JPH04242532A - Label putting machine for bottle, etc. - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a labeling machine for bottles or the like in which liquid is applied to the bottle to repair an outer appearance at a part of the bottle having scratches other than labeling for instance. CONSTITUTION: A liquid coating device 8 is attached to an outlet starwheel 7 of a labeling machine for avoiding trouble in a label adhering stage and for assuring a complete structure of the labeling machine. The coating device 8 is rotated together with an arcuate fixed frictional and coating surface where the bottle 1 rolls and the outlet starwheel 7 between the bottles 1. There is provided an atomization nozzle 16 for liquid for use in wetting a frictional and coating element 13.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a labeling machine for bottles and the like according to the general concept of claim 1, a method for applying liquid to bottles according to claim 24, and a method according to the general concept of claim 25. This invention relates to a device for applying liquid to a bottle.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION After recycled bottles made of glass, plastic, etc. have been circulated many times, they often collide with each other in filling equipment and during transportation to and from consumers, resulting in significant damage to their appearance. Rubbing marks and other bald spots and scratches are formed, especially on the upper and lower edges of the cylindrical bodies of the bottles, due to mutual collisions, especially in filling devices. In most filling operations, therefore, recycled bottles are coated with a thin film of liquid plastic, such as Siloxan, which completely covers scratches and scuff marks and gives the bottles a new appearance (Germany). Patent application No. 29 41
No. 105). It has already been proposed to wet the recycled bottles with a liquid low-temperature tempering agent in the filling device each time they are recycled, as is applied to the bottles in glass factories. This should renew or preserve the protective coating produced during glass production. Finally, it is known to apply colored films to bottles and to apply liquid or pasty plastics as a protective coating and to increase stability. These and all other liquid or pasty materials suitable for application to surfaces such as bottles will be referred to hereinafter simply as "liquids".

For applying liquid to bottles, special machines are known (Belgium patent no. 882
No. 671). The bottles in the transport star are automatically rotated by rollers on fixed friction segments and are acted upon by rollers or pressure pads made of elastic material surrounding the transport star, which rollers or pressure pads are continuously injected with liquid by means of a feeding device. Get wet. These known machines, which in principle handle unlabeled bottles, are quite satisfactory in terms of their application action. However, it is undesirable due to the larger space required and higher investment costs as well as relatively low efficiency, as well as the failure of the bottle feeding system upstream of the transport star. subject to restrictions.

From this point of view, in known labeling machines of this kind, in which a device for applying liquid to bottles etc. is attached to a turntable and the application is made before the bottles enter the labeling station, these points are not met. has been further improved (German patent application no. 30 08 096). The application device is therefore completely integrated into the labeling device, so that no additional space is required in the filling device and additional investment costs can be kept within limits. An inlet screw conveyor is also present for the supply of bottles, and the bottles are transported accurately and at high speed by means of a conveying star wheel and a rotating table with a controlled rotating plate and a centering bell that can be raised and lowered. Since the bottles can be transported without damaging them, there is almost no problem in transporting the bottles. However, this is undesirable due to the risk of contamination of the labeling station and the possibility of impairing the adhesion of the label by the liquid applied to the bottle immediately before labeling. Furthermore, a large part of the processing path in the turntable for labeling is used for this purpose, so that only simple labeling devices can be installed or very space-consuming and correspondingly costly labeling machines can be installed. must be used.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a labeling machine of this kind that can eliminate the negative influence of liquid applied to bottles on the labeling process and that can perform various labeling operations and liquid application at favorable production costs. The basis of the task is to enable work.

[0006]

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claims 1, 24 and 25.

Therefore, in the case of the labeling machine according to the invention, the entire turntable and, if necessary, even the inlet star wheel can be used for the labeling process, adjustment process, etc. From this point of view, therefore, no restrictions arise even for "pure" labeling machines without an applicator. Since the liquid is only applied after labeling, the labeling process is never interfered with by the liquid. Nevertheless, the bottles in the exit star of the labeling machine are conveyed spaced apart from each other, with the correct pitch and maintaining the correct shape, and are well accessible from almost all sides, so that liquid application is not a problem. It is possible. The installation of suitable application elements for liquids is therefore not a problem.

