Improvements in Labelling-machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: பா
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Labelling-machines.
We, ANDREW SIEGEL, Machinist, and FRED HAUSMANN, Merchant, both of
28 Arch Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a device for applying gummed labels to glass bottles,
cans or other receptacles and it comprises certain novel features hereinafter
mentioned, the object being to produce a more effective device whereby the labels
can be discharged separately from the label-box and applied smoothly to the
bottle.
Our improved machine is conveniently and advantageously constructed as follows,
viz. A vertically curved forked lever is pivoted to the base or bed of the machine
and is actuated by a pitman pivoted at one end to the said lever and slotted in its
opposite end.
A gear-wheel journaled on a crank-shaft has a crank-pin working in the said slot,
the said gear-wheel meshing with a pinion on the driving shaft.
A horizontally arranged carriage is fitted to slide in suitable ways on standards,
longitudinally of the machine. This carriage is actuated by another forked lever
pivoted centrally to the carriage and connected to the arms of the vertically curved
lever. Three arch-bars are mounted vertically on the standards and support the
label-carrying mechanism.
On the said carriage a lever is pivoted to swing vertically on a standard. Its
rear arm is pushed upward by a spring and at the end of the said arm it bears a
vertical cam-finger. The opposite arm of said lever bears a vertical label-
carrying arm.
A detachable foot or shoe is mounted on the lower end of this arm.
The finger
on the rear arm of the lever is carried by a bar pivoted to swing laterally on said
said finger being pivoted to swing vertically on said bar. On the same pivot
there is a pendant pivoted finger.
arm,
A cam-plate is supported in a horizontal position by the arch-bars and is arranged
longitudinally of the machine. On the rear of said plate there is a socket in which
a stud is fitted to slide and is engaged by the said cam-finger.
The under face of the cam-plate has a track on which the cam-finger travels in
one direction as the carriage is advanced.
When it reaches one end of said track it drops therefrom and is thrown upward
by the spring, elevating the lever arm.
As the carriage retreats the canı-finger travels in the other direction on the other
track, the lateral movement necessary to enter this track being permitted by the
pivoted bar. A partition divides the two tracks, and one end of this partition is
a spring.
At the rear end of one track there is a vertically curved cam onto which the
cam-finger rides.
'
A curved guide plate directs the finger at the end of the rearward passage of
the carriage into engagement with the pin in the socket, the said spring yielding to
permit this, said pin is thereby driven upward.
The cam-tracks are so arranged that when the carriage has advanced the finger
is freed, permitting the spring to act and throw the outer end of the lever downward.

page_text: On the retreat of the carriage the cams act to operate the lever so that the shoe
will pass over a paste roll and into a label box.
At the end of the retreat of the carriage the cam-finger engages the pin in the
socket and drives it upward. On one arch a shaft is journaled and bears an arm
which will engage the said pin driving it downward and forcing the cam-finger in
like direction so that said finger may be directed into the proper groove of the cam
at a determined point in the passage of the carriage.
On third arch a plunger slides vertically in a guide and has a laterally curved
shoe on its lower end, conforming to the shape of the bottle which it is to engage.
The said plunger is connected by a link with an arm on a rock-shaft whereby it
is actuated.
A table is mounted on a spindle fitted to slide vertically in the bed of the
machine in alignment with the plunger. This spindle is pushed upward by a spring
in a socket and a stud on the spindle projects through a slot in the socket. An
arm on a shaft will engage the said stud and draw the spindle down against its
spring. A crank on said shaft is connected by a pitman with the crank-pin on the
main crank-shaft which enters a slot in said pitman.
At the rear of the said spindle tongs-levers are pivoted to swing laterally and
are pulled together by a spring. Rollers are borne on pins on the upper or
free ends of these levers, said rollers projecting into the path of the plunger,
normally.
A paste-box is disposed directly behind the rollers, and a transversely arranged
daubing-roll is journaled in the box in position to be engaged by the shoe during
the retreat of the carriage.
Disposed behind the paste-box there is a label-box which comprises four standards
composed of vertically arranged brushes, the bristles of which project inwardly
towards opposite standards. In the top of each standard there is a nipple opposite
the upper row of bristles.
