Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a home compostable label and its facestock, and a method for manufacturing such label and facestock. The facestock comprises a core layer comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a core compostable material; and a first skin layer comprising a first compostable material, said first skin layer being positioned proximate to at least a portion of the top surface of the core layer.

Abstract: An automatic high speed labeling machine with an improved label stripper is provided capable of applying 700 to 1,000 labels to individual produce items in a single lane, without tearing the label carrier strip. The improved label stripper has a contoured surface wherein only the center section contacts the label carrier strip. The edges of the carrier strip are prevented from contacting the label stripper surface.

Abstract: An automatic high speed labeling machine with an improved label stripper is provided capable of applying 700 to 1,000 labels to individual produce items in a single lane, without tearing the label carrier strip. The improved label stripper has a contoured surface wherein only the center section contacts the label carrier strip. The edges of the carrier strip are prevented from contacting the label stripper surface.

Abstract: A high speed automatic produce labeling system is provided, having a label dispense cycle of less than 17 milliseconds and capable of dispensing and applying 1,000 labels per minute per lane. First and second direct gear drives are actuated by a single stepper motor. A removable label cassette is driven by the first direct gear drive; the cassette carries a label carrier strip. An improved Geneva wheel drive forms part of the first gear drive which substantially reduces jerk and tearing of the label carrier strip while maintaining high labeling speed. The label cassette includes several quick-change components allowing the system to apply different size labels. An improved tensioning system is provided, minimizing slipping and tearing of the label carrier strip. An improved stripper plate tip actuator is also provided.

Abstract: An automatic, thermal print on demand labeler is provided. The thermal print head is placed above the axis of rotation of the rotary head, with a cylindrical platen mounted horizontally opposite the print head. A stripper pin is mounted below the platen; the pin is positioned very close to the print region of the print head. This positioning of components results in a label being printed and dispensed onto a bellow in one index of the multi-bellow rotary head. Independent direct gear drive trains are provided for the rotary head and label tape drive.

Abstract: An automatic, thermal print on demand labeler is provided. The thermal print head is placed above the axis of rotation of the rotary head, with a cylindrical platen mounted horizontally opposite the print head. A stripper pin is mounted below the platen; the pin is positioned very close to the print region of the print head. This positioning of components results in a label being printed and dispensed onto a bellow in one index of the multi-bellow rotary head. Independent direct gear drive trains are provided for the rotary head and label tape drive.

Abstract: A multi-layer laminate media is provided on which information may be applied in machine or human readable form on a visible front surface by the output of one or more lasers, or other high intensity light source. In a preferred embodiment, the media has three layers including preferably transparent substrate, a thermochromic layer and a light absorbent layer located intermediate the media substrate and the thermochromic layer. The light absorbent layer is adapted to absorb light from the light source and convert the absorbed light into heat. The heat is immediately conducted into selected portions of the thermochromic layer which is in thermal contact with the light absorbent layer, causing portions of the thermochromic layer to change visual appearance such as color to create the desired mark. The media optimally includes obscuration materials to reduce the visibility of the light absorbent layer to the naked eye.

Abstract: A multi-layer laminate media is provided on which information may be applied in machine or human readable form on a visible front surface by the output of one or more lasers, or other high intensity light source. In a preferred embodiment, the media has three layers including preferably transparent substrate, a thermochromic layer and a light absorbent layer located intermediate the media substrate and the thermochromic layer. The light absorbent layer is adapted to absorb light from the light source and convert the absorbed light into heat. The heat is immediately conducted into selected portions of the thermochromic layer which is in thermal contact with the light absorbent layer, causing portions of the thermochromic layer to change visual appearance such as color to create the desired mark. The media optimally includes obscuration materials to reduce the visibility of the light absorbent layer to the naked eye.

Abstract: A multi-layer laminate media is provided on which information may be applied in machine or human readable form on a visible front surface by the output of one or more lasers, or other high intensity light source. In a preferred embodiment, the media has three layers including a substrate, a thermochromic layer and a light absorbent layer such as carbon black located intermediate the media substrate and the thermochromic layer. The light absorbent layer is adapted to absorb light from the light source and convert the absorbed light into heat. The heat is immediately conducted into selected portions of the thermochromic layer which is in thermal contact with the light absorbent layer, causing portions of the thermochromic layer to change visual appearance such as color to create the desired mark. The invention includes a method and apparatus for using the media in conjunction with labeling produce items.

Abstract: A corn transfer and alignment mechanism for preparing ears for being sawn into cobbettes is provided. The ears are received by the transfer mechanism from a feed conveyor on which the ears are conveyed singularly with their tip ends first. The transfer station uses a transfer plate and stabilizer drum to reduce the forward momentum of the ears and align the tips of the ears against a guide plate. The aligned ears are then discharged onto a roller conveyor for presentation to trimming saws.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting the presence of pit fragments as small as 2 mm.sup.2 in pitted peach halves. Pitted peach halves are agitated into a cup-up position, are conveyed to a position adjacent an inspection zone and are launched airborne into the inspection zone. Each peach half in the inspection zone is illuminated by a pair of quartz halogen lights and the diffusely reflected light is separated into first and second beams. The first and second beams are filtered to extract a first relatively wide wavelength band centered at 600 nm and a second relatively wide wavelength band centered at 750 nm. Preferably, each wavelength band is approximately 70 nm. Each of the wavelength bands enters a separate line scan camera for acquiring image signals from each wavelength band. The signals from both cameras are combined and enhanced to determine the presence or absence of fragments.