Abstract: A receptacle handling machine for the handling of receptacles which are passed through the machine and having a machine frame and at least one receptacle guiding body releasably mounted on the machine frame, the guiding body on its end adjacent the frame is formed with first insertion and stop elements to respectively engage in pairs, in the assembled state, associated second insertion and stop elements of the machine frame. The guiding body is positively held transversely to the direction of insertion and a clamping member is attached to the guiding body or to the machine frame. The guiding body is held either non-positively or positively in the direction of insertion together with the stop elements.

Abstract: In a labeling apparatus a rotor orbits palettes past a glue roller to receive a coat of glue and then to a labeling magazine to pick up a label. The label is carried past a printing mechanism which prints coded information on the label after which a gripping cylinder removes the labels from the palettes for subsequent application of the labels to containers such as bottles. To insure error free operation of the printing mechanism, a reading head is located between the printing mechanism and the gripper cylinder for monitoring the imprint on the labels.

Abstract: A glue applicator for a labeling machine has the customary glue roller rotating about a vertical axis. A scraper blade is held adjacent the periphery of the roller to remove excess glue from the roller so that a label to which glue is transferred from the roller will not receive a coating of more than desirable thickness. Relatively small blade inserts provide the sharpened edges for scraping the excess glue from the roller. A support member is mounted to a carrier that swings about an axis parallel to the axis of the roller. The blade insert is clamped against the support member by means of a clamping member whose clamping force is developed by bolts that pass through the clamping member and are threaded into the support member. Eccentric elements are provided for adjusting the support member and, hence, the blade insert carried thereon to achieve a uniform and accurate gap between the scraping edge of the blade insert and the periphery of the roller.

Abstract: A magazine assembly for labels having a main magazine for feeding the labels to a take-out location, a stationary support disposed rearwards thereof for retaining a replaceable supply magazine in alignment with the main magazine, the support having a lateral entry opening for a full supply magazine and an exit opening for an empty supply magazine. Connected to the entry opening is storage for a plurality of full supply magazines, from which the supply magazines may be pushed into the support through the entry opening. Adjacent the exit opening is a lateral stop for holding the supply magazine in position for supplying labels to the main magazine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a labeling machine for receptacles comprising a labeling unit which is disposed on a compound slide comprising an upper carriage part and a lower carriage part. The upper carriage part is connected with parallel rods which extend through slide bushings on the lower carriage part. The upper carriage part is linked to a pivotable lever being limited in its pivoting path by an adjustable stop.

Abstract: A container filling machine has a rotor which is adjustable in height and supports components for filling containers. A carrier support is mounted to support devices which are adjustable vertically on stationary columns. Interlock elements which are arranged radially on the rotor are operable to unlatch the support devices at a specific rotational position of the rotor and to support the support devices and carrier. The lever-shaped latch element of each support device projects into a recess for the interlock element in such a way that with a partial penetration of the interlock element into the support device the support device is still latched to the column but supported and further penetration of said interlock element results in the support device being unlatched so that when the height of the rotor is altered, the support devices and carrier are altered in height correspondingly.

Abstract: A glue applying device for a labeling machine equipped with a roller rotating about a vertical axis while a mass of glue is fed to one side. A glue scraper blade is mounted for swinging about a vertical axis into a position where the blade edge wipes off the mass of glue and leaves a film of glue on the roller. A lever extends radially from the blade axis. A micrometer adjustment screw is threaded through a pivoting arm for its tip to act on the lever. The screw has a turning knob in which a graduated thickness indicating dial is rotatable. A block is mounted to the arm and it has a bore through which the adjustment screw passes. There is an index mark on the block next to the dial. A compression spring in the bore holds the knob against self rotation. When the screw is turned to its limit against the lever, the dial is turned in the knob until the zero mark on the dial scale aligns with the index mark.

Abstract: A labeling device for bottles and the like features a rotor turning about a vertical axis and having a plurality of semi-circular glue pallets arranged in a circle on the rotor and oscillated through a limited angle as the rotor rotates. The pallets, after having contacted a glue coated roller, encounter the foremost label in a magazine and adhere to the label for moving the label to a transfer drum from which it is applied to the vessel in labeling position. The rotor is supported in a gear box and the glue roller is connected in a detachable manner at its end most remote from the gear box with a rigid arm having a stud shaft that engages the glue roller in a roller bearing. The arm is also provided with a stud shaft that makes a releasable connection with the rotor coincident with its axis to provide further support for the arm.

Abstract: In a bottle inspection machine a cylindrical hollow shaft is driven rotationally about a vertical axis. Another shaft is splined in the tubular shaft for rotation therewith. Another rotor is mounted coaxially to the inner shaft and the two rotors constitute a means for transporting bottles in a circular path. A light source is mounted on the radially outer side of the circular path and projects beams generally radially inwardly through one or more bottles at a time. The bottles carried on the rotors do not fill a complete circle, thus leaving an open side on the rotor. A detector or scanning device is located on the side of the center shaft facing the area which is free of bottles. The scanning device has photodetectors or imaging elements that intercept the images of the bottles side walls which may be modulated by flaws or contaminants in the bottles.

