Abstract: A mechanism for automatically labelling articles, such as fruit, has a chute for guiding fruit into contact with an upstanding label, the engagement of the fruit with the label being effective to transfer the label to the fruit and to cause the movement of a new label into transfer position.

Abstract: A hand-held labeler or apparatus provides for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels and includes a housing, a rigid metal frame plate mounted on the housing, a platen and a cooperating print head, and a delaminator for delaminating printed labels from the web of supporting material on which the labels are carried. The labeler also includes an applicator for applying the printed labels, a feed wheel having teeth for engaging and advancing the web, a manually operable actuator drivingly connected to the feed wheel and the print head, a brake, and an ink roll for inking the print head. The feed wheel is driven by a pawl and ratchet mechanism which is adjustably connected to the feed wheel. The composite strip of labels and their supporting or carrier web are fed from a supply roll through a guide member which selectively accommodates both narrow and wide strips of labels and initiates their paths through the labeler.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for taking up label stock slack as it is advanced out of a printer or other source of labels and locating the label stock properly with respect to the vacuum platen of an applicator for receiving the label then applying it. When the label has been advanced to a location adjacent said vacuum platen, a separate drive pulls the label backing through a stripping device leaving the label in a position released from its backing so that it can be propelled to and acquired by the vacuum platen of the label applicator simultaneously with its release from the backing.

Abstract: A real time system for writing and depositing a label on a cut piece is disclosed. The labeler is positioned relative to the cutting head of a cutting system and moves with the cutting head as a cutting operation proceeds. As the cutting takes place under the direction of the cutting system computer, a label is printed by a printer mechanism and is deposited at the appropriate time for placement on top of the cut part. Printing is by a print head having computer input and control for the indicia printed. Label depositing is effectuated by first stripping the printed label from its backing strip and holding it in place on a vacuum head. The head is lowered to a position inside the cutting head dish. At an appropriate time, the pressure is reversed such that the vacuum dissipates and a positive pressure blows the label off the head downward onto the correct part. The sticky backing on the label holds it in place on the part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying indicia to the surface of generally cylindrical articles. The machine utilizes a rotary article transport assembly or turret mechanism which has a plurality of gripper hands mounted thereon for holding the cylindrical articles to be decorated. At least one article orienting station is provided to orient the article so that the indicia is applied over the proper portion of the surface of the article. After orienting, the article is rotated in a holding assembly and the indicia carrying tape or foil is pressed against the appropriate portion of the outer surface of the article by a heated die carried on a cylindrical drum mounted immediately adjacent to the article being decorated. Means are provided for rotating the article being decorated and the die carrying drum at the same peripheral surface speed. Also, means are provided for positively feeding the decorating tape between the bottle and the transfer die.

Abstract: An applicator automatically applies strip-mounted labels very precisely to both flat and curved objects. As each object is brought into position, a special pressure foot immediately applies a label already positioned on the foot to the object and the foot is designed to press the label against the object over the entire area of the label. As each object moves out of position, the label strip is advanced over a stripper plate by a preset amount as determined by an inductive label edge sensor. Simultaneously with this, the pressure foot momentarily swings toward the stripper plate and picks up the next label being peeled from the strip to ready the applicator for the next cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for the automatic labelling of objects of differing shapes, which comprises a first guide means, a second guide means in spaced, opposed relationship to the first guide means, means, for example, a conveyor belt, for advancing objects between the said first and second guide means, pressure contact means provided on at least one of the said first and second guide means operative to urge an object passing between the said first and second guide means against the other said second or first guide means, respectively, and means for transferring an image, by a pressure-transfer operation, to an object passing between the said first and second guide means. The apparatus is especially applicable to the labelling of pieces of fruit, preferably using self-adhesive pressure-transferable labels which are pressed onto the fruit, or other object, by the pressure-contact means as it passes between the first and second guide means.

Abstract: A label applicator including a wrap around label applicator, a transport for transporting labels to the wrap around label applicator, and a label dispenser for sequentially supplying labels to the transport.

Abstract: A label applying apparatus and method is disclosed which rotates the label through a desired number of degrees of rotation before its application to an article in order that the label may be applied in a preferred orientation. A label dispenser delivers the label to a first vacuum foot which holds the label substantially parallel to the surface of the article upon which the label is to be placed. The label is then transferred to a second, reciprocating vacuum foot which rotates while it moves into contact with the article.

Abstract: A labelling machine comprises feed rollers which are driven stepwise to draw lengths of tape from a tape reel and to feed same to a transfer roller. Each length of tape is severed by co-operating cutter means on the transfer roller and on a pivotal arm adjacent the transfer roller. The severed length, which forms the label, is fed stepwise by the transfer roller to a label-applying station. During the stepwise movement the label is held on the transfer roller, for example by vacuum.

Abstract: Disclosed is a label or patch overlay dispensing apparatus having a storage reel for carrying a supply tape of adhesive overlays, a feed throat for receiving a document to which an overlay is to be attached and a contact for sensing a document in the feed throat and for causing the advancement of the document to a label attaching position. The device is responsive to the receipt of the document in the overlay attaching position for releasing an overlay or patch for attachment to the document and a pressure bonder for attaching the label is activated when the overlay is removed from the supply roll. As the overlay is attached the document is concurrently ejected from the device.

