US1061021A - Can-labeling machine. - Google Patents

Description

J. G. SHULTS.

CAN LABELING: MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEIT. 2, 1911. RENEWED AUG. 12 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

5 SHBETSSHEET 1.

4 J. G. SHULTS. CAN LABELING M'Acmixfs. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1911. RENEWED AUG. 12, 1912.

- Patented May 6, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

J. 0. SHULTS. CAN LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1911. RENEWED AUG.12, 1912.

1,061,021 Patented May 6, 1913.

5 SHEETSSHEEI 3.

J. c. SHULTS'.

CAN LABELING MAGHINB. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1911. RENEWED AUG. 12, 1912.

1,061,021. Patented May 6,1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. SHULTS.

CAN LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1911. RENEWED (1.12, 1912.

1,061,021 Patented May 6, 1-913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

JAMES C. SHULTS, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOE T0 RUSS AUTOMATIC LABELING 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented may 6, 1913.

Application filed. September 2, 1911, Serial No. 647,428. Renewed August 12, 1912. Serial No. 714,707.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. SHUL'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Can-Labeling Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to improvements in machines for aflixing labels to sheet metal cans and similar articles containing canned commodities, articles of food, etc, and the same is designed as an improvement upon the device shown and described in Letters Patent granted to George F. Russ, November 2nd, 1909, No. 938897, with the object of performing all the functions incident to feeding, moistening, pasting and conveying the labels from a receptacle to the can and feeding the cans, wrapping the labels around the same in the most approved manner and delivering the labeled cans from the ma- -by endless conveyers to meet the cans. The

cansjare fed to the machine one at a time and at the end of the feed are engaged at their ends by revoluble yielding clamps. The pasted labels are fed on to an endlessapron aving a moistened surface and a swmgmg arm associated with the apron elevates a art thereof encircling the same with the abel around the can. As the can revolves, the label is caused to adhere thereto by the pressure of the apron. This armmoves downward to an initial position after the wrapper is pasted on the can, the clamps are released and the can rolls down the apron and away to a suitable receptacle, the operations as stated, being successively repeated with each can.

The fuller recital of the device and the operations thereof will hereinafter be more particularly set forth.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a d agramsuperposed labels into matic longitudinal section representing the essential features of my invention. Fig. 2- 1s aside elevation especially representing the devlce for operating the several parts of the machine. Fig. 3 is a plan of'the right hand machine at the humidor or label moistening device. Fig. 7 is a vertical section representing the preferred fornnor group of devices for applying the label to the can. Fig. 8 is an elevation showing the intermediate gear devices for raising parts associated withapplying the label to the can.

' Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate the same parts.

The rectangular open frame is preferably mounted on corner legs, shown especially in Figs. 1 and 2, the same supporting the devices of the entire mechanism, and 1 prefer to employ a device for holding a pile of superimposed labels, similar to the device shown in the before named Russ- Patent No. 938897, in which 2 represents a side and 3 an end of the receptacle, 4 represents the bottom of the receptacle and 6 represents pins that are uprightand adjustable and which form the substantial equivalent of the other'side of the receptacle, stops being provided for the pins.

. a represents a shaft in suitable bearings and (1 segments on this shaft a, which I) preference are rubber-faced. The bottom or support 4 for the labels is cut away so as to provide for the operation of the segments a a.

These segments, in their rotation with the rotation of the shaft a, take hold of the bottom or lowermost label and'advance the same out from beneath the pile of the bight of the forwardin rollers 5. I

The evices for moistening the labels with water and hot vapor and which I term a humidor, comprise a wheel or'drum b preferably with hollow trunnions and spokes b from the trunnions to the periphery of the wheel. The trunnions are mounted in bearings b and I prefer and have shown pipes c as connected to an X-head extending from a pipe 0 through the trunnions and the pipes c terminating in arms 0' which are perforated specially on their outer surfaces. These drmn not o'ontein Within the t tomtions s stone ep et the port Wheel h the rollers e at under dthto B i h-M.