Abstract: A container rearranging station wherein bottles or other containers enter in single file and are discharged with several of them abreast of each other. The station is comprised of three parallel running conveyor sections. All the sections are tilted at the same angle so as to provide a smooth inclined plane. A supply conveyor on which the bottles arrive in single file is the highest of those on the inclined plane and runs at the highest speed of any of them. The adjacent intermediate conveyor runs at a slightly slower speed and the adjacent lower most discharge conveyors run at a uniform but still slower speed. Inclination angles of the conveyors between the input region of the station and the output region where the containers are abreast are preferably adjustable between 8.degree. and 11.degree. so that the containers drift from the supply conveyor through the intermediate conveyor to the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: A bottle labeling machine has a turret rotating on a fixed axle. The turret has circumferentially spaced apart curved glue pallets mounted on individual pallet shafts supported in oscillatable drive members, respectively, which drive the shafts. The pallets orbit and oscillate to pick up glue from a roller, pick up a label next and deposit the label on a cylinder from which it is transferred eventually to a bottle. The drive members are externally splined axially and are each surrounded by an internally axially splined clutch member. The drive member has a smooth bore to permit it to rotate on a shaft that is driven in oscillating fashion as the turret rotates. The oscillating shaft has a transversely extending element on which there are axially projecting teeth that engage in corresponding recesses in the clutch member to effect oscillation of the pallet shaft.

Abstract: In bottle transporting apparatus, noise resulting from bottles colliding with each other and noise emitted by the transport mechanism is suppressed by moving the bottles in a water bath which immerses the mechanism and at least partially immerses the bottles so the sound is absorbed and attenuated by the water. Means are provided for partially filling the bottles with liquid before they reach locations where noise would be generated and this further suppresses noise. Water jets are used to assist bottle movement where the bottles are transported on conveyors and the jets may be used as the sole propulsion force in apparatus wherein the bottles are simply pushed along smooth support surfaces.

Abstract: Labeling machine comprising a turret carrying plural pallets for periodically picking up glue, picking up a label on the glue, and transferring the glued label to a bottle or other workpiece by rotating the turret and oscillating the pallets radially inward and outward. Each pallet has a double-acting dog clutch for engaging or disengaging the drive which oscillates it; the clutch can be shifted only when the turret is at a particular angular position at which the pallet is sufficiently radially retracted to be clear of the sources of glue and labels and the mechanism for transferring labels. When a bottle is presented for receiving a label from a particular pallet the clutch is shifted to or maintained at its position for engaging the oscillating drive so the pallet transfers a glued label for application to the bottle.

Abstract: A compact glue heater for heating the flow of glue to a labeling machine has two spaced apart metal plates welded together at their edges and a rib running part way along the center of the space to define a U-shaped conduit between the plates. A glue inlet pipe connects to one end of the conduit and an outlet pipe connects to the other. Electric heaters composed of heat resistant insulating sheets with electrically resistive material between them interface with the outside surfaces of the respective conduit forming plates to form a heater and conduit assembly. The heater and conduit assembly is sandwiched between metal plates secured together by spacer blocks at their corners to form a unitary assembly removably supported on the spacer blocks in a cavity in a closed housing in spaced relationship to the walls of the cavity thereby inhibiting heat transfer through the housing.

Abstract: A bottle transporting table, somewhat like a spoked wheel, revolves about a vertical axis. A plurality of vertical shafts are angularly spaced around the rim region of the wheel and the top end of each shaft has a bottle supporting turn table fastened to it. The shafts are journaled on a thrust bearing and a radial bushing fixed in the top of the rim region and the bottom ends of the shafts extend into a cavity at the bottom of the rim which is created by fitting complementarily with a lower stationary ring. A pair of vertical bores or ducts are formed in the rim parallel to and radially spaced from the turntable shafts and their bearings. A seal forms an annular channel over the bearings and bores. A nozzle fed from a pump projects lubricating oil into one of the bores adjacent each shaft as these bores orbit with the rim. The channel enables the lubricant to be conducted to the bearings and the other bore enables lubricant to be recirculated back to a reservoir.

Abstract: A bottle filling and closing machine and a bottle labeling machine are mounted on opposite sides of a bottle conveyor line close enough together so that both machines can be operated by a single operator. The filling and closing machine, the labeling machine, and the conveyor means extending therebetween are normally driven in synchronism by a common motor. A clutch is included in the drive means for the labeling machine to enable it to be disconnected from the filling and closing machine, and an auxiliary drive motor is coupled to the labeling machine to enable it to be driven independently of the filling and closing machine. The conveyor means extending between the two machines can comprise conveyor star wheels or conveyor worms.

Abstract: A bottle filling machine is adapted for circulating cleaning liquid through its combination gas and liquid storage tank and conduits, filler valves and other fluid passageways communicating therewith at high velocity by partitioning the tank into input and output chambers with a float that is urged into sealing relation by buoyancy and by pressure differential developed on its opposed sides as a result of the pressure drop produced in components that communicate between the chambers.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying upright standing containers such as bottles includes a driven star wheel which advances the containers in spaced relationship along a curved path. Curved support and guide rails are concentric to the star wheel and are spaced apart a distance to engage the container bottom and top and to restrain the container from being discharged centrifugally from the star wheel path. Abnormal containers such as bottles broken off at their tops or necks will not be confined to the curved path of the star wheel and will be rejected by centrifugal force.

Abstract: A label applying turret having label support pads, a label marker and a pressing platen for pressing the label against the marker. The marker is mounted on the turret to rotate therewith and faces outwardly against the inwardly facing side of the label. In one embodiment a label gripping platen is aligned with the marker so that its action in gripping the label to the turret concurrently imposes die marking pressure on the label. In another embodiment a roller platen is mounted externally of the turret and presses the labels against the die marker.This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 381,184 filed July 20, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,388, which was a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 223,204 filed Feb. 3, 1972, now abandoned.