Patent GB-1482725-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for manufacturing and wrapping labels
IPC: B31D1/02
Filed: 1975-06-09
Abstract: 1482725 Blanking and punching-out apparatus S BLEICH 9 June 1975 [11 June 1974] 24647/75 Heading B4B [Also in Division B8] Apparatus for manufacturing labels from a stack of sheets of paper 94 and for wrapping stacks of the labels comprises a table 13 for supporting the stack of sheets, a blanking knife 5 for cutting a stack of blanks from the sheets and a punching plate 7 and die 9 for punching a stack of labels from the stack of blanks, guide means 113-116, Fig. 7, for guiding the labels to a wrapping means 75-87, Fig. 6, the table being provided with feeding means 14 which together with the table co-operate to intermittently feed the stack of sheets in a first direction in steps corresponding to a first dimension ("a", Fig. 3a, not shown), of each of the blanks towards the blanking knife and, repeatedly feed the stack of sheets in a second direction in steps corresponding to a second dimension ("b") so that stacks of blanks are severed in successive rows from the stack of sheets. The blanking knife 5 is connected to a support plate 36 guided for vertical sliding movement on columns 28, 29, 31, Figs. 1 and 4, the plate being connected to the piston rods of hvdraulic actuators 2, 2<SP>1</SP> mounted on a machine frame member 27; the knife cooperates with a fixed blade 6. The punching plate 7 is replaceably mounted on a piston rod 42 of a hydraulic actuator 3 which is mounted on a carrier plate 41 adjustably slewed to the member 27 by means of straps 43, 44; the punch plate co-operates with a die 9 and troughs 12, Fig. 1, are provided for the cut waste which is removed, therefrom by suction. The die is held by vice jaws 63 mounted on a plate 11 in which is formed a hole 67 for the passage of the blank. The sheets 94 to be cut are stacked on a table 13, Fig. 1, which is pivotally mounted about a shaft 24 to facilitate loading of the sheets and is movable along the shaft by means of a motor 20 via a chain-andsprocket drive 119-129, Fig. 10B. The ends of the chain 129 are connected to bearings 134, 134<SP>1</SP> which engage in grooves 135, 135<SP>1</SP> formed in sleeves 136, 136<SP>1</SP>, such arrangement permitting the tilting of the table. A carriage 14 constituting part of the feeding means is movably mounted on the table 13 via a roller- and-track arrangement (159-163) Fig. 12 (not shown), the carriage including a base plate 138 and top bar 140 connected to side plates 139, 139<SP>1</SP>. The base plate includes gripper fingers 141 for co-operation with spring-loaded grippers 142, the spring loading being released by respective cam-and-lever device, 153-156 Fig. 9, actuated by a handle 151. The carriage 14 is driven intermittently across the table 13 by means of a motor 164, Fig. 9 via a gear drive 166-168 and a chain-and-sprocket drive 171- 176. The intermittent motion is controlled by means of a striker 182 on the carriage engaging with successive adjustable stops 184 which are brought into alignment with the striker. The stops are mounted on a shaft 185 which moves axially when a stop is contacted thereby actuating a switch to stop the motor 164; alternatively, the striker and stop arrangement may be replaced by a magnetic tape and reading head. A similar arrangement is also provided for controlling the intermittent motion of the table 13 in a direction at right angles to that of the carriage. In operation, at the end of each punching stroke, a stack of punched-out labels are moved through the guide means 113-116 and are separated into packs by means of a blade 73, Figs. 7 and 8. The blade is slidably mounted in a track 98 which is carried by a bridge member 72, slidable on columns 69, 71 attached to the plate 11; the bridge is raised and lowered by an hydraulic actuator 105. After the pack has been separated, it is moved downwardly by the still extended blade into contact with a tape carried between supply spools 86, 86<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 6. The downward movement of the pack by the blade causes the tape to be wrapped around the pack, the tape then being cut and joined by a welding device. The device, Fig. 6, includes a pair of welding tongs 77, 71<SP>1</SP>, pivotally mounted on a bridge member 74 and connected together by means of a linkage system 80, 81, 82, 88 such that by raising the bridge member by an hydraulic actuator 91, the operative ends 76, 76<SP>1</SP> of the tongs are brought into contact to effect welding and cutting of the tape. The wrapped pack of labels then falls on to a conveyer 19, Fig. 1 for movement to a collecting station 18. In a modification, the control system for the apparatus may be hydraulic instead of electrical.