US3005565A - Label applying head for cut labels - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1961 J. E. DOANE ETAL LABEL APPLYING HEAD FOR cu'r LABELS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1959 Oct. 24, 1961 E. DOANE ETAL 3,005,565

LABEL APPLYING HEAD FOR CUT LABELS Filed June 19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 24, 1961 J. E. DOANE ETAL LABEL APPLYING HEAD FOR'CUT LABELS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 19, 1959 Oct. 24, 1961 J. E. DOANE ETAL 3,005,565

LABEL APPLYING HEAD FOR CUT LABELS Filed June 19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 24, 1961 J. E. DOANE ET AL 3,005,565

LABEL APPLYING HEAD FOR CUT LABELS Filed June 19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Ofifiee 3,005,565 Patented Oct. 24., 1961 3,005,565 LABEL APPLYING HEAD FOR CUT LABELS James E. Donne and Wayne F. Ridenour, (lhieago, IiL, assignors to Cheshire, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 19, 1959, Ser. No. 822,985 Claims. (Cl. 156571) This invention relates generally to machines for applying address labels to magazines or other periodicals, and has particular reference to an improved label applying head for feeding and applying an individual precut label from a hopper to a moving article.

This invention relates to improvements in machines of the general type as exemplified in Ridenour Patent No. 2,606,681, issued October 12, 1952, for Machine for Applying Address Labels. Said patent shows a labeling head for severing an address label from a strip thereof, applying adhesive to the severed label and subsequently applying it to a periodical (called a book in the trade) while it moves past the labeling head. The within invention is directed to an improved label applying head which will feed an individual precut label from the bottom of a stack thereof, and applying the label to a book while the book is moving beneath the labeling head. The invention herein is also directed to a structure for feeding and applying either a small or large address label to the book, irrespective whether the label is made of thin or heavy stock.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved label applying head capable of feeding individual precut labels from the bottom of a stack thereof, applying glue to the label and