US1985293A - Paste applying mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 25, 1934. w. D. KIMBALL l 1,985,293

PASTE APPLYING MECHANLSM Filed Aug. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 25, 1934. w D. KIMBALL PASTE APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'l INVEN O 72s ATTORNEYS Wal/ace Patented Dec. 25,` 1934v i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PASTE APPLYING MEcnANIsM Wallace D. Kimball, Jacksonnelghts, N. Y., as-

signor to Standard-Knapp Corporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August zen-1932, serial No. 629,569

' s claims. (01.91-54) .This invention relates to mechanism for apply- 'ing paste, glue o r other adhesive to strips or the like, such, for example, as labels, to aid in securing them to articles such as cans, bottles and similar containers. Y

Diiculty has heretofore been experienced in placing upon the strip or label just the righ amount of paste to produce a good joint and in controlling the application of the paste so as to prevent it from spreading overan undesirably large area, or reaching parts of the label which should be kept free from paste.

4 The labeling machines by means ofwhich the labels are applied to the articles are usually arranged to receive the ungummed labels in a stack containing from several hundred to a' thousand r or more labels. .The labels lie in the stack-up- Iside down sothat theback of theupperlnost label is exposed. They are removed one bylone from the top of the stack by suitable mechanism lwhich places them upon the articles.Y Paste is applied to the uppermost label just before it is removed from the stack.

The primary object of my Present to provide a mechanism which will apply the invention is paste where it is desired without getting toolnuch,l

paste on the label and without having it spread over an unduly large surface of the label, and. also without having it run down the edges of the stack of labels thereby sticking them to? .gethelu y l Another object of the .inventionis to apply the paste in such a way as to avoid pulling the stack of labels over to one side, thereby moving them out of4 position to be' properly acted -upon b y the mechani'smfor placing them on the articles.

The natural shape which labels of different kinds assume in ajstack varies. Some labels re-` main perfectly straight, others bulge upwardly so face. Sometimes-however, due to the printing or that the paste is applied to a plane or convex sur embossing on the frontl of the labels, they tend to.

present in the stack an upwardly concave surface.

y Itis difficult to properly apply the paste to -al concave label, and another object of the invention is to provide mechanism which will accom# use in connection with a machine for applying labels on round cans. Cnly a suicient portion of the labelzapplying machine will be illustrated, however, to z show the general principle of operation of the label applying machine, and itA will vbe understood that the device of my invention can be t utilized wherever itis desired to apply a relatively narrow elongated band of paste across a flat, con- .vex or concave surface. The embodiment of my invention in a can label ing machineis shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the paste applying mechanism with certainV parts shown in section,

fthe entire view being also a section taken transversely and vertically of the labeling machine and 'through the stack of labels on the broken line Fig. 2 is a fragmentary and somewhat diagrammatic longitudinal section through a part the section being taken on line 2-2`of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the paste-applying mechanism and the rear portion of the label stack and the parts adjacent thereto;

4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 4-,4 of Fig. 3, showing the construction and relation of the parts which apply the paste 'to the uppermost label ofthe stack;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken online .of the labeling machine and-the stackof labels, f'

Fig.6is a similar view takenonline-Gof 3 of a continuously moving belt which is held in frlctional contact with the upper sides of the cans by means of stationary guides or rollers 4. Before reaching the' position shown in Fig. 2, the can 1 is passed in contact with a plurality of rotating discs 5 which are mounted upon' shaft 6 and which rotate within a body of glue or gum 'l andapply t`o the side of the can a plurality of spots of adhesive arranged in 'spaced relation throughout the length of the can. 'I'he stack of labels 8 shown in-1ongitudinal vertical section in Fig. 2 is placed at such a distance from the glue applying discs 5 that'the canwill make one complete revolution in moving from the discs to the front end of the label stack, so that the spots of adhesive which have been applied to the can will pick up the front end of the upper. most label and stick it to the can. Then the can rolls up the inclined portions of a pair. -of rails 10. This elevates the can above the top of the stack of labels and separates the uppermost label As the canl 1 continues to advance along the elevatedv rails 10, the uppermost label is drawn to the left s that the right-hand or rear end of the label slides out from beneath the belt 1l and the belt then contactsfwith the -next label.4 Dur- V ing this movement of withdrawal, the label slides' beneath a curling bar 12, preferably having 'teeth 13, which yieldingly presses against the top of the stack of labels.