To one of these nipples a flexible tube is attached, and on the outer end of said
tube, at the rear of the machine a bellows is secured. This bellows is in position
to be engaged by the pendant finger at a determined point in the rearward passage
of the carriage, a quick puff of air may thus be discharged into the label-box
adjacent to the upper label of the stack when the label-carrying shoe engages said
label, thus breaking the vacuum and preventing more than one label from being
removed from the box at a time. The stack of labels rests on a plate secured to a
spindle which may be spring-supported or fed upward by any suitable means.
Through each set of bristles a vertical wire runs adjacent to their outer ends to
prevent the labels from projecting too far into said brushes. These brushes serve
to retard the labels as they are withdrawn and as an additional precaution against
more than one leaving the box at a time. With their use the air apparatus may,
if desired, be omitted.
On each spreading-roll lever there is a standard which bears at its upper end a
horizontal bed in the same plane as the upper faces of said rolls.
A shaft is journaled in bearings fitted to slide in said-bed and held by set-screws.
This shaft is tensioned by a torsion spring. On this bed and actuated by the
shaft and conjunctive mechanism, the label-clamping device is carried. This
comprises a dog fast on the said shaft centrally, and normally held in engagement
with the bed by the said spring.
A lever is also fast on the shaft and is notched, and a locking lever is fast on a
stub-shaft with its free end adapted to engage in the said notch. Au arm is fast
on the stub-shaft, and the said lever has a laterally projecting pin.
On the label-shoe there are two angular spring-cams which, when the carriage is
sufficiently advanced, will engage the arms on the stub-shafts, rocking the said
shafts and releasing the said levers from the locking levers, thus permitting the
springs to act and throw the dogs into engagement with the bed and clamp a
label to it.
On a rock-shaft which is actuated by an arm connected with one of the pitmans

page_text: there are two fast arms projecting into position to engage the pin on the locking-
lever. At a determined point in the retreat of the carriage and simultaneously
with the contact of the bottle with the label, this arm will be driven into engage-
ment with the pin, thus depressing the lever and elevating the dog and thus freeing
the label, the locking lever then engaging with the notch of the lever.
On the forward end of the cam-track there is a cam-boss in position to engage
the cam-finger, immediately the carriage starts to retreat, thus elevating the shoe
out of contact with the label which has been previously clamped by the dogs, so
that it will not drag and tear said label.
Power being applied, and a label being held to the bed by the dogs, when the
carriage starts back, the shoe is elevated out of the path of the plunger. The
operator now inserts a bottle over the label thus held by the dogs. The plunger
descending engages the bottle and drives it down onto the label. As the bottle
continues to descend it spreads the spring-tensioned rollers which are caused to
rotate thus smoothing the label onto the bottle. The bottle is withdrawn, after
passing the rollers, from between the tongs-levers.
As the carriage recedes, the shoe contacts with the paste-roll which coats its face
with paste. The lever operated by the cams, projects the shoe into the label-box.
Simultaneously the connecting mechanism elevates the plunger and the arm
engaging the cam-finger, operates the lever and elevates the label-shoe (to which a
label adheres) above the label-box.
As
Immediately this movement begins, the pendant finger is driven into engagement
with the bellows, discharging a puff of air into the label-box so that the labels will
not adhere together and more than one be drawn from the box at a time.
before described, the bristles afford sufficient friction on the edges of the labels to
aid materially in accomplishing this result. This mechanism overcomes a serious
objection incident to the use of stacked labels in machines of this class.
By means of the label-clamping device which enables the carrier to deliver the
label and retreat before the bottle engages with said label, a tension is applied to
the label which aids the smoothing rolls and prevents wrinkling.
These rolls may rotate inwardly. In order, however, to stretch the label more
firmly and smoothly onto the bottle we deem it preferable to rotate these rolls in
the opposite direction so that the label may be stretched outward more firmly as it
is being applied.
