US2684775A Label applying mechanism

Data originating from sources other than the EPO may not be accurate, complete, or up to date.

Patented July 27, 1954 29684J75

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

p 2,684,775

LABEL APPLYING MECHANISM

George W. von Hofe, BOUnd Brook, N. J., assignor to New Jersey Machine Corporation, Hoboken, N. J., a
corporation of New Jersey Application August 14,1950, Serial No. 179,109 9 Claims. (Cl. 216-21) I This
invention relates to labeling machines, and more particularly to the means in such machines for applying labels
or the like to the articles to be labeled.

Labeling machines of the type with which this invention is concerned, are designed for labeling articles of
varying classes and dimensions. While the labeling machines heretofore made are generally successful in
accomplishing the purposes for which they are designed, such success depends to a large extent on the fact that
the articles on which they work, are structurally rigid, particularly in the case of containers. As a result, present
day labeling machines cannot satisfactorily label containers made of flexible material such as for example,
bottles made of a flexible polyethylene material of the type now coming into general use in the manufacture of
containers.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby containers such as bottles made of
flexible material can be satis.factorily and successfully labeled.

The foregoing object is achieved in accordance with the invention by providing means for temporarily
rigidifying the portion of the container to which the label is to be applied, and then with a uniform pressure
affixing to such surface portion a label coated with an adhesive which when dry, does not become hard and
brittle, but remains flexible and which in its dry state, becomes inseparably bonded to the material of the
container.

It is believed that a better understanding of the invention as well as its objects and advantages will be had after
a perusal of the following description when read,in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. I
is a diagrammatic view, nartly in section, illustrating one manner in which the invention may be practiced; Fig.
2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but shown- the label
applying parts in closed condition; Fig. 4 is a partial schematic view showing another manner in which the
invention may be carried out, and Fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating another method of carrying out the
invention.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally, a bottle made of polyethylene material 5o and having
side walls of such flexibility that they give under relatively small pressures, and may readily be squeezed to
bring diametricallyopposed Portions thereof into contact. In effect, the bottle has the same rigidity as if it were
r.5 2 made of a flexible rubber compound and substantially exhibits the same physical characteristics as a rubber
bulb of like form.

The bottle 10 is deposited on a suitable support i I at the label applying station of a label applying machine of
any well known type, such as the labeling machine described and illustrated in the Von Hofe Patent No.
2,227,816, issued January 7, 1941. In such a machine, there is provided a lo transfer means for the labels in the
form of a suction head which successively carries labels from a source of supply to the label applying station of
the machine. At the label applying station, the suction head is lowered to apply the label carried thereby to the
article; the suction in the head being so controlled that when the label is deposited on the article, such suction is
released. As is shown in Fig. I of the drawings and explained more fully in said Patent No. 2,227,816, the
mechanism for accomplishing this operation may include a carriage 12, which is slidably mounted on a rail 13
and is reciprocated on such rail by mechanism exemplified by the rod f4 and the arm 15; such rod 14 being
pivotally connected at 16 with the carriage 2 and at 17 with the arm 15. A member or plunger 18 is mounted on
the carriage for vertical reciprocation thereon by suitable means in properly timed relation with the associated
elements, and at its lower end carries the transfer device or suction head generally designated 19. In the
operation of this mechanism, the carriage 12 is reciprocated on the rail 13 to carry the suction head 19 between
the pick-up station where a 3,,-,label is picked up and the label applying station 11, where such label JIS applied
to the article for which it is intended, such as the bottle 10.

It will be understood that in the operation of this mechanism, 'the plunger 18 is operatively controlled to
correspondingly control the operative steps of the suction head 19.

In practicing the invention, the label 's may be of any desired form or dimensions, and may have any suitable
type of adhesive coating provided 4.,3on one surface thereof. I have found however, that in order to obtain the
best labeling results in accordance with this invention, the adhesive coating on the label should be composed of
a heat activatable thermoplastic material, as such egree of flexibleness, adhesive coating retains a d which
enables it to bend with the label covered Portion of the article without rupture of its bond with the latter.
Furthermore, when the article is made of substances such as are formed from polyethylene materials, the
thermoplastic adI I 2,684,775 4 hesive material becomes in effect, an inherent clear. The support I I may be
mounted in the part of such substances, so as to permanently labeling iliahine as shown in the aforesaid Patbonr
the label to the article, particularly when ent No. 2,227,816. Cooperating with the support the label -is applied
under pressure with heat. 11, is a pressure ineraber ZM depending froixi a The labels nay either be fed from a
supply stack 5 memi-Jer,N, which is vert4cal'y actuated in opera,directly to the 'label applying station such as 'is
tive synchroni rn v;ith the other par-s of the ma