Further rolling of the can 'along the rails 10 withdraws the label from beneath the curling bar l2 and completes the wrapping of .the label about the can. `Then the can rolls vforaiishort distance over a mat 14 which extends' between the rails l0 and by which the weightof the can as it rolls along is caused to smooth out the label upon its surface, removing wrinkles, pressing together the overlapping ends of the label and leaving the label neatly applied.

The mounting for curling bar v12consists of two bell cranks 15 pivoted at 16 to arms 17 which the belt. In this way. the paste'is prevented from collecting on the curling bar, and then being rubbed oi by the curling bar onto succeeding labels. Heretofore much diiiiculty has beenexperienced through the smearing of pastel upon the labels in this way, for wherever the paper adheres to the can between the ends of the label, it either rusts the can or lwrinkles the label, depending upon atmospheric conditions.

The endless belt 11, by means of which the line of paste is applied to the surface of the uppermost label at the right-hand end, consists of a closely coiled helix of -metal wire. may be made of any suitablefresilient material such,'for example,

as brass, copper, phosphor-bronze or steel. A belt made of the hard steel wire known as piano wir has been found to give very satisfactory results. B elr. 11 passes aro d the grooved driving pulley `19 mounted above a paste receptacle 20 at the left-,hand side ofthe machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Pulley 19 is mounted upon shaft 2l and rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in 1 so that the upper reach ofthe belt 1,1 moves to the right-hand side of the machine, passing beneath the'end of mat 14 and around a stationary guide member 22. The lower reach of the belt The then passes overa stationary guiding stud 23 and beneath a positioning shoe 24 -by meansof which the belt is delivered into contact with the surface "-of the uppermost label in the stack of labels 8.

'I'he belt passes across the label from one side edge to the other, beneath a yieldingly mounted arm 25, and then over 'a guide wheel 26 and back to driving pulley 19.

A body of paste 27 is contained withinthe paste receptacle 20 and rotating in this paste is a disc 28. This disc rotates continuously and throws a surplus of the paste against the pulley 19 so that the lower portion of this pulley and the belt 19 are continuously bathed in the paste. This surplus of paste is wiped off from both sides of the pulley, the periphery of the pulley, and the belt 11, by means of a wiping device 29. K

The body of wiping device 29 is provided with two side members or cheeks 30 which closely engage the sides of the pulley 19, and with an ad- `instable scraper 31, the end of which is grooved to receive the belt 11 and which closely fits the pulley and the belt. This scraper is 'adjusted into close rubbing contact with the belt andthe edge of the pulley by means of two adjusting screws 32 and then secured in this position by means of screw 33 which passes through a slot in the scraper and -is threaded into the body of the wiping device. -The wiping device 29 as a whole s secured to a short shaft 34,which is mounted in a bracket 35 and has attached at its opposite end an arm 36 to which'a helical spring 37 is secured. The lower end of this spring is fixed to the frame of the machine. y

By means of this construction the wiping device 29 isurged against the pulley 19 and belt 11 by means of the spring 37. Anadjustable stop screw 38 is arranged to take a portion of the pressure of spring 37 and enables the scraper 31 to be resiliently but firmly held in extremely close rub-A bing engagement with the surface of they pulley and the belt without causing an undue amount of friction between the rubbing surfaces. In other words, this construction enables the employment of a. reasonably heavy spring 37 so as to enable the scraper to effectively remove the large surplus of paste from the pulley and belt, and at the same timepart of the stress of this spring is taken by' the stop screw 38 instead of allof the stress being taken by the pulley. i

