US3616092A

US3616092A - Neck wrap apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3616092A
Application number: US871411A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Albert Lavigne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-10-22
Filing date: 1969-10-22
Publication date: 1971-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-26

Description

United States Patent Inventor Michael Albert Lavigne 400 Mount Pleasant, Apt. 4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Appl. No. 871,411 Filed Oct. 22, 1969 Patented Oct. 26, 1971 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 519,654,Jan. 10, 1966, now abandoned.

NECK WRAP APPARATUS 5 Claims, 26 Drawing Figs.

11.8. C1 156/566, 156/571 Int. Cl B65c 9/36, B65c 3/18 ll ield of Search 156/5 71,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,023,143 4/1912 Ermold 156/571 X 1,875,301 8/1932 Fredsell 156/364 2,601,934 7/1952 Tess 156/481 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner.lames M. l-lanley Attorney-Alan Swabey ABSTRACT: A label-applying machine which comprises three stations, the first station including an articulated label applicator having three individual pads for applying three different labels, and particularly a separate pad for applying a label to the neck portion of a bottle. The next station includes a former which initiates the wrapping of the neck label about the neck ofa bottle and the third station includes a sliding carriage on which are mounted articulated arms which are adapted to sequentially wrap the label about the neck of the bottle PATENTEU 25 I97! 3, 616,092

' SHEET 1 BF 7 I INVEN'I'UK ATTORNEY Michael A. LAVIGNE PATENTEU [m 2 6 15m SHEET 5 BF 7 INVENTUR Michael A. LAVIGNE ATTORNEY PATENTEDUBT 2619?! 3,616,092

SHEET 6 [IF 7 I IIQ 200 INVENTOR Michael A. LAVIGNE A TTORNFV NlE'Cllt WRAP AIPIANA'IIJF This is a continuation in part application of U.S. Fat. application Ser. No. 519,654 filed Jan. 10, 1966 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Fieid of Invention This invention relates to applying labels to objects, and more specifically to the method and apparatus for overwrapping labels about the necks of bottles.

2. Description of Prior Art As is well known, machines exist which apply labels to the body portion of bottles. However, up till now, no practical machine construction has been developed to wrap a neat label about the neck of a bottle. In present bottling works, up to 12 units of labor are required to wrap such labels about the necks of bottles. This, as can be readily understood, is expensive besides being time-consuming.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention aims to provide a method and the mechanism required to wrap labels, in a neat manner, about the necks of bottles. The present invention also aims to provide a machine which can be readily mounted and adapted to existing labelling machines presently used to paste labels to the body of the bottle.

According to the present invention, a mechanism is supplemented to known label-applying apparatus comprising three stations. The first includes means whereby a label having a length greater than the circumference of the neck of the bottle is tacked to the neck of the bottle. The neck station includes reciprocating means mounted to the label-applying apparatus spaced from the latter station whereby the tacked label is partially formed about the neck of the bottle. Spaced from these stations, but mounted on the known label-applying machine is a reciprocating mechanism provided for wrapping the label in an overlapping manner about the neck of the bottle, said reciprocating mechanism includes a first pressure-applying means for forming one end of the label to its full extent about one side of the bottle neck, a second pressure-applying means for forming the other end of the label about the other side of the neck and overlapping on the first formed end of the label, and finally a third pressure-applying means for securing the neck wrapper.

FIG. I is a view in perspective elevation of a bottle with labels and neck wrapper applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle shown in FIG. I to illustrate the relative position of the neck wrapper (double wrap).

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in plan and in section of a portion of the label-applying apparatus showing the starting or initial position of wrapper, wrapper holding plate, as the wrapper is initially applied to the bottle neck.

FIG. 4 is a view in plan of the neck wrapper forming rolls as they appear in the initial stages of applying.

FIG. I is a view in plan of the first movement of the wrapper applying cylindrical brushes as they wrap or apply the left side of the label tightly to the bottle neck. This is Stage 3 of the wrapper application.

