Flexible laminae handling apparatus

A system including a conveying apparatus for conveying objects to a label applying station and at the label applying station, a laminae handling apparatus, the label handling apparatus including laminae receiving surface having a plurality of openings which are connected to a negative pressure source, means to feed a lamina across the laminae receiving surface in a feed direction such that the lamina is retained by suction afforded by the negative pressure acting on a part of the lamina which overlies at least some of the openings of the surface, characterised in that the laminae receiving surface includes first and second parts which are relatively inclined to one another about a line which extends generally in the direction of laminae feed, the laminae handling apparatus being positioned relative to the conveying apparatus such that the laminae handling apparatus in use, retains a label where an object will engage the label as the object is conveyed to remove the label from the laminae receiving surface of the laminae handling apparatus as the object is conveyed past the label handling apparatus.

A method of handling a flexible lamina using a laminae handling apparatus including a laminae receiving surface having a plurality of openings which are connected to a negative pressure source, the method including feed the lamina across the laminae receiving surface in a feed direction such that the lamina is retained by suction afforded by the negative pressure acting on a part of the lamina which overlies at least some of the apertures of the plate, continuing to feed the lamina in the feed direction until a part of the lamina extends beyond a periphery of the laminae receiving surface characterised in that the method includes causing a retained lamina to adopt a non-planar configuration thus imparting rigidity to the part of the retained lamina extending beyond the surface periphery.