Patent GB-1182528-A (GB)
Title: Labelling Machine
IPC: B65C11/02
Filed: 1968-06-25
Abstract: 1,182,528. Labelling machine; endless conveyers. SATO KIKO K.K. 25 June, 1968 [26 June, 1967; 17 Aug., 1967; 16 Sept., 1967; 22 Sept., 1967; 11 Nov., 1967; 20 Feb., 1968]. No. 30233/68. Headings B8A and B8F. A labelling machine comprises a machine frame having a palm-grip handle 7 pivotally attached thereto by a pin 6, a grip lever 25 operated by manual squeezing toward the handle and having a return spring 28, a roller holder 8 on the handle for rotatably holding a roll 9 of label tape coated on one surface with an adhesive material and having groups of partial cuts aligned in the tape transverse direction, the groups being spaced at equal intervals in the tape longitudinal direction, tape advancing means driven by movements of the grip lever to engage at least one of the cuts on the tape in successive groups and advance and guide the tape along a path toward a dispensing opening in the machine frame, a tape cutting device driven by movements of the grip lever in co-ordination with the tape movement to cut the label tape at uncut connective parts at each group of cuts to sever it into individual labels, a printing device having changeable printing types and driven by movements of the grip lever in co-ordination with the tape movement to imprint inscriptions on the labels, and a tape applying device near the dispensing opening to press each label adhesively on to an article. The tape advancing means may include a pawl (65, Fig. 8, not shown) having at least one tooth 64 for engaging at least one of the partial cuts (88, Fig. 10, not shown). The pawl undergoes an intermittent reciprocating motion resulting from one cycle of squeezing and releasing the grip lever which consists of an advance stroke and a return stroke. A reel of tape (87, Fig. 10, not shown) with an adhesive layer 86 having a backing tape 11 is loaded into the holder 8. The backing tape is passed along a gap 24 between two guide plates 13, 19 to a cutter 12 at the rear of the handle and the label tape is passed around a roller 51 and inserted between a gap between a label guide plate 81 and a roll 73 such that the partial cuts in the label tape are directly below the pawl teeth. When the hand-grip lever is squeezed the pawl moves rearward, sliding over the label tape. On releasing the lever the pawl advances, the teeth enter a partial cut and the tape is advanced one label length. During the rotation stroke of the pawl, printing devices 30, 34 descend to print inscription on the labels through cutouts in the label guide plate and a knife 31 descends to cut the uncut connecting parts of the label tape along the line of one group of the partial cuts. A cut label is transported by the tape advancing means to a position beneath a plurality of pressing fingers 81 freely fitted on a common pin 84 and each provided with a spring 83 so that they assume displacements conforming to the surface configuration of the article against which they are pressed to affix a label. In an alternative arrangement tape advancing means may comprise a tape advancing roller (505, Fig. 26, not shown) with projecting pawl teeth 512 provided around its cylindrical overface, the roll being driven intermittently by the grip lever to rotate in one direction and cause the label tape to advance. Co-operating with this roller there may be a tape cutting device comprising projecting cutter blades 513 each fitted to the roller in transverse alignment with a pawl tooth, and a countercutting block 510 driven by squeezing the grip lever to push the label tape against one of the cutter blades to sever a label and return to its original position when the grip lever is released. Alternatively a counter cutting block (617, Fig. 31, not shown) may be supported slidably in the vertical direction and endless belts (635, Fig. 28, not shown) provided to press the label tape firmly against the roller. In this case, the cutting block is driven interrelatedly with the movement of the grip lever to slide upward to press the tape against one of the cutter blades and sever a label. The label then rides on a second set of belts (638, Fig. 28, not shown) toward the dispensing opening and the tape applying device. The label tape may have an adhesive layer, which acquires adhesivity only in its moistened state, in which case a moisture applying device may be incorporated into the machine near the tape applying device and it may comprise (Figs. 22-25, not shown) a liquid reservoir chamber 402 connected through check valves to two cylinders 403, 405 one at each side of the reservoir chamber, pistons 407 in the chambers, nozzle assemblies 411 fitted into the front ends of the cylinders and adapted to supply liquid to the label, and a link mechanism 417 for coupling the pistons with the distal end of an arm 419 connected to the grip lever. Endless conveyers.-In the embodiment shown the tape advancing means includes a label receiving base 69 having grooves 79 (Fig. 9, not shown) for receiving spring belts 75 disposed in an endless form around grooved rollers 71, 73. The pawl teeth enter a partial cut in the label tape and bite into the spring belts causing them and the label tape to advance. There may be a plurality of flat belts 218 (Figs. 11-14, not shown) stretched around rolls 204, 205 the rear one of which is urged by a spring 217 in a direction to impart tension to the belts. The outer surfaces of the belts have longitudinal ridges 219 and are coated with a material 220, such as silicone oil to nullify or reduce the tackiness of the adhesive on the label tape. The belts are provided in their interiors with a plurality of longitudinal reinforcement filaments 221 and on their inner surfaces with a plurality of equally spaced transverse grooves 222. The rear roll may be driven by a gear 634 (Fig. 28, not shown) meshing with a gear 615 on a tape advancing roller 605. There may also be two other endless belts 635 stretched around the rear roll and additional rolls 636, 637 disposed around roll 605. There may be three endless rubber belts 426 (Fig. 24, not shown) in the central part of the label path and on the left and right sides of which are endless spring belts 429.