FIG. s is a view in plan of the further movement of the wrapper applying brushes completing the wrap, placing the righthand side of the label in overlapped juxtaposed relationship over the previously applied label end. This is Stage 4.

FIG. 7 is a view in plan of the last movement of the wrapper applying brushes as the left-hand brush smooths the end of the overlapping top layer of the wrapper in finished condition, the smoothing movement of the brush being shown in broken lines.

FIGS. [I through I2 are somewhat diagrammatic views in side elevation and partially in section of a label pickup, gluing and applying station in an in-line bottling machine showing in step-by-step sequence the modified apparatus of the invention; FIG. d showing the initial step after a set of labels has been applied and the glue-applying paddle is in contact with the glue roller after it has been coated by contact with the roller from the glue supply.

FIG. 9 shows the continuing movement of the glue paddle as it clears the glue roller and the applicator has almost returned to its ready position.

FIG. It) shown the glue paddle in contact with the stacked labels with the applicator in its lower ready position and the glue roller contacting the glue supply roller.

FIG. II shows the glue paddle carrying the labels in its outer position with the applicator pads in contact with the unglued side of the labels.

FIG. 12 shown the glue paddle as it has separated, clearing it from it the applicator pads while the glue roller is returning to its ready position.

FIG. I3 is a partial view taken along the line I3- I3 of FIG. II to illustrate the glue paddle prior to its separating action clearing it from the applicator.

FIG. I4 is a partial view taken along the line lld- I41 of FIG. I2 to illustrate the glue paddles separating action clearing it from the applicator.

FIG. I5 is a top plan view of the labelling stations of a bottling machine which embody the label-applying apparatus of the invention showing the three stations involved in applying and wrapping the neck of the bottles preceding down the line.

FIG. I6 is a side view of a portion of the construction (station I) shown in FIG. I5 illustrating in more detail the label holding and dispensing arrangement with the label applicator shown in more detail.

FIG. I7 is a side view partially in section and in a larger scale of the applicator and associated mechanism as it would appear in label-applying position relative to a bottle on the line.

FIG. I8 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. I5 (stage 3) to illustrate in more detail the construction of the neck wrap applicator apparatus as it would appear in ready position prior to the wrapping sequence shown in FIGS. 3 through 6.

FIG. I9 is a cross-sectional view of the construction of FIG. II as seen along the lines 19-19.

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the neck wrap applicator apparatus shown generally in FIG. I5 and with reference to the diagrammatic showing in FIG. 5 to illustrate the actuating mechanism effecting the sequential movement of the applicator brushes (first contact).

FIG. 21 is a top plan view corresponding in location to FIG. 20 and with reference to FIG. 5 to illustrate the continuing action of the actuating mechanism.

FIG. 22 is a top plan view corresponding in location to FIG. 20 and 21 and with reference to FIG. ii, to further illustrate the continuing action of the actuating mechanism as the movement of the left-hand brush is completed and the right hand brush is working in its overlapping action.

FIG. 23 is a top plan view corresponding in location to FIGS. 20, 211, and 22 and with reference to FIG. 7 to illustrate the final action of the actuating mechanism as the movement of the right-hand brush makes its final smoothing stroke.

FIG. 24 is a back view of the label applicator to illustrate in more detail the relative position of the actuating leverage as it would appear for example in the location shown in FIG. I7.

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the upper portion of the label applicator to illustrate the linkage mechanism and its location shown in FIG. 117.

FIG. 26 is a back view corresponding generally to FIG. 24 and as seen along the line 26-26 of FIG. I7 to illustrate in more detail the linkage directly connected to the label-applying pads.

With particular reference to FIG. I5 of the drawings, a conveyor belt 30 is shown conveying bottles 32 past the three stations M, as and 38 which perform the various steps of applying the neck wrapper.

In station 3d the labels, including the neck wrapper, are picked from a magazine, glue is applied to the labels and the) are applied to the bottle. The body labels are well secured since they only cover a portion of the front of the bottle. However, the neck wrapper label is only tacked to the neck of the bottle.