1 e tilt) wlz yl wl ieel or dtut stow-o e Ut tomes the helts 6, end he lehels they removed t'rogressiveiy from the superposed the 'eeeptsele eess between the to over the belts e, seemed the heed roller e end thee hetvveero the said belts and the :telt covering t" or e Wheel 0 bein guided in their move; to his series 0t ve 'tioelly disposed gels reg hledes a supported upon the stay-hats. e end which guide hledes ete speoed of the .vvheel or drum i end its COWEI. 'lhe belts e become Wet es they pess through the tvetoiin the tsnlt, at end consequently they thoroughly moisten the telt covering f ol seid Wheel or drum. The heat of the Wheel oi: demo from the steam "within heats the felt so that the moisture thereof is being oonstently eveporeted in the term ot s heeted vep'oi", end es the labels pass between the belts e end the surteee of the roller, they see not only thoroughly moistened but eon-1 siclerebly heated. However they are not moistened sulhciently' to be so sstureted as thereetter to drop any wastes in their move,

went through the meohine. The labels pess elmost entirely eround the Wheel or drum in teens-it end on the opposite side ere guided by the blades a over the left-heed roller 8 end into the devices of the machine to be pasted. Adjacent to these posts is loeeted vpests or edhe'sive materiel holder 9' in the term of e trough, in which is loeeted e roller g. By its t'evolution, this roller g litts out ot the trough on its surlfece the pests or adhesive materiel. A distributing roller 9 running in oonteet vvith the tollet' g! and in the opposite direction thereto, removes the paste or adhesive metet'iel at least to e required extent from the surface of the roller gt, end the lebels es they pass over the lett-hend roller s and the belts thereon; are lifted by the svviteh Wires 9 and directed toward therollets 3 h, the labels then passing between the TOllQlS With the etedl heroes the sutl eee opposite l e conveveo so; rollers l t, lb. vided with the piste heses 1 loser either'u several belts lsbels let gross s'n" mention v both sides 9 helpose of labels upon ten. end

1 suit eble supports sine edept o eedlg egsinst the upper ports eohveyet' belts 71 so as to press the some the auxiliary belts lt is pretei'eh a hut for mtsing end lowetlr u tension rollers and l prefer to emplo 1 separate 7 tension rolls? under esoh of the helts it so that tension to the desired may he lied on any 0t the belts lndepehdent ot the e to employ too others. l also employ tension lOllEIS i to draw the belts e" toward the helts lt will be noticed that the conveyor helts, the ribs on the auxiliary belts and the tension rollers come closely adjacent the de livery end Where the nested lshel is placed upon the can, end as these cans are of more or less uneven sut'taeebecause of the ribs and the edge of the cover 01 lid it is s last that more tension is required on the side of the label that goes over the lid end heed then on the other side, so as to ep i'eeiebly. stretch this edge of the label, Wheteh v when the entire label is on the can the edges of the lebel-lep-up even and parallel. This to quired tension is imparted by either or both of the rollers it end a? and edjustsble devices supporting the some, wherebvmoie or less force is applied which causes the ribs z" tOlOBftt egeinst the posted lebels upon the belts -h,'holding the same end heterding their tree discharge from the support of these belts h to the bite otthe apron 7s and the can beingleheled.

The devices for Wrapping the leb'el on the con and for supplying the cons one at s time to said devices, consist of the follow ing potter-tn endless s eets guesses its Elli

lldll around rollers 16, 17 and 18, Fig. 7, the roller 18 beingjust above the water in the tank. A brush roller 19 is employed in the tank and provided with means for rotating the same in a direction opposite to the rotation of the roller 18, for the purpose of continuously wetting the surface of the apron 7c and removing from the surface of the apron or belts any free paste that may have been delivered thereon and squeezed out from between the label and the can as the label is pasted on the can, and

so washing the apron that when the apron leaves the tank of water, it leaves the same clean without any paste or' other particles. A pair of swinging arms is are upon the shaft of the roller 17 and their free ends carry a roller 70 around whichthe apron also passes.

