Patent GB-937071-A (GB)
Title: Labelling machines
IPC: B65C9/18
Filed: 1959-12-23
Abstract: 937,071. Transferring designs etc.; feeding webs. DENNISON MANUFACTURING CO. Ltd. (Dennison Manufacturing Co.). Dec. 23, 1959, No. 43762/59. Classes 100 (1) and 100 (2). [Also in Group XV] Relates to a machine for applying labels to articles such as bottles and strips of wrapping material by the transfer of labels L, Fig. 1a, to the articles from a heat-transfer label strip S, which comprises a paper backing with feed sprocket holes H and coated with oxydized wax adhesive to hold the labels L, these being printed on the wax coating with a heatactivable ink, so that when the label is pressed against the article by means of a hot iron engaging the back of the strip S, Fig. 1, the label is transferred to the article. According to the invention the label strip S is fed from a feed roll 2 to a take-up roll 3 via a roll 7, two rolls 8, 9 at opposite ends of a reciprocating carriage 11 and thence over a sprocket roll 12 rotating at constant speed, the feed path passing adjacent a rotary heat-transfer iron I having a raised portion 17 of circumferential length equal to the length of each label, all the above mechanism being located on the main frame 1 of the machine. On a sub-frame 6 is carried the article feeding mechanism for bringing articles to a labelling station opposite the heat transfer iron I with the strip S located therebetween. As shown in Fig. 1, the articles comprise bottles B fed to and from the labelling station through a feed shoot 13 and delivery shoot 14, the labelling station comprising a turret 16 rotated intermittently to bring bottles directly under the ion I by means of a rack-and-pinion 40, 41 operated by cam means 26<SP>1</SP> operatively connected to the main drive shaft of the machine. The reciprocation of the label strip carriage 11 is effected by an arm 19 operated by similar cam means 26 having a common drive with the cam means 26<SP>1</SP>. When the carriage 11 is stationary, the label strip S is advanced by the drive roll 12 at constant speed. However, with the labels juxtaposed on the label strip as shown in Fig. 1a, the advance of the label strip past the labelling station must be arrested after each bottle has been labelled while the next bottle is brought into labelling position. This is accomplished by moving the carriage 11 back and forth lengthwise of that portion of the strip path extending from roll 8 to roll 9. Thus, the iron I is rotated to give the raised portion 17 a predetermined linear speed different from the average speed of the label strip S, and the speed of the portion of the strip between the rolls 8 and 9 is synchronized with the linear speed of the portion 17 during the labelling intervals without changing the speed of the other portions of the label strip. At the same time the speed of the surfaces of the bottles during labelling is also synchronized with the linear speed of the portion 17. The arrangement is also such that the speed of the label strip except the portion between the rolls 8 and 9 is less than the linear speed of the portion 17 and the speed of the surfaces of articles except during labelling is greater than the linear speed. As shown in Fig. 1, for labelling cylindrical bottles, the turret 16 comes to rest at the label applying station during the labelling of each bottle, so that movement of the surface of the bottle during the interval as mentioned above is effected by rotation of the bottle. This rotation is effected by a shaft 104, Fig. 10, provided with a rubber cup 103 engaging the bottom of the bottle, the shaft 104 being rotated via a pinion 106 and gear-wheel 107 in synchronism with the transfer iron I. Mechanism 97 . . . 99 is also provided for inflating collapsible bottles during labelling and comprises a nozzle 97 which engages the mouth of the bottle and is rotatably mounted in the end of a plunger 98 projecting from an air cylinder 99. As shown in Fig. 14, for labelling oval bottles, the turret 16<SP>1</SP> is shaped so that the outer surfaces of the bottles B<SP>1</SP> are concentric with the axis of the turret and the turret is intermittently advanced at the same rate as the transfer iron I so that each label is progressively applied to a bottle as the bottle passes the label-applying station. In this case the turret comes to rest not while the bottle is stopped at the labelling station as in the preceding embodiment, but after a bottle has passed the station and another bottle has not yet reached the station. The arrangement shown in Fig. 17 is for applying the labels to bottles B<SP>11</SP> rectangular in cross-section. At the labelling station the bottles B<SP>11</SP> are fed forward by a reciprocating block 114 on which is mounted a pivoted dog 112 which engages the bottle, the dog and block being operated by a reciprocating arm 39<SP>11</SP> corresponding to the arm 39 in the first embodiment. The modification shown in Fig. 21 is for applying the labels L from the strip S to a strip of wrapping material which is fed past the labelling station over rollers 121-124 and 126-129. The rollers 123, 126, are mounted on a V-shaped rocker arm 131 pivotally mounted on a shaft 132. Fast to the shaft is another arm 133 which is connected to a reciprocating arm 39a corresponding to the arm 39 in Fig. 1. In this case the cam means is set so that the rocker 131 advances that portion of the strip W between rollers 123 and 126 at the same speed as the label strip and transfer iron while the label is being transferred to the strip W. During the advances of that portion of the strip W, the other portions of the strip remain stationary and between these intermittent advances of that portion, the strip is advanced intermittently by a Geneva mechanism 134. In all the embodiments the article moving means comprise a sub-assembly which is detachable as a unit so as to be readily replaced with other sub-assemblies for different kinds of articles.