At station 36, which is spaced from station 34, the neck wrapper label which is tacked to the neck of the bottle on the conveyor is partially formed about the neck.

Finally, at station 38 the neck wrapper is completely formed about the neck of the bottle. Of course, the mechanism will be described in detail hereinafter.

Station 34 (shown in FIGS. 16 and 17) comprises an upright frame 40 mounted to the bottling machine base 10. A conveyor 30 also mounted to base brings the bottle 30 to a position in front of station 34. A back rest 41 is also provided opposite station 34 for supporting the bottle 32 during operation.

Mounted to the upper portion of frame 40 is a magazine 42. It includes three separate label holders 42a, b, and 0, connected together by means of connecting rods 44, and in such a way that the bottom label of each label holder 42a, b and c is in the same inclined plane.

Mounted to the base 10 is a glue bath 46 comprising a reservoir 48 and a roller 50 fixedly mounted on a driven shaft 52 in the reservoir 48 so that half the cylinder 50 is submerged in the glue solution 53.

Projecting from the uppermost portion of upright frame 40 is a horizontally extending bracket 54. A downwardly extending rocking arm 56 is in the form of a bellcrank lever is pivotally mounted to the end of bracket 54, and has at its lower end glue roller 58 adapted to rotate freely about a horizontal axis. A short arm 60, part of the bellcrank lever, is articulated to a connecting rod 62 which in turn is connected to a conventional actuating means (not shown) on the bottling machine, causing the rocking arm 56 to swing to and from the glue bath 46 where the glue roller 58 comes into contact with the driven glue-applying roller 50.

Joumaled at each end to the upright frame 40 is a rocking shaft 64 which in turn mounts a downwardly extending picker element 66 for fixed rotation about a horizontal axis. The rocking shaft 64 is also actuated by conventional actuating means (not shown) on the bottling machine so that it swings in operable relation with the rocking arm 56.

The picking element 66 is of the known type and includes closely adjacent blades 69 and 70 each mounted on rocking shaft members 64a and 64b respectively which are slidable mounted and keyed in sleeves 72a and 72b. The sleeves 72a and 72b may be rocked, the shaft members 64a and 64b are likewise rocked but are free to shift longitudinally of the sleeves 72a and 72b at any time.

Mounted to the base 10 at a location adjacent the conveyor mounting is a bearing bracket 74, which provides suitable support for oscillating shaft 76. One end of a suitable crank 78 is fixedly connected to one end of shaft 76, and at the other it is connected with suitable actuating means on the bottling machine. Mounted for fixed rotation to the oscillating shaft 76 is the label applicator 80 which will be described in more detail. The label applicator 80 extends upwardly from the bearing bracket 74 and swings to and from the side of bottle 32 on which the labels are to be applied.

Primarily, the label applicator 80 comprises a support member 82 three

pads

84, 86 and 88 corresponding to the two labels and neck wrapper and the location on the bottle 32 where they are to be applied. Since the neck is not in the same vertical plane as the front of the body of bottle 32, the uppermost pad 88 must be brought forward than the

pads

84 and 86 in order to reach the neck of bottle 32. However, when the label applicator 80 is swung away from the bottle 32, the

pads

84, 86 and 88 must be in a common plane in order to collect the labels from the picker element 66.

To this end, support member 82 comprises a first elongated swinging frame 90 keyed to oscillating shaft 76. The swinging frame 90 (in FIG. 26) includes two parallel

flat bars

92 and 94 subtending a cross member 96 midway of the frame 90. The flat bars 92 and 94 are welded at one end to a transverse sleeve 98 which is fixed to shaft 76. The flat bars 92 and 94 from a side view (as seen in FIG. 17) have three substantially straight portions 92a, b and c and similarly 9411, b and c which are at obtuse angles to each other.

Pivoted to the angled portion between flat bar portions 92b and c (and also 94b and c, but only one side will be described since the structure is identical) is a bellcrank 99. TO one portion of the bellcrank 99, label pad 84 and label pad 86 are adjustably mounted thereto.

