US2300078A

US2300078A - Controlling means for adhesive

Info

Publication number: US2300078A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1942-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 1959-10-27

Description

0d 27, 1942- G. w. voN HoFE GONTROLLING MEANS FOR ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1941 Oct. 27, 1942.

G. w. voN Hor-'E 2,300,078

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ADH'ESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed June 3,; 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR. GEORGE X4( fo/V alc-5 BY MM A TTO/P/VEY i manner.

Patented Oct. 27, 1942 CON TBOLLING MEANS FOR ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS George W. von Hofe, Bound Brook, N. J., assignor to New Jersey Machine Corporation, Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 3, 1941, Serial No. 396,402 claim.` (o1. 21e-5s) applying adhesive to labels in labeling machines,

and has for its object to provide a novel controlling means for such apparatus whereby the application of adhesive to the labels or their equivalent, is effected in a simple and efficient The invention contemplates further the provision of a novel electrically operated controlling means whereby the application of adhesive is controlled in dependence upon the presenoe of a label or its equivalent, in correct and predetermined applying position on the label carrying means. Other objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

' In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a labeling machine with the novel controlling means embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the adhesive applying apparatus and its novel controlling means;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the controlling means as it appears in Fig. 1, with the parts in different positions Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section on an enlarged scale, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the apparatus and the electrical controlling means looking ln the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1.

For purposes of illustration and description and without intent to define the limits of the invention, the novel controlling means is combined with an adhesive applying apparatus as embodied in a labeling machine of the type disclosed in the Apfelbaum Patent No. 1,711,257, of

, April ao, 1929.

to be labeled is mounted in any convenient way.

Suitable means is provided for enabling the suction head I2 to pick up terminal labels I3 from the upper end of the supply stack at the label pick-up station and for adjusting said suction head I2 on the carriage I0 at the label applying station to apply the carried labels to the articles A on the support I5. During the travel from the label pick-up station to the label applying station the label I3 carried by the suction head I2 in correct applying position at the time, receives an application of adhesive from a suitable adhesive applying apparatus.

The latter in the illustrated example, consists of an adhesive applying roller I6 in tangential receiving relation to or contact with an adhesive distributing roller I'I which dips into a supply of suitable adhesive contained in a receptacle I8 supported in any convenient manner on a bed plate I9 forming part of the frame of the machine.

The distributing roller Il is fixed upon a shaft 20 `which is rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 2| projecting upwardly from the bed plate I9while the applying roller I6 is carried by a shaftf22 journalled in bearing blocks 23 movably mounted in guideways 24 provided in levers 25 pivoted on the shaft 20; for the purpose of yieldingly maintaining the roller I6 in adhesive receiving relation or contact with the roller l1,

. springs 26 may be located between the bearing blocks 23 and the end portions of the levers 25. 'I'he latter are connected by a cross-rod 2l and each has a lug 28 movable vbetween stop screws 29 mounted in ears 30 forming integral parts of the bearing brackets 2|.

The novel controlling means for the adhesive apparatus comprises a main operating rod 3| having its upper end formed with a fork 3lnl pivotally connected with the cross-rod 2l and provided at its lower end with a forked member 32 which slidably straddles a driving or power shaft 33 included in the labeling machine, said shaft 33 being actuated in any suitable manner as shown for instance in the Apfelbaum patent referred to hereinafter. A roller 34 is mounted on the forked member 32 in rolling engagement with a suitable cam 35 fixed upon the shaft 33, said cam 35 in cooperation with the roller 34 controlling the operation of the rod 3l in a manner to adjust the adhesive applying roller I6 to and from its operative position in the normal operation of the machine. l

A sleeve 36 is rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 3l projecting from a bracket 38 secured to and extending downwardly from the bed plate I9. A valve arm 39 preferably forming an integral part of the sleeve 36 extends therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction and at its free end carries a valve 40 preferably mounted on the arm 39 s0 as to be adjustable relatively thereto. The

valve 40 is arranged to control the vacuum opening of a suitably supported valve casing 4I which is connected preferably by means of a exible tube l2 with a conventional source of suction, such as a vacuum pump; in addition the valve casing 4I is connected by means of a preferably flexible tube 43 with the previously ijnentioned suction head I2. A spring 99 has its one end ,secured to the outer end,V of the arm 39 and its other end connected with a screwthreaded hook 45 adjustably mounted on the bed plate I9 by means of a nut 99 and a lock nut 4l. 'I'he spring acts to normally maintain the valve I9 in an open position and to return it thereto as will appear more fully from the description hereinafter.

