US2259212A

US2259212A - Picker mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2259212A
Application number: US329936A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Oslund
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-04-16
Filing date: 1940-04-16
Publication date: 1941-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 1958-10-14

Description

Oct. 14, 1941. Q OSLUND 2,259,212

PICKER MECHANISM Filed April 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l I1 E N T :1 R

CHARLES H. 08L UND Oct. 14, 1941. c. H. OSLUND 2,259,212

PICKER MECHANISM Filed April 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ET LE. .JTNVENTEIR 3 CHARLES H. OSLUND 7 I say Oct. 14, 1 941. I C O L ND 2,259,212

PICKER MECHANISM Filed April 16, 1940 4 SheetsSheet 3 6a 54 '55 as JKIVENTUR CHARLES H OSLUND j lgt .3.

Oct. 14, 1941. Q OSLUND 2,259,212

PICKER MECHANISM Filed April 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JV E N TEI R CHARLES H. OSLUND Patented Oct. '14, 1941 UNITED- STATES EA'IENT ()FFICE PICKER MECHANISM Charles H. Oslund, Worcester, Mass. Application April 16, 1940, SerialNo. 329,936

15 Claims.

This invention relates to picker mechanisms, and more particularly to a mechanism forming a part of a labeling machine and arranged to transfer labels from a label holder and place them in contact with the articles to be labeled. My invention is well adapted for use in a labeling machine of th rotary type, which comprises a rotary table on which the articles, such as glass bottles, are-supported during the labeling operation. In machines of this type, it is customary to employ a pair of spaced substantially parallel picker blades which are first coated with adhesive and then moved into contact with the labels in a label holder to remove a set of labels therefrom' The pickers are then moved to a' position in front of the article, and a label gripper is brought into contact with the central portions of the labels to hold them against the article, whereupon the pickers are withdrawn and the cycle is repeated for the next article. In so-called duplex machine's it is the practice to employ two sets of pickers which transfer labels to alternate articles on the table. Some machines are provided with mechanism for swiveling the picker blades to allow the articles topass betweenthem. a

Since labeling machines are often operated at high speeds, it is important to decrease the distance traveled by the picker blades, if possible, in order. to reduce their speed and avoid shock and. wear on the driving mechanism. It is also important to avoid applying the adhesive to the picker blades while they are positioned above the table, as otherwise the table and articles will become spattered with adhesive. Interruptions in the movement of the pickers for the application of Iadhesive thereto are undesirable, since they necessitate higher operating speeds during other parts of the cycle.

It is one object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive picker mechanism so arranged that the pickers will have a comparativelyshort path of travel. a

It is a further object ofv the invention to provide a picker mechanism particularly adapted for use with duplex labeling machines and so constructed as to simplify the various parts'and reduce the number of cams required.

' It is a further object of the invention to provide a picker mechanism of a simple and dependable construction having blades between which the .articles may pass without requiring driving mechanism. to separate the blades.

.' It isa further object of the invention to proto'which adhesive is applied without interrupting the movement of theblades and while the blades are so located as to avoid spattering of adhesive on the articles to be labeled;

With these and other objects in View, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth'in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto;

Referring to the drawings illustrating one embodiment'o'f the invention, and in which like reference numerals'indicate like parts,

Fig, 1' is a top plan View of a labeling machine;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the machine viewed in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the machine viewed in the'direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a. section on theiline 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the picker blades positioned 'in front of a bottle;

Fig. 7 is afrag'mentary plan view, with the picke'r'blades shown in section on the line 'll of Fig". 3;T *1 i Fig. 18 is a View similar to Fig. 7 showing one bottle passing. between two ofthe picker blades; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the pickerv blades after the bottle has passed the same, and indicating their subsequent positions in broken lines.

r The embodiment illustrated comprises a circular horizontal table l5 arranged to be rotated about a vertical axis by any suitable and wellknown means and'tosupport the articles to be labeled, such asglassbottles. The bottles are placed upon the table in single file by feeding mechanism of any suitable. type, and after they have traveled through somewhat less than one revolution they are removed from the table by a suitable transfer mechanism. The tablerotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. Associated with the table are bottle locating brackets It which engage the rear surfaces of the bottles close to the table, vertically reciprocable clamps l! which engage the tops of the bottles to holdthem firmly against the table, and label grippers !8 which extend upwardly through arcuate slots I9 in the table and move along these slots to hold the labels against the bottles. These parts are of welleknown construction and hence require nozf urther description.