Spaced from bearing'bracket 74 is a second bearing bracket 100 subtending a stub shaft 102 pivotally mounted an adjustable connecting rod 104 adapted to swing about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis through oscillating shaft 76. A pair of

links

106 and 108 are articulated at one end to the end of the bellcrank 99 opposite the

pads

84 and 86. The

links

106 and 108 are articulated at a point midway of their lengths to the connecting rod 104.

A stop 109 is provided on frame as shown in FIG. 16 which engages the

links

106 and 108 and acts as a lower limit to the down swing of the label applicator 80.

At the uppermost end of swinging frame 90, a second beilcrank 110 is pivotally mounted. Neck wrapper pad 88 is pivotally mounted midway of longitudinally extending

bellcrank am

112, and 113, and the top and bottom edges of pad 88 are spring biased at 114 and 116 to the bellcrank arm 112a.

The

other arms

118 and 119 of bellcrank 110 are adjustably secured to a connecting rod 117 which is in turn pivoted at its other end to the

links

106 and 108 by means of a stub shaft 120 subtended therebetween.

Each

pad

84, 86 and 88 is provided with a vacuum chamber 122 as shown in FIG. 3 to which a small sleeve 123 is fixed in such a way as to protrude from the rear of the pad. Flexible tubes 124 are FIXED at one end to the sleeves 123 and are connected at their other ends to a distributor box 126. A main delivery tube provides suitable communication from the distributor box 126 to a suitable vacuum pump and control (not shown).

OPERATION OF LABEL APPLICATOR As is shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 the picker element 66 is actuated to swing towards the magnitude while the rocking arm 56 and glue roller 58 mounted thereon are swung downwards from the peak of its cycle while keeping in rolling contact with the front surface of picker element 66, thereby applying a sufficient amount of glue to the full face of picker element 66 which is shown in more detail in FIG. 13.

As is shown in FIG. 10, when the picker element 66 arrives in contact with the bottom of the magazine, the three bottom labels of the individual stacks stick to the glue supplied face to the picker element 66. The picker element 66 then changes into the second phase of its cycle, or downswing, until it reaches the substantially vertical position as shown in FIG. 11. Meanwhile, label applicator 80 has been coactivated and swings in the direction of the bottle 32 to come into contact with the face of picker element 66 shown in FIG. 11. As the label applicator 80 meets the picker element 66 as shown in FIG. 11, the pads 84 86 and 88 coincide with the

labels

27 and 28 and 29 which have adhered to the glue on the

picker element blades

68 and 70. The vacuum system is then activated, whereby the

pads

84, 86 and 88 retain the

respective labels

27, 28 and 29. Meanwhile, the

picker element blades

68 and 70 move apart, as shown in FIG. 14, thereby disengaging themselves from the glued portion of

labels

84, 86 and 88 and allowing the label applicator 80 which now retains the

labels

27, 28 and 29 to move in its continuous upswing between the

picker element blades

68 and 70.

The label applicator 80 continues its upswing until it comes into contact with bottle 32. The linkage arrangement described above allows the pad 88 to move forward of the

pads

84 and 86 until it comes into contact with the neck 33. At this point, the pressure on the labels caused by the vacuum is released and the labels adhere to the bottle 32.

blades as and 7b of picker element as close back together and it begins its upward back to its picking position against magazine ill.

During this time, the glue roller 58 has been in contact with the glue roller till of the glue bath db. As the picker element as proceeds through its swing towards the magazine 42, the glue roller Eill moves from the glue bath id to return to a ready position at the uppermost extremity of its cycle. As the picker element as moves through its upswing, glue roller 5% again moves into rolling contact with the faces of blades as and 70 thereby applying a film of glue across the face, and the cycle is repeated.