I provide heads 20 adapted to come against the respective ends of the can these heads are formed with spindles 2] passing through suitable bearings a. Each spindle is provided with a cam 22 and there. is an adjacent fixed arm 23 having a pin acting .in the groove of said cam for r moving the said spindles and heads, one or both, in opposite directions, so as to open and close the distance between the heads to receive the cans as delivered, and' thereafter to release the same. In each bearing n, aroundthe spindle 21, is a spring 24, serving to make steady the movement of the spindles in pressing the heads against the ends of the cans to hold-the same tight and in taking up any lost motion. The arms 23 are fixed upon or formed with the bearings for the shaft 21 on the upper guide arms 31 secured to an inclined platform 32 down which the cans to be labeled descend by gravity. This arm 30 is also pivotally connected to the head 28 by a sliding pivot 33,that is a pivot sliding or moving in a slot in the top of the head.

A power shaft 0 runs along one side of so the machine and is mounted. in suitable hearings in the upper ends'of the standards 34, and I providea pair of, bevel gears 35 for operating the right hand roller 6 and line gears 36 for actuating'the rollers 35 5. I also provide bevel gears 37 for actuthe pasting rollers g,.g%.

I provide a swinging arm 30 pivoted toand are prepared to roll down is communicated through the rollers e to the endless belts e and therefrom to the wheel or drum 1) for the operation-of moving the labels one at a time through the humidor. I also provide bevel gears 38 adapted for actuating the line gears 39 and Bevel gears 40 'ating the left hand roller 6 whereby motion a communicate motion to the roller 11 and therefrom to the endless conveyer belts it while bevel gears 42 also communicate mo-' tion to the rollers'12 and 14 of the belts h and auxiliary belts Bevel gears 41, are employed to transmit rotation front the power shaft 0 to the cam 26, so as to operatethe arm 27 and the cam actuating devices.

In connection with forwarding the labels as pasted over the'endless conveyer belts h,

1 have shown and prefer'to employ series of guide rollers i which serve while the pasted labels are lying loose and free on the belts h, to straighten the same if the edges are out of true right angle with the line of travel. At the end'of the power shaft 0 there are stan'dardsvo and on the end of the power shaft there" is a pinion 43, meshing with the bevel gears .44 and 45. The bevel gear '44 is on the shaft 51 and the bevel gear 45 is on the shaft 46 in a standard 0 On the shaft 48, in bearings in-the standards 0, there is a gear 47 meshing with the. gear 46,-and also intermittent gears 49.

I have shown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8, on the revoluble parts, arrows which show thedirection of rotation. Fig. 8 shows one of these intermittent gears 49 as containing a few teeth and a plain radial surface, and also in Fig. 8 one of the arms is and the hub end of said arm which contains teeth and a concave surface 50, the teethbeing in mesh with the teeth of the intermittent gears 49; therefore as the gears 49 are rotated by their shaft 48 through the medium of the gear 47, the gear 46, bevel gear 45 and the conical pinion 43, these intermittent gears turn in the direction of the arrow and raise the arms 70, elevating the same into the position of said arms shown in Fig. 2, and when in thls position, the concavesurfaces 50 of their hubs,-the arc of which agrees,

with the arc of the surface of the intermittent gears 49,holds the-arms is in the elevated position until-the intermittent gears 49 come around to their reduced diameter,

at which point the arms is are permitted to fall into theposition shown in- Fig. 7, at which time, in the timing of the movements of the machine, the cans have been labeled a suitable receptacle.

