US1266172A - Automatic feed mechanism for labeling-machines. - Google Patents

Description

H. STAKE.-

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1911.

1,266,1?2. Patented May 14, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. STAKE.

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26 1917.

Patented May14,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. H. STAKE.

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHlNES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR .26,1917.

1,266,172. Patented May 14, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

NIIII FICEA HERMAN STAKE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR LABELING-MACHINES.

Application filed March 26, 1917.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that HERMAN STAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester. in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts. has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feed Mechanism for Labeling-.Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a novel construction and organization in mechanism for automatically feeding small packages, cylindrical containers or similar articles; such as rolls of candy, packs of lozenges, round. boxes and the like; and more especially designed for use with label-affixing mechanism of the character shown, for feeding and placing the packages or articles, holding the same while being labeled,-and discharging them from the machine; the prime object being to provide an efiicient and convenient means for economically and rvpidly performing the feeding and labeling operations upon articles such as specitied.

." further ob ect 18 to provide, for use with label-affixing means, a simple feeder mechanism including a rotary element having thereon a series of projecting jaws, clamps or holders adapted for contact with the ends of the package for supporting the same while affording clear intermedial space entirely around the circumference of the body of the package where the label is afiixcd thereto, and means for closing and opening the clamp devices, as more fully hereinafter explained.

Another object is to provide an automatic locking means for preventing rotary displacement of the revolver or holder-carrying disk while the machine is idle.

Another object is to provide means of the character described, for placing the respec Li ve packages in or upon the holders as they are successively moved into position therefor.

h'linor objects and features of the invention are fully set forth in the following cletailed description; the particular subject matter claimed being definitely expressed in the summary.

in the accompanying drawings (three streets) Figure 1 represents an elevation view of the left hand side of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side View of my package-feeding and supporting mechanism, drawnon a somewhat larger Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Serial No. 157,341.

scale. Fig. 3 is a separate view of the same side of the rotary disk, showing its actuating devices as moved to a different position. Fig. 1 is a detached vertical section illustrating the detail of the discharging and roll-compressing means. Fig. 5 represents the inner face of one arm of the package holder. Fig. 6 represents the inner face of the other arm of the package holder. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the right hand side of the package-feeding and supporting means. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the feeder and holder devices, together with the labelaifixing wipers, and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view looking toward the lowerv end of the chute.

The labelatfixing mechanism with which my invention is, in the present instance, combined, and as shown in Fig. 1, is a machine which in its general embodiment, is constructed and organized for operation substantially as described in Letters Patent No. 998,664, dated July 25, 1911; the wiper mechanism being of a character somewhat similar to that described in Letters Patent No. 918,212, dated April 13, 1909. It will he understood, however, that my invention applicable to label-ailixing mechanism of other suitable construction.

Referring to the drawings, F, on Fig. 1, indicates the supporting frame; numeral 10 the operating shaft to which the motive power is applied, and upon which are arranged the various cams for actuating different portions of the label-ailixing mechanism. H indicates the label-holder for con taining the supply pack of labels L of the required size. G denotes the gum or glue supply devices including, as usually employed, a. delivery-roll and fihn-gage for regulating the amount of gum delivered; and 12 indicates the transfer-roll, carried by swinging arms 11, and adapted for spreading the gum or glue upon the faces of the pickers 13 which latter act to adhesively take the lahel from the holder H and deliver it at position for its aifixment to the article to be labeled; and 14 indicates the grip-device for temporarily clamping the delivered label to the package P in well known manner of operation.

15 indicates the oppositely disposed right and left Wiper-devices which are mounted upon rocking arms or supporters 16, and are operative for wiping down the respective ends of the label and lapping the same beueath the roll or package, by action of the pivotally supported wiper carrier 17 and suitable cams 18 arranged to operate in a manner similar to the action described in the beforementioned Patent No. 918,242.

