GB2237551A

GB2237551A - Labelling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2237551A
Application number: GB9021654A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eigoro Honda
Original assignee: Osaka Sealing Printing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Osaka Sealing Printing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1989-10-09
Filing date: 1990-10-05
Publication date: 1991-05-08
Also published as: IT9021631A1; IT9021631A0; KR910007761A; IT1243068B; LU87818A1; GB9021654D0; FR2652794A1; AU6326690A; CA2026287A1; DE4031891A1; NL9002189A

Abstract

Labelling apparatus includes a conveyor for articles and label feeders for supplying labels to the articles, the feeders being displaceable according to data recorded in recording means, e.g. a computer. Multiple data sets concerning sizes of the articles or the like are recorded in the recording means, and data corresponding to an arriving article on the conveyor is selected from the recorded multiple data sets by selecting means, e.g. a bar code reader or a keyboard. Based on the selected data the label feeder is displaced. The label feeder includes a suction device for holding a label released from a backing layer before it is pressed onto an article.

Description

Label Sticking Apparatus This invention relates to a label sticking

apparatus, and more particularly, to the same which comprises carrying means for carrying articles and label feeding means for supplying labels to the coming articles riding on the carrying means.

In the conventional label sticking apparatus of this type, the labels successively supplied by the label feeding means are stuck on successively coming articles riding on the carrying means. In this case, for example, a series of the labels temporarily stuck on releasing base paper in a roll is used. With releasing the labels from the releasing base paper, the labels can be stuck on a plurality of the articles riding on a-conveyors.

In the label feeding means, a sucking member is formed which attracts and holds the label by generating negative pressure in its interior, and the label is stuck on the article by blowing away the held label with compressed air.

Further, in order to stick the label on an under-surface 1 of the article, some apparatuses were equipped under the conveyor with a label releasing portion for releasing the label from the releasing base paper with the labels temporarily stuck and for drawing out the label to the under 5 surface of the coming article to be stuck.

However, in the conventional label sticking apparatus, when changes of sizes of the articles or labels, or changes of label sticking positions are required, a position of the label feeding means for the coming article riding on the carrying means had to be adjusted, and this adjusting operation was very complicated.

Further, when the label was stuck on the article undersurface, a tip of the drawn-out label would be weighed down or sagged, and thus the label would shift and could not be stuck in a predetermined position of the article.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a label sticking apparatus in which a label feeding means can be easily displaced in a desired position, and moreover which can stick a label in a correct position.

The apparatus of the invention comprises carrying means for carrying articles, label feeding means provided near the carrying means and for supplying labels to the articles, displacing means for displacing the label feeding means, recording means for recording data concerning label sticking positions, and selecting means for selective data recorded in the recording means. In the label sticking apparatus of the invention, basing on the data selected by the selecting means, the label feeding means is displaced in the desired position by the displacing means.

Further, the label sticking apparatus of the invention comprises carrying means for carrying articles, a label releasing portion provided near the carrying means and for releasing a label from temporarily stuck and for and a label sucking and releasing base paper with labels drawing it out toward the article, holding portion provided near the label releasing portion and between the label releasing portion and the carrying means and for sucking and holding the label drawn out from the label releasing portion in a state of pushing it out toward the article.

In the label sticking apparatus, data concerning the label sticking positions is recorded in the recording means. when selecting data in recording means with the selecting means, basing on the selected data, the displacing means displaces the label feeding means in the desired position.

Further, in the label sticking apparatus, the label drawn out at the label releasing portion is held in a state of pushing it out toward the article.

According to the invention, only selecting data concerning the label sticking positions with the selecting means causes the label feeding means to move into the desired position, thus the label feeding means can be easily displaced in the desired position.

Further, according to the invention, the drawn-out label is held in the state of pushing it out toward the article by the label sucking and holding portion, thus the label does not shift and can be stuck in the predetermined position of the article under-surface with stability.

The above and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an illustrational view showing one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an illustrational view showingarticle positioning means and its surround of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an illustrational view showing a correlation among first displacing means, second displacing means, third displacing means, and f irst label feeding means of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an illustrational view showing important part 4 - of the second displacing means of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an illustrational view showing the first label feeding means of Fig. 3.