Abstract: A machine for automatically applying transfers such as tax stamps to multiple packages contained in a carton is disclosed. The transfer applying machine comprises a conveyor for intermittently and sequentially advancing cartons through an opening station, where the carton is opened to expose the packages therein, through a stamping station, where tax stamps in the form of heat or water transfers or ink printing are applied to each of the packages, and through a closing station where the carton is closed and resealed. The machine is adjustable to accommodate a variety of carton and package sizes and to apply the transfers to each package in the carton accurately while using stock rolls of transfers on which the transfers are mounted with a predetermined spacing that does not necessarily correspond to the spacing of packages within the carton.

Abstract: A label cutting device for a label applying machine including: a label strip advancing roller which is provided at regular intervals around its periphery with label strip engaging and advancing pawls and also with cutting blade receiving grooves, a cutting blade supported at a cutting position next to the label advancing roller, the label strip held on the label advancing roller is cut by the cutting blade being moved into one of the grooves of the roller by the operation of the hand lever of the machine through an intermediate linkage.

Abstract: A labeling machine has a plurality of successive stations whereby a rotating pickup member on a revolving carrier picks up a label at one station, carries the label to a glue applicator station and transfers it to a gripping cylinder at another station. The invention provides a drum at the label supply station which rotates with the carrier and contacts the pickup member. A strip of labels passes about the drum into the nip between drum and pickup member and means, such as a steep helical thread and follower, are provided to speed up the pickup member so as to tear off the foremost label from the rest of the strip. Knives can be positioned inside the drum and cams and/or stops provided to project the knives out through slits in the drum so as to pre-score or perforate the label strip to facilitate tearing.

Abstract: The machine of this invention applies successive lengths of tape, such as tear-tape, to a continuously moving products, such as a web about to be die cut for forming boxes. The application of the tapes is registration-correlated with the product. Self-adhesive tape is drawn from a roll by a capstan roll which provides a controlled feed of the tape to an applicator wheel. The applicator wheel draws the tape around the applicator wheel, holding it by suction. When a predetermined length on the applicator wheel has passed a cut-off point, that length is cut off, and then the wheel presses its adhesive face against the moving web. The applicator wheel has the same peripheral speed as the web, but the capstan roll, though rotating with it, is substantially smaller and has a lower peripheral speed.

Abstract: In a label applicating apparatus a self-contained vacuum generating means is incorporated in the applicator drum so that a partial vacuum may be established at a predetermined peripheral portion of the drum in response to the rotation of said drum. The generated partial vacuum is maintained for a predetermined portion of each cyclically rotary movement of the drum.

Abstract: An applicator is disclosed for applying pieces of tape having a fibrous surface on one side and a heat-activatable adhesive on the other side onto a receptor. The tape may be hook and loop-fastening tape and the applicator utilizes an applicating pad having wire bristles which engage the fibrous tape surface. The wire bristles support the tape such that the same may be moved into contact with a heater and then moved to apply the tape to a surface. The pad serves to uniformly affix the tape to the surface and the bristles will penetrate the fibers and force the backing and adhesive onto the surface to which the tape is to be applied. The tape may be applied to the brush and then cut to lengths or predetermined lengths of tape may be placed onto the brush.

Abstract: According to the invention a tab pick up and applying mechanism comprises a picker head moveable between a pick up and an applying position and having a tab carrying face, to be presented at said positions, means for applying vacuum to said tab carrying face at said pick up position to effect pick up of a tab; for maintaining said vacuum at said face during picker head movement between said pick up and applying positions to hold a picked up tab on said face during such movement; for releasing said vacuum at said face at said applying station and for applying a positive air jet through said face at said applying station to deliver a tab held on said face away from said face under positive air pressure, and means for moving said picker head between said pick up and applying positions.

Abstract: Apparatus for carrying a label having a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side from a first station where the label is printed and partially removed from a strip of backing material to a second, remote station where the label is to be applied to a package includes a belt conveyor extending between the first and second stations. The conveyor moves into direct engaging contact with the label after the label is partially removed from the backing material such that the label is then completely stripped from the backing material and firmly engaged by the conveyor. The conveyor is then driven to move the label to the second station.

Abstract: A label applicator for applying a label to an article comprising a supporting structure, a manifold defining an air chamber mounted on the supporting structure, and a plurality of conduits communicating with the air chamber. Some of the conduits are blocked off and other of the conduits are capable of transmitting a blast of air from the air chamber toward the label to remove the label and apply it to an article.

Abstract: A labelling system for labelling articles comprising a cassette label applicator having a supply of labels and a conveyor for moving articles past the label applicator where the label applicator applies the label to the articles as they are moved past the label applicator and the conveyor is adapted so the cassette label applicator may be replaced with another cassette label applicator after the supply of labels of the original cassette label applicator becomes at least substantially exhausted.