US2287579A

US2287579A - Labeling machine

Info

Publication number: US2287579A
Application number: US371147A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hofe George W Von
Original assignee: New Jersey Machine Corp
Current assignee: New Jersey Machine Corp
Priority date: 1940-12-21
Filing date: 1940-12-21
Publication date: 1942-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1959-06-23

Description

LABELING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1940 3 7 INVENTIO l GEO/P65 l V. vo/v OFE V. ,4-rT0 /VEY Patented June 23, 1942 LABELING MACHINE George W. van Hofe, Bound Brook, N. 1., assignor to New Jersey Machine Corporation, Hoboken, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 21, 1940, Serial No. 371,147

12 Claims.

The invention relates to labeling machines and has for its object to provide a machine of simple construction whereby a plurality of labels may be concurrently applied in an efficient manner to a plurality of articles for which said labels are designed or in different positions upon a given article. The invention further contemplates the provision of a novel supporting means for supporting the articles at the label app station of the machine in a manner to insure eflicient application of the labels to said articles at all times. Other objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates examples of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a labeling machine embodying the nove1 features; Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the article supporting means and associated elements, and Fig. 3 is a similar view of another form of said article supporting means.

As shown in the drawing the labeling machine comprises a suitable frame III on which the operating instrumentalities are conveniently mounted. The latter include means whereby a predetermined number or plurality of labels are concurrently transferred from suitable sources of supply at the label pick-up station of the machine to the label applying station thereof for concurrent application to the articles supported I in label receiving positions at the latter station.

For purpose of disclosure and. description the illustrated machine is shown in a form arranged to concurrently transfer and apply two labels to two separate articles.

In its illustrated form the label transfer and applying means consists of a carriage Ii slidably mounted on a horizontal guide rail l2 suitably ilxed in place on the frame Ill. The carriage II is reciprocated on said rail l2 between the pick-up and label applying stations of the machine by suitable mechanism exemplified by the arm II on the rock shaft II which is Journailed on the frame III in any conventional manner. The arm I2 is connected with the carriage II for instance by means of a yieldingly mounted rod l5, and the shaft It is rockedon its axis in proper timing by conventional means exemplifled by the vertically movable rack It. The transfer and applying means in the illustrated machine further comprises suction controlled means including a plurality of suction heads corresponding in number to the number of labels which are to be concurrently applied to the articles for which said labels are intended; The selected example of the novel machine shows two suction heads l1 and I! carried in spaced relation by and depending from a suction plate It connected with a source of suction in any convenient manner as by means of a flexible tube 22. Provision is made in any well-known way for controlling the suction in the heads l1 and II and plate I! in proper timing in an operative cycle of the machine.

The suction plate is as shown in Fig. 2 is mounted in a yoke or the like 2i preferably so as to be readily removable therefrom to permit replacement and substitution of plates is with varying arrangements of suction heads. The yoke or the like 2| forms part of or is carried by a member 22 slidably mounted on the carriage II for vertical reciprocation thereon as will appear more fully hereinafter. The member 22 is provided with a roller 22 arranged to traverse a second fixed rail 24 suitably mounted on the frame iii and having

recesses

25 and 26 spaced apart to enable said member 22 with the suction plate is and suction heads l1 and It to move downwardly relatively to the carriage H at the pick-up station and label applying station respectively for the purpose to be more fully de-- scribed hereinafter.

In the travel of the carriage ii from the pickup station to the label applying station, that is from right to left in Fig. 1, the roller 23 in cooperation with the second rail 24 maintains the member 22 at an elevation on the carriage II in which the labels held by suction on the suction heads ll and I8 pass in adhesive receiving relation to an adhesive applying means and each receive a surface coating of adhesive therefrom. In its illustrated form the adhesive applying means consists of an adhesive applying roller 21 in rolling engagement with an adhesive transferring roller 28, said

rollers

21 and 28 being rotatably supported in the machine and operated in any convenient manner. The roller 28 dips into a supply of adhesive in a container 29 suitably supported on the frame III as shown in Fig, 1 and transfers adhesive therefrom to the applying roller 21 in the well-known way. Stripping fingers 20 may be mounted in proper co-operative relation to the applying roller 21 to prevent the labels from being carried around the circumferential surface thereof as the coating with adhesive proceeds. During the return movement of the carriage ii and its associated elements from left to right in Fig. 1 or in 0 er words back to the pick-up station, the mem r 22 occupies an elevated position on said carriage II in which the suction heads I! and I! pass above the adhesive applying roller 21 without engaging the same, so as to prevent said suction heads l1 and II from becoming coated and soiled with adhesive. Any well-known means may be incorporated in the machine for effecting-these results, and any conventional mechanism may be utilized for reciprocating the member 22 with the suction heads I! and I! at the pick-up and label applying stations.

