New or Improved Machine for Labelling Bottles, Jars, Tins, and such like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
Οι αμμcalium cow al TOUT
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine for Labelling Bottles, Jars, Tins, and
such like.
We GEORGE LEAL, of 34 John Street, Glasgow, Manufacturer, and WILLIAM
DON GILLIES, of 17 Royal Exchange Square Glasgow, Iron Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the labelling of bottles, jars, tins, and other articles of
a round or cylindrical shape, and it has for its object to provide a machine which
will automatically gum or glue the labels and affix them to the bottles, jars, etc.
If preferred the machine may be driven by power or by hand.
In carrying out our invention we use a table which is inclined and the angle of
inclination is or may be adjustable by means of a screw or lever arrangement. The
table which is or may be covered or partly covered with woven fabric or felt on its
upper surface, has, at each side, two travelling endless bands, belts or chains which are
passed round pulleys, sprocket or chain wheels, or drums. These wheels may be
flanged at each side, if preferred, in order to keep the bands in place. Fitted on the
bands at suitable intervals apart, are, preferably spring, forks or catches which
hold the bottles, jars, etc. in place. If the machine is to be used for labelling
bottles the catches at one side may be formed of a U shaped piece or strip of
metal having a prong or piece projecting upwards at right angles to it.
The
catches at the other side may be formed of a piece of metal bent into a U shape
and having one leg longer than the other. The legs of the catches are or may be
slightly curved outwards at their upper ends.
Fitted in a recess at or about the centre of the table is a, preferably, removable
box or receptacle in which the labels are placed. This box or receptacle is provided
with four or other suitable number of spring catches which are so arranged that
they keep the labels in place and only allow one to be delivered at a time.
The box or receptacle is provided with a spring in its interior which presses up
the labels.
A presser plate may be fitted on top of the spring if desired."
A rim or piece of metal may in some cases be fitted to or placed between the
spring catches.
In front of the label receptacle is a device for gumming or pasting the bottles,
jars etc. This device consists of a gum or paste trough which is provided at its
under side with a suitable delivery spout or channel and with a brush, on or to
which the gum or paste is delivered. This device is so arranged that when the
bottles or jars, in succession, pass under it they rub or strike against the brush and
withdraw the paste from it. If desired a vertical reciprocatory movement may be
given to the brush, by means of mechanism actuated by the travelling bands, whereby
it is caused to rise up during the intervals between the bottles, etc., and to descend
and touch them when they pass underneath.
The feed of the bottles, jars, etc., is, or may be, regulated by means of a
spring gate which at the proper intervals is caused to rise up through an opening
in the table and check the progress of the bottles, etc., and thereafter to descend
and allow them a free passage. The spring gate, which may receive its motion
from a cam or sprocket wheel on the cross shaft at the upper end of the table, is
so arranged that it only delivers one bottle or jar at a time to the travelling
bands. The gate may be operated by suitable mechanism without the intervention
of a spring.

page_text: With our invention the bottles, jars, etc., are merely placed on a delivery board
and allowed to run down it by their own weight to the gate which delivers them
one at a time, at the proper intervals, to the catches on the travelling bands.
As the table is inclined the weight of the bottles etc., causes the bands to
travel and as a result the bottles etc., are automatically delivered to the gumming
or pasting device and then to the labelling device, thereafter passing down to the
end of the table where they are received or collected in a suitable receptacle.
If desired there may be two or more tables, which are arranged to deliver the
bottles etc. into a common receptacle.
The supply of gum or paste to the brush may be regulated by means of a valve
or its equivalent.
When it is desired to fix a label all round the article, the bottle, etc., may be
made to pass through a shallow trough or vessel filled or partially filled with the
adhesive fluid.
Dated this 27th day of March 1894.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
Glasgow and London, Agent.
A New or Improved Machine for Labelling Bottles, Jars, Tins, and
such like.
We, GEORGE LEAL of 34 John Street, Glasgow, Manufacturer, and WILLIAM
DON GILLIES, of 17 Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, Iron Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to.
