US2717711A

US2717711A - Labelling machines

Info

Publication number: US2717711A
Application number: US286493A
Authority: US
Inventors: Banks Sydney Ernest
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-05-08
Filing date: 1952-05-07
Publication date: 1955-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-13

Description

Sept. 13, 1955 s E, BANKS 2,717,711

LABELLING MACHINES Filed May 7, 1952 Inventor By W' A ttorney LABELLING MACHINES Sydney Ernest Banks, Shefield, England Application May 7, 1952, Serial No. 286,493

Claims priority, application Great Britain May 8,1951

6 Claims. (Cl. 21654) This invention relates to labelling machines of the type in which a label is gummed by being caused to adhere to the surface of a pick-up member and is then applied, gummed-side out, to the surface of a delivery member, where it is held by suction until it is presented by that member to a bottle, can, or other article of a succession of articles fed to the machine. In this type of machine, the gumming of the label previous to its application to the delivery member ensures that the only gum presented tothe article is that on the label, the danger of gum being applied from the delivery member to a part of the article not to be covered by the label-and perhaps thence from the article to some other part of the machine-heing avoided. Moreover, the control of the label by suction on its application to the delivery member and then during-its presentation to the article permits the label to be placed accurately in the desired position on the article.

For firm adhesion of the label to. the article, the labelmust' have gum extending to a substantial proportion of the whole periphery of its edge, and care must therefore be taken. in making contact to effect transfer from the pick-up member to the delivery member that that. contact isv not to a gummed portion of the label. Unless this precaution is taken, there is the danger that gum will accumulate on parts of the transfer mechanism, to. the eventual detriment of the working of that mechanism.

The invention is concerned with pick-up and delivery members of cylindrical type, which lend themselves to high-speed operation, because the main movements; arising are those of simple rotation, and one objectaof the inventionv is to provide for effective transfer of the. label. from one cylindrical member to the other.

According to the present invention, a labelling machine of the type in which articles are fed in succession to and through a labelling station comprises. a delivery memberin the form of a rotatable cylindrical surface, a pick-upmember in the form of a secondcylindrical but interrupted surface rotatable in the opposite. sense and mounted adjacent to the delivery member, but with clearance between itself and the. delivery member, means to apply gum to the interrupted surface of the pick-up member, a label stack adjacent to the pick-up member to present labels in turn to its gummed surface, for each label. to be carried to a position in which the gummed surface approaches the surface of the delivery member, transfer means operable through the interrupted part of they pick-up member surface and thereby adapted to make contact with a part of a label not receiving gum and to push the label from the gummed surface on to the adjacent surface of the delivery member, and suction openingsv in the appropriate part of the delivery member surfaceto: secure. a transferred label, gummed-side out, to the delivery member ready for application to, an. article. fed to the delivery member.

The pick-upanddelivery members are preferably complete: drums, providing continuous cylindrical surfaces, of which at least that of the delivery drum may have-a periphery sufiicient to hold more than one of the succes- United States Patent 2,711,711 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 sively transferred labels, with consequent reduction of its rate of rotation. The label stack may likewise be carried by a stack drum (advantageously large enough to carry several stacks), so that the major elements of the machine all have movements of simple continuous rotation.

It is important that the transfer of a label from the pick-up member to the delivery member is effected with the-position of the label always under control. This may be eifected by transfer mechanism using only a simple Continuous rotary drive, e. g. by using a pulley Within the curved surface of the pick-up member, a circumferential gap being provided in that surface opposite the pulley, a pulley outside the pick-up member and approaching the surface of the delivery member beyond the nearest approach of the pick-up and delivery members to each other, an endless band or belt passing over the pulleys, and means to drive a run of the band through the gap to engage a label at its ungummed surface resulting from the interruption in the surface of the pick-up member provided by the gap and to press the label by the band on to the suction surface of the delivery member. A circumferential groove in the pick-up member may provide both the interrupted surface and one of the pulleys, this pulley being, of course, driven because of the rotation of the pick-up member. The approach of the pick-up member to the delivery member may be quite close, the separation leaving, however, sufficient clearance to avoid transfer of'gum to the delivery member from the gummed surface of the pick-up member not covered by a label. For. any but very small labels, it is preferable to provide at least two gaps and two endless bands, to ensure smooth transfer; the surface of the pick-up member between pairs of gaps also provides for the central portion of the label to receive gum.

Another form of transfer mechanism comprises a pusher operable from within the pick-up member through an aperture interrupting the pick-up surface, and means to press the pusher through the aperture at the nearest approach of the pick-up member to the delivery member, thus detaching a label from the gummed surface by engagement with an ungummed part of the label and carrying it across the clearance space between the members for it to be secured by suction to the delivery member. The space between the members should be substantial, tov ensure the removal of the edges of the label from the gummed surface as the label flexes under the pressure of the, pusher: Itis most desirable that the label be secured to. the pusher during transfer, to avoid incorrect positioning on' the delivery member. This may be effected by suction applied to the surface of the pusher. The pusher may have two or more label-engaging surfaces, co-operating with as many apertures. The pusher preferably rotates with the pick-up member, so remaining in register with the aperture or apertures; it may then be conveni'ently operated by moving past a stationary cam.