For this purpose, we mount on the bed two standards which support an arc-shaped
or segmental rack, on their upper ends. On the journals of the smoothing rolls we
mount gear-wheels which mesh with this rack, so that, when the bottle is forced
between the rolls, spreading them outward, the gear-wheels act to rotate them
outward. This arrangement we find more effective, as, when the rolls rotate
inward, they tend to drag the label in like direction and wrinkle it.
Dated this 11th day of June 1895
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Labelling-machines.
We, ANDREW SIEGEL, Machinist, and FRED HAUSMANN, Merchant, both of
28 Arch Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, 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 :-
Our invention relates to a device for applying gummed labels to glass bottles,

page_text: In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved bottle-labelling machine ;
Figure 2 a front elevation of the same showing the label in contact with the
spreading rolls;
Figure 3 a front elevation showing the label clamp and its actuating
mechanism;
Figure 4 a top plan view of the same;
Figure 5 a top plan view of the label-box;
Figure 6 a sectional elevation of the same illustrating details.
Figure 7 an elevation illustrating the mechanism for imparting a rotary
movement to the spreading or smoothing rolls and
Figures 8, 9 and 10 views illustrating the cam-tracks for operating the label
carrying lever.
Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different
figures of the drawings.
In the drawings, A, represents the bed of the machine which is supported on
legs, b, and is of any suitable form. Running transversely of the bed and journaled
in side pieces, B, there is a rotary shaft, d bearing a pulley, C, which may be
connected with any source of power.
Between the standards, B, a vertically curved forked lever, E is pivoted to the
base or bed of the machine at, f, and is actuated by a pitman, g, pivoted to the
said lever at, h, and slotted in its opposite end, i, in order to permit of
the carriage H hereinafter described, coming to rest for a short time at each end
of its travel.
A gear-wheel k, fixed on a crank-shaft, m, has a crank-pin, j, working in the
said slot, the said gear-wheel meshing with a pinion, p, on the driving shaft, d.
A horizontally arranged carriage, H, is fitted to slide in suitable ways on
standards, longitudinally of the machine. This carriage is actuated by another
forked link, q, pivoted centrally to the carriage and connected at r, to the arms of
the vertically curved lever E. Three arch-bars, t, v, w, are mounted vertically on
the standards and support the label-carrying mechanism.
On the carriage, H, a lever, a, is pivoted to swing vertically on a standard, y.
Its rear arm is pushed upward by a spring, 2, and at the end of the said arm it
bears a vertical cam-finger 15, shown by dotted lines. The opposite arm of said
lever X, bears a vertical label-carrying arm, 16.
A detachable foot or shoe, 18, is mounted on the lower end of this arm, 16. The
finger, 15, on the rear arm of the lever, a, is carried by a bar, 20, pivoted to swing
laterally on said arm, said finger being pivoted at 21 to swing vertically on said
bar. On the same pivot, 21, there is a pendant pivoted finger 17, shown dotted in
Figure 1, the said fingers, 15, 17, being preferably made integrally with one
another and being maintained in a substantially vertical position by means of the
aperture 17ª in the carriage H, which serves as a guide for the finger 17.
A cam-plate, 22, is supported in a horizontal position by the arch-bars, t, v, and
is arranged longitudinally of the machine. On the rear of said plate there is a
socket, 25, in which a stud, 26, is fitted to slide and is engaged by the said
cam-finger 15.
The under face of the cam-plate has a track, 27, on which the cam-finger, 15,
travels in one direction as the carriage, H, is advanced.
When it reaches one end 28, of said track it drops therefrom and is thrown
upward by the spring, z, elevating the lever arm and causing the shoe 18 to fall
and deposit the label on to the beds 131 as hereinafter described.
As the carriage, H, retreats the cam-finger, 15, travels in the other direction, 30
on the other track 29, the lateral movement necessary to enter this track being

page_text: permitted by the pivoted bar, 20. A partition, 31 divides the two tracks, and one
end 33, of this partition, 31, is a spring.
At the rear end of one track, 29, there is a vertically curved cam, 32, onto
which the cam-finger rides in order to bring the shoe 18 into contact with the
daubing-roll 80.
