly area of Figure 2. As mentioned, there are instances when it is desired to discharge two rows of containers from the labelling apparatus, such as when it is desired to inspect labelled containers at slower speeds or in instances when it is desired to provide multiple rows of containers for purposes of packaging. In these circumstances, the orientation and spacing of the containers is no longer critical, therefore, the compression pad assembly can be modified to achieve this desired shifting of containers to provide two or more rows.
The container shifting device is generally designated 200 where a single row of conveyed containers 202 have been registered by way of a device, such as that shown in Figure 2.
The compression pad assembly 204 includes body portions 206 housing plunger portions 208, the lateral movement of which is controlled by opposing cam rails 210 and 212 as the respective cam followers 214 and 216 contact the rails. As -in the compression pad assemblies of Figure 3, springs may be employed to resiliently urge the followers against the cam rails. The compression pad æsembly may be mounted in the manner similar to that of Figure 3, where they travel on endless chains about a loop which is in the vertical plane.
Located above the compression pad assembly area 204 may be strip stamper, or the like, for applying excise tax stamps to conveyed bottles.
C
, 31.0'7~ 5 At the downstream end of the conveying apparatus, the cam rails 210 and 212 may be modified to effect compression pad movement which yields the desired two parallel rows 218 and 220 of spaced-apart containers 202a and 202b. During the intermediate portions 222 and 224 of the cam rails, the compression pads 226 and 228 firmly engage the container.
The cam rail 222 has been modified in area generally designated 230 to provide a fall off portion whereby the corresponding compression pads 228a are removed from the conveyed containers thereby leaving compression pads 226a in contact with the conveyed containers. In parallel with the single conveyor system 232 is a second conveyor 234 which overlaps conveyor 232 in the~rea which containers are to be shifted.
In this instance, it is desired to shift every other container to provide the two parallel rows. As a result, the cam 212 includes a modification in the area 236 to split the single cam into two cam segments - upper segment 238 and lower segment 240. The corresponding cam followers 216 engage the upper cam segment and cam followers 216a are positioned to engage the lower cam segment 240. The arrange-ment may be such as that shown in Figure 9 with respect to ; the location of cam followers 166 and 167 as they engage the upper and lower can rails. With this provision, every other compression pad assembly, as it contacts a respective container, is shifted laterally of the conveyor so as to ~ :' G : -3~t~5 position containers 202a on conveyor 234. Cam follower 216, on riding down slope 238a of its cam, is then retracted to the position of the other compression pad assemblies so that they may be returned on the endless chain system for engage-ment with new containers in the single row.
As a result, employing the principle of operation ofcontainer shift, as described with respect to Figure 8, the compression assembly of Figure 2 may be modified to provide an arrangement which accomplishes shifting of containers using only one side of the compression pad assembly. As mentioned, this arrangement is most desirable in instances where orientation and spacing of containers is not critical.
The arrangement is also considerably less costly than known arrangements which are added on to existing container conveying apparatus to accomplish such shifting of containers. Also the arrangement permits shortening up or providing a shorter section on one side of the compression assembly than the other side, while still achieving container shift to provide additional room for other components in the conveyor apparatus and also cutting back on the cost with respect to one side of the compression pad assembly arrangement. Further, in using a compression pad which already contacts a conveyed container, when the other compression pad is removed, permits shifting of the container without causing impact between conveyed container and pad which shifts the C
i~'7~S
container. This overcomes the undesirable aspects of known container shifting devices which rely on a pad or device moving towards the conveyor, impacting the container and shifting it laterally of the conveyor.
A container conveying apparatus is, therefore, provided which includes a device for individually engaging containers and shifting such conveyed, engaged containers laterally on the conveyor to provide a repositioning of containers. As explained, this shifting of containers is useful in many areas outside of the labelling art; however, it is particu-larly applicable where a bottle neck portion is offset relative to its centre line, or where the spacing between containers is so narrow that subsequent strip stamping application could not be achieved unless the bottle spacing is increased. As a result, the need for bottle re-regis-tration and bottle orientation is eliminated.
