US2814269A

US2814269A - Apparatus for feeding and coating labels

Info

Publication number: US2814269A
Application number: US436939A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stahr Rudolf
Original assignee: Jagenberg Werke AG
Current assignee: Jagenberg AG; Jagenberg Werke AG
Priority date: 1953-07-03
Filing date: 1954-06-15
Publication date: 1957-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1974-11-26

Description

Nov. 26, 1957 R. STAHR 2,814,269

' APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND COATING LABELS Filed June 15, 1954 2 SheetsSheet 1 Nov. 26, 1957 R. STAHR 2,814,269

7 APPARATUS F OR FEEDING AND COATING LAEELS Filed June 15; 1954 2 Shegats-Sheet 2 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND COATING LABELS Rudolf Stahr, Metzkausen, near Mettmann, Germany, assignor to Jagenberg-Werke Akt.-Ges., Dusseldorf, Germany Application June 15, 1954, Serial No. 436,939

Claims priority, application Germany July 3, 1953 ,4 Claims. (Cl. 118-236) The present invention broadly relates to the art of labelling.

More particularly this invention relates to a method and apparatus for withdrawing the end label from a stack of labels in a labelling machine.

The invention further relates to a method and means for withdrawing labels from a label magazine and applying these labels to a rotary adhesive applying surface from which the labels are removed and transferred to the articles to be labelled.

Still more particularly, the invention relates to a method and means for withdrawing labels from a magazine and simultaneously applying adhesive thereto in which the end label of the stack is removed by a rotating adhesively coated surface with the label stack being moved to and from tangentially to the circular path of movement of the adhesively coated label withdrawing and receiving surface.

Heretofore in handling relatively long labels in a known labelling machine of this general type it was necessary that the label magazine execute a working stroke which corresponded substantially to the length of the label whereby the length of this working stroke being a long path of movement placed undue limitation on the efficiency of the machine.

By contrast, the present invention has for an object to increase the efiiciency of the labelling machine and to provide a method and apparatus for withdrawing the end label from a stack of labels which includes interrupting the forward motion of the magazine after effecting partial detachment of the end label by engaging the latter with the adhesively coated surface, following which contact pressure is maintained between the adhesively coated surface and the end label of the stack whereby the end label is detached by the continued rotary motion of the surface relative to the now stationary stack of labels.

In accordance with the present invention, the trailing end of the label in relation to the forward stroke of the magazine is maintained in contact with the adhesively coated surface and pulled from the stationary stack of labels while a contact pressure is maintained, that is, the weight of the stack presses the end label against the moving label receiving surface whereby the adherence of the label to the said surface is enhanced with particular reference to the rear or trailing end of the label.

As a further object the invention provides in a labelling machine a plurality of label supports embodied with the label magazine and extending inwardly from the said end of the magazine beneath the end label of the stack. These supports are arranged in spaced relation transverse to the path of movement of the magazine to brace the rear or trailing end of the label stack.

It is a further feature of the invention to have a plurality of stationary label supports mounted in groups on each side of the contact line between the adhesively coated surface and the lower plane of the stack so as to brace the stack of labels throughout its lengthwise dimension.

As, a further feature the label supports that are em- ICC bodied with and moved with the magazine and the stationary supports are constituted by narrow strip members which are respectively spaced and distributed throughout the width of the stack of labels such that the movable supports in their forward movement project in the space in between the stationary supports that are on the adjacent side of the contact line.

Further and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic and side elevation of a labelling machine embodying the concept of the invention with the parts shown at the commencement of the labelling cycle,

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary views illustrating the magazine and the label withdrawing and receiving surface in successively different positions during the withdrawal of the end label from the stack,

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along lines 5-5 of Figure 3 and illustrating the movable label supports carried by the magazine in their relation to one set of the fixed label supports.