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to the labelling of bottles, jars, tins, and other articles of
a round or cylindrical shape, and it has for its object to provide a machine, which
will automatically affix the labels to the bottles, jars, etc.
The whole machine my
be automatic or if preferred it may be driven by power or by hand.
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we have
hereunto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings whereon.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 is an end view of a bottle
labelling machine.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views drawn to an enlarged scale of the label delivering
device.
Fig. 7 is a section of a feeding table and mechanism.
Fig. 8 is a front view of a modified construction of the pasting device.
Fig. 9 is a side view, and Fig. 10 a front view of another construction of pasting
device.
Fig. 11 is a front view and Fig. 12 a plan of one of the catches.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference numerals wherever repeated
indicate the same or similar parts.
In carrying out our invention we use a wood or metal frame 1 made in two
parts 2, 3. The top part or table 2 which is hinged to the lower part 3 by
means of a cross bolt 4, is capable of vertical adjustment by means of the screw
spindle 5, having a wheel handle 5º. This spindle, which is socketed to the
cross bar 7 of the frame of the table at its upper end, passes through the
cross bar 6. By turning the screw the left hand end of the table can be
readily raised or lowered so as to increase or decrease the inclination of the table
as desired.

page_text: The table is provided, at each side, see plan view Fig. 2, with an endless
travelling chain 8. These chains pass round the sprocket or chain wheels 9, 10,
carried on brackets 11, 12, at each end of the table. In order that the chains
may run flush with the surface of the table they are made to run in the longitudinal
grooves 13 (Fig. 2). Fitted on the chains, at suitable intervals apart, are spring
forks or catches 15, 16, which hold the bottles in place. The catches 15 consist of
a U shaped piece of metal (see also Fig. 7) with a piece or prong 15ª projecting
upwards at right angles to it. The catches 16 simply consist of a piece of metal
of U shape having the upper ends first brought closer together and then flared or
curved outwards. The catches 15 catch the body and bottom of the bottle whilst
the catches 16 catch the bottle round the neck. The prong 15ª prevents the
bottles moving laterally when caught.
Fitted in a recess in the table is a, preferably, movable box or receptacle 17 in
which the labels 20 are placed. This box 17, which is shown in section at Fig. 4,
in plan at Fig. 5, and in part side view at Fig. 6, has four, or more, spring catches
so arranged that they keep the labels 20 in place and only allow one to be delivered
at a time. These catches consist of vertical rols 19 which are provided with bent
heads 21 and are capable of sliding up and down in the guides 22. Each catch
is pressed normally upwards by means of a spiral spring 23, which, at its upper
end, bears against a pin inserted in the rod and at its lower end against the top
of the guide. 24 are small guide eyes. In the inside of the box or tin 17 is a
wood block 25 and a spiral spring 26 to the upper end of which is soldere a thin
plate or dise 27.
The full lines Fig. 4 show the spring expanded with the plate on top and the
dotted lines show the spring compressed with the plate at the dotted position 27* and
a number of labels inserted between the plate and the spring catches 21. The
horizontal dotted lines represent the labels. As will be seen at Fig. 6 the spring
catches 21 just catch on the edges of the labels.
Fitted on the table in front of the label receptacle is the device for gunming or
pasting the bottles. This device consists of a tapered gum or paste trough 28
having an opening in its underside through which the adhesive substance is delivered
on to a brush 29. The trough which has a vertical slotted extension is secured to
a supporting frame 30 by means of a screw 31 passed through the slot. The screw
and slot arrangement permits of vertical adjustment.
32 is a strip of flannel or felt which is laid on the table, at the back of the label
receptacle, for the purpose of cleaning the bottles and pressing the labels evenly on
them. For the same purpose a rubber or cloth endless web 33 is provided. This
web runs on rollers 34 capable of vertical movement in their supports 35.
We will now proceed to describe the operation of the machine."
