Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2024481
APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEPARATING LABELS
FROM A PERFORATED SHEET
This present invention relates to apparatus for
separating labels from a perforated sheet and, more particularly,
to apparatus for separating labels from a continuous sheet
perforated in substantially orthoginal directions.
Every garment sold in the United States is required to
have a label which contains the washing instructions. In many
cases, the manufacturer will put additional information on the
label such as the style number, size, fiber content and the like.
In order to create such labels, many garment manufacturers have a
machine which prints the information on the labels. The leading
manufacturer of such equipment is the Soabar Mfg. Company, a
division of Avery Products Corporation of Philadelphia, Pa.
Until relatively recently, these label printing
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machines operated with set type. The operator of the machine had
a case of type and would pick out the particular letters to set
up the information. Alternatively, blocks of information could
be preprinted on a rubber mat similar to those used on rubber
stamps and attached to the unit. Machines of this type commonly
have counters and can be set to produce 50 or 100 or whatever
number of labels is required.
Blank labels are fed into such machines in a strip, one
label wide. The labels are printed on the strip consecutively.
The machines are available with two output options. The first
option is to coil the printed strip into a roll of finished
labels. The second option is to cut the strip into individual
labels.
Apparel manufacturers take the finished labels and sew
them into garments. In some cases, particularly where the items
are sent to contractors or other manufacturers for labeling or
stored for future use, it is desirable to have the printed labels
in roll form. In other cases, where operators want to move more
quickly, it is desirable to have the labels cut individually.
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The recent introduction of computerized label printers
into the market has offered increased versitility in the printing
of labels. Several computerized machines, such as those
developed by Compute-A-Label, Inc. of Los Angeles, California and
Photomarker Corp. of Bronx, New York are available. The machines
include a customized micro-computer and a printer. A sheet of
orthogonally perforated cloth or heavy paper material, with
sproketed edges, is fed into the machine. The operator uses a
keyboard to input the required information, that is, the number
of labels to be printed and the information to be printed on
each. The labels are printed and exit the machine in a
continuous sheet, several labels wide.
Such computerized label printing machines have proven
to be extremely efficient and are in high demand by apparel
manufacturers throughout the country. A major disadvantage of
such units is that the finished labels come out in sheets and
hence not in a form which is easy to use by the apparel
manufacturer, that is, not in a stack of individual labels or
even a strip of labels in a roll. Thus, prior to use, the
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apparel manufacturer must manually rip the labels apart along the
orthogonal perforations, in very much the same way that postage
stamps are separated. To accomplish this, the labels are folded
horizontally and vertically in order to weaken the lines of
perforation. This is a time consuming, labor intensive process
and significantly reduces the potential for the computerized
label printing.
The present invention is an apparatus for automatically
separating useable members, such as labels, from a continuous
orthogonally perforated sheet of the type which is generated by
computerized label printing machines. It is designed for use in
conjunction with such a printing machine, either to operate
directly on the continuous sheet of printed labels as it exits
the machine or separately at a later time, to separate the
labeIs, either into strips, or, preferably, into stacks of
individual labels.
In general, the apparatus of the present invention
includes a first means adapted to separate strips of connected
labels along lines of perforation extending in the direction of
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sheet movement through the apparatus, that is, longitudinally.
The continuous strips of labels can thereafter be rolled, if
desired. However, in the preferred embodiment, the continuous
strips are transferred to a second means adapted to separate the
continuous strips into individual labels. Means are provided to
accumulate the individual labels. The second means preferrably
comprises first and second spaced sets of driven rollers. The
second set rollers rotates at a speed greater than the first set,
so as to separate rows of labels along lines of perforation
extending transverse to the direction of sheet movement.
As far as applicants are aware, there is no machine
available which is capable of automatically separating useable
cloth or paper members formed in a continuous sheet along
orthogonal perforation lines. U.S. Patent No. 2,171,769 to
Stolar discloses a machine which is capable of separating the
sprocketed edge portions of computer sheets from the sheets
themselves, such that same can be discarded. However, that
machine is capable of separating along perforation lines which
extend in only a single direction. Moreover, it is only capable
of separating the discardable peripheral portions of the sheet
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from the useable portion thereof. It does not and cannot
separate useable members from each other along orthogonal
perforation lines when the members form a sheet.
