Abstract: Improvements to an automatic cold glue labeling machine having a label magazine, a rotary gripper cylinder for applying labels to containers, and a label transfer mechanism for transferring labels from the magazine to the rotary gripper cylinder. The transfer mechanism comprises a series of rotary glue pallets and a rotating glue pallet carrier on which the glue pallets orbit past the magazine to sequentially roll over the foremost label in the magazine to pick said foremost label out of the magazine and orbit past the rotary gripper cylinder whose finger assembly grasps and transfers the label thereto. The adhesive transfer surface of said glue pallets smoothly applies clear drying, high wet tack adhesives to film labels, and the modified profile of the gripping surfaces of the gripper cylinder finger and anvil assemblies reduces or eliminates finger marks on said label.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a rotary printing assembly operative for directly printing a layer of radiation curable material onto the cylindrical surface of individual articles. The rotary printing assembly includes a rotationally supported belt defining an interior region, the belt having a planar portion for contact with the cylindrical surface of the articles for directly printing a layer of the radiation curable material thereon. At least one squeegee is arranged within the interior region of the belt having a portion engaging the belt for contacting the planar portion of the belt with the cylindrical surface of the article. The squeegee is moveable longitudinally within the interior region of the belt during the printing operation. A radiation emitting device can be positioned adjacent the rotary printing assembly for at least partially curing the layer of radiation curable material applied to the articles.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a rotary printing assembly operative for directly printing a layer of radiation curable material onto the cylindrical surface of individual articles. The rotary printing assembly includes a rotationally supported belt defining an interior region, the belt having a planar portion for contact with the cylindrical surface of the articles for directly printing a layer of the radiation curable material thereon. At least one squeegee is arranged within the interior region of the belt having a portion engaging the belt for contacting the planar portion of the belt with the cylindrical surface of the article. The squeegee is moveable longitudinally within the interior region of the belt during the printing operation. A radiation emitting device can be positioned adjacent the rotary printing assembly for at least partially curing the layer of radiation curable material applied to the articles.