In accordance with my invention, 1 provide a rotary element or disk 20 arranged to revolve in a vertical plane central between the wipers 15, and mounted upon a trans versely disposed horizontal shaft 21, the ends of which are upheld by suitable supports 7' connected with the main frame of the machine. Said disk 20 is provided at its periphery with a series or plurality of dualarmcd projecting holders Or package-carrier C, preferably six, arranged at regularly spaced intervals, and each comprising in the present instance, a front arm 3 and a rear arm united at their base and rigidly attached to the edge of the disk. Each holder is provided with a clamping-lever 5 fulcrumed thereon, as at 6; the headof said lever being inwardly offset and adapted to enact with the arms for holding the package. The inner arm of said lever is backwardly curved and provided with a stud-roll 7 that runs against the face of a stationary cam 22.

The arms 3 and l of the holders C are each formed at their outer end with a re cess or seat 8 (see Figs. 5 and 6) for receiving and supporting the ends of the package; that on the forward arm is in line with the head of the clamping lever, and that on the rear arm is limited by a plate or guard 5 attached to or formed thereon, and against which the package abuts, and is clamped endwise thereof by contact of the head of the lever 5 with its opposite end. A spring 9 is combined with each of the clampinglevers, and tensioned for pressing the head of the clamplever toward and against the package.

The cam 22 is formed as shown in Fig. '7, with circular portions of different radial dimension. When the stud-roll '7 of the clamping-lever is traveling on the larger dimensioned part of the cam the holder clamps are open; and when traveling upon the smaller portion of the cam the holder clamps are closed by the action of the springs. The oifsets 1 and 2 on the cam are respectively located at the predetermined position for effecting the clamping and re leasing the packages.

On the side of the revolver or disk 20 there is a plate 23 having at its periphery a series of recesses 1" corresponding in number with the holders C, and mounted upon the axis shaft 21. there is a swinging angle lever 2i, one arm of which is provided with a spring-pressed pawl that engages the notches or recesses in said plate, while the other arm of said lever connected by a rod 2o with a swinging lever 29 fulcrumed upon the frame at 30 and actuated by a cam 31 fixed on the operating shaft 10, for oscillating said angledever and pawl 25, thereby advancing the carrier disk 20 and package holders C with an intermittent or step-bystep movement, to bring the respective holders successively to the label-receiving position.

A latch or guard-pawl 82 is arranged to engage the plate :23 when the holders are at their stop positions. Said pawl is pivoted upon a stationary part of the frame, and a spring 33 combined therewith for pressing its head into the recess. The pawl is formed with a projecting tail (see Figs. 2 and 3) and the angle-lever or pawl 3a is provided with a projecting finger 27 the end of which comes into closely adjacent relation with said tail, when the mechanism is at primary or idle position, as in Fig. 3, thereby preventing the pawl 32 lifting from the notch, and thus automatically locking the mechanism, so that the holder-carrying disk can not be inadvertently or intentionally rotated or moved from its correct position by pressure against the holders or exterior parts of the disk, nor until the angle-lever 2a swings forward so the finger 3ireleases the tail of the guard pawl.

sit the front of the machine there is an inclined chute or slideway 36, in alinement with the plane of the revolver and holders; and an oscillative transferring device or tumbler 35 for passing the packages singly from said chute to the holders, preceding their movement to labeling position. The chute 36 is preferably of ii-shape, as indicated in Fig. 9, or of such other crosssection form as will keep the packages in proper alinement, and is disposed with an inclination that will cause the packages to freely slide down to its lower end, which is provided with an arched strip or hood 3'? to prevent lifting of the package in the chute. The transfer device, or tumbler 35, consists of a movable member pivoted, as at a, to a suitable stationary support f upon which the chute is also connected; said tumbler having a circular segmental face 38 that moves across the end of the chute, and serves as a gate or stop for the line of packages, while the tumbler is swung forward. The upper end of the tumbler is formed to present a continuation of the chute when at its extreme rearward position, and is provided with a lug located at a distance from the line of the face, approximately equal to or slightly less than the length of a package P.

