U.S. patent number 3,883,380 [Application Number 05/370,824] was granted by the patent office on 1975-05-13 for method of labeling.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kirk-Rudy, Inc.. Invention is credited to Harry V. Kirk, Manfred Rudy.
United States Patent |
3,883,380 |
Kirk , et al. |
May 13, 1975 |
Method of labeling
Abstract
An improved labeling machine and method in which various
articles such as magazines, brochures, catalogs, newspapers, or
mailing pieces (hereinafter collectively referred to as "articles")
are fed to a labeling head where individual labels with addresses
or other information thereon are adhesively secured to the articles
being fed through the machine. The labels may be, for example,
computer printed forms from one to, usually six, addresses across.
The addresses need not be spaced equally; for example, one address
may be 2.6 inches long and another 2.8 inches long without
affecting operations, and all may be accommodated in the same
machine at the same time. The machine is capable of applying labels
of various widths, for example, between 1/2 inch and 2 inches
without requiring new or different parts for the machine, and it
also provides adjustment for articles of different thicknesses
without change of tension on the machine drive belts. Furthermore,
the labeling head and the article feed may be operated, for
example, on 11 inch or 22 inch spacing. If the articles are shorter
than 11 inches, the machine may be operated so that for one
revolution of the machine, two labels are applied; the articles
travel at slower velocity and the total number of labeled articles
is doubled. The leading edges of the fed articles are used to index
the article feeding rate. The machine utilizes the leading edge of
the label, rather than the trailing edge or some other portion, to
index the label feeding mechanism, and the article feeding and
label feeding are completely correlated. The linkage and feed
mechanism is so arranged that as the individual label is fed to the
gluing rollers it is slightly buckled lengthwise thereof, and the
linkage gives a small jerk to take up whatever buckling is present
to insure proper separation from succeeding labels and exact
positioning of the leading edge of the label with respect to the
article to which it is to be applied. Provisions are made
automatically to stop operation of the entire machine if the
thickness of the article being fed to the labeling station becomes
excessive, e.g. two or more articles are fed simultaneously. The
control circuit for the machine includes a so-called "electric eye"
control for preventing release of a label from the labeling head if
the feeder misfeeds and does not deliver articles to be labeled.
The article feed storage magazine is easily and quickly adjustable
for various sizes and thicknesses. A hand adjustment is provided
for instant label positioning and register. The labeling head
itself may be used on many automatic labeling machines already in
use.
Inventors: |
Kirk; Harry V. (Libertyville,
IL), Rudy; Manfred (Norridge, IL) |
Assignee: |
Kirk-Rudy, Inc. (Kennesaw,
GA)
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Family
ID: |
26805792 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/370,824 |
Filed: |
June 18, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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108334 |
Jan 21, 1970 |
|
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234980 |
Mar 15, 1972 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
156/60;
156/256 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65C
9/40 (20130101); B65C 9/42 (20130101); B65C
9/18 (20130101); Y10T 156/1062 (20150115); Y10T
156/10 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B65C
9/42 (20060101); B65C 9/00 (20060101); B65C
9/08 (20060101); B65C 9/40 (20060101); B65C
9/18 (20060101); B32b 031/12 (); G05g 015/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;156/355,354,362,363,364,521,528,566,568,569,570,60,256,352,572 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Van Horn; Charles E.
Assistant Examiner: Lewris; Basil J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt &
Witcoff
Parent Case Text
This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 108,334,
filed Jan. 21, 1970, now abandoned, and a continuation of
application Ser. No. 234,980, filed Mar. 15, 1972, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United States
Letters Patent is:
1. A method for applying indicia to each of a series of
continuously moving articles at a preselected indicia receiving
position thereon, said preselected position being at substantially
the same relative position for each of said articles, said method
comprising the steps of continuously moving each of said articles
along a path of travel past an indicia applying station, moving a
plurality of aligned labels in a row of labels along a second path
of travel to said indicia applying station, engaging the leading
edge of each of said moving articles during movement in said first
path of travel for locating said preselected indicia receiving
position at said indicia applying station, continuously rotating a
label applying member in one direction while defining a label
receiving position thereon, defining a nip in said second path of
travel upstream of said label applying member, passing each label
to said nip, temporarily stopping the movement of only the leading
edge of said labels at said nip while remaining portions of each
label continue movement thereby forming a kink in each of said
labels, opening said nip to permit said label, including the
temporarily stopped leading edge thereof, to continue movement in
said second path of travel, positively feeding each of said labels
thereafter to said label receiving position on said label applying
member with the leading edge of each of said labels being
positioned at the same relative position on said label receiving
position on said label applying member, said positive feeding step
also acting to remove said kink in said label and simultaneously
causing said label to snap to a flattened position for
substantially assuring complete separation of a leading label from
an adjacent label, coinciding the timing of the rotation of said
label applying member with the timing of the movement of each of
said movably engaged articles for coinciding said label with said
preselected indicia receiving position as said label receiving
position on said label applying member rotates to said indicia
applying station, and applying indicia on said labels to each of
said articles at said preselected indicia receiving position and at
said indicia applying station.
2. The method of claim 1 including the step of providing labels of
different lengths for application to said articles.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step includes gluing
each of said labels to each of said articles.
4. The method of claim 1 including the step of stopping the
movement of said articles in said first path of travel and stopping
the movement of said labels in said second path of travel path when
no article is being fed to said indicia applying station and when
multiple articles are fed simultaneously to said indicia applying
station.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said positive feeding step
includes engaging said label with a delivering wheel and thereafter
transferring said label from said delivery wheel to said label
applying member.
Description
The aforementioned Abstract is neither intended to define the
invention of the application which, of course, is measured by the
claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the
invention in any way.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a labeling machine and method for
adhesively securing labels to articles, and more particularly to an
improved labeling machine and method which provide fast and
accurate labeling over the wide range of label and article sizes,
without radically changing the machine or substituting parts, and
also to the electrical control of the machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Doane, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,975 relates to a label applying
machine wherein the mailing pieces are fed in partial overlapping
relationship to a label applying head. It includes a continuously
rotating feed roller having perforation engaging pins for engaging
the perforations of an internally perforated strip and advancing
the same to a position wherein the strip is severed and paste is
applied thereto.
Ridenour U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,608,681 and 3,072,253 relate to machines
for applying address labels wherein a strip of address labels is
fed through the machine wherein the labels are cut, and adhesive
applied thereto for gluing them to a mailing piece or other
article.
Doane, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,517 relates to a labeling machine
wherein the addresses are printed on a sheet and are arranged in a
plurality of columns and then severed into strips and into
individual discrete addresses. Thereafter the individual discrete
addresses are glued to a moving article or mailing piece.
