TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a. labelling machine .

The present invention is particularly advantageous for use in bottle labelling machines, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

BACKGROUND ART

In bottle labelling, a labelling machine is known comprising a conveyor wheel, in turn comprising a drive shaft mounted to rotate about a substantially vertical, longitudinal first axis; a rotary drum having a central hole engaged in angularly-fixed manner by the drive shaft, and a number of peripheral holes with respective longitudinal .second axes substantially parallel to one another and to the first axis; and a number of carrier units, each of which is fitted through a respective peripheral hole, coaxially with the relative second axis, has a supporting device defining a supporting surface for a respective bottle, and is moved by the drum about the first axis.

The labelling machine also comprises at least one labelling device connected to the conveyor wheel at a transfer station, where each label is transferred to a respective carrier unit and either wrapped directly about the. respective bottle, or first wrapped about the supporting device and then transferred to the bottle. The labelling machine also comprises an actuating device for moving the supporting device of each carrier unit about the respective second axis, and wrapping the label about the bottle or the. supporting device. The actuating device normally comprises a cam extending about the first axis; and, for each supporting device, at least one respective cam follower engaging the cam.

Given the relatively large number of mechanical components of the conveyor wheel - some of which are of considerable size - and the machining tolerance of each mechanical component, known labelling machines of the above type have several drawbacks , mainly due to the sum total of the machining tolerances impairing correct engagement of the cam by the cam followers, producing mechanical interference between the cam followers and the cam, causing wear and damage to the actuating device, and preventing complete standardization of the various mechanical components.

As a result, to prevent or at least safeguard against the above drawbacks, final assembly of known labelling machines of the above type may call for further machining of some of the mechanical components, thus increasing the time taken to install the machine.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a labelling machine designed to eliminate the above drawbacks, and which is cheap and easy to produce.

According to the present invention, there is provided a labelling machine as claimed in Claims 1 to 16.

The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a labelling machine.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a labelling machine, as claimed in Claims 17 to 23.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A non- limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic, partly sectioned view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the labelling machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic, partly sectioned view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a schematic longitudinal section, with parts removed for clarity, of a first detail in Figure 2 ;

Figure 4 shows a schematic longitudinal section, with parts removed for clarity, of a second detail in Figure 2 ;

Figures 5 and 6 show, schematically, assembly of the Figure 4 detail.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates as a whole a labelling machine for applying labels (not shown) to respective bottles (not shown) .

Machine 1 comprises a conveyor wheel 2, in turn comprising an upright 3, which has a longitudinal axis 4 parallel to a substantially vertical direction 5, is fixed to a frame (not shown) of machine 1, and is engaged in rotary manner by a drive shaft 6 projecting upwards from upright 3 in direction 5, and fitted to upright 3 with the interposition of two rolling bearings 7 to rotate, with respect to upright 3 and under control of a known actuating device (not shown) , about axis 4.

Shaft 6 supports a rotary drum 8, which extends about axis 4, is fitted in axially- and angularly-fixed manner to shaft 6 to rotate about axis 4, and comprises an annular top disk 9 extending over upright 3, crosswise to direction 5; a cylindrical lateral wall 10 projecting downwards from disk 9; and a bottom flange 11 projecting radially outwards from wall 10.

Drum 8 also comprises a central annular collar 12 , which is fixed inside disk 9, extends about shaft 6, and has a central hole 13 larger in diameter than the portion of shaft 6 fitted through hole 13.

Drum 8 also comprises a number of peripheral holes 14, which have respective longitudinal axes 15 substantially parallel to direction 5, are equally spaced about axis 4, and are each formed through a peripheral edge of disk 9 and through flange 11 in one drilling operation of drum 8. The radial position of drum 8 with respect to shaft 6, and therefore of each axis 15 with respect to axis 4, is controlled selectively by an adjusting device 16 comprising a number of (in the example shown, four) fixed adjusters 17, which are equally spaced about axis

4 , are aligned in pairs in two perpendicular radial directions, and are housed in respective cavities 18 formed in collar 12 and bounded at the bottom by respective bottom walls 19 substantially perpendicular to direction 5.

Adjusters 17 are axially maintained, in direction

5, inside respective cavities 18 by a top cover 20 extending about axis 4, are wedge-shaped, and are bounded radially inwards by respective flat faces 21 (Figure 4) facing shaft 6 and sloping with respect to axis 4.