FORMING APPARATUS The bottle 33 is then moved on conveyor 30 until it faces forming station 3b. As previously mentioned, the labels 27 and 2b applied to the body of the bottle are completely formed and adhered to the face of the body. However, the neck wrapper lid has only been tacked to the neck 33 and remains in a substantially flat plane, as shown in H6. 3. The action of station as is to bend the ends 29a and b of the neck wrapper W partially about the sides of the neck of bottle 32, leaving the neck wrapper 2) in a U-shaped form ready for the wrapping operation of wrapping station 38.

To this end station as includes a reciprocating arm 15b operably associated with a slide 1132. A conventionally operated lever (not shown) is connected to arm will and moves it in a linear reciprocating path in cooperation with stations 3d and 3b and the conveyor 3b. At the projecting end of arm llbb, adjustable roller bracket th s is mounted whereby it subtends two parallel, vertical rollers 13% and 15h spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of the neck 33.

As the reciprocating arm slides forward towards the neck of the bottle the rollers lliiti and llfid contact the ends 2% and 2% respectively of the neck wrapper 29 at locations spaced from the tacked portion and press these

ends

29a and 29b of the neck wrapper Slit against the sides of the neck 33, whereby the glue previously applied to neck wrapper 29 adheres to the neck 33 and withholds the neck wrapper 2'9 in a substantially ill-shaped form.

The conveyor is then actuated to move the bottle 32 to a position facing wrapping station 3%. At station 3b the forming operation started at forming station 36 is completed. First, one end 33% of the neck wrapper 29 is completely wrapped its full extend about part of the neck 33. Then the other end 29b is overlapped over the first end 29a until only a short end portion remains unwrapped. Finally, the short end is wrapped and the overlapping portion is again submitted to pressure in order to ensure that the neck wrapper Z9 is completely wrapped about the neck 33.

in order to perform the above-described operation the wrapping station includes a reciprocating carriage 2% moving to and from the bottle neck 33 on a resting block 200 with sliding faces. lkesting block Ebb is mounted on a frame 203 which is in turn secured to the base lid of the bottling machine by means of bolts 2M. Frame 2M3 comprises a base plate 203 to which front and

rear support members

207 and 209 are mounted, supporting the resting block.

Carriage ass (FlG. iii) comprises an elongated, hollow, boxlike construction open at both ends, and provided with adjustable liner plates hilt; studded with freely rolling ball bearings hllii. The ball bearings 20b are kept in close rolling contact with the sliding faces of resting block 20b.

An articulated linkage 21b is connected between the carriage Edit and actuating means (not shown) on the bottling machine to move the carriage 262 to and from bottle 32. it comprises an upright rocking arm 212 connected to one end to the actuating means and at its uppermost end it is articulated with a short horizontally disposed linkage arm are. Linkage arm its is in turn articulated to a spring-biased linkage arm ills. Linkage arm 2M5 on the other hand is rotatably mounted about a pin Zillb protruding from a side wall and near the rear of carriage 202. A short helical spring 220 is connected between one edge of linkage arm Bid and an abutment 222 mounted on the carriage 2602. Therefore, as rocking arm are travels through the peak of its arc of oscillation the linkage arms bib and 2M straighten out from their original relative right-angled position, as shown in lFlG. lb, thereby compensating for the increase in distance between the uppermost portion of rocking arm 212 as it travels through its arcuate locus and the pin 2th which follows a linear locus.

At the front end of carriage 202 the top wall 2M projects forward at an angle to one side of the carriage 202 to from bracket member ass. Bottom wall 225 also projects towards the same location in order to form a coincident companion bracket member 228. Bottom wall 225 also extends forward and towards the opposite side of carriage 202 forming a bracket 230.

A pin 232 is mounted on the bracket ass and mounts an arm 23s for rotation in a horizontal plane. Similarly, a pin 23b is mounted to the bottom of bracket 23b in the same vertical axis as the pin 232. An arm 23%, identical to arm 2%, is mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane, to the pin ass. Arms 23d and 23b in turn subtend a shaft Mill in a vertical axis.