There are many ways to ensure a sufficient length of processing passage within the exit star. A few particularly simple methods are described in claims 2 to 5.

According to claims 6 and 7, it is furthermore advantageous for the bottle to be rotated in an outlet star wheel, which allows for a particularly advantageous design of the applicator device and a particularly uniform application of the liquid. By combining with any of the methods of claims 2 to 5, three of the bottles are
4 to 4 automatic rotations are achieved, which is sufficient for the application of all kinds of liquids in practice.

There are also many methods for forming coating devices. Particularly advantageous methods are described in claims 8-42. In particular, the friction surface according to claim 9 is formed as an application surface, which application surface can be applied by at least one spray nozzle rotating with an outlet star wheel according to claim 10 and by controlling the spray nozzle according to claim 16. Wetting the surface provides a particularly effective application device with extremely low liquid consumption for all types of liquids. Claim 1 can be achieved by forming coating surfaces only at corresponding locations.
In the same way as applying the liquid to the entire surface of the cylindrical body of the bottle according to claim 9, it is also possible to apply the liquid only to the easily damaged areas of the bottle body, especially at the upper and lower edges, according to claim 21. be. According to claim 23, the application surface may consist exclusively of a sponge-like material with closed pores, in that the liquid is applied directly onto the outer surface of the application surface by means of a rotating nozzle. As a result, the applicator element will not take up all the liquid, but the unwetted liquid will drip onto the underside.

Two embodiments according to the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The labeling machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 applies a label to an upright bottle 1, such as a recycled glass bottle, and then applies a liquid plastic material, such as liquid plastic, to cover the damaged area. It is designed to apply liquid to the upright bottle 1. The label pasting machine includes a case-like housing 21, and the housing 21
A drive motor (not shown) is installed inside. A turntable 2 is provided on the housing 21,
The turntable 2 is provided with an inlet star wheel 6 on its upstream side, and two intermeshed outlet star wheels 7 and 10 on its downstream side, each of which has a vertical axis. Can be rotated around. Upstream of the inlet star wheel 6 there is provided an inlet screw conveyor 22 which is rotatable about a horizontal axis and is fixed to the bottles 1 to be conveyed to the labeling machine on a horizontal feed belt conveyor 12. It is delivered to the inlet star wheel 6 with a certain spacing and correct pitch. In the pocket 9 of the inlet star wheel 6 the bottle 1 is held by the inlet arc 23 in a fixed position and then runs on the turntable 2, in which case the bottle 1 is placed on a centering wheel (not shown) that can be raised and lowered. It is secured by a bell onto a controllable rotating plate, also not shown. Next, bottle 1
is passed from the turntable 2 to a first exit star wheel 7, around which a fixed exit arc 24 is provided. The second outlet star wheel 10 is connected to the bottle 1
from the first exit star wheel 7 and transfers the bottles 1 onto a horizontal discharge belt conveyor 11, by which the bottles are conveyed out of the labeling machine. On the supply belt conveyor 12, on the discharge belt conveyor 11 and around the second exit star wheel 10, the bottles are guided by correspondingly provided stationary handrails 26. In the area of the star wheels 6, 7 and 10, the bottle stands on a fixed sliding plate 29. The conveyor elements 2, 6, 7, 10 and 22 and the belt conveyors 11 and 12 are driven synchronously and continuously in the direction of the arrow by the drive motor of the labeling machine, so that the bottles 1 are kept in the correct position. Moreover, it can be transported with high efficiency and without damage.

