for label
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 24th July, 1897
WILLIAM GRIFFITH TRITHEWEY, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Notary
Public, 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:-
That I have invented new and useful improvements in machines for labelling
cans, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Reference being
made to the accompanying drawing, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal intersection of my improved machine, taken
at line y y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the adjustable pasting, can feeding, and
propelling devices removed.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the machine, taken at linear of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of the lap-pasting device, intersected at line z 2,
of Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a part of the same, with its
lower depending part broken away.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the paste fountain, the pasting and spacing device, and
also the paste-spreading roller shown in dotted lines.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the back label guide and can support
with its appurtenances, and showing the manner in which said guide is connected
with the bed of the machine.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the front label guide, which is provided
with a short depending portion, and Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the adjustable can
guides, taken at line o o of Fig. 1.
My invention relates to improvements in machines for labelling cans, and its
objects are; first, to provide a machine of the kind, of a cheap, simple and durable
construction, and which may be readily adjusted to suit cans and labels of various
dimensions, and that may be readily repaired when worn or broken; second, to
provide a machine that will label perfectly a great number of cans in a short
space of time, securely pasting down the lap, and turn them out dry and clean
free from paste daubs, and ready for casing immediately after coming from the
machine, and third, a labelling machine that will as readily apply narrow labels
to cans of a much greater length than the said label's width, as to cans whose
entire circumference are covered by the labels.
In the said drawings, similar letters and numerals designate corresponding parts
in all of the views, referring to which:-
A indicates the bed of my improved machine, which is preferably mounted upon
and secured to legs, as B and C. D indicates a tie-bar which is securely fastened
to the cross-ties C³, of the legs B and C (See Fig. 1 and 3).
E indicates an adjustable frame which is arranged above the bed A, by means
of the support brackets F' and G, having their depending arms passing through
apertures in the bed A. The arms or branches of the bracket F, at their lower

page_text: extremities are threaded, and are provided with wing-nuts thereon below and
above the bed A, on either side of the said apertures, as F; and they are provided
on their inner side beneath the frame E with lug-bolts, as F, shown in Fig. 3.
The bracket G is provided at its lower dependencies, which pass through the
slotted openings in the bed A, as A3, with a number of small apertures g², through
which the pins are thrust and rest upon the bed A. Towards the top of the
depending arms of the said bracket G are arranged machine screws g, which
connect with and securely fasten the frame E in place, as shown in Fig. 1, and
at the opposite end the said frame E is rigidly connected by the collar bolt H.
By reason of the said apertures, wing-nuts and pins, it will be perceived that
the frame E, carrying the belt-wheels J, and the paste and the can-feeding
mechanism, may be adjustably fixed at various elevations above the bed A, for a
purpose to be described presently; and by reason the said wheels J being mounted
in the manner just described, it will be seen that the belt may be adjustably
fixed at various altitudes above the bed A, to engage cans of various diameters
in their passage through the rear part of the machine; it being simply necessary
when it is desired to increase the distance between the belt I and the bed A, to
move the frame E upwards through the medium of the wing-nuts F2, and securely
fix it where desired.
Approximate to the forward belt-wheel J is mounted a wheel K, which is
secured on a shaft K'. This wheel K is larger in diameter than the belt-wheels J,
for a reason to appear presently, and encircling the said wheel is a cushion pad k¹,
provided of its edges with a slight flange 2, and on the end of the said wheel is a
bevelled flange k whose outer rim projects beyond the periphery of the said wheel,
as shown in Fig. 6.
*
"
Directly in front of and approximate to the wheel K is a paste wheel L, which
is adjustably secured on the shaft L', by means of a countersunk screw, as shown
in Fig. 6; and M indicates a paste receptacle, designed to carry and supply paste
to the said wheel L upon its periphery by means of the opening, which may be
closed by the slide valve m2, and thus it will be seen that any desired amount of
paste may be allowed to escape, for the purpose of better supplying the adhesive
to cans of different lengths, as it will be readily understood that in labelling
"flat" cans, the surface to be pasted will not be so great as in operating on tall
cans. The better to assist in the control of the adhesive, the receptacle M is
formed to engage the rising sides of the wheel L by the flanges m³, and it is
mounted on bars m, which pass through small apertures on either side of the said
wheel L into the frame E, which apertures are not in direct line with the apertures
in the paste receptacle M, by reason of the pasting periphery of the wheel inter-
vening (See Fig. 6); and thus it will be seen that the paste receptacle is constantly
yieldingly pressed against the wheel, by the spring of the rods 'm.