To complete the application of the labels to the articles, the machine is provided with pressing means operated to press the labels into final adhesive contact with said articles subsequent to the initial application by the suction heads l1 and it. As shown the pressing means includes a pressure device 3| carried by a plunger 32 vertically reciprocable' on the frame I in properly timed operative sequence, for instance by means of a lever 33 fulcrummed on the shaft 14 and operated by any conventional mechanism.-

In addition to the parts so far described, the machine includes supporting means for supporting the articles in label receiving position at the label applying station, said supporting means being constructed in a novel manner to co-operate with the suction heads I1 and It or their equivalent and the pressure device 3| respectively in automatically setting said articles in the most efficient label receiving and pressing positions.

The supporting means is suitably mounted upon the frame ll forinstance by means of a bracket 34 or the like preferably so as to be removable at will for purposes of replacement and substitution. In the form shown in Fig. 2

the supporting means comprises a standard or pivot member 35 projecting upwardly from a base 36 which rests upon the bracket 34 and is removably fastened thereto by screws or the like 31. A holding member or plate 38 is pivotally connected at 39 with said standard 35 and extends transversely thereto as illustrated in Fig. 2. The holding member or plate 38 is provided with a plurality of seats and in the illustrated example includes two seats-40 and H of predetermined dimensions and form designed to receive

articles

42 and 43 respectively and to hold or support said articles in label receiving position. The

articles

42 and 43 shown in the drawing are intended to exemplify bottles or other cylindrical articles, it being understood that articles of other types and shapes may be accommodated in said seats 4. and 4| and maintained thereby in proper label receiving positions with equal efliciency; in some instances the de sign of the seats and 4| may be varied in shape and size in accordance with the type of

articles

42 and 43 which are to be accommodated thereby. In any case the supporting means is mounted in the machine and the seats 4| and 4| are located thereon so as to properly co-operate with the 'suction heads l1 and II or.

their equivalent the application by the latter, of the labels to he

articles

42 and 43 in the respective seats; In the specific arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 the seat 40 is arranged at an F intermediate point of said holding member or plate 38 and in the assembled condition of thesupporting means lies above and in registry with said member or plate 38 and with an eyelet 48 on the base 36 and normally maintains said member .or plate 38 in contact with an adjustable stop shown in the form of a stop screw 41 mounted in threaded engagement with-a lug 48 projecting outwardly from one side of said standard or pivot member I! as shown in Fig. 2; a lock nut 48 may be provided for fixing the screw 41 in an adjusted position. A second lug 50 projects from the opposite side of said standard or pivot member 35 and carries a second adjustable stop in the form of a stop screw 5| in threaded engagement with said lug 50 and extending upwardly therefrom in registry with the holding member or plate 38 and preferably in substantial alignment with the seat 4| thereof; the second stop screw 5|, the purpose of which will appear more fully from the description hereinafter, may also be fixed in an adjusted position by means of a lock nut 52.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 the supporting means likewise comprises a standard or pivot member 35 projecting upwardly from a base 36 which similarly rests upon the bracket 34 and is removably secured thereto by screws or the like 31. A holding member or plate 38' is pivotally connected at 39" with said standard 35* and extends transversely thereto in an approximately horizontal direction and preferably in substantially symmetrical relation to said standard Ii as illustrated in Fig. 3. The holding member 38' also is provided with a plurality of seats and in the illustrated example, as in the first form, includes two seats 40 and 4| of predetermined dimensions and form to receive