A curved guide plate, 34, (see Figure 9) directs the finger at the end of the
rearward passage of the carriage, H, into engagement with the pin, 26, in the
socket, 25, the said spring, 33 yielding to permit this, said pin is thereby driven
upward, and permits the pasted shoe 18 to be pressed into the label-box Ŕ by the
spring as hereinafter described.
The cam-tracks are so arranged that when the carriage has advanced as in
Figure 1, the finger is freed, permitting the spring to act and throw the outer end
of the lever a, downward. On the retreat of the carriage the cams act to operate
the lever, a, so that the shoe 18, will pass over a paste roll 80 and into a label
box R.
At the end of the retreat of the carriage the cam-finger pin, 15, engages the
pin, 26, in the socket, 25, and drives it upward. On one arch, t, a shaft, 35, is
journaled and bears an arm, 40, which will engage the said pin, 26, driving it
downward and forcing the cam-finger in like direction so that said finger may be
directed into the proper groove of the cam, 22, at a determined point in the
passage of the carriage; this taking place while the carriage H is at rest at the
rearward end of its travel.
There is a crank, 36, on the shaft, 35, connected by a pitman, 38, with a
crank, 37 on a shaft, 41, on the arch, v. A pitman, 39, connects crank, 37, with a
crank-shaft, m. Shafts, 35, and 41, are rocked by pitman, 39.
On the arch, w, a plunger, 51, slides vertically in a guide 50, and has a laterally
curved shoe, 52, on its lower end, conforming to the shape of the bottle which it is
to engage. The said plunger is connected by a link 53, with an arm, 54, on a
rock-shaft, 41, whereby it is actuated.
A table, 60, is mounted on a spindle, 61, fitted to slide vertically in the bed of
the machine in alignment with the plunger. This spindle is pushed upward by a
spring, 63, in a socket, 62, and a stud, 64, on the spindle projects through a slot in
the socket. An arm, 66, on a shaft 65, will engage the said stud, 64, and draw
the spindle down against its spring. A crank, 68, on said shaft is connected by a
pitman, 69, with the crank-pin on the main crank-shaft, m, which enters a slot, 70,
in said pitman.
At the rear of the spindle, 61, tongs-levers, K, are pivoted to swing laterally
and are pulled together by a spring, 71. Rollers, 73, are borne on pins, 72, on the
upper or free ends of these levers, said rollers normally projecting into the path of
the plunger.
A paste-box, P, is disposed directly behind the rollers, and a transversely
arranged daubing-roll, 80, is journaled in the box in position to be engaged by the
shoe, 18, during the retreat of the carriage.
Disposed behind the paste-box there is a label-box R, (shown in detail in
Figures 5 and 6). This box comprises four standards, 120, composed of vertically
arranged brushes, the bristles, 121, of which project inwardly towards opposite
standards. Other suitable flexible projections may, however, be employed instead
of the said brushes. In the top of each standard there is a nipple, 122, opposite
the upper row of bristles.
To one of these nipples a flexible tube, 123, is attached, and on the outer end of
said tube, at the rear of the machine a bellows 124 is secured. This bellows is in
position to be engaged by the pendant finger 17 at a determined point in the
rearward passage of the carriage, a quick puff of air may thus be discharged into
the label-box adjacent to the upper label of the stack when the label-carrying
shoe, 18, engages said label, thus breaking the vacuum and preventing more than
one label from being removed from the box at a time. The stack of labels, 100,

page_text: °
rests on a plate, 125, secured to a spindle, 126, which may be spring-supported or
fed upward by any suitable means.
Through each set of bristles a vertical wire, 127, runs adjacent to their outer
ends to prevent the labels from projecting too far into said brushes. These
brushes or flexible projections serve to retard the labels as they are withdrawn and
as an additional precaution against more than one leaving the box at a time.
With their use the air apparatus may, if desired, be omitted.
On each spreading-roll lever, K, there is a standard, 130, which bears at its
upper end a horizontal bed, 131, in the same plane as the upper faces of said rolls.
A shaft, 132, (Figure 4) is journaled in bearings, 133, fitted to slide in said bed
and held by set-screws 135.