The peripheral speed of the delivery member is synchronised with the rate at which articles are brought to it by the feeding means. If more than one label is held by suction to a delivery drum at any one time, the drum then makes a partial revolution for each article brought to it. Since the motion is one of rotation,: the speed can readily be synchronised to any practical rate of forwarding articles.

The peripheral speed of the pick-up member should correspond with that of the delivery drum member, but it may have a lesser diameter, if a large delivery drurnis used sufficient to hold several labels simultaneously. If the endless band transfer mechanism is used, the angular rate of rotation of a pick-up drum may. differ from that" of a delivery drum, when successive labels may be picked up at different parts of the pick-up drum surface, thus ensuring that each part of the surface transfers gum to labels and avoiding a surplus of gum at any part of the drum. With pusher transfer, the pick-up drum diameter must either equal or be a simple fraction part of the delivery drum di. ameter.

If the label stack is carried by a third drum, this is rotatable at the same peripheral speed as before but in a sense opposite to the pick-up member. The endmost label in the stack is pressed to the gummed surface of the pick-up member and is peeled from the body of labels in the stack. There may be more than one label stack in the third drum, either supplying the same kind of label, or more than one kinde. g., if an article is to be provided with more than one label at different parts of its periphery, or if successive articles are to receive different labels in some predetermined order. A single label long enough to surround completely (or substantially so) the periphery of an article may be supplied by the stack.

The gum may be supplied by rollers, bands, or the like-preferably continuouslyfrom a supply of liquid gum to the surface of the pick-up drum.

Various forms of mechanism according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of one form of transfer mechanism;

Figures 2 and 3 show another form of transfer mechanism, Figure 2 being a plan on the line 22 of Figure 3. Figure 3 being a sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a part-sectional plan showing another form of transfer mechanism.

In Figure l, a pick-up drum 1 has a circumferential groove 2, about which passes an endless band 3. The band also passes round a small pulley 4, which presses it into contact with the surface of a delivery drum 5. A clearance 6 between the drums 1 and 2 is bridged by the band 3 as it leaves the groove 2 to follow a short arc 7 of the drum until it meets the pulley 4.

In Figures 2 and 3, a pick-up drum 8 consisting of spaced flange discs 9 on a common shaft 10 has a clearance 11 between itself and a delivery drum 12. Arms 13 carry grooved pulleys 14 inside the spaces between the discs 9 and similar grooved pulleys 15 outside the drum 8 and endless belts 16 passing round each pair of

pulleys

14, 15 are brought into contact with an are 17 of the drum 12, bridging the clearance 11 as they pass from inside the drum 3.

The edges of the discs 9 receive gum from a transfer roll 18, which in turn receives a level coating from a gum roll 19 provided with a doctor 20. The freshly gummed edges are carried past a first label stack 21, at that moment drawn clear of the edges and Contact a second label stack 22. The stack 21 is then brought into contact with the edges. Both stacks 21, 22 are moved in the direction of rotation of the drum 8 for each to leave a label adhering to the gummed edges of the discs 9. The stack 22 is withdrawn to allow the label picked from the stack 21 to pass. The stack 21 is also withdrawn. Thus two labels are brought in turn to the gap 11.

The cylindrical surface of the drum 8 is interrupted by the gaps between the discs 9 and the parts of a label overlying the gaps do not receive gum. It is these ungummed parts of the label that make contact with the belts 16 at the pulleys 14 near the clearance 11, so that there is no danger of the belts picking up gum any accumulation of which on the belts might seriously interfere with their correct functioning.

The belts 16 detach the leading edge of each label and press the outer (ungummed) face of the label to the drum 12, leading the label on to the drum 12 without disturbing the register of the label provided by the setting of the

stacks

21, 22 in relation to the drum 8. The drum 12 is faced with resilient material 23 and its periphery is pierced with suction holes 24 connected by flexible tubes 25 (one only shown) to a stationary valve plate 26 connected by a tube 27 to a suction source. The rotation of the drum 12 causes suc tion to be applied to a label held to the drum by the belts 16 and the label remains adhering in correct register until it makes contact at the labelling station with an article 28 rolled by the drum along a curved presser member 29, concentric with the drum.

The label thus adheres by one central and two outer bands of gum received from the three discs 9. More or less discs than three may be used, depending on the dimensions of the label. Similarly, more than one endless band 3 as in Figure 1 may be used with a pickup drum 1 having more than one groove 2. The drum 1 may be gummed as described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

In Figure l, the band 3 is driven at the peripheral speed of the delivery drum 5 by the bottom of the groove 2 having that same speed. In Figures 2 and 3, the belts 16 are driven by their contact with the drum 12 and so have the same speed as the periphery of the drum.

In Figure 4, labels are applied in turn by stacks 30 carried by a rotatable drum 31 to the periphery of a pick-up drum 32 which has been gummed (e. g. as in Figure 2). Each label is received over an aperture 33 in the drum 32. In line with each aperture is a transfer pusher 34, normally retracted by a spring 35 to leave the periphery clear to receive a label.