The VanDam U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,195 relates to a label applying
machine in which the feed of mailing pieces and labels is
coordinated by a control mechanism which includes a photoelectric
mailing piece sensing means and an electromechanical label feed
control means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention resides in a machine and method for rapidly and
automatically applying gummed labels to articles such as mailing
pieces, wherein labels of various lengths, as well as articles of
various lengths and thicknesses may be used in the machine without
major changes therein. The machine will permit the simultaneous
feeding of labels of two or more lengths at the same time. The
invention also prevents misfeed of articles and permits the use of
a rotating slitting knife anvil without close tolerances. In the
present machine, when the pin roller which engages the perforations
in the edges of the label sheet stops feeding, the guillotine knife
will cut the label, and on the upper stroke of the knife linkage
moves to pivot a one-way clutch, giving the rotary anvil a slight
additional movement, thus compensating for any slack in a label. A
novel electrical control circuit is provided for operating the
machine in a continuous manner and to prevent misfeeding of
articles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a continuous sheet of paper
including a plurality of computer printed labels which, for
example, may each contain the name and address of a recipient of a
magazine, catalog, or the like, which is to be delivered through
the mail or otherwise;
FIG. 2 is an illustrative view of a container for the continuous
sheet of labels, which sheet is folded therein and shows the feed
to a label slitting mechanism of the labeling head of the
machine;
FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, of the sheet illustrating the
first step of the label slitting operation, wherein the marginal
punched edges are removed;
FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 3, showing the second step of the
label slitting apparatus, wherein the labels are slit into
individual columns and are fed under a guillotine knife which cuts
them into individual labels;
FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of the next step, wherein a series
of aligned and slit individual labels are picked up by a vacuum
belt to be fed to a timing and gluing station;
FIG. 6 is an illustrative view of an individual label as it passes
through the conveying and glue applying rollers;
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the rollers for conveying and
applying glue to the labels;
FIG. 8 shows an individual label glued to an article;
FIG. 9 is a face view of one side of the labeling machine showing
the article feeder, the conveyor and timing mechanism, and the
label applying head, with parts thereof broken away to better
illustrate the mechanism;
FIG. 10 is a face view of the upper portion of that side of the
machine opposite to that shown in FIG. 9 with parts thereof broken
away or omitted for the sake of clarity;
FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the machine, with the label head
omitted showing the article feeding mechanism from the feed
magazine through the label applying station.
FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 12--12
of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows showing a
portion of the article feeding mechanism;
FIG. 13 is an end elevational view taken along the line 13--13 of
FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the
article feeding and storage station;
FIG. 14 is a plan view of the article feeding table taken below the
table top showing certain details of the drive mechanism;
FIG. 15 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the vacuum
unit for the initial article feed from the storage station and may
be considered as taken along the line 15--15 of FIG. 14, looking in
the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 16 is a plan sectional view taken along the line 16--16 of
FIG. 15, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 17 is a face view, taken from the same side as FIG. 9 on an
enlarged scale, of the label applying head with some parts broken
away for illustrative purposes:
FIG. 18 is a top plan view on the scale of FIG. 17, of the label
applying head with some parts broken away for illustrative
purposes;
FIG. 19 is a detail elevational view, on a further enlarged scale,
of the feed mechanism delivering a single label from the vacuum
belt to the transfer and label applying wheel;
FIG. 20 is a view taken along the line 20--20 of FIG. 19, looking
in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 21 is an elevational view of a portion of the gears and drive
for the label head showing the gears in position for 11 inch
article spacing.
FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 21 showing the gears in position
for 22 inch article spacing;
FIG. 23 is an outer end elevational view of the label applying head
taken along the line 23--23 of FIG. 17, looking in the direction of
the arrows, with some parts broken into section for illustrative
purposes;
FIG. 24 is an elevational view of a part of the mechanism shown in
FIG. 23 in a changed position;
FIG. 25 is an elevational view of another part of the mechanism
shown in FIG. 23 in a changed position;
FIG. 26 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of the
adjustment plate for the label feed to accommodate the different
widths of labels;
FIG. 27 is an inner end elevational view, with some parts broken
into section for illustrative purposes, of the label applying head,
taken along the line 27--27 of FIG. 17, looking in the direction of
the arrows;
FIG. 28 is a detail view of a portion of the glue applying
mechanism taken along the line 28--28 of FIG. 18, looking in the
direction of the arrows;
FIG. 29 is a detail view taken along the line 29--29 of FIG. 28,
looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 30 is a detail view of a counter switch and its cam
operator;
FIG. 31 is an inner face view on an enlarged scale of the label
transfer wheel and may be considered as being taken from the left
side of FIG. 32;
FIG. 32 is a transverse sectional view of the label transfer wheel
taken along the lines 32--32 of FIG. 31, looking in the direction
of the arrows;
FIG. 33 is an outer face view of the label transfer wheel taken
along the line 33--33 of FIG. 32, looking in the direction of the
arrows;
FIG. 34 is a detail view showing the pad ports and passages
transferring vacuum to the periphery of the label transfer
wheel;
FIG. 35 is an inner face view of the leader connected to the vacuum
pump and transmitting vacuum to the label transfer wheel and is
taken along the line 35--35 of FIG. 32, looking in the direction of
the arrows; and
FIG. 36 is a wiring diagram of the electrical power supply and
controls.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 8 thereof,
numeral 40 designates a sheet of paper having a plurality of
printed or typewritten addresses thereon, designated by the numeral
42. A plurality of holes 44 are punched on each side of the sheet
40 to provide for feeding it from a bin 45 through the initial
portion of the machine wherein slits 46 are first made, so that the
portion of the sheet 40 having the holes 44 therein may be removed
after the sheet has been properly processed. As shown in FIGS. 4
and 5, vertical cuts 48 are made in the sheet 40 and horizontal
cuts 50 are also made in the sheet so that the sheet will be
readily separable into a plurality of individual labels 52 each
having the desired information thereon. A vacuum belt 54 is shown
in FIG. 5, having holes 56 therein, subject to a vacuum as will be
explained hereinafter, to convey the labels 52 to a timing and
gluing station. The labels 52 at this time has been slit, so as to
be discrete, as shown in FIG. 5.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, cooperating wheels or rollers 58 and 60
are provided for applying glue to one face of the label 52. The
printed side of the label 52 faces the wheel 58 and the wheel 60
which has glue applied thereto from a suitable source 62, transfers
the glue to the first face of the label 52 as it is carried on the
wheel 58. Thereafter the label 52 is removed from the wheel 58 in a
manner hereinafter described, anad is glued to the article or
mailing piece M as shown in FIG. 8.