The wiping-device 29 is so adjusted that all of the paste applied to the belt 11 by means of disc 28 is removed except the-paste which is retained by the capillarity of the spaces between the ,convolutlons of the belt which have been indicated at 39 in the magnified view Figwl. When a metal belt having-capillary spaces of this kind is passed over a curved stationary surface such as is formed on each of the projections 40 of the stationary guide 22, or a curved stationary surface such as that of the guide stud 23, paste does not collect upon such surfaces to any substantial extent. It will be understood that instead of employing the stationary guide 22 and guide stud 23, pulleys or rollers may be used. 1f pulleys or rollers are employed, however, there is a tendency for the paste to accumulate on them andbe thrown off. By utilizing the rounded-surfaced stationary guides no'difllculty is experienced with the throwing or dripping of paste. A film of paste is applied by thebelt to the surfaces of the rounded guides, and this serves as a lubricant, but there is no collection of paste upon the guides. If paste is deposited from the interstices of the belt onto such a guide surface as the belt makes contact with the guide,

an equal amount of paste is removed by Athe 'interstlces of the belt as the belt leaves the guide.

Stationary guide member 22 is made in ap proxlm'ately semi-circular form and is provided with a suillcient number of spaced guide" projections 40 to adequately support thebelt 11 and cause it to bend in a suillciently large radius of curvature to avoid sharp bends. Stationary guide member 22 is mounted' with the plane of the centers of its projections 40 at a slight angle to the vertical so as to throw the lower rea'ch of the belt 11 slightly. v'ahead of the end of the ed upon a rigid bar 42 that extends crosswise of mat 14 and the upper reach of the-belt under the end of mat 14 so as to protect the same from contact with the label which is being wrapped about the can. This prevents the removal of adhesive from the upper reach of the belt and also prevents the smearing of the label with adhesive. Stationary guide member 22 is carried upon a block 41 which is slidably mountthe labeling machine from a bracket 43 on the adhesive receptacle 20. Bar 42 is rmly and adstretch given to belt 11 determines its paste-4 carrying capacity. The belt, as previously stated, is a closely wound helix, that is, the adjacent 4convolutions lie in .contact with one another f when the belt is not under tension. Stretching of the belt, however, separates the adjacent turns of the helix and increases the size of the capillary spaces 39 so that a larger amount of paste is carried by the belt and applied to the surface of the label in much the same manner as spreading o1' the nibs of a writing pen increases the flow of ink from the pen to the paper.

The guiding stud 23 and the positioning shoe 24 serve to cause the beltll to make proper contact with the surface of the uppermost label in 'stack 8. It isirnportant that the belt Vbe prevented from touching the upper right-hand corner of the stack of labels, as shown in Figs. 4, 1 and 3, as it approaches the label surface, since contact of the belt with any sharp surface would cause the removal of a large quantity of paste from the b elt. Hence, if the belt were allowed to slide over'the corner Aof the label stack 8, a. large amount of paste would be deposited onthe vertical side of the label stack and this' would run down the side of the stack, smearingvthe labels and sticking them together so that their appearance would be injured and the removal of the labels one at a time from the top of the stack would be interfered with.

The upper surface of guiding stud 23 is positioned above the stack of labels and also above the'guiding surfac 46 of shoe 24. The elevation of guiding stud 23 and the pressure of shor 24 compel the belt 11 to approach the surface of the label from a point above the label as shown in Figs. 4 and 1, and the forward end of guiding surface 46 ispositioned from 'about gli to to the left ofthe edge of the'labels. Also, guiding shoe 2.4 is provided with a pair of feet 47 which -straddle the belt 11 and slightly depress the corner of the label stack, as may be seen in Fig. 4. In this manner the contact of the belt with the corner of the label stackis prevented, .and at the same time paste is applied to the label at a point very close to the side edge of the label.

