GB1569693A - Labelling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The labelling machine has a plurality of stations (4, 5, 6), arranged along a closed circular path (3), for glue coating, label dispensing and label transfer and, on a rotating carrier, a plurality of eccentrically arranged extraction elements (1) having a curved receiving surface (2), the radius of which is smaller than the radius of the path (3), the said extraction elements rolling on the surface of a gripper cylinder (6). With the carrier and gripper cylinder (6) rotating in the same direction (P1, P3) and with the extraction element (1) rotating in the opposite direction (P4), the axis of rotation (M) of the carrier is located within the circles (9) which coincide with the curved receiving surface (2) in an outer middle position of the extraction elements (1), the distances (a, b) being equal. The geometrical relations make it possible to achieve a small pitch of the gripper cylinder and therefore a high throughput capacity of the machine by means of few extraction elements. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) LABELLING APPARATUS (71) We, JAGENBERG-WERKE A.G., a Joint Stock Company organised under the laws of Germany (Fed. Rep) of Postfach 1123, D-4000 Düsseldorf 1, Germany (Fed.

Rep.), do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly descirbed in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to labelling apparatus.

It has been previously proposed to provide a lavelling machine for objects, in particular bottles, comprising a plurality of stations arranged along a circular track and including a label supply station in the form of a label box adapted to hold a stack of labels, a glue applying station in the form of a rotating applicator and a label transfer device in the form of a rotary label transfer cylinder. A turntable is disposed inside the track and a plurality of pick-up elements is eccentrically mounted thereon.

Each element is adapted to rotate about an axis disposed between a converse pick-up surface thereof and the centre ot curvature of said surface. The pick-up surfaces are adapted to roll on the surface of the label transfer cylinder and each have a radius of curvature smaller than the radius of the circular track.

The turntable and the label transfer cylinder are arranged to rotate in the same direction and the pick-up elements are arranged to rotate in the opposite direction.

Thus each pick-up element rolls completely over a corresponding peripheral length of the label transfer cylinder. Movement of the pick-up element is controlled by a gear which is adapted to accelerate and decelerate the pick-up element in a predeter mined manner (German OS 2 325 244).

In addition to complete rolling contact, a high output is required. This requires the objects to be labelled to pass the label transfer cylinder in rapid succession and divisioning of the label transfer cylinder, i.e. a spacing of the individual transfer means of the cylinder. This spacing in turn determines the construction of the turntable for the pick-up elements, because at the time of label transfer synchronism for the complete rolling contact is required between the pick-up surfaces of the pick-up element and the surface of the label transfer cylinder. A straight-forward transfer of the labels to the transfer cylinder requires synchronism, not only at a predetermined point, but in a predetermined area. It has been attempted in the past to achieve this by means of the aforestated measures.

According to another construction, the turntable and pick-up elements are adapted to rotate in opposite directions and the pick-up elements are provided with a pickup surface which in the centered position of the pick-up elements coincides with a circle described by the work stations. The rolling contact is made possible by pick-up elements controlled- in- centered position (German OS 1 486 135).

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the disadvantages of the prior constructions described above.

According to the present invention there is provided labelling apparatus comprising a turntable rotatable about a first axis of rotation, a plurality of label pick-up elements mounted in equiangularly spaced relationship on said turntable for rotation about respective second axes of rotation equidistant from said first axis, each pickup element having a convex pick-up surface with radius of curvature greater than that of a circle swept out by the element such that when the pick-up surface is at its furthest position from said first axis its centre of curvature falls short of said first axis and an imaginary circle partly defined by said surface contains said first axis, and a plurality of work stations spaced around the turntable and including a label supply station, a glue applicator and a rotary label transfer cylinder, the turntable and the label transfer cylinder being arranged to rotate in one direction and the pick-up elements being arranged to rotate in the opposite direction.

Preferably, in said furthest position of -the pick-up surface its centre of curvature -is located midway along a straight line inter connecting said first axis and the respective second axis.

The circles swept out by the respective pick-up elements are preferably in tan gential relationship.

The number of label pick-up elements preferably correspond to the number of work stations.

The geometric relationships between the various components of the apparatus ac cording to the invention permit a relatively small dimension of the rotary label transfer cylinder and thus ensure a relatively high through-put of the machine with relatively few -label pick-up elements.

The invention will now be further de scribed by way of example only -with -refer- ence to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of one embodiment of labelling apparatus accord ing to the invention having :three work stations, and Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a second embodiment of labelling apparatus having four work stations.

Both embodiments of the labelling apparatus comprise a turntable (not shown) rotatable about a first axis of rotation M.

The direction of rotation of the turntable is denoted by arrow P1. Label pick-up ele ments 1 are mounted in equiangularly spaced relatinship on the turntable for rotation in the direction of arrow P4 about - respective second axes of rotation defined by shafts 8 equidistant from said first axis M. The shaft 8 of each pick-up element 1 is disposed on the turntable between a con vex pick-up surface 2 of the element and its centre of curvature 7. Thus, the radius of curvature of the pick-up surface 2 is greater than that of a circle 10 swept out by the element. The circles 10 are in tan gential relationship.When the pick-up surfaces of the elements 1 are in the illu strated position furthest from the first axis M the centres of curvature 7 fall short of the first axis M and an imaginary circle 9 partly defined by said surface contains the first axis M which is also the centre of symmetry of the pick-up elements. In this position the pick-up surfaces are contained by a contiguous circle 3. Also, the centre of curvature 7 of the pick-up surface of each pick-up element is equidistant from the first axis M and its own axis of rotation defined by the shaft 8, its dimension a in the drawings equals dimension b.

A plurality of work stations is tangen tially disposed with respect to the circle 3.

