In-mold label dispenser for blow molding machine

In a plastic blow molding machine including a wheel mounted for rotation and a plurality of molds mounted on the wheel for rotation therewith, each mold having mold sections movable between open and closed positions, and the mold sections of each mold including cavity sections which cooperatively define a cavity in which the blow molding is performed with the mold sections in the closed position and which permit ejection of a molded part in the open position, an in-mold label dispenser comprising:

• a label magazine for storing labels;
• a base on which the label magazine is mounted adjacent the wheel;
• a dispensing head mounted on the base for movement along a first path from adjacent the label magazine to between the mold sections of an adjacent open mold on the wheel;
• a label carrier mounted on the dispensing head for movement along a second path transverse to the first path between retracted and extended positions;
• and a dispensing head and label carrier drive mechanism, said drive mechanism having an input that is mounted on the base and driven in association with the rotation of the wheel and movement of the molds of the blow molding machine, said drive mechanisms including a first solid mechanical drive that extends from the base to the dispensing head, said first solid mechanical drive having an input driven by the input of the drive mechanism to move the dispensing head in association with the rotation of the wheel and movement of the molds, said drive mechanism also including a second solid mechanical drive that extends from the base to the label carrier, said second solid mechanical drive having an input driven by the input of the drive mechanism to move the label carrier in association with the rotation of the wheel and movement of the molds, and said drive mechanism through the input thereof driving the inputs of the first and second solid mechanical drives actuating movement of the dispensing head and label carrier in association with the rotation of the wheel and movement of the molds during a cyclical operation that:
• (a) initially moves the label carrier from the retracted position to the extended position with the dispensing head adjacent the label magazine such that the label carrier receives a label from the magazine, (b) thereafter moves the label carrier to the retracted position with the label thereon and also moves the dispensing head to between the mold sections of said adjacent open mold, (c) subsequently moves the label carrier to the extended position to deposit the label within the cavity section in one of the mold sections of the adjacent open mold, and (d) finally moves the label carrier back to the retracted position and moves the dispensing head from between the mold sections of the adjacent open mold back to adjacent the label magazine in preparation of the next cycle.