The illustrations of FIGS. 1 through 8 show the labels 52 all to be
of the same length. By properly adjusting the slitting knives which
make the cuts 48 labels 52 of different lengths may simultaneously
be cut from the same sheet 40 and delivered for gluing to
successive articles M. This is a significant advantage over the
prior machines where uniformity of label length is required.
FIG. 9 shows a side view and general schematic organization of the
labeling machine as comprising a general frame and housing 64, a
label applying head 66, an article feeding assembly 68 which is
mounted at the top of the frame and housing 64, and a station 70
from which the articles M are fed one at a time. Power for the
labeling machine is supplied from a motor 72, and two vacuum pumps
74 and 76 are provided for utilization in various portions of the
operation of the machine and method. The label head 66 is mounted
on the frame 64 and is supported thereby.
The drive for moving the article through the machine is shown in
general in FIGS. 9, 10, 11, and 14. The motor 72 drives a main
drive shaft 78 through a belt 80 and a pulley 82 affixed to the
shaft 78, the shaft being supported in appropriate bearings in the
frame 64. The shaft 78 carries affixed thereto a pair of sprockets
84 and 86. The sprocket 84 drives a chain 88 which is trained over
a sprocket 90 fixed on shaft 92 supported in the frame 64 and in a
subframe 94 which extends transversely across the frame 64. The
shaft 92 carries at its outer end a pulley 96 which drives a belt
98 trained over a set of tension regulating and maintaining pulleys
in an adjustable vertical support 100 to drive a pulley 102 which
is mounted on and affixed to a main label mechanism drive shaft
104.
The sprocket 86 drives a chain 106 which extends over a sprocket
108 affixed to inner end of shaft 110 supported in bearings in the
frame 64 and the subframe 94 and which has a manual wheel 112 at
its outer end. When the motor 72 is not operating and the drive
mechanism needs adjustment for positioning the elements of the
label head and the article feed mechanism for proper functioning of
the machine, the wheel 112 may be manually operated, to set the
various drive components through the main power shaft 78, for
proper and subsequent power operation of the machine.
As seen in FIGS. 9, 10, 18, and 27, the shaft 104 extends through
the label applying head 66 and is supported opposite the head 110
by a vertically adjustable head 114 on the opposite side of the
machine.
The articles M are stacked in the storage station 70 on table top
116 (FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 13). The articles are stored in the center
of the table between a pair or side plates 118 which are adjustable
laterally on a bar 120 by means of brackets 122 and screws 124. The
bar 120 is mounted on a feed bridge 126 which extends across the
machine, carries part of the feed mechanism, and under which the
articles M are fed. The rear of the stack of articles is held in
position by adjustable crossbar 128 which is supported adjacent its
ends by a pair of thin support members 130 which rest on the table
top 116 and are adjustably held in slots 132 in the bar 128. The
contact support at the rear is by means of a vertical member 134
which is fastened to the bar 128 at its midpoint. The bar 128 has
its position relative to the feed bridge 126 adjusted and
determined by a locking screw 136 which is secured in a bushing 138
fastened to the bar 126 and slidable on a raial 140 mounted on the
table top in a pair of pedestals 142.
Initial movement of the articles M from the stack in the storage
station 70 is effected from the bottom of the stack by means of a
vacuum feed unit 144 which is shown in detail in FIG. 15 and is
also shown in FIGS. 14 and 16. The unit 144 is mounted on a pair of
rods 146 which extend through and are guided in a cross plate 148
forming a part of the machine frame 64.
The vacuum unit 144 is arranged to apply a vacuum at appropriate
times to the lowermost article M in the stack of articles in the
feed station 70, and as it is moved forwardly toward and under the
bridge 126, it carries this article M to a position for subsequent
feeding by the mechanical components of the article feeding
assembly 68. The vacuum feed unit 144 moves back and forth in a
cutout portion 150 in the table top 116 so that it may engage the
lowermost article in the stack.
The unit 144 comprises a base casting 152 having a pair of lateral
wings 154 to receive the rods 146 which are affixed thereto for the
back and forth movement of the unit 144. The base casting 152 has a
vacuum cavity 156 therein which is closed by a plate 158 having an
aperture 160 therein. The aperture or opening 160 is normally
closed by a spring valve member 162 which is secured to the plate
158 and is biased by its nature to closed position. The top face of
the base casting 152 is covered by a plate 164 having on its
underface an open portion 166 which embraces the valve aperture 160
in the base casting 152. When the valve 162 is in open position as
shown in FIG. 15 the vacuum in the cavity 156 is transmitted to the
open portion 166 and through apertures 168 in the plate 164 to the
underface of that article M lying atop the unit 144. It should be
noted that the top surface of the plate 164 is in the aperture area
slightly recesses at 170 to insure that there is no binding when
the vacuum is relieved and also to provide that the easy engagement
of the unit 144 with successive articles in the stack as the
bottommost article delivered is removed by the mechanical portion
of the feeding assembly 68.
Vacuum is transmitted to the cavity 156 in the unit 144 through a
passage 172 in the base casting 152 and a fitting 174 (FIGS. 14 and
16) connected to a hose leading to the vacuum pump 76.
The biased spring valve plate 162 has on its underface a valve
actuating member 176 which is engageable by a valve actuating rod
178 which enters the cavity 156 through packing 180 in a suitable
opening in the base cavity 152. The valve actuating rod 178 is
supported in a slot 182 in the top of the cross plate 148 and has a
pair of movement limiting stops 184 fastened thereon. Thus, the
valve actuating rod 178 floats in the frame plate 148 and has its
longitudinal movement limited by the stops 184 in both directions
of movement of the vacuum unit 144.
The vacuum unit 144 is moved back and forth and it moves relative
to the rod 178. As it moves to the right as shown in FIG. 15 the
valve actuating member 176 slips over the end of the rod 178 and
the valve 152 closes to destroy the vacuum toward and at the end of
the forward motion of the unit 144. As the unit 144 is moved to the
left the friction between the packing 180 and the rod 178 tends to
cause the unit and rod to move together, and this movement
continues until the forward stop 184 strikes the frame plate 148 at
which time the rod 178 stops and as the unit 144 continues to be
moved to its completely withdrawn position at which time the rod
178 engages the element 176 and moves the valve plate 162 to open
position thus restoring the vacuum which is then applied the
lowermost article M in the stack in the storage station 170.