In addition, the Stolar machine utllizes rotating
knife blades to achleve separation. The blades must
accurately register with the perforation llnes to function
properly. The use of knife blades, especially moving blades,
creates problems. Such blades have a short useful life. They
tend to dull quickly and must be resharpened or replaced
frequently. Further, rapldly rotatlng knlves are dangerous
because they have the capablllty of causlng serlous ln~ury.
We have, lnstead adapted a dlfferent approach, which
does not utlllze sharp blades to cut the sheets along the
lines of perforation but instead simply applies pressure
proximate the lines of perforation to "burst" same. This
approach not only eliminates the need for dangerous knives
with short useful lives, it also greatly reduces registration
problems.
The present inventlon provldes apparatus for
separatlng strlps of useable members from a continuous sheet,
the strlps belng deflned by a plurallty of spaced, parallel
llnes of perforation, the apparatus comprlslng a plurallty of
substantlally parallel belt palrs whlch clamplngly engage the
sheet at locatlons between the perforatlon llnes and means for
drivlng sald belts to move the sheet from a flrst posltlon to
a second posltlon, ad~acent belt palrs engaglng the sheet ln
substantlally the same plane at sald flrst posltlon and ln
substantlally dlfferent planes at sald second posltlon.
At the polnt where the sheet enter between the
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belts, ad~acent belts are ln the same plane. However, as the
sheet progresses through the machlne, the belts gradually move
lnto ln dlfferent planes, causlng the sheet to tear along the
perforatlons. No knlves are used and reglstratlon problems
are reduced.
The lnvention also provldes apparatus for separating
strips of useable members from a continuous sheet, the strlps
being defined by a plurality of spaced, parallel llnes of
perforatlon, the apparatus comprlslng a platen over whlch the
sheet extends, a pressure plate sltuated above the platen and
having slots aligned with the llnes of perforation, an element
with fins substantially aligned with the slots, and means for
moving said element and said platen relative to sald plate
such that the sheet ls clamped between the plate and the
platen and sald flns pass through the slots.
Once the sheet ls separated lnto strlps of labels,
the strips can be rolled and removed for later use. However,
ln its preferred form, the apparatus of the present invention
includes a means for separating the strips into individual
labels. Thls means lncludes first and second spaced palrs of
pressure rollers. The second palr ls drlven faster than the
flrst to separate the strlps transversely. The labels may
then be accumulated on a slowly movlng conveyor.
Preferred embodiments of apparatus for automatically
separating labels from a perforated sheet are described in
detail in the following speclflcation taken together wlth the
accompanying drawlngs whereln llke numerals refer to llke
parts, and in which
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Figure 1 is a top elevational view of the apparatus of
the present invention, showing a first preferred embodiment of
- the strip separating means and the transverse separating means;
Figure 2 is a side view taken along line 2-2 of figure
1 showing the optional strip rolling means;
Figure 3 is an enlarged front, partially cross
sectional view, of a portion of the surfaces of the rollers in
the first perferred embodiment of the strip separating means;
Figure ~ is a top elevational view of a second
perferred embodiment of the strip separating means;
Figure 5 is a side view of the embodiment of the strip
separating means illustrated in figure ~;
Figure 6 is a top elevational view of a third perferred
embodiment of the strip separating means;
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Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the third
perferred embodiment of the strip separating means; and
Figure ~ is a front elevational view of the third
perferred embodiment of the strip separating means.
: As illustated in figures 1 and 2, the present invention
relates to an apparatus for automatically separating labels from
a perforated sheet, generally designated A, which may be taken
directly from the output of the computerized labelling machine.
Sheet A ~iay be provided in roll form or in a stack, as shown in
figures 1 and 2, which has a zig zag appearance an end view, as
shown in figure 2.