At the top end of the tumbler there is a fixed flange at one side and at its opposite side a gripping flange and lever c0; said flanges and the end of the tumbler forming a cradle 35* for receiving the packages from the chute and retaining them while being transferred to the holders. The lever at) fulcrumed upon the tumbler body and has,

at its lower end, a stud-roll 41 that engages with a stationary cam 42 secured upon the support 7". A suitable spring 43 (see Fig. 9) serves for pressing the lever 40 inward to clamp the package while the tumbler is carrying it forward, and the cam 42 is formed with upper and lower ofi'sets a and b that retract the grip when the tumbler is at its forward and rearward positions.

The tumbler 35 is, in the present instance, oscillated by a pivotally attached reciprocating rod 45 connected with the member 46 actuated by the swinging lever 29 and cam 31; the action of the feed tumbler, rotary package-supportingmeans, and labeling mechanisms, being synchronal in their proper order at each revolution of. the operating shaft 10.

Below and in transverse relation to the rotary holder-supporting disk 20, I provide, in the present instance, an endless continuously traveling bed or conveyer 47 made of suitable material and mounted upon pulleys 48 and 49, one of which is operated by a belt or sprocket chain 50 and suitable intermediate gearing 51 from a wheel 52 fixed on the main operating shaft 10. The upper por tion of the belt 47 travels toward the left. (See Fig. A plate or elastic compressor device 54 attached to suitable supports 53, is arranged at a predetermined distance above the belt approximately equal to the diameter of the package -e. At each side of the presser there is a guard rail for keeping the packages in proper alinement upon the belt. The packages drop from the holders upon the rbelt 47 at the position P and are rolled under the pad 54, and discharged therefrom into the inclined runway 56, or

into a receptacle of suitable character pla ced for their reception.

Numeral 59 indicates a movable gate or evener device arranged across and above the belt 47 and connected with the actuating rod 26 for reciprocative action; and 60 indicates an inclined director for causing the labeled packages to roll toward the gate as they drop from the holders. The purpose of the gate and director is to lay the deposited packages parallel with each other, and so that they will enter beneath the compressor 54 squarely transverse to the direction in which the belt travels.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The packages P, which may be placed within the chute 36, either automaticallyor by hand, slide down to the lower end thereof, preferably by their own gravity, and the leading package passes into the receiving space upon the tumbler, between the flange and tumbler-grip 40; its end stopping against the lug 39. As the tumbler commences to swing forward the grip-lever 40 is released by its roll 41 passing from the lower offset 6 of the cam 42, and the spring 43 causes said lever to firmly grip the package to retain it in position upon the tumbler while the latter swings forward into conjunction with the outer ends of the arms of the holder 0, occupying the primal position in its circuit of the revolution. In the mean time the packages in the chute are held back by the segment surfac 38 on the tumbler. When the tumbler arrives at its forward position (see Fig. 2) the grip-lever is forced back by the upper offset a of the cam, thereby releasing the ackage, which immediately transfers itself rom the tumbler onto the recessed ends of the holder arms; one end of the package resting against the lip or plate 5*, while its other end rests adjacent to the head of the clamp-lever 5, which lever, as the revolver starts forward, is released by the offset 1 of the cam 22 and caused, by the spring 9, to contact with the end of the package, thus holding it firmly secured by endwise pressure with its extreme ends resting upon the recessed ends of the arms.

The revolver is then partially rotated, bringing the holder and package to position for receiving the label. Meanwhile the pickers 13 have been coated with an adhesive film from the gum supply G, by the transfer roll 12, and have moved up and taken a label from the label-supply holder. They now move down and deliver the label acrOss the package P", and the grip-device 14 is then brought down upon the label, the pickers moving upward and releasing the label. The wipers 15 then descend and swing inward in a manner for wiping and tucking the lapping ends of the label around and beneath the package. In like manner a package is taken from the chute and tumbled onto each of the holders, advanced to receive its label, labeled and carried by stepby-step movement of the revolver to the predetermined place of discharge P at which position the roll 7 of the holder-clamp lever runs onto the swell 2 of the cam 22 and releases the package which falls from the holder onto the traveling belt 47 and against the evener 59. Then as the gate is lifted the package is carried between the belt and presser 54 and thereby subjected to a compressing action which lays the label securely and firmly in its connection with the package.

