GB730404A - Improvements in or relating to labelling machines - Google Patents

Abstract

730,404. Labelling machines. FAIREST, M., FAIREST, D. H., and BANKS, S. E. Oct. 8, 1953 [Oct. 16, 1952], No. 25950/52. Class 73. In a labelling machine, gum is applied by a roller 9, Fig. 2, to a rotatable pick-up drum 8 which extracts labels from reciprocating label stacks 6, 7 and transfer pushers 12, movable through apertures in the drum periphery, transfer the labels to expansible pockets 24 of a rotary pocketed member 4 whose periphery moves in the same direction as that of the drum, each pocket 24 having a suction aperture to retain the label therein ; bottles or. other articles 1 fed on a conveyer 2 are then pressed into the pockets by an arcuate resilient member 26 and the pockets close on the bottles to press the labels thereon, the bottles then being discharged on a table 5. The machine may be used for labelling articles of cylindrical, oval or polygonal section or square-sectional articles to receive a label extending over three sides and the pockets are correspondingly shaped. As shown the machine is adopted for applying neck labels as well as body labels to bottles. Each pusher 12, Fig. 8, has a large pad 14 for a body label and a small pad 15 for a neck label and is carried by a bar 16 connecting two slides 17 with follower rollers 18 operated by stationary cams 19. A flexible connection 20 enables suction to be applied to each pusher from a valve plate 21 and thence to openings 22 in the pads 14, 15 to control the labels in detaching them from the gummed drum 8. Each pocket 24 is formed by a resilient sheet 27, Fig. 4, covered by material 25 having a high co-efficient of friction to prevent rolling of the bottles, and a suction passage 29 emerges centrally of the pocket. The sides of each pocket are engaged by a pair of tongs 31 operated from their inner ends 32 by means of stationary cams 33 against the action of compression springs 34 to open and close the pockets. In a modification, Fig. 7 (not shown), a suction pusher 39 is movable outwards from each pocket and the label transferred from the pusher 12 to pusher 39 and thence into the pocket. The neck labelling mechanism 11, Fig. 5, is coaxial with the body labelling mechanism and is supported by an arm 42 from a sleeve 43 adjustable in height on a column 44. The pushers 12 transfer the labels from the pads 15 to pockets 52 carried by levers 54 on horizontal pivots and shaped to conform to the bottle neck. Plungers 57 operated by cams 56 bring each pocket from a vertical position where it receives a label from a pusher 12 to an inclined position at which the bottle neck 51 fits the pocket and contacts the gummed label. Suction is also applied to the pockets 52. Specification 701,397 is referred to in the Provisional Specification.