US3528871A

US3528871A - Labeling machine with three of more simultaneously oscillating label magazines

Info

Publication number: US3528871A
Application number: US700779A
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl Alan Muench
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-02-10
Filing date: 1968-01-26
Publication date: 1970-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1987-09-15
Also published as: GB1198373A; FR1562136A; DE1586365A1

Description

Sept. 15, 1970 MUNCH 3,528,871

LABELING MACHINE WITH THREE OR MORE SIMULTANEOUSLY OSCILLATING LABEL MAGAZINES Filed Jan. 26, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG] 2 w 9 r7 l4 2 ,5 z 5 2 v w d 74 \Q INVENTOR Kane; 9. Mafia/l ATT Sept. 15, 1970 K, A MUNCH 3,528,871

LABELING MACHINE WITH THREE OR MORE SIMULTANEOUSLY OSCILLATING LABEL MAGAZINES Filed Jan. 26, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR K424, 4 Mwvay ATTO NEYS United States Patent Office Patented Sept. 15, 1970 LABELING MACHINE WITH THREE F MORE SIMULTANEOUSLY OSCILLATING LABEL MAGAZINES Karl Alan Miinch, Neutraubling, Germany, assignor to Hermann Kronseder, Neutraubling, Germany Filed Jan. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 700,779 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 10, 1967,

K 61,381 Int. Cl. B65c 9/14; B65h 3/44 US. Cl. 156-571 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bottle labeler employing three or more oscillating label magazines which simultaneously oscillate in the same direction as a rotating labeling drum to simultaneously feed labels to the drum. The drum transfers the labels to a label applying turret which applies the labels to spaced bottles in a rotating turret or bottle transporter.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Cross reference is made to assignees copending US. patent application Ser. No. 663,289, filed Aug. 25, 1967.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Where only one or two oscillating labeling magazines are utilized to feed labels to a labeling drum, the speed of oscillation of the magazines must be relatively high if sufficient numbers of labels are to be furnished to supply the demands for high capacity bottle labeling. However, labels cannot be smoothly transferred if the magazines must oscillate at high speed. This limits the speed of drum rotation and limits the number of bottles that can be labeled in such a machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, three or more oscillating label magazines are clustered about a rotating labeling drum. These are actuated to oscillate simultaneously with the rotation of the drum to simultaneously feed labels from each magazine to corresponding label receiving pads on the labeling drum. As the three pads with their labels continue to rotate beyond the range of the magazines, the label magazines oscillate in the reverse direction to a new position, in readiness to feed three additional labels to the labeling drum which, meanwhile, has continued to rotate tobring three more empty pads in range of the magazines. Meanwhile, the pads with labels sequentially transfer their labels to a label transfer turret and thence to the bottles on the label transporter.

Accordingly, the time cycle for the reverse oscillation of the label magazines equals the time period Within which three bottles are labeled. As compared to the prior art devices in which there were only one or two such label magazines for the same bottle output, the oscillating time cycle for the label magazines is lengthened, and the swing speed of the magazines is reduced, thus minimizing problems associated with rapidly oscillating label magazines.

Moreover, as compared to other labelers devised to feed labels to a rotating turret, the labeler of the present invention can be very compact because the spacing between bottles on the transporter turret can be less than in such other devices. In preferred embodiments the labeler of the present invention utilizes glue to pick the labels from the magazines. This constitutes an advantage over some other prior art devices which rely on suction.

In order to be able to increase the capacity of machines with the most economic construction which transfer the labels, taken out of the label container, to a drum where they are glued and retransmitted, the present invention provides that three or more simultaneously swinging label containers are arranged around a rotating taking or labeling drum and that the bottle spacing on the bottle transporter will be reduced proportionally to the desired increase of capacity as against a machine with less than three simultaneously swinging label containers. Moreover, the three or more simultaneously swinging label containers, a glued taking drum, a glue roller and a labeling cylinder, which takes the labels from the glued taking drum and transfers them to the vessels to be labeled, as well as their driving devices are combined in an assembly which is adjacent to the bottle transporter and which can be adjusted in at least one plane.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a labeler embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of said labeler.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may 'be embodied in other specific structure.