The novel controlling means further comprises an auxiliary operating rod Il@ located in spaced parallel relation to the main operating rod 3i with its lower end slidably straddling the shaft 33 and carrying a roller 99; the latter is in rolling engagement with a suitable cam 59 secured upon the shaft 33 to rotate therewith. At its upper end the auxiliary rod 95 carries a bracket 5I in slidable engagement with the main rod 3i for guiding the auxiliary rod 98 in its vertical movements. A spring 52 has its one end secured at 53 to a collar 59 adjustably iixed upon the main operating rod 3i and its other end fastened at 55 to the auxiliary operating rod 98; the spring 52 serves to yieldingly maintain the

rollers

39 and 49 in rolling engagement with the

respective cams

35 and 50 and to otherwise act on said rods 3l and 98 as will be pointed out more fully hereinafter. The bracket 5I includes an upright arm 56 from which transverse members 5l and 58 project in horizontal directions above and below the valve arm 39 respectively, in spaced relation thereto. The

members

51 and 58 carry adjustable projections, for instance, in the form of screws 59 and 69 respectively, located in vertical registry l with said arm 93.

'I'he electrically operated means for controlling the adjustment of the adhesive applying apparatus to its operative position in dependence upon the presence of a label or its equivalent, in correct and predetermined applying position on the suction head I2, comprises an electromagnetic coil or solenoid 6I, the core 62 of which is connected with the cross-rod 2l for instance at a point between the legs of the fork 3l, as shown in Fig. 5. A Wire 63 extends from the solenoid 6I to a switch 64 of conventional type which is further connected by means of a wire 65 with a source of electricity such as a battery or generator 66. The latter in turn is connected by means of a wire 61 with the other side of the solenoid 6Iv to complete the electric circuit.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the switch 612 is located in operative proximity to and in registry with the valve arm 39, or more specifically the means whereby the valve 40 is adjustably mounted on said valve arm 39.

In the operation of the labeling machine referred to herein, the carriage I0 is'reciprocated on the guideways II by suitable mechanism as,`

applying station, the label I3 carried by the suction head I 2 passes in tangential contact with the adhesive applying roller I6 and receives an application of adhesive therefrom. When the applying station is reached, the carried label I3 is deposited on the article A on the support, for

instance, by moving the suction head I2 downwardLy on the carriage I9. During these operative steps the suction in the suction head l2 ls controlled in operative synchronism therewith to eiect the desired results. i9 is at that stage in the operative cycle at which the label i3 carried by the suction head I 2 is about to be adhesively applied to the article A on the support I5. Inproper timing with this application of the label I3 to the article A the cam 59 in cooperation with the roller i9 and spring 52 raises the auxiliary rod 98 which carries with it the bracket 5I and causes the screw 59 thereof to engage and swing the valve arm 39 in a direction to shift the valve 46 away from the valve casing I to open the vacuum opening thereof. The suction in the suction head I2 is thus relieved to release the particular label i3 and thereafter the suction head I2 is returned to the raised position on the carriage I0 shown in Fig. 1.

