Device for rotation of the pedestals supporting bottles, or containers in general, in rotary labeling machines

The circular platform of a rotary bottle labeler comprises a plurality of pedestals (2) ranged around its periphery, rotatable about respective vertical axes; each pedestal shaft is connected to a stepping motor (1) and rotated through a given angle calculated by a microprocessor, this in turn in receipt of the output signal from a pulse generator (21) which is driven by the platform and serves to establish the angular position of the pedestals in relation to the axis of the platform. Pulses emitted by the generator are received and counted by the microprocessor, which is programmed to pilot rotation of the stepping motor, hence of the pedestal, in such a way that the bottle above is moved into a prescribed angular position in readiness to receive its label.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to rotary type bottle labeling machinery, and 
concerns a device for rotation of the pedestals by which single bottles, 
or containers generally, are supported during the labeling operations. 
High production labeling machines are embodied in most instances as a 
rotating platform or carrousel, the periphery of which affords a plurality 
of stands, or pedestals, on which the containers for labeling are 
positioned. 
In the course of its rotation, the platform passes in front of one or more 
labeling stations at which labels taken from a magazine are spread with 
glue and transferred singly to the bottles. 
The pedestals, to which the bottles are transferred by star wheel conveying 
devices of conventional type, are capable of rotation about their own axes 
for the reason that with several types of container (for example champagne 
bottles), the label has to be aligned with a previously positioned capsule 
a foil seal over the cap and upper neck portion of the bottle). More 
exactly, the label has to be applied to the container in a predetermined 
position with respect to another part or mark, for example the capsule in 
the case of a champagne bottle. 
The prior art embraces two methods of aligning a bottle with the label it 
is to receive: in a first, the bottles, rotating about their own axes, are 
aligned at the moment of their passage through the star wheel that conveys 
them onto the carrousel; in this instance, alignment is brought about by 
means of a system of photocells and clutch or caliper means that cause 
rotational movement of the bottles to cease on arrival at a given angular 
position. The drawback with this system is that the passage from the star 
wheel device to the labeling pedestal occurs without the bottle being held 
or clamped, the result of which is that it remains free to rotate about 
its own axis, and alignment cannot therefore be guaranteed. 
The second method mentioned is one of aligning the bottle directly on the 
pedestal. To this purpose, use is made of cam-operated brake-clutch 
devices mounted beneath the pedestal, which operate on the cam controlling 
rotation. 
More exactly, the cam is permanently driven by the clutch, whereas the 
brake is applied only when triggered by a photocell that verifies 
alignment. Neither do these brake-clutch clamp devices ensure faultless 
alignment, particularly where different types of bottles are being 
handled, given that rotational inertia forces vary with the change in 
weight and shape of the bottle. 
A further drawback is that cam or maltese cross indexing devices with 
brake-clutch controls of this type are unable to attain high positioning 
rates, with the result that the output of the labeling machine tends to be 
limited. 
Yet another drawback of such systems is that the cam controlling rotation 
of the bottle remains good for one type of bottle only; thus, a change in 
the shape of bottle handled, or in the position of the label on the 
bottle, signifies a change of cam. To increase production, using prior art 
alignment methods, it becomes necessary to construct machines with the 
significantly large carrousel platforms, hence with larger proportions 
overall; even so, the cam problem remains unsolved, and power requirement 
is increased. 
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to overcome the 
drawbacks mentioned above, and in particular, to embody a compact labeling 
machine that is also universal, i.e. capable of faultlessly aligning and 
labeling any type of bottle without any need to change the pedestral 
rotation cams. 
A further object of the invention is to enable changeover from one type of 
bottle to another without any replacement of mechanical parts, but simply 
by reprogramming a data processing circuit. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The stated objects and others besides are realized comprehensively with a 
device according to the invention for rotation of the pedestals supporting 
bottles, or containers generally, in rotary type labeling machine. 
Such a device comprises one stepping motor for each pedestal, connected 
mechanically with the shaft by which the pedestal is rotated, a pulse 
generator operated by the revolving platform of the carrousel and designed 
to establish the angular position of the pedestal in relation to the axis 
of rotation of the platform, in terms of pulses, and a microprocessor that 
counts the pulses from the generator and controls the rotation of the 
stepping motor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference to the above drawings, 1 denotes a circular platform, or 
carrousel, the periphery of which exhibits a plurality of regularly spaced 
rotatable stands, or pedestals 2. 
Each pedestal 2 is keyed to a shaft 3 supported by a bushing 4 seated in a 
relative hole 5 afforded by the carrousel platform. The shaft 3 turns in 
two bearings 6 accommodated by the bushing 4, its bottom end projecting 
downward and carrying a keyed timing pulley 7, about which a timing belt 8 
is looped; this same belt is looped around a pulley 9 keyed to the shaft 
10 of a stepping motor 11. 
The stepping motor 11 is fastened to the carrousel platform by way of stud 
bolts 12 inserted through anti-vibration mountings 13. 
The platform 1 is keyed to a hollow shaft 14 set in rotation by a gear 15, 
the shaft 14 supported by a hollow pillar 16 and turning in relative 
bearings 17 and 18. 
Mounting 19 is rigidly associated with the platform and accommodates a 
pivot 20 for the support of a pulse generator 21, the shaft of which is 
connected by way of a coupling 22 to a speed reducer 23. The output shaft 
24 of the speed reducer carrys a keyed gear 25 in mesh with a circular 
face gear 26 that is fixed to the frame of the machine. Thus, rotation of 
the platform 1 necessarily produces rotation of the speed reducer 23 which 
is fixed to the platform. Hence, the pulse generator 21 and speed reducer 
23 rotate relative to the fixed gear. Engagement of the gear 25 with the 
fixed gear 26 causes the gear 25 to rotate the shaft 24. Therefore the 
pulse generator 21 emits a stream of pulses, the number of pulses being 
proportionate to the angular position of the platform 1 in relation to its 
own axis 27 of rotation. The pulse signals from the pulse generator 21 are 
relayed to a microprocessor 30, which incorporates a pulse counting 
capability 32, that counts the pulses from the pulse generator 21. 
According to the angular position of the carrousel, and therefore of the 
pedestals 2 mounted on the carrousel, the microprocess instructs the 
motors 11, respectively to execute a given number of steps as determined 
from the pulses. 
The number of steps accomplished by the motor must be programmed on the 
basis of the type of bottle, and of its alignment with a given reference, 
for example, a capsule already applied to the bottle. With a device thus 
embodied, users simply program the microprocessor with information 
representative of the angular position that the bottle must occupy in 
relation to a given reference, or of the shape of the bottle itself, 
whereupon positioning will be executed faultlessly during the different 
labeling machine cycles. 
A labeling machine fitted with the device disclosed will be seen to be 
universal, since no replacement of mechanical parts is required in order 
to enable the handling of different types of container.