Apparatus and method for the making of pressure-sensitive labels

An apparatus for the making of a stock strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive stock of labels using a label production line without stopping the label production line, the stock strip comprising a facestock layer configured to be die-cut to form the stock of labels surrounded by a matrix, the facestock layer being backed by a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer covered by a release liner, the label production line comprising a die-cut station for die-cutting the strip to form the labels and the matrix, the apparatus comprising:

• a pre-cutting station located upstream the cutting station of the label production line, and configured for receiving the strip and pre-cutting the facestock layer along a width of the facestock layer and transversally a longitudinal direction of the label production line;
• and
• a bending station located downstream the pre-cutting station of the label production line, and configured for receiving the strip with the pre-cut facestock and bending the strip along the release liner in order to disengage the pre-cut facestock from the release liner;
• the pre-cutting and bending stations being synchronized in use with the die-cut station for starting die-cutting the stock strip when the pre-cut facestock is disengaged from the release liner in order to discard the matrix as a continuity of the pre-cut facestock disengaged from the release liner to make the pressure-sensitive adhesive stock free of the matrix;
• and
• wherein pre-cutting station comprises a cutting roller positioned adjacent to an anvil roller, the cutting roller comprising a blade extending from a cylindrical surface of the cutting roller for cutting the facestock layer to form the lateral cut when the stock passes through a cutting space defined between the anvil and the cutting roller.