On the shaft 51 to which rotation is imparted by the shaft 0, through the conical pinion-43 and thebevel gear ,44, there are connected gears 52 and on the shaft 21 there the belt 70 to I are the large gears 53 meshing with the gears 52 and receiving their rotation therefrom. The heads 20 between Which the cans to be labeled are clamped, are also connected upon these shafts or spindles 21 so that rotation is imparted to the cans as labeled, by the gears 53 and 52, and the shaft 51.

Inthe further operation of the device and with specialreference to Fig. -7, as the arms 27are moved upand down bythe cam 26, the swinging arm 30 is moved downward into the position shown in Fig. 7 and its curved left hand end partially encircles the foremost can on theplatform 32 and keeps the same in position while the'grip of the said arm 27 and its head 28 upon the can held thereby brings said can down into the true position between the heads 20 where the can s clamped, and in the timing of the parts, at once the can is clamped, the arm 27 and head 28 are quickly raised and the spring dogs 29 yield over the surface of the can as held, and as'the arm 27 and head 28 again come up into the position shown in Fig. 1,

the armBO at'its left hand en'd, releases the advancing can and the same rolls down into the head 28 supportedby the spring dogs 29; the left hand end of the arm meanwhile bears against the second can so as to prevent the same rolling forward until the next downward movement of the parts in re p'eating the operations.

I have shown at 54 in connection with the distributing roller g? and its gear 39, means for adjusting the position of this distributing roller with reference to the several parts associated therewith,

In the further operation. of. the device of my improvement, the swinging arm 30, as in Figs. 1 and 7 controls the can at the end of the inclined platform 32, preventing the same shifting as the can-holding devices move down to deliver a can and rise empty. The heads 28, at the end of the arm or arms 27 are slightly wider apart than the length of the can to be labeled, consequently, the cans come between them. In the position Fig. 7, the heads 20 engage the ends of the can and hold the same tight, and as the heads 28 rise, the dogs 29 over-run the can,

and then spring into place ready to receive the next can, which is released from theplatform 32, as soon as the arm, 30 assumes the position Fig. 1, with the free bent end against the next advancing can. These spring dogs 29 aresufiicient' to hold the weight of each can. The heads 28 must be concave, as shown, to permit of the heads 20 coming up to and engagin the ends of the can. The apron k, wit the pasted label thereon, is moved from the position Fig. 7 to the position Fig.1, as soon as the can has been engaged by the heads 20.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a can labeling machine, devices for conveyer devices receiving and for moving apron havin forwarding labels one at a time from the bottom of a superposed pile, revoluble devices for moistening the labels, devices for, pasting the unprinted surface of each label, the pasted labels from the pasting devices, auxiliary devices for applying tension in transit to the pasted labels, devices receiv:

' ing, holding, and for revolving cans to be labeled one at a time, an endless apron having a part running in proximity tothe re volving can and receiving the label to be pasted thereon, swinging devices associated with the endless apron for diverting the path of part of the apron and wrapping the same partly around the can in the labeling operation and'so pressing the label firmly upon the can.

2. In a can labeling machine, devices for forwarding labels one at a time from the bottom of 'a'superposed pile, revoluble devices for moistening the labels, devices for pasting the unprinted surface of each label, conveyer devices receiving and for moving the astel labels from the pastingdevices, auxiliary conve er 'devices for applying tension in transit to the-pasted labels, devices receiving, holding and for revolving cans to be labeled one at a time, an endless apron having a part running in proximity "to the revolving can and receiving the label to be pasted,-thereon, devices for moistening the surface of said apron and removing therefrom any surplus adhesive material, swinging devices'associated with the endless apron for diverting the path of part of the apron and wrapping the same partly around the can in the labeling operation and so pressing the label firmly upon the can.

