Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a means for conveying a container or bottle from a first to a second location wherein a plastic tube feeding mechanism feeds a tubular flat folded heat-shrinkable strip above the conveying means and cuts the same into labels through a knife action where the labels are retrieved by a plurality of vacuum heads secured to a pair of transversely rotating wheels for depositing the labels over the container or bottle. The vacuum applied to the plurality of vacuum heads is controlled by a pair of manifolds secured to the wheels which are driven in synchronism with the means for conveying the containers or bottles. Two sources of vacuum are supplied to feed the pair of manifolds and, thus, supply a vacuum in alternate fashion to the two wheels.

Abstract: A straight line transport, positively controlled banding apparatus and method. According to the method of the present invention, transport of a band is in a straight line from a starting position adjacent a mandrel, onto the mandrel band receiving end, along the mandrel to the mandrel delivery end, and directly off of the mandrel onto an article to be banded, and is positively controlled throughout the entire transport step of the process. According to a preferred embodiment of the banding apparatus, the apparatus comprises a tube opener, drive rollers for feeding and creasing a tube of banding material, a mandrel having a receiving end tapered to a knife-like edge, fingers for transporting a band along the mandrel, and means operable in synchronism with the fingers for holding the mandrel. In operation, the tube opener is inserted into the end of a tube and the tube end fed through the drive rollers which results in a partially open tube creased at ninety degree intervals around the tube.