Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing sleeves on bottles and other objects is disclosed. In particular, a high speed method and apparatus having a plurality of sleeving stations for placing sleeves on bottles is disclosed. Each sleeving station includes a circularly arranged set of relatively movable parallel pins which are operable to contract or expand. A label transporter deposits a sleeve on the pins when they are contracted. The pins expand to stretch the sleeve. A bottle and the pins are then moved relative to one another to place the bottle inside the stretched sleeve. A gas flow is provided between the bottle and the sleeve to reduce friction. The sleeved bottle is then stripped from the pins. The method occurs without starts and stops by the bottle or the sleeve and is thus capable of very high production rates.

Abstract: A conveyor system for use with a vessel processing machine, such as a bottle labeler or delabeler is disclosed. The system includes a supply conveyor which feeds bottles in in-line, juxtaposed relationship to a vessel accelerating mechanism at a transfer station. At the station the speed of the vessels is accelerated and they are separated as they pass onto a delivery conveyor from which they are transferred to the processing machine. Processed bottles are returned to the delivery conveyor and transported to a decelerating mechanism at an exit transfer station. There the speed of the bottles is reduced and they are returned to juxtaposed, in-line relationship as they transfer to an exit conveyor for transport to an output for subsequent processing.

Abstract: A machine for removing tubular plastic labels from bottles to facilitate their re-use and recycling. The machine has a multi-station turret and supply and exit conveyors to sequentially supply labeled bottles in line to the turret and remove delabeled bottles from the turret. The delabeling is accomplished with a cutter which is preferably in the form of a high-pressure jet of water. Ideally, the cutter is adjusted so that it is a differential cutter which will cut a label without cutting or marring a bottle from which a label is being removed. With one embodiment, a water flush mechanism is provided to flush cut labels from their bottles and the turret onto a screen conveyor. The flush water passes through the conveyor into a container from which it is pumped for re-use. Removed labels are transported by the screen conveyor to a collection bin. With another embodiment, an air blast mechanism is used to strip cut labels from bottles and a vacuum pick up is used to collect stripped labels.

Abstract: A method for reshaping objects such as plastic bottles to re-establish round conditions after damage whereinin line bottles are conveyed along a path of travel between opposing, parallel, planar surfaces which are spaced a distance equal to the diameter of the objects. One of the surfaces is a span of an endless belt which is caused to travel in the direction of bottle travel at a speed which will cause the bottles to rotate as they are moved along the path. Rotation of the bottles while opposed lines of contact are maintained between surfaces of the bottle and the opposed planar surfaces re-establishes the objects to round configurations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing sleeves on bottles and other objects is disclosed. In particular, a high speed method and apparatus having a plurality of sleeving stations for placing sleeves on bottles is disclosed. Each sleeving station includes a circularly arranged set of relatively movable parallel pins which are operable to contract or expand. A label transporter deposits a sleeve on the pins when they are contracted. The pins expand to stretch the sleeve. A bottle and the pins are then moved relative to one another to place the bottle inside the stretched sleeve. A gas flow is provided between the bottle and the sleeve to reduce friction. The sleeved bottle is then stripped from the pins. The method occurs without starts and stops by the bottle or the sleeve and is thus capable of very high production rates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing film sleeves from objects quickly and easily. The apparatus includes a housing and frame structure adapted to be shifted from a vessel pick-up station to a vessel processing station. A plurality of transfer heads carried by the frame structure are provided. Each head is positioned to grasp an associated one of a set of vessels disposed in a transport case positioned at the pick-up station. A transfer head actuating structure is adapted to cause the heads respectively associated with vessels at the pick-up station to substantially concurrently grasp the associated vessels. The frame structure is then shifted to shift the vessels to the processing station as the frame structure is shifted to the processing station. The actuating structure is further adapted to cause the heads to release associated vessels once they are transferred to the processing station.

Abstract: A machine for removing tubular plastic labels from bottles to facilitate their re-use and recycling. The machine has a multi-station turret and supply and exit conveyors to sequentially supply labeled bottles in line to the turret and remove delabeled bottles from the turret. The delabeling is accomplished with a cutter which is preferably in the form of a high-pressure jet of water. Ideally, the cutter is adjusted so that it is a differential cutter which will cut a label without cutting or marring a bottle from which a label is being removed. With one embodiment, a water flush mechanism is provided to flush cut labels from their bottles and the turret onto a screen conveyor. The flush water passes through the conveyor into a container from which it is pumped for re-use. Removed labels are transported by the screen conveyor to a collection bin. With another embodiment, an air blast mechanism is used to strip cut labels from bottles and a vacuum pick up is used to collect stripped labels.

Abstract: A methods is disclosed for labeling bottles in a stream. An input conveyor is provided for supplying bottles to a presenting station. Bottles are restrained at the presenting station until the appropriate time by an entrance gate. Bottles are conveyed from the presenting station to a work station by an advancing conveyor. Bottles entering the work station drive the predecessor bottle out of the work station. An exit gate is provided to halt bottles leaving the work station so that they act as a registration stop for bottles entering the work station.