-S I -

No. hine in any suitable manner, as by the mechadisclosed in my Patent 2,489,837, issued cl b November 29,
1949, or connected in the form nism, described and illustrated in tlue previously of a continuous web 21. which
is wound into a mentioned Patent,o. -11 The pressure roll 22 so that the surfaces thereof to -which is 10 --
mernber U is provided with a. seat 38 s-,7ibstantially applied the thermoplastic adhesive coating, are similiar to
seat;35 in su-3poi t 11 - The pressure disposed to t)-le periphery of such roll, as shown ii-e-niber 36 carries a,
heat-ing device con-,posed of in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In 'the illustrated form a zx,-Ir of electrical resisan,,es
39, 311, which are of the 'Invention, the roll 22 is supported by a connected ivi t1i i a sclur,,e of electricity by
the wires shaft 2S, which is mounted in the machine in 1040, ag and w-hrich may be con.rollled by a thermoany
suitable inanner to permit the roll 22 tostat (A I to niain,"'a'n the pressure incinber 36 at a unwind during the
operption of the machine.predetermined, Unlforn-.L temperature.

The web 2 is fed towards the pick-up station It will be rancL,,n'tood froir- the fore.,oing, that in aany suitable
manner, as by feed rollers 24,in the operat'on of the rn-,311,oine, and afte,, a label 24, operated intermittently in
steps deuendent '20has been deulos;cd ort the bottle 01 by the, slicupon and corresponding to the longitudinal
di- o n 1. -ie a JU t h e -n eTia b e r I inoved dow-mvaxdly mension of 'he labels. At the pi k-up stat- n U 10 to
thereby i7tove the pressure inember 36 into en20, the machine is provided with a support 25 gagement w;th.,,he
bottle, as shown in Fig. 2 of over which the web is fed and associated with the d--rawings. As the menabers t;
and 37 consuch support are suitable operating means 26, 9-5 tlnue their downward move--nent, the bottle is
dis26 to seloarate the individual terminal labels 27 torted to 'he form sho-,;vn in Fig. 3 of the drawfrom the web
2( when a terminal label 27 is ings. In th 4S Coiid,- ion of bottle, the d'amet1.1 - L i properly positioned on such
support. The ar- rico,lly oppositle bod'y wall portlons thereof, -will rangernent and operation of the feed-111g
and asSume, the curvature -of the seats 35 and 38; the cutting mechanisin are such that the individual seats by
their con"ming actiOn. rigidifying such labels 27 are deposited on the support 25 in ac- wa. I portions and the
natunal resiliency of the U curate label receiving relaticn,v! h the suction inaterial of Q e bot" e yieldir Oy resist
the transfer head 19 and with tb e thermoplastic ad- dowrward relative-ly heavy pre2sure e-Prted by hesive
coatings thereof overlying a plurality of MeMbeF M) thrGUFl its seat 'U. During this plia;e h I - I perforations
provided in the upper surface of ol the ooeration, t - labeli 77 be firmly pressed such support. The said
perforations COMMI'Llni-in a unHora-i i-ianneer roughoiA s erti-.,e aarea I uh it cate with a chamber 28 which
is connected byby the heated. seat 311, into engagemeiit with the means of a, tube 29 with a source of air. Suit-
receivi-ng Surface of the bol"lle and so that able means are provided to produce a conditionthe f-nal application
of the label to the bottle of suction in chamber 28 after a terminal labele-FiRcieritly carried out. 'VVhen the
pressillre Me-n 27 has been deposited thereon, and to deliverber 3,61 is withdrawn, the bottle will return to its
compressed air -into such chamber to blow thencrima! shape, thus w;'hdrawin-g J's d- torted separated label 27
into contact with the suctionportions and the laboll froin the surfaces of 'u'l-le head 19, when the latter is
properly positioned seats 35 and 31U. It will thus be seen that as a in an at-rest position just above the label,
asresult of the conei-ura'. on of the seats '05 and I Ul is shown. The suction in the head 9 is con-there e-xis"s no
dan,er that the flexi le con trolled by properly tilned valving mechanism oft1ainer will Jam or lock when tile
applying pre&;ure any suitable type so that at the time the label isis reniove and Tine pressure member 36 w.i.fh
transferred by air uressure from the support 25 drawn.This d]sconfonmity of the seats 131i and to such head,
suction will be effective in such38,-ith the article should preferably not be too head to maintain a label properly
in positiongreat or of suflicient divergence 'that the distor thereon and. until it is deposited on -,in article.-on ol.
the article under thelabe! aii, 'Y-r,, -ores U - 11 - - Dli! - The head 'aO Dreferably carries a heating device sure -
will darriage tile anJ-cle. When the Pres cornposed of one or more electrical reesistanceSlUe niember H ha.,2
been fully withdlrawn, the elements which are mounted in such head and 53 labeled bottle jina-v be Yet-noved
fiorn t-.1ne seat -,15 which are connected with a source of electricity and a new bottle sub-StItuted for the next
su,-,by w=es 20, 30, so 'that by the time a label has ceeding cycle of thenaachi-fie. been carriej by such head to
the label- applying The shape ol the seats ir. the su-nport an,-', station 1 9, the thermoplastic coating on such -
omssure member 36 may be brought into closer conformW with the bottle t-hough not in ciact conforinity
there,,vith for the reasons above maeiitioned, il during the -label a,-,;p1,yi'(Tg operation the article is i-illed
with,,) ffiuld such as coray_)ressed air or water Do temporarily rigiCITify the coniined portion of the bottle to
which the label is to be aff.xed under heavy pressure, This may be accomplished a,,3 sholvn -in F'1g. 4 of the
dravi-iDgs by attaching to the irlouth of 9, bottle deposited oil the support V, a connectipg member,U capable of
forming a substantially flLuld-tight connection with such bottle mouth and provided on the end of a pipe U
provided with a control valve rM The pipe 4.9 is connected with a source of il-L:tid such as compressed air or
water under a pressure -greater than atniosplieric. Thus, when the conlabel has been adhesively activated.

