GB1322926A - Labelling machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1322926 Coating labels H KROWSEDER 2 Oct 1970 [4 Oct 1969] 47021/70 Heading B2L [Also in Division B8] A labelling device comprises a label feeder, a rotary transfer device to convey labels from the feeder to articles to be labelled, and a glueing drum arranged adjacent the transfer device, one or more gripper elements on the transfer device gripping the labels only by their foremost ends in such a manner that said foremost ends are held thereby so that said foremost ends become tangential to the glueing drum as they pass said drum, the transfer device having at least part of its periphery radially spaced from the glueing drum such that during application of the glue to the labels as they pass the glueing drum portions of the labels remote from the gripped ends are unsupported radially by the transfer device. As shown (Fig. 2) two transfer devices 7, 7a are supported on a common shaft 22, body labels 13 being fed from magazine 12 via a rotary suction feeder 10 to device 7, and neck labels 13a being similarly fed to device 7a. Apertures 14 in the feeders 10 register with the grippers 16 to prevent fouling. The grippers 16 are mounted on a shaft 17 and are opened and closed in accordance with a fixed cam 21. The gripped labels are transported past the glue drum 8 (Fig. 6) in such manner that the trailing portion is engaged against the drum partly by centrifugal force and partly by the glue on the drum. A blast of air from nozzles 28, 28a may also be supplied to assist said engagement. As shown in Fig. 6 the glue drum 8 is synchronised with the transfer device 7 and has sliding members 9 controlled by a fixed cam 30. The members 9 register with the grippers 16 and are retracted as the leading end of a label is engaged with the drum, the members being returned to provide a smooth drum periphery at the glue spreader 33. In an alternative form (Fig. 4, not shown) the drum 8 has a series of circumferential grooves (32) each registering with a particular gripper 16, the glue being applied to the labels in bands, and the said grooves being kept clear of glue by a series of projections (34), on the glue spreader 35. The device is incorporated in a machine (Fig. 1 not shown) wherein bottles (31) by a linear conveyor (1) are separated by a screw (3) and then fed by a star wheel (2) to a labelling turret 6. The turret passes tangentially past the transfer devices 7, 7a to a further star wheel (5) which returns the bottles to the conveyor. Pads 29 on the transfer devices 7, 7a press the labels against the bottles.