Improvements in I
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug.,
1898
Improvements in
I, WILLIAM EDWARD PETTEE, 56, Bedford Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United
States of America, 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 has for its object to improve the construction of machines for
applying labels to bottles.
In accordance with this invention a pile of separate labels is contained in or
supported by a label-holder, and arranged therein bottom side up, and a label-conveyor
is employed which is adapted to take the uppermost label of the pile and convey it
to a position where it is to be deposited upon the bottle.
The label-conveyor has narrow ribs or suitable portions located a short distance,
when the conveyor travels in one direction, as for instance, when travelling in a
direction to procure a label from the label-holder, thereby arriving in position above
the pile of labels in a pasted condition, and means are provided for raising the label-
holder at such time in order that the uppermost label of the pile may be brought
into contact with said pasted ribs or portions, and caused to adhere thereto, so that
as the label-holder decends said uppermost label will be left adhering to the label-
conveyor, and two narrow lines of paste thus transferred to or deposited upon the
label at its edges, leaving the central portion thereof unpasted.
The label-conveyor then travels in the opposite direction and conveys the label to
a position where it is to be deposited upon the bottle, and at such point a yielding
plate is provided over or upon which said label is thus conveyed.
A bottle-holding device or rest is located a short distance above said yielding plate,
up against the underside of which the bottle will be held by the operator, and means
are provided for lowering said bottle-holding device or rest to first press the bottle
down on to said yielding plate to thereby clamp the bottle, and then to cause both
rest and plate which thus constitutes a clamp for the bottle, to descend a short
distance together.
The label having previously been conveyed to a position just over or upon said
yielding plate, it will be thus caused to engage the bottle along its central line, as the
bottle is thus held clamped by and between the bottle-holding device or rest and
the yielding plate.
The label-conveyor holds the label over or upon said yielding plate until the
bottle-holding device or rest has descended, and the bottle has been firmly clain ped
by and between said rest and yielding plate, and then as said rest and plate
constituting the clamp for the bottle are still further lowered together, the label will
be gradually drawn off of or detached from said label-conveyor.
A pair of wipers are provided, they being located at opposite sides of said yielding
plate, and means are employed for raising said wipers at the proper time to lay the
unattached and pasted edges of the label onto the bottle, said wipers however
beginning to rise at or about the time that the bottle has been firmly clamped and
the label firmly held against the bottle along its central line, so that said wipers
can operate to lay the unattached and pasted edges of the label onto the bottle as
soon as detached from the label-conveyor, and while said label-conveyor is returning
for another label.

page_text: As soon as the wipers have operated to lay the label on to the bottle, they will
return to their normal position, and so also will the bottle-holding device or rest, in
order that the labelled bottle may be removed and another bottle introduced by the
time the next label has been brought forward by the label-conveyor.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 shows in plan view a bottle-labelling machine embodying this invention.
Figure 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the machine shown in Figure !, taken
on the dotted line 2--2.
Figure 3, a vertical section of the machine taken on the dotted line y-y Figure 2,
showing particularly the pasting devices.
Figure 4, a vertical section of the machine taken on the dotted line -x Figure 2,
showing particularly the bottle-holding and label-laying devices.
and
Figure 5, a detail showing the means employed for operating the label-conveyor,
Figure 6, a detail of the label-holder.
The main framework A is of suitable shape and construction to support the working
parts.
The label-holder, see Figures 1, 2, and 6, consists essentially of a plate a upon
which the pile of labels inay be placed, secured to or placed upon an adjusting screw a
which projects up through a plate a², which is placed upon or formed integral with a
cross-bar a³.
Vertical pins a' are erected upon said plate a², projecting above the adjustable
plate a, and forming guides for the pile of labels, and said pins are serrated or
roughened upon their sides adjoining the labels, said roughened surfaces materially
aiding in separating the labels.
The cross-bar a³ has vertical pins a which project downwardly and pass through
holes formed in a yoke or frame aº, and spiral springs a³ encircle these pins, the
upper ends of which bear against the cross-bar a³, and the lower ends upon the yoke
or frame a, they being made strong enough to support the cross-bar and parts
connected thereto and the pile of labels in elevated position.
Small pins 3 Figure 6 pass diametrically through these pins a³, just below the
yoke or frame a which limit the elevated position of the cross-bar a³ and parts
connected therewith.
The ends of the cross-bar ³ enter vertical guideways in said yoke or frame a, so
that it can move independently of the frame.
