GB2172538A - Label apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Superimposed strips (G, Figure 1) of labels form a block B, each strip being partly severed along line P to delineate individual labels L which are very narrow compared to their length. Thus the block consists of a number of stacks S1, S2 etc. of labels L, joined along the lines P. The block B is fed over a table 1 and as each stack S1, S2 in turn extends byond the table edge, the leading stack is gripped between jaws 4, 6 which are given a sharp knock downwards by a bar 24 and cause the stack to become separated from the block B. Alternatively the downwards force is applied directly to the top of the stack being separated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Label apparatus This invention concerns improvements in or relating to apparatus for producing labels or the like articles, and in particular for separating individual labels from a strip of labels.

In the production of labels it is known to feed a pre-printed web, having a number of labels across its width, and cross-cut the web to produce strips of labels which are formed into stacks. The stacks are then fed to a guillotine by which the stacks are separated into stacks of individual labels. It is also known to produce labels by slitting the pre-printed web lengthwise to give a number of narrower webs, each equal in width to a label, prior to the cross-cutting operation. The labels are then formed into stacks in known manner. However, when very narrow labels are being produced, the stacking operation becomes difficult. In order to keep the stacks upright, divider plates are necessary between adjacent stacks, which requires the labels to be separated laterally before the stacking operation.With this type of label the lateral separation can lead to out of square cross-cutting as the slit webs are moved apart to obtain the required spacing between adjacent labels.

Another way of creating a gap between adjacent labels is to remove a small amount of web from between adjacent narrower webs during the lengthwise slitting operation, However, where there are many labels across the unslit web the amount of wastage becomes unacceptable.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for separating a stack of individual labels from a stack of superimposed strips of labels, each strip consisting of a plurality of individual labels delineated by lines of weakness which, in adjacent superimposed strips of labels, are in vertical alignment, comprising: means for intermittently feeding said stack of strips of labels along a support table, so that each of said verticaly aligned lines of weakness in turn is positioned over an edge of said table, and the leading stack of individual labels protrudes beyond said edge; means for supporting said protruding stack; and force applying means to move said protruding stack relative to the remainder of said stack of strips, and thus separate it from said stack of strips along said lines of weakness.

Preferably said support means includes movable jaw means arranged to be lowered onto said protruding stack so that said protruding stack is gripped between said support means and said jaw means, wherein said force applying means applies a downwards force to said jaw means, and thus cause said protruding stack to move downwards relative to the remainder of said stack of strips.

Preferably said apparatus further comprises means for moving said protruding stack, after separation from said stack of strips, past means for cleaning the edges of said individual labels separated during said downwards movement.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a block of strips of labels prior to being separated into stacks of individual labels in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of apparatus for separating the block of labels of Figure 1 into stacks of individual labels, Figure 3 is a section taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2, Figure 4 is view similar to Figure 3 and showing a modified form of apparatus, Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a section taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a block B of labels comprising a stack of superimposed strips G, each of which is partly severed along lines P, which serve as lines of weakness to delineate individual labels L. The strips G are formed into stacks of, e.g. 1000 strips, with the lines of weakness P in all the strips in vertical alignment, so that within the block B there are a number of stacks S1, S2, S3 ... etc. of individual labels L, which are joined together along the lines P.

The strips G may be partly severed (i.e. they are cut through for about 95% of their thickness) and then stacked by any suitable apparatus, which forms no part of the present invention. The lines P are spaced apart such that the individual labels are very narrow compared to their length and may, for example, be 277 mm long and 33 mm wide.

Referring also to Figures 2 and 3, a block B of labels is fed on to the surface of a table 1, to a position in front of a pusher 2 which is operated by any suitable means (not shown) to push the block B to the left, as viewed in Figure 2. The block is positioned so that the longest dimension of the labels L extends transversely to the direction of movement of pusher 2. The pusher 2 moves the block B along the table 1 intermittently, in steps equal to the width of a label, i.e. the distance between successive lines P, until it comes to rest with the leading line of weakness, marked P1 in the drawings, positioned over the left hand edge 3 of table 1.In this position the leading stack S1 of individual labels protrudes beyond the edge 3, and is supported on a fixed lower jaw 4 of a gripping unit 5, the jaw 4 being positioned so that its upper surface is in alignment with the surface of table 1. To make it easier to move the block B across the table 1, a number of small holes (not shown) may be provided in the table through which air is fed to provide a cushion of air between the table surface and the block B.

After the block B comes to rest, an upper movable jaw 6 is lowered so as to grip the stack S1 between the jaws 4 and 6. For this purpose the unit 5 consists of a block 7 having an extension 8 on which the jaw 4 is fixed. The movable jaw 6 is fixed to an arm 9 which is pivoted to a plate 10 carried on the block 7. A lever 11 is pivoted, at one end thereof, to both the arm 9 and the plate 10, and at the other end to the free end of the piston rod 12 of a pneumatic cylinder 13 carried on a bracket 14, also fixed to the block 7. At the same time the rest of the block B is clamped against the table 1, by means of a clamp 15.