At the end of arm 234 about the pin 232 an elongated camming finger 242 projects laterally to one side relative to the axis or movement of the carriage. A spring M3 is secured at one end to the carriage 2M and at the other end to the camming finger M2, thereby biasing arms 23 i and 23b. On the arm 23b at the same end a camming finger 2445 projects laterally but towards the opposite side relative to camming finger Mil.

Mounted to and extending rearwardly of support member 207 is a horizontal shelf ass mounting an upstanding cylindrical cam 2A8 adapted to be associated with camming finger M2 when the apparatus is in operation.

Similarly, a horizontal shelf 25b is mounted to but extends forward of supporting member 2b! and mounts an upstanding cylindrical earn .152 which is in the path of camming finger Ms.

A pair of identical bellcranks 2M and 256 are mounted for rotation in horizontal planes about shaft 2st). The ends of arms 258 and can (now shown) of bellcranks 25d and 256 respectively subtend a shaft 262 having a vertical axis. On the other hand, the ends of arms ass and 266 of bellcranks 25d and 2% respectively subtend a shaft 268 also having a vertical axls.

A further straight connecting arm 26S is rotatably mounted to the bottom wall 22$ at one end and. is rotatably mounted to shaft 268 at the other end. Thus a quadrangular structure is provided.

Mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane about the shaft 362 is an arm 2'70 and a companion parallel arm 272 which in turn subtend a free rolling tapered brush 274 which is adapted to contact the neck wrapper hit on one side of neck 33 during the wrapping operation.

Similarly, companion arms 27s and $78 are rotatably mounted on shaft Ebb and subtend a tapered brush Elli).

Suitable spring-biased adjustment brackets 2M and 2M are provided between arm 2% and 27b and M ll and 27d respectively in order to bias them in a predetermined position.

Mounted to supporting member 207 is a forwardly extending bracket member ass. Pivoted to the end of bracket member Ebb mounting an abutment pad 290 which is adapted to rest against the cap of bottle 32 in operation. in is in turn connected to movable shaft 24% by connecting member 292.

OPERATION OF WRAPPKNG STATlON 38 In order to more clearly describe the operation of wrapping station 3h, only those members which. can be seen in the plan views shown in FIGS. Zll to 33 will be described. it is obvious that all the pairs of elements involved act as integral units in the operation of the wrapping station 3b.

At the beginning of its cycle, carriage 202 is at its most rearward position on resting block 200. Cam finger 242 abuts cylindrical cam 248, thus working against spring 243 and keeping the shaft 240 in a rearward position. it brushes 274 and 280, therefore, are in a receded position as is the abutment pad 290.

As the cycle begins, rocking arm 212 travels forward through its arc, moving carriage 202 forward on resting block 200 through the intermediary of

linkage arm

214 and 216. As the carriage moves forward, the arm 234 which forms part of the quadrangular structure rotates counterclockwise about the pin 232 caused by the resilient action of spring 243 working on camming finger 242. Thus the shaft 240 is moved forward pushing

arms

258 and 270 forward so that the brush 274 is moved into contact with the end 290 of neck wrapper 29, as shown in FIG. 20.

The carriage moves forward until the camming finger 242 is removed from contact with the cam 248 thus allowing the arm 234 to rotate to the limit of its counterclockwise movement. Because of the action of spring 243 on the arm 234, the structural quadrangle partly collapses to the left, thus pushing the arm 270 with the brush 274 to its fullest extent in allowing it to follow a closed path about the neck 33.

At about the same time, camming finger 244 comes into contact with carn 252 thereby forcing the arm 234 through a clockwise rotational movement, thereby reopening the quadrangle and forcing arm 270 with brush 274 to retreat sideways from the neck wrapper end 29a on the neck 33. However, as the structural quadrangle is opened, the bellcrank arm 264 has been forced to push the arm 176 and brush 280 through a path in rolling contact with the other side of the bottle whereby the roller 280 follows a path partially about the neck 33 by overlapping the neck wrapper end 29b about the end 290.

The carriage 202 has now completed the full forward phase of its cycle.