The carriage ID is then shifted to the left on the guideways il to return the suction headl 'I2 to the pick-up station ready to remove the next successive terminal label I3 from the supply stack thereat. In proper synchronism with this movement of the carriage I9 to the left in Fig. 1, the cam 35 acting on the roller 34 raises the main operating rod 35 and thereby rocks the levers 25 on the cross-rod 2l in a direction to shift the adhesive applying roller I6 to an inoperative position below the path of travel of the active face of the suction head I2; this operation of adjusting the adhesive applying roller I6 to an inoperative position is assisted by the action of the solenoid 6I on its core 62, it being understood that the electric circuit in which the solenoid is located is closed by the action of the valve lever 39 on the switch 64 when the valve 99 is moved to its open position as previously described. In this inoperative position the adhesive applying roller I6 does not contact with the active face of the suction head I2 and the latter accordingly is not covered or soiled with adhesive during the return movement of the carriage I 9 toward the left. The adhesive applying roller I6 will be retained, in its inoperative position as long as the solenoid 6I is electrically energized, which energization continues as long as the auxiliary operating rod 93 remains in its raised position to cause the screw 69 to maintain the valve lever 39 in a raised position with the valve 40 in its open position. The adhesive applying roller I5 is thereby ternporarily locked in its inoperative position.

As the operative cycle proceeds, the auxiliary operating rod 49 is moved downwardly by the action of the cam 59 on the roller 49 and carries with it the bracket 5I which is thereby slidably shifted in a downward direction on the main operating rod 3I. The screw 59 movable with the bracket 5I is accordingly caused to engage and rock the valve arm 39 in a direction to'shift the valve 49 against the tension of the spring 44 into engagement with the casing 4I to close the vacuum opening thereof whereby suction is again developed in the suction head I 2. The aforesaid movement of the valve arm 39 away from the switch 64 breaks the electric circuit in which the Solenoid 6I is located and accordingly de-ener- In Fig. 1 the carriage i label I3 of the supply stack and the suction head I2 are brought into surface engagement with each other. If this surface engagement is such as to correctly position said label I3 on the active surface of said suction head I2, a vacuum will be developed in the suction line and the valve 40 will be held in its closed position by atmospheric pressure, and cause the current terminal label I3 Vto be picked up from the supply stack by said suction head I2.

With the solenoid 6I de-energized and the core B2 thereof free to move relatively to said solenoid, the cam 35 and roller 34 in co-operation with the spring 52 will pull the main operating rod .I downwardly and pivotally actuate the levers 25 to shift the adhesive applying roll I6 to the operative position shown in Fig. 1. In continuing the operative cycle, the carriage I moves toward the right in Fig. 1 along the guideways II from the pick-up station to the label applying station, and the label I3 held in place on the suction head I2 -by atmospheric pressure will pass in tangential contact with said adhesive applying roller I6 and will receive an application of adhesive therefrom before the label applying station is reached. At the latter station the label I3 will be applied to an article A on the support I5 in the manner previously described after which the carriage I0 again moves to the left in Fig. 1 to bring the suction head I2 in position at the pick-up station to pick up the next succeeding terminal label I3 from the top of the supply stack.

If the label I3 as it is picked up by the suction head I2 is incorrectly positioned thereon or no label I3 is picked up from the supply stack, air will leak through the uncovered holes in the suction head I2 and reduce the effect of the vacuum on the inner face of the valve 40 and permit the spring M to open said valve 40 due to the lost motion between the arm 39 and the screw 59. As the valve 40 is thus opened the switch 64 will be actuated thereby to close the electric circuit in which the solenoid BI is located and thereby electrically energize said solenoid. As a result the core 62 will be held in its raised position within the solenoid 6I and the main rod 3| will be locked against downward movement to thereby prevent the adhesive applying roller I6 from being shifted to its operative position at the label line.

Because of these operative steps the suction head I2 with the incorrectly positioned label I3 thereon or with no label in place on its active surface will not engage the adhesive applying roller I6 and consequently will not be contaminated or soiled with adhesive therefrom. As soon as the incorrectly positioned label I3 has been removed from the suction head I2 or the latter in the continued operation of the machine thereafter picks up a successive label I3 at the label pick-up station in proper position on its active surface, the controlling means will automatically resume its normal operation and will continue to so operate until another label I3 is improperly positioned on the suction head I2 or no label is picked up thereby.

During an operative period of the machine, the lug 23 in cooperation with the stop screws 29, serves to arrest the rocking movements of the levers 25 and to insure the correct location of the adhesive applying roller I5 in its recurrent operative position.

