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US 4,215,460 AGranted
Apparatus and method for assemblying tubular sleeve preforms and containers
AssigneeOwens-Illinois, Inc.
InventorsStephen W. Amberg, Ralph G. Amberg
Life of this patent
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AssigneeOwens-Illinois, Inc.
InventorsStephen W. Amberg, Ralph G. Amberg
Estimating the term…
This invention relates to apparatus and method for producing a composite container having a neck label or tubular sleeve mounted temporarily thereon adapted to be shrunken into final surface covering relation. The tubular sleeve is preformed of relatively-stiff material and flat-folded until ready for use when it is fully opened and conveyed into vertical alignment with a container therebeneath. The sleeve preform comprised of heat-shrinkable plastic material is telescopically assembled onto the container while the latter is transported in spaced upright arrangement. The preform is moved downwardly by a pair of gripping vacuum cups moving downwardly and divergently to open the preform and place the same telescopically on the container upper portion. Alternately, the opened preform is placed on a cylindrical mandrel to more fully open the preform prior to its being mounted telescopically on the container neck portion. The preform on the upper portion of the container in finally-aligned relation is then adapted to heat-shrinking in place in permanent conforming arrangement.
Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to an article continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising means for supplying a preformed heat-shrinkable semi-rigid tubular band in flat-folded condition, vacuum means adapted to movement downwardly and divergently to grip juxtaposed exterior surfaces of said band and to effect its major opening while transporting the same along a downward path, means for continuously conveying the article in upright timed relation with its upper extremity closely adjacent and physically contacting the lower extremity of a lowered open band while still retained by said vacuum means, said band having a slightly greater diameter than the exterior diameter of an upper portion of said article, said vacuum means being pivotally mounted to facilitate pivotal movement of said band upon contact by said article to assist its delivery thereon.
Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to a container continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising a supply means of preformed heat-shrinkable tubular bands of predetermined length and diameter retained in flat-folded condition, vacuum means consisting of two reaches of equi-spaced vacuum cups arranged in cooperative pairs in downward and divergent relation adapted to gripping opposing exterior surfaces of an individual flattened band delivered from said supply means for fully opening same, conveyor means for continuously transporting the containers in equi-spaced, timed relation with the upper extremity of each container closely adjacent and physically contacting the lower extremity of a lowered opened band while still retained at a lowermost position by said vacuum means, said vacuum cups being pivotally mounted to facilitate pivotal movement of said band upon contact by the upper extremity of said container to assist its delivery thereon.
Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to a container continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising a supply means of preformed heat-shrinkable tubular bands of predetermined length and diameter retained in flat-folded condition, vacuum means consisting of two reaches of equi-spaced vacuum cups arranged in cooperative pairs in downward and divergent facing relation adapted to gripping opposing exterior surfaces of an individual band delivered from said supply means for partially opening same, a series of cylindrical mandrels of lesser diameter than said bands mounted on an endless belt in equi-spaced vertical arrangement in a path intersecting the path of said lowermost opened band, conveyor means for continuously transporting the containers in equi-spaced timed relation immediately below said series of mandrels and in the same spacing, the opened bands adapted to loading onto said mandrels serially for their further opening, the mandrels adapted to vertical rotation in a vertical plane on said belt to effect delivery of said bands onto said containers passing serially therebeneath.
The method of applying a tubular band to the upper portions of a container comprising the steps of supplying a preformed heat-shrinkable semi-rigid tubular band in flat-folded condition, transporting said band downwardly by a pair of vacuum cups moving downwardly and divergently gripping opposing exterior surfaces of said band for opening same, conveying the said container in upright timed relation so that its upper portion contacts the lower extremity of said band, and telescoping said band over the upper portion of said container during their intersecting travel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.