Two further conventional labeling stations 3 and 4 are arranged on the housing 21;
The labeling stations 3 and 4 abut the rotational path of the bottles 1 on the turntable 2 with their gripping cylinders 27 and are driven synchronously with the turntable 2 by the drive motor of the labeling machine. A first labeling station 3 applies a body label and a chest label to the bottle 1, which are firmly affixed to the bottle at a downstream brushing station 28 by means of a brush or sponge roller (not shown). Ru. A second labeling station 4 applies a backing label to the bottle 1, which is further pressed onto the bottle in a downstream brushing station 28 by a brush and a sponge roller, not shown. The fully labeled bottle 1 then enters the first exit star wheel 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first outlet star wheel 7 includes an upper star plate 7a and a lower star plate 7b. Both star plates 7a and 7b are fixed parallel to each other and spaced from each other on a common hub 7c. The upper side of the upper star-shaped plate 7a and the lower star-shaped plate 7
A freely rotatable roller 14 having an axis running parallel to the axis of rotation of the exit star wheel 7 is provided on the underside of b in the area before and after each pocket 9, respectively. The roller 1
4 grips the bottle in the upper or lower region of the cylindrical body of the bottle, thus making possible on the one hand a precise pitch-correct conveyance and on the other hand an effortless automatic rotation of the bottle 1 in the first outlet star wheel 7. Make it.

The first outlet starwheel 7 is provided with a device 8 for applying liquid to a fully labeled bottle 1 moving on an arcuate trajectory in a pocket 9 in the starwheel 7. ing. This device 8 comprises a friction and application element 13 which is fixedly arranged coaxially with the outlet star wheel 7 and has an arcuate, precisely partially cylindrical friction and application surface. The friction and application element 13 consists of a foamed neoprene with closed pores, the foamed neoprene being surrounded by a partially cylindrical support plate 3.
It is attached to 0. On the other hand, the supporting thin plate 30 is fixed in a vertical position to the outlet arc 24 in a fixed position. This arrangement ensures that the bottle 1 in the pocket 9 of the first outlet star wheel 7 is easily pressed onto the foamed neoprene of the friction and application element 13 and thereby comes into frictional contact with the friction and application element 13. It is formed like this. When the outlet star wheel 7 rotates, the bottle 1 is therefore moved by the friction and application element 1
3, it performs automatic rotation continuously.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, the bottle 1 is moved over an angular range of approximately 270° in the first outlet star, in which case the outlet star 7 has the same diameter as the inlet star 6. There is. This relatively large angular range, which provides at least four times as much automatic rotation of the bottle 1 for normal bottle and star wheel diameters, can be achieved in the opposite direction in the second downstream outlet star wheel 10. This is possible by switching to and arranging the discharge belt conveyor 11 laterally offset relative to the supply belt conveyor 12.

Another method is shown in FIG. Here the diameter of the exit star wheel 7 is larger than the diameter of the inlet star wheel 6. There is no second exit star wheel. Instead, the discharge belt conveyor 11 has an exit star wheel 7 in its starting region.
, and therefore intersects the feed belt conveyor 12 at an acute angle. In this way relatively long friction and application surfaces can be achieved, which are quite sufficient for applying conventional liquids to bottles.

The device 8 in the first exit star wheel 7 comprises:
In addition to the friction and application element 13, a substantial further component is a conduit 15 through which the friction and application surface is wetted by an external supply of liquid. The active element of the conduit is the atomizing nozzle 16, which is directed radially outwardly and in the height direction from the star wheel plates 7a and 7.
b and circumferentially between two adjacent pockets 9 in the first outlet star wheel 7. The spray nozzle 16 therefore rotates together with the first star wheel 7 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a spray nozzle 16 is provided behind every other pocket 9, which is suitable for many use cases. If the amount of liquid used is large or the coating is thick, one or more spray nozzles 16 may be provided behind each pocket 9. If, on the other hand, the liquid consumption is low or the layer thickness is small, a spray nozzle 16 may be provided, for example, only behind every third or fourth pocket 9.

As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, the slit-like nozzle opening of each spray nozzle 16 extends in a plane as they pass past two adjacent bottles 1 into a fixed friction and application element 13. Designed to emit a jet of water. The jet is emitted radially outwardly relative to the axis of rotation of the first outlet star wheel 7 and in a vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation. Therefore, the jet does not reach the bottle 1 itself. On the other hand, when the first outlet star wheel 7 rotates, the friction and application surface is sprayed with liquid by the individual spray nozzles 16 over approximately the entire height and approximately over a predetermined length, i.e. in a planar manner. Preferably, the jet terminates just short of the upper and lower edges of the friction and application surface, which ensures that the jet is prevented from spreading out beyond the friction and application element 13.

