Improvements in Labelling Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Labelling Machines.
I, SIEGMUND LEYSER SALOMON, of No. 102 Heyward Street, in the City of
Brooklyn, County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America,
Merchant's Clerk, 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 :-
My improvement relates especially to labelling machines for labelling bottles and
other cylindrical vessels or packages, and more particularly to machines in which the
labels are pasted and carried to the bottles or packages by means of a travelling apron,
to which paste is applied.
I will first describe my invention in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings, and afterwards point out its novelty in claims.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 represents a central longitudinal section of the same.
Fig. 4 represents a transverse section taken about on the line ca of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the label receptacle.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A A¹ designate a frame consisting of a bed-plate or base A, and fixed standards A',
in which are journalled a roller B and a roller C, and in which a lever D is fulcrammed
at a.
E E' designate a frame, the front end of which is pivotted upon the journal or shaft
of the roller C, and in the rear end of which is journalled a roller C. The two
rollers C C carry a travelling apron F. The said rollers C C¹ may be of wood or
other suitable material, and the apron of india-rubber or other suitable fabric. The
frame E E' and the apron F are capable of a swinging, or rising and falling motion,
about the axis of the roller C.
Under the roller C is arranged a pastebox G, in which runs a paste-supplying
roller H, and a paste-transferring roller I, the latter roller being between the roller H
and apron roller C, to transfer paste from the roller H to the apron, close to where
the apron is supported by the said roller C. Under the part of the apron frame E E¹,
near the other roller C, is arranged a label receptacle, consisting principally of a
plate or table J, and a series of adjustable spring-supported pins 6 61. The lever D,
fulcrummed on the frame A at a, as hereinbefore mentioned, is duplex, there being
one member on each side of the machine, and its two members are connected together
at their outer ends by a cross bar D', so that they work in unison. Their inner ends
are arranged to operate upon the underside of the apron frame E E' for the purpose
of lifting the same, the said ends being furnished with antifriction rollers, c, below the
said frame.
The lever D, besides serving the purpose of lifting the apron frame E E' and
apron F, serves to carry two rollers B¹ B2, which, together with the roller B herein-
before mentioned, constitute a holder with rolling surfaces, which I will hereinafter
speak of as the "bottle holder," though it may be used for holding cans or any
cylindric bodies or packages to which it may be desired to apply labels. In Figure 1,
bottle L is shewn in the holder. The rollers B B B2 may have their bodies made
of wood, metal, or other rigid material, and their surfaces of vulcanized india-rubber
or other yielding material, so that they will adapt themselves to any irregular surfaces
of the bodies to be labelled, and in the case of glass bottles will obviate breakage.
The rollers B' B' are journalled in a yoke B³, which is secured to the cross bar D₁ of
the lever D by means of a screw bolt d and a nut d¹, and an elastic collar or
cushion d of india-rubber or other suitable material being applied around the said

page_text: bolt between the yoke and cross bar, to enable the yoke and the rollers B1, B2 to adapt
themselves to the longitudinal profile of any slightly tapered bottle or other article to
be labelled. The cross bar D' has attached to it a handle D2, by the depression of
which the rollers B' B², constituting a seat or resting place for the bottle or other
article, are lowered to permit the introduction and removal of the bottle or other
article, the same movement of the handle serving to raise the inner end of the lever D,
and so lift up the apron frame E E and apron F. The yoke B³ has provided in it
several sets of holes e, to constitute different bearings for the journals of the roller B',
and provide, by the shifting of said roller between 'said bearings, for adapting the
holder to bottles or articles of different sizes.
The plate or table J of the label receptacle has its rear edge secured to a rockshaft f
fitted to bearings in boxes g, upon the fixed plate or table A. Its forward end is
supported by springs h, which are coiled around fixed posts 7. The said plate or
table J is slotted, as shewn at ii in Fig. 5, for the passage through it of the spring
supported pins b, 6', which are carried by plates j, which are fitted to dovetailed
guides j¹ on the bottom of the said table or plate, and which are capable of being
secured to the said plate or table by binding screws and nuts 1, when adjusted to bring
the said pins 661 to the proper position, according to the form and size of the labels.
The said pins 661 form the sides of the label receptacle. They pass through bosses
provided on the plates j, and are connected with the said plates by springs m, which
act to press them upward, that they may project above the table J, as high as may be
required for the highest pile of labels which it may be desired to place in the
receptacle. The table J, is represented as having an inclination downward & rear-
ward. By this arrangement, the labels will adjust themselves against the lowermost
pins. In order to provide for labels of circular or oval form so adjusting
themselves, provision is made for depressing the central pin 6, and holding it
depressed, so that the labels may pass over it, and adjust themselves against the
two pins 6 on opposite sides of the said pin 6. This provision is represented in
Figs. 1, 3 and 5 as consisting of a small flat button n, pivotted to the table by a pin n'.