Opposite the unit 144 the rods 146 are interconnected by a
crosshead 186 which is driven in the backward and forward
directions by a mechanical arrangement driven from the main drive
shaft 78 as will be noted in a moment. The spacing distance between
the crosshead 186 and the outermost end of the rod 178 is such,
however, that the crosshead will contact the end of the rod and
move it forwardly during article feeding movement of the unit 144
to make certain that the vacuum through the openings 168 and
against the article being delivered is destroyed when the article M
has been advanced as far as the vacuum unit 144 is moved in feeding
direction.
Referring to FIGS. 9, 10, 11, and 14 it will be seen that the main
drive shaft 78 has affixed thereto a gear 188 which drives a chain
of gears for operating the crosshead 186 and the first pair of the
mechanical feed of the article M through the machine, but not the
timing of these articles as will be explained hereinafter.
The gear 188 meshes with a gear 190, (FIG. 10) which drives a gear
192 affixed on a shaft 194 which extends outwardly of the main
frame 64. The shaft is journaled in the frame 64 and in a separate
depending frame plate 196, and at the outer side of the frame plate
196 the shaft 194 carries a gear 198 which through a spur gear 200
drives a gear 202 affixed to a shaft 204 which is journaled in the
plate 196, the frame 64, and an inwardly projecting sleeve bearing
206 mounted on the frame 64.
At its inner end the shaft 204 has affixed thereto a crank 208
pivotally connected to a connecting rod 210 which is pivotally
connected at 212 to the crosshead 186. For every cycle of the
machine the previously described gearing will rotate the shaft 204
one revolution. This one revolution movement is imparted by the
crank 208 and connecting rod 210 to the crosshead 186 which drives
the rod 146 forwardly and backwardly. The rods carry the vacuum
unit 144 from the retracted position beneath the stack of articles
M to an advanced position thus carrying a single article M from the
bottom of the stack to the mechanical feed of the articles to the
label applying station. Counting of the units thus delivered is
measured by a cam 214 affixed on the shaft 204 and driving a
counter microswitch 216.
The first stage of the mechanical drive of the article feed
mechanism includes a pair of power rollers 218 fixed on a shaft 220
journaled in a yoke 222 which is nonrotatably mounted on a rock
shaft 224. The shaft 220 is driven from the gear 188 through the
first part of the chain of gears previously described by a gear 226
secured to a sleeve 228 to which is also secured a gear 230, the
gears 226 and 230 being journaled on the rock shaft 224. The gear
230 is in mesh with a gear 232 keyed on the shaft 220 and thus the
driving movement is imparted to the rollers 218.
The shaft 224 is rocked by a cam 234 mounted on and affixed to the
shaft 204. The shaft 224 has a cam follower 236 mounted thereon
which is held against the cam 234 by a spring 238. At its opposite
end the shaft 224 has an arm 240 clamped thereto which is biased in
the counterclockwise direction (FIG. 9) by a spring 242. The
springs 238 and 242 act in concert to bias the shaft 224 in the
counterclockwise direction thus moving the rollers 218 upwardly to
the extent permitted by the cam 234.
The shaft 194 carries a gear 244 which is in mesh with a gear 246
fixedly mounted on a shaft 248 journaled in the feed bridge 126.
The shaft 248 is connected through universal couplings 250 to a
pair of drive rollers 252 which are positioned above the rollers
218 and paralled thereto. The rollers 252 are mounted on supports
254 carried in a fixture 256 mounted on the bridge 126. The
carriers 254 are urged downwardly by springs 258, the tension which
is governed by screws 260. The fixture 256 has its position on the
bridge 126 set by a screw 262; thus articles of different
thicknesses may be accommodated between the rollers 218 and 252
without putting excessive strain on the assembly.
After the article M has been delivered from between the rollers 218
and 252 it falls on a set of power driven belts 264 (three being
shown as typical), which extend across table top 266 from a driving
roller 268 and around an idler roller 270 from which the articles M
are delivered to some collecting or gathering means (not shown).
The roller 268 is mounted on a shaft 272 and is driven by a gear
274 which is driven from the gear 188. The shaft 272 is powered as
is the roller 268; the roller 270 may be adjustably positioned to
maintain the proper tension on the belts 264.
The shaft 272 carries a sprocket 276 which drives a chain 278 which
is trained over a sprocket 280 mounted on a shaft 282 which is
journaled internally of the frame 64. On its inner end the shaft
282 carries a sprocket 284 which drives a timing chain 286 which is
trained over an idler sprocket 288, also mounted internally of the
frame 64. The timing chain carries a plurality of removable and
adjustable clips 290 extending upwardly through a slot 291 in table
top 266 and which are adapted to be engaged by the leading edges of
individual articles M as they are borne on the belts 264. The
sizing of the sprockets 280 and 284 is such that the belts 264 are
driven faster than the timing chain 286 to hold the articles M
against the clips 290 and the timing chain therefore determines the
speed at which individual articles M are delivered to the label
applying staion and it also insures that the leading edge of each
article M determines the position of that article and the proper
timing sequence in the label applying operation. The clips 290 are
positioned on the chain 286 at intervals of 11 inches or 22 inches
depending on the sizes of the articles being labeled. For smaller
articles the 11 inch spacing is used and twice as many clips will
be applied to the chain. However, if the article is larger and
requires 22 inch spacing then alternate clips are removed. The
setting of the clips 290 is done very readily so that the proper
number of articles can be submitted to the label applying station
in proper sequence at proper intervals and at the proper times.
Means are provided for determining whether an article has been
delivered from between the rollers 218 and 252 to the belts 264.
This comprises a photocell 292 which is sensitive to a light 294
positioned beneath the table. If the situation occurs that no
article M is in the proper position to be labeled then the
photocell 292 will indicate this, and the label feed will be
interrupted so that no label would be presented to the labeling
station at the precise time when the missing article M should have
been delivered to the labeling station.
The machine is provided with a mechanism for sensing when more than
one article at a time is delivered for labeling. This mechanism
includes a skid bar 296 mounting a plurality of freely journaled
rollers 298 and which is located at about the center of the table
top 266 and extends in the direction and substantially the entire
distance of article flow above the central drive belt 264. The bar
296 is pivoted on a pair of rods 300 by means of arms 302 in a
parallelgram arrangement so that as an article enters under the bar
296 and the rollers 298 the entire bar will be raised to the extent
dictated by the thickness of the entering article M. The cross
shafts 300 are mounted in posts 304 at approximately the positions
of the four corners of the table top 266.