The carriage 202 immediately begins its rearward phase of the cycle thereby retracting roller 280 on are 276 through the same path it followed in the forward phase, thus doubly securing the neck wrapper 29b to the neck 33. As carriage 202 continues to retreat, the am 270 carrying roller 274 is made to retract through the same path as it originally followed, since the camming fingers 244 lose contact with the cam 252, thereby causing the arm 234 to begin a counterclockwise rotation, thus closing the quadrangle anew and forcing the roller 274 to follow along the side of neck 33 making doubly sure that the neck wrapper is well applied. The carriage 202 moves completely back to its original position whereby the apparatus is in the position shown in FIG. and ready to begin a new cycle.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for wrapping a label about the neck of a bottle comprising means for moving a bottle along a given path intermittently; means for tacking an adhesive label to the neck of said bottle, a base; a block mounted on said base and extending laterally of the path of travel, a carriage mounted on said block and adapted for relative movement along an axis extending laterally of said path of travel, the carriage being reciprocal along said axis, means for reciprocating said carriage in timed relation to the advance of a bottle along said path, at least a pair of first arms articulately connected to the carriage and extending towards said path in the direction of said axis, a bellcrank member pivotally mounted to said arms, a secondary arm resiliently articulated to each free end of the bellcrank member, the free ends of said bellcrank extending at an angle to said axis of reciprocation, said second arms each supporting wiper means adapted to apply pressure to said label to be wrapped in successive movements about the neck of bottle, and means engageable with said first arms for causing the secondary arms and wiper means to apply pressure about opposite portions of the neck of said bottle.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said first arm members connected to the carriage is pivoted in a horizontal plane to the carriage and to the free end of a lever of said bellcrank member and another of said first arms connected to the carriage is pivotally mounted to the carriage in a horizontal plane and includes a pair of controlling cam levers which are adapted to engage predetenninately located cam members to provide the necessary wiping movement of the rollers on the ends of the inwardly extending arms as the carriage is being moved to and from the path.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the secondary arms mounting the wipers are pivotally mounted in a horizontal plane to the ends of the levers of the bellcrank member and are spring loaded for inward articulation.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the wipers are in the form of roller brushes.

5. An apparatus for applying labels to bottles, including a first label-applying station comprising an apparatus for applying labels to a bottle, and particularly for applying a label to the neck of a bottle, the apparatus comprising means for intermittently conveying the bottle in a predetermined path, labelapplying means including a label magazine label, picking means movable to and from the magazine and adapted to withdraw at least two exposed labels from the magazine, transfer means operative to receive the label from the picking means when the picking means is retracted from said magazine, means operative to move said transfer means from a transfer position to a label applying position, whereby said labels are applied to the body and neck of the bottle, the transfer means including a first elongated member pivotally mounted from a transfer position to a label-applying position adjacent the bottle, a bracket mounting at least a label-applying pad, pivotally mounted to the elongated member, a second elongated member pivoted to the frame and spaced from the first elongated member, link means pivotally connected to the second elongated member and the bracket pivoted to the first elongated member, a bellcrank member pivotally connected to the end of the first elongated member with a label-applying pad mounted to one lever of the bellcrank member, and link means connected to the pivot point of the bracket and the link means between the second elongated member and the bracket and connected to the free lever of the bellcrank member, such that when the first elongated member is in the transfer position, the pads are in the same plane and when the first elongated member is pivoted to a bottle-applying position, the label-applying pad on the lever of the bellcrank member is pushed forward of the plane defined by the pad on the bracket to a position adjacent the neck of the bottle; a forming station downstream of the label applying station along the predetermined ath having reciprocal forming means adapted to reciprocate in an axis lateral to the predetermined path for engaging the label tacked to the neck of the bottle and for partially forming it about the neck thereof; a neck-wrapping station downstream of the neck-forming station comprising an apparatus for wrapping a label about the neck of a bottle comprising means for moving a bottle along a given path intermittently; means for tacking an adhesive label to the neck of said bottle; a base, a block mounted on said base and extending laterally of the path of travel, a carriage mounted on said block and adapted for relative movement along an axis extending laterally of said path of travel, the carriage being reciprocal along said axis, means for reciprocating said carriage in timed relation to the advance of a bottle along said path, at least a pair of first arms articulately connected to the carriage and extending towards said path in the direction of said axis, a bellcrank member pivotally mounted to said arms, a secondary are resiliently articulated to each free end of the bellcrank member, the free ends of said bellcrank extending at an angle to said axis of reciprocation, said second arms each supported wiper means adapted to apply pressure to said label to be wrapped in successive movements about the neck of the bottle, and means engageable with said first arms for causing the secondary arms and wiper means to apply pressure about opposite portions of the neck of said bottle.

