US3684627A

US3684627A - Paperboard container labeling machine

Info

Publication number: US3684627A
Application number: US78059A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Hottendorf
Original assignee: Ametek Inc
Current assignee: Ametek Inc
Priority date: 1970-10-05
Filing date: 1970-10-05
Publication date: 1972-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-15

Abstract

A label applying machine for applying labels to a moving paperboard container sheet or blank, the machine having a conveyor with one conveyor moving faster than a retarding or timing means so that the labels reach a glue applying roll at the proper time and are then fed to a vacuum roll with adjustable vacuum release means. The adjustable vacuum release is arranged so that a label is released and placed on a moving paperboard container sheet at the proper place. The conveyor means also moves a label sidewise as it moves it forward toward the glue applying roll so as to assist in proper location.

Description

W. J- HOTTENDORF PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE Aug. 15, 1972 INVENTOR w d M ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet l WALL/AM J //Offf/VO0RF Filed Oct. 5, 1970 Aug. 15, 1972 w. J. HOTTENDORF 3,634,627

' PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1970 3| 30 g Q gum- Q 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a: L J 27 E 5194 7-1 i 30 L28 j I Y a J 2 g 0 1 INVENTOR F I G 7 Mum/ J harzzwflam ATTO R N EYj Aug. 15, 1972 w. J. HOTTENDORF PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1970 FIG.5

INVENTOR Mum/v1 J/Yavn-wfla/vF 04 7262 PM ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,684,627 PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE William J. Hottendorf, Los Altos Hills, Califi, assignor to Ametek, Inc., New York, N.Y. Filed Oct. 5, 1970, Ser. No. 78,059 Int. Cl. B65c 9/14, 1/02 US. Cl. 156-578 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A label applying machine for applying labels to a moving paperboard container sheet or blank, the machine having a conveyor with one conveyor moving faster than a retarding or timing means so that the labels reach a glue applying roll at the proper time and are then fed to a vacuum roll with adjustable vacuum release means. The adjustable vacuum release is arranged so that a label is released and placed on a moving paperboard container sheet at the proper place. The conveyor means also moves a label sidewise as it moves it forward toward the glue applying roll so as to assist in proper location.

This invention relates to machines for applying labels to paperboard containers.

It is necessary to apply labels to many types of paperboard or corrugated board boxes. Many of these machines in the past have been difficult to adjust so that the labels are properly positioned thereon. The machines must apply the labels at a high rate of speed.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved machine for predeterminedly placing labels onto paperboard container sheets or blanks.

In one aspect of the invention, folded or flat paperboard container sheets or blanks are moved over a vacuum label applying roll means which receives a label with activated adhesive thereon. Adhesive also could be applied or activated on the paperboard container sheet before it reaches the label application station. The vacuum feed roll receives labels from a roll that has the labels fed thereto in such a manner that the label will be positioned properly when it reaches the sheet. Such a conveyor means can include a conveyor arrangement feeding the labels to the roll which feeds the same to the vacuum roll, the conveyor arrangement including one belt means and a retarding or timing belt having lugs thereon associated therewith, the timing belt moving at a slower speed than the other belt means so as to position positively the labels thereon. The vacuum roll can have an adjustable vacuum release so that it releases the forward edge and subsequent portions of a label thereon as it is applied to the moving paperboard container sheet. The conveying means also can be arranged to move the labels in a transverse direction against a side positioning fence as the labels are also moved in a forward direction.

These and other objects, advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and drawings, which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view looking in the direction 3-3 of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the conveyor belt and weight means;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of one end of the vacuum roll;

FIG. 6 is a view looking in the direction 66 of FIG. 5; and

3,684,627 Patented Aug. 15, 1972 FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the other end of the roll of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 1, conveyor belt means 10 carries the shingled labels 10A against stop 11 which is arranged with suitable pressure responsive switch means 11A to stop motor 11B so that the conveyor 10 will come to rest and prevent too many labels at a time being fed under the suction feed arrangement 12.

The suction feed means 12 is mounted on a carriage 13. Carriage 13' has a shaft 14 mounted thereon with levers or arms 15, 16, 17 carried thereby. Suction cup means 18 are carried adjacent the end of lever 17. There may be a plurality of cups 18 above the conveyor belt 10 and mounted transversely thereof. The fluid motor or other suitably actuated mechanism 19 will oscillate the lever system so that the suction cups or pick-up members will move down on the top of a label and pick it up in an oscillating movement. At the same time or shortly thereafter, the carriage means is moved to the right. A separate carriage drive (not shown) could be employed.

The label, which has been fed, will be carried onto conveyor belt means 22 which will move the label to the right or toward the main gluing station to be described hereafter.

Belt means 22 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3) can be composed of a plurality of spaced belts 22A. Between the belts, there is a timing or retarding means indicated generally by 23. The retarding means may comprise a chain means having retarding lugs 24 carried on the chains or belts 24A. The conveyor belts 22 move at a slightly higher speed than the timer chains 24A so that a label is carried and held against the adjacent lug means. The labels thus are fed in at the proper time or position relative to nip rolls 25.