The skid bar 296 is initially held in a set position above the
surface of the table top 266 in accordance with the normal
thickness of the articles M being labeled. Thus the skid bar would
be initially held slightly above the table top 266 if an average
magazine were being labeled but it would be able to rest on the
table top 266 if thin envelopes or something similar to that were
being labeled. The initial lower position is set by locks 306 at
each of the posts 304.
The skid bar 296 does not impede the movement of the articles M
because it is supported above them by the free rolling rollers 298.
However, should two articles or three articles be inadvertently
delivered at one time the skid bar senses this by being moved
upwardly a greater distance than previously indicated by the
thickness of a single article. This condition is sensed by a
conveyor microswitch 308 which is fixed in positions between the
first pair of posts 304 and rod 300. This microswitch is normally
open by means of a thumb screw 310 which is set to hold the switch
in open position so long as the upward movement of the skid bar 296
is not greater than is normally obtained by the thickness of a
single article M appearing beneath the bar. When two or more
articles appear beneath the skid bar it will be elevated a distance
sufficient to permit the thumb screw 310 to move with the skid bar
296 sufficiently to permit the switch 308 to close. This will cause
the electrical control circuit as will be explained hereinafter to
shut down the machine or at least to call to the attendants by an
emergency signal a condition which would cause the attendant to
shut the machine down for removal of the excessive number of
articles M from beneath the bar 296 and permit the orderly
operation of the machine thereafter.
As the articles M are carried through the machine by the belts 247
under the control of the timing chain 286 they rest upon the table
top 266. As they pass across the label applying station they pass
over a presser bar 312 which is journaled in the frame 64 and which
carries a pair of presser rollers 314. The presser bar 312 and the
presser rollers 314 carry the pressure of the label applying wheel
58 as the label is applied to the article M so that this is not
borne by the table 266 which is shown in the illustration to be of
sheet metal.
The label applying head 66 and its components are best seen in
FIGS. 17 through 35. They are enclosed in or mounted on a subframe
316 which includes a gear housing 318. The shaft 104 is journaled
in the gear housing 318 and extends therethrough and is connected
to the main machine drive shaft 78 in the manner previously
indicated. The shaft 104 mounts a sprocket 320 affixed thereto
which drives a chain 322 in the direction of the arrow shown in
FIGS. 21 and 22. The chain runs under and drives a sprocket 324
mounted on a shaft 326 journaled in the walls of the gear housing
318. The chain is then trained over a sprocket 328 mounted on a
shaft 330 carried in the rear wall of the gear housing 318. It is
also trained over a sprocket 332 mounted on a shaft 334 and a small
sprocket 336 mounted on a shaft 338. The shafts 334 and 338 are
mounted in the walls of the gear housing 318 and extend forwardly
of the gear housing 318. The shaft 334 mounts the label applying
wheel 58 and the shaft 338 mounts the glue applying wheel 60.
The shaft 104 also mounts and drives a large gear 340 and a small
gear 342, which as seen in FIGS. 20 and 21 are respectively engaged
when the moving articles have 11 inch spacing or 22 inch spacing
therebetween. The large gear 340 is engageable by a small gear 344
while the small gear 342 is engageable by a large gear 346, the
gears 344 and 346 bring freely mounted on outer ends of an arm 348
which is clamped to the shaft 326. The arm 348 may be shifted from
between the positions shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, so that in the
former figure the gear 344 meshes with the large gear 340 and in
the latter position the gear 346 meshes with the gear 342. This
arrangement determines, as will appear presently, the rate of label
feed so that only one label at a time is fed to the label transfer
wheel 58 for application to an article M moving in the feeding
system which has previously been described. The gears 344 and 346
are engaged with a transfer gear 350 and one or the other
constantly drives this transfer gear. The arm 348 is positioned and
locked in its selected place by means of an exteriorly located arm
352 locked to the shaft 326 and held in its adjusted position by
means of a bolt 354 which is screwed into one to two tapped holes
in the rear of the gear casing. The transfer gear 350 drives a spur
gear 354 mounted on a stub shaft 356 secured in the rear wall of
the gear housing 318. The gear 354 drives a gear 358 fixed on a
shaft 360 which is journaled in the front wall of the housing and
extends therethrough.
The shaft 360 mounts a sprocket 362 which drives a chain 364 in the
direction indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 21 and 22. The chain 364
as will be shown hereinafter drives the mechanism for feeding the
sheet 40 through that portion of the label applying head 66 which
slits the sheet into individual labels 52 to be applied to the
articles M by the label transfer wheel 58. The chain 364 extends
under an idler sprocket 366 and then over a sprocket 368 fixed on a
shaft 370 mounted in the label applying head subframe 316. The
chain 364 returns to the gear housing 318 under another idler
sprocket 372.
The shaft 370 mounts a gear 374 internally of the housing for the
label applying head 66 which in turn drives the gear 376 mounted on
a shaft 378 journeled in the subframe 316. The shaft 378 mounts a
gear 380 which meshes with a gear 382 on shaft 384, also mounted
within the subframe 316. The shaft 384 mounts a bevel gear 386
meshed with a bevel gear 388 on the shaft 390 which extends from
the label applying head 66 at the right hand thereof as seen in
FIG. 18. The gears 380 and 382 are removable and replaceable by
gears of different sizes depending upon the number of labels being
cut transversely from the sheet 40. In the illustrated use five
labels extend across the sheet. The potential number may be as few
as one long label or six short labels.
The shaft 390 has at its outer end a plate 392 clamped thereon. The
plate 392 has a plurality of holes 394, 396, 398, and 400 therein
by means of which the machine is adapted to feed various width
labels for gluing to articles M of 1/2 inch wide to 2 inches at
one-half inch intervals. Thus, the hole 394 is connected for
feeding a label one-half inch wide while the hole 400 is connected
for feeding the label 2 inches wide. The plate 392 is pivotally
connected to a crank arm 402 which in turn is pivotally connected
to a ratchet head 404 journaled on a shaft 406. The shaft 406 is
journaled in end plates 428 of the subframe 316 for the label
applying head 66. The crank arm 402 reciprocates the ratchet head
about the shaft 406 and the extent of this movement is determined
at which of the apertures 394, 396, 398, and 400 pivotal connection
408 is made. The higher the reference number of the aperture the
longer the stroke of the crank arm 402 and the farther the arcuate
movement of the head 402.
The head 404 carries a pawl 410 spring pressed in the direction of
engagement with a ratchet wheel 412 which is fixed on the shaft
406. The pawl 410 is spring biased against the ratchet wheel 412
and the amount of tension is regulated by thumb screw 414. It is
observed from the shape of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 412 that
the idler movement of the head 404 and pawl 410 is clockwise. When
the arm 402 drives the head and pawl in the counterclockwise
direction the pawl rotates the wheel 412 and shaft 406 an arcuate
distance determined by the opening 394 to 400 in which the pivotal
connection 408 is made. The shaft 406 has a pair of pinwheels 416
mounted thereon. The pinwheels engage in the holes 44 in the
marginal edges of the lengthy sheet 40 which bears the computerized
imprint of the multitudinous addresses to whom individual copies of
the article M may be sent provided, of course, that the article is
magazine or similar product intended to be mailed or delivered. The
pinwheels draw the sheet 40 into the labeling head and over a pair
of rollers 418 which are also secured on the same shaft 406 as the
pinwheels 416. These rollers are adjacent the pinwheels 416 (FIGS.
17 and 18) and are adapted to be engaged by circular knives 420
which areadapted to make the initial cut 46 in the sheet 40 to
sever the perforated marginal strips from the basic portion of the
sheet 40 in order to free the remainder of the strip for the
formation of the individual labels 52 for application to the
articles M.
The rotary knives 420 are each journaled on short bolt shafts 422
mounted or carried in arms pivotally mounted on a shaft 426 which
is fitted and bolted to the end plates 428 of the subframe 316.
Adjacent each rotary knife 420 is a clamp 430 on the shaft 426, and
a biasing spring 432 lies between a portion of the clamp 430 and
the arms 424 forcibly urging the rotary knives 420 against the
rollers 418 and thus in a position to sever the sheet 40 along the
lines 46 as shown in FIG. 3.
Outside of the right end plate 428 the shaft 406 carries a spur
gear 434 which meshes with a similar spur gear 436 mounted on a
shaft 438 extending between the end plates 428. The gear 434 is
driven intermittently by the operation of the pawl 410 and ratchet
wheel 412 and this intermittent motion is transmitted to the gear
436 and shaft 438. The shaft 438 carries a series of rollers 440
which are adjustably mounted thereon but secured thereto so that
the knife cuts 48 made be made in the sheet 40 separating the sheet
into strips and the labels 52 endwise from each other.
A series of rotary knives 442, similar to the knives 420, are
mounted on pairs of arms 444, the arms being pivoted to a shaft 446
bolted to the rear edge of the end plates 428 in the same manner as
is the shaft 426. For each knife 442 the shaft 446 carries a clamp
448 and a spring 450 extends between a part of the clamp 448 and
the arms 444 to bias the knives 442 against the respective rollers
440, and thus the sheet 40 is slit along the lines 48 as is seen in
FIG. 4.
The knives 442 and rollers 440 may be adjusted laterally between
the walls 428 and the knives 420 so that the machine may
simultaneously cut labels of different lengths for example 2.4,
2.6, and 2.8 inches depending, of course, upon the amount of
material that is to be printed on the face of the label. The number
of knives 442 and rollers 440 may be reduced or increased depending
upon the number of labels 52 appearing transversely of the sheet
40.
After the sheet 40 has passed around the rollers 440 and the knives
442 have made the slits 48 the strips are passed to the front of
the machine where the labels 52 are separated from the main body of
the sheet 40.
The shaft 438 mounts an arm 450 which is connected thereto in an
over running one-way clutch intended to drive the shaft 438 in the
clockwise direction or the same direction as the gear 436. The arm
450 at its outer end is formed with a slot 452 to receive a
connection 454 to a rod 456 having a connection 458 to an arm 460
pivotally mounted to the frame plate 428 at the right hand of FIG.
18. The arm 460 carries a cam follower roller 462 adapted to be
engaged by a cam 464 having a single projection or lobe thereon and
affixed thereto to shaft 390.
The arm 450 is pivotally connected to a lever 466 clamped to a
shaft 468 and which is adapted to operate a guillotine knife
assembly 470 for severing the sheet crosswise along the line 50 as
seen in FIG. 4, thus cutting the strips of labels into separate and
discrete labels 52. The guillotine knife assembly 470 slides
vertically in ways 472 mounted on the frame plates 428. The
guillotine knife assembly includes a platen 474 slidably in the
ways 472 and carrying a knife 476 which is adapted to cooperate
with a stationery knife 478 mounted on the subframe 316. It will be
noted from FIG. 17 that the knife 476 is placed at a slight angle
so that the cut 50 is sliced across the sheet 40 and the individual
strips which had been previously formed by the cuts 48. At the time
the knife 476 makes the cut 50 a substantial portion of the sheet
will be overlying the vacuum belt 54 and the labels are deposited
thereon and held thereagainst by the vacuum.
The guillotine knife assembly 470 is biased upwardly by springs 480
and when the lobe on the cam 464 depresses the arm 460 the rod 456
pulls the arm 450 and the lever 466 downwardly thus driving the
guillotine knife assembly against the force of the springs 480 to
make the cut 50. When the lobe has passed the cam roller the cam
allows the springs 480 to return the guillotine knife assembly to
its upper position and at the same time both the arm 450 and the
lever 466 from the position shown in FIG. 24 to that shown in FIG.
23. During this time the gear 436 will be driving the rollers 440
to move the sheet 40 to present another set of labels for
severance. The movement of the arm and the over running one-way
clutch is such that any slack in this system is taken up and the
whole width of the label is presented outwardly and over the belt
54 from the guillotine knife. The movement of the arm 450 in the
counterclockwise direction from FIG. 23 to FIG. 24 does not in any
way affect the position of the shaft 438.
The individual labels 52 are deposited upon the upper reach of the
vacuum belt 54 which moves in the right to left direction as seen
in FIGS. 17 and 18. The belt is driven from a pulley 482 mounted on
shaft 484 is driven by a gear 486 meshed with another gear 488
mounted on a shaft 490. The shaft 490 is connected to a crank arm
492 through a one-way clutch in the counterclockwise direction. The
crank arm 492 is connected by a rod 494 to a crank 496 mounted on
the shaft 390. The mounting of the rod 494 to the crank 496 is
adjustable depending upon the number and average length of the
labels 52 delivered to the belt 54. At its left end the belt is
trained over an idler pulley 498 mounted on a short shaft 500. As
the belt intermittently moves the labels 52 to the left end they
pass under a pressure roller 502 which cooperates with the pulley
498 to move the label 52 to the position shown in FIG. 19. The
roller 502 is mounted on that part of the subframe 316 at the left
plate 428 (FIG. 17).
