Apparatus and method for applying labels onto small cylindrical articles and web and adhesive delivery mechanism

An apparatus for applying a label onto a small cylindrical article comprising,

• a label transport drum that defines a central axis,
• means for supplying a label onto the surface of said drum,
• means for rotating said drum about its axis so that the label moves with the drum into an article wrapping position,
• means for applying an adhesive onto an area adjacent the leading edge of the label while the label is moving with said drum,
• wiper means spaced outward from the drum surface,
• means for positioning the trailing edge of the label outwardly from the drum surface for engaging said wiper means so that a predetermined amount of solvent is applied onto the trailing edge of the label, and
• means for delivering a small cylindrical article into tangential spinning engagement with the drum and into rotative engagement with the label as the label moves into the article wrapping position for wrap around labeling, said article delivering means being spaced outward from the drum surface a distance sufficient to allow clearance between said article delivery means and said biasing means during drum rotation, and including means spaced outward from the label transport drum for imparting attractive forces on the article in a direction that aids in smooth, tangential delivery of the article onto the drum surface and into engagement with a label positioned at the article wrapping position.

An apparatus for applying a thin film, heat shrinkable polymer label onto a drycell battery comprising,

• a label transport drum that defines a central horizontal axis,
• means for supplying a thin film, heat shrinkable polymer film label having a thickness less than 0.035 inches to the surface of said drum,
• means for rotating said drum about its horizontal axis so that the label moves with the drum into an article wrapping position,
• means for applying an adhesive onto an area adjacent the leading edge of the label while the label is moving with said drum,
• wiper means spaced outward from the drum surface,
• means for positioning the trailing edge of the label outwardly from the drum surface for engaging said wiper means and wiping a predetermined amount of solvent onto the trailing edge of the label, and
• means for delivering a drycell battery having a diameter less than about 1.75 inches into engagement with the drum as the label moves into the battery wrapping position for wrap around labelling, said delivery means having a battery discharge area that is spaced outward from the drum surface a distance sufficient to allow clearance between said battery delivery means and said biasing means during drum rotation, and including
• means spaced outward from the label transport drum for imparting magnetic forces on the battery in a direction that aids in smooth, tangential deliverance of the battery onto the drum surface and into engagement with a label positioned at the battery wrapping position.

A method for applying a label onto a small cylindrical article comprising:

• feeding a label onto the surface of a horizontally disposed label transport drum while rotating the drum about its horizontal axis so as to move the label with the drum into an article wrapping position,
• applying an adhesive onto an area adjacent the leading edge of the label,
• positioning the trailing edge of the label outwardly from the drum surface and engaging the trailing edge with a wiper that is spaced outward from the drum surface so that a predetermined amount of solvent is applied onto the trailing edge of the label when the trailing edge of the label engages the wiper, and
• delivering small cylindrical articles into tangential spinning engagement with the drum and into rotative engagement with the label, while also imparting attractive forces onto the article in a direction such as to aid in smooth, tangential deliverance of the article onto the drum surface and into engagement with a label positioned at the article wrapping position.