Positioned above the gripping unit 5 is a device 16 comprising a pair of toggles 17 each of which consists of two levers 18,19 pivoted together at one end thereof at 20, the other ends of the levers 18 being rotatably attached, at 21, to a fixed part of the machine. The other ends of levers 19 are pivotally attached, at 22, to a plate 23, to the underside of which is fixed a bar 24. The bottom surface of the bar 24 slopes upwardly from left to right, as viewed in Figure 3. Carried on each of the pivots 22 is a roller 25 which runs along a vertical rail 26, as will be described later. The right hand pivot 20 is attached to the free end of the piston rod 27 of a pneumatic cylinder (not shown), and is connected to the left-hand pivot 20 by a strip 28. Formed respectively at opposite ends of plate 23 are brackets 29, 30 on which arms 31, 32 are pivotally carried.A cylindrical brush 33 is fixed on a shaft 34 which extends between arms 31, 32 and is rotatably driven by a motor 35 through a band 36. The piston rod 37 of a pneumatic cylinder 38 is attached to a lug 39 on the arm 32, the brush 33 being normally held in the position shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 3.

The gripping unit 5 is movable up and down by means of a double acting pneumatic cylinder 40 having a piston rod (not shown) attached respectively at opposite ends thereof to one end of cables 41, 42 which pass round pulleys 43, 44 and are connected at their other ends to block 7.

With the stack S1 clamped between the jaws 4, 6, and the rest of the block B clamped against the table 1, the piston rod 27 is caused to move the two pivots 20 to the left (Figure 3), which causes the toggles 17 to swing about pivots 21, and the pivots 22 to move vertically downwards as the rollers 25 move along rails 26. This moves the bar 24 downwards, to the pisition shown in chain-dot lines in Figure 3, to deliver a sharp knock to the top of jaw 6 which, in turn, causes the whole of the unit 5 to move downwards a short distance. The force is, of course, transmitted to the stack S1, which is thus also moved downwards by the same amount, relative to the rest of the block B.Due to the fact that each label in stack S1 is already partly severed from the adjacent label in stack S2, this movement causes stack S1 to become completely separate from stack S2.

Due to the sloping surface of bar 24, the separation of stack S1 from the rest of block B is progressive from left to right as viewed in Figure 3. The initial short downwards movement of unit 5 is resisted by pressure in cylinder 40. When the separation of stack S1 is complete, air is fed to cylinder 40 to move the whole of unit 5, with stack S1, downwards past a brush 45 rotatably driven by any suitable means (not shown). The purpose of the brush 45 is to remove any loose fibres from the just separated face of the stack S1, the removed fibres being carried away by suction applied to a hood 46 in which the brush 45 is mounted. At the same time, piston rod 27 is caused to return bar 24 to its full line position of Figure 2.When the stack S1 reaches the position shown in chain-dot lines in Figure 2, the downwards movement is stopped and the cylinder 13 is operated to pivot the arm 9 and lift the jaw 6 away from stack S1. The stack S1 is then removed from unit 5 and transferred to apparatus (not shown) for wrapping two narrow bands around it, which apparatus forms no part of the present invention.

With the unit 5 in its lowermost position, cylinder 38 is operated to swing arms 31, 32, and thus the brush 33, anti-clockwise, to the position shown in chain-dot lines in Figure 2. The motor 35 is then energised to rotate brush 33, and piston 27 is caused to move the device 16 downwards, as described above, to pass brush 33 across the leading face of stack S2 so as to remove loose fibres therefrom, the fibres being carried away by suction through a hood (not shown) similar to hood 46.

The brush 33 is then returned to its normal rest position by operating piston rod 27 and cylinder 38. Cylinder 40 is then operated to return unit 5 to its starting position with the jaw 4 again in alignment with table 1, and the jaw 6 in its raised position, as shown at 6A in Figure 2.

The clamp 15 is released and the pusher 2 operated to move the block B forward until stack C2 is positioned on the jaw 4. The cylinder 13 is then operated to lower jaw 6 so that stack C2 is gripped between jaws 4, 6, and then separated from the rest of block B as described above with respect to stack S1. These operations are then repeated with successive stacks S3, S4 etc. When a predetermined number of stacks (for example, 6 stacks) of individual labels is still to be separated from block B, the pusher 2 is retracted to its starting position and another complete block B is positioned behind the block aready in place, and the pusher again starts to push the blocks of labels as described above. When the last stack of labels in a block is clamped between jaws 4, 6, the operation of piston rod 27 is inhibited.This is because the labels in that stack are not joined to the labels in the leading stack of labels in the succeeding block B, which makes the sharp knock by the unit 5 unnecessary.

Also, if desired, it is not necessary to clean the leading face of stack S1, nor the trailing face of the last stack in a block.