Guiding stud23 and shoe 24 should always be held in thev same relative. position, and to maintain them thus they are rcarried upon a single mounting member 48, a bottom view of which is shown in Fig. 7. Member- 48 is pivoted upon a U-shaped bracket 49 (see Fig. 5) by means of a shaft 50 which turns loosely in the bracket and is flxedvto member 48 by means of a set screw 5l..

These parts are held in their assembled relation by collar 52 on the right-hand end of shaft 50 shown in Fig. 3. Also mounted upon shaft 50 is a short arm 53. A helical spring 54 -is attached at its upper end to this arm and at its lower end to the centen portion of bracket 49.

Arm 53 is made fast to shaft 50 by means of a thumb screw 55 and hence spring 54 serves to urge shoe 24 against the upper surface'of belt 11- and provides vthe proper 'amount of wiping 'or rubbing pressure between the belt and the surface of the label. This pressure can be adjusted as desired by means of the thumb screw 55. Bracket 49 is supported upon bar 42 on which it is slidably moimted and may be adjusted in itsposition by thumb screw 56. By this lateral adjustment of bracket 49 the feet 47 of shoe 24'are made to engage the surface of the uppermost label in close proximity to the corner of the. label stack 8.

When the natural shape of the upper surfacev of the labels in the stack is vstraight or convex from'side to side, the arm 25 is adjusted to a position adjacent the left-hand edge of the label stack as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, in order to insure that the spring touches and applies paste to the left-hand edge of .the label as it passes off of the same. face of the labels is concave arm 25 is'shii'ted to the center ofthe label stack and in this position, as shown in Fig. 4, it forces the surface -of the belt 11 downward into contact with the depressed center of the label.

To permit this adjustment arm 25 is mounted near the end of a transversely disposed rod 57 mounted in a projection 58 that extends vertically from bracket 17a, previously referred to. On the outer end of rod 57 there is a short arm 59, which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and to the 'outer end of which a biasing spring 60 is attached. By means of this spring arm 25 is urged downwardly against the surface of belt 11 and maintains thev portion of the belt to the left of shoe 24 in contact with the surface of the label. Arm 59 is held upon rod 57 by means of aset screw shown in Fig. 2. When arm 25 is shifted from the middle of the label to a position near the edge of it, the screw in arm 59 may be loosened so as to permit the arm to be shifted correspondingly on rod 57.

The stack of labels 8 is supported upon a platform 61 within a cage formed by vertical bars 65 which depend from a pair of frame members that extend horizontally along each side of and When, however, the upper sur- `(Fig. 3)'. 'This lrod is slidably and rotatably l near the top of the label stack. The inner surfaces of vertical bars and the frame members v the pressure ofbelt 1l and guiding shoe 24, thereby feeding the stack upwardly as the labels are removed and maintaining the-.uppermost label in contact with the belt.

` The brackets 17a and 1'Ib referred to previously and shown in Figs. 3, 2 and 8 are mounted upon web-like horizontal extensions 67 which are provided along the lower edges of frame members 66. These brackets are frictionally held in position upon web-like members 67 by means of wide nat spr. ngs 68 that are attached to the bottoms of the brackets and engage the lower surfaces of the web-like members as shown clearly in Fig. 8. As previously described, each of brackf ets 17a and 17h has an obliquely extending arm 17 which affords pivoted support for the curling bar 12. They also each have long horizontal arms 69 which may be seen in Figs. 3 and 2 to the ends of which springs 18 are attached which yieldingly urge the curling bar against the uppermost label. Brackets 17a and l'lbare alike except for the fact that bracket 17a is provided with a vertical projection 58 for supporting rod 57 andv arm 25. Projection 58 also serves another function which will now be described.

It.will be observed from Figs. 1, 2 and 8 that the upper part of the label stack 8 consisting of some half dozen labels projects above the tops of frame members 66. This is necessary in order to insure that the uppermost label will be picked "up by the approaching can since a stack of labels is easily compressible, and must beV compressed between the can andthe uppermost label to insure that they will Vadhere to each other. If the upper portion of the label stack did not extend above the tops. of members 66 the` approaching can would be supported by these membersjand.

insufficient pressure would be exerted` between the uppermost label and the can to cause ,it to adhere to the can without fail.