Figs. 6A - 6C are illustrational views showing important part of the first label feeding means of Fig. 5, and Fig. 6A is a side illustrational view showing a state of sucking and holding a label, Fig. 6B is a bottom illustrational view showing the bottom of the part of Fig. 6A, Fig. 6C is a side illustrational view showing a state of sticking the label on the article.

Fig. 6D is a bottom illustrational view showing a modification of the important part of the first label feeding means of Figs. 6A - 6C.

Fig. 7A is a side illustrational view showing third label feeding means and its surround of the embodiment of Fig. 1, and Fig. 7B is a plan illustrational view of the part of Fig. 7A. Fig. 8 is an illustrational view showing important part of the third label feeding means of Figs. 7A and 7B. 20 Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the embodiment of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a flow chart for explaining operation or actuation of the embodiment of Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing one example of the article with the labels stuck by the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is an illustrational view showing one embodiment of the invention.

This label sticking apparatus 10 includes a first conveyor 12 as carrying means for carrying articles A, This first conveyor 12 has two rollers 14a and 14b positioned apart. Between these rollers 14a and 14b, a belt 16 is stretched. One roller 14b is connected with a motor 18. Thus, turning on the motor 18 the belt 16 moves to carry articles A.

on an upstream side of the flow of the articles A on the first conveyor 12, article positioning means 20 is provided for positioning the articles A in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the articles A.

is This article positioning means 20, as shown in Fig. 2, includes two of an L-shape section table 22 and 24 fixed apart to the side of the conveyor 12.

On one table 22 one end of a long male screw 26 is rotatably supported. In this case, the male screw 26 is so placed that it extends in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A on the conveyor 12. On one end of the male screw 26, a gear 28 is fixed and this male screw 26 is engaged with a female screw member 30. The female screw member 30 includes a support plate 32 extending upward and to the support plate. 32 a guide member 34 having, for example, a U shape-section is f ixed. In this case, the guide member 34 is so placed that it extends in the carrying direction of the article A on the belt 16 of the conveyor 12. 5 on the other table 24 a motor 36 is fixed. On the motor 36 shaft, a gear 38 is fixed. Further, on the table 24 three other gears 40, 42 and 44 are rotatably mounted on the same plane as the gear 38. on these gear 38, 40, 42 and 44 and the above gear 28, a chain 46 is put. Thus, turning on the motor 36, the male screw 26 rotates through the chain 46 and the guide member 34 is displaced in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A. Therefore, the guide member 34 position in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A is set by the article positioning means 20. The table 24 is provided with a sensor 48 near the gear 38 which detects a number of revolution of the gear 38, that is, a position of the guide member 34.

As shown in Fig. 1, on a downstream side to the article positioning means 20, a first article sensor 50 is provided to detect existence of the article A. Further, on a down stream side to the fist article sensor 50, first label feed ing means for supplying a label to the article A and f irst displacing means for displacing the first label feeding means and so on are provided.

The first displacing means 60, as shown in Fig. 3, includes a box-shape table 62 situated under the side of the conveyor 12. In the table 62, a motor 64 is provided and on the motor 64 shaft a small gear (not shown) is fixed. table 62-, shown).

In the the small gear engages with a large gear (not In a center of the large gear, a female screw is formed with which a long male screw 66 is up and down displaceably engaged. Thus, turning on the motor 64, up-and- down displacement of the male screw 66 becomes possible.

On an upper end of the male screw 66, a first table 68 is f ixed. On the f irst table 68, a second table 70 is provided slidably in the carrying direction of the article A. The first table 68 is provided with a standing support plate 72, and one end of a long male screw 74 is rotatably supported on a lower portion of the supporting plate 72. on one end of the male screw 74, a gear 76 is fixed. The male screw 74 is engaged with a female screw (not shown) formed under the second table 70. On an upper portion of the support plate 72, a motor 78 is mounted which constitutes part of second displacing means. On the motor 78 shaft, a gear 80 is fixed and on the gear 80 and the above gear 76, a chain 82 is put. Thus,turning on the motor 78, the second table 70 can be displaced in the carrying direction of the article A.