This shaft is tensioned by a torsion spring 134. On this bed and actuated by
the shaft and conjunctive mechanism, the label-clamping device is carried. This
comprises a dog, 136, fast on the said shaft centrally, and normally held in
engagement with the bed by the said spring, 134.
A lever, 137, (Figure 3) is also fast on the shaft and is notched, at, 139, and a
locking lever, 141, is fast on a stub-shaft, 142, with its free end adapted to engage
in the said notch, 139. An arm, 138 is fast on the stub-shaft, and the said
lever, 137, has a laterally projecting pin, 140.
On the label-shoe 18, there are two angular spring-cams, 150, which, when the
carriage is sufficiently advanced, will engage the arms on the stub-shafts, 138,
rocking the said shafts, 142, and releasing the said levers, 137, from the locking
levers, 141, thus permitting the springs, 134, to act and throw the dogs, 136, into
engagement with the bed, 131, and clamp a label, 100, to it.
On a rock-shaft, 151, (Figure 1) which is actuated by an arm, 152, connected
with the pitman 69, there are two fast arms, 153 projecting into position to engage
the pin, 140, on the locking-lever, 137. At a determined point in the retreat of
the carriage and simultaneously with the contact of the bottle with the label, this
arm, 153, will be driven into engagement with the pin, 140, thus depressing the
lever, 137 and elevating the dog, 136, and thus freeing the label, the locking
lever 141 then engaging with the notch 139 of the lever 137.
On the forward end of the cam-track, 22, there is a cam-boss 160, in position to
engage the cam-finger, 15, immediately the carriage starts to retreat, thus elevating
the shoe, 18, out of contact with the label which has been previously clamped by
the dogs, so that it will not drag and tear said label.
Power being applied, and the parts being in the position shown in Figure 1, a
label being held to the bed, 131 by the dogs, when the carriage starts back, the
shoe, 18, is withdrawn from the path of the plunger. The operator now inserts a
bottle over the label thus held by the dogs. The plunger descending engages the
bottle and drives it down onto the label. As the bottle continues to descend, it
spreads the spring-tensioned rollers, 73, which are caused to rotate in the direction
of the arrows in Figure 3, thus smoothing the label onto the bottle. The bottle is
withdrawn, after passing the rollers, from between the tongs-levers K.
As the carriage recedes, the shoe, 18, contacts with the paste-roll 80 which
coats its face with paste. The lever, x, operated by the cams, projects the shoe
into the label-box. Simultaneously the connecting mechanism elevates the plunger
and the arm, 40, engaging the cam-finger, 15, operates the lever, a, and elevates the
label-shoe (to which a label adheres) above the label-box.
Immediately this movement begins, the pendant finger, 17, is driven into
engagement with the bellows, 124, discharging a puff of air into the label-box so
that the labels will not adhere together and more than one be drawn from the box
at a time. As before described, the bristles afford sufficient friction on the edges
of the labels to aid materially in accomplishing this result. This mechanism
overcomes a serious objection incident to the use of stacked labels in machines of
this class.
By means of the label-clamping device which enables the carrier to deliver the

page_text: label and retreat before the bottle engages with said label, a tension is applied
to the label which aids the smoothing rolls and prevents wrinkling.
These rolls may rotate inwardly or in the direction of the arrows in Figure 3.
In order, however, to stretch the label more firmly and smoothly onto the bottle we
deem it preferable to rotate these rolls in the opposite direction so that the label
may be stretched outward more firmly as it is being applied.
In Figure 7, we show a device whereby this may be effected. On the bed, A,
we mount two standards 175 which support an arc-shaped or segmental rack, 174,
on their upper ends. On the journals of the smoothing rolls, 73, we mount gear-
wheels 176, which mesh with this rack, so that, when the bottle is forced between
the rolls, spreading them outward, the gear-wheels act to rotate them outward, or
in the direction of the arrows in said figure. This arrangement we find more
effective, as, when the rolls rotate inward, they tend to drag the label in like.
direction and wrinkle it.
