Patent GB-1427935-A (GB)
Title: Labelling and packaging articles
IPC: B29C63/18
Filed: 1972-12-29
Abstract: 1427935 Labelling and packaging articles METAL BOX Ltd 29 March 1974 [29 Dec 1972] 60059/72 Headings B8C and B8F [Also in Division F2] In a method of placing on an article 4, or group of articles, in encircling relation therewith, a plastics material sleeve 3 which is open at at least one end, the sleeve 3 is placed around a pair of opposed former members 5, 7 and the latter are moved apart to circumferentially stretch the plastics material of at least part of the sleeve including its open end, the sleeve then being disposed substantially in its desired longitudinal position relative to the article, or article group, by causing the article, or article group, to move through the sleeve from its open end while the sleeve is located on the fastner members, and engaging the sleeve with the article, or article group, so that further relative movement of the article, or article group, in the same direction as before pulls the sleeve off the former members and thereby allows the plastics material of the sleeve stretched by the former members to contract resiliently around the article, or article group. As shown, a pair of former plates 5, 7, with tapered upper ends 24 and inturned side edges, are mounted respectively on blocks 6, 8, to extend through, and occupy substantially the full width of, an aperture 2, which is formed of such size, in a horizontal framework 1, as to pass the largest of different size containers which are to be fitted with sleeves 3. The plate 7 is movable toward, and away from, the plate 5 respectively by a spring 12 and a pneumatic piston-and-cylinder unit 9, 10 so that the plates 5, 7 are located respectively in their inoperative and operative positions. With the plate 7 retracted, at 11, a sleeve 3 is placed over the plates 5, 7 to rest upon the blocks 6, 8, the plate 7 then being moved to its operative position to stretch the sleeve locally only over its lower region due to the shape of the plates 5, 7. The sleeve 3 is simultaneously clamped by a pair of pads 14 carried by the rods of pneumatic cylinders 13. A container 4, mounted on a platform 17, is moved upwardly by a pneumatic piston-and-cylinder unit 16, 18, the container extending into the sleeve beyond the portion stretched by the lower portions 20 of the plates 5, 7 to progressively engage, and stretch, the upper end of the sleeve. Further upward movement of the container, correctly positions the sleeve and pulls the latter off the former plates 5, 7, the upper end of the sleeve in contact with the container, if desired, being temporarily clamped to the container to assist removal of the sleeve from the plates. For the latter purpose pressurized gas may be supplied to openings formed in the back faces of the plates 5, 7 or, the latter may have attached thereto low-friction strips, e.g. of P.T.F.E. Further, the sleeve may be attached, e.g. by glueing or welding, to the container before pulling off is effected. Parts of the apparatus are adjustably mounted to accommodate different sizes of sleeves and/or containers; and the sleeves 3 and containers 4 may be fed automatically to the apparatus. The container 4, may be replaced by a group of articles and at least one end of the sleeve may overhang, and be heat-shrunk, against the adjacent end face of the article, or group of articles.