Machine for placing labelling sleeves on bottles or the like

• US 5,060,367 A
• Filed: 05/10/1990
• Issued: 10/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Protection Decoration Conditionnement Europe
• Original Assignee: Protection Decoration Conditionnement Europe
• Inventors: Vandevoorde, Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maki, Steven D.
• Application Number:
  US07/521,638
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 156/86, 156/294, 156/423, 53/291, 53/292, 53/297, 53/399, 53/585, 29/775, 29/429, 29/822, 198/343.1, 198/343.2, 211/218
• US Class Current: 29/775
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/065 by placing tubular labels around the container applying preformed tubular sheathings of plastics in general B29C63/18; applying protective covers to closures B67B5/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5333 Label to container

Abstract

A machine is provided for placing labelling sleeves on bottles or the like which includes a device (1) for presenting labelling sleeves in a discontinuous manner, a device (4) for the continuous running-through of the bottles to be labelled, a transfer assembly (2) for the sleeves comprising a plurality of independent carriages which are movable on an endless guiding path (10), a flexible and endless drive belt (18) developing, on guide means (17₁, 17₇), in the vicinity of the guiding path (10), means (19, 20) connecting the flexible belt and the carriages, this flexible belt (18) having locally at least one area which develops in a perpendicular manner with respect to the belt, in the form of a loop.

Claims

1. Machine for placing labelling sleeves on bottles comprising a device (1) for presenting the labelling sleeves in a discontinuous manner, a device (4) for the continuous run-through of the bottles to be labelled, an assembly (2) for transferring the sleeves from the sleeve presenting device (1) and towards the bottles on the bottle run-through device (4), the transfer assembly comprising a plurality of independent sleeve-supporting carriages (8), these carriages being moveable on an endless guide path (10), an endless flexible drive belt (18) developing, on guide means (17₁, 17₇), in the vicinity of the guide path (10), means (19, 20) connecting the flexible belt and the carriages, the flexible belt (18) having locally at least one area (18₁) developing perpendicular to the belt, in the form of a loop, in order to stop the carriages (8) momentarily and in succession in front of the device (1) presenting the sleeves in a discontinuous manner.

2. Machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carriages (8) each comprise two supports (14) for receiving the sleeves and rollers (12₁), the supports being moveable towards one another on slides (13) and the rollers (12₁) co-operating with an enclosed cam path (15) to move the supports towards and away from one another.

3. Machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means connecting the flexible belt (18) and each carriage (8) comprises a carrier (19) which is moveable in a slide (20), the carrier and the slide being secured to the belt (18) and the carriage (8) respectively.

4. Machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an assembly (3) for placing sleeves on the bottles running through in a continuous manner, the placing assembly receiving the sleeves from the transfer assembly (2) and comprising a plurality of devices (23) for clamping the sleeves, these devices being associated with means (29, 30, 32, 35, 36) moving these clamping devices in translation along an enclosed line.

5. Machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device moving the clamping devices (23) in translation comprises a drum which is rotatably mounted and comprises two end plates (22), the two end plates comprising on their periphery the clamping devices (23) for the sleeves, the clamping devices (23) being provided with pulleys over which there passes a belt (29) which is connected to a fixed pulley (26) co-axial to an axis of the drum.

6. Machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein each end plate (22) of the drum is associated with a fixed ring (28) provided on its periphery with a circular cam path (28₁), carriers (27₁, 27₂) connected to the clamping devices coming to rest in the cam paths so as to move the clamping devices towards or away from one another.