As can best be seen in figure 1, the continuous sheet a
typically includes sprocketed edge portions 10, a plurality of
spaced, substanially parallel perforation lines 12 which extend
in the direction of sheet movement through the machine (as
indicated by the arrow) and a plurality of spaced substantially
parallel perforation lines 1~ which extend laterally or
transverse to the direction of sheet movement and substantially
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orthogonally with respect to perforation lines 12. Continuous
sheet A is generally composed of relatively rigid paper or thin
cloth material. Each individual label 16 is generally
rectangular and defined between two sets of spaced parallel
perforation of lines 12, 1~. The apparatus separates the sheets
into strips, automatically removes the sprocketed edge strips
10, separates the strips into individual labels 16 and
accumulates the labels.
Upon entering the apparatus, sheet A passes through a
strip separating means, generally designated B, where perforation
lines 12 are burst to separate sheet A into strips. After sheet
A has been separated into strips and the peripherial edge
portions 10 removed, the strips move into a transverse separating
means, generally designated C, which serves to separate the
strips into individual labels by bursting perforation lines 1~.
The individual labels 16 are then accumulated on a collecting
means, generally designated D, such as a slowly moving conveyor
or the like.
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As is schematically depicted in figure 2, a portion of
the transverse separating means C can be bypassed, if desired,
such that the strips exit the apparatus intact and are collected
in rolls on a driven spool or the like, generally designated F.
Strip collection means F is provided as an option and this
portion of the apparatus has not been illustrated in Figure 1
because it obscures other portions of the apparatus..
Strip separating means B can take the form of any one
of the three perferred embodiments which are disclosed herein.
In each of the three embodiments, two separate functions are
performed. First, the sheet is clamped along lines between
perforation lines 12 and most preferrably proximate the mid
portion of each strip. After the strips are clamped proximate
their mid-portions, a force is exerted proximate the perforation
lines 12 to burst same in order to separate the sheet into
strips. In each case, the clamping function and force the
exerting function are performed by different structures.
In the first perferred embodiment of strip separatin~
means B, as illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 3, a pair of pressure
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rollers 20 and 22 are employed. Roller 20 is situated above
sheet A and roller 22 is situated below sheet A. Either one or
both of rollers 20, 22 are driven by conventional means, not
shown. It is the contour of the exterior surfaces of rollers 20
and 22, and the manner in which same cooperate, which performs
the cla~ping and force exerting functions.
As best seen in figure 3, in which each of the rollers
20 and 22 is shown in pIan and cross sectional view, roller 20 is
a metal roller with a rigid exterior surface and roller 22 is a
rubber roller with a relatively soft, reselliant exterior
surface. The top portion of each roller illustrated in figure 3
shows exterior surface of the roller whereas the bottom portion
shows the roller in cross section.
The exterior surface of roller 20 is continuous and
divided into sections defined by relatively narrow areas of
relatively large diameter 2~ which are situated substantially in
alignment with perforation lines 12. Approximately midway
between adjacent sections 2~ are situated relatively wide
portionC 26 which have relatively larger outer diameters,
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slightly larger than that of sections 2~. Sections 26 align with
the mid-portions of the label strips. Between each section 2
and its adjacent section 26 is situated a section 2~ with a
relatively smaller diameter. Hence, the exterior surface of
roller 20 is rigid and consists of a series of alternating hills
and valleys of the appropriate size and diameter.
Roller 22, on the other hand, has a discontinuous
exterior surface of soft rubber. It includes areas 30 of
relatively large diameter and slightly narrower than the width of
the strips and areas 32 of relatively smaller diameter which
align with sections 2~ of roller 20 and hence perforation lines
12.
Sections 26 of roller 20 and areas 30 of roller 22
serve to clamp the strips firmly therebetween, proximate the
mid-portions of the strips, so as to prevent any lateral movement
thereof. As the rollers press towards each other with strip A
therebetween, the relatively flexible sheet will tend to adapt
the contours of the rigid surface of roller 20. Because the
distance between adjacent sections 2~ on roller 20, measured
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along the contour of the surface, is longer than the distance
between adjacent perforation lines 12, as sheet A adapts the
shape of the contour, a considerable amount of bursting force is
applied along the perforation lines 12 by sections 24. This
causes the lines 12 to burst, thereby separating the sheet into
parallel strips.