Lying above and between the paste wheel L and the cushioned wheel K is a
paste spreading roller N, mounted in a swinging arm or bracket 0. This bracket ()
is provided at the ends of its parallel branches with slots, which receive and rest
upon the shaft L', so that the said roller N turns in close proximity to the paste
wheel L, and when the machine is in operation lies upon and is turned by the
cushion wheel K.
In operating on extreme flat cans, a cushion is employed not quite so wide as
the label to be applied, in order that no adhesive can be smeared over the parts
of the can not covered by the said label: and by reason of the adjustment of the
paste wheel L, and the slide valve m², the stream of paste is directed to the
periphery of the roller N that bears between the flanges on the wheel K. The
said flanges keep the paste from spreading over the edges of the cushion.
Lying parallel and longitudinal to the bed of the machine, are adjustable guide
bars P, which are securely fastened where desired, to accommodate the length of
cans to be labelled, by bolts passing through the slots P2 in the brackets P¹ and
apertures in the bed A, as shown in Fig. 2. About the centre of the guide bars P
and on their inner sides are depending flanges Q. These flanges Q are designed

page_text: to receive the rims and support the cans in their passage through the machine;
to the rear and with their ends resting upon the said flanges Q are adjustable
flanges R, which are securely fixed where desired through the medium of the
slots R2 and the thumb-nuts R. It will be readily seen that cans and labels of
various lengths may be employed in the machine.
On the rear side of the label opening is securely fixed a curved plate S (See
Fig. 1), which has its forward depending corners slightly notched, and its centre
resting between the bed A, and at its opposite end it is securely fastened to the
horizontal part of the leg frame 1 by the bolt St, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
Upon the curved plate S is suitably arranged a strip of ordinary carpet T. This
carpet acts as a cushion to securely affix the lap end of the label, when the passing
can is pressed between the belt I and the said plate S. Owing to the peculiar
shape of the curved plate S, it will be readily seen that the cans may pass over
the said plate in a continual stream in close proximity to each other, without the
possibility of the belt being lifted from any of the cans, by reason of the convex
shape of the plate S, the more cans that may be upon it the tighter the belt I will
press the said cans.
Approximate to and beneath the front end of the plate S is a small roller U,
which is mounted upon a shaft U2, the said shaft being journalled and made to
turn in depending brackets U, the whole being suitably fastened to the bed A. by
means of the bolts U³.
Bearing against the rear side of the roller U and with an opening receiving the
periphery thereof is a paste fountain W. This paste fountain W is designed to
supply paste to the lap end of the labels, in such quantities as desired, and it is
preferably made in the form as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. In the said paste
fountain, indicates the parallel side plates of the same, which are of triangle
shape with their lower portions projesting clear of the fountain proper; and near
the outer edges of the plates are small apertures, and a little from line towards the
roller are apertures in the depending lugs U, and a spring rod w² passed through
the said apertures keeps the opening in the paste fountain pressed against the
roller U, and thus furnishes a steady supply of paste to the lap end of the labels.
To prevent too much of the adhesive being taken on the lap of the labels, I provide
the cross wire scraper w³. This wire scraper is made to lie upon and across the
label stack and bear upon the same immediately in front of the roller U (See
Fig. 4), and it is provided with a tubular roller upon its horizontal portion. The
parallel ends of the said scraper are fastened to the sides of the paste fountain, by
solder or other suitable means.
It will be seen from the foregoing, that it matters little how much paste may be
lying upon the lap of the label, it cannot pass the scraper w³, but is scraped off onto
the next label, and so on, thus insuring clean and positive work.
To guard against the paste becoming smeared upon the ends of the roller U,
bearing flanges are provided, as shown in Fig. 5. These flanges w³ snugly fit
and provide a bearing for the roller U, within the opening of the paste fountain W.
Beneath the paste roller U and extending downwards is a depending plate w
which acts as a support for the ends of the labels to rest against, and provides a
means for keeping them even.