As illustrated in the drawings, the stack of labels noted at 1 are supported in the label magazine 2. The label magazine is secured to a slide 3 which reciprocates along guide 4. 'The lever 5 effects the reciprocation of the slide. Supported beneath the path of movement of the slide and magazine is the uninterruptedly rotating drum carrying the adhesive receiving and label withdrawing surface or segment 6. Shaft 7 supports the drum for rotation. The segment 6 is, as known in the art, a raised surface which moves past and in contact with a dipping roll 8 dipping into adhesive in a receptacle 9. A scraper or doctor blade 11 which is adjustably mounted by means not shown determines the thickness of the adhesive film carried by dipping roll 8 for retransfer to the segment 6. The article 12 to be labelled is placed upon a platen or support 13 by hand or any suitable mechanical conveying method. Above this support 13 is disposed a stationary fulcrum or pivot 14 on which is movable by push rod 16 a gripping mechanism including an angularly disposed arm 23 having grip fingers 15 on the ends thereof. This gripping mechanism is operative to grasp the forward edge of the label as it is withdrawn from the stack and remove it from the segment 6 when the leading edge of the latter passes into the path of movement of the grip fingers 15. The presser element 17 is reciprocally mounted above the platen 13 in guides, not shown, for pressing the label upon the article after the label has been released by the grip fingers. To open and close the grippers 15 for taking over the label from the segment.6 and releasing it above the article 12 the roller lever 10 is provided on one of the gripper fingers 15. It is operated through the fixed cam 21, when the label is taken from the segment 6, and through the cam 22 fitted to the holder of the presser element 17, when the label is transferred to the article 12.

On the rear wall of the label magazine 3 are mounted a plurality of angle-shaped strip elements constituting label supports. These supports have a long arm which projects beneath a stack of labels. These strip elements 18 move with the magazine and are spaced transversely of the stack of labels as shown in Figure 5. Additionally in order to brace the stack of labels groups of mutually spaced stationary label supports 19 and 20 are mounted on each side of the line of contact between the leading edge of the segment 6 and the end label of the stack whereby as the magazine is moved forwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 to those shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 the pile of labels is supported by the

supports

18, 19 and 20. The gap between the facing edges of

supports

19 and 20 is such that the weight of the labels presses the end label and maintains it in contact with the moving segment 6. Thus the bottom label is supported tangentially in the plane of movement of the segment.

'All; movements. are made from. the driving,shaft..24: on which the gear wheel 25 is arranged to-mesh with the gear 26 on the shaft of the'dipping. roll;8,.which inturn drives thev gear.27 and thus the segment 16. The reciprocating .movementof the label magazine. 2.:is caused by the cam 28, also fixed on theshaft 24, in connection withthe roll 29 .of the, lever arm 5. The. roll is kept on the cam-by the. tension spring. 30 fitted to thearm anda fixed point. The lever .23 carrying the gripper fingers 15 is similarly operated. The. lever arm 31 is in contact with .the:.cam"33 through-the roll 32. operating the lever 23 by.rod:16. The holder of the presser element 17 is provided with the bolt 34 for the fork lever 35. The control. lever 36 is operated through roll 37 and cam 38 transferring'its up andwdownmovement'through the rod 39 to the fork lever '35and thus to the presser element 17.

In the operation in accordance with-the invention, at the beginning of a label cycle the magazine and segment occupies the position illustrated in Figure 1, that is, the leading edge of the segment which has previously received adhesive from the transfer roll 10 is flush with the forwardedge of the end label with the label-magazine moving in the direction of the arrow. Upon further forwardmotion of the magazine and additional'or further arcuate motion of segment 6, the latter rolls in contact with the end label of the stack and commences the withdrawal of the same from the stack as shown in Figure 2. The gripping mechanism which has been stationary until the withdrawal of the label is commenced is now actuated-to' dispose the fingers 15in the position shown in Figure 2 whereupon they grasp or grip the leading edge of the label. The gripping mechanism-starts to recede and the segment continues to rotate while the'magazine is moving forwardly until these components reach the position shown in-Figure3, whereupon the forward movement of the magazine is interrupted and stops for a short time. In this position, and as clear from a comparison of the relative positions of the magazine and segment in the diiferent' figures in the drawings, the magazine has moved a linear distance corresponding to approximately one-half the length of the label. During this forward motion'of the magazine, the label supports 18 are moved into the space between stationary label supports 19.