The present invention provides a picker mech-- anism which serves to place labels against the vide a" picker mechanism having picker blades front surfaces of the bottles, whereupon the label grippers l3 move into engagement with the labels. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, the picker mechanism is of the duplex type, and the construction is such that labels are applied to two consecutive bottles simultaneously. This has a number of advantages which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

My improved picker mechanism comprises two pairs of picker blades 20, the blades in each pair being spaced apart and substantially parallel.

These blades are arranged to move simultaneously into positions in front of two of the bottlesand substantially radially of the table l5, as

shown particularly in Fig. 7, with the labels ad- 2,259,212 IL; 7 f f hering to the front surfaces of the blades. The

blades are preferably slightly inclined from the" vertical, with their lower ends somewhat in ad Vance of their upper ends, as shown in Fig. 3,

allow'the passage of the bottles between them.

In the preferred construction this separation of the blades is brought about by the camming ac= tion of the bottles themselves, no separate driving mechanism beingre'quired for the purpose. As illustrated, each blade 2|] is fastened at its upper'end to an l -'-shaped member 2| (Fig. 6) which is pivotally secured by means of a horizontal pin 22 to'a supporting bracket 24, there being one of these brackets 24 for each pair of pickers. A coiled tension spring 25 connects the depending portions of the members 2| to swing the picker blades toward one another, this movement being limited by vertical set screws 26 mounted in the inwardly extending portions of the members 2| and engaging the bracket 24. With this construction the forwardly moving bottles will earn the picker blades apart, as shown in Fig. 8, and the labels will be carried along by the bottles. The-springs 25 will return the blades to their original positions as soon as the bottles have passed between them.

Immediately after the bottles and the clamps have left the picker blades, each pair of blades i is turned about a separate vertical axis until the operative or label engaging surfaces of all the blades are located in a c'ommonplane and face outwardly away from the table. This turning movement takes place in a direction Opposite the rotation of the table I5, i. e. in case of clockwise table rotation as illustrated the picker blades will be turned'counterclockwise. Because of the original'radial positioning of the blades, the'forward pairfof blades will need to be turned through an angle slightly greater than ninety degrees, as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 9,- whereas the rearward pair of blades will need to be turned through an angle slightly less than ninety degrees. The vertical axes about which these term i In order that the desired turning motion of the picker blades may be obtained, each bracket 241s mounted on the lower end of a vertical shaft28 (Fig.- 3) and each of these shafts is rotatably sup ported ina bearing 29 on a horizontal frame member 30 extending across a portion of the table |5 therebeneath and carried by two spaced upright columns 3|. A gear 33 is secured to the upper portion of each shaft 28, preferably through the medium of a suitable clamping device 34 mounted on the shaft above the gear and provided with opposed screws 35 which engage a lug 36, projecting upwardly from the gear, whereby the gear can be angularly adjusted about the shaft as desired. Each gear 33 is oscillated by means of a gear segment meshing therewith, the gear segment 38 which is associated with the forward pickers having a somewhat greater pitch radius than the gear segment 39 which is associated with the rear pickers, since the latter require a smaller angle of oscillation. The

gear segments

38 and 39 are adjustably bolted to members and 4| respectively, each of which is pivotally mounted on a vertical pin 43 carried by the frame member 30. Each of the members and 4| is provided with a cam roller 44 (Fig. l) which engages a cam 45 mounted on'the'upper end of a vertical shaft 46. Each shaft 46 isrotatably supported in an upper bearing 48 on the frame member 3|) and in a lower bearing 49 on the adjacent column 3|. On the lower end of each shaft'46 there is mounted a bevel gear 50, and these gears are driven by bevel gears 5| carried by a horizontal shaft 53 which is rotatably supported in Suitable bearings 54 on the columns 3|, as shown particularly in Fig. 3. The gearsand -5| are of equal size, so that the

shafts

53 and 46 rotate at the same speed. The horizontal shaft 53 is driven in timed relation to the table l5 so that the shaft will. make one revolution for each pair. of bottles which passes through the machines. For exam ple, if the table |5 is provided with eight bottle stations, the shaft-53 willrotate at exactly four times the speed of the table; a