The drawings illustrate a labeling machine smoewhat similar to the one shown in assignees copending US. patent application Ser. No. 663,289 above identified. Containers, such as bottles 5, are transported on a label transporter or turret 17 having a table 6 and centering heads 7 between which the bottles are clamped. Labels for the bottles 5 are stored in label magazines 2. The respective magazines are clustered about the label taking drum 1. The magazines or containers 2 are mounted on respective shafts 14 and have their label discharge openings facing the labeling drum 1 which rotates on its shaft 9. Labeling drum 1 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced labeling pads 15 which rotate past a label applying turret or cylinder 4 and a glue roller 3. The directions of movement are indicated by the arrows.

The drive mechanism by which the magazines 2 are oscillated is located in base housing 8 and may be such as is shown in copending application Ser. No. 670,685, now abandoned. The invention is not limited to any such mechanism, as any suitable mechanism may be used which will simultaneously oscillate the magazines 2 so that their discharge ends move at the same circumferential speed and in the same direction as the pads 15 of the labeling drum 1 while the labels are fed to the drum 1.

As is well known, the labeling magazines 2 are also desirably mounted to move in the radial direction with respect to drum 1 so that on the reverse oscillation of the magazines, they will be drawn slightly away from contact with the pads 15.

As labeling drum 1 passes the glue roller 3, glue is applied to the pads 15. At an appropriate time in the cycle of the mechanism when glued pads 15 are in a position to accept labels from the magazines 2, the magazines will oscillate in the same direction as the labeling drum 1 to roll the foremost label .in each magazine over the appropriate pad 15. The glue on the pad will pick the foremost label out of the magazine and adhere it to the pad.

The drum 1 continues to rotate at continuous speed and sequentially transfers the three labels on pads 15 one at a time to the label transfer turret 4 (which may be similar to the one shown in copending application Ser. No. 663,289 aforesaid), and thence to the containers 5 on the rotating bottle turret 6. Meanwhile, the magazines 2 -will be driven by the mechanism in housing 8 to oscillate the magazines in a reverse direction and into a position appropriate for feeding the next batch of three labels to the three following pads 15 on the drum 1. In the disclosed embodiment there are six pads 15 on drum 1.

The label magazines 2, labeling drum 1, glue roller 3, and label transfer turret 4 are all mounted on the housing *8 which is supported on the column 10 which may be shifted vertically in a sleeve 11 on the machine base 16. Accordingly, all of the parts mounted on the housing 8 may be raised and lowered with respect to the bottles 5 on the transporter 6. A

detent mechanism

12, 13 is provided to adjustably and releasably hold the housing 8 in one or another vertical position ideally suited for applying the labels to the appropriate position on the containers 5.

By reason of the present invention, the labels may be transported smoothly and at high speed from the label transfer turret 4 to the containers 5, without necessitating correspondingly high speeds of swinging operation of the magazines 2. Because all of the parts are clustered together on the housing 8 and all labels are transferred to the bottles 5 from the single label transfer turret 4, the spacing between bottles on the turret 17 can be reduced, as compared to prior art devices. Accordingly, a very compact arrangement is made possible, even though the capacity of the labeling machine is increased over prior art devices.

I claim:

1. In a labeler having a bottle transporter, a rotating turret to apply labels to bottles on the transporter as they pass the turret, a rotating labeling drum to transfer labels to the turret, said drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced label transfer pads, and a supply of labels for the labeling drum, the improvement in which said supply of labels comprises at least three label magazines mounted for simultaneous oscillation in the direction of labeling drum rotation whereby to simultaneously transfer labels directly from each magazine to correspond ing pads on the labeling drum as the magazines and drum rotate together.

2. The labeler of claim 1 in which the drum has at least six such pads whereby three label-free pads rotate into label accepting position simultaneously with reverse oscillation of the magazines.

3. The labeler of claim 1 in which there is a glue roller ahead of said magazines to deposit glue on said pads as they swing into position to accept labels from the magazines.

4. The labeler of claim 1 in which the three label magazines and label transfer drum are mounted on a common assembly which is adjustable with respect to the label transporter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,717,711 9/1955 Banks 156-571 X 3,322,597 5/1967 Della Vite 156-364 FOREIGN PATENTS 947,390 1/1964 Great Britain.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 271-9, 64