X indicates a cylindrical paste receptacle, which is provided with a plunger
on the end of the shaft X', and the said plunger is pressed downwards by the spring
arm X, the opposite end of which is securely fastened to the frame bracket F by
the lug-nut F (See Fig. 3). The paste within the fountain and receptacle W
and X being of such a consistency that it will not escape through the opening
in the receptacle X, as X³, when the machine is not in operation, but when the
roller U is made to turn by the machine's operation, said paste is gradually worked
from the fountain and is applied to the upward bearing ends of the labels.
indicates the adjustable label guides, which are employed on each of the
opposite longitudinal sides of the label space. These guides a, as better shown in
Figs. 7 and 8, respectively comprise vertical portions, which form the guide for the

page_text: labels, and horizontal portions which have slots a; and they are adjustably con-
nected to the bed A by bolts a¹ which take through slots a³ and A', whereby it
will be seen that they may be readily adjusted in the direction of the width and
length of the bed, and may be fixed at various positions acording to the size of the
label to be employed, which is a great consideration. The horizontal portions
of the label guides are arranged below the upper edge of the vertical portions,
and the upper edges of the said vertical portions are placed at an obtuse angle to the
horizontal portions, and they are provided with extending points a', and at their
opposite ends are bevelled off, as a. About the centre of the vertical portions and
resting on the upper side of the horizontal portions are clamps a², which securely
hold in place hooked pins a¹, these being designed to extend over and engage the
topmost label, and their points are yieldingly pressed downwards, so that if two
labels are taken up by a passing can, the second one is thrown back in its place
ready for the next can. Upon the vertical portions and to the rear of the
horizontal parts of the guide frames a, are a second set of hooked pins a*, which
project within the path of the labels through slots a³ of the frames a and they are
suitably fastened thereto, as shown in Fig. 8. These pins are to prevent the labels
from being dragged out of place by the velocity of the uppermost label on its way
to the can. It will be observed that passing cans only roll upon the front part of
the label stack, as their rim are supported by the upper edges of the vertical parts
of the guides a, and by reason of the sudden rise thereon the label-covered can is
brought between the belt I and the cushion T on the plate S, and thus insuring
neat and regular work.
b indicates the label support frame, which may be and preferably is formed in
one piece, as shown, and it comprises the lower horizontal part which is fastened
by means of a bolt passing through an aperture therein and the slot D¹ of the
tie-bar D. The top of the said frame b is provided with lateral branches, which rest
against and are adjustably fastened to the under side of the bed A by the bolts
taking through slots A³ therein and apertures in the said lateral branches of the
frame b. By reason of the slot D' in the tie-bar D, and the slots A2 of the bed A, it
will be readily seen that the frame 6 may be fixed at any desired distance from the
depending portion of the paste fountain W, to accomodate labels of various
lengths.
Within the upright portion of the frame b is a sliding frame d, which is designed
to provide the label support and the means of automatically supplying labels to
passing cans; and it is preferably made with a horizontal portion dl, and the brace
d2, and as shown in Fig. 1, the said horizontal portion d¹ being held in its flat
position by means of shoulders bearing against the rear sides and shoulders en-
gaging the forward sides of the frame b, the said frame b and the shoulders in
frame & being so fitted, that the frame d loosely slides up and down and is drawn up
the frame by means of the weight f on the cord f, which passes over the pulley 6¹
in the bracket c, and it is fastened at its end to the bolt d³ in the frame d.
Lying upon the horizontal part of the frame d is a block of wood or other suitable
material e. This block e is convexed on its upper surface, and towards its rear end
it tapers off to an edge, and projecting beyond this edge is a yielding metal
spring e; the said spring may be made by suitably fastening a piece of sheet in
to the receding part of the block, and at its extremity it is curved upwards, for
the reason that the horizontal parts of the rear edges of the labels will always be
yieldingly pressed against the paste roller U, and prevents at any time their
becoming jammed between the roller U and the said support.
A separate block e is provided to fit the different widths and lengths of labels
desired to be operated upon; and by reason of the vertical depending portion of
one of the label guides a, extending downwards but a very short distance (See
Fig. 8), the said guide a will slide laterally over the support d¹ of the frame d,
and will engage labels and blocks e of various widths, and will allow of the last
label upon the block e being taken up, without interference from the support
plate of the frame d.

