Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The present invention concerns a label fixing
means for affixing a label in a wrapping machine which
has been arranged to wrap a wrapping film around the
product that has been conveyed into the wrapping sta-
tion of the wrapping machine and, possibly, to cut the
film off and to seam the film against the film that has
been wound around the product.
~ rapping machines of above-mentioned type are
known e.g. through the Finnish Patents FI 80418, FI
81539 and FI 83193, which are cited as state of art.
When pacXaging products with the aid of wrap-
ping machines, one is compelled to affix the labels ina separate work step, e.g. employing human labour. This
is obviously expensive. Moreover, the positioning and
placement on the package of labels affixed with human
labour are dependent on the worker's professional skill
and experience; it is further possible that a label
remains altogether unaffixed e.g. owing to careless-
ness, negligence or work hindrance.
The object o~ the present invention is to
eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide
a novel wrapping machine by means of which the fixing
of labels on packages can be accomplished positively,
automatically and in an invariably consistent manner.
The invention is characterized in that the
label fixing means is provided with a transporter for
transporting the label from a storage roll, or cas-
sette, with the aid of drive rolls and driven by a
power means, and a label applicator comprising applica-
tor members disposed to grab the label forwarded by the
transporter and to push it against the product or
against the film that has been wrapped around the pro-
duct, and that the fixing means has been mounted to be
borne by an auxiliary frame, laterally movable and
mounted cn the frame of the wrapping machine to be
movable up and down, advantageously in conjunction with
the wrapper seaming means.
With the invention, the objects stated in the
foregoing will be achieved. Furthermore, thanks to the
invention, the label can be attached to the product in
connection with the wrapping thereof, e.g. under the
wrapper, upon the wrapper or interposed between wrap-
pers.
In the accompanying drawings:
,
Fig. l presents, in perspective, a wrapping machine
according to the invention provided with a label fixing
means, and schematically depicted,
Fig. 2 presents the label fixing means, enlarged,
Figs 3a to 3b present the label transporter means, in
elevational view and from below, and
Figs 4a to 4b present the label applicator means, in
elevational view and from below.
In the figure, tne wrapping machine in general
has been indicated with reference numeral 10. The wrap-
ping machine comprises a frame structure, comprising a
frame 11, and legs 12. The wrapping machine 10 is, as
to its type, a so-called wrapping frame machine provid-
ed with a wrapping frame 14 which during the wrapping
operation carries along with itself a film distribution
slide 15. The wrapping film F is unwound from a film
material roll 16 on the film distribution slide 15 to
enwrap the product 1 which has to be packaged. The pro-
duct to be packaged, 1, consists in the embodiment here
depicted, of a pallet load disposed upon a load pallet
2. The wrapping frame 14 is mounted on a wrapping frame
supporting frame 13, which is disposed within the frame
structure 11,12 of the wrapping machine, movably in
vertical direction so that the film distribution slide
can be moved into proper position in height, in differ-
ent stages of the wrapping process. The general design
of the wrapping machine is commonly known e.g~ through
the reference FI 83193 cited above, and is not describ-
ed in any greater detail in this context.
The label fixing means 20 of the invention is
mounted on an auxiliary frame 17, disposed to move
along guides 18 provided on the wrapping frame support-
ing frame 15. In the wrapping machine 10 according to
the embodiment depicted in Fig. 1, the label fixing
means 20 can be mo~ed along with the supporting frame
11, up and down, and with the auxiliary frame 17, side-
ways along the guides 18.
The label fixing means 20 depicted in Figs 2
to 4 comprises a label transporter 21 for transporting
the label 22 from a storage cassette 23 with the aid of
rolls 24 and of a power means 25, and a label appli-
cator 26, disposed to xeceive the label from the trans-
porter and to place, or press, it against the product
or against the wrapping F of the product. In Fig. 2,
the label transporter 21 has been placed at an inclina-
tion, carried by a mounting member 31 in the horizontal
plane, and the label applicator 26 is disposed rotata-
bly about an axle 33, to be carried by a mounting mem-
ber 32 projecting downward from the mounting member 31.
The installation beam 31 also carries the top surface
wrapper spreading means 40, which is not described in
closer detail in this context.
Figs 3a and 3b reveal the design of the label
transporter 21 in detail. The cassette 23 contains a
plurality of labels 22, packed in a stack. Rolls or
roLlers 24, rubber-coated and driven by a power means
25, have been disposed to transport the labels 22 with
the aid of the power means 25 and of a particular con-
trol means (not depicted) from the cassette to the
label applicator 26. In Fig. 2, the label has just been
transported to the applicator members 27 of the label
applicator, i.e., into reach of the jaws, upon the base
34. The applicator members 27 are then pressed togeth-
er, e.g. wi~h the aid of a force means such as a cylin-
der, with the label impacted between the jaws, and
turned into the position indicated with in~errupted
lines 30, pulling the label downward.
Finally, the label 22 which the applicator
members 27 hold between themselves is moved up against
the package or against the wrapper by moving the label
fixing maans appropriately with the aid of the trans-
port mechanism of the supporting frame 13 and/or theauxiliary frame 17 (not depicted in ~he figure), in a
manner known in itsel~ in the art. Turning of the label
applicator 26 about the axle 33 and, further, its re-
storing to the position shown in solid lines is accom-
plished e.g. with the aid of a turning means 35. It is
recommended to wrap upon the label a wrapper, which
holds the label in position under the wrapper course.
If this is done, cementing or any other fixing of the
label is obviated.
With the aid of the label fixing means of the
invention the label can be affixed e.g. upon the pack-
age under the wrapper, upon a wrapper course that has
been wrapped upon the package, before wrapping the next
wrapper course, and/or even upon the wrapper that has
been wrapped on the package.
The label fixing means of the invention can be
placed e.gO in conjunction with the top film pulling
means of the wrapping machine and/or e.g. in conjunc-
tion with the wrapper seaming and/or grabbing means of
the wrapping machine, or apart from these.