articles

42 and 43 respectively and to hold or support said articles in label receiving position. As in the form first described the articles 42*, 43" shown in Fig. 3 are intended to exemplify bottles and other cylindrical articles. It will be understood that in the form under discussion that articles of other types and shapes may be accommodated in said seats 40 and 4| and maintained thereby in proper label receiving position, and that the seats may be varied in shape and size in accordance with the type of articles 42* and 43 which are to be accommodated thereby. In this case the supporting means is also mounted in the machine and the seats 40- and 4|? are also located thereon so as to properly co-operate with suction heads Il and I! of equivalent label carrying devices in the application of the labels to the articles 42* and 43' in the seats 4. and 4|. It will be noted that the latter are located on the holding member 38* at points substantially equidistant from the pivot 39 upon opposite sides thereof, and that the suction heads I1 and II are correspondingly spaced apart and located upon the suction plate l9. This plate l8 corresponds to the suction plate I! and likewise is mounted in the yoke 2| preferably so as toberemovable therefrom at will. Relatively

light springs

44 and 44 are connected at 45 and 45 respectively with opposite ends of the holding .member or plate 38' and at 46' and 4l' respectively with the base 38''; theisprings 44* and 44 serve to normally maintain the holding member 38" in a horizontal balanced position on the standard 35' as illustrated in Fig. 3. The supporting means nowbeing described includes two adjustable stops shown in the form of stop screws 41" and II in threaded engagement with lugs 48 and 5.- respectively, said lugs projecting outwardly from the standard 35' in opposite assure project upwardly from the respective lugs 48' and II in registry with predetermined parts of the holding member or plate 38 and that said .stop screws may be fixed in adjusted positions respectively by lock nuts 43' and 82.

In practice during an operative of the illustrated machine the rock shaft I4 is rocked on its axis by suitable mechanism to correspondingly actuate the arm I3. The operation of the latter reciprocates the carriage II lengthwise of the stationary rail I2 to carry the label conveying and applying means as exemplified by the suction heads I1 and I8 and the suction plate I8 with their associated parts. between the label pick-up station and the label applying station of the machine. At the label pick-up station the roller 23 of the member 22' is in registry with the recess 25 of the second fixed rail 24 and the member 22 may accordingly be moved downwardly to bring the suction heads I1 and I8 into engagement with the label supply in which the labels are suitably arranged as for instance in the form of stacks and in such position is to be properly contacted by said suction heads I1 and I8 as the above operations take place. At the proper moment suction is developed in the suction heads I1 and I8 for instance through the tube 20 and draws the two terminal labels from said supply into surface contact with the lower faces of the suction heads I1 and I8 respectively; in other words, two terminal labels are'simultaneously picked'up by said suction heads l1 and I8. when this has occurred the member 22 is elevated on the carriage II and the latter is shifted on the rail I2 to the left in Fig. 1, the roller 23 meanwhile traversing the second rail 24 to maintain said member 22 at the aforesaid elevation. The latteris such that the suction heads I1 and I8 with the previously picked up labels held on the surfaces thereof are caused to pass in adhesive receiving relation to the adhesive applying roller 21 whereby the latter imparts a coating of adhesive to the exposed surfaces of each of said labels. The continuing travel of the carriage II on the roller I2 to the left in Fig. 1 carries the adhesive coated labels to the applying station on which the roller 23 of the member 22 is in registry with the recess 26 of the second rail 24. At this point the member 22 is moved downwardly on the carriage II to correspondingly move the suction heads I1 and I8 downwardly and cause the adhesive coated labels carried thereby to be deposited concurrently upon the articles carried in label receiving. position by either of the article supporting means shown in the drawing. In proper synchronism with the operative cycle of the machine suction is discontinued in the suction heads I1 and I8 which are then raised by an upward movement of the member 22 whereby the labels previously carried by said suction h ads I1 and I8 remain in adhesive connectio with the articles on the supporting means. At this stage the elevation of the member 22 on the carriage II is such that the suction heads l1 and I8 during the return movement of the parts to the label pick-up station pass above and out of adhesive receiving relation to the adhesive applying roller 21. Subsequently to the initial application of the labels to the articles by the suction heads I1 and I8 and in proper timing with the return movement of the carriage II and its associated parts, the

lever 33 is pivotally actuated to move the plunger 32 downwardly and thereby bring the pressure device 3| into action to concurrently press said labels upon said articles whereupon the labeled articles may be removed from the machine in any conventional manner.