By the same process, the periphial edge portions 10 are
separated from the useable portion of sheet A and removed from
the machine by plows 34 located between the strip separating
means B and the transverse separating means C. As shown in
figure 2, periphial edge strips 10 are simply diverted downwardly
by plows 34 and collected in a waste recepticle or the like (not
shown).
Figures ~ and 5 illustrate the second perferred
embodiment of the strip separating means B. This embodiment of
the strip separating means comprises a first set of drlven
rollers ~0, 42 situated above and below sheet A, respectively, so
as to clamp sheet A therebetween. The surfaces of rollers 40 and
42 are preferably relatively rigid.
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Rollers 40 and 42 each have substantially uniform
diameters. Situàted along each of the rollers 40 and 42 are
plurality of parallel endless belts 44 which are in aligned
pairs, one belt in each pair being associated with the upper
roller LO and one belt in each pair being associated with lower
roller ~2. As sheet A enters between rollers 40 and 42 the
aligned ~elts 44 serve to clamp the sheet approximately midway
between each pair of perforation lines 12. Downstream from
rollers LO and 42 are a second pair of aligned rollers L6 and 4~.
Roller ~6 consists of alternating relatively larger diameter
segments ~6a and relatively smaller diameter segments 46b.
Similarly, roller 4~ consists of relatively larger diameter
segments ~a and relatively smaller diameter segments 4~b. The
larger diameter segments ~6a of roller ~6 align with the smaller
diameter segments 4~b on roller 4~. The larger diameter segments
4~a on roller 4~ align with the smaller diameter segment 46b on
roller L6. The belts which are associated with roller 40 at one
end are associated with segments 46a and 46b on roller 46 on the
other end. For example, even numbered belts 44 associated with
roller LO are associated with segments 46a, whereas odd numbered
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belts ~4 are associated with segments 46b. Similarly, even
numbered belts 4~ associated with roller ~2 at one end are
associated with segments 4~b, whereas odd numbered belts are
associated with segments 4~a at the other end.
.
The above structure results in aligned pairs of moving
belts 4~ which clamp the strips therebetween. The adjacent
portions of the aligned pairs of belts 44 all start off in the
same plane but as the belts travel downstream, adjacent ones of
the aligned pairs gradually move into different planes. This
causes the perforation lines 12 to tear or burst. Alternate
strips, thus formed, will exit this embodiment of the strip
separating means between rollers 46 and 4~ in slightly different
planes and are then brought back into the same plane as they move
into the transverse separating means C.
As will now be appreciated, in the second perferred
embodiment of strip separating means B, aligned belts serve to
clamp the sheet along the strips. As the adjacent clamped
portions of the sheet gradually move to different vertical planes
or levels, a force is exerted along perforation lines 12 to burst
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same, forming the separate strips.
The third perferred embodiment of the present invention
is disclosed in figures 6, 7 and ~. As seen in these figures, a
platen 50 is situated below sheet A. Platen 50 is provided with
a plurality of elongated recesses 52 which are considerably wider
than but generally aligned with perforation lines 12 on sheet A.
As sheet A travels over plate 50, the forward movement thereof is
momentarily stopped and a pressure plate 5~ is pushed down over
the sheet, clamping the sheet between plate 5~ and the upper
surface of platen 50. Pressure plate 5~ has a plurality of
elongated slots 56 therein which align with the recesses 52 on
platen 50. Above pressure plate 5~ is an element 5~ which has a
plurality of generally parallel, spaced fin-like members 60 which
aligned with slots 56. Element 5~ is moved vertically
downwardly, towards platen 50 such that fins 60 pass through
slots 56 and into recesses 5~, thereby exerting sufficient force
proximate perforation lines 12 to burst same.
As shown schematically in the drawings, it is
perferable to spring mount platen 50 to a base 51 or the like to
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permit limited movement thereof such that at least a portion of
the force from pressure plate 5~ can absorbed as the pressure
plate 5~ is recipricated towards platen 50.
Preferrably, the movements of plate 54 and element 56
are controlled in a conventional manner by a rotating cam shaft
55 carrying a cam 57. A cam follwer 59 is connected to element
5~. Rotating cam shaft 55 is driven in unison with the rollers
of transverse separating means B such that the sheet A moves
through the apparatus intermittently.
Element 5~ is attached to pressure plate 5~ by a series
of springs 61 so that platen 5~ and element 5~ reciprocate
together. However, the vertical distance over which platen 5
moves is less than the vertical distance over which element 5
moves.
After fins 60 have separated the strips along
perforations 12, over a given length in the direction of the
sheet movement, for example ~ inches, pressure plate 56 and
element 5~ move upwardly to release strip A, which can now
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202q481
progress through the apparatus an additional length. Thereafter
the motion of the continuous strip A is again stopped and
pressure plate 56 and element 5~ are recipricated to burst the
next section of the perforation lines 12.
Referring again to figures 1 and 2, after sheet A exits
the strip separating means B it enters into the first portion of
the transverse separating means C which consists of a pair of
driven pressure rollers 70, 72. Rollers 70, 72 have
substantially uniform, relatively rigid rubber exterior surfaces.
They serve to pinch the separated strips therebetween. One or
both of rollers 70, 72 are driven at a given speed, by
conventional drive means. Spaced from rollers 70, 72, and down-
stream thereof, are a second pair of rollers 7~, 76 which form
the second section of the transverse separating means C.
If the labels are to,be collected in strips, they are
taken directly from between rollers 70 and 72, at this point,
pass over roller 74 and into the strip collection means F, as
illustrated in phantom in figure 2. However, assuming that the
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strips are to be separated into individual labels, the strips
will pass from rollers 70, 72 to the second set of rollers 74,
76.
One more of the rollers 7~, 76 is driven. The speed of
the second pair of rollers 7~, 76 is somewhat greater than the
speed of the first pair of rollers 70, 72 such that the strips of
labels are separated transversely, along perforation lines 1~.
The individual labels 16 exit the second pair of rollers 74, 76
and are accumulated on a conveyor belt ~O which moves between a
pair of powered rollers ~2 and ~ in a direction which is
transverse to the direction of movement of sheet A through the
apparatus. The labels may be collected in a stack or like at the
end of belt ~O. Alternatively, a slowly moving conveyor belt
extending away from rollers 7~,76 but in the same direction the
sheet movement may be utilizied.
It will now appreciated that the present invention
relates to apparatus for automatically separating labels from a
perforated sheet in which labels in the sheet are first separated
into strips, along spaced, parallel perforation lines extending
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in the direction of sheet movement, and then into individual
labels, along spaced perforation lines extending in a direction
transvere to sheet movement. The strip separation can be
accomplished in one of three ways. In the first perferred
embodiment, a roller having a resiliant exterior surface divided
into discontinuous alternating larger and smaller diameter areas
and a roller with a rigid exterior having a continuous surface of
different diameter sections cooperate to clamp the sheet at
points between the perforation lines and exert a force along the
perforation lines. The second embodiment involves moving belts
which clamp the sheet between the perforation lines and gradually
separate into different planes. The third embodiment includes a
reciprocating element with fin-like members which cooperate with
a slotted pressure pad. The fins and slots are aligned with the
perfora~ion lines. The transverse separation means utilizes
first and second spaced pairs of rollers. The second pair of
rollers is rotated at a high speed than the first pair, such that
labels are completely separated. The individual labels can then
be accu-ulated on a slowly moving conveyor.
In none of the embodiments of the strip separating
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means are sharp edges or knife blades of any type used.
Accordingly, there is no opportunity for such edges or blades to
dull and require replacement. Moreover, the safety of the
operator of the machine is greatly enhanced without such sharp
edges or blades. Further, it should be appreciated that in none
of the three embodiments is registration with the perforation
lines critical. Thus, the forces exerted on the perforation
lines need not be exerted exactly on the perforation lines but
can be exerted anywhere proximate thereto, in order to achieve
the required result. Hence, not only is the machine safe, the
necessity for precise force application on the perforation lines
is eliminated and thus most of the registration problems usually
found in high speed machines are eliminated.
While only a limited number of perferred embodiments
had been disclosed for purpose of illustration, is obvious that
many variations and modifications could be made thereto. It is
intended to cover all of the variations and modifications which
fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the
following claims.
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