Claims

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said first arm members connected to the carriage is pivoted in a horizontal plane to the carriage and to the free end of a lever of said bellcrank member and another of said first arms connected to the carriage is pivotally mounted to the carriage in a horizontal plane and includes a pair of controlling cam levers which are adapted to engage predeterminately located cam members to provide the necessary wiping movement of the rollers on the ends of the inwardly extending arms as the carriage is being moved to and from the path.
3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the secondary arms mounting the wipers are pivotally mounted in a horizontal plane to the ends of the levers of the bellcrank member and are spring loaded for inward articulation.
4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the wipers are in the form of roller brushes.
5. An apparatus for applying labels to bottles, including a first label-applying station comprising an apparatus for applying labels to a bottle, and particularly for applying a label to the neck of a bottle, the apparatus comprising means for intermittently conveying the bottle in a predetermined path, label-applying means including a label magazine label, picking means movable to and from the magazine and adapted to withdraw at least two exposed labels from the magazine, transfer means operative to receive the label from the picking means when the picking means is retracted from said magazine, means operative to move said transfer means from a transfer position to a label applying position, whereby said labels are applied to the body and neck of the bottle, the transfer means including a first elongated member pivotally mounted from a transfer position to a label-applying position adjacent the bottle, a bracket mounting at least a label-applying pad, pivotally mounted to the elongated member, a second elongated member pivoted to the frame and spaced from the first elongated member, link means pivotally connected to the second elongated member and the bracket pivoted to the first elongated member, a bellcrank member pivotally connected to the end of the first elongated member with a label-applying pad mounted to one lever of the bellcrank member, and link means connected to the pivot point of the bracket and the link means between the second elongated member and the bracket and connected to the free lever of the bellcrank member, such that when the first elongated member is in the transfer position, the pads are in the same plane and when the first elongated member is pivoted to a bottle-applying position, the label-applying pad On the lever of the bellcrank member is pushed forward of the plane defined by the pad on the bracket to a position adjacent the neck of the bottle; a forming station downstream of the label applying station along the predetermined path having reciprocal forming means adapted to reciprocate in an axis lateral to the predetermined path for engaging the label tacked to the neck of the bottle and for partially forming it about the neck thereof; a neck-wrapping station downstream of the neck-forming station comprising an apparatus for wrapping a label about the neck of a bottle comprising means for moving a bottle along a given path intermittently; means for tacking an adhesive label to the neck of said bottle; a base, a block mounted on said base and extending laterally of the path of travel, a carriage mounted on said block and adapted for relative movement along an axis extending laterally of said path of travel, the carriage being reciprocal along said axis, means for reciprocating said carriage in timed relation to the advance of a bottle along said path, at least a pair of first arms articulately connected to the carriage and extending towards said path in the direction of said axis, a bellcrank member pivotally mounted to said arms, a secondary arm resiliently articulated to each free end of the bellcrank member, the free ends of said bellcrank extending at an angle to said axis of reciprocation, said second arms each supporting wiper means adapted to apply pressure to said label to be wrapped in successive movements about the neck of the bottle, and means engageable with said first arms for causing the secondary arms and wiper means to apply pressure about opposite portions of the neck of said bottle.