Patent GB-923575-A (GB)
Title: Transfer labelling machine
IPC: B65C9/30
Filed: 1961-08-31
Abstract: 923,575. Transferring designs; feeding webs. DENNISON MANUFACTURING CO. Ltd. Aug. 31, 1961 [Sept. 8, 1960], No. 31407/61. Classes 100 (1) and 100 (2). [Also in Groups XV and XXIV] Transferring designs.-A label-applying machine for transferring labels from a label carrier web S to a receiving surface, comprises a rotary die 54, Figs. 7 and 8, having a segmental surface 55, delivery means in the form of a sprocket wheel roll 63, Fig. 1, driven intermittently for delivering the carrier web to the die with successive labels in register with the die, a take-up mechanism including a winding spool 105 for the carrier web which has passed the die, and means including a bell-crank lever 101, for moving that part of the web adjacent the die and between the die and the winding spool 105 toward the die axis and away from the receiving surface in timed relationship with the delivery of successive labels of the web to the die. The invention can be applied to machines of the general type disclosed in Specification 807,184, wherein labels are transferred to a continuous web. Fig. 7 shows the bell-crank lever 101 in the position before the heated die 55 contacts the web S, and Fig. 8 shows the position when the die 55 is transferring the label from the web S to the receiving surface of a flat top container 22 carried on a conveyer 20. A continually rotating gear-wheel 40, Fig. 3, is splined on a main shaft 30 and driven by means, not shown, which lie between the front and rear plates 25, 26, Fig. 1. The end of the frame opposite the main shaft 30 is supported by an adjusting-pin 32 which extends through and is screw-threaded into a plug 34 within a tube 28. This end may therefore be raised and lowered accurately about the shaft 30 and also raised to give access to parts on the underside of the frame. Intermittent web feeding; ratchet gearing.- The complete path of the web S is shown in Fig. 1. The web is fed from the supply spool 85 to the die wheel 54 by the intermittently driven sprocket wheel 63, shown in Fig. 4. The drive for wheel 63 is supplied by the continually rotating gear wheel 40 via a one-revolution clutch 42 and gear-wheels 51, 52, 58 and 59, Fig. 3. The clutch is operated by a trip lever 45 connected to a solenoid 48 controlled by switching means (not shown) on a time base as described in Specification 807,184. The gear 59 drives through a friction means 61, a shaft 60 to which is attached the sprocket wheel 63 and a ratchet wheel 65, Figs. 2 and 4. For one revolution of the clutch there is one revolution of the gear-wheel 52. This produces one revolution of the die wheel 54 and a cam 67 mounted on shaft 53. The cam operates through a follower 68 and an arm 69 (pivoted at 70) to release a pawl 71 to allow part rotation of the ratchet-wheel 65, and therefore the sprocketwheel 63. Looping and tensioning devices.-The over-run of the web on leaving the supply spool 85 is controlled by a brake 89 acting on drum 87, Fig. 1. The brake 89 is attached to one end of a spring-biased bell-crank 91 pivoted at 92. The bell-crank 91 carries a guide roll 97 which receives the web from an idler roll 98 and in turn delivers the web to an idler roll 80. The web is guided to the sprocket wheel 63 by idler rolls 80 and 82 and a number of tensioning members 81 and to the heated die wheel 54 by idler rolls 83 and 84. Rotation of the sprocket wheel 63 causes the roll 97 to move towards the idler rolls 80 and 98, thus releasing the brake. Therefore, undue strain of the web leaving the spool 85 is avoided, and over-run is checked when the roll 97 returns to its original position thereby applying the brake 89. The take-up mechanism includes a spool 105, dancing roll 130 and means for moving that part of the web adjacent the die wheel 54 including the bellcrank 101. A shaft 100 is oscillated clockwise in Fig. 2 through a crank 100a and link 100b from lever 69 as the cam 67 causes the pawl 71 to disengage the ratchet wheel 65. As shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 100 carries the bell-crank 101 having a short arm 101a carrying a guide roll 170 and a long arm 101b carrying a guide roll 171. The shaft 100 carries a further freely rotatable guide roll 172. Figs. 1 and 7 show the web path when the segmental die 55 is inactive, and in this condition the take-up mechanism will be applying the intended basic tension of the web. When the die 55 is transferring the label to the article, the bell-crank 101 will occupy the shifted position shown in Fig. 8. Fast to the gear-wheel 41 meshing for continuous rotation with gear-wheel 40, Fig. 3, is a chain sprocket 43. This drives via a chain 107, sprockets 108 and 110 keyed to a shaft 109, which in turn drive continuously a sprocket 112 via a chain 111, Figs. 1 and 5. The sprocket 112 rotates freely on the shaft 114 of the spool 105, and carries thereon a pressure disc 115. A ring 121 with a crank 123 is screw-threaded on to a sleeve 120 fixed fast to the front plate 25. When the crank is moved in one direction in Fig. 5, the ring 121 exerts a thrust through the casing 125 of a thrust bearing 126 to a collar 127 adjustably held on the shaft 114 by a locking- nut 128. This forces the shaft to the right, increasing the pressure between a friction ring 116 and the pressure disc 115 causing the spool 105 to be driven. An opposite movement of the crank decreases the pressure and allows slipping. The crank 123 is controlled by a link 134, Fig. 2, connected to a bell-crank 132 pivoted about the shaft of the spool 85. A coilspring 138 (not shown) tends to lift the dancing roll 130 and operate the winding spool 105, thereby causing tension to be applied to the web S. The friction drive for the winding spool 105, under control of the dancing roll 130, ensures that the web is wound up at an average rate consistent with the intermittent feeding. Longitudinal and transverse registering.-The idler roll 80, tensioning members 81 and the idler rolls 82 and 83 are carried by a plate 140 which is rotatable around the axis of the sprocket-wheel 63 and relative to an interior stationary ring 140a, Figs. 1 and 4. Rotation of the plate 140 to provide longitudinal registering of the web without varying the wrap of the web around the sprocket-wheel 63 is effected by turning an adjusting screw 142 threaded into a block 143 which is rotatable in the plate 140. Transverse registering is effected by a rotatable spindle 150 which rotates a threaded shaft 152 (at right-angles to it) through bevel gears (not shown). The shaft 152 is screwed into a slidable block 156 which is slotted to receive a flange 158, fast on the sprocket-wheel 63. The sprocket-wheel has a splined connection to its shaft 60, allowing transverse movement. The first tensioning member 81 comprises a tube 81b slidable on a rod 81a. The tube 81b has arcuate shaped front and rear side guides 164 and 160. Guide 164 is adjustable, and guide 160 is fixed and includes a slot to receive the flange 158. The apparatus described may be used for applying labels to webs, as described in Specification 807,184, where a back-up roll (shown in phantom line in Fig. 1) is used for holding the web against the die.