In some instances it may be desired to discharge the labeled packages without the supplemental rolling or pressing; in such instances the compressor devices can be omitted, and the packages delivered directly from the revolving holders; the operation of the feed and labeling means being the same as above described.

What I claim and desire to Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a labeling machine of the character specified; a packagesecure by feeding mechanism adapted for presenting and supporting roll-packages or the like to be circumferentially labeled, comprising a horizontal axis-supporting shaft in alinement with and beneath the labeling position, a rotatable disk mounted upon said shaft and carrying a plurality of pairs of equal outwardly-projecting arms fixed upon the periphery of said disk, and having at their outer ends seat-recesses adapted for upholding the ends of a roll-package in the line of the rotation. with unobstructed space completely around the package between said arms, a clamp-lever fulcrumed on one arm of each pair and having an invvardly-olfset head that contacts with the end of the pack age Wllllill the seat-recess, a spring for pressing said clamp-lever into contact, a cam-plate mounted upon the axis-shaft concentric with and adjacent to said disk and having circular surfaces and offsets for controlling said clamp -levers, a package-delivery element for transferring packages'to the seat-recesses on said arms, connections for intermittently rotating said disk and arms to successively bring the packages to the predetermined position, and means for imparting motion to the feeder-operating parts from the power shaft of the labeling machine, substantially as set forth.

In mechanism of the character specified for supporting roll packages or' the like for labeling, a rotatable disk provided upon its peripher; with a series of project ing dual-arn1ed holders adapted for seating the endsof the package upon the outer ends of their arms, clamp-levers fulcrumed on the respective holders and adapted for contact with one end of each package, the inner ends of said clamp-levers adapted for co operation with a cam, a horizontal axis-shaft supporting said disk for revolving said holders in a vertical plane, springs connected With the respective clamp-levers, a step-bjv-step actuating means operatively connected with the labeler operating mechanism, for intermittentl moving said disk, and a stationary -am having surfaces and offsets for controlling the clamping and releasing action of said clamp-levers 3. In mechanism for the purpose specified, a package holding means consisting of an approximately U-shaped fnrcated supporter having an attachable base and a pair of rigid uniforml projecting arms provided with seats at the outer ends of said projecting arms for sustaining the ends of a package, a swinging clamp-lever centrally fulcrumed upon said supporter and having its outer member adapted for endvvise contact with the package, its innner member offset and furnished With a stud-roll, a tensioned spring connected for actuating said lever in one direction, and a central cam for moving said lever in opposition to said spring.

l. The combination with a package-feed mechanism consisting of a rotatable disk disposed in a vertical plane in central relation, and provided at its periphery With a plurality of package-holders, each comprising two proj cting arms their ends adapted for sustaining the ends of a package, a package-clamping lever and lever-actuating spring for each holder, a clamp-controlling cam, a transverse horizontal aXis shaft- \vhe'reon said disk is mounted, a ratchet member connected vvith the disk, having recesses corresponding in number With the holders. an oscillating lever fulcrumed on the axis-shaft and carrying a pawl that engages said recesses, means for actuating said oscillating lever, and means for charging packages onto said holders.

