Patent GB-1105283-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to labeling machines
IPC: B65C9/22
Filed: 1965-03-31
Abstract: 1,105,283. Coating apparatus. EUREKA SPECIALITY PRINTING CO. 31 March,1965 [31 March, 1964], No. 13685/65. Heading B2L. [Also in Divisions B6 and B8] Apparatus for applying labels to articles comprises a support structure 10 having a platform 22, conveyor means 20, 28 for sequentially transferring articles 8 in timed relation from a magazine 26 to a predetermined station on platform 22, a rotatable vacuum wheel assembly 4 having a series of ports positioned at regular intervals about is periphery, a magazine 120 for holding labels stacked on edge, means 2 positioned above the vacuum wheel for intermittently delivering drops of adhesive downwardly toward the vacuum wheel 4, the latter being arranged to rotate while vacuum is applied to the vacuum ports so as to remove a label from said magazine 120 and transfer it to a position in the path of travel of drops of adhesive and then into a diametrically opposite position for applying it to an article carried by the conveyor at said predtermined station, means for relieving the vacuum in the port for freeing the label and means for synchronising the operation of the conveyor, vacuum wheel and adhesive dropper to permit a continuous operation. The adhesive dropper (Fig. 2) is adjustably mounted on a support panel 34 and consists of a melting pot 170 suitably heated and having a discharge nozzle 173. A vertical rod 180 carries at its lower end a needle valve 181 for opening and closing the port 174, the rod being coupled at 182 with a rotary solenoid positioned in housing 183 supported in clamp ring 184. The housing 183 is adjustable in ring 184 to give operation of the needle valve 181 by the rotary solenoid in accordance with requirements. The vacuum wheel 70 is also mounted on the support 34 below the adhesive dropper and is driven by gear wheel 52 which is in turn driven from the conveyor drive. Associated with the wheel 70 is a valve head 100 for controlling the connection of valve ports 75 with a source of vacuum. The wheel mounting permits lateral adjustment of the wheel to allow the area of deposit of the adhesive to be selected and the whole support means for the adhesive dropper and the vacuum wheel is mounted for vertical and lateral adjustment for positioning relative to the articles. Each vacuum port 75 of the vacuum wheel has associated therewith a pin 81 which is normally in the out position but when a label is picked up on the end of the vacuum port the pin 81 is drawn inwards by the vacuum created in the port and the head of the pin is then brought into line with the arm 108a of micro-switch 108 the latter being in circuit with the rotary solenoid of the adhesive dropper. Thus only when a label is present is the dropper actuated. The microswitch 108 operates through a time delay circuit and is adjustable in position to enable the precise moment of operation of the adhesive dropper to be adjusted to coincide with the respective label A being beneath the discharge nozzle 173. After the adhesive has been deposited on the label the latter is carried by the wheel 70 to the lowermost position where the vacuum is released from the port 75 so that the label is released and becomes attached to the article in the predetermined station. A micro-switch 193 in the article magazine 26 senses when the supply is exhausted and this causes the operations of a device in the label magazine to move the stack of labels out of operative range of the vacuum ports on the vacuum wheel 70. The label magazine is also adjustable in position and angularly to bring it into the best position with respect to the vacuum wheel.