As an aperture 33 approaches a wide clearance 36 between the drum 32 and a delivery drum 37, a roller follower 38 on the pusher 34 in that gap is moved outwards as it passes over a stationary cam 39 inside the drum 32 and causes the pusher to press against the ungummed surface of the label over the aperture to commence detachment of the label from the surface of the drum 32. The wide clearance 36 allows sufi'lcient travel for the pusher to detach the label completely.

Suction is applied to each pusher 33 via a flexible tube connected to a source of suction (a stationary valve plate as in Figures 2 and 3 providing a suitable timing control), so that the label is held to the pusher by a suction passage 41. A label 42 is shown completely detached from the surface of the drum 32 and about to be applied to the resilient surface 43 of the delivery drum 37. Suction openings 44 through the periphery of the drum 37 draw the label to the delivery drum and the suction at the pusher 34 is broken.

The drum 37 then carries the label to a labelling station for application to an article, e. g. as in Figures 2 and 3.

What I claim is:

1. A labelling machine comprising a continuously rotatable delivery member provided with suction openings adapted to hold to the delivery member the non-gummed faces of labels presented in sequence to the member, whereby the member may present to an article to be labelled the gummed face of a label held to the member, a pick-up drum rotatable in the opposite direction to the delivery member, at the same peripheral speed, with a gap between the drum and the delivery member, the periphery of the drum being interrupted, a gumming device for the application of liquid gum to the periphery of H the drum, a label stack movable to bring labels in turn into contact with the gummed periphery of the drum for detachment of the labels from the stack in sequence, and mechanical means movable in the interrupted portion of the periphery of the drum at the same peripheral speed from within the periphery to beyond the periphery to engage that portion of a label that is ungummed because it lies over the interrupted portion of the periphery, to detach from the drum the portion of the label engaged to the gummed periphery, and to carry the non-gummed face of the label across the gap and over the suction openings of the delivery member for attachment of the label to the delivery member.

2. A labelling machine comprising a continuously rotatable delivery member provided with suction openings to hold to the delivery member the non-gummed faces of labels presented in sequence to the member, whereby the member may present to an article to be labelled the gummed face of a label held to the member, a pick-up drum continuously rotatable in the opposite direction at the same peripheral speed, with a gap between the drum and the delivery member, apertures interrupting the periphery of the drum, a gumming device for the application of liquid gum to the periphery of the drum, a label stack movable to bring labels in turn into contact with the gummed periphery of the drum for detachment of the labels from the stack in sequence, transfer pushers partaking of the rotary movement of the pick-up drum and also movable through the apertures, and means for so moving each pusher through its aperture when the aperture reaches the gap between the drum and the delivery member, for the pusher to engage that portion of a label that is ungummed because it lies over the aperture, to detach from the drum the portion of the label engaged to the gummed periphery, and to carry the non-gummed face of the label across the gap and over the suction openings of the delivery member for attachment of the label to the delivery member.

3. A labelling machine as in claim 2, wherein the transfer pushers are provided with suction openings to hold the label as it is being carried across the gap after detachment from the gummed periphery of the pick-up drum.

4. A labelling machine comprising a continuously rotatable delivery drum provided with suction openings adapted to hold to the drum the non-gummed faces of labels presented in sequence to the drum, whereby the drum may present to an article to be labelled the gummed face of a label held to the drum, a pick-up drum continuously rotatable in the opposite direction at the same peripheral speed, with a gap between the two drums, a

circumferential interruption of the pick-up drum periphery, a gumming device for the application of liquid gum to the periphery of the pick-up drum, a label stack movable to bring labels in turn into contact with the gummed periphery for detachment of the labels from the stack in sequence, an endless band mounted for movement from within the groove in the pick-up drum across the gap, and a pulley to guide a run of the band round part of the periphery of the delivery drum after the band has crossed the gap, whereby the band may engage the portion of a label that is ungummed because it lies over the groove, detach the portions of the label engaged to the gummed periphery, carry the label across the gap, and apply the non-gummed face of the label over the suction openings of the delivery member for attachment of the label to the delivery member.

5. A labelling machine as in claim 4, wherein the endless band passes round the bottom of the groove, to be driven by the rotation of the pick-up member.

6. A labelling machine as in claim 4, wherein a second pulley is provided for the endless band within the pick-up member, for the band to be driven by its contact between the pulleys with the part of the delivery drum periphery into which it is brought into contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 419,399 Ainsworth et al. Ian. 14, 1890 1,355,219 Feybush Oct. 12, 1920 1,653,910 Meyer Dec. 27, 1927 2,509,902 Banks May 30, 1950 2,525,741 Van Hofe et a1 Oct. 10, 1950 2,635,776 Cook et al Apr. 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 570,572 Germany Feb. 17, 1933 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Packaging, vol. 26, No. 7, March 1953, pp. 92 to 95. Published by Modern Packaging Inc.