Each jet nozzle 16 is connected via a short tube section or hose section to its own switching valve 19, which is mounted in the upper part in such a way that its spring-loaded switching pin projects upwards. It is fixed to the star-shaped plate 7a. Each switching valve 19 is connected by a further short pipe section or hose section to a common rotary distributor 17 which is arranged coaxially with the first outlet star wheel 7 . The rotatable part of the rotary distributor 17 is fixed to the upper star plate 7a. The fixed part of the rotary distributor 17 is reliably prevented from rotating by a horizontal arm 25 whose free end is supported on the vertical stand post 5. A long tube or hose section of the rotary distributor 17 runs on this arm 25 to a closed storage container 18 for liquid. By introducing compressed air with a settable pressure, liquid from this liquid reservoir 18 is forced at high pressure to and through the atomizing nozzle 16 .

A control cam 20 with a fixed position for the switching valve 19 is also fixed to the arm 25 . The control cam 20 is formed as an arcuate lift cam, and the control cam 20
protrudes into the rotational path of the switching pin in such a way that the switching pin is pressed downwards in the area of the control cam 20, thereby releasing the liquid supply to the spray nozzle 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the control cam 20 begins just past the start of the friction and application element 13 and ends approximately two-thirds of the way through the length of the friction and application element 13. Outside the control cam 20, the switching valve 19 is automatically influenced by its spring element; the liquid supply to the spray nozzle 16 is interrupted.

As FIG. 2 shows, the effective friction and application surface of the friction and application element 13, over which liquid is sprayed over almost its entire height, acts on the entire cylindrical area of the bottle body, including the labeling area. It is clear that it is also possible to act only on certain partial areas of the bottle body, as shown in FIG. In this case, the friction and application element 13 is divided into two parts and acts only on the upper and lower edge areas of the cylindrical body of the bottle. In this case friction and application element 1
Each part of 3 is supplied with liquid from its own spray nozzle 16.

When receiving products from the labeling machine described above, the supply of liquid to the spray nozzle 16 is started by manually or automatically opening and closing the control valve 31 that controls the supply of compressed air to the storage container 18. be done. As a result, the spray nozzle 16 located in the area of the control cam 20 is supplied with pressurized liquid and starts spraying the liquid onto the corresponding area of the friction and application element 13 . If the labeling machine had already stopped at this point, only partial areas of the friction and application surface would be affected. Since the friction and application element 13 has a closed pore shape and does not store liquid, the liquid drips downward into a trough provided along the entire lower edge of the friction and application element 13. be captured. When the labeling machine is already rotating,
The first two thirds of the friction and application element 13 are completely wetted by the spray nozzle 16 which is always open in this area. Even in this case, if bottle 1 is not present, excess liquid will drip downward. The control valve 31 is therefore preferably opened only shortly before the first labeled bottle reaches the outlet star wheel 7. Automation of this process is very simple since each conventional labeling machine is originally equipped with at least one bottle sensor by which the labeling is controlled. In this case, the gutter 32 may not be provided.

The labeled bottle 1 entering the first exit star wheel 7 is rotatably received in the pocket 9 of said exit star wheel 7 by a roller 14 and is provided with a fixed friction and applicator element. It is continuously automatically rotated by rolling on 13. At the same time, the bottles 1 receive from the friction and the application surface the liquid that has been applied beforehand by the spray nozzles 16 co-rotating between the bottles 1, evenly distributed around the circumference. In the end region of the friction and application element 13, where the spray nozzle 16 has already been closed, another strong rolling and, if necessary, stripping off of excess liquid takes place. In this way liquid layer thicknesses of several microns to several mg can be obtained without problems. By suitable selection of the pressure in the storage container 18 and the number and shape of the spray nozzles 16, as well as the shape and material of the friction and application elements 13, it is possible to easily adapt to the operating conditions.

