Abstract: A sleeve labeling machine includes a center column, a transmission device, and a cutter device. The center column can unfold the shrink film, and a transmission device will carry the shrink film and let the shrink film sleeve on the center column. Then, the cutter device will cut the shrink film, and the transmission device will keep pulling each cut shrink film to cover the surface of a bottle or a can. Finally, the transmission device will convoy bottles or cans to the next device, and let the shrink film combine with the bottle or the can to complete the bottle or can sleeve labeling process.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a system for filling bottle-like containers with tablets, which comprises various devices for specific processes, wherein most of the devices have a transport mechanism for positively guiding the movement of each container by itself in a continuous manner, whereas at least the device for dosing the pharmaceutical products and for introducing the pharmaceutical products into the containers has a transport mechanism for positively guiding the movement of each container by itself in a clocked manner in certain sections. The transport mechanisms of the devices are connected to each other in series, which ensures the positive guidance of each individual container by itself through the entire system.

Abstract: A film-fitting device includes a cutting mechanism that cuts a label-forming medium into a predetermined length, a film transfer mechanism that transfers downstream a tubular film arranged around a mandrel, and a shot roller that receives the tubular film transferred by the film transfer mechanism and delivers the tubular film downstream while rotating the tubular film in the circumferential direction. The distance from the cutting mechanism to the shot roller and the distance from the film transfer mechanism to the shot roller are both greater than the length of the tubular film formed by the cutting. Further, rotational drive of the shot roller is carried out by an independent servo motor or stepping motor.

Abstract: A device capable of transporting package sleeves in an upright position, from any of several filling lines to one or more filling machines, wherein said several filling lines are aligned parallel to each other. The device utilizes a manipulator capable of linear travel in a direction perpendicular to the plane of alignment of the filling lines, a swiveling unit for moving the package sleeves in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the manipulator unit, and a gripper unit for gripping the package sleeves. The gripper unit is capable of supplying horizontal force to the package sleeves to enable their transport in an upright position. The gripper unit also has means to clamp to the loading magazine of the filling machine and to cause the horizontal transfer of the package sleeves thereto. By use of the present device, semi-automatic or automatic loading of package sleeves to one or more filling machines is possible.

Abstract: Banding apparatus in various embodiments include accelerator members for accelerating plastic bands downstream along a floating mandrel for propelling them at high speed with significant kinetic energy in being ejected off from an end of the mandrel toward and around articles to be banded. In one apparatus belts accelerate elongated label bands to more than 1,000 feet per minute. The peripheries of tear-off rollers turn continuously at a first speed for tearing successive bands off from perforated plastic tubing which may be pre-perforated label tubing. Alternatively, plastic tubing may be perforated during operation by continuously feeding flattened tubing between perforator and anvil rollers positioned upstream from the mandrel. Accelerator members shown as rollers or as revolving belts have repetitive first and second peripheral speeds alternating with each other in cycles.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for applying a heat-shrinkable band to the neck or to the body of a container. The apparatus comprises a feeding assembly for advancing a continuous sleeve of heat-shrinkable polymeric material along a predetermined path to slip the sleeve over the cap of the container. A cutting assembly then severs the sleeve to leave on the container cap a short band which can be heat-shrunk to form the tamper-proof seal. The cutting arrangement includes a blade carrier rotatable about the feed axis of the sleeve. An extendable cutting blade is mounted to the blade carrier. When the blade is extended to the cutting position, it pierces the sleeve. By rotating the blade carrier, the cutting blade is caused to slit the sleeve circumferentially until a complete cut is effected. The advantage of this arrangement is reduced blade wear, higher speed and possibility to apply the sleeve without any gating or timing of the containers.

Abstract: A pneumatically-controlled container ring handle applicator--a mechanical device for installing plastic handles around bottle necks by forcibly expanding a plastic ring of the handle as it is urged onto the bottle neck--includes a finger carrier to which carrier is connected a plurality of pivoting fingers that extend from the carrier through slots out of the tube to push a plastic handle ring down a frustum portion of the applicator, expanding the ring as it moves on the increasing frustum diameter until the ring falls off the end of the applicator over a bottle neck placed below the applicator. Movement of the carrier in the finger cylinder is pneumatically-controlled with a piston in a cylindrical tube that moves down a piston cylinder under pneumatic pressure and returns to a rest position under bias of a spring secured in the cylinder under the piston which is compressed as the piston moves down the cylinder. A piston rod connects the piston to the finger carrier.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying a sleeve of heat-shrink material (a "band") to a container comprises a rotary drum having a plurality of upstanding heads. A web of banding material is intermittently advanced and lengths cut off, each cut length being held by fingers in the path of a gripper head mounted on the rotary drum. Each head has forward-facing vacuum port through which air is drawn on a timed basis, so that a band 30 will be picked-up and held by one side face as the gripper head passes the fingers. The resilience of the banding material allows the band partially to open out as it is transferred by the gripper head. The rotation of the drum is synchronized to advancement of the containers, so that a held band is rolled on to the top of a container, the container serving to assist in the opening-out of the band, whereat the band is released by the gripper head.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for attaching tags (14) provided with closed loops (34), so-called tie-on tags, to the necks of containers (27, 27A).Tags (14) of this type are usually slipped on by hand over the containers (27, 27A) passing by on an assembly line, which requires high numbers of employees.The object of the invention to develop the method in such a way that the tags (14) can be automatically attached to the container necks is solved thereby that the tags (14) provided with loops (34) are aligned and placed in a row in a first procedural step, as well as fastened to at least one support band (16) and, in a second procedural step, a gripper (24) is inserted into each loop (34), each loop (34) is released from the support band (16), the gripper (24) with the loop (34) crosses over the neck of a container (27, 27A), that the loop (34) is released from the gripper (24) and the gripper (24) is moved away from the container (27, 27A).

Abstract: A system for properly opening, shaping, orienting and positioning of bands in high speed banders. A number of jet nozzles are attached to moveable arms, which hold the bands during placement, and compressed gas is blown through these nozzles to open and shape the bands. A second set of nozzles are located on a guiding member which helps position and shape the band, and these nozzles guide bursts of compressed gas toward the inner back region of the band just prior to placement.

Abstract: A method for applying a shrink sleeve to the closure end of a conveyed container and apparatus for performing the method. Shrink sleeves supplied in the form of a hose are expanded over a mandrel which is disposed at an inclined position relative to the conveying direction of the containers such that the closure ends of the containers enter the lower open ends of the shrink sleeves as the containers are conveyed and before the respective shrink sleeves are cut off.

Abstract: A recipient having an axially upwardly open neck formed with at least one radially projecting neck thread is capped by fitting a circumferentially thermally shrinkable sleeve around a plug, fitting the plug into the open neck to block same, fitting the sleeve also around the neck over the neck thread, and heating the sleeve and thermally shrinking it circumferentially into tight engagement with the plug and with the neck and neck thread. The sleeve can be first fitted around the plug and then shrunk over the plug, after which the plug and sleeve are fitted together to the recipient, whereupon the sleeve is shrunk over the neck. Alternately the plug is fitted to the neck, then at the same time the sleeve is fitted around the plug and around the neck, and then the sleeve is heated to shrink it onto the plug and neck at the same time.

Abstract: A flattened tubular plastic tube having one pair of edge creases is withdrawn from a vertical axis reel and passed through horizontal axis rollers to impart a pair of intermediate creases. Cooperating rotating and stationary blades cut the plastic tube into short sleeves which are immediately gripped between actuator shoes on a pair of translating chains and a pair of translating frictional belts. The compressively interfaced actuator shoes and belts advance the sleeves to the inlet of a channel defined by laterally spaced apart slide members which have v-grooves into which opposite creased edges are inserted at the inlet whereupon hooks on another chain loop push the sleeves through the channel. The channel width converges so the sleeves open as they are pushed along the channel to be engageable by the head of a passing bottle.