The table, which is preferably much longer than represented on the drawings, is
first adjusted to the proper incline by means of the screw 5 and then a few bottles,
are placed in the catches 15, 16, at the higher end of the table. These bottles, by
their own weight, roll down the table thereby causing the chains 8 to move and the
wheels 10 to revolve, and as, a consequence, the bottle for the time being at the
position a is caused to press against the brush 29 and to pass under it, at the same
time becoming pasted or gummed. After passing under the paste brush the bottle
rolls on to the label receptacle 17 pressing down first the two nearer catches 21
and then, as it rolls, the other two catches. This action, combined with the
adhesive action of the paste, causes one of the labels to be delivered and to stick
firmly on the side of the bottle. The bottle with the label sticking to it, now
rolls down between the flannel or felt 32, and the rubber web 33, being thereby
cleaned of any superfluous paste, and at the same time having the label evenly
pressed in place.
The bottles can be taken off at the low end of the table or be delivered into any
suitable receptacle. In the latter case they would be preferably allowed to run
first on to an inclined plane leading to the receptacle.
As indicated in dotted and full lines at 40 the flannel or felt 32 is laid at intervals

page_text: in cross grooves. These grooves assist in laying down any projecting or non-adhering
edges of the labels.
As fast as the chains
devices in succession.
revolve the bottles are fed to the pasting and labelling
If desired the chain wheels may be driven by means of a handle 36 or they may,
in large machines, be driven by power.
As shown in Fig. 7 the bottles may be fed automatically to the machine. In
this case an inclined delivery board 41 is fitted at the high end of the table. The
bottles are laid on this board and are delivered one by one, at the proper times, by
means of a vertically moving gate 42 actuated by a grooved cam 43 mounted on a
short cross shaft 44 carried by the bracket arms 45. The shaft has a pinion 46
keyed on it which gears with a tooth wheel 47 on the shaft 48. The shape of the
groove in the cam is such that only a momentary movement sufficient to allow one
bottle to be delivered at a time is given to the gate.
Bands 8 are shown in this figure instead of the chains 8.
The modified form of pasting device shown in Fig. 8 differs from that at Fig. 1
in having a cylindrical brush 50 instead of a straight brush.
The cylindrical brush is supported in bearings 51, one at each side of the paste
tin, and these bearings which are slotted, are capable of vertical movement on the
screws 52 inserted in the sides of the tin. The brush 50 works against the open
downwardly extending lip 53 of the tin, and, as it revolves by the action of the
bottles, it withdraws the paste therefrom.
In the arrangement shown at Figs. 9 and 10 the delivery of the paste from the
tin is controlled by a valve 54 which normally closes up the orifice in the bottom
of the tin. This valve, at the proper times, is raised, so as to allow a portion of
the paste to escape, by the action of a cam 55 on a subsidiary shaft 56 driven by a
band from one or other of the end shafts of the machine. The cam is a grooved
cam as indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 10 and the roller running therein is
connected by a rod 57 to the oscillating lever 58 fulcrummed at 59. This lever is
connected by the movable link 60, to the valve 54. When the valve is raised by the
action of the cam and levers a small quantity of the paste drops from the tin on to
the brush 50 and by means of the latter is laid on the bottle for the time being under
the tin. The valve gear is so arranged that the valve only opens when a bottle is
under the tin.
61 is a guide staple for the rod 57.
The machine can be used with equal facility for labelling jars, tins and other
articles of cylindrical shape. In the case of tins and jars both the catches 15, 16
may be made as shown in side & plan views of Figs. 11 and 12 that is, of an upwardly
bent metal strip 70 with a vertical prong 71 at one side.
If desired there may be two or more tables, which are arranged to deliver the
bottles, etc. into a common receptacle.
When it is desired to fix a label all round the article, the bottle etc. may be
made to pass through a shallow trough or vessel filled or partially filled with the
adhesive fluid.
When the machine is driven by power or by hand the frame may if desired
be made all in one piece and the table 2 be either flat or slightly inclined and
non-adjustable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
consider novel and desire to claim is :
1. A machine for labelling bottles, jars, tins and the like consisting of a
table having travelling chains or bands thereon which carry forward the
articles, in succession, first to a pasting device and then to a labelling device,
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. The label delivering device constructed substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the annexed drawings.

page_text: 3. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the machine substantially
as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings annexed.
Dated this 27th day of December 1894.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.