'3. In a can labeling machine, devices for forwarding labels one at a time from. the

'bottom of a superposed pile,'revoluble devices for moistening the labels, devices for pasting the unprinted surface of each'label,

conveyer devices receiving and for moving the pasted labels from the pasting devices,

auxiliary conveyer devices for ap lying tension in transit to the pasted labe s, devices receiving, holding, and for revolvingcans to belabeled one at a time, an endless a partrunning in proximity to the revolvlng can and receiving .the label to be pasted thereon, swinging devices associated with the endless apron. for diverting the path of. part of the apron and wrapping the same partly around the can in the labeling operation and so pressing the label firmly upon the can, and devices receiving the unlabeled cans one at a time from a source of supply and delivering the same-- into the machine to be labeled.

4:. In a can labeling machine, the combination with a receptacle for holding a super-' posed pile of labels and means for forwarding the labels one at a time from the bottom.

of the pile, of a wheeler drum, devices within the same receiving steam for heating the drum, a series of endless belts in parallel extending around the larger portion of said drum, rollers around which the belts pass and for moving the same, a receptacle for water through which said belts pass, a weighted roller in said receptacle for holding said belts taut and beneath which they pass, and guide blades above said drum whereby the labels one at. a time pass between said drum and said belts and are deflected into and carried-around between the belts and the drum and delivered from the opposite side.

5. In a. can labeling machine, and in combination, a receptacle for holding a superposed pile oilabelsiind means for forwarding the labels one at a time from the bottom of the pile, a wheel or drum having a solid periphery, hollow trunnions, intermediate spokes and bearings therefor, a felt strip around the periphery of said wheel or drum,

a pipe for steam passing through one of.

said hollow trunnions and provided with branching arms and discharge arms for the steam at right angles thereto within said wheel or drum whereby the drum and the felt coveringare heated, plates ,at the sides of said drum, rollers spaced around the drum and hearings in said plates, a tank for water beneath the drum, a loose vertically movable weighted roller in said tank, rollers in the upper part of said drum spaced apart and having bearings in said plates,aseries of guide blades between the latter rollers extending over the drum and its felt covering, and a series of endless belts arranged parallel and passing around all of the said rollers through said tank beneath the weighted roller and with their inner portions in contact with the felt covering of the drum, whereby the feltcovering is moistened and heated and the endless belts are moistened and labels passed one ata time between the moistened belts and the moistened and heated felt covering for pre-' paring the labels for the pasting operation.

(3. In a can labeling machine, the combination with means for moistening the labels one at a time, of a receptacle for adhesive material such as paste, a roller therein, a

distributing roller receiving the paste from the aforesaid roller, label su porting rollers beneath the distributing roiler but out of close contact therewith, switch wires for rereiving the moistened labels from the moistening devices and directing their path to the paste distributing roller, and other switch fingers for removing the labels-as pasted "from the paste distributing roller and diverting their path of travel.

7. in a can labeling machine, the com binntiun with means for applying adhesive material to the surface of the labels and diverting their path of travel, of a series of endless eonveyer belts, rollers around which the same pass, a series of. superposed auxiliary eonveyer' belts, strips of metal forming ribs mcured to {the said auxiliary conveyer belts across the same at right angles to their length and; adapted to bear upon the endless conveyer belts for gripping the pasted labels and evening the same n transit, and means for applying pressure or tension to any one or a number of the endless conveyer belts as against the auxiliary belts and their ribs, whereby the pasted labels may be held in thedesired places and perceptibly stretched, and means co-acting therewith for applying the labels simultaneand devices connected with said apron and operated at predetermined intervals for moving the apron and oneof the rollers and causing the same to be elevated and embrace a part of the revolving can so that the label is partly wrapped around the-can as pasted.

thereto.

9; In a can labeling machine, the combination with a series of conveyer'belts for forwarding the. pasted labels, of devices for progressing the cans to receive the labels, devices for engaging the cans at their respec tive ends and holding and rotating the same, an endless belt or apron receiving thepasted labels one at a. time as forwarded, and suitable rollers upon which the same is mounted, devices connected with said apron and operated. at predetermined intervals for moving the apron and causing the same to embrace a part of the revolving can. so that the label is partly wrapped around'the can as pasted thereto, and means for returning the apron to its initial position, whereby a part of the same in an inclined plane, forms a delivery for the can as labeled and released.