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-
claim is :-
1st. In a labelling-machine, a label-box provided with bristles projecting-
inwardly into engagement with the edges of the labels.
2nd. In a labelling-machine, a label-box provided on its inner face with flexible
projections for engaging the edges of the labels.
3rd. In a labelling-machine, a label-box having flexible projections on its inner-
face and a rigid guard adjacent to the free ends of said projections, substantially as,.
and for the purpose, specified.
4th. In a labelling-machine, a label-box in combination with devices actuated by
the operating mechanism of said machine for discharging a short blast of air into-
said box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5th. In a labelling-machine, a label-box, a bellows having its discharge opening
into said box, and mechanism operated by the actuating mechanism of said machine
for intermittently compressing said bellows, whereby a blast of air may be delivered
to said box, substantially as set forth.
6th. In a labelling-machine, a label-box adapted to contain a stack of labels, in
combination with mechanism for discharging a current of air against the edges of
said labels.
7th. In a labelling-machine, a plunger adapted to engage a bottle or other article,
in combination with two spring-tensioned rolls against which the bottle may be.
forced by said plunger, and devices carried by the support of said rolls for clamping
and intermittently holding the label.
8th. In a labelling-machine, two spring-tensioned label-spreading rolls, a label
carrier, and mechanism for automatically clamping the label in position over said
rolls after it has been delivered by said carrier, substantially as set forth.
9th. In a labelling-machine, two spring-tensioned label spreading rolls adapted
to be separated by contact of the bottle or other object, in combination with
mechanism for rotating said rolls in opposition to the line of movement of said.
bottle, substantially as described.
10th. In a labelling-machine, two separable label-smoothing rolls, spring-
tensioned dogs carried by the supports of said rolls for clamping the labels,
mechanism for locking the dogs against their springs, said mechanism being
adapted to be released automatically at determined points in the operation of said
machine.
11th. In a labelling-machine, two separable label-smoothing rolls, spring-
tensioned clamping dogs carried by the supports of said rolls, locking mechanism
for said dogs, and devices operated by the actuating mechanisin of the machine for
automatically releasing the dogs and subsequently locking them at determined.
points in the movements of said machine.

page_text: 12th. In a labelling-machine, spring tensioned label-smoothing rolls, in com-
bination with gears rotating said rolls in a determined direction when the rolls are
engaged by the bottle or other object.
13th. In a labelling-machine, two laterally spreading label-smoothing rolls, in
combination with a segmental rack and gears on the journals of said rolls meshing
with said rack substantially as and for the purpose specified.
14th. In a labelling-machine, a reciprocating carriage bearing a vertically
swinging lever, a label-carrying shoe on said lever and a paste-roll disposed in
position to engage said shoe at a determined point in the passage of said
carriage.
15th. In a labelling-machine, a plunger adapted to engage the bottle or other
object, in combination with two spring-tensioned laterally-spreading rolls against
which the bottle may be forced by said plunger, a spring-supported table disposed
below said rolls for receiving the bottle, and devices for depressing said table as
the plunger releases the bottle.
16th. In a labelling-machine, a plunger adapted to engage the bottle or other
object, in combination with two spring-tensioned laterally-spreading rolls against
which the bottle may be forced by said plunger.
17th. In a labelling-machine, a horizontally sliding reciprocating carriage and
connecting mechanism therefor in combination with a label carrying lever on said
carriage, the laterally spreading rolls and devices for throwing said lever into
engagement with said rolls at a determined point in the passage of said
carriage.
18th. In a labelling-machine the separable label rolls, the paste-roll and the label
box arranged substantially as specified in combination with a reciprocating carriage
and its driving mechanism, a vertically swinging lever on said carriage provided
with shoes for engaging consecutively the paste roll and label rolls and devices
for operating said lever vertically at determined points in the passage of said
carriage.
19th. The combination, with the vertically moving plunger and its actuating
mechanism, of the spring-tensioned spreading rolls, 73, the spring-supported
table, 60, and mechanism operated by the driving mechanism of the machine for
conjointly depressing said table and elevating said plunger.
Dated this 25th day of March 1898.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.