This bottle shifting mechanism may also be useful in instances where the speed at which the subsequent operation in treating a container is slower than that which produces the single row of containers. In splitting up the row, the slower functions can now ~e accomplished in the split rows, which include lesser number of bottles per minute to be handled~
It can be appreciated from the description of the shift mechanism oepration that the single row of containers may C
~0'73~5 be split into more than two rows by way of proper arrangement for the compression pad assemblies and the provision of additional pairs of cam rails. For example, the single row may be split into three conveyed rows by the provision o~
yet another set of cam rails which would control the com-pression pad assemblies to shift every third bottle to a position which is different from the positions of the other two bottles. Further, it is understood that the mechanism of Figure 8 may be adapted to shift only every other bottle where the remaining bottles travel along the same path as the original single row. In instances where it is desired to maintaian container orientation, the complete set of compression pad assemblies may be provided to engage and hold the containers which continue travel along the same path. That arrangement would, therefore, require that conveyor 158 continue along-side either conveyor 178 or 180, depending upon which way every other bottle is to be shifted.
It is also understood that the bottle shifting mechanism of Figure 11 may be modified to shift bottles from a single row in a manner to provide triple row discharge for purposes of subsequent container handling. This flexibility in container shift is provided by the arrangmenet of cam rails controlling movement of the compression pads where multiple level of cam rails may be used to shift corresponding compression pads any desired extent to establish one or more C
ti$5 new rows of conveyed containers.
Although various embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
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Claims (25)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Labelling apparatus for applying label strips to containers whose tops are offset relative to the centre line of container conveyor during application of labels to such container sides, said apparatus comprising a conveyor for conveying containers along said apparatus, container registration means for evenly spacing such containers on said conveyor, overhead container engaging means which contact container tops and travels with them to hold them in their registered position on said conveyor, label applying stations for applying labels to such container sides as they are conveyed past them and held in position by said overhead container engaging means, a label compression station which begins compressing such labels against such container sides prior to said overhead engaging means disengaging such containers, said label compression station comprising a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel along-side said conveyor at the conveyor speed and which are adapted to receive and to sandwich such containers between them, a label strip applying means located downstream of said label applying stations, said opposing compression pads maintaining proper registration of such containers on said conveyor for receipt of label strips on such container tops, said compression pads being laterally moveable relative to the conveyor's length, a pair of opposing cam rails being mounted on each side of said conveyor, each said compression pad having a cam follower and means for biasing said cam follower against the corresponding cam rail, each cam rail being so configured to move the respective compression pad inwardly to contact a respective container side and press such labels against such container, adjustment means for moving each of said cam rails laterally of said conveyor to provide a spacing therebetween for moving opposing com-pression pads into proper contact with such container, said cam rails being adjustable to positions which cause said compression pads upon contacting such containers to shift such containers laterally on said conveyor to align such container tops for accurate receipt of label strips from said label applying means.
2. Labelling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said overhead container engagement means comprises a plurality of evenly spaced apart resilient blocks mounted on an end-less chain travelling along and above said conveyor, the spacing between such blocks and the speed at which said endless chain travels being such that each container top is contacted by a block and is sandwiched between such block and said conveyor for purposes of holding such container for application of labels to its sides, the distance between each block in its bottle contacting position and said conveyor determining the frictional force with which said container is held, said distance being increased slightly at the down-stream end of said endless chain in the area where said opposing compressible pads first contact a container to decrease sufficiently the frictional force holding such container and allow the force exerted by said compressible pads in laterally shifting said container on said conveyor to overcome said friction force without causing tilting movement of said container between said compressible pads.
3. Labelling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cam rails have a parallel lateral offset portion which is adapted to move said compression pads laterally of said conveyor to shift such containers laterally on said conveyor to align such container tops for accurate receipt of label strips from said label strip applying means.
CLAIMS SUPPORTED BY THE SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
CLAIMS SUPPORTED BY THE SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
4 . In container conveying apparatus, means for conveying containers, container registration means for evenly spacing such containers on said means for conveying, and means for individually engaging such containers to maintain container even spacing and shifting such conveyed engaged container laterally a predetermined extent on said means for conveying.