A yielding label-holder is thus provided for the pile of labels.
The yoke or frame a is adapted to rise and fall vertically, and therefore,
guideways as are provided for it at each side in the main frame A.
This vertical movement is given to the label-holder for the purpose of elevating
the pile of labels so far as to cause the uppermost label of the pile to come in
contact with a label-conveyor to be described, and when falling to leave said
uppermost label in engagement with or adhering to said label-conveyor.
To produce such vertical movement a lever b is pivoted at 61 to the main
frame, said lever has a flattened end 62 of greater or less area, which engages a friction
roll 63 journalled in the yoke a at the lower end thereof, and the other end of
said lever b extends to a position beneath a shaft c, which, as herein shown is
the main driving-shaft of the machine, and to said shaft ca cam or projection c¹ is
secured which is adapted to engage the lever b at each revolution of the shaft,
and by depressing it, to lift the label-holder.
As this cam or projection c¹ passes by or disengages said lever, the weight of the
label-holder is sufficient to restore it to its normal depressed position.
It is to be understood that the pins at may be differently positioned for labels of
different shapes to thereby properly hold the pile of labels.
The label-conveyor consists of an open frame composed of a cross-piece h and two
guide-pieces 10, h¹0, Figures 1 and 2 at each end thereof extended at right angles
to said cross-piece, and at each side of the opening in said frame i.e. to the inner
side of each guide-piece h¹0, a bent or right angularly formed plate h¹ is secured,

page_text: preferably in an adjustable manner, as for instance by screws passing through slots
in said plates, said slots being in parallelism with the cross-piece, so that said
plates h are adjustable toward and from each other.
The space between said right-angularly formed plates is sufficient for the
passage of a bottle.
To the lower edge of each plate h a shoe d³ or rib is adjustably secured by
screws passing through said plate, said shoes or ribs lying parallel to the plates
which support them.
Grooves are formed along the outer sides of the guides-pieces 10, of said open
frame which receives guides A' erected upon the main frame A, and said guides A¹
permit said frame to travel back and forth in a horizontal plane.
It is designed and intended that the open frame bearing the shoes or ribs d³
and constituting the label-conveyor shall be moved forward in a horizontal plane
on the guides A to convey a label taken from the pile into position to be
deposited upon the bottle, and to then return for the next label, thereby
reciprocating forward and back, from a position above the label-holder to a
position where the label is to be deposited; and to accomplish this result I have
herein shown the frame as provided at each side with a projection d to which
the upper ends of levers d³ are connected, said levers being slotted to receive
said projections and to permit horizontal movement of the frame.
These levers d³, one at each side of the machine, are pivoted at 6, and their lower
ends are connected loosely to slotted plates d', through the slots of which the ends of
the main shaft c project.
At each end of said main shaft c two cams or projections c², c³, Figure 4 are secured,
and each slitted plate d' Figure 1 has formed upon or secured to each side of it a
projection as ds, do, which projections are so placed as to be engaged by said
projections c, c³, the projection d8 being engaged by the projection as the main
shaft revolves to thereby move the slotted plate in the direction of the arrow,
Figure 5, and consequently move the label-conveyor rearward, and the projection de
being engaged by the projection c² as the shaft revolves to thereby move the
slotted plate d in the opposite direction, and consequently move the label-conveyor
forward.
This is a simple way of imparting reciprocating movement to said label-conveyor,
which as will be observed has a long distance to travel back and forth, but it is
obvious that many other ways may be devised which would come within the scope of
this invention.
In order that the uppermost label of the pile may adhere to the label-conveyor,
when forced into contact therewith, and also that said label may be supplied with
paste or glue, or other adhesive material, the machine is herein provided with means
for applying a layer of paste to the under surface of the shoes or ribs d³, d³, during
the return travel of the label-conveyor, and as the labels are arranged bottom side up
in the pile it will be seen that when they are forced up into contact with said shoes
or ribs d³, the uppermost label of the pile will contact therewith and adhere thereto,
and will be provided with two lines of paste at the edges, the central portion of the
label being unpasted.
These two lines of paste have been found to be all that is required to firmly attach
the label to the bottle.
The pasting-device see Figures 1, 2 and 3, consists essentially of a paste box e,
removably placed in and yieldingly supported by a frame or support e', which is
adapted to rise and fall, said support having at each end a guide-rib, fitted to slide
freely in guide-ways formed in the main frame A.
Upon each end of said paste-box e a similar guide-rib is provided fitted to slide in
guideways formed in uprights elo erected on said frame or support.
