APPARATUS FOR LABELLING PLASTICS ARTICLES

Abstract: In the making of hollow plastic articles wherein at least one label (L) is positioned in each of a plurality of spaced partible moulds (20), a preform or parison is positioned in each set of partible moulds and the moulds are closed and the preform is blown outwardly into the confines of the mould to apply the label to the resultant hollow plastic articles, there is provided a method of handling the labels which comprises successively removing labels (L) from a label magazine (26) and positioning the labels in an array which corresponds in spacing to the spacing of the sets of moulds, simultaneously moving the labels in the array from the first position to a second position within the open partible moulds and depositing the labels in the moulds. The apparatus comprises a magazine (26) for supporting labels (L) in a stack, an endless belt transfer device (27) positioned adjacent the magazine (26), means (30, 32 to 38) for indexing the belt (27) in predetermined spaces corresponding to the spaces of the moulds, means (28) for successively removing labels (L) from the magazine (26) and depositing them on the conveyor, the spacing between successive labels on the endless transfer conveyor (27) corresponding to the spacing between the sets of moulds, and means (63 to 65) for removing the labels simultaneously from the endless transfer conveyor (27) and delivering them between the open partible moulds (20).

Description: This invention relates to the labelling of plastics articles, and more particularly of hollow blown plastics articles. In the making of hollow blown plastics articles such as containers, it has heretofore been suggested that labels be held in one or more of the mould sections by vacuum so that when the parison is blown outwardly into conformity with the cavity, the label becomes adhered or bonded to the article. The moulds are often provided in a plurality of sets of partible moulds, and in order to deliver the labels, a plurality of magazines are provided, one for each set of moulds, and an associated plurality of pick up and delivery devices function to remove labels from the magazines and deliver them to one or both of the mould halves of each set. Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a method and apparatus for delivering labels which requires one magazine where one label is to be delivered to each mould of a set of moulds, and two magazines when two labels are delivered to each mould of a set of moulds; wherein large labels that wrap around more than 180° about the hollow article, such as a container, can be used even though the relative dimensions and spacing of the moulds is less than the width of the labels; and wherein fewer tools are required and resultant savings in costs are obtained. According to the present invention then, a method of labelling hollow plastics articles wherein at least one label is positioned in each of a plurality of spaced partible moulds, a preform or parison is positioned in each set of partible moulds, the moulds are closed and the preform is blown outwardly into the confines of the mould to cause the label to be applied to the resultant hollow plastic article is characterised by successively removing the labels from a label magazine and positioning the labels in a first position in an array which corresponds in spacing to the spacing of the sets of moulds, simultaneously moving the labels in the array from the first position to a second position within the open partible moulds and depositing labels in the moulds. Also according to the present invention, apparatus for labelling hollow plastics articles during formation when preforms or parisons are blown outwardly into conformity with the cavities of an array of sets of moulds, characterised in that the apparatus is a magazine for supporting labels in a stack, an endless belt transfer conveyor positioned adjacent the magazine, means for indexing the belt in predetermined spaced relationship corresponding to the spaces of the array of the sets of moulds, means for successively removing labels from the magazine and depositing them on the conveyor, the spacing between successive labels on the endless transfer conveyor corresponding to the spacing between the sets of moulds, and means for transferring the array of labels simultaneously from the endless transfer conveyor and delivering them into the open partible moulds. The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary partly diagrammatic end view of an apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary part sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is likewise an enlarged plan view of a portion of the apparatus; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view to an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view to an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6 taken along the line 7-7 of that Fig., parts being broken away; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 6; Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 6; Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view to an enlarged scale taken along the line 12-12 of Fig. 4; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view to an enlarged scale taken along the line 13-13 in Fig. 2; Fig. 14 is an elevational view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 15-15 in Fig. 11; and Fig. 16 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale taken along the line 16-16 of Fig. 3. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the invention relates to blow moulded plastics articles such as containers, wherein labels are applied to sections of a set of moulds and the mould sections are closed around a heated parison or preform within each mould which is then blown outwardly into conformity with the mould sections causing the labels to become adhered or bonded to the blown articles. In one type of apparatus to which the invention relates, the apparatus includes a plurality of sets of partible moulds 20 in a linear array, that is, side-by-side relationship. An extruder 21 is associated with each set of moulds and a head 22 is moved downwardly to receive the end 23 of an extruded tube in a neck mould in the head which is then drawn upwardly to position a preform or parison between the mould sections 20. The mould is then closed and the article blown to the desired configuration within the confines of the mould. To apply labels, the head 22 supports label deposit devices 24 as hereinafter described, which deliver labels to the mould sections. If only one label is to be applied to each article or container, a single deposit device 24 is provided for each set of moulds. In accordance with the invention, a label handling mechanism 25 is associated with each set of label delivery devices 24. The label handling mechanisms 25 are of identical construction and as shown in Fig.2 are positioned end to end where labels L are to be delivered to both sections of each set of moulds. For convenience and clarity, only one of the mechanisms 25 will be described in detail, it being understood that the other device is identical. Referring to Figs. 2, 4, each of the mechanisms 25 includes a magazine 26 from which labels L are successively removed and delivered to an endless conveyor 27 by a label pick-up and delivery device 28. The endless conveyor 27 is intermittently driven so that as the labels L are delivered to the endless conveyor, they are positioned in a linear array at a spacing corresponding to the spacing of the sets of moulds. After the predetermined number of labels L corresponding to the sets of moulds is provided on the endless conveyor, the delivery device 24 removes the sets of labels L simultaneously and the head 22 moves downwardly to deliver the labels to the mould sections. The head 22 then moves upwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 while the tube is extruded to form the preform within the open mould sections. When the head 22 reaches its uppermost position as viewed in Fig. 1, the delivery devices 24 can pick up the next array of labels L which have in the meantime been positioned onto the endless conveyor by intermittent movement of the conveyor and the loading pick-up and delivery device 28. Referring to Fig. 3, power for driving the various mechanisms of each label handling mechanism 25 is received from motors 30, 31 on the frame. Motor 30 comprises a stepping motor and drives through an endless belt 32 and pulleys 33, 34 to a driveshaft 35 that rotates spaced thin metal endless perforated belts 36, trained on sprockets 37, 38 (Fig.2). Referring to Fig.16, endless belts 36 move across a perforated resilient wall 39 of a vacuum chamber 40 thereby applying vacuum which will hold the labels L when they are delivered. The endless belts 36 are moved intermittently and the labels L are delivered to the conveyor so that they form an array of labels L at a spacing corresponding to the array of the moulds. Motor 31 drives to a reversing screw 31 which is journalled in a frame 42, through an endless belt 43 and pulleys 44, 45. A primary carriage 46 is mounted in the frame 42 by spaced shafts 47 and has a follower 48 (Fig.15) engaging the thread 49 of the screw 41 so that the carriage 46 is reciprocated back and forth as the screw 41 is rotated in one direction. A secondary carriage 50 is mounted on the first carriage 46 and guided similarly on shafts 47a (Fig.11). Projections 51, 52 extend from the secondary carriage 50 such that just before the primary carriage 46 reaches the end of its movement, one or the other of the projections 51, 52 engages a recess 53, 54 respectively at each end to cause relative movement between the secondary carriage 50 and the primary carriage 46. The pick-up and delivery device 28 includes an arm 55 mounted for swinging movement on a shaft 56 journalled on the frame and resiliently held in a centre position by springs 57. The secondary carriage 50 supports an internal cam 58 which is generally triangular and has its hypotenuse, or longest dimension 59 generally parallel to the screw. A link 60 is fixed on the shaft 56 of the pick-up and delivery device 28 has a follower 61 that engages the cam 58. As the primary carriage 46 reaches the end of its movement, the secondary carriage 50 is moved relative to the first carriage 46 causing the link 60 to pivot and move the delivery and pick-up device 38 into engagement with the magazine. The pick-up and delivery device 28 is of the vacuum type and includes vacuum cups 62 for picking up a label L from the magazine. When the primary carriage 46 moves in the opposite direction, the cam 58 on the secondary carriage 50 moves the delivery and pick-up device 28 away from the magazine to its original position. As the primary carriage 46 moves toward its opposite end of movement, the secondary carriage 50 is moved relative to the primary carriage 46 and causes the cam 58 and cam follower 61 to swing the pick-up and delivery device 28 and bring the label L on the vacuum cups 62 into engagement with the endless conveyor belts 36 depositing the label L on the endless conveyor belts. Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, the deposit devices 24 which remove the label L from the conveyor comprises spaced pairs of vacuum cups 63 mounted on the arm 64 of a shaft 65 pivoted on the head 22. Referring to Fig.1, cylinders 66 mounted on the head 22 each has its shaft 67 connected by a link 68 to shaft 65 on which the plurality of sets of deposit arms 64 are mounted and functions to move each pair of cups 63 simultaneously to engage all the labels L on the conveyor simultaneously. Retraction of the arms 64 removes the labels L so that when the head 22 is moved downwardly between the mould sections, actuation of the cylinder 66 of each set of arms will move the arms outwardly and deposit all of the labels L simultaneously in the respective mould sections of the sets of moulds. In order to permit the vacuum cups to readily engage the labels L on the conveyor, each arm 64 includes a secondary arm 69 pivoted on arm 64 and centered by a spring 70 (Figs. 13 and 14), thereby permitting limited movement of secondary arm 69 and in turn the cups 63 relative to the arm 64.

