Patent GB-927147-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to labelling machines
Inventor: FAIREST DEREK HOWARD
IPC: B65C9/36
Filed: 1961-02-21
Abstract: 927,147. Labelling machines. MORGAN FAIREST Ltd. Feb. 21, 1962 [Feb. 21, 1961], No. 6260/61. Class 73. Relates to a labelling machine of the type described in Specification 833,481 in which labelling bars 6, Fig. 1, are movable into, along and out of a straight conveyer path 4 for bottles 1 and like upright articles, the bars 6 having suction aperture 6x for carrying labels 7 presented to the bars prior to their entry into the path and propelling members 9 alternating with the bars 6 and movable along the path to urge the articles into contact with the gummed faces of the labels carried by the bars for transfer thereto. According to the invention a pressing head 12 is located at the end of the conveyer 4 and comprises a number of radially mounted pockets 14 rotatable about a vertical axis 13 above a support plate 22 and a pusher 21 pushes each article from the conveyer into a pocket where it is held by a vertically movable locating head rotatable with the pocket, means being provided for closing the pockets on to the articles to press the labels thereto during rotary movement of the pockets and for opening the pockets for discharge of the labelled articles. As described the bottles 1 have square section bodies 2 and circular section (conical) necks 3 and the bars 6 carry both body and neck labels 7, 8 which after transfer to the bottles, are wiped by pairs of brushes 10, 11 during movement of the bottle therebetween. Each body label 7 is of such length to permit application to three faces of the body 2 whilst each neck label 8 is adapted to completely surround the perimeter of the neck and one end overlap the other. The pusher 21 comprises parallel upper and lower plates 25 mounted on two pairs of parallel links 26 for oscillation between a position clear of the conveyer and a position on which a bottle has been pushed squarely into a pocket 14 adapted to receive the body portion of each bottle. Each pocket 14 has a hinged side 16 which is swung by a lever arm 17 having a roller 18 engaging a fixed cam 19. The inside of the pocket 14 is provided with a resilient lining 20. The pocket 14 closes immediately after receiving a bottle and remains closed for pressing the body label 7 firmly to the side faces of the body 2 until the bottle is discharged on to a table 22. A vertically movable locating head 34, Fig. 2, rotatable with each pocket 14 engages the top of the bottle, its movements being controlled by a roller 39 and cam rails 40, 41. The pressing units for the neck labels each comprise a pair of bell-crank levers 44A, 44B, Fig. 3, the lever 44A having a resilient pad 45A and a roller 46 for engaging a fixed cam 47. The lever 44B has a roller or, as shown, a resilient pad 45B carried by a secondary pivoted arm 48 normally constrained from swinging with respect to the lever 44B by a spring 49, the lever 44B also carrying a roller 50 for engaging a fixed cam 50. A spring 52 connects the levers 44A, 44B. In operation the pad 45A is first swung to the neck 3 to press one end of the label 8 behind the neck and is then swung clear. The resilient pad 45B is then swung to the neck to press the other end of the label and overlap the first end, a projection 55 on the secondary arm 48 then engaging a cam rail 56 causing swinging of the arm 48 on the lever 44B to apply added pressure to the overlapping ends of the label 8. The pad 45B is swung clear of the bottle neck fast before opening of the pocket 14. Specification 927,146 is referred to.