Rolls 3, 3, or it may be a single roll of suitable length, are placed in the paste
box e, being secured to a shaft et having its bearings in the end walls of the paste
box.
These rolls e³, e³, are located in the line of travel of the shoes or ribs d³, d³, of the

page_text: label conveyor, and when the paste box is elevated said ribs will contact with said
rolls as they travel along, but when said paste box is depressed a suitable space
intervenes to permit the ribs to pass over thein and carry the label along without
touching them.
•
Thus the paste box must be elevated as the label-conveyor returns for the next
label, in order that the ribs may receive upon them a proper supply of paste, and
must be depressed when the label-conveyor returns in order that the label may be
conveyed to its destination without being brought in contact with said paste
rolls.
To accomplish this result I have provided a shaft f having its bearings in the
main frame, which is positively driven, as for instance it may have secured to it a
sprocket wheel f¹, over which passes a sprocket chain f2, which passes around a
sprocket wheel f20 secured to the main shaft c.
Two like cans f³, f³, are secured to the shaft f upon which the frame e¹ support -
ing the paste box continuously rests, and as the shaft f revolves the supporting
frane e will be raised and lowered.
To reduce friction I may have formed upon the underside of said supporting frame
ribs which engage the cams f³.
The parts are adjusted so that the shoes or ribs d³ will bear firmly upon the paste
rolls es, as they pass over them, and the adhesive material in the paste box will be
maintained at a proper consistency and consequently said rolls will be turned by
friction.
The uppermost label of the pile having been attached to the label-conveyor, it is
carried forward by said conveyor to the front part of the machine, being supported
solely by the shoes or ribs d³, 3, to which it adheres.
The label which is taken from the pile by the label-conveyor is carried forward by
said conveyor until it occupies a position over or upon a plate n which is secured
to the upper ends of two vertical pins n which pass down through holes in the
frame, and at such point the frame is cut away or depressed, and spiral springs n²
encircle said pins which act to support the plate n in elevated position.
The plate may be curved transversely if desired, thus better adapting it to receive
a round bottle.
Located a short distance above the yielding plate is a bottle-holding device or rest
which as herein shown is composed of a plate, curved transversely like the plate n,
and attached to the lower ends of the two guide-bolts, which pass up through
holes in a cross head u², which has secure to it or formed integral with it and at
each end a sleeve or collar ³3 which is mounted to slide up and down on vertical
rods which are erected upon the main frame, at opposite sides of the
machine.
Spiral springs encircle the guide-bolts at the telency of which is to press down
the plate, thereby permitting it to yiell.
The cross head 2 is held in elevated position by suitable springs
encircle the guide-rods 4, and bear upon the sleeves or collars ³.
which
To the upper ends of the vertical guide-rods a cross har 12 is attached, con-
necting them together, and at a point substantially midway the length of said cross-
bar a hole is formed up through which the guile-in 18 passes which is attack.ed
to and projects upwardly fro: said cross-head, and a spiral spring encircles sail
guide-pin the tendency of whiel. is to depress the cross head, ant sail spring serves
as a cushion to prevent the parts fro striking the cross ar a severe blow
thereby preventing any shock incident to sue operation of the parts.
'
The bottle-holding device or rest is normally cll in elevatel position at such a
distance above the plate as to enable the bottle to be inserted directly beneath and
in contact with it, yet at the same time sufficiently above the plate to leave a free
and unobstructed space between the bottle and sai! plate, and it is into this space
that the label is or may Le conveyed by the label-conveyor. The label conveyor being
made as an open frame as shown and described adapts it to be brought forwar! with
a label adhering to it, even when the bottle is thus held up against the bottle-holling

page_text: device or rest, and at such time bring the label into position over the plate n, and
beneath said bottle, ali hough it is iminaterial just when the label is brought forward
so long as it is delivered in time for the other parts of the machine to successfully
carry out their respective functions.
The cross-head u² is provided at each end with a rod or link w, which is bent more
or less right angularly at its lower end, and like cams w¹ are secured to the shaft c
at or near its end which engage the bent ends of said rods or links to move them
and thereby depress the cross head n², and bottle-holding device or rest borne
by it.
When the cross-head u² is depressed the plate u up against which the bottle is
held pressed, moves the bottle down onto the label which is at such time held by the
label-conveyor just above or upon the platen, and then onto the plate n, carrying
the label with it if said label should be held above said plate n, and at such time it
will be observed that the bottle is armly held by and between the bottle-holding
device or rest u and plate n, with the label in contact therewith. The rest u and
plate n therefore serves as a clamp for the bottle.