Referring to the article supporting means of Fig. 2 it will be noted that normally the holding member or plate 38 occupies a slightly inclined position in which the article 43 is at a somewhat higher level than the article 42. with this arrangement as the suction heads I1 and I8 are moved downwardly in the manner previously described the suction head I8 with its label will come into contact with the article 43 first, and as the downward movement of the suction head continues will develop a downward pressure on said article 43 which will swing the holding member or plate 38 on its pivot 38 against the tension of the spring 44 and thereby permit the suction head II with its label to properly contact the article 42 on said holding member'or plate 38. The same is true in the operation of the pressure device 3I which first contacts the previously applied label on the article 43 and subsequently contacts the label previously applied to the article 42. In each instance as the holding member or plate 38 is pivotally actuated in the manner described the stop screw BI or its equivalent, in co-operation with the member or plate 38, will serve to resist the operative efiect of the pressure device to enable the latter to efilciently complete the application of the label particularly to the article 43. As the suction heads I! and I8 and the pressure device 3I are raised in the manner previously set forth the spring 44 will restore the holding memberv or plate 38 to its initial inclined position in contact with the stop screw 41, as illustrated in Fig. 2. With this arrangement of supporting means articles of different transverse dimensions may be concurrently and efliciently applied simply by placing the larger article in the seat 4| of the holding member or plate 38 as exemplified by the article 43 in Fig. 2. As this larger article 43 is engaged by the suction head I8 it will be depressed thereby to enable the suction head II with its label to contact the smaller article such as 42 in the operation of applying the label thereto.

' In the case of the supporting means shown in Fig. 3 and assuming that the articles to be labeled are identical with each other in form and dimensions, the suction heads H and I8 will bring their labels concurrently into adhesive contact with said

articles

42 and 43, and the pressure device 3i likewise will concurrently engage both articles 42 and I3 to concurrently complete the application of the labels thereto. If either one of the

articles

42 or 43 is of larger dimensions than the other, the larger one of the two articles will be first engaged by the co-opcrating suction head and the holding member or plate 38 will be pivotally actuated or rocked against the tension of one of the springs 44 or I4 to enable the other suction head to contact the other article so that even in such case both labels will be concurrently applied to said articles. The subsequent operation of the pressure device 3| will correspondingly rock'the holding member or plate 38 to thereby concurrently complete the adhesive application of both labels to both

articles

42 and 43.

plurality of labels to a plurality of articles. In stead of applying a plurality of articles concurrently to different articles the article supporting means may be arranged to support a given article in position to concurrently receive a plurality of labels at different predetermined points of its surface. If the different parts of such artiale to which the different labels are to be applied are not located in the same label receiving plane, the holding member or

plate

38 or 38 will be rocked by the action of the suction heads or their equivalent to automatically position said diilerent parts of said given article in proper label receiving position. The pressure device ll will correspondingly adjust the article by the rocking of the holding member or plate 3| or Il in a manner to compensate for their inequalities of the article being labeled or differences in the position of the label receiving parts thereof.

In all forms the article supporting means in cooperation with the label applying means automatically sets the plurality of articles or diflerent parts of given articles in proper label receiving position. It will be understood that the article supporting means may be constructed in other ways than shown to secure the same results.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such variations and modifications, are considered to be within the purview and scope of the claims.

1. In a labeling machine, the combination of movable supporting means for articles to be labelled, and applying means for eflecting the simultaneous application of a plurality of labels to said articles and in co-operation with the latterror adjusting said movable supporting means to automatically set said articles in the most efllcient label receiving position.

2. In a labeling machine, the combination of movable supporting means for simultaneously supporting a plurality of articles in label receiving positions, and applying means for simultaneously applying labels to said plurality of articles, and in co-operation with-the latter'for adjusting said movable supporting means to automatically set said articles individually in the most efllclent label receiving positions.