Further, the support plate 72, as shown in Fig. 4, is 8 - provided with a displacement sensor 84 comprised of, for example, a photosensor near the gear 80. Also near the gear 80 a bolt 86 is so fixed to the motor 78 shaft that it instantaneously covers the displacement sensor 84 when the motor 78 shaft is rotated. Thus, the displacement sensor 84 can detect a number of the motor 78 revolution, that is, a position of the second table 70 in the carrying direction of the article A.

As shown in Fig. 3, on the second table 70, a third table 88 is slidably provided in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A. This third table 88 is enabled to shift in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A by using the same structure as that which allows the second table 70 to shift in the carrying direction of the article A.

That is, the second table 70 is also provided with a standing support plate 90. On a lower portion of the support plate 90, one end of a male screw 92 is rotatably supported and a gear 94 is f ixed to this end of the male screw 92. This male screw 92 is engaged with a female screw (not shown) formed in the lower portion of the third table 88. On an upper portion of the support plate 90, a motor 96 is mounted which constitutes part of third displacing means. On the motor 96 shaft, a gear 98 is fixed. On the gear 98 and the 9 - above gear 94, a chain 100 is put. Thus, turning on the motor 96, the third table 88 can be displaced in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A.

Further, near the gear 98, a displacement sensor 102 is fixed to the support plate 90, and a bolt 104 is f ixed to the motor 96 shaft. Thus the displacement sensor 102 can detect a number of the motor 96 revolution, that is, a position of the third table 88 in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A.

The third table 88 is provided with a f irst standing support 110. To an upper portion of the first support 110, a f ixing block 112 is f ixed. To the f ixing block 112 one end of a second support 114 is f ixed which extends in the carrying direction of the article A. A f ixing block 116 is fixed to the other end of the second support 114. In addition, to the f ixing block 116 one end of a third support 118 is fixed which extends in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A. A block 120 for rotation is f ixed to the other end of the third support 118. In this case, the block 120 for rotation is disposed above the belt 16 of the f irst conveyor 12. An upper end of a standing rotation support 122 is rotatably supported by the block 120 for rotation. Further, to a lower end of the rotation support 122 first label feeding means 130 is fixed.

Thus, the first label feeding means 130 can be rotated by rotating the rotation support 122.

The first label feeding means 130, as shown in Fig. 5, includes, for example, a hollow rectangular parallelepiped suction box 132 as a suction member which constitutes part of a label holder fixed to the lower end of the rotation support 122. A table 134 is fixed to a side of the suction box 132.

A holding reel 136 is provided on an upper portion of the table 134. This holding reel 136 is to hold a series C of labels in a roll in which first labels L1 are temporarily stuck with spacing on band-shape releasing base paper R. Under this holding reel 136, a feeder roller 140 connected to a motor 138 and a nip roller 142 are provided. The nip roller 142 cooperates with the feeder roller 140 to nip and draw out the series C of labels from the holding reel 136.

on a lower portion of the table 134, a guide roller 144 is provided under the feeder roller 140, and a release plate 146 is equipped near the suction box 132. This guide roller 144 is to guide the series C of labels to the release plate 146. The release plate 146 is to rapidly fold back the releasing base paper R with the series C of labels to peel the first label Ll off the releasing base paper R. In this case the first label L1 is drawn out to a lower portion of the suction box 132.

In addition, the table 134 is provided with two guide 11 - rollers 148 and 150 which are to guide the releasing base paper R rapidly folded back by the release plate 146 and also provided with a take-up reel 152 which is to take up the releasing base paper R. The take-up reel 152 is given weak 5 torque by a motor (not shown). Thus, the releasing base paper R can be taken up by the take-up reel 152.

A lower portion of the suction box 132 is provided with three longitudinal rectangle suction parts 154 formed widthwise with spacing as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B. The suction box 132 is connected through a pipe 156 to a negative pressure source 158 such as a vacuum pump as negative pressure generating means as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, in the lower portion of the suction box 132 including the suction parts 154, suction force is generated. Therefore the lower portion of the suction box 132 can attract the drawn-out f irst label Ll as shown in Fig. 6A.

