Automatic labeling apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for sequentially labeling container-shaped objects, such as beer barrels, similar to each other in shape but differing from each other in size and with each object having a labeling surface located in the same general location thereon and comprising:
- (a) conveying means defining a path of movement for said objects along a generally planar horizontal surface;
(b) pneumatically operated arresting means movable into the path of movement of said objects along said horizontal surface for arresting each object in a predetermined support position in said path with the object being supported at a location on its exterior surface spaced from the labeling surface and with the labeling surfaces of the objects of a different size being at different distances from the support position;
(c) a pneumatically controlled axially elongated plunger located upwardly from the labeling surface in the predetermined position and having a face portion at one end thereof with said face portion extending transversely of the axial direction of said plunger and being directed toward an object arrested in said support position, said face portion being deformable under pneumatic pressure for transferring a label to the labelling surface;
(d) supply means for supplying a label to said face portion at a spaced distance from the labeling surface, said supply means including a pneumatically operated sensing mechanism for indicating the position of labels as they are moved toward said face portion of said plunger;
(e) pneumatically operated and controlled means for moving said plunger along a rectilinear path between a first position where said face portion is supplied with a label to a second position at a variable distance from the first position based on the size of said object being labeled where the label is applied to the labeling surface of said arrested object in the predetermined position and with the rectilinear path of said plunger being disposed at an acute angle substantially different from a right angle to the planar horizontal surface of the path of movement and to the labeling surface of said objects; and
(f) pneumatically operated reversing means responsive to a predetermined force exerted by said plunger on the labeling surface of said object being labeled for retracting said plunger from said object back to the first position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for sequentially labeling objects differing from each other in size includes a conveyor which defines a path of movement in an approximately horizontal plane for the objects to be labeled. An arresting device arrests each object in a predetermined portion of the path toward which a face portion of a plunger is directed. The label to be applied is supplied to the face portion, and the plunger is moved toward the arrested object until the label is applied to the object by pressure exerted by the plunger. A reversing mechanism responds to the exerted plunger pressure for retracting the plunger from the labeled object.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. Apparatus for sequentially labeling container-shaped objects, such as beer barrels, similar to each other in shape but differing from each other in size and with each object having a labeling surface located in the same general location thereon and comprising:
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(a) conveying means defining a path of movement for said objects along a generally planar horizontal surface; (b) pneumatically operated arresting means movable into the path of movement of said objects along said horizontal surface for arresting each object in a predetermined support position in said path with the object being supported at a location on its exterior surface spaced from the labeling surface and with the labeling surfaces of the objects of a different size being at different distances from the support position; (c) a pneumatically controlled axially elongated plunger located upwardly from the labeling surface in the predetermined position and having a face portion at one end thereof with said face portion extending transversely of the axial direction of said plunger and being directed toward an object arrested in said support position, said face portion being deformable under pneumatic pressure for transferring a label to the labelling surface; (d) supply means for supplying a label to said face portion at a spaced distance from the labeling surface, said supply means including a pneumatically operated sensing mechanism for indicating the position of labels as they are moved toward said face portion of said plunger; (e) pneumatically operated and controlled means for moving said plunger along a rectilinear path between a first position where said face portion is supplied with a label to a second position at a variable distance from the first position based on the size of said object being labeled where the label is applied to the labeling surface of said arrested object in the predetermined position and with the rectilinear path of said plunger being disposed at an acute angle substantially different from a right angle to the planar horizontal surface of the path of movement and to the labeling surface of said objects; and (f) pneumatically operated reversing means responsive to a predetermined force exerted by said plunger on the labeling surface of said object being labeled for retracting said plunger from said object back to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for sequentially labeling generally cylindrically configured container-shaped objects, such as beer barrels, having an exterior surface comprising at least a side wall of an arcuate configuration around a central axis and end walls extending transversely of the central axis and across the opposite ends of the side wall, and the objects being similar to each other in overall shape but differing from each other in size and with each object having a labeling surface located on one end wall in the same general location thereon for the various sized objects and comprising:
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(a) conveying means defining a path of movement for said objects along a generally planar horizontal surface; (b) pneumatically operated arresting means movable into the path of movement of the objects along said horizontal surface for arresting each object by contacting the arcuate side thereof in a predetermined support position in said path with the object being supported at a location on its exterior surface spaced from the labeling surface and with the labeling surfaces of the objects of different size being spaced at different distances from the predetermined support position and following the label application said arresting means being movable out of the path of movement of the objects so that the labeled object can continue along the path of movement away from said arresting means, said arresting means comprising at least a pair of movable members for contacting the side wall of the object to be labeled at spaced locations; (c) a pneumatically controlled axially elongated plunger located upwardly from the labeling surface of an object in the predetermined support position and having a face portion at one end thereof with said face portion extending transversely of the axial direction of said plunger and being directed toward an object arrested in said predetermined support position, said face portion being deformable under pneumatic pressure for transferring a label to the labeling surface; (d) supply means for the stepwise supply of individual labels to said face portion at a spaced distance from the labeling surface located in the predetermined support position, said supply means including a pneumatically operated sensing mechanism for indicating the position of labels as they are moved toward said face portion of said plunger; (e) pneumatically operated and controlled means for moving said plunger along a rectilinear path between a first position where said face portion is supplied with a label by said supply means to a second position at a variable distance from the first position based on the size of said object being labeled where the label is applied to the labeling surface of said arrested object in the predetermined support position and with the rectilinear path of said plunger being disposed at an acute angle substantially different from a right angle to the planar horizontal surface of the path of movement and to the central axis of the object being labeled, and (f) pneumatically operated reversing means responsive to a predetermined force exerted by said plunger on the labeling surface of the object being labeled for retracting said plunger from said object for returning said face portion to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification