Labeling machine with mechanical timing means

Abstract

A labeling machine has a rotatably mounted drive wheel with alternating knurled and recessed sections formed on its circumference. The drive wheel rotates at a predetermined number of revolutions per minute, and the respective lengths of the knurled and recessed sections are pre-selected to provide a timing function that synchronizes operation of various parts of the machine. A label-carrying backing is driven along a path of travel between a supply drum and a take-up drum when a knurled section is in meshing agreement with a rotatably mounted pressure wheel. The backing is held against travel by a detent member when a recessed section is in juxtaposition with the pressure wheel, and a rotatably mounted cam operates an air valve that causes the detent member to momentarily release the backing just before a knurled section engages the pressure wheel. The backing follows a path of travel that takes it through a label-peeling device that sequentially separates each label from the backing and applies it to a conveyor-transported product package at a label-applying station. Each knurled section has a length equal to the sum of the spacing between the labels and a major portion of the length of the label itself so that the backing is driven by rotation of the drive wheel a distance sufficient to apply a label to a product package moving past the label-peeling device, and locate the next label to be applied at the spot just vacated by the prior label, and for a following product package to enter the label-applying station during the time the backing is held against travel by the detent member. The effective circumferential extent of the knurled section is adjustable to match labels of differing lengths by forming the drive wheel of three independent drive discs, one of which is mounted for rotational adjustment on the drive shaft so that it may lead the knurled sections of the remaining drive discs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.