Further, in the suction box 132, a pushing member 160 is provided which is made up of elastic material such as rubber or sponge. This pushing member 160 includes, for example, three of a rectangle section pushing portion 160a smaller than the suction part 154, and these three pushing portions 160a are so provided that they oppose to the three suction parts 154 respectively. The pushing member 160 is vertically movably supported by, for example, a cylinder 162. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 6C, the first label Ll attracted to the 12 - k suction box 132 lower portion can be stuck on the article A by pressing of the pushing member 160. Further, the pushing member 160 may be provided with these sets of three pushing portions 160a with each circular section, each set of which 5 opposes one of the three suction parts 154 as shown in Fig. 6D, and a shape, number or arrangement of the pushing portion 160a can be optionally modified.

On the downstream side to the first label feeding means 130, a second article sensor 170 having the same structure as the first article sensor 50 and second label feeding means 180 having the same structure as the first label feeding means 130 are provided in this order. The second label feeding means 180 is so supported that it can be displaced in the vertical direction, in the carrying direction of the article A and in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A respectively by the same first displacing means, second displacing means and third displacing means as the above means and also can be rotated on its axis, namely a rotation support in the same manner as the first label feeding means 130. Thus the second label L2 can be stuck on the article A by the second label feeding means 180.

On the down stream side of the f irst conveyor 12, a second conveyor 190 is provided. This second conveyor 190 includes two rollers 192a and 192b disposed apart as shown in Figs. 7A and 7B. On these rollers 192a and 192b two belts 194a and 194b are widthwise put with spacing. One roller 192b is connected with a motor 196. Thus, turning on the motor 196, the articles A on the belts 194a and 194b can be conveyed.

on an upstream side of the second conveyor 190, a third article sensor 200 is equipped.

Third label feeding means 210 is provided under the center of the second conveyor 190. The third label feeding means 210 includes lifting means 212. The lifting means 212 includes a handle 214 and a support axis 216 vertically movable by rotation of the handle 214.

on an upper end of the support axis 216 of the lifting means 212, a frame 218 is equipped. A holding reel 220 is provided in a lower portion of the frame 218. The holding reel 220 is to hold a series C of labels in roll which has the third labels L3. Above the holding reel 220 a feeder roller 224 connected with a motor 222 and a nip roller 226 are equipped. The nip roller 226 cooperates with the feeder roller 224 to nip and draw out the series C of the labels held by the holding reel 220.

Further, in an upper portion of the frame 218, a guide roller 228 and releasing plate 230 as a label releasing portion are provided. This guide roller 228 is to guide the series C of the labels to the releasing plate 230, and the 14 - z k releasing plate 230 is to rapidly fold back the releasing base paper R with the series C of the labels to draw out the third label L3 upward.

The frame 218 is provided with a guide roller 232 on a side of the nip roller 226, and a take-up reel 234 is equipped on the side of the holding reel 220. This take-up reel 234 is given weak torque by a motor (not shown). Thus the releasing base paper R for the series C of the labels is taken up by the take-up reel 234.

Above the releasing plate 230, a label sucking and holding hollow portion 236 is so mounted on a label sucking and holding main body 237 that the portion 236 is slidable in a carrying direction of the second conveyor 190. The label sucking and holding portion 236 has a sloped part almost parallel to an underside sloped portion of the releasing plate 230, and a plurality of narrow suction parts 238 are formed on this sloped part as shown in Fig. 8. The label sucking and holding portion 236 is connected to a negative pressure source 242 such as a vacuum pump through a pipe 240 as shown in Fig. 7A. Thus negative pressure arises on the sloped part of the label sucking and holding portion 236 including the suction parts 238. Therefore, the drawn-out third label L3 can be sucked and held by the label sucking and holding portion 236 in such a state that the label L3 is pushed out between the belts 194a and 194b of the second - conveyor 190 and over the belts 194a and 194b.

Now, a circuit configuration of the label sticking apparatus 10 will be explained referring to Fig. 9 and so on.