Claims: 1. A method of labelling hollow plastics articles wherein at least one label (L) is positioned in each of a plurality of spaced partible moulds (20), a preform or parison is positioned in each set of partible moulds, the moulds are closed and the preform is blown outwardly into the confines of the mould to cause the label to be applied to the resultant hollow plastic article, which method is characterised by successively removing the label (L) from a label magazine (26) and positioning the labels (L) in a first position in an array which corresponds in spacing to the spacing of the sets of moulds, simultaneously moving the labels in the array from the first position to a second position within the open partible moulds and depositing the labels in the moulds. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the array extends parallel to the sets of moulds (20) and the transfer of the array occurs in a path that is parallel to the axis of the moulds. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the step of positioning the labels in an array comprises delivering the labels (L) successively to an endless transfer conveyor (27) and successively moving the conveyor such that the labels are deposited in an array on the transfer conveyor. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the step of simultaneously moving the array of labels comprises simultaneously removing the labels (L) from the endless conveyor (27) and moving them in unison to a position within the open partible moulds. 5. Apparatus for labelling hollow plastics articles during formation when preforms or parisons are blown outwardly into conformity with the cavities of an array of sets of moulds, characterised in that the apparatus comprises a magazine (26) for supporting labels (L) in a stack, an endless belt transfer conveyor (27) positioned adjacent the magazine (26) means (30, 32 to 38) for indexing the belt in predetermined spaced relationship corresponding to the spaces of the array of the sets of moulds, means (28) for successively removing labels from the magazine and depositing them on the conveyor, the spacing between successive labels on the endless transfer conveyor corresponding to the spacing between the sets of moulds, and means (63 to 65) for transferring the array of labels simultaneously from the endless transfer conveyor and delivering them into the open partible moulds. 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the means for simultaneously transferring the labels (L) comprises a plurality of label delivery devices (63) at a spacing corresponding to the spacing of the labels in the array on the endless transfer conveyor (27), means (31, 41, 43 to 45) for moving the transfer or pick-up means (63 to 65) from a position adjacent the conveyor (27) to a position within the sets of partible moulds (20), the delivery devices having means for removing the labels from the conveyor, and means for depositing the labels within the moulds. 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the depositing means comprises vacuum devices (63). 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the vacuum devices (63) are mounted on a head (22) which functions to draw the preforms from an extruder (21). 9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the means for removing the labels successively from a magazine comprises a pick-up and delivery device (28), means (30) for moving the pick-up device (28) adjacent the magazine (26) for picking up a label, and means for translating the pick-up device (28) to deposit the labels onto the conveyor. 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the means for translating the pick-up device comprises a primary carriage (46), means (47) for guiding the carriage for movement in a linear path, and an endless reversible screw (41) operable to move the carriage (46) back and forth in said linear path, the pick-up device (28) being mounted for pivotal movement on the carriage (46), interengaging means (50 to 54) being provided between the pick-up device (28) and the carriage (46) operable upon movement of the carriage to the extremes of its linear movement such that the pick-up device (28) is moved at one end of said linear movement into engagement with the magazine (26) for picking up a label (L) and upon return movement is moved out of engagement with the magazine (26) and upon returning to the other end of the linear movement in the opposite direction is moved to bring the label (L) into engagement with the endless conveyor (27). 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the pick-up device (28) is of the vacuum type. 12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 11, characterised in that the endless conveyor (27) is of the vacuum type for holding the labels. 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or any claim appendent thereto, characterised in that the interengaging means comprises a secondary carriage (50) mounted on the primary carriage (46), the secondary carriage (50) being connected to the pick-up device (28) and being movable relative to the primary carriage (46). 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim13, characterised in that the interengaging means also comprises a cam (58) on the secondary carriage (50) and a co-operating cam follower (61) on the pick-up device (27). 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that the cam (58) comprises an internal cam, which is generally triangular in configuration, having its base extending generally parallel to the direction of translation of the secondary carriage (50), the pick-up device (27) having a link (60) with the cam follower (61) engaging the cam (58). 16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 15, characterised by including a second substantially identical label mechanism device positioned adjacent a second magazine (26) for removing labels (L) successively from the second magazine, for moving them into a linear array on a second conveyor belt (27), and for transferring them from the second conveyor to the opposite mould of said sets of moulds, such that two labels are delivered to each mould of the set of moulds simultaneously.

Inventors: FRANKS, NELSON JAMES, NOWICKI, CASIMIR WILLIAM
Applicants: OWENS-ILLINOIS PLASTIC PRODUCTS INC.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B29C49
IPC codes: B29C49, B65H5, B29L22, B65C9