5.. In container conveying apparatus of claim 4, said means for engaging such containers traveling with said means for conveying during container shift.
6 . In container conveying apparatus of claim 4, said means for engaging such containers comprising a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel alongside and with said means for conveying and which are adapted to receive and to sandwich individual containers therebetween, each pair of opposing compression pads with container therebetween being shifted laterally in unison the predetermined extent and releasing such shifted conveyed container.
7. In container conveying apparatus of claim :4, said means for individually engaging such containers being adapted to shift such containers in opposite directions to provide two rows of conveyed containers having double the spacing between containers as registered.
8 . In container conveying apparatus of claim 6 said compression pads are laterally movable relative to the length of said conveyor means, at least a pair of opposing cam rails are mounted on each side of said conveyor, each said compression pad having a cam follower and means for resiliently urging said cam follower against its corresponding cam rail, each cam rail being so configured to move the respective com-pression pad inwardly to contact the respective container side to thereby sandwich such container between opposing compression pads, said at least one pair of opposing cam rails being adapted to cause each pair of opposing compression pads to shift laterally in unison thereby shifting such engaged container laterally of said conveyor means to the predetermined extent.
9 . In container conveying apparatus of claim 8 , said at least one pair of cam rails being adjustable laterally of the conveyor to positions which cause said compression pads, upon contacting such containers, to shift the containers laterally.
10 . In container conveying apparatus of claim 8, said at least one pair of cam rails having a parallel lateral offset portion which is adapted to move opposing compression pads laterally of the conveyor to achieve the desired container shift.
11. In container conveying apparatus of claim 7, said means for individually engaging such containers comprising a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel along-side and with said means for conveying and which are adapted to receive and to sandwich individual containers therebetween, each pair of opposing compression pads with container therebetween being shifted laterally in unison the predeter-mined extent and releasing such shifted conveyed container.
12. In container conveying apparatus of claim 11, said compression pads are laterally movable relative to the length of said conveyor means, two pair of opposing cam rails being mounted on each side of said conveyor, each pair of opposing cam rails determing the direction in which a sandwiched container is shifted by said compression pads, each pair of cam rails being so configured to move the res-pective opposing compression pads inwardly to contact and sandwich a respective container prior to shifting such container in a desired direction.
13. In container conveying apparatus of claim 12, said two pairs of opposing cam rails being laterally offset relative to each other, a distance which provides the desired spacing between the provided parallel rows of evenly spaced-apart containers.
14. Labelling apparatus for applying a label strip to container tops, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for conveying evenly spaced-apart containers along said apparatus and means for individually engaging containers and shifting such engaged conveyed container laterally of the conveyor means to align such container top with label strip applying means which applies an individual label strip to each container top.
15. Labelling apparatus of claim 14, wherein said means for engaging such containers travels with said conveyor during container shift.
16. Labelling apparatus of claim 14, wherein said means for engaging such containers comprises a plurality of opposing compression pads which travel alongside and with said conveyor and which are adapted to receive and sandwich individual containers therebetween, each pair of opposing compression pads with container therebetween being shifted laterally in unison a predetermined extent and releasing such shifted conveyed container subsequent to application of a label strip to container top.
17. Labelling apparatus of claim 16 for applying label strips to containers whose tops are offset relative to the centre line of said conveyor, said compression pads shifting each sandwiched container laterally on said conveyor to align such container tops for accurate receipt of label strips from label strip applying means.
18. Labelling apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least every other container of a single row of evenly spaced-apart containers is shifted by said means for engaging such containers to provide two rows of conveyed containers having double the spacing between containers of such single row, a label strip applying means located over each of the parallel rows of conveyed containers to apply label strips to container tops of each row.
19. Labelling apparatus of claim 17, wherein a pair of opposing cam rails are mounted on each side of said conveyor, each compression pad having cam follower and means for biasing said cam follower against its corresponding cam rail, the pair of cam rails being so configured to move the opposing compression pads inwardly to contact and sandwich therebetween the container, said cam rails being adjustable to positions which cause said compression pads, upon sandwiching a container, to move in unison in shifting such container laterally on said conveyor to align container top with means for applying the label strip.