3. In a labeling machine, the combination of supporting means for simultaneously supporting a plurality of articles in label receiving positions, at least one of said articles being rigidly supported and another of said articlesbelng yieldingly supported, and applying means foreifecting the application of labels to said plurality of articles simultaneously and for acting on said yieldingly supported article to adjust said supporting means to automatically set said last named article in proper label receiving position relatively to said rigidly supported article.

4. In a labeling machine, the combination of a rocking member for simultaneously supporting a plurality of articles to be labeled, and a plurality of co-acting label applying devices each efiective to apply a label to one 01 said articles, said co-acting applying devices in co-operation with said articles adjusting said rocking member to automatically set said articles individually in proper relative label receiving positions.

5. In a labeling machine. the combination of a rocking member provided with a plurality of relatively fixed seats each adapted to accommodate an article to be labeled, a spring eflfective on said rocking member to yleldingly maintain it in normal position, and a plurality of co-acting label applying devices each effective to apply a label to one of said articles, said rocking member and its spring in co-operation with said co-acting applying devices acting on said articles automatically setting the latter in proper relative label receiving positions.

6. In a labeling machine, the combination of a stationary standard, a holding member pivotally connected at an intermediate point with said standard and provided with a plurality of article receiving seats at least one of which is in registry with said pivot and another in of!- set relation thereto, applying means co-operating with said holding member for effecting the ap-' plication of labels simultaneously to articles in said seats, pressure means for completing the application of said labels by pressure, and an adjustable stop co-operating with said holding member in registry with said oif-set seat to resist the pressure of said pressure means.

7. In a labeling machine, the combination of a stationary standard, a rocking member pivotally mounted on said standard and provided with a plurality of seats for accommodating articles to be labeled, a spring connected with said rocking member, a stop for arresting pivotal movement of said rocking member, and a plurality of coacting label app ying devices for applying labels simultaneously to the articles in the respective seats.

8. In a labeling machine, the combination of a stationary standard, a rocking member pivotally mounted on said standard and provided with a plurality of seats for accommodating articles to be labeled, a spring connected with said rocking member, a stop for arresting pivotal movementof said rocking member under themfluence of said spring, a plurality of co-acting label applying devices for applying labels simultaneously to the articles in the respective seats, I

pressure means for completing the application of said labels by pressure, and a second stop cooperating with said rocking member to resist the pressure of said pressure means.

9. In a labeling machine, the combination of a stationary standard, a rocking member pivotally connected at an intermediate point with said standard and provided with a pair of seats located upon opposite sides of said pivotal connection for receiving articles to be labeled, springs connected with opposite ends of said rocking member for normally maintaining the same in balance. and a plurality of co-acting label applying devices for applying labels simultaneously to the articles in the respective seats.

10. In a labeling machine, the combination of a stationary standard, a rocking member pivotally connected at an intermediate point with said standard and provided with a pair of seats located upon opposite sides of said pivotal connection in approximate symmetrical relation thereto for receiving articles to be labeled, springs connected with the opposite ends of said rocking member for normally maintaining the same in balance, a plurality of co-acting label applying devices for applying labels simultaneously to the articles in the respective seats, said rocking member and its springs in co-operation with said co-acting label applying devices autothe-rocking movements of said rocking member.

' 11. In a labeling machine, the combination of. a stationary standard, a holdingmember pivotv allyconnectedat an intermediate point with said standard and'provided' with a plurality 0'!- article receivingseats at least'one or whiohis in re'g'is-.

a stationary standard, a rocking member pivotally connected at an intermediate point with said standard and provided with a pair of seats located upon-opposite sides of said pivotal connection for receiving articles to be labeled, a horizontally reciprocabl carriage, a'member vertically reoiprocable on said carriage, a pair of co-acting try with said; pivot and another in offset rela-;

tion thereto, a horizontally reciprocablecarriage;

a member verticallyv reciprocable' on said =cajr"-; riage, a pair of co-acting suction heads carried,

by said memberi'or carrying'lab'els and applying the same simultaneously-to .articlesflnsaid seats, 7 andpressure means for completing the-applioa= jl 5: 1 I

.tion-of said labelsby pressure. 1

suction heads for carrying labels and applying lo the same simultaneously to the articles in said seats, and pressure means for completing the application ,of 'said labels ;by pressure.

(molten w. von HbFE.

, f "'12. a labeling machineQthe combination of