page_text: At the forward end of the machine and suitably fastened to the bed A is a
plate . This plate his braced by a rod i, which is securely fastened to the
under side thereof, and having its depending end fastened beneath the cross-
tie C of the legs C and secured from the said cross-tie C¹ is a second brace
rod, which securely connects the cross-tie C¹ and the top horizontal part of the
legs B, the above brace rods effectually prevent undue vibration in the machine's
frame. At the lower extremity of the legs Care rolls C2, which furnish an easy
means of moving the machine from place to place.
In providing for the driving power of can feeding and pasting device, either
hand or motive power may be attached to the rear shaft J, by the pulley or the
crank J, and when turned the lap-roller U will be driven by means of an elastic
belt passing over a pulley mounted on the shaft U2, and a similar one mounted
on the shaft ; a small sprocket is mounted on the said shaft J and a sprocket
belt passing thereround and over a large sprocket K2 mounted on the shaft K¹,
and thence round the sprocket L³ mounted on the shaft L', as shown in Fig. 6.
By reason of the wheel K being larger than the belt wheels J, it will be seen
that when the cans are poured into the chute, as shown in Fig. 1, their peripheries
will be engaged by the cushion, and as the said chute or bed of the machine is
on an incline, that when the wheel K is turned the cans will be passed under the
same and their uppermost peripheries will be thoroughly pasted by means of the
cushion A, and it will be readily understood that by the slow movement of the
wheel K, through the medium of the small sprocket on the shaft J', and the large
one on the shaft K₁ the cans will be spaced by gravity, and on account of the
incline in the said bed imparting to the cans a faster motion than the motion
of the wheel, the forward can will run ahead of the next rear one, and thus
produce a cheap and positive spacer for all sizes of cans, which is an important
desideratum. I further employ the wheel K as an auxiliary in better handling
the cans by means of the bevel flange k, which flange is set with its outer rim
just without the can chute, and its inner bevel projecting slightly over the edge
of the said chute. As the cans are engaged by the wheel K their outer rim
will be engaged by the flange k, and the cans will be shunted and squared by their
opposite ends being pressed against the front guide. Especially is the above
advantageous in handling cans of unequal length, and that vary to one eighth
of an inch and under. In the practice of my invention, the belt I, the wheel K,
the guides P, the label guides a, the label block e, and the label support d are
adjusted to suit the size of the cans and that of the labels to be applied thereto,
and if necessary the cushion may be removed and a cushion of more
proper size employed. The labels are now placed in a stack upon the
block e
on the support frame d, and the machine is ready for operation.
In operation, the machine is set in motion, and the cans are preferably poured
into a temporary chute in advance of the machine, from the temporary chute and
over the plate to the wheel K, the cans will be brought by gravity, and they
are pasted and released one by one by the slow movement of the said wheel K,
and one half turn brings the pasted portion of the can upon the forward end of
the label stack, each one taking up one label; at this point the cans are brought
upon a frame of less declivity, by reason of the rise rearwards of the label guides a,
which bring the label-covered cans in contact with the belt I, which rolls them
along and tightly presses the labels thereon, when they are dropped from the
machine into a suitable chute, from which they may be conveniently packed into
cases.
It will be seen from the foregoing that my improved machine, considering the
wide range of work it is adapted to do is very cheap and simple, and it will also
be seen that the machine may readily be taken apart and may consequently be
easily repaired when worn or broken. It will also be seen from the foregoing
that the machine requires but one attendant and that it is adapted to efficiently
label a large number of cans in a short space of time which is the thing to be
desired.

page_text: Having thus 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. In a can labelling machine with an adjustable guide-way for cans and labels
of diferent dimensions, the combination of a wheel K mounted in an adjustable
frame E having a flange on its one end, and a cushion having flanges on its
periphery, which engage, paste and space cans on their way through the machine,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a machine for labelling cans with a bed and frame E adjustably arranged
above the bed, the combination of a can engaging, pasting and spacing wheel
having a flange k on its one end mounted in the said frame E, and of a paste
supplying wheel L mounted in the said frame arranged to supply paste to a
spreading roller which lies upon and is turned by the can engaging and spacing
wheel, as set forth.
3. In combination with a machine for labelling cans having a frame E carrying
a can pasting, engaging and spacing wheel K, the same having a flange k upor
its one end and a cushion having flanges on its can engaging periphery, of a
swinging bracket supporting one end of the said frame E, and an adjustably
vertically fixed bracket E supporting the other end, by which means the said
wheel Khaving the flange k may be fixed along and at different altitudes above
the said bed, substantially as specified.