Device 16 also comprises a number of movable adjusters 22, which are equal in number to adjusters 17, are equally spaced about axis 4, are aligned in pairs in two perpendicular radial directions, and each cooperate with a respective adjuster 17.

Each adjuster 22 is fitted between shaft 6 and respective adjuster 17, is fitted to shaft 6 to slide, with respect to shaft 6 and under control of an actuating device 23, in a straight line in direction 5, is wedge-shaped, and is bounded radially outwards by a flat face 24 (Figure 4) facing and complementary to respective face 21, and sloping with respect to axis 4. Device 23 comprises a central lowering screw 25, which extends in direction 5 , is screwed through cover 20, and engages the top of adjuster 22 to lower it in direction ^* 5 ; and two lateral lift screws 26, which are located on opposite sides of screw 25, extend through cover 20 in direction 5, and are screwed into adjuster 22 to lift it in direction 5.

Each hole 14 houses a known carrier unit 27, which is moved by wheel 2 about axis 4 and along a path extending through an input station (not shown) where the bottles (not shown) are fed onto machine 1; an output station (not shown) where the bottles (not shown) are fed off machine 1; and a labelling station (not shown) where each unit 27 receives a label (not shown) .

As shown in Figure 3, in the example shown, unit 27 comprises a top shaft 28, which extends in direction 5, is fitted to drum 8 with the interposition of a rolling bearing 29 to rotate with respect to drum 8 about axis 15, projects upwards in direction 5 from disk 9, and supports a plate 30 fixed, crosswise to axis 15, to the free top■ end of shaft 28, and defining a substantially horizontal supporting surface P for a bottle (not shown) .

Unit 27 also comprises a bottom shaft 31, which extends in direction 5, is fitted to drum 8 with the interposition of three rolling bearings 32 to rotate with respect to drum 8 about axis 15, and is connected to shaft 28 by a gear drive 33 comprising a ring gear 34 10 000080

7 fixed, coaxially with axis 15, to disk 9; a central gear 35 fitted to the bottom end of shaft 28; and three intermediate gears 36 mounted to rotate on shaft 31 and meshing with ring gear 34 and gear 35.

With reference to Figure 2, plates 30 are rotated about respective axes 15 by a cam actuating device 37 comprising an annular supporting plate 38, which extends about upright 3, crosswise to axis 4, is connected in axially- and angularly-fixed manner to upright 3, beneath drum 8, and has a central annular collar 39, which is fixed inside plate 38, extends about upright 3, and has a central hole 40 larger in diameter than the portion of upright 3 fitted through hole 40.

As shown in Figure 6, plate 38 has a number of peripheral holes 41, which have respective longitudinal axes 42 substantially parallel to direction 5, are equally spaced about axis 4, and each receive and retain a respective locating pin 43 projecting upwards from relative hole 41 in direction 5.

With reference to Figure 2, the radial position of plate 38 · with respect to upright 3, and therefore of each axis 42 with respect to axis 4, is selectively controlled by an adjusting device 44 identical to device 16 and therefore comprising a number of (in the example shown, four) fixed adjusters 45, which are equally spaced about axis 4, are aligned in pairs in two perpendicular radial directions, and are housed in respective cavities 46 formed in collar 39 and bounded 0

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at the bottom by respective bottom walls 47 substantially perpendicular to direction 5.

Adjusters 45 are axially maintained, in direction 5, inside respective cavities 46 by a top cover .48 extending about axis 4, are wedge-shaped, and are bounded radially inwards by respective flat faces 49 (Figure 4) facing upright 3 and sloping with respect to axis 4.

Device 44 also comprises a number of movable adjusters 50, which are equal in number to adjusters 45, are equally spaced about axis 4 , are aligned in pairs in two perpendicular radial directions, and each cooperate with a respective adjuster 45.

Each adjuster 50 is fitted between upright 3 and respective adjuster 45, is fitted to upright 3 to slide, with respect to upright 3 and under control of an actuating device 51, in a straight line in direction 5, is wedge-shaped, and is bounded radially outwards ^' by a flat face 52 (Figure 4) facing and complementary to respective face 49, and sloping with respect to axis 4.

Device 51 comprises a central lowering screw 53, which extends in direction 5 , is screwed through cover 48, and engages the top of adjuster 50 to lower it in direction 5; and two lateral lift screws 54, which are located on opposite sides of screw 53, extend through cover 48 in direction 5, and are screwed into adjuster 50 to lift it in direction 5.

Device 37 also comprises an annular bar 55, which 0

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extends about axis 4, is fitted onto pins 43, and, in the example shown, has two tracks 56, which face axis 4, extend in respective parallel, horizontal, superimposed planes, and comprise respective circular -portions formed in a fixed portion of bar 55, and, at the labelling station (not shown) , respective contoured portions formed in an interchangeable portion of bar 55, which can be changed depending on the type of bottles (not shown) .

For each unit 27, device 37 comprises two pairs of cam follower rollers 57 fitted to shaft 31, one pair over the other. The rollers 57 in each pair cooperate in known manner with a relative track 56 to rotate relative unit 27 about respective axis 15 at the labelling station (not shown) .

Correct radial positioning of drum 8 with respect to drive shaft 6, of supporting plate 38 with respect to upright 3, and, therefore, of axes 15 and 42 with respect to axis 4, will now ^' be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 , and as of when drive shaft 6 has been fitted through upright 3, coaxially with axis 4, and the whole defined by supporting plate 38 and adjusting device 44 has been fitted to upright 3 (Figure 5) .

After inserting four dummy pins 43 inside respective holes 41 aligned radially in pairs in two perpendicular radial directions, and measuring the distance between each pin 43 and shaft 6, i.e. the distance between axis 4 and axis 42 of each of the four pins 43, using a known gauge (not shown) fitted to shaft 6, the radially aligned adjusters 50 are raised and/or lowered in pairs in direction 5 to eliminate any difference between the gauge measurements.

For example, given two pins 43 (hereinafter referred to as 43a and 43b) aligned radially with each other and with two adjusters 50 (hereinafter referred to as 50a and 50b) , and assuming the distance Dl between pin 43a and axis 4 is greater than the distance D2 between pin 43b and axis 4, then the adjuster 50a facing pin 43a is raised in direction 5, and the adjuster 50b facing pin 43b is lowered in direction 5 to move plate 38 radially (to the right in Figure 5) with respect to upright 3, until distance Dl equals distance D2.

The above procedure is repeated for the other two pins 43, · so that, once the adjustments are completed, axes 42 are all equidistant from axis 4.

At this point, the whole defined by drum 8 and adjusting device 16 is fitted to shaft 6; four ground pin members 58 are inserted inside respective holes 14 aligned radially in pairs in two perpendicular radial directions; and a known gauge (not shown) is fixed to the outer periphery of plate 38 (Figure 6) .

After measuring the distance between each pin member 58 and the outer periphery of plate 38, i.e. the distance between the outer periphery of plate 38 and axis 15 of each pin member 58, the radially aligned adjusters 22 are raised and/or lowered in direction 5 to eliminate any difference between the gauge measurements.

For example, given two pin members 58 (hereinafter referred to as.58a and 58b) aligned radially with each other and with two adjusters 22 (hereinafter referred to as 22a and 22b) , and assuming the distance D3 between pin member 58a and the outer periphery of plate 38 is greater than the distance D4 between pin member 58b and the outer periphery of plate 38, then the adjuster 22b facing pin member 58b is raised in direction 5, and the adjuster 22a facing pin member 58a is lowered in direction. 5 to move drum 8 radially (to the left in Figure 6), until distance D3 equals distance D4.

The above procedure is repeated for the other two pin members 58, so that, once the adjustments are completed, axes 15 are all equidistant from the outer periphery of plate 38, and therefore from axis 4.

Correct positioning of axes 15 with respect to axes 42 can be checked using a tool for determining the distances between pins 43 and pin members 58.

In other words, adjusting devices 16 and 44 provide for correctly positioning each axis 15, 42 with respect to axis 4, and therefore each cam follower roller 57 with respect to relative track 56, regardless of mechanical component machining tolerances, and for continuously adjusting the radial position of drum 8 with respect to shaft 6, and of plate 38 with respect to upright 3, respectively. Obviously, if cam actuating device 37 and adjusting device 44 are eliminated, and plates 30 are rotated about respective axes 15 by alternative actuating devices, adjusting device 16 can still be used to ensure correct positioning of axes 15 with respect to axis 4.

In an embodiment not shown, the adjusters 17, 22 are eliminated and replaced, for example, by jacking screws .