Apparatus and method for guiding plastic labels to a label-wrapping station

• US 4,604,154 A
• Filed: 11/28/1983
• Issued: 08/05/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Owens-Illinois Plastic Products Incorporated (Graeme Richard Hart, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Owens-Illinois Incorporated (O-I Glass, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fosnaught, Harold R.
• Primary Examiner(s): WITYSHYN, MICHAEL G
• Application Number:
  US06/555,788
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 156/264, 156/517, 156/521, 156/568, 156/215, 156/450, 156/497, 156/DIG. 13, 156/DIG. 26, 156/DIG. 33, 271/276, 271/314
• US Class Current: 156/264
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/1861 whereby one knife remains stationary
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/1819 the suction means being a vacuum drum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1033 Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1075 of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1339 Delivering cut part in sequence to serially conveyed articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1773 For flexible sheets

Abstract

Apparatus for feeding plastic label stock, regardless of curling, to a label-wrapping station is disclosed. The apparatus and method include a first label guide means including a turning bar that directs the plastic label sheet from a supply roll towards a rotary vacuum drum in the label-wrapping station, knife means for cutting the label sheet into desired lengths to form labels, secondary guide means for guiding the label to the vacuum drum periphery, and final guide means to positively turn the label back into the drum periphery, especially during start-up, and regardless of curl.

Claims

1. An apparatus for feeding a coextruded polystyrene label stock regardless of curling to a label-wrapping station for cutting and wrapping a length of the label stock around a container, the label being a sheet and having an outer solid polystyrene layer and an inner foam layer for contact with the container, the apparatus comprising:

means for transporting the label sheet with its length axis substantially parallel to the horizontal;

a first label guide means for guiding the sheet towards the label-wrapping station by pushing against one side of the sheet, a rotating member located on the other side of the sheet, the rotating member including a knife for cutting the sheet into labels on the periphery of the member and a turning bar behind the knife on the periphery, the turning bar, after the label is cut from the sheet, pushing against the sheet from the side opposite the first guide means to turn the label from its path into a second guide means, the knife thus rotating and contacting the sheet to cut the sheet into desired lengths of label sheets to form labels and each label is positively guided into the second guide means, the second guide means guiding each of the cut label sheets into a rotating vacuum drum, the second guide means being so constructed and arranged that the label is applied directly to the vacuum drum for rotating the label around its periphery to the label-wrapping station; and

a third means for guiding the sheet to the label-wrapping station including a final feed guide to move the label into the vacuum drum for a positive placement and guidance of the label even during start-up regardless of curling of the label.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the means for transporting the sheet includes a rotating feed stock roll, the sheet being pulled from the feed stock roll by the rotation of the feed stock roll and the rotating member.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the vacuum drum has a plurality of ports on its periphery, the ports communicating with the interior of the drum whereby a vacuum is pulled through the ports from the drum interior.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the final feed guide of the third means guides the label into the drum periphery during start-up to assist the pulling of the label around the periphery of the pulling of a vacuum.

5. A method of feeding to a label-wrapping station a polystyrene label sheet stock comprising a solid polystyrene layer and a foam polystyrene layer, regardless of the amount of curl, the method comprising the steps of:

A. transporting the sheet to the wrapping station with the length axis of the sheet substantially parallel to the horizontal;

B. guiding the sheet with a primary feed guide towards a rotating member with a knife for cutting the sheet into labels;

C. pushing against one side of the sheet as the sheet is moving with the primary feed guide;

D. cutting the sheet into desired lengths to form labels with the knife while the sheet is moving;

E. pushing against the cut sheet on the other side of the sheet with a turning bar located on the rotating member;

F. turning the cut label from its path after being pushed by the primary guide towards a secondary guide means and steering the label;

G. steering the label towards a rotary vacuum drum with the secondary guide means and placing the label on the drum periphery; and

H. finally guiding the label around the periphery of the drum with a final guide means to supply the moving label to the wrapping station regardless of curl of the label.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 including the step of pulling the label toward the center of the vacuum drum by drawing a vacuum on the interior of the drum and pulling the label against a port on the drum periphery.