Abstract: The operating speed of apparatus for opening and guiding a flat-folded tube of plastic wrapping film, especially a tube of heat shrinkable plastic film, which include a spreader mandrel for opening the tube and drive rollers or belts for transporting and guiding the tube over the spreader mandrel, is increased, and the overall efficiency of operation of the apparatus is improved, by providing an extension piece with a pair of driving rollers or belts which operate independently of the driving rollers associated with the spreader mandrel, at the downstream end of the mandrel. By cutting the tube at the downstream end of the mandrel, after the tube is conveyed over the extension piece and in contact with the extension piece drive rollers or belts, the cut tube section can be slid over the objects to be packaged at rates of from 2 to 5 times faster than previously possible. The extension piece can be fixedly mounted to the mandrel or it may be oscillatingly suspended from the mandrel.

Abstract: In order to envelop the necks of a series of continuously moving bottles with decorative or informative tubular attachments, an elongate tube of heat-shrinkable plastic material is flattened first in one longitudinal plane and then in another longitudinal plane, perpendicular to the former, to produce a sheath with two substantially flat sides bearing the traces of a first pair of creases while being bounded by a second pair of creases. The longitudinally advancing sheath is cut into clippings of predetermined length that are advanced codirectionally therewith but at higher speed along a sloping guidepath in which the existing creases are caused to converge while the original creases reappear as the two sides are progressively spread apart.

Abstract: A banding apparatus for automatically selecting successive bands from a source of bands and placing them on individual containers on an adjacent conveyor includes a finger gripping apparatus having a plurality of fingers moveable radially inwardly for insertion into the band and moveable radially outwardly for expanding into gripping engagement with the band and includes a chain drive for the gripping apparatus to a position for placing the band on the container carried on an adjacent conveyer.

Abstract: A machine for fitting a sleeve seal of a flat form over a container, wherein a pair of half-mandrels are mounted on a rotating member so as to be movable apart and together. A pair of suction cups grip the sleeve seal and move apart so as to somewhat open it; then the suction cups move, together, towards the axis of the rotating member so as to put the sleeve seal over the half-mandrels, which are together; then the rotating member rotates and the half-mandrels move apart to open up the sleeve seal; and then the half-mandrels are aligned over the container, and a pushing means pushes off the sleeve seal from the half-mandrels.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing a composite container having a body label or tubular sleeve mounted thereon adapted to be shrunken onto exterior surface areas of a cylindrical container. The tubular sleeve is preformed of thin flexible thermoplastic material and may be flat-folded until ready for use when it is fully opened and conveyed in axial registry with the container inverted therebeneath. The sleeve preform of heat-shrinkable plastic material is telescopically assembled onto the inverted container while the latter is conveyed through a coincidental aligned path. The container preferably consists of a hollow glass or plastic container held invertedly by its neck portion with the tubular preform made slightly larger in diameter to surround the body and neck portions of the container. The tubular sleeve preform is held fully opened and is then transported downwardly in telescopic relation when in axial alignment with the inverted container.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatic cutting at a programmed rate of heat shrinkable plastic sheaths into sections or sleeves suitable for being placed and then heat-shrunk around containers. The apparatus includes means for feeding the plastic sheath in flat and then transporting it under predetermined tension conditions, and at least one vertical assembly for cutting the sheath and supplying the resulting sections or sleeves. The assembly includes four stages or stations positioned around a hollow mandrel on which the continuous sheath is engaged. The stations are constituted respectively by (1) means for eliminating the fold lines or the like from the flat sheath; (2) means for cutting the sheath; (3) staged means at the same time making it possible to keep the mandrel in vertical position and automatically regulating the height and rate of the cutting; and (4) means for guiding and ejecting the sleeves downward from the mandrel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for automatic, rhythmic wrapping of heat-shrinkable sleeves around containers, from a hopper where the sleeves are stacked flat to a device for continuous shrinking of these sleeves.The machine comprises in particular: means for extracting the sleeves one by one from the hopper, causing them to open very slightly; means for opening each sleeve substantially into a semicircle, then conveying it to a vertical plane above a conveyor for the containers to be wrapped; means enabling the sleeve to receive its final circular form, then to be placed gradually around the container to be wrapped.Application to wrapping sections of preprinted or decorated shrinkable plastic sections of sheathing and bracelets around various containers such as bottles, food and aerosol cans, etc.