After the bottles have passed between the picker blades 20, andthe latter have started their turning movement under the influence of the cams 45, and associated mechanism to bring their operative surfaces-into a common plane, they are swung outwardly and upwardly away from the table 5 and into contact withthe labels in label holders 56 (Fig. 2); This swinging movement takes place about horizontal axes located near the upper ends of the pickers. In the preferred construction illustrated each bracket 24 is Divotally connected by means of a horizontal pin 58 (Fig. 3). to an offset arm 59 which extends downwardly from the lower portion of the adjacent vertical shaft 28. The pins 58 are parallel with the operative surfaces of the picker blades. Each bracket 24 is formed with a'pair of spaced upstanding ears 60 which are pivotally connected by means of aligned horizontal pins 6| (Fig. 5) to a ring 62. This ring is located between two vertically spaced flanges 64 on the lower end of a vertical rod 65 which is slidable through the center of the adjacent shaft 28, .the latter being axially bored to receive the rod. -The aperture in the center of the ring .62'i's of sufficient size to allow the slight lateral movement required as the bracket 24 oscillates-about the pin 58.

Means is provided to reciprocate the rods 65 and thereby. swing the'picker blades to and from the label holder. For this purpose a horizontal rod 61 extends parallel with the shaft 53 and is suitably supported at its ends by brackets 68 (Fig. 2) carried by the columns 3|. This rod supports a sleeve 69 (Figs. 3 and 4) having a projecting arm H which carries a cam roller".

.- This cam-roller engages al-cam.|3'mounted on the horizontal shaft 53. The sleeve 59 is also provided with two projecting arms 15 located near its ends and connected by vertical links 16 to vertical rods 11 which are slidably supported in bearings 18 on the frame member 30. As shown in Fig. 1, the oscillating members 40 and are provided with apertures 89 to clear the bearings 18. Each rod 11 is connected to the adjacent rod 65 to reciprocate the same, and this is preferably brought about by a mechanism arranged to minimize the possibility of excessive friction. As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, each rod 1'! carries a hub 82 thereon having a, horizontally projecting boss 83 which is bored to receive a bar 84 projecting horizontally from a hub 85 carried by the adjacent rod 65. Thus, if the rods 11 and 55 are not exactly parallel, the bar 84 will slide slightly within the boss 83 and prevent the parts from binding.

Adhesive is applied to the operative surfaces of the picker blades during their outward and upward swinging movement, and preferably without interrupting or delaying such movement. For

the continued swinging motion will bring the operative surfaces of the blades, which are now in a common plane, into engagement with the gum rolls 81, and the latter will travel downwardly along the pickers under the influence of the cam 91, applying adhesive to the pickers during their outward travel without interrupting the same. As the gum rolls leave the lower ends of the pickers and return to the roll 90 for a new supply of adhesive, the pickers will engage a set of labels in the holders56 and immediately swing downwardly again about the pins 58. As the pickers approach the table i5 they will be turned in a clockwise direction by the action of the cams 45 this purpose there is provided a pair of horizonthey are arranged to swing through a circular arc directly beneath the label holders. At the lower end of their swinging movement'the rolls 81 engage the roll 99 of the usual gum box 9|. In order to actuate the gum rolls 81, there is provided a horizontal rod 93 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) parallel with the shaft 53 and supported at its ends in the frame columns 3|. This rod supports a sleeve 94 having a projecting arm 95 which carries a cam roller 95. This cam roller engages a cam 91 mounted on the horizontal shaft 53. The "sleeve 94 is also provided with two projecting arms 98 located near its ends and connected by vertical links 99 to the gum roll arms 88.