The friction and application element 13 shown in FIG. 2 further provides a strong rolling of the body label and the back label, which are wetted with liquid plastic or the like. This results in a very pleasing appearance of the fully treated bottle 1.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a plan view of a labeling machine with two exit star wheels; FIG.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AB in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of a labeling machine with one exit star wheel.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along CD of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 bottle 2 Turntable 3, 4 Label pasting station 6　Entrance star car 7 First exit star wheel 7a7b Exit star car plate 8. Liquid application device 9 Pocket 10 Second exit star wheel 11 Discharge belt conveyor 12 Supply belt conveyor 13 Application element 14 Roller 15 Supply conduit 16 Spray nozzle 17 Rotating distributor 18 Liquid storage container 19 Switching valve 20 Control cam

Claims (42)

[Claims] 1. A turntable by means of which bottles are introduced into at least one labeling station;
an inlet star wheel provided on the upstream side of the turntable;
In a labeling machine for bottles, etc., which is equipped with an outlet star wheel provided downstream of the turntable and a device for applying liquid to the bottles: the device (8) is attached to the outlet star wheel (7). and a labeling machine for bottles etc., characterized in that it interacts with bottles located in pockets (9) of said exit star wheel (7). [Claim 2] The bottle in the outlet star wheel (7) is 18
Labeling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it is conveyed over an angular range of more than 0°, in particular about 270°. [Claim 3] The exit star wheel (7) is the entrance star wheel (6).
Labeling machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a larger diameter. 4. At least one second outlet star wheel (10) is provided downstream of the first outlet star wheel (7) for receiving bottles directly from the turntable (2), said second outlet star wheel (10) Labeling machine according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the star wheel (10) transfers the bottles to the discharge belt conveyor (11). 5. An exit star wheel (7) delivers the bottles to a discharge belt conveyor (11);
5. Labeling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the starting area of 11) intersects at an acute angle the feed belt conveyor (12) which feeds the bottles to the inlet star wheel (6). [Claim 6] A bottle rotating device (
6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: 13, 14). 7. The rotating device comprises a friction element (
13) on which a bottle rotatably held by a roller (14) rolls in the pocket (9) of the exit star wheel (7). . 8. The liquid applicator (8) is an applicator element (13) having an arcuate applicator surface fixedly arranged around the outlet star wheel (7), on which the outlet is disposed. The applicator element (13), on which the bottle rotatably held in the pocket (9) of the star wheel (7) rolls, as well as the conduit (1) for wetting the applicator element (13) or its application surface with liquid.
5) Claims 1 to 7 characterized by comprising:
any labeling machine. 9. The application element (13) is configured at the same time as a friction element and the application surface as a friction surface, and these elements and surfaces are rotatably held in a pocket (9) of the exit star wheel (7). 9. A labeling machine according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the bottle is automatically rotated during its rotation. 10. The supply conduit (15) is connected to the outlet star wheel (7).
) rotating with the application element (13) and oriented in the direction of the application surface of the application element (13).
10. The labeling machine according to claim 8 or 9, comprising: 6). 11. The spray nozzle (16) has an outlet star wheel (
7) fixed between the two pockets (9) and directed approximately radially outwards.
0 label pasting machine. 12. Labeling machine according to claim 10, characterized in that a plurality of spray nozzles (16) are arranged at equal intervals around the star wheel (7). 13. The spray nozzle (16) has an outlet star wheel (
13. The labeling machine according to claim 10, further comprising a slit-shaped nozzle opening arranged parallel to the rotation axis of claim 7). 14. The spray nozzle (16) has an outlet star wheel (
14. A labeling machine according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that it is fixed between two parallel plates (7a, 7b) of 7). 15. The spray nozzle (16) has an outlet star wheel (
Labeling machine according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that it is connected to a liquid storage container (18) via a rotary distributor (17) arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of 7). 16. The supply conduit (15) is connected to the control device (19).
, 20), the control device (19, 20) supplying liquid to the spray nozzle (16) only when passing the application element (13). pasting machine. 17. The spray nozzle (16) is connected to the application element (1).
The control device (1) wets only the starting area of 3) with liquid.
Claim 1 characterized in that: 9, 20) are formed.