One of the diiliculties heretofore encounteredV with the wide flat belts of rubber, leather, etc..

heretofore used has been that the great amount of friction between such a belt and the uppermost label caused the lap end of the lablel. to be swept to one side of the` stack. It was a dillicult n ,problem to support the stack in such a way'as to cause the front end of the label to be with certainty picked up by the can and to prevent the rear end of the label from being moved to one side by the belt.

With the employmentY of the helically wound metal wire belt of my prent invention, however, the friction between the belt and the label is so small that it is ordinarily less than thefrlction between the uppermost labeland the label ynext to it so that no sidewise displacement of the label occurs. However, to positively prevent such sidewise displacement it is only necessary to provde a stop for the side edge of the uppermost label adjacent the belt l1. This stop as shown in Figs. 2 and 8 consists of the upper part of provided with an extension 70 (Figs. 2 and 3) which extends to a point close to the belt l1.

Projection 58 anditsextension 'I0 are the only parts which contact with and afford anyV sidewise support tothe labels which are above the tops of frame members 66. With the upper portion of the label stack left unsupported in the sidegise direction except in the manner just ded, the loperation of the paste-applying Lacasse employed would be extremely difficult, if not quite impossible. It has been found unexpectedly, however, that with the belt 'made of a metal wire helix above described, there is no tendency for the shifting -of the label to occur.

Paste is prevented from accumulating in the groove of pulley 19 by means of a-resilient scraping finger 62,-the end of which is shaped to conform to the surface of the pulley. This finger consists of: a thin strip of metal having its righthand portions, 'as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, so shaped that it maybe conveniently supported upon the side of bracket 43 by means of a pair of screws 63; This scraper is mounted so as to engage the surface of pulley 19 at thepoint where belt 11 leaves the pulley. The belt,'in fact, rides lightly in contact with the upper surface of this scraper and in this way any. paste which the belt may tend to leave in the groove of pulley` 19 is immediately scraped from the groove and the belt picks it up :again from the upper surface of scraper 62. i l v The endsgof the helically wound belt 11 are secured together by means ofa shortsection of similarly wound spring 64 shown in Fig. 4. This short section is cfa-diameter to t within the interior of belt l1 and its convolutions have the same pitch so that the two ends of the belt may be threaded one upon each half of the section 64, bringing the ends of the belt into such close proximity that itis difficult to locate the joint in somewhat in order to provide suillcient pressure fends o f the labels. In the labeling machines lwhich I have thus far equipped with the im'- proved paste-applying device of my present inventiOn, I have used helical belts of 1/8 externall fdiameter, and such abelt deposits upon the labels a strip of paste aboutg" in width.

By means of the improved paste-applying placed upon the lap end of thelabelin a continuus line or strip running across the end of the label commencing at a pointy very close to one side edge of the label and extending all the way to the opposite edge of the label. 'I'he application of the paste close to the right-hand edge of the label can be very accurately controlled by adjusting the position of the shoe 24 without fear of having paste run down the edge of the stack of labels.- The desired amount of paste mechanism of my present invention, the paste is to produce a neat application of the label to the can can be very easily and quickly controlled or regulated by varying the tension on the belt 11 even while the .labeling machine continues in operation.

' If it is necessary to stop the labeling machine from any cause', it is not necessary to raise the belt 11 from contact with the stack of labels.

While during such a lperiod an excess of paste may flow from the belt onto the surface of the label, as Asoon as theV machine is again started Athis surplus paste .is promptly -picked up by the belt and returned to paste receptacle /20. Only4 'a few revolutions of the beltare required todo ing the ends of the belt'at the ends of the join- Y ing section 64. It is only necessary to slip the belt olf from the guide 22 and free it from the guide 23 and shoe 24. The belt can then from pulley 19 and entirely removed from the machine merely by elevating the wiping device 29.