The operation of the invention will now be apparent from the above disclosure.

ship by a suitable source of power, and bottles will be supplied to the table and removed therefrom by suitable mechanism. As the bottles, ap-

The shaft 53 v and the table l5 will be rotated in timed relationproach the picker blades 20, the latter will be in the substantially radial positions shown in Fig. '7, and the corresponding label grippers It! will move into contact with the central portions of the labels to hold them against the bottles. As the bottles advance they will swing the pickers apart tween the pickers and strip the labels therefrom. The springs will restore the pickers to their original positions. As soon as the clamps I! have cleared the pickers, the continued rotation of the cams will transmit motion through the

gear segments

33 and 39 to the gears 33 and turn the shafts 28 in a counter-clockwise direction until the operative surfaces of the pickers are in a common plane. At this time the pins 58 will be in alignment. During the turning movement of turning motion, the two motions thus overlapping.

Immediately after the turning motion has ceased,

about the pins 22, allowing the bottles to pass be- T and again assume radial positions in front of the next pair of bottles, thus completing one operating cycle.

It will be noted that although this is a duplex machine, which labels two bottles in each cycle, nevertheless only four cams are required for the operation of the entire picker mechanism, including the gum rolls. This greatly reduces the cost of manufacture. The label holders 56 are located close to the table, so that the path of travel of the pickers is comparatively short. The adhesive is applied to the pickers while they are swinging outwardly, and spattering of adhesive on the table and bottles is avoided. The picker blades are separated by the camming action of the bottles themselves, so that the construction is greatly simplified. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A labeling machine comprising means to move articles to be labeled along a predetermined path, a pair of picker blades arranged to transfer alabel into aposition in front of one of said articles, a supporting bracket for the picker blades, the picker blades being pivotally secured at their upper ends to the bracket in such a manner that they will be swung apart substantially in the plane of their operative surfaces by the camming action of the article as it passes between them, and spring means yieldably urging the picker blades toward one another.

2. A labeling machine comprising means to move articles to be labeled along a predetermined substantially horizontal path, a label picker, means to oscillate the picker about a substantial- :lyvertical axis located closely adjacent to the said path, and means to oscillate the picker about a substantially horizontal axis in a definite relationship to its movements about the vertical axis.

3. A labeling machine comprising means to move articles to be labeled along a predetermined substantially horizontal path, a label picker, means to oscillate the picker about a substantially vertical axiswhich intersects the said path, and means to oscillate the picker about a substantially horizontal axis in a definite relationship to its movements about the vertical axis.

4. A labeling machine comprising a rotary table to support articles to be labeled, a label picker,

means to oscillate the picker about a substantially vertical axis located close to the picker and inside the periphery of the table, and means to oscillate the picker about a substantially horizontal axis in a definite relationship to its movements about the vertical aXis.

' 5. Alabeling machine comprising a rotary table to support articles to belabeled, a substantially vertical shaft located above the path of the articles on the table, a label picker extending downwardly from the shaft, means pivotally conmeeting the picker to the shaft on a substantially horizontal axis parallel with theoperative sur-Z face of the picker, means to oscillate the shaft, and means tooscillate the picker about its'pivotal connection in a definite relationship to the oscillation of, the shaft.

6. A labeling machine comprising a substantially vertical hollow shaft, a label picker extending downwardly therefrom, means pivotally connecting the picker to the shaft on a subs'tantially horizontal axis, a rod extending through the shaft, means connecting the lower end of the rod to the picker so that verticalmovements of the rod will cause the picker to swing about the said axis, means to oscillate the shaft, and means'to reciprocate the rod in a definite relationship to the oscillations of the shaft. 7,,A labeling machine comprising a substantially vertical hollow shaft, an offset arm on the lower portion ofthe shaft, a bracket pivotally connected to the arm on a horizontal axis, a picker blade secured to the bracket and extending downwardly therefrom, a rod extending through the shaft, means providing vertically spaced flanges on the lower portion of the rod, a ring located between the flanges, two ears projecting from the bracket on opposite sides of the ring, horizontally aligned pins connecting the earsto the ring, means to oscillate the hollow shaft, and means to reciprocate the rod in a definite relationship to the oscillations of the shaft.