5. In mechanism for the purpose specified, the combination with the intermittently revoluble feed-supporter comprising a rotarydisk provided with package-holders and package-clamping devices thereon, and an inclined delivery chute; of a shifting segment having a packagecarrying space movable alternately into alinement with the chute and into conjunction with the holder, a package-gripping clamp upon said segment, a clamp-actuating device, and means for shifting said segment, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination, of a revolver element provided vvith a plurality of peripheral package-supporting holders for seating the ends of the packages, and adapted to revolve in a vertical plane, an end-contacting clampdevice for clamping and releasing the package on the respective holders, a grooved deliver chute for the supply of packages; an oscillating tumbler-device comprising an edgevvise rockable segment provided With a cradle-recess alinable with the groove of the chute and holders for transferring packages singly from the chute to the holders, and having a segment face that moves across the end of the chute, means for imparting intermittent movement to said revolver element, means for synchronally operating said tumbler-device, and means for actuating and controlling said clamp-devices at pro-determined positions in the revolver circuit.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, in combination With an intermittentl moving revoluble element having a series of package-holders thereon and an inclined package-delivery chute; of an oscillating tumbler element mounted adjacent to the end of the chute upon a pivotal axis, and having a cradle recess alinable With the chute, and a circular segmental face that moves across and closes the end of the chute, a grip-lever pivoted upon the tumbler, a spring connected With said grip-lever, and a stationary cam-plate provided with upper and lower offsets for actuating said griplevel, means for oscillating said tumbler element to bring its cradle recess alternately into line with the chute and into conjunction with the package-holder for depositing a package thereon, and means for operating said revolver element, substantially as set forth.

8. In a mechanism for feeding roll packages, the combination, an intermittently moving rotatable element provided with a radially projecting series of holders having recessed arms adapted for supporting the packages and means for clamping roll packages at their ends, and means for actual ing said mechanisms, of an inclined chute through which packages are supplied, means for automatically transferring the packages singly from the chute onto said holders, means for releasing packages from the holders, a conveyer means movable underneath the holders for receiving the released packages, and means for disposing the packages consecutively in parallel relation to each other thereon.

9. In a mechanism for feeding and supporting roll-packages or the like for circumferential labeling; the combination substantially as described, of an axis-supporting shaft, a rotary plate element mounted thereon. and provided upon its periphery with a plurality of radially disposed dual-armed holders each comprising a pair of rigid outwardly projecting members having opposite package-engaging seats adapted for supporting the respective ends of a roll-package thereon, end-contacting clamp-devices for re taining the packages, disposed in a plane approximately central in relation to the labelreceiving position, means for actuating said rotary element to bring the holders successively into receiving position, a cam-plate concentrically arranged upon the axis-support and adapted for controlling said clampdevices for clamping and releasing the packages, a packagedelivery chute, a movable tumbler device for automatically placing packages on the respective holders, and means for actuating said tumbler device.

10. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a revoluble series of radially disposed holders comprising pairs of uniformly outstanding arm members with engaging seats adapted for sustaining the ends of roll-packages disposed end to end in circumferential order to revolve in a vertical plane, means for depositing individual roll-packages in position, with their ends engaging said sea-ts, upon the respective holders, an end-c0ntacting clamp for securing and releasing the package thereon; means for imparting rotative movement to the series of holders, and means for operating said clamps.

11. In a mechanism for the purpose specifled, in combination, a revoluble carrier plate having a series of projecting dual-armed holders thereon, adapted for supporting roll packages at their ends, with unobstructed space about the central part of the package, a supply chute having a groove in which the packages slide endwise, a pivotally supported tumbler having a recess adapted for receiving individual packages endwise from said chute and for depositing them lengthwise upon the ends of the dual-arms of the holder, means for oscillating said tumbler, and means for stopping the end of the chute during the oscillative movement.

12. In combination with the rotatable diskelement provided at its periphery with a plurality of package-holders, a horizontal axis shaft whereon said disk-element is mounted, a plate attached to said disk-element and having recesses corresponding with the number of package-holders thereon, an oscillating lever fulcrumed on said shaft, an actuator-pawl on said lever that engages said recesses for imparting a step-by-step movement to said disk-element, means for oscillating said lever and pawl, a spring-pressed guard-pawl pivotally fulcrumed on the frame for engaging with said plate, and having a backwardly extended tail, a projecting member moving with said actuatorpawl, that swings into conjunction with said tail and positively locks said guard-pawl for preventing movement of the disk-element and holders when said actuator-pawl is at rearward position.

Vgitness my hand this 24th day of March, 91

HERMAN STAKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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