After a label 27 has been deposited on the article 10 at 'the label- appiying station, mearls co-arie into
operaUon to complete the apphication of such label to the article. As will be observed frmn Figs. 1 and 2 of the
d-rawings, the support I I at the label applyl g station is recessed to provide In a seat 35 for the accommodation
of 'the bottle n. It will be noted that the are of curvature of the seat 33 in a transverse direction has a radius
greater than that of the body of the bottle and is less than a senxicircle so that the body of the bottle seated
therein does not snugly fit in such seat and the -longitudinal axis of such body is located above the upper edges
of such seat for a purpose, which will hereinafter become more 2,684,775 nection member 45 is secured to the
bottle and the valve 47 operated, the interior of the bottle will be filled with fluid under pressure and through the
latter, the walls of the bottle will be sufficiently rigidifled to withstand the pressure applied thereto by the
member 36 during the final application of the label.

When bottles of the type previously described are to be labeled, the same result may be accomplished by
exhausting the air from the interior 1 of the bottle instead of filling it with fluid under pressure. In practicing this
form of the invention, the top surface of the support I I" and the lower surface of the pressure member 36, are
plain flat surfaces; the pressure member 36' be- I ing preferably also of an area slightly greater than the area of
the label which is to be attached to the bottle, as is shown in F ig. 5 of the drawings. instead of connecting the
pipe 46' to a source of fluid pressure, it is connected to a source of vacu- 2 um so that when the connection 45' is
attached to the bottle and the valve 4V operated, substantially all air will be exhausted from the bottle and the
walls of the body thereof will collapse.

Preferably, this operation is carried out while the 2 pressure member 36' is squeezing the bottle against the
support I I ", so that the escape of the air in the bottle will be facilitated and such escaping air will cushion, and
at the same time, render more effective the pressure exerted by 3 such member 36'. Instead of exhausting the air
in the bottle to the extent shown in.Fig. 5, the air in the bottle may be evacuated to a predetermined pressure or
such that a sufficient Portion of the surface area of the bottle conforming to the shape 3 of the working face of
member 36' is provided for attachment of the label thereto. At the end of the downward movement of the
member 36', the parts will be in the condition shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The vacuum may be
disconnected 4 just prior to the upward return movement of pressure member 36' or may be maintained until
after such member has completed its upward movement. Preferably, the valve 47 is a two-way valve, so that it
may be operated to permit at_ 4 mospheric air to enter the collapsed bottle 10 in controlled amounts.

While I have hereinabove described and illustrated in the drawings, preferred methods of carrying out the
invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifacations and changes may be made therein
without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

4 5) References Cited in the file of this patent

Number 548,661 1,963,494 2,002,698 2,279,724 2,422,652 2,491,947 2,492,908

UNITED STATES PATENTS