8. A labeling machine comprising a substantially vertical hollow shaft, an offset arm on the lower portion of the shaft, a bracket pivotally connected to the arm on a horizontal axis, a picker blade secured to the bracket and extending downwardly therefrom, a rod extending through theshaft, means connecting the lower end of the rod to the bracket so that vertical movements of the rod will cause the picker to swing about the said axis, a gear mounted on the upper portion of the shaft, a gear segment meshing with the gear, a cam rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, means connecting the cam to the gear segment to oscillate the same, and means to reciprocate the rod in a definite relationship to the oscillations of the gear segment. I

9, Ailabeling machine comprising a substantially vertical hollow shaft, an offset arm on the lowerportion of the shaft, a bracket pivotally connected to the arm on a horizontal axis, a picker blade secured to the bracket and extending downwardly therefrom, a rod extending through the shaft, means connecting the lower end of the rod to the bracket so that vertical movements of the rod will cause the picker to swing about the said axis, a second substantially vertical rod slidably mounted adjacent to the first-mentioned rod, means connecting the upper portions of the .two, rods, means to oscillate the hollow shaft, and driving means connected to the lower end of the second rod to reciprocate the same in a definite relationship to the oscillations of the shaft.

10. A labeling machine comprising a rotary table to support articles to be labeled, a substantially vertical shaft located above the path .of the articles, two spaced picker blades extend ing downwardly from the shaft, means pivotally connecting the blades to the shafton a substantially horizontal axis parallel with the operative surfaces of the blades, the blades being located in a substantially radial position in front of an article as it approaches, a label holder located at one side of the table, means to turn the shaft in adirection opposite to the direction of rotation. of the table after, the article has.

passed between the blades and thus cause the operative Surfaces off the blades to face away from the table, means to swing the blades upwardly and outwardly about the said horizontal axis, and into en agement with a label in the said holder, meansto apply adhesive to the blades as they swing upwardly and outwardly, meansto swing the blades with a label thereon in the opposite direction, and means to turn the shaft in the opposite direction and thus return the blades to their original positions.

11. A labeling machine comprising two pairs of picker blades, actuating means for the blades arranged to align the operative surfaces of both pairs of blades in a common plane during one portion of the operating cycle, and means to apply adhesive to .the blade surfaces while they are thus aligned.

12. A labeling machine comprising means to move articles to be labeled along a predetermined path in single file, two pairs of picker blades, label holding means, means to move the picker blades to align their operative surfaces, means to apply adhesive to the blade surfaces while they are thus aligned, means to move the adhesive-coated blades into contact with labels in said holding means, and means to move the respective pairs of blades with labels thereon into positions in front of two consecutive articles.

.13. A-labeling machine comprising a rotary table arranged. to support a series of articles to be labeled in single file, two pairs of picker blades, label holding means, means to move the picker blades to align their operative surfaces, means to apply adhesive to the blade surfaces while they are thus aligned,,means to move the adhesivecoated blades into contact with labels in said holding means, and means to move the respective pairs of blades with labels thereon into substantially radial positions in front of two consecutive articles on the table.

14. A labeling machine comprising a rotary table arranged tosupport a series of articles to be labeled in single. file, two substantially vertical shafts above the path of the articles on the table,

*a pair of picker blades pivotally secured to the in a substantially radial position in'front of one article as it approaches, label holding means located atone side of the table, means to turn the shafts and bring the said axes into aligmnent, means to swing the blades upwardly and outwardly about the said axes and into engagement with labels in said holder, means to apply adhesive to the blades as they swing upwardly and outwardly, means to swing the blades with labels thereon in the opposite direction, and means to turn the shafts in the opposite direction and thus return the blades to their original positions.

15. A labeling machine comprising a rotary table arranged to support a series of articles to be labeled in single file, two substantially vertical hollow shafts above the path of the articles on the table, an offset arm on the lower end of each shaft, a, pair of picker blades pivotally secured tiallyradial position in front of one article as it approaches, label holding means located at one side of the table, a vertical rod extending through Jea'ch shaft, means connecting the lower ends of means, two horizontally aligned gum rolls, and a single rotary cam connected to both the gum rolls and arranged to move them over the operative surfacesof the blades as they swing upwardly and outwardly, the rod-actuating cam serving to swing the blades with labels thereon downwardly toward the table, and the shaft-actuating cams serving to turn the shafts in the reverse direction and thus return the blades to their 10 original positions.

CHARLES H. OSLUND.