4. In combination with a machine for labelling cans, an adjustable runway and
an opening with a label support therein, the said support being of convex form on
its upper surface towards the forward end and its rear end being depressed and hav-
ing a resilient portion el which presses the uppermost label against a paste roller
U below the track of the cans, substantially as set forth.
5. In a machine for labelling cans, the combination of an adjustable runway
with movable label guides placed on opposite sides of an opening therein, the said
label guides designed to receive the rims of the can and made to raise upwardly
above the plane of the labels, as specified.
6. In a can labelling machine, the combination of a bed having label guides
adjustably arranged on opposite sides thereof, resilient hooked pins adjustably
fixed on the forward portions of the said label guides and similar pins rigidly
fixed at a declivity to the forward pins and made to engage the rear opposite edges
of the labels by their lateral projection through slots in the said guides, substan-
tially as specified.
7. In a machine for applying labels to cans, the combination of a bed with
guides adjustably secured thereon, the said guides having adjustable depending
portions R, and a vertical guide-frame 6 adjustably fixed beneath the bed, a slid-
ing frame carrying a horizontal or flat portion d, a label block e upon said flat
portion provided at one end with a curved and yielding spring el, and means for
moving the slide frame d upwardly on the vertical guide frame b, substantially
as specified.
8. In a can labelling machine, the combination of a sliding frame made to
Dear against the upper front sides and the lower rear sides of the vertical guide
frame b, of the paste roller U arranged across the opposite end of the label space,
a resilient tubular roller w³ placed parallel to and at a distance in front of the said
paste roller and a depending plate w beneath the roller of a movable label guide a
depending and placed at right angles to the plate w and a short depending label
guide adjustably fixed parallel to and on the opposite side of the opening, and
resilient pins and a secured to the said label guides and projecting laterally
into the said passage or opening and made to engage the top-most label, all substan-
tially as specified.
9. In combination with a machine for labelling cans, a bed having a passage for
labels with a small pasting roller U mounted beneath the rear end thereof and
suitable means for supplying paste thereto, means for supplying labels to a passage
in front of the said roller on an even plane to the bed of the machine, the top-most

page_text: label being engaged by the roller U and means for imparting motion to the said
roller, whereby the upper label will be pasted on the lap-end, substantially as
specified.
10. In a can labelling machine, the combination of a bed provided with a can
chute or runway adjustable fixed thereto, an adjustable frame mounted above the
bed, a paste-wheel mounted in the said frame, a paste receptacle designed to receive
the lower periphery of the said wheel and made to yieldingly bear against the
same by rods passing through apertures and to the opposite side of the frame E,
the said apertures in the frame E not being in direct line with the apertures in the
paste receptacle by the periphery of the paste wheel L intervening, of flanges
designed to bear against the sides of the paste wheel, a slide valve m² designed to
regulate the flow of paste, of a paste spreading roller N journalled in a shaft N'
mounted in a swinging bracket with its periphery adjacent to the paste supply
wheel L and lying upon the cushioned can pasting and spacing wheel K, all sub-
stantially as and for the purposes specified.
11. In a machine for applying labels to cans, the combination of a bed provided
with a can chute or runaway adjustably fixed thereto, lateral depending flanges R
at opposite sides of the said chute adjustably fixed thereto by thumb-nuts R' in
slots R2, of adjustable label guides a on opposite sides of a passage for labels in
the bed, the said guides a being arranged with their upper support edges on a
different plane to the bed, substantially as specified.
12. In a can labelling machine with a can chute or runway, the combination of
a roller U placed in proximity below the runway and means for supplying paste
thereto, of label guides a on either side of a label passage their supporting and rear
edges being raised and projecting above the roller U, and of resilient hooked pins
being secured to the said guides and projecting laterally within the path of the
labels in the label space, substantially as specified.
13. In a machine for applying labels to cans, with a runaway for cans and a
space for labels, the combination of a roller U placed at a lower plane than the
said runway, of means of yieldingly pressing labels against the said roller, and of
a tubular roller 103 on a resilient wire placed parallel to the said roller U at some
distance in front thereof and to act as a paste scraper for the lappel of the topmost
label, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of March, 1897.
WILLIAM GRIFFITH TRITHEWEY.