Patent GB-999257-A (GB)
Title: Automatic labelling apparatus
IPC: B65C3/20
Filed: 1961-07-06
Abstract: 999,257. Feeding sheets. CANADIAN STACKPOLE Ltd. July 6, 1961 [Feb. 9, 1961]. No. 24556/61. Heading B6B. [Also in Division B8] Relates to a top-strapping labelling machine in which bottles or other containers of generally circular configuration are fed continuously in upright disposition on a conveyer to a labelling station, the bottles being engaged by means in advance of the labelling station for rotating and orienting the bottles so that labels are applied to a selected position thereon. Label feed mechanism.-The label magazine 64, Fig. 5, consists of an inclined plate 71 down which extends flat strips 70 having upstanding projections 70a, Fig. 11, which engage the lowermost edge of the stacked labels. The labels are located between a pair of bars 72 pivoted in adjustable brackets 73 at their upper ends and adapted to be raised and lowered over the plate 71. The lower ends of the bars 72 support a cross-bar 74 pivoted at 74a and carrying adjustable brackets 75 slidable on the bar 74 and provided with a leaf spring 231 bearing against the upper edges of the labels stacked on the plate 71. Each leaf spring can be adjusted by a spring-loaded threaded pin 234 and the lower tip of a second spring- loaded pin 235 engages the outer surface of the lowermost label 238 to hold it against dislodgement. A suction bar 76 is adapted to pivot as shown in Fig. 11, for extraction of a label by means of cam, gear and lever mechanism under the control of a switch operated by contact with a bottle moving on the conveyer 20. In the absence of a bottle, no label is extracted. The labels 238 extracted by the suction bar 76 are presented to spaced grippers 80, Fig. 6, mounted on a continuously rotating drum 81 at its periphery, the grippers 80 engaging a free end of the label projecting from one end of the bar 76 and being drawn off lengthwise of the bar. The transfer is facilitated by an air blast from a member 275, Fig. 13b (not shown). Each gripper 80 consists of a fixed finger 88 having a surface 93 on which the end of the label is placed on transfer from the suction bar. A pivoted gripping finger 94 is spring-urged into contact with the surface 93 but is adapted to be moved to the open position by means of a fixed cam 104 engaged by a roller 103 carried by a bar on which the finger 94 is mounted. Mounted behind each fixed finger 88 is a container-centering structure 106 comprising parallel plates 107 which together with the periphery of the drum define a channel formation at the bottom of which is a resilient pad of sponge rubber against which a gripped label is adapted to lie. The surface of the pad is contacted by a roller 110 freely rotatable in a water-filled receptacle 111 in order to soften the label and permit it to receive adhesive more readily. The label is brought into positive contact with a gluing roller 120 by a device 125 fixed to the frame and provided with projections 132 adapted to engage beneath the label being drawn therepast, to lift the label from the pad into contact with the roller 120. An L-shaped member 133 pivoted at 133a and provided with a projection 134 is adapted to extract the end of a label from the gripping fingers 88, 94 just as the label is being applied to the bottle 21, the bottle cap 175 being centred by the plates 107 so that the label is centred on the cap.