6 label pasting machine. 18. A specific switching valve (19) is provided upstream of each spray nozzle (16), and the switching valve (19) is opened and closed by a control cam (20) whose position is fixed. The labeling machine according to claim 16 or 17. 19. Claim 8, characterized in that the application element (13) acts on substantially the entire cylindrical area of the bottle, including the labeling area, and is wetted with liquid over substantially its entire height.
Any labeling machine from 1 to 18. 20. Labeling machine according to claim 19, characterized in that the spray nozzle (16) emits a planar jet that shoots radially outward between adjacent bottles. 21. The application element (13) comprises a plurality of narrow arcuate application surfaces, the plurality of narrow arcuate application surfaces acting on the cylindrical region of the bottle, in particular at the upper and lower edges. A labeling machine according to any one of claims 8 to 18. 22. Claim 2, characterized in that each narrow application surface is wetted by at least one individual spray nozzle (16) rotating together with the outlet star wheel (7).
1 label pasting machine. 23. Labeling machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the application element (13) consists of a sponge-like material with almost closed pores. 24. A bottle, wherein the bottle is fed to at least one applicator element at pitch intervals over a portion of the conveying run of the installation and in this case receives liquid on at least a part of the outer surface of the bottle during rotation. A method for applying a liquid to a bottle, characterized in that the liquid is applied to the application element (13) by at least one spray nozzle (16) which moves while maintaining a distance relative to the application element (13). How to apply liquid. 25. A conveying device (7) for the bottles; at least one application element (13) through which the bottles are conveyed while rotating in the installation; and at least one application element (13) for applying the liquid. In a device for applying a liquid to a bottle, comprising: a supply conduit (15) for supplying an element;
15) comprises at least one spray nozzle (16);
the spray nozzle (16) is spaced apart and movable relative to the application element (13);
A device for applying liquid to a bottle, characterized in that the device is arranged to face the bottle. 26. The spray nozzle (16) is connected to the conveying device (7).
26. Apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that it is located in ). 27. Device according to claim 25, characterized in that the conveying device is designed as a star conveyor (7) with pockets (9). 28. The application element (13) is provided with a star conveyor (
28. Device according to claim 27, characterized in that an arc-shaped application surface is provided in a fixed position around 7). 29. Device according to claim 25, characterized in that the spray nozzle (16) is fixed between two pockets (9) of the star conveyor (7) and is directed approximately radially outwards. 30. Device according to claim 26, characterized in that a plurality of spray nozzles (16) are arranged at equal intervals around the star conveyor (7). 31. Claims 27 to 30, characterized in that the spray nozzle (16) is provided with a slit-shaped nozzle opening arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the star conveyor (7).
any device. 32. The spray nozzle (16) according to any one of claims 27 to 31, characterized in that the spray nozzle (16) is fixed between two parallel plates (7a, 7b) of the star conveyor (7). Device. 33. A rotary distributor (17) in which the spray nozzle (16) is arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of the star conveyor (7).
33. Device according to any one of claims 27 to 32, characterized in that it is connected to a liquid storage container (18) via. 34. The supply conduit (15) is connected to the control device (19).
, 20), wherein the control device (19, 20) supplies liquid to the spray nozzle (16) only when passing the application element (13). . 35. The spray nozzle (16) is connected to the application element (1).
3) the control device (1) so as to wet only the starting area with liquid.
Claim 3 characterized in that: 9, 20) are formed.
4 device. 36. A specific switching valve (19) is provided upstream of each spray nozzle (16), and the switching valve (19) is opened and closed by a control cam (20) whose position is fixed. 36. The apparatus of claim 34 or 35. 37. Claim 2, characterized in that the application element (13) acts on substantially the entire cylindrical area of the bottle, including the labeling area, and is wetted with liquid over substantially its entire height.
Any device from 5 to 36. 38. Device according to claim 37, characterized in that the spray nozzle (16) emits a planar jet that shoots radially outward between adjacent bottles. 39. The application element (13) comprises a plurality of narrow arcuate application surfaces, the plurality of narrow arcuate application surfaces acting on the cylindrical area of the bottle, in particular at the upper and lower edges. 19. A device according to any of claims 25 to 18. 40. Device according to claim 39, characterized in that each narrow application surface is wetted by at least one individual spray nozzle (16) rotating together with the star conveyor (7). 41. Device according to claim 25, characterized in that the application element (13) consists of a sponge-like material with almost closed pores. 42. Apparatus according to any one of claims 25 to 41, characterized in that the star conveyor is an exit star wheel of a labeling machine.