These stations comprise a glue applicator roller 4 rotatable in the direction of arrow P2, label supply boxes 5, 5' (only box 5 being present in Fig 1) adapted to hold respective stacks of labels, and a rotary label transfer cylinder 6 adapted to rotate in the direction of arrow P3, i.e. in the opposite direction to the pick-up elements 4.

The rotation of the pick-up elements 1 is not uniform but is accelerated and de celerated during part of its travel in order to accommodate the requirement of full rolling contact with the surfaces of the stations 4, 5, 6 which themselves move in the case of the applicator roller 4 and label ling cylinder and are stationary in the case of the label boxes 5, 5'. The drive for the pick-up elements 1 may correspond to that described in German Offenlegungs schrift 2 325 244.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1 there are three -pick-up elements and a corresponding number - of work stations, 4, 5, 6. In the embodiment of Fig. 2 there are four pick up elements 1 and a corresponding number of work stations 4, 5, 5', 6.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Labelling - apparatus comprising a turntable rotatable-about-a first axis of rotation, a plurality of label pick-up ele ments mounted in equiangularly spaced re lationship on said turntable for rotation about respective second axes of rotation equidistant from said first axis, each pick-up element having convex pick-up surface with a radius of curvature greater than that of a circle swept out by the element such that when the pick-up surface is at its furthest position - from said first axis its centre of curvature falls short of said first axis and an imaginary circle partly defined by said surface contains said first axis, and a plurality of work stations spaced around the turntable and including a label supply station, a glue applicator and a rotary label transfer cylinder, the turntable and the label transfer cylinder being arranged to rotate in one direction and the pick-up ele ments being arranged to rotate in the opposite direction.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said furthest position of the pick-up surface-its centre of curvature is located midway along-a straight line inter connecting said first axis and the respective second axis.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the circles swept out by the re spective pick-up elements are in tangential relationship.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the number

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Preferably, in said furthest position of -the pick-up surface its centre of curvature -is located midway along a straight line inter connecting said first axis and the respective second axis. The circles swept out by the respective pick-up elements are preferably in tan gential relationship. The number of label pick-up elements preferably correspond to the number of work stations. The geometric relationships between the various components of the apparatus ac cording to the invention permit a relatively small dimension of the rotary label transfer cylinder and thus ensure a relatively high through-put of the machine with relatively few -label pick-up elements. The invention will now be further de scribed by way of example only -with -refer- ence to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of one embodiment of labelling apparatus accord ing to the invention having :three work stations, and Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a second embodiment of labelling apparatus having four work stations. Both embodiments of the labelling apparatus comprise a turntable (not shown) rotatable about a first axis of rotation M. The direction of rotation of the turntable is denoted by arrow P1. Label pick-up ele ments 1 are mounted in equiangularly spaced relatinship on the turntable for rotation in the direction of arrow P4 about - respective second axes of rotation defined by shafts 8 equidistant from said first axis M. The shaft 8 of each pick-up element 1 is disposed on the turntable between a con vex pick-up surface 2 of the element and its centre of curvature 7. Thus, the radius of curvature of the pick-up surface 2 is greater than that of a circle 10 swept out by the element. The circles 10 are in tan gential relationship.When the pick-up surfaces of the elements 1 are in the illu strated position furthest from the first axis M the centres of curvature 7 fall short of the first axis M and an imaginary circle 9 partly defined by said surface contains the first axis M which is also the centre of symmetry of the pick-up elements. In this position the pick-up surfaces are contained by a contiguous circle 3. Also, the centre of curvature 7 of the pick-up surface of each pick-up element is equidistant from the first axis M and its own axis of rotation defined by the shaft 8, its dimension a in the drawings equals dimension b. A plurality of work stations is tangen tially disposed with respect to the circle 3. These stations comprise a glue applicator roller 4 rotatable in the direction of arrow P2, label supply boxes 5, 5' (only box 5 being present in Fig 1) adapted to hold respective stacks of labels, and a rotary label transfer cylinder 6 adapted to rotate in the direction of arrow P3, i.e. in the opposite direction to the pick-up elements 4. The rotation of the pick-up elements 1 is not uniform but is accelerated and de celerated during part of its travel in order to accommodate the requirement of full rolling contact with the surfaces of the stations 4, 5, 6 which themselves move in the case of the applicator roller 4 and label ling cylinder and are stationary in the case of the label boxes 5, 5'. The drive for the pick-up elements 1 may correspond to that described in German Offenlegungs schrift 2 325 244. In the embodiment of Fig. 1 there are three -pick-up elements and a corresponding number - of work stations, 4, 5, 6. In the embodiment of Fig. 2 there are four pick up elements 1 and a corresponding number of work stations 4, 5, 5', 6. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Labelling - apparatus comprising a turntable rotatable-about-a first axis of rotation, a plurality of label pick-up ele ments mounted in equiangularly spaced re lationship on said turntable for rotation about respective second axes of rotation equidistant from said first axis, each pick-up element having convex pick-up surface with a radius of curvature greater than that of a circle swept out by the element such that when the pick-up surface is at its furthest position - from said first axis its centre of curvature falls short of said first axis and an imaginary circle partly defined by said surface contains said first axis, and a plurality of work stations spaced around the turntable and including a label supply station, a glue applicator and a rotary label transfer cylinder, the turntable and the label transfer cylinder being arranged to rotate in one direction and the pick-up ele ments being arranged to rotate in the opposite direction.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said furthest position of the pick-up surface-its centre of curvature is located midway along-a straight line inter connecting said first axis and the respective second axis.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the circles swept out by the re spective pick-up elements are in tangential relationship.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the number

of label pick-up elements corresponds to the number of work stations.

5. Labelling apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.