Device for attaching articles to packages, bottles and other objects

• US 4,584,046 A
• Filed: 01/31/1983
• Issued: 04/22/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jurgen Geyssel
• Original Assignee: Jurgen Geyssel
• Inventors: Geyssel, Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kimlin, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Falasco, L.
• Application Number:
  US06/462,613
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 156/363, 156/361, 156/358, 156/357, 156/521, 156/566, 156/567, 156/568, 156/571, 156/541, 156/542, 156/362, 156/539, 156/517, 156/353
• US Class Current: 156/358
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/205 for adding drinking straws to a container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1322 Severing before bonding or assembling of parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1339 Delivering cut part in sequence to serially conveyed articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1702 For plural parts or plural areas of single part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1771 Turret or rotary drum-type conveyor

Abstract

A device for attaching articles (11) to packages (12) which are passed to the applicator device (10) at irregular intervals. When this is done the articles (for example, drinking straws (11)), are thrust against the package (12) by means of rotatable applicator arms (41). The applicator arm (41) is tilted against the action of a pull-off spring (51) by a burst of compressed air that acts on the arm (41) for a brief period so that it moves back into its initial position immediately after pressing against the package (12).

The applicator device (10) can be tilted about two perpendicular directions and can be secured in order that the drinking straws (11) can be secured in different directions and on variously inclined surfaces of the package (12).

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying accessory articles to objects moving past an application station at intervals, comprising:

support means at said application station;

applicator means on said support means and displaceable between retracted and extended positions relative to an object at said application station, said applicator means comprising a pivoted lever having a first arm portion for engaging and thrusting said accessory article across a space and onto said object and a second arm portion;

means for bringing an accessory article into a confronting position with the object at said application station comprising a compartmentalized wheel rotatably mounted on said support means and having compartments arranged around its outer surface for receiving articles and at least one annular groove behind articles in said compartments, said first arm portion of said applicator means being accommodated in said annular groove in said retracted position of said applicator means, whereby said first arm portion in moving from said retracted to said extended position displaces an article out of its respective compartment and thrusts said displaced article across said space and onto said object;

a compressed air nozzle for directing a blast of compressed air directly against said second arm portion of said applicator means to displace said applicator means from said retracted position to said extended position; and

biasing means for urging said applicator means from said extended to said retracted position.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said second portion of said pivoted lever closes the outlet opening of said air nozzle when said applicator means is in said retracted position.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for bringing an article into a confronting position with an approaching object and said applicator means are mounted on said support means, said support means being mounted at said application station for selective tilting adjustment about orthogonal axes.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said biasing means is provided by a spring.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, and means for sensing an approaching object and actuating said compressed air nozzle, comprising sensors arranged in the path of the objects, and means responsive to said sensors for controlling air flow to said compressed air nozzle.

6. Apparatus for applying accessory articles to objects moving past an application station of the apparatus at intervals, comprising:

support means at said application station;

means for bringing an accessory article into a confronting position with the approaching object at said application station comprising a compartmentalized wheel rotatably mounted on said support means and having compartments arranged around its outer surface for receiving articles and at least one annular groove behind articles in said compartments;

applicator means on said support means and displaceable between retracted and extended positions relative to an object at said application station, said applicator means having at least one arm accommodated in said annular groove in said retracted position of said applicator means, whereby said one arm in moving from said retracted to said extended position displaces an article out of its respective compartment and thrusts said displaced article across a space and onto said object;

push rod means having opposite ends, said one arm being on one of said ends of said push rod means,

a compressed air nozzle for directing a blast of compressed air against the other end of said push rod means to displace said one arm from said retracted to said extended position; and

biasing means urging said one arm from said extended to said retracted position.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said other end of said push rod means includes a blocking plate against which compressed air form said air nozzle is directed to displace the applicator means from said retracted to the said extended position, said blocking plate closing the outlet opening of said air nozzle when said applicator means is in said retracted position.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for bringing an article into a confronting position with an approaching object and said applicator means are mounted on said support means, said support means being mounted at said application station for selective tilting adjustment about orthogonal axes.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said biasing means is provided by a spring.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6, and means for sensing an approaching object and actuating said compressed air nozzle, comprising sensors arranged in the path of the objects, and means responsive to said sensors for controlling air flow to said compressed air nozzle.

11. Apparatus for applying accessory articles to objects moving past an application station at intervals, comprising:

support means at said application station;

an applicator on said support means having spaced apart article displacing and applicator actuating ends, said article displacing end being displaceable between retracted and extended positions relative to an object at said application station;

means for locating an accessory article between said article displacing end of said applicator and an object at said application station;

biasing means urging said article displacing end of said applicator from said extended position to said retracted position; and

compressed air means including nozzle means structurally separate from said applicator, said compressed air means directing a blast of compressed air through said nozzle means and directly against said actuating end of said applicator for a time sufficient for said blast of air to thrust said actuating end away from said nozzle means against the urging of said biasing means and said article displacing end from said retracted to said extended position, whereby said article displacing end of said applicator in moving from said retracted to said extended position thrusts said accessory article across a space onto said object at said application station.