Patent GB-722187-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to labelling machines
Inventor: SHERRINGTON JOHN EUSTACE
IPC: B65C9/08
Filed: 1951-11-19
Abstract: 722,187. Labelling machines. RAWSONS (LABELLING MACHINES), Ltd. Nov. 18, 1952 [Nov. 19, 1951], No. 27102/51. Class 73. [Also in Group XVI] A machine for applying to articles labels of the kind having a coating. of heat activated adhesive, e.g. thermoplastic material, comprises a support 2, Fig. 1 for a supply of labels disposed on edge in a horizontal stack, the support being adapted to reciprocate horizontally to bring the end of the stack into contact with and to withdraw from a suction device 32, 34 which, having engaged the front label, is rotated with the extracted label to a vertical position and is there engaged by a horizontally reciprocating heater and transfer plate 52 which is provided with a suction device to take the label and to transfer it whilst heating it to a position immediately over a support 113 carrying the article B to which the label is applied by depression of the plate 52 and subsequent operation of a vertically movable pressure pad 116. The various movements are automatically coordinated and vacuum release valves are operated to allow transfer of the label from one suction device to another or to the article B. The support 2 is adjustable to take labels of different sizes, the label stack being held resiliently against four inwardly directed fingers 12 at the delivery end by a slidable pressure plate 13 at the rear end operated by a cable, pulley and weight arrangement 14, 16, 18, 20. The carrier structure 8, 21 for the support 2 is reciprocated within parallel guides 22, 23, Fig. 2 provided with ball bearings 22a by means of a lever 27, Fig. 5 and rod 31 connected to a continuously rotating cam member 41 which is also used to control the pivotal movement of the suction device 32, 34. This device comprises a perforated suction plate 34 on the outer end of a tube 32 pivoted to the main frame through a hollow boss 35 connected with the suction side of a vacuum pump and having a spring-loaded flap valve 43 which is operated by a push rod 47 from a rotary cam 49 on the same shaft 51 as the cam 41. to break the vacuum when the suction device is in the vertical position. The label heater and transfer plate 52, Fig. 1, is provided with a thermostatcontrolled electrical heating element 75 and is reciprocated between positions immediately over the suction plate 34 and the article B on a slide 53 in guides 54. The plate unit 52, which is replaceable by other units of different size, comprises a solid metal plate-69 on a base 70 and has suction perforations 71 in communication with a passage 73 in an upwardly directed stem 74 secured to a slide 80 which is movable vertically in a slideway in the end of the horizontal slide 53. A spring 84 is interposed between the lower end of the slide 80 and a base plate 82. The upper end of the stem 74 is connected to a chamber 85 having a vacuum release valve 86 and connected with a suction pump. The vertical slide 80 displaceable downwardly against its spring by a depressing lever 88 pivoted on the slide 53 with its forward end engaging a projection 90 on the slide 80. This downward displacement is effected when the plate unit 52 is over the suction plate 34 to bring it into contact with the extracted label and when it is over the article B to press the label on to the latter. A pair of striker arms 92, 93 are operated to effect this displacement from a rotary cam on the same shaft which effects the reciprocation of the slide 53. A third striker arm 110 actuated in unison with the arm 93 also operates to open the release valve 86 when the unit 52 is over the article. The final application of the label to the article is effected by a reciprocating rubber pressure pad 116 on a slide 117 movable in vertical guides 118. By duplication of parts, the machine can be modified for dealing with a plurality of labels and articles during a single cycle of operations.