Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a labelling machine for objects, in part-
icular bottles, comprising a plurality ofstations successively arranged along
a closed track, including a label supply station, a glue applying station,
and a label transfer device.
A known labelling machine of this kind provides a support and a
label transfer device, in particular a pick-up cylinder, adapted to rotate in
the same direction, and a removal means adapted to rotate in the opposite
direction. Thus, a complete rolling off is achieved between the receiving
surfaces of the removal means and the surface of the label transfer device by
means of a controlled gear which is adapted to accelerate and decelerate the
rotation of the removal means (German OS 2 325 24~).
In addition to a complete rolling off, a high output is required.
This necessitates the objects to be labelled to pass the label transfer device
in rapid succession and it requires a divisioning of the label transfer dev:i.ce,
i.e. a spacing of the individual transfer means of this device. Such a
spacing, in turn, defines the construction of the support for the removal
means, because at the time of label transfer, for complete rolling off syn-
chronism is required between the receiving surfaces of the removal means and
the surface of the label transfer device constructed as a pick-up cylinder.
A trouble~free transfer of the labels to the pick~up cylinder requires
synchronism, not only at a predetermined point, but in a predetermined area.
It has been attempted in the past to achieve this by means of the aforestated
measures. According to another construction, support and pick-up cylinders
are adapted to rotate in opposite directions and the removal means are pro-
vided with a receiving surface which in centered position of the removal means
is the same as the circle described by the stations. The rolling off is made
possible by removal means controlled in centered position (German ~S 1 48~ 135).
The object of the present invention is to be seen in the high output
(narrow divisioning) of the label transfer device expected from a labelling
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machine transferring labels onto a support by rolling off the removal means
along a label transfer device and using as few removal means as possible.
The present invention provides a labelling machine for objects such
as bottles, comprising a plurality of stations successively arranged along a
closed circular track, including a label supply station comprising a label
box adapted to hold a stack of labels, a glue-applying station comprising a
rotating applicator, and a label transfer device comprising a rotaly pick-up
cylinder, and a rotating support disposed inside the t~ack and accommodating
a plurality of removal means eccentrically disposed on said support, each said
removal means having a cylindrically curved receiving surface and a centre of
curvature, said removal means being adapted to rotate about an c~is disposed
~etween said receiving surface and said centre of curvature and being adapted
to roll off their receiving surfaces~ which have a radius of curvature smaller
than that of the circular track, along the surface of the label transfer device
characterized in that the support and pick-up cylinder rotate in the same dir- -
ection, and the removal means rotates in the opposite direction the axes of
rotation of the support and each removal means are disposed within a circle
defined by the cylindrically curved receiving surfaces of that removal means
in the outer centered position of the removal means.
Preferably, the respective spacing of the centre of curvature of the
receiving surface of each removal means is in its outer centered position the
same from the axis of rotation of the removal means on the one hand as it is
from the axis of rotation of the support on the other hand. Moreover, for
optimum utilization of the support and for compact construction it is advan-
tageous that the number of removal means corresponds to the number~of the
stations, and the peripheries of the circles described by the removal means
are mutually contacting.
These geometric relations meet the requirement of compactness of
the pick-up cylinder and thus ensure a high throughput whilst employing a
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small number of removal means.
The present invention will hereunder be described with the aid of an
embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:-
Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a labelling machine comprisingthree stations, and
Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a labelling machine comprising
four stations.
On a support (not shown) there are either three or four removal means
1 disposed in symmetrical fashion. The direction of rotation of the support
is denoted by means of arrow Pl. In the centered position of the removal means
1 their cylindrically curved receiving surfaces 2 define a circle 3, on which
the individual stations are tangentially disposed. These stations comprise a
glue-dispensing roller 4 rotating in the direction of arrow P2, label boxes
5,5~ adapted to receive two stacks of labels, and a labelling cylinder 6,
adapted to rotate in the direction of arrow P3. The cylindrically curved
receiving surface 2 of each of the removal means 1 has a radius of curvature
smaller than that of the circle 3. The removal means 1 rotates in the direc-
tion of arrow P4 a~out a shaft 8 which is disposed on the support between the
receiving surface 2 and its centre of curvature 7. The rotation of the
removal means is not a uniform one, but takes place either in accelerated or
delayed fashion, in order to accommodate the requirement of rolling off on the
surface of the differently curved stations 4, 5, 6 which are adapted to be
either driven or stationary. The drive for the removing means 1 may correspond
to that described in German OS 2 325 244.
In the embodiment according to Figure 1, comp Nsing three removal
means and a corresponding number of stations ~, 5, 6 as well as in the embodi-
ment according to Figure 2~ comprising four removing means and a corresponding
number of stations 4, 5, 5', 6, the centre M of the support in the illustrated
outer centered position of the removing means, and thus the syD~etrical centre
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of the removing means~ is disposed within the circle 9 which is defined by
the curved receiving surfaces 2 of the removing means 1 in their outer center-
ed position, as illustrated in the drawing. The distances a and b of the
centre of curvature 7 of the receiving surface of each removing means in
centered position from the centre M of the support on the one hand and from
the axis of rotation 8 of the removing means 1 on the other hand are the same.
Moreover, the circles 10 defined by the rotation of the removing means 1 are
mutually contacting.