The label may still adhere to the label-conveyor, and to completely detach it the
bottle-holding device or rest u is still further depressed and the plate is caused to
yield to accomodate such further movement of the rest u, Figures 2 and 4 and
such further movement is sufficient to letach the label from the label-
conveyor.
It will be understood that the parts may be tired so that the label-conveyor begins
to return just as soon as the label is engaged and held by and between the bottle
and plate n, and that such return movement may assist somewhat in detaching the
label.
The label thus detached is held by and between the bottle and plate n, with its
pasted edges unattached, and the bottle is firmly held or clamped by said rest. u and
plate n, and to attach the pasted edges of the label or lay them upon the bottle
wipers are provided which are located at opposite sides of the plate n, but close to it,
which are then brought into operation to accomplish this result.
Two wipers 02, 02, are provided, there being one at each side of the plate n, said
wipers being made as flat pieces of rubber held in place between two plates or
otherwise clainped together.
These wipers o² are pivoted at o³ to the upper ends of yokes or frames of, which
are in turn pivoted at 05 to a rising and falling frame o, which is provided at each
end with guide-pieces o' which are fitted to slide in guide-ways formed in the
frame A.
The yokes or frames of carrying the wipers are acted upon by spiral springs of
which force said yokes or frames toward the plate n and against a stop of secured to
said frame o.
The pivoted wipers o² bear upon or against flat springs 6 when raised to lay the
label on the bottle, said springs serving as restoring springs for said wipers.
The wiper-carrying frame o is caused to ascend a suitable listance in order that the
pasted edges of the label may be lai! upon the bottle, and to then descend, and to
thus operate said wiper-carrying frame, a rod or bar p is secured to or supported by
said frame at its lower end, apon which a friction roll pl is placed, and an arm t is
loosely mounted upon the shaft f which projects forward to a point beneath said
friction roll pl, and a projection t is secured to the shaft c, which projects radially
therefrom, and which is herein represented as made adjustable as to its length by
means of a screw-threader nut 20 secured thereto, and said projection is adapted
to engage and lift said armat which in turn engages said friction roll p³, and raises
the frame o a suitable distance.
It is during this ascent of the frame o that the wipers operate to deposit the label
on the bottle.
As the wipers are raised by the wiper-carrying frame, they will separate inore or
less, as may be required, owing to the yielding action of the yokes or frames to
which they are pivoted, and when they have been raised sufficiently to lay the pasted

page_text: edges of the label on to the bottle the wiper-carrying frame will descend or return
to its normal position, and in so doing said wipers will be turned on their pivots so
as not to undo the work they have just done.
This particular form of mechanism herein shown for raising the wiper-carrying
frame is such that after it has operated to raise said frame it will permit said frame
to fall by gravity, and to obviate or relieve the shock due to such gravitating action
of the frame I have herein shown a disc c' on the shaft c which is located just beneath
the friction p¹, and said disc at one point a recess into which a plug of rubber is fitted,
which as the disc revolves arrives in position beneath the friction roll p¹ just as the
frame falls.
As a guide for the bottle I have herein provided on the label-conveyor a small
plate us which is fixed to a screw which passes through the frame of the label-
conveyor, and by said screw and plate us may be set at different positions.
As the label-conveyor is brought forward with a label adhering to it said guide us
will strike against the bottom of the bottle which is set at such time held up
against the rest u, and will thereby accurately position the bottle.
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. In a bottle-labelling machine, the combination of the plate n, a reciprocating
label-conveyor adapted to convey a label to a position directly over or upon said
plate n, a bottle-holding device or rest located above said plate n up against which
the bottle may be pressed when introduced, means for moving said bottle-holding
device or rest toward said plate n to press the bottle into engagement with the label
upon said plate n, and thus firmly clamp and hold the bottle with its label in
contact therewith, wipers located at each side of said plate n, and means for raising
them while the bottle and its label are thus held to lay said label upon the bottle,
substantially described.
2. In a bottle-labelling machine, the combination of a clamp for holding the
bottle with a label in engagement therewith, composed of the plate n, and a bottle
holding device or rest located just above it, means for moving one of said parts
toward and from the other, a reciprocating label-conveyor adapted to convey a label
to a position over said plate n, and wipers located at each side of said clamp, movable
independently thereof and relatively thereto to lay the unattached edges of the label
onto the bottle, substantially as described.