When the pin b' is depressed below the table, this button may be turned over the top
of it, and will thus hold it down.
Above the label receptacle there is provided, within the apron F, a platen E³, which
is rigidly secured at k k to the apron frame, and the under face of which is parallel
with, and nearly close to the lower run of the apron, to press the latter closely upon
the top label of the pile, so that paste may be applied by the apron to the whole
surface of the label, and that the picking up of the so pasted label may be insured.
In order to provide for the taking up of the labels on the proper part of the width
of the apron, and placing them in a proper position lengthwise of the bottle or other
article, the label receptacle is bodily movable lengthwise of its rockshaft f, and is
capable of being secured in any position thereon by means of set screws r, and in
order to enable the attendant to place the bottle or other article in the bottle holder in
proper position lengthwise to receive the labels, an adjustable gauge pin s, furnished
with an antifriction roller, against which one end of the said article is to be placed, is
provided upon the holder yoke B³..
L' is the stripper for stripping the pasted labels from the apron, consisting of a
series of tines and a suitable stock, which is fitted to a shaft t, the ends of which are
secured in portions of the sides of the apron frame which project beyond the roller C
towards the bottle holder. This stripper is adjustable about the axis of the shaft t to
bring its points in suitable proximity to the apron, to strip off the labels without
tearing the apron. This adjustment may be effected by turning the stock of the
stripper on the shaft t, or by turning the said shaft in its bearings in the apron frame,
and the adjustment may be secured by set screws t' or t', as will readily be understood
by reference to Fig. 3. The stripper being attached to the apron frame, moves with
it, and injury to its points by the apron, and to the apron by its points, when the
apron is lifted, is prevented.
In order to provide for the removal of the paste from all parts of the width of the
apron but those which are to paste and receive the label, and thus to prevent the

page_text: pasting of those portions of the bottle or other article not to be covered by the label,
1 provide a scraper N for either or each edge of the apron. I have represented one
on each side. These scrapers consist of blades which lie close against the under part
of the belt, over the paste box, and they are represented as pivotted to small posts u,
which are firmly secured to the sides E of the frame, the said blades being pivotted
on the lower ends of the said posts, so that they may be set at different angles across
the apron, as may be understood by reference to Fig. 2, and thereby he made to reach
across a greater or less portion of the width of the apron.
To provide for the proper adjustment of the tension of the apron, the bearings for
the journals of the roller Care provided in sliding pieces E³, which are movable
lengthwise on the sides E of the apron frame by means of pinions p, and toothed
racks the said racks being upon the said sliding pieces, and the said pinions on a
shaft, which works in bearings in the sides E of the frame, and which is capable of
being turned by a hand wheel p². The adjustment may be secured by set screws and
nuts q', as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
To provide for giving just as thick a coating of paste to the apron as may be
desired, I make the paste box, and the roller H within it, adjustable towards and from
the apron. This I have represented as accomplished by supporting the rear side
of the box on fixed bearings v, on which it may be tilted, and supporting its rear end
on an adjusting screw w. By turning this screw, the box and roller H are raised or
depressed, and so caused to produce greater or less pressure between the rollers H. I,
an between the latter roller and the apron. By allowing the roller I to run loosely
between the roller H and the apron, a copious supply of paste is given to the apron,
and by pressing it more closely, a less copious supply is given.
The roller B is furnished with a hand crank B, by which to turn it, and is also
furnished with a spur gear B³, gearing with a spur gear C' on the apron roller C.
This gear C² gears with one I on the paste-transferring roller I, and another one [*
on that roller gears with one H' on the paste supplying roller H. By turning the
crank, the roller is caused to turn a bottle or other cylindrical article in the holder,
and the gearing just described is, at the same time, caused to produce the rotation of
the roller C, and the travel of the belt, and also caused to produce the rotation of the
two paste rollers.