10. In a can -labeling machine, thecombination with the power shaft and aconical pinion on one end thereof, ofa bevel tar and a shaft on which the same is fixe a bevel gear and line gear and an arbor there for, a shaft below the power shaft and a line gear thereon meshing withthe aforesaid line gear, intermittent gears also on the latter shaft, devices for engaging the opposite ends oif a can to be labeled, and gears connected therewith and extending to the first aforesaid shaft for rotating the cans, an endless apron and devices operated by said intermittent gears Ior imparting to the apron a swlnging motion so as to wrap a art of the apron over the revolving can in pasting the label thereon.

11. In a can labeling machine, the combination with the power shaft and a conical pinion on one end thereof, of a bevel gear and a shaft on which the same is fixed, a bevel gear and line gear and an arbortherefor, a shaft below the power shaft and a line gear thereon meshing with the aforesaid line gear, intermittent gears also on the latter shaft, devices for engaging the op posite ends of a can to be labeled, and gears connected therewith and extending to the first aforesaid shaft, for rotating the cans, an endless apron receiving a series of rollers around which the apron passes, a pair of arms and pivots therefor, the free ends of the arms carrying one of said rollers, the hub of said arms being provided with teeth engaging the teeth of the intermittent gears, and said hub also having a smooth concave portion 50 adapted to overlie the smooth periphery of the intermittent gears for supporting the arms and belts in an upright position and said gears also having a part of reduced radius permitting the arms and rollers to descend to an initial position.

.12. In a can labeling machine, the combination with endless conveyer belts for forwarding the pasted labels and devices for holding the can to be labeled, of an endless apron, rollers around which the same extends and by which the same is rotated, devices for actuating said rollers, a tank for water and a brush roller in said tank, means for rotating the brush roller for moistening the surface of the endless apron and for washing therefrom any surplus paste.

13. In a can labeling machine, the combination with endless conveyer belts for for-* warding the pasted labels and devices for holding the can to be labeled, of an endless apron, rollers around which the same extends and by which the same is rotated, devices for actuating said rollers, a tank for water and a brush roller in said tank, means for rotating the brush roller for moistening the surface of the endless apron and for washing therefrom any surplus paste, devices associated with one of the rollers around which said endless apron passes, and means for actuating the same and raising the apron at one side so as to cause the same to partially encircle the cans to be labeled to insure the perfect placing of the labels around the cans.

14. In a can labeling machine, an inclined platform down which the'cans to be labele are delivered, a swinging arm and a head at the free end of said arm, a device pivotally mohnted to said head and also pivotall mounted to a part of said inclined plat orm, and spring actuated can supporting devices connected to said head, whereby the cans one at atime are received from the said platform in said head and the cans on the platform restrained in their movement, and means for receiving from said head in its lowest position the cans and holding the same, and other means for holding the rotating devices.

15. In a can labeling machine, the combination with a power shaft, a shaft at right angles thereto and a cam thereon, means for communicating rotation from the power shaft to the cam shaft, an arm and a suitable, support to which the same is pivoted,

a roller carried bysaid arm and actuated by said cam to raise and lower said arm, a head upon the free endof said arm adapted to receive a can to be labeled, spring dogs connected with said head for carrying the weight of the can, a platform down which the cans descend to be labeled, a swinging arm pivoted to a partof said-platform and having a curved end to pass over the periphery of the can, said arm at its free end being pivoted to said head in a slot thereof, whereby when said head moves down with its arm, the pivoted arm swings and changes its relation to the head so as to hold back the cans on the platform in one position and in the other position to perunit the first can to rotate in the head and simultaneously hold back the second can.

Signed by me this 24th day of August, 1911.

JAMES C. SHULTS.

Witnesses:

Jornv SoHULnR, C. M, Boosn.

Images