3. In a bottle-labelling machine, the combination of the plate n, a label-conveyor
adapted to convey a label to a position directly over or upon said plate n, wipers
located at each side of and substantially in a plane with said plate n, yielding supports
for said wipers, a vertically movable frame to which said yielding wiper-supports are
attached, and means for raising and lowering said frame and wipers carried by it, a
bottle-holding device or rest located above said plate n up against which the bottle
may be held in a position above the label, and means for moving said bottle-holding
device or rest toward the plate n until the bottle and its label are firmly clamped,
and while the wipers are operating to lay the label upon the bottle, substantially as
described.
4. In a bottle labelling machine, the combination of a clamp for holding the bottle
with the label in engagement therewith composed of the plate n and rest u, located
one above the other and movable one toward and from the other, a label-conveyor
adapted to convey the label to a position between the parts of said clamp, and wipers
located at each side of said clamp, said wipers and clamp being movable one with
relation to the other to lay the unattached edges of the label onto the hottle.
substantially as described.
5. In a bottle-labelling machine, the combination of the plate n, a label-conveyor
having ribs d³, d³, horizontal guides therefor, a pasting device, means for moving it
into and out of the path of movement of said label-conveyor, a label-holder, and
means for moving it to press the uppermost label of the pile into engagement with

page_text: said ribs d³, 13, means for moving said label-conveyor to bring the labels to a position
over said plate n, wipers located at each side of said plate n, and means for operating
them, a bottle-holding device or rest located above said plate n, and means for moving
it toward said plate n, to firmly clamp a bottle and to also hold the label in contact
therewith while the wipers operate to lay it, substantially as described.
6. In a bottle-labelling machine, the combination of a clamp for holding the bottle
with a label in engagement therewith composed of the plate n and rest u, a recipro-
cating label-conveyor adapted to convey a label to a position over said plate n, means
for moving one of the parts of said clamp toward the other to clamp the bottle and.
label, and for moving said clamp with the bottle and label held by it relatively to said
label-conveyor to detach the label therefrom, and wipers located at opposite sides of
said clamp, said wipers and clamp being movable one with relation to the other to lay
the unattached edges of the label onto the bottle, substantially as described.
7. In a bottle labelling machine, a yielding plate n, a label-conveyor adapted to
convey a label to a position over or upon said plate, a rest, u located above said
yielding plate, n, means for moving it to press a bottle onto the plate n with the label
between, and for moving both of said plates to detach the label from the label-
conveyor, and wipers located at each side of said plate n, and means for raising them
while the bottle with the label is thus firmly held by and between said plates n and u,
substantially as described.
8. In a bottle-labelling machine, the combination of the plate n, a reciprocating
label-conveyor adapted to convey a label to a position directly over or upon said
plate n, a bottle-holding device or rest located above said plate n, up against which
the bottle may be pressed when introduced, means for moving said bottle-holding
device or rest toward said plate n to press the bottle into engagement with the label
upon said plate n and thus firmly clamp and hold the bottle with its label in contact
therewith, a guide for the bottle on said label-conveyor, wipers located at each side of
said plate n, and means for raising them while the bottle and its label are thus held to
lay said label upon the bottle, substantially as described.
9. In a bottle-labelling machine, the combination of a clamp for holding the bottle
with a label in engagement therewith, composed essentially of two plates located one
above the other and movable one toward and from the other, a label-conveyor adapted
to convey a label to a position over the lowermost plate having two narrow shoes or
ribs adapted to apply two lines of paste to the edges of the label, leaving the central
portion thereof, where engaged by said clamp unpasted, and wipers located at each
side of said clamp, said wipers and clamp being movable one with relation to the
other to lay the pasted edges of the label on to the bottle, substantially as described.
10. In a bottle-labelling machine, a label holder and means for applying two lines
of paste to the edges of the label which labels are thereafter conveyed to a position
to be deposited upon the bottle, the central portions of the labels being unpasted, and
means for applying said label to the bottle.
11. In a bottle-labelling machine, a label-conveyor having two narrow shoes or ribs
adapted to apply two lines of paste to the edges of the labels, leaving the central
portions of the labels unpasted, and means for operating it to convey the label thus
pasted into position to be deposited upon the bottle, and means for applying said
label to the bottle.
12. In a bottle-labelling machine a label-holder comprising a plate upon which the
labels rest, and vertical pins at the sides of the pile of labels having roughened sides
adjoining the labels, substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.