Labeling machine

Claim 2

For use with the conveyor of a filling machine on which are moved containers to which labels are to be applied, a labelling machine comprising supply means for storing a supply of tapecarrying pressure-sensitive labels, a label application station, means at the station for stripping the labels from the tape and affixing the labels to the containers, and indexing wheel for receiving the stripped tape from the station and acting to move the label-carrying tape from the supply means to said station, and drive means for intermittently rotating the indexing wheel having a part in the path of movement of the containers on the conveyor, and a mechanical linkage connecting said part directly to said indexing wheel whereby container movement drives said part out of the container path and actuates the drive means to move the indexing wheel.

Claim 3

A labeling machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said indexing wheel comprises a base disc, segmental members movably associated with the disc, and means for adjusting the segmental members to vary the diameter of the indexing wheel to compensate for labels of varying lengths.

Claim 4

A labeling machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said drive means comprises a lever having an arm projecting into the path of the containers to be moved thereby, means for yieldably biasing said lever to an initial position in which the arm is in the path of the containers, and a ratchet and pawl mechanism connected between said lever and indexing wheel for advancing the latter and the tape through a prescribed angular distance corresponding to the throw of the pawl as driven by the lever incident to the passage of a container.

Claim 5

A labeling machine as claimed in claim 3 in which said indexing wheel has the ratchet teeth and the pawl is connected to and driven by the lever in constant throw actuation and said indexing wheel comprises segmental members contacting the tape, and means for adjusting the segmental members radially of the wheel to increase and decrease circumference of the wheel whereby to increase and decrease indexing movements of the wheel as affecting linear movements of the tape without affecting the constant length throw of the pawl.

Claim 6

A labeling machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said indexing wheel comprises a base having radially oriented depressed portions, fixed guide blocks removably fitted to said depressed portions and having threaded openings therethrough, segmental members having slots for fitting about and radially sliding on said guide blocks and having depressed shouldered portions at upper portions of the slots, washers removably fitted in the upper portions of the slots and against the shouldered portions, threaded sleeves in said radial slots between the guide block and washers, and screw fasteners independently threaded from the bottom of the base through the base and guide blocks into the lower ends of the sleeves and downwardly through the washers into the upper ends of the sleeves for binding the guide blocks in place and binding the washers to the shouldered portions for retaining the segmental members in adjusted positions.