Patent ID: 6668895
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: B65C,Y10T

Abstract:
A labeling machine, comprising:a rotatably-mounted supply drum; an elongate length of label-carrying backing being coiled about said supply drum; a rotatably mounted take-up drum for collecting said backing after labels have been removed therefrom; a label-peeling means for sequentially removing labels from said backing, said label peeling means adapted to apply labels to product packages that are transported to a label applying station by conveyor means; said label-peeling means being positioned between said supply drum and said take-up drum; a rotatably mounted drive wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart knurled sections formed on its circumference and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart recessed sections formed on its circumference, said knurled sections and recessed sections being disposed in alternating sequence about said circumference of said drive wheel; a drive shaft onto which said drive wheel is mounted for conjoint rotation; said drive shaft and hence said drive wheel being rotated at a predetermined number of revolutions per minute; a rotatably mounted pressure wheel disposed in meshing engagement with said knurled sections of said drive wheel; a detent means for opposing travel of said backing; releasing means for momentary releasing said detent just before a knurled section of said drive wheel engages said pressure wheel so that rotation of said drive wheel drives said backing through said label peeling means and affects application of a label to a product package at said label applying station, and; said pressure wheel being disengaged from said drive wheel when respective recessed sections of said drive wheel are in juxtaposition with said pressure wheel so that said detent means holds said backing against travel so that a product package carried by said conveyor means travels a predetermined distance and no label is applied thereto during said disengagement.