Upon the additional circular movement of the segment 6 that part of the label that is still within the magazine and resting on the supports 18' and19 is withdrawn from the pile, the contact pressure between the pile of labels or stack and the segment 6 assuring an eifective pressing of the trailing end of the lowermost label against thesegment 6. During this action, the gripping mechanism in receding peels the now adhesively coated label from off the segment 6 in order to move the label to the dotted-line position shown in Figure 1, that is, above the article to be labelled. While the gripping mechanism is placing the article to be labelled, the magazine starting from a position of Figure 4, reverses and returns to its initial or starting position. The return movement is initiatedafter the trailing edge of segment 6 has moved out of the contact line that previously existed between the pile of the stack of labels and the segment. When the gripping mechanism has disposed the label over the article 12,-the presser element 17 moves downwardly to press the label to the article.

Thus the reversalof the magazine starting from the position it occupied when its forward motion is interrupted shortens the total length of stroke of the magazine so that this length is less, than the length of the label. In other words, the gripping mechanism and presser element can-now operate on a faster cycle since it is not necessary to incorporate any time lag to accommodate for the movementbfthe label-magazine overa strokeoccasioned by' the length of the label. The invention therefore with particular reference to elongated labels in curtailing the stroke of the magazine permits the operation of the other components of the labelling machine at a faster cycle and thus the efiiciency of. theimachine is enhanced and its productive output is increased.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack of labels in a. labelling machineqincluding an arcuate, label receiving surface adapted: to.be-.coated with adhesive, means mounting the label receiving surface for movement inan arcuate path, a label magazinehaving a stack of elongated labels therein adjacent said surface with the end label.exposed, .means, mounting; the magazine for movement in a to and. fro path with the end label tangentially of and in juxtaposition to thearcuate path of movement of said labelreceiving surface, drive. means for effecting simultaneous continuous movement of the surface and initial movement ofthe. magazine in.a forward direction so that adhesiveapplied to the label receiving surface contacts the end label of the stack and partially withdraws the same,. said drive means. including means for interruptingthe movement of the stack at a positionin its stroke. in'which theend label has been moved in synchronism with. the said surface and in contact therewith a distance corresponding to approximately one-half the length. of .the, label,.said drive means further including means-for temporarily. holdinguthe magazine stationary whereby" the stack of labels: maintains contact pressure between the end label of the stackand the. label receiving surface so that the uninterrupted. movement of the said surface completes the withdrawal of. the end label from the' stack and said drive means reversing the movement of the magazine from the position occupied by the same when its forward motion was interrupted to return the magazine to its initial position through a movement corresponding to only approximately one-half the length of the label so as to increase the number of labels transferred from the stack to the label receiving surface in a given period of time.

2. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack as claimed in claim 1 and including fixed immovable label supporting means carried by the magazine and movable therewith, said label supporting means projecting beneath the end label of the stack and having a substantial length in relation to the length of the label and the forward direction of movement of the stack whereby the rear end of the stack. is supported during label withdrawal.

3. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack as claimed inclaim. 2 ancl'fixed elongated label supporting means stationarily mounted on opposite sides of the line of contact between the adhesively coated surface and the plane of the end label of the stack immediately subjacent the plane of movement of the end label so as to support the stack of labels throughout substantially the lengthwise dimensions thereof during the interval when the magazine is stationary.

4. Means for withdrawing labels from a stack as claimed in claim 3 in which the said label supporting means carried bythe magazine and at least the stationary label supporting means in that side of the line of contact adjacent the rear of the stack are transversely spaced groups of strip members with the mutual spacing of the strip members of the respective groups being so correlated that as the magazine moves forward the strip members carried thereby move into the spaces between the strip members of the stationary group whereby the stack is supported throughout substantially the width thereof and for a substantial distance inwards of its rear end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS