International classification B65b and B65d.

STATE OF THE ART It is known that devices to apply adhesive labels present problems that reduce their production speed. The complex mechanisms that distribute labels, detaching them at the turning point of the continuous ribbon to which they are applied, are provided with an alternate motion that presents characteristic dynamic implications.

Said limitation to the production speed is necessary to reduce the effects of critical accelerations that occur during the phases of inversion of the alternate motion.

In said devices the problem to be solved is to lower to the minimum the moving masses in order to allow the increase of the production speed. Some types of labeling machines, as shown in figures 14,15 and 16 of the attached drawings, present instead functional uncertainties in the detachment phase when the front edge of the label is freed deforming itself downwards. Said deformation is contrasted by the suction effect of the fixed pusher above.

Afterwards the label, held by the pusher by suction, and simultaneously pushed by the feeding ribbon, is deformed stopping its sliding under the pusher and does not reach the preset position.

Even though the tuning of the transport and suction mechanisms would allow a perfect synchronization of the operations, there would still remain a functional uncertainty zone by the rear edge of the label. Such uncertainty is due to the fact that the feeding ribbon has ended its proceeding action, the rear end of the label is however still adherent to the ribbon and during the downwards transport phase through the pusher the label can be deformed.

The solution proposed by the present invention is to keep the labels feeding mechanisms still and give the alternate motion only to the pusher which transfer them upon the transiting objects after having detached them from the continuous ribbon to which they adhere.

It must be highlighted the fact that the transferring pusher has a much smaller mass than that of traditional unwrapping mechanisms of the film to which are attached the labels to the detached and transferred.

The surprising outcome of extended practical tests allows the doubling of the production speed without the vibrations or other functional uncertainties even for very thin and unstable labels.

DESCRIPTION The invention is now disclosed with reference to the schematic figures of the drawings, attached as a not restrictive example.

Figure 1 shows schematically an horizontal rectilinear portion of film F to which adhere the equidistant labels placed in a row on the upper part of said film F.

It can be noticed that the film's path, guided by the fixed rollers 10 and 11, inverts the directions by the rounded edge 8 of the rectilinear horizontal fixed plate 7, specially placed by a pusher P provided with alternate horizontal rectilinear motion.

In figure 1, it can also be noticed, that the return branch of film F, after having passed the end 8 of the fixed plate 7, is represented without adherent labels. The end 8 of fixed plate 7 has in fact the goal of detaching the labels during the running of film F.

It can also be noticed that the row of objects to be labeled comes synchronized along a stretch of horizontal rectilinear path, under the fixed plate 7.

Figure 2 shows the position taken by the initial trait schematized by figure 1 when the pusher P has gone back into a position which is completely superposed to the label 1 underneath, which is still totally adherent to film F. It can be noticed that the undergoing object to be labeled 1 is already completely placed under the plate 7 and is aligned with the pusher P above.

Figure 3 shows the position which the aforementioned initial trait takes during the simultaneous proceeding of the pusher and of label 1. It can be noticed that the undergoing object to be labeled proceeds simultaneously with a motion which is synchronized with the motion of the pusher and of the relative label. It should be also observed that inside the hollow pusher a suction pressure is performed which is indicated by small arrows A pointing upwards. It can be noticed that the body of label 1, during the simultaneous proceeding of the pusher, is partially already held by the suction A present within the pusher P while the remaining part of said label still adheres to film F, which continues its synchronized proceeding. It is evident that the label is never let loose and it assures the greatest reliability of the labeling operation which can happen at the highest production rhythms.

Figure 4 shows the operative position of the labeling machine when the body of the label is fully adherent to the pusher and it is there held steadily by the suction A present within. It can be noticed that the object I is already fully placed in perfect correspondence with the pusher P above.

Figure 5 shows the operative position of the labeling machine when the body of the label, due to a light pneumatic pressure marked by small dark arrows C and specially exerted inside the hollow pusher P, is pushed downwards towards the body of the object to be labeled I aligned below.

Figure 6 shows the label 1 already adherent to the object I below.

Figure 7 shows the operative position of the labeling machine when the already labeled object I is removed and the pusher P goes back and place itself at the beginning of a new operational cycle, while the object II simultaneously proceeds to place itself by the coming label 2.

Figure 8 is similar to figure 2, as it shows the beginning of a second operational cycle to label the object II.

Figure 9 is an enlargement of figure 3.

Figures 10 and 11 are similar to figure 3 and 4, but referred to a pusher that can perform also vertical movements.

Figure 12 shows the case of a pusher P that takes the label 1 directly onto the object I to be labeled. Figure 14 shows the return upwards of the pusher P.

Figures 14, 15 and 16 refer to the previous state of the art and it can noticed that the pusher P is fixed, with the wall 9 placed on the left of the edge 8 of the plate 7.

In the figures each single detail is marked as follows: P is an hollow pusher.

F is label-carrying film.

A indicates a suction pressure inside the pusher.

C indicates a blowing compression inside the pusher.

1,2, 3,4, 5, 6 are labels.

I, II, III, IV are objects to be labeled.

7 is a fixed plate.

8 is a rounded edge of the fixed plate.

9 is a vertical wall of the pusher.

10 and 11 are film-return roller.

The clearness of the figures highlights the reliability and the functional speed of the present invention.

The improvements object of the present invention can be easily applied to traditional existing labeling machines with specific technical solutions that simplify its practical functioning. The film feeding group can be fixed in an appropriate position, thus replacing the traditional motion of actuator devices with a simpler actuator which performs the horizontal rectilinear alternate motion of the hollow pusher with short excursions which suit the pace of the labels, and which is also equipped with devices to realize a suction and a compression inside the pusher.

Said pusher P can also be provided with vertical excursions to lower each label already sucked up and adherent to the pusher, that can be then transferred mechanically upon the object to be labeled below.

The invention of course allows for different variations of practical realization as far as the dimensioning and the structural proportioning of the pusher P and of the relatives actuators of its alternate and synchronized excursions are concerned. It is evident that even the fixed plat 7 can have structural proportioning which fit the need of labeling machines in which the dragging of the label-holding film could be realized with special synchronism.

It must be highlighted that the core of the present inventions lies in the replacement of the alternate movement of the complex mechanisms of label-holding film feeding with similar alternate movement of an hollow pusher P, much simpler and lighter, thus allowing to reach much higher production rhythms.

Another peculiar characteristic of the improvements object of the present invention is to intervene with the pusher P already placed above each label and to follow the synchronized horizontal proceeding. The pusher and each label proceed simultaneously so that the front edge of the label, when it begins to detach from the film, is already sucked up by the hollow pusher and it is kept adherent to it, that is never let loose. The body of label is never free because before detaching from the film is pneumatically caught by the pusher which holds it while it proceeds pushed by the advancing of the film, and it begins to detach from it because the film turns around the edge 8 of the fixed plate 7. Since the body of the label, when it is detached from the film, has a very unstable stance, it is important that it is never let completely loose. In this invention, from the beginning of the detachment from the film, the label is pneumatically caught by the pusher P, inside which there is a special pneumatic suction.

All the labeling machines which will feature a feeding device of a label-holding film blocked in preset position by a turning edge 8 of a fixed plate 7, together with a pusher P provided with horizontal rectilinear alternate motion, having the characteristics as basically described, shown and hereinafter claimed, will be considered as being part of the protection sphere of the present invention.