Vacuum is applied to the vacuum belt 54 from a shelf block 504
which is bolted to the subframe 316 and over the top surface of
which the upper reach of pulley 54 runs (FIG. 23). The shelf block
is connected by means of a spud 506 to the vacuum pump 74. The spud
connects the vacuum to a passage 508 running the entire length of
the block 504 which is closed by the frame 316. The passage 508 is
connected by intermittent cross passages 510 to a slot 512 running
the length of the shelf block 504 along the upper portion thereof
and against which the upper reach of the belt 54 is held by the
vacuum. The vacuum is thus applied to the holes 56 in the belt and
to the labels 52 that lie thereon. The reason for having a number
of the cross passages 510 from the long passageway 508 is to
provide for an even distribution of the vacuum through the length
of the belt so that it would also be applied to all of the labels
lying on the belt at any one time.
As the label leaves the belt it is guided on the upper surface of
the plate 514 (FIG. 19) which is fixed to the frame and comes to a
butt against a roller 516 carried on an arm 518 pivotally mounted
on the shaft 500 and biased in the clockwise direction by a spring
520. The leading edge of the label 52 is nipped between the roller
516 and a curved plate 522 carried in a bracket 524 (FIG. 17). The
movement therefore of the belt 54, pulley 498, roller 502 will kink
and hold the label 52 as shown in FIG. 19 until it is released. The
amount and the position of the kink depends upon the length of the
label.
The shaft 360 carries a cam 526 and label delivery wheel 528. The
cam has its periphery held against a cam follower 530 mounted on
the shaft of the roller 516, and at the proper timing the cam 526
depresses the roller 516 and the arm 518 against the spring 520
thereby permitting the high portion 532 on the delivery wheel 528
to engage the label 52 and move it forwardly or leftwardly (FIG.
19) under the curved arm 522 to the vacuum portions of the label
applying wheel 58 whereby removing the kink in the label snaps it
free from other labels on the vacuum belt.
The construction of the label applying wheel 58 is best seen in
FIGS. 31 to 35, and it comprises a main body portion 534 having a
hub 536 secured to the shaft 334 by means of which the wheel 58 is
driven. As seen in FIGS. 31 and 33 the wheel has a circular portion
and a pair of extended wings 538 which cooperate with vacuum pads
540 bolted to the inner face of the wheel as seen in FIGS. 31 and
32. The vacuum pads have an arcuate outer surface which is ribbed
at 542, with the ribs communicating with a vacuum port 544 adjacent
the outer arcuate edge.
The vacuum port 544 communicates through a passage formed on the
inner face of the pad 540 with a port 548 in the main body 534 of
the wheel 58. The ports 548 are open to an arcuate slot 550 in one
face of a plate 552 journaled on the shaft 334 and held tightly
against a boss 554 on the main body 534 of the wheel 58. The plate
slot 550 is connected to the vacuum pump 74 through a spud 556
screwed into the plate 552. An arm 558 is bolted to the plate 552
and has a bifracated end engaging the shaft 500 to prevent
inadvertent and unwanted rotational movements of the plate 552.
The arcuate ribs 542 project beyond the main body 534 of the wheel
to coincide with the wings 538. Since there are two pads 540 on the
wheel two labels 54 will be transferred from the vacuum belt 52 and
glued to two articles M for each revolution of the wheel. The slot
550 communicates with the passages 548 sequentially for about
one-half of a wheel revolution. The vacuum is established at the
time the wheel ribs 542 contact the labels 52 as it is delivered by
the wheel 528 (FIG. 17 and 19). It holds the labels 52 as the glue
is applied thereto by the glue wheel 60 and is broken as the label
is brought against an article M and glued thereto.
With the normal operation of the machine the wheel 528 delivers a
label to the transfer and label applying wheel 58 for every
revolution thereof and every revolution of the shaft 360. There are
two conditions in the operation of the machine when label delivery
is not desirable. The first is when no article M passes under the
photocell 292 and under those circumstances no label should be
transmitted to the label transfer wheel 58. Another situation
occurs when more than one article M is delivered and under these
circumstances the skid bar would be operated to open the
microswitch 308 and thus stop the operation of the machine. This
will, of course, interrupt the operation of the label transfer
wheel 528 and shaft 360.
The control of the wheel 528 is by means of a clutch 560 which is
normally closed by a spring 562 and causes the engagement of the
driving sprocket 362 with the shaft 360. The disengagement of the
drive is affected by energization of a solenoid 564 having an
armature 566 connected to a clutch arm 568 pivotally mounted at 570
on a bracket carried by the gear housing 318. When the photocell
292 is energized a circuit is completed to energize the solenoid
564. This causes the armature 566 to be retracted and the arm 568
to open the clutch 560 against the force of the closing spring 562.
This will terminate the driving of the shaft 360 and a movement of
the label transfer wheel 528.
Obviously, as it appears from FIGS. 21 and 22, any thing that
interrupts the operation of the driving shaft 104 which is driven
from the main shaft 78 will also interrupt the feed of labels 52.
This would, of course, be coincidental with the failure to delivery
articles M to the label applying station.
Labels properly applied to the label applying wheel 58 as it is
rotating will have glue applied to the obverse face thereof by the
glue wheel 60. This wheel as seen in FIGS. 17 and 27 through 29 has
a set of peripheral ribs 574 which are intended to enter or lie
between the ribs 542 on the wheel 58 so that the latter will not
have glue applied thereto in an inadvertent manner. The wheel 60 is
mounted on the shaft 338 in such position as to fit into a glue pot
576 which is fed from a glue source 578. The ribbed wheel 60 picks
up the glue, and the excess glue is removed by a scraper plate or
doctor blade 580 which has a plurality of fingers 582 projecting
between the ribs 574. Thus, when the wheel 60 is driven in the
clockwise direction (FIG. 28) the blade 580 scrapes off the excess
glue and only that appearing on the peripheral faces or edges of
the ribs 574 remains, and if these ribs 574 fall between the ribs
542 on the wheel 58 and no glue is left thereon. However, at those
points where the label 52 appears stripes of glue are coated on the
obverse face of the label as it is carried by the wheel 58 to the
article M.
The blade 580 has a block 584 secured to its upper face through
which a bolt 588 extending through a spring 586 projects into a
bracket 590 carried on the subframe 316. This arrangement biases
the blade 580 so that the sharp ends of the fingers 582 extend
between the ribs 574 and clean the wheel as it is rotating.
In FIGS. 27 and 30 there is shown a counter microswitch 592 which
might be considered equivalent or substituted for the switch 216
previously described and which is closed by a cam 594 mounted on
the shaft 104. This will serve as a counter arrangement assuming
that the shaft 104 makes a single revolution for every label 52
applied. However, this situation does not necessarily obtain in
view of the spacing of the articles at 11 inch and 22 inch
intervals on the feeding mechanism as been previously described.