To operate the machine, the paste box having. been supplied with paste, and the
receptacle J, 'having been supplied with labels, the attendant depresses the
handle D2 to lift the apron out of contact with the labels, and he then turns
the crank B long enough to give the apron sufficient movement to paste a suitable
portion of its length to reach over the labels. He then raises the handle, and allows
the apron to drop upon the top label, as shewn in Fig. 3, and afterwards depresses the
handle low enough to permit the introduction of the article to be pasted, which I will
suppose to be a bottle. This movement causes the pasted apron to pick up the top
label. He next places the bottle on the holder as shewn in Fig. 1, and in dotted
outline in Fig. 2, with its bottom against the gauge s, and then allows the handle to
rise high enough to clamp the bottle between the rolling surfaces of the holder, viz.,
the rollers B, B¹ B². He then, while holding the apron clear of the pile of labels by
the handle D³, turns the crank to simultaneously produce the rotation of the bottle,
and the movement of the apron by which the pasted & picked up label is carried to
the bottle, the said label being stripped from the apron by the stripper L', just as it
arrives at the bottle, and then taken up by the bottle, and rolled closely thereon, by
the action of the roller B, which produces the rotary movement of the bottle, the
latter, in turn, producing, by its friction, the rotation of the rollers B¹ B2, which assist
in pressing the label tightly on to the bottle. The handle may then be depressed to
open the holder, and after the removal of the bottle, the handle is allowed to rise to
let down the apron to take a new label, and the several operations are repeated as
herein described.
In the operation of pasting the label and picking it up from the apron, it is obvious
that the apron must come down close to the whole surface of the label, in order to
properly apply the paste thereto. This would hardly be possible in case the label

page_text: receptacle should be supported with absolute rigidity, as the angle at which the apron
would strike the top label would vary according to the height of the pile. It is to
enable the top label to adjust itself to the angle of the apron, that the receptacle is
pivotted on the rock shaft f, at its rear end, and supported on a yielding bearing, as
the springs h, at its front end.
It is obvious that a treadle may be applied to the lever D instead of the handle D³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a bottle holder having rolling surfaces, a receptacle for labels
having an open top and a travelling paste-carrying apron, capable of a rising and
falling motion, for the purpose of pasting the labels in said receptacle, picking them
up therefrom, and carrying them to a bottle or package in said holder, substantially
as herein described.
2. The combination of a bottle-holder having rolling surfaces, a receptacle for
labels having an open top, a travelling paste carrying apron and rollers therefor, and
a frame for said rollers arranged to swing to and fro about the axis of one of said
rollers, towards, and from said receptacle; substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
3. The combination of a bottle holder having rolling surfaces, a receptacle for
labels having an open top, a travelling paste-carrying apron and rollers therefor, a
frame for said rollers arranged to swing to and fro about the axis of one of said rollers
towards and from said receptacle, a paste reservoir, a paste receiving roller running in
said reservoir, and a paste-transferring roller situated between said paste-receiving
roller, and the said apron roller about the axis of which the said frame swings, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
4. The combination, in a labelling machine, of a label receptacle, a swinging frame
and rollers therein, and a paste-carrying apron on said rollers, a paste reservoir
arranged below and adjustable towards and from said apron, and a roller in said
reservoir for taking up paste therefrom to be deposited on said apron; substantially as
and for the purpose herein set forth.
5. The combination, in a labelling machine, with a paste-carrying apron and rollers
for carrying the same and a frame containing the said rollers and apron arranged to
swing from the axis of one of said rollers, of a label receptacle and a fixed pivotal
support therefor at one end thereof, and a yielding support for the other end of said
receptacle substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
6. The combination, in a labelling machine, with a travelling paste-carrying apron,
of an adjustable scraper on either side of said apron for removing the paste from a
portion of the width of said apron; substantially as herein set forth.
7. The combination, in a labelling machine, of a label receptacle, a travelling paste-
carrying apron, and a swinging frame for said apron for pasting and picking up labels
from said receptacle, and a stripper supported in said frame for stripping the labels
from said apron; substantially as herein described.
8. The combination, in a labelling machine, with a label receptacle and a travelling
paste-carrying apron, and a swinging frame for said apron for pasting and picking up
labels from said receptacle, of a shaft supported in said frame and a stripper carried on
said shaft, adjustable about the axle thereof relatively to the said apron; substantially
as herein set forth.
9. The combination with a bottle holder, and a travelling paste-carrying apron, of a
label receptacle adjustable laterally to said apron and holder; substantially as and for
the purpose herein set forth.
10. The combination with the rising and falling paste-carrying apron, of a label
receptacle consisting of a table and a series of spring supported pins working through
said table substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
11. The combination with the rising and falling paste-carrying apron, of a
receptacle consisting of a table and a series of spring supported pins working

page_text: through said table, and a stop for retaining one of said pins below the surface of
the table; substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
12. The combination, in a labelling inachine, with a paste-carrying apron, a
swinging frame and rollers therefor for carrying said apron, a label receptacle, and
a lever for operating said frame, of a bottle-holder consisting of a roller occupying a
fixed position, and rollers supported in said lever; substantially as herein described.
Dated this 25th day of November 1890.
NEWTON & SUN,
Agents for the Applicant.