Label dispenser with articulated guide

Abstract

A label dispenser for applying labels to containers transported via a conveyor includes a supply of labels carried by a web, a head for transferring the labels from the web to the containers, and a guide assembly which joins the head to the supply station. The length of the guide assembly is selected to space the supply station away from the head and from the conveyor thereby to provide space for other equipment alongside the conveyor. Web delivering labels to the head and spent web are both carried within the guide assembly in close proximity to each other to minimize the cross-sectional dimensions of the guide assembly. A set of rails is angled relative to the path of travel, the web making slidable contact with the rails and being folded thereabout to provide for a bending of the path, thereby to accommodate an angling of the head relative to the guide assembly for alignment with the conveyor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.