Process and apparatus for forming tubular labels of heat shrinkable film and inserting containers therein

Process for forming tubular labels made of heat shrinkable films and adhering them on bottles or containers, said process providing the transfer of the bottles or containers into the formed tubular labels, so-called sleeves, by a down movement of said bottles or containers into the sleeve, wherein the process comprises:

• the steps of unwinding and cutting a heat shrinkable film from a reel for obtaining precut labels having a length slightly longer than a cross-section perimeter of the bottle;
• the step of transferring the precut label by a drum provided with areas for drawing the precut label, characterized by the fact it comprises the additional steps of:
• winding the precut label on a rotating tubular-shaped plate supporting the container or bottle to be labelled;
• sealing both vertical overlapped ends of the precut label in a predetermined position for obtaining a tubular label, said sealing step comprising heat sealing or adhesives;
• removing the label from the tubular plate and transferring the plate and the container on it in order to insert the latter into the tubular label in the position in which the label will be located;
• heating the container to heat shrink the label on the container.