On account of the extremely small amount o f friction between the surface of the metal spring belt and the surface of the label, the labels can be readily retained in the stack without tendency .to pull the stack to one side. The speed at which the belt 11 is operated depends upon the rapidity with which the labels.

are removed from the stack 8 and applied to the cans. Thus, when the rate -of application of the labels is relatively low, the speed of the belt may be low, and vice-versa. The speed of the belt, however, must be sufficiently high that a given point of the belt will travel a distance equal to the width of the labels in the period of time which elapses between the removal ofsuccessive labels. Otherwise the strip of adhesive will not extend all the way across the label, since a portion of the label would be wiped only by a portion of the belt 'from which paste had already been removed by the previous label.

It is to be understood that the above is .merely an exemplifying disclosure and that changes may be made in the construction of the device which are within the terms of the appended claims without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an adhesive-applying mechanism, an adhesive-applying member of helical form, means for applying a surplus of adhesive to said member,

Y means for removingr therefrom all said adhesive l adhesive-applying member comprising a resilient lamentary body wound into the form of a closelycoiled helix, means for applying a surplusI of adhesive to said member, means for removing there- 'from all said adhesive except that retained by capillarity within the spaces between the convolutions of said member, means for moving said member in contact with the surface to which the adhesive is to be applied, and means for stretching said member so as to increase the spacing of said convolutionsA and thereby increase the amount of adhesive applied by said member.

3. vIn an adhesive-applying mechanism, an endless belt consisting of a helix of resilient metal wire, means for applying a surplus of adhesive to the belt, means for removing therefrom all said adhesive except that retained by capillarity within the spacesbetween the convolutions of said belt, means for wiping the belt over the surface to which the adhesive is to be applied, and means for stretching the belt to increase its adhesive-carrying capacity;

4. In an adhesive-applying mechanism," an adhesive-applying member comprising an endless belt of resilient fllamentary material wound in helical form, and a support for said member having a stationary surface over which the belt slides, and means for preventing the collection of adhesive on said support comprising a stationary curved surface for leading the belt onto said support and a second stationary curved surface for discharging the belt from said support.

5. In an adhesive applying mechanism, an adhesive-applying member comprising an endless belt of resilient iilamentary material wound in helical form, and means for supporting and changing the direction of travel of the belt comprising a hub member having a plurality of spaced lradial fingers projecting therefrom each of said fingers having a saddle-shaped seat for preventing the sidewise displacement of the belt, and being curved in the direction of travel of the belt, the

radii of curvature thereof being greater than the radius of curvature of the belt.

6. In an adhesive-applying mechanism, an endless belt consisting of a helix of resilientl metal wire for carrying the adhesive, and a support'for said belt serving as a pulley and comprising a stationary hub member having a plurality of spaced radial fingers projecting therefrom, each of said lingers having a stationary curved surface over which the belt slides, and means on each of said fingers vfor preventing the collection of adhesive comprising a stationary curved surface for leading the belt onto said finger and a second stationary curved surface for discharging the belt froml said nger.

7. In a'n` adhesive-applying mechanism, an adhesive-applying member, said member having adhesive-carrying capillary pockets the capacity of which can be varied, means for loading said member with adhesive, means for removing all said adhesive except thatretained by capillarity within said pockets, means'for causing said member to wipe against the surface to which the adhesive is to be applied, and means for controlling the size of said pockets to regulate theamount of adhesive deposited on said surface.

8. In a labelling machine meansfor supporting a stack of labels with their inside surfaces turned upwardly, means for withdrawing the uppermost label from the stack and applying it to an article, a belt having one reach thereof arranged to travel over the surface of said uppermost label, said belt having adhesive-carrying pockets of adjustable capacity, means for loadingsaid belt with adhesive, means for removing all said adhesive except that retained by capillaritywithin said pockets, the latter adhesive being deposited upon the surface of said uppermost label in a narrow film-like band, and means for varying the capacity of said pockets to regulate the amount of adhesive deposited on said film-like band.

WALLACE, D. KIMBALL.

Images