Thus, the position of the counter microswitch 216 as previously
described is preferred.
As noted previously this machine is capable of handling articles M
which are relatively thin, such for example as 2 or 3 thicknesses
of paper, and on the other hand may be capable of handling
magazines and other articles which may be as much as three-eighths
inch in thickness without changing the structural configuration of
the machine but with modifying and resetting the components of the
machine. One of the principal space considerations is that between
the label applying wheel 58 and the table top 266 on which the
articles M travel at the label applying station. In some instances
the spacing may be only the thickness of two or three sheets of
paper or it may be as much as three-eighths or more inch. Under
these circumstances the label applying wheel 58 is raised or
lowered in accordance with the material being processed.
The adjustment of the head 66 is accomplished at two places. The
first of these places is at the shaft 104. As seen in FIGS. 9, 11,
and 14 the frame 64 carries a shaft 596 which has adjacent its
outer ends worms 598 meshed with worm wheels 600 which are mounted
in brackets 602 carried by the frame plate 94. The shaft 596 is
turned by a hand knob 604 adjacent with manual adjustment wheel
112. The arrangement is such that rotation of the shaft 596, worms
598, and gears 600 will move the movable portion of the standards
or heads 100 and 114 upwardly and downwardly thus moving the shaft
104 up and down which raises and lowers the inner or left end (FIG.
9) of the head 66. (The arrangement of the belt 98 as shown in FIG.
10 maintains proper tension thereon during this adjustment.) This
may be all the adjustment that is necessary if a very small
fraction of an inch must be accommodated. If a substantial amount
of adjustment is necessary then a second support for the label
applying head must be had. The second support comprises a pair of
supporting bars 606 (FIGS. 9 and 10) mounted outwardly of the
machine head and supported on the frame 64. The bars 606 support a
crossbar 608 on which the subframe 316 of the label applying head
66 rests. The adjustment at this point is obtained by manual nuts
(FIG. 9) which raise or lower that portion of the head 66 outwardly
of the shaft 104 thus the head can be raised and lowered as a
single entity by the shaft 104 and the adjustment nut elements 610.
This will accommodate all thicknesses of materials which are
intended to be processed in this machine.
The machine has a manual and control panel which is mounted on the
frame and housing 64 to that side of the machine which might be
considered the front and which would be the face of the machine as
seen for example in FIGS. 9, 11, and 17. This manual provides
controls and lights which clearly indicate that certain portions of
the machine are functional and operate normally. It also gives the
operator a clear indication of any malfunction of the machine which
might not be observable as the articles M are being moved across
the tables and the labels 52 cut and delivered. In view of the fact
that the machine has a capacity of up to 30,000 processed articles
per hour the speed of operation in many instances is too fast to
observe.
FIG. 36 is a diagram of the electrical control circuit, although
some of the components of which have previously been mentioned in
the description.
Power source 612 is a conventional 230-volt single phase
alternating current. The main power is controlled by a manual
switch 614 which must be closed to initiate the operation of the
machine. This switch has a corresponding switch 616 in the
secondary which is the 110-volt category through a step down
transformer 618. The closing of the switches 614 and 616 conditions
the circuits for operation of the machine and energizes the field
620 for the vacuum pumps 74 and 76 and energizes relay 622 in the
secondary. The relay is bridged by a single light which is
energized. This indicator light is true with other relays
throughout the system, and these signal lights which are
conventional will not be separately described. The energization of
the relay 622 closes a pair of switches 622-1 and 622-2 in the
230-volt portion of the circuit. The operator next closes the
double switch assembly 624 for the vacuum pumps 74 and 76 as it is
essential that these vacuum pumps be operating during the entire
operation of the machine.
The main control circuit is in the secondary and includes in series
a conveyor stop switch 626, a pair of limit switches 628 and 630, a
machine stop switch 640, a pair of parallel normally closed and
normally open jog switches 642 and 644 respectively, for operating
the machine on an intermittent or jog basis, a run button 646 which
is normally open and a relay 648. Closing the run button 646
energizes the relay 648 to close a switch 650 in a holding circuit
around the run button 646 and to close a switch 652 which is in
parallel with the normally open switch 644 to energize relay 654 in
one circuit and then through the conveyor switch 308 energize a
relay 656.
The relay 654 controls the switches to the main motor 72 and closes
switches 654-1 and 654-2 and opens switches 654-3 and 654-4 in the
motor's dynamic brake circuit. It also opens switch 654-5 which
normally shorts out a speed control potentiameter 658 for the motor
72. This potentiameter controls the speed for the motor and
determines the rate therefore of feed of the articles M for the
purpose of having labels applied thereto.
The relay 654 may also be energized from the jog button thus when
it is depressed the switch 642 is opened and switch 644 is closed,
switch 644 being in the direct circuit to the relay 654 which then
opens and closes the appropriate switches in the control system for
the motor 72 so that it can be operated intermittently and at the
will of the attendant. This operation also energizes the relay 656,
which closes switch 656-1 in the circuit for a starter motor 660 of
substantially less horsepower than the motor 72 and which has a
potentiameter 662 for the control of its speed. Speed potentiameter
658 and 652 may be interconnected so that the motor speeds may be
properly controlled.
It is noted that the circuits for the motors 72 and 660 are
protected by fuse boxes 664 and 666.
The secondary circuit contains a further transformer 668 one
portion of which has secondary for the photocell light 294 which is
in a series with a variable resistor or potentiameter 670 which
controls the intensity of the light 294. The other portion of this
circuit contains a relay 672 in a series with a microswitch 674
which when closed energizes the relay 674 which in turn closes a
switch 672-1 in a holding around the microswitch 674. This circuit
is connected to an amplifier 676 for the system including the
photocell 292 and photocell intensity triggering laamp 294.
Energization of the relay 672 opens a switch 672-2 in series with
the counter switch 216 previously described and an electrical
counter 678, as counting is not desired at this time. The counter
switch 216 is intermittently closed, as has been described, by the
feed of individual articles from the stack in the station 70.
Energization of the relay 672 closes switch 672-3 which is in a
series with a normally closed switch 680 and the solenoid 564. The
closing the switch 672-3 thus energizes the circuit to the solenoid
564 causing it to energize. When the solenoid is energized it opens
the clutch 560 to terminate operation of the label feed wheel 528
for removal of individual labels from the vacuum belt 54 to the
label transfer and applying wheel 58. Thus the relay 672 operate
only when there is a malfunction in the maachine such that an
article M is not being delivered for labeling.
For the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the
drawings it is appreciated that the advantages of this machine and
method are fully attained by the disclosed structure.
* * * * *