Rolls 20, 27 (FIGS. 1, 3) are tapered in such a manner that the labels tend to move in a direction 28 toward fence means or positioner 29. The belts tend to move to the larger end of

rolls

20, 27, and thus, the belts will run at a slight angle. Offset double crown rolls (not shown) also could be used. In order to assist in the sidewise and forward motion of the labels under the influence of the tapered roll drive means, strip 30 thereabove has balls or spherical means 31 placed in apertures in strip 30, the balls being arranged and sized in conjunction with the apertures in the strip 30 so that the strip will be properly located above the conveyor means 22. The halls and strip are so chosen in weight that different size labels can be properly moved. Heavy balls create too much friction against some labels so that they move too fast which will cause curling of the edges when the labels reach fence 29. Various weight balls can be used to give the proper feed in a direction 35.

At the stripping and applying station or zone, roll 36 carries glue or adhesive from tank 37 so as to apply the glue to the bottom of label A as it is fed from rolls 25 toward the vacuum roll 38. Stripper means 39 will strip the label off of the glue roll 36 and feed it upwardly onto paperboard container sheet C upon the bottom of which the label is to be placed. The paperboard container sheets are fed from station 43 in a conventional manner by kicker means shown schematically at 44.

Vacuum roll 38 has a bafiie arrangement which can be adjusted so as to cut off the vacuum at the proper position so as to release the label and the subsequent portion thereof to the paperboard container sheet to which 'it is to be applied.

Upper roll 40 applies pressure to the top of sheet C so as to press the label thereon. The labeled board is carried to conveyor station 41 where it is picked up by belts 42 and moved sidewise relative to the machine. It, of course, would be possible to move the labeled paperboard container sheet in other manners from the machine.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, 7, roll 38 has a cylinder 45 with apertures 46 therein. Cylinder 45 is carried in bearings 47 in suction journal means 48, a vacuum producing pump or means being connected to pipe 48A.

The other end of the cylinder can be suitably held in a rotatable drive end bearing 49 (FIG. 7). Drive sprocket 50 drives the vacuum cylinder through drive means interconnected with the other drive and driven means so as to properly position the label on the paperboard container.

In order to control the point where the label will be released or freed from the vacuum, oscillatable baffle 51 is carried on shaft 52, shaft 52 being rotatable by control handle 53 so as to position edge 54 of baffie 51 to commence release of the label from the cylinder 38 at the desired point. The 'bafile can have

plates

55, 56 with suitable seals 57 attached thereto. Portion 58 extends between the

plates

55, 56 and covers the vacuum passage 59. Thus, chamber 60 does not have vacuum applied.

It should be apparent that variations in details of construction can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a paperboard container label applying machine, the combination including first roll means, vacuum roll means receiving labels from said first roll means, paperboard container feeding means moving paperboard container sheets to be labeled adjacent said vacuum roll means, and means feeding labels to said first roll means including conveyor means having a first label feeding conveyor continuously moving at a faster speed than a continuously moving retarding conveyor means which receives labels from said first label feeding conveyor means and delivers said labels to said first roll means so as to be predeterminedly positioned thereon for application by said vacuum roll means onto paperboard container sheets as they pass said vacuum roll means.

2. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first roll means applies adhesive to a label thereon.

3. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is means for feeding labels to said pick-up means including an oscillatab le suction cup pick-up means and pressure responsive means for stopping feed of labels under said pick-up means when there are sufiicient labels thereunder.

4. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuum roll means has adjustable vacuum cutoff means to release a label at a predetermined point onto a moving paperboard sheet so as to adjustably position it thereon.

5. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the adjustable means is an oscillatable bafile inside of the vacuum roll means.

6. In a paperboard container label applying machine, vacuum roll means for receiving labels to be applied to a paperboard sheet, means feeding labels to said roll means, means feeding sheets adjacent to said vacuum roll means, and adjustable vacuum cut-01f means carried by said roll means cutting oil vacuum applied to said label as the forward edge of the label is in a position to be applied to said sheet.

7. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the adjustable means is an oscillatable baffle inside of the vacuum roll means.

8. In a paperboard container label applying machine, the combination including first roll means, vacuum roll means receiving labels from said first roll means, paperboard container feeding means moving paperboard container sheets to be labeled adjacent said vacuum roll means, and means feeding labels to said first roll means including conveyor means having a first label feeding conveyor moving at a faster speed than a retarding conveyor means which receives labels from said first label feeding conveyor means and delivers said labels to said first roll means so as to be predeterminedly positioned thereon for application by said vacuum roll means onto paperboard container sheets as they pass said vacuum roll means, said first label feeding conveyor having means imparting side movement as well as forward movement to labels thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,399,616 7/1946 Bailey 156-521 X 3,408,908 11/1968 Berkowitz 156-521 X 2,158,280 5/1939 Fleischer 156285 2,552,019 1/1952 Elsner 156-572 X 2,715,975 8/1955 Doane et a1 156-566 X 3,142,428 7 1964 Faeber 226- 3,204,602 9/ 1965 Ferara 118245 3,496,048 2/1970 Wooten et al. 1'56-578 X 3,536,570 10/1970 Holstein 156572 X 3,540,970 11/1970 Huntwork 156556 3,594,258 7/1971 Dullinger 156570 3,616,092 10/1971 Lavigne 156-566 3,616,094 10/1971 Navin et a1 156'572 X HAROLD ANSHER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 156-566, 570

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATEOF CORRECTION ig I m'efitjmo; gn Dafed August-15,1 72 Y Q ir xven i igo f f William 5. Hbtteiidorf I I It is: certified t h-a i; error appears in' the above -"id e npi-fied 'p tent J and that said Letters Patentjare hereby corrected as "shown below:-

11 18136, s p l j I .1 signed and qs ea gg thisfzth qa oryij wifnbe r}; 19121;";