From the aforesaid description it will be clear that the controlling means controls the adhesive applying means in 4a manner to insure applications of adhesive only to labels properly posi -,.l

tioned on the suction head, and to definitely prevent the application of adhesive to the active face of the suction head if it has failed, for some reason, to properly pick up a label at the pick-up station. The novel controlling means is simple in construction and efllcient in operation and requires no particular supervision at any time. The said controlling means is capable of being installed in existing labeling machines without material dimculty.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an adhesive applying apparatus including an adhesive applying roller movable from an inoperative to an operative position and vice versa, that improvement which comprises a suction line, a valve controlling said suction line to render the suction effective and non-eiective to develop a vacuum therein, operating means for shifting said adhesive applying roller to its operative position and to its inoperative position, and electrical means controlled by the existence and non-existence of a vacuum in said suction line and serving to prevent shifting of the adhesive applying roll from one of said positions to the other when no vacuum exists in the suction line.

2. In an adhesive applying apparatus including an adhesive applying roller movable from an inoperative to an operative position and vice versa, that improvement which comprises a suction line, a valve controlling said suction line to render the suction effective and non-eil'ective to develop a vacuum therein, operating means for shifting said adhesive applying roller to its operative position and to its inoperative position, and electric locking means controlled by said valve for locking said operating means against operation when no vacuum exists in said suction line to thereby maintain said adhesive applying roller in its inoperative position.

3. In an adhesive -applying apparatus including pivotally mounted levers, and an adhesive applying roller rotatably mounted on said levers, that improvement which comprises a suction line having a vacuum opening, operating means for pivotally rocking said levers to adjust said adhesive applying roller from an inoperative to an operative position and vice versa, a valve for controlling said vacuum opening to render the suction effective and non-eiective to develop vacuum in said suction line in dependence upon the position of said valve, the latter being held in its closed position by atmospheric pressure when a vacuum exists in said suction line, a spring for opening said valve when no vacuum exists in said suction line, electric locking means, and an electric switch in circuit with said locking means controlled by said valve to lock said operating means against operation when no vacuum exists in said suction line to thereby maintain said adhesive applying roller in its inoperative position.

4. In a labeling machine including means for supporting a supply stack of labels, means for supporting articles to be labeled, a suction transfer head for removing terminal labels from said stack and depositing said labels on said articles, and adhesive applying means for applying adhesive to said labels during transfer from the supply stack to the articles, said adhesive applying means being movable from an inoperative to an operative position and vice versa, that improvement which comprises a suction line connected with the suction head and provided with a. vacuum op-ening, the development of a vacuum in said suction line being dependent upon the presence of a label on said suction head, operating means for shifting said adhesive applying means to its operative position, a valve for controlling said vacuum opening and held in its closed position by atmospheric pressure when a vacuum exists in said suction line, electric locking means, and an electric switch in circuit with said locking means operated by said valve in its open position to close said circuit whereby said operating means is prevented from shifting said adhesive applying means from its inoperative toits operative position when said valve occupies said open position because of the non-existence of a vacuum in said suction line due to the absence of or incorrect positioning of a label on said suction head.

5. In an adhesive applying apparatus including pivotally mounted levers, and an adhesive applying roller rotatably mounted on said levers,

that improvement which comprises a suction line having a vacuum opening, a main operating rod connected with said levers, means whereby said main operating rod is actuated to rock said levers and adjust said adhesive applying roller from an inoperative to an operative position and vice versa, a valve for controlling said vacuum opening to render said suction effective andnon-effective to develop a vacuum in said suction line in dependence upon the position of said valve, a movable valve arm carrying said valve, a spring for normally maintaining said valve in its open position and for returning it thereto, auxiliary means co-operating with said valve arm for initially closing said valve and -for opening the same, said valve being held in its closed position independently of said co-operating means by atmospheric pressure when a vacuum exists in said suction line, a solenoid connected with a source of electricity and including a core connected with said levers, and an electric switch in circuit with said source of electricity and said solenoid operated by said valve when the latter is in its open position to thereby energize said solenoid and lock said main operating rod against operation and maintain said adhesive applying roller in its inoperative position.

GEORGE W. VON HOFE.