20. Labelling apparatus of claim 19, wherein each pair of cam rails each have a parallel lateral offset portion which is adapted to move said compression pads in unison laterally of said conveyor to shift a sandwiched container laterally on said conveyor.
21. Labelling apparatus of claim 18, wherein two pairs of opposing cam rails are mounted on each side of said conveyor, each pair of opposing cam rails determining the movement of a respective pair of opposing compression pads in shifting containers laterally of said conveyor, each compression pad has a cam follower and means for biasing said cam follower against the corresponding cam rail, a first pair of cam rails causing said opposing compression pads with container sandwiched therebetween to shift such container laterally in a first direction and the other pair of opposing pads rails causing its corresponding pair of opposing compression pads to shift a sandwiched container in an opposite direction to provide two parallel conveyed rows of spaced-apart containers having a spacing double that prior to lateral offset.
22. In a container conveying apparatus, means for conveying a row of containers, container registration means for evenly spacing such containers on said means for conveying, a plurality of opposing compression pads moving with said conveyor means, said compression pads being laterally movable relative to the length of said conveyor means, a pair of opposing cam rails, each mounted to a side of said conveyor means, each said compression pad having a cam follower and means for resiliently urging said cam follower against its corresponding cam rail, each cam rail being so configured to move the respective compression pad inwardly to contact the respective container side to thereby sandwich such container between opposing compression pads, one of said cam rails having at its downstream end at least two vertically oriented cam segments, at least one of said cam segments causing a compression pad with corresponding cam follower to move late-rally of said conveyor means and thereby shift laterally to a predetermined extent a corresponding contacted container to provide at least two rows of conveyed containers, the other cam rail being so configured to retract an opposing compression pad from an engaged container prior to lateral shift of such container.
23. In container conveying apparatus of claim 22, two vertically spaced-apart cam segments, one segment disposed inwardly of the other to cause compression pads having cam followers which engage such segment to shift such contacted containers to provide two rows of containers.
24 In container conveying apparatus of claim 22, the extent of said other cam rail being shorter than said cam rail having said cam segments.
25. In container conveying apparatus of claim 23, said conveyor means compressing a pair of conveyors, one of said conveyors extending the length of said apparatus, the other conveyor beginning in the area of container shift to convey the newly established moving row of containers.
Priority Applications (5)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA288,967A CA1073865A (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1977-10-18 | Bottle labelling apparatus |
| GB7838678A GB2006157B (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1978-09-29 | Bottle labelling apparatus |
| DE19782844986 DE2844986A1 (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1978-10-16 | LABELING DEVICE |
| US06/030,770 US4283245A (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1979-04-17 | Bottle labelling apparatus |
| CA338,793A CA1077444A (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1979-10-31 | Bottle labelling apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA288,967A CA1073865A (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1977-10-18 | Bottle labelling apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1073865A true CA1073865A (en) | 1980-03-18 |
Family
ID=4109792
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA288,967A Expired CA1073865A (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1977-10-18 | Bottle labelling apparatus |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1073865A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2844986A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2006157B (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE3026607A1 (en) * | 1980-07-14 | 1982-03-25 | Papierhof AG Buchs SG vorm. Chr. Tischhauser, Buchs | DEVICE FOR APPLYING LABELS TO OBJECTS |
| DE3512664A1 (en) * | 1985-04-06 | 1986-10-09 | Langguth GmbH & Co, 4400 Münster | Method and device for labelling box-like containers |
-
1977
- 1977-10-18 CA CA288,967A patent/CA1073865A/en not_active Expired
-
1978
- 1978-09-29 GB GB7838678A patent/GB2006157B/en not_active Expired
- 1978-10-16 DE DE19782844986 patent/DE2844986A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2006157A (en) | 1979-05-02 |
| GB2006157B (en) | 1982-01-13 |
| DE2844986A1 (en) | 1979-04-19 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |