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Automatic labeling apparatus

  • US 4,349,405 A
  • Filed: 09/03/1980
  • Issued: 09/14/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1978
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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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:

  • (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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