The label sticking apparatus 10 includes a computer mainframe 300, and the computer mainframe 300 includes a CPU 302. The CPU 302 is connected to a keyboard 306, a bar code reader 308 as optional means and each sensor through an input interface 304.

Further, the CPU 302 is connected to a ROM 310 in which operation programs are written and a RAM 312 as recording means in which data concerning label sticking positions is written.

The CPU 302 is also connected to each motor and cylinders through an output interface 314.

Now, actuation or operation of the label sticking apparatus 10 will be explained referring to Fig. 10 and so on.

At a f irst step S1, a bar code corresponding to data concerning a label sticking position such as sizes of the articles A, sizes of the labels is read by the bar code reader 308.

At a next step S3, data concerning the label sticking position is selected from data recorded in the RAM 312 in response to reading the bar code.

At a next step S5, basing on the selected data, an 1 article A position in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of the article A on the first conveyor 12 (hereinafter called "width direction") is determined to become the desired position by the article positioning means 20. In this case the guide member 34 is displaced in the desired position in the width direction by the article positioning means 20 motor 36.

Further, at a step S7, basing on the first label feeding means 130 position become the desired position. In this case, is displaced in the desired position selected data, the is determined to the first table 68 in the vertical direction by the first displacing means 60 motor 64, and the second table 70 is displaced in the desired position in the carrying direction by the second displacing means motor 78.

Further, the first label feeding means 130 is displaced in the desired position in the width direction by the third displacing means motor 96 through the third table 88, each support and each block connected to the table 88.

At a step S9, in the same way as the step S7, the second label feeding means 180 is displaced in the desired position.

At a step Sllj the article A is placed on the belt 16 of the f irst conveyor 12 and the article A is carried -to the article positioning means 20 by the first conveyor 12.

At a next step S13, the traveling article A is displaced in the desired position in the width direction by the guide 17 - member 34 of the article positioning means 20. At a step S15, the traveling article A is detected by the first article sensor 50.

At a step S17, the f irst label Ll is stuck in the desired position of the article A by the f irst label feeding means 130 as shown in Fig. 11. In this case, in the f irst label feeding means 130, the motor 138 starts to operate in response to detection of the article A by the f irst article sensor 50, and the f irst label Ll is drawn out to an under- side of the suction box 132 to be attracted to the bottom of the box 132 as shown in Fig. 6A. Then, the attracted first label Ll is pushed down by the pushing member 160 to be stuck in the desired position of the article A as shown in Fig. 6C.

At a next step S19, the article A with the stuck first label Ll is detected by the second article sensor 170.

Then, at a step S21, in the same way as the step S17, the second label L2 is stuck in the desired position of the article A by the second label feeding means 180 in response to detection of the article A by the second article sensor 170 as shown in Fig. 11. The article A with the stuck second label L2 is carried to the second conveyer 190 by the first conveyor 12.

At a step S23, the traveling article A on the second conveyor 190 is detected by the third article sensor 200.

At a step S25, the third label L3 is stuck in the desired position of an under-surf ace of the article A by the third label feeding means 210 as shown in Fig. 11. At this time the motor 222 starts to operate in response to detection of the article A by the third article sensor 200, and the third label L3 is drawn out to the under surf ace of the article A to be stuck.

As mentioned above, in the label sticking apparatus 10, the label can be stuck in the desired position of the article A with only reading or selecting bar codes representative of data concerning the label sticking position by the bar code reader 308 as the selecting means. Further, when sizes of the article, sizes of the label or the label sticking positions are changed, the label can be stuck in the desired position of the article with only reading and selecting bar codes representative of changed data by the bar code reader 308. To select data concerning the label sticking position, it may be performed with key input to the key board 306 instead of reading bar codes by the bar code reader 308.

Further, in the label sticking apparatus 10, especially the first label feeding means 130 can rotate on the rotation support 122 for its axis, that is, turn taking the suction box 132, namely, the label sticking portion as a rotation center, thus turning of the 3otation support 122 enables to easily change only a direction of the first label Ll without changing its position. This is effective when the first label 19 - Ll is trapezoidal or sectoral and the label is stuck to the article"A in such a manner that an oblique side of the label Ll is made parallel to an edge of the article A. Further, the second label feeding means 180 also has the same effect.

In addition, in the label sticking apparatus 10, especially in the first label feeding means 130, the pushing member 160 is provided in the suction box 132 for pushing down the attracted first label Ll, thus the first label Ll does not shift during its movement from the suction box 132 to the article A. Therefore, the first label Ll can be surely stuck in a predetermined position as compared with the conventional label sticking apparatus in which the attracted label is stuck during blowing away it with air pressure from nozzles. The second label feeding means 180 also has the same effect.

In the label sticking apparatus 10, especially in the third label feeding means 210, the third label L3 drawn out upward is attracted and held by the label sucking and holding portion 236, thus even if the third label L3 is comparatively long, the tip of the third label L3 does not hang and the label L3 can be skillfully stuck in a predetermined position of the article A under- surface. That is, even if the third label L3 is comparatively long, it can be surely stuck on the article A under-surface. And in the third label feeding means 210, the releasing plate 230 can be displaced vertically by A A the lifting means 212, thus even though the lengths of the third labels L3 are different, they can be stuck on the article A under-surface.. In the third label feeding means 210. the label sucking and holding portion 236 can be slide in the carrying direction, thus even if the releasing plate 230 is displaced vertically, the sloped surface with sucking parts 238 of the label sucking and holding portion 236 can be opposed to the sloped under-surface of the releasing plate 230. Therefore, even though the releasing plate 230 is vertically displaced, the label sucking and holding portion 236 can surely attract and hold the third label L3. In addition, in the third label feeding means 210, the holding reel 220 together with the releasing plate 230 can be vertically displaced, thus loading of a series of labels to the holding reel 220 and other maintenance or checking can be facilitated.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, while particular farms of the invention have been described and illustrated in detail, they are only for examples and illustrations and it is not intended that the invention be limited to the particular forms.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A label sticking apparatus comprising: carrying means for carrying articles; label feeding means provided near said carrying means and for supplying a label to said article; displacing means for displacing said label feeding means; recording means for recording data concerning a sticking position of said label; and selecting means for selecting data recorded in said recording means, basing on data selected by said selecting means, said label feeding means is displaced in a desired position by said displacing means.

2. A label sticking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said label feeding means includes a label holding body for holding said label by sucking said label and for sticking said label on the article, said label holding body has a sucking member; 20 a sucking port formed on a surface of said sucking member; an elastic material pushing member formed in an interior of said sucking member and pushed out from the interior of said sucking member to an ekterior of it through said sucking part; and includes negative pressure generating means for generating negative pressure in the interior of said sucking member against the exterior of it.

3. A label sticking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said label feeding means is so supported that it can rotate parallel to a label sticking surface of said article taking said label holding body as a rotational center.

4. A label sticking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said displacing means includes means for displacing said label feeding means in a vertical direction, in a carrying direction of said article and in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the carrying direction of said article.

5. A label sticking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means is included in a computer.

6. A label sticking apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said selecting means includes a bar code reader for reading a bar code representative of data concerning said article, basing on the data read by said bar code reader, data recorded in said recotding means is selected.

7. A label sticking apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said selecting means includes a keyboard for inputting data concerning said article, basing on the data inputted by said keyboard, recorded in said recording means is selected.

8. A label sticking apparatus comprising:

carrying means for carrying articles; a label releasing portion provided near said carrying means and for releasing a label from releasing base paper with said label temporarily stuck to draw out it toward said article; and a label sucking and holding portion provided near said label releasing portion and between said label releasing portion and said carrying means for for sucking and holding said label drawn out from said label releasing portion in a state of pushing it out toward said article.

9 9. A label sticking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said label sucking and holding portion is so formed that it can move in the carrying direction of said article.

10. A label sticking apparatus substantially as described herein by reference to the accompanying figures.

- 24 Published 1991 atIbe Patent Office. Slate House. 66/71 High Holborn. LondonWClR4TP. Further copies may be obtained from Saks Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile FbInt, Cwmfe"ch. Cross Keys, Newport. NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques lid. St Mary Cray. Kent.