Reference will now be made to Figures 4, 5 and 6 which show a modified form of apparatus for separating stacks S1, S2 etc, from block B, and in which the same reference numerals will be used as for like parts in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

A block of labels B is fed, as described above, along a table 1 until the leading stack S1 is supported on the lower jaw 50 of a separating unit 51.

The jaw 50 is carried on a pair of rods 52 which slide in vertical bearings 53, and is urged upwardly by springs54, against stop 55, fixed on the lower ends of rods 52, to be held normally in alignment with the table 1. Positioned above the jaw 50 is a movable upper jaw 56, formed as part of a plate 57, and having a sloping bottom surface, similar to that of the bar 24 described above. The plate 57 is carried by a pair of toggles 17, as described above in relation to the plate 23, which are operated by a pneumatic cylinder 58, and is constrained to move vertically by rollers 59 which run along rails 60.

With the stack S1 resting on jaw 50, cylinder 58 is operated to lower the upper jaw 56 and give the stack S1 a sharp knock. This causes the stack S1, and jaw 50, to move downwards and thus separate the stack S1 from the rest of block B, as described above with relation to Figures 2 and 3. The separation of stack S1 is again progressive, due to the sloping bottom surface of jaw 56, and the springs 54 allow the jaw 50 to tilt as the separation takes place.

When separation of the stack S1 is complete, cylinder 58 is operated to raise plate 57. The now separate stack S1 is then engaged by a pusher 61 which is moved by a pneumatic cylinder 62 to push the stack S1 to the left, off the jaw 50 and along a narrow passageway formed by a base 63 and side walls 64,65, the wall 64 extending in front of table 1. To ensure that all the labels in a stack are engaged by pusher 61, a groove 66 is formed in jaw 50 and base 63, into which part of the pusher 61 extends. Also air may be fed through holes in base 63 to provide an air bearing on the surface thereof.

The stack S1 is pushed along the base 63 until it reaches the position shown at S1A in Figure 4, at which time the pusher 61 is withdrawn to its starting position, and a clamp plate 67 is lowered on to stack S1 to prevent any of the labels L from becoming displaced. The plate 67 is moved on operation of a pneumatic cylinder 68 mounted on a carriage 69, which is provided with pairs of grooved wheels 70 which run along a fixed horizontal rail 71, having a toothed rack 72 mounted thereon. The carriage is moved along the rail 71 by a pinion 73, fixed on the driving spindle of a motor 74, and which engages the rack 72.

Pivotally mounted, at 75, on the carriage 69, is another pusher 76, which is moved between the full line and chain-dot line positions in Figure 4, by a pneumatic cylinder 77. With the stack S1 in the position S1A, the cylinder 77 is operated to swing pusher 76 to the full line position, and the motor 74 is energised to rotate the pinion 73 and move the carriage 69, and therefore also the clamp plate 67, pusher 76 and stack S1, to the left.

Meanwhile the stack S2 has been separated from the block B and the cylinder 62 operated so that pusher 61 moves the stack S2 to the position S1A at the same time as the stack S1 is moved away from that position.

As the pusher 76 moves the stack S1 further to the left, the stack passes between a pair of rotating brushes 78, only one of which is visible in the drawings, and each of which is mounted in a suction hood 79, to carry away any loose fibres. When the stack S1 reaches a predetermined position (not shown) downstream of the brushes 78, the motor 74 is stopped and the cylinder 68 operated to lift the clamp plate 67 off the stack S1. At the same time cylinder 77 is operated to swing the pusher 76 to the horizontal position. The motor 74 is then energised to move the carriage 69 back to its starting position, shown in Figure 4, whilst the pusher 61 is once more returned to the right, ready to receive the next stack S3.

The stack S1 is then transferred to further apparatus which forms no part of the present invention, and the operations described above are repeated on successive stacks S2, S3, S4 etc. All the operations are controlled from a central control unit (not shown) which is programmed to operate the pneumatic cylinders to give the various movements required in the correct sequence.

Claims (4)

1. Apparatus for separating a stack of individual labels from a stack of superimposed strips of labeis, each strip consisting of a plurality of individual labels deiineated by lines of weakness which, in adjacent superimposed strips of labels, are in vertical alignment, comprising: means for intermittently feeding said stack of strips of labels along a support table, so that each of said vertically aligned lines of weakness in turn is positioned over an edge of said table, and the leading stack of individual labels protrudes beyond said edge; means for supporting said protruding stack; and force applying means to move said protruding stack relative to the remainder of said stack of strips, and thus separate it from said stack of strips along said lines of weakness.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which said support means includes movable jaw means arranged to be lowered onto said protruding stack so that said protruding stack is gripped between said support means and said jaw means, wherein said force applying means applies a downwards force to said jaw means, and thus cause said protruding stack to move downwards relative to the remainder of said stack of strips.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which said apparatus further comprises means for moving said protruding stack, after separation from said stack of strips, past means for cleaning the edges of said individual labels separated during said downwards movement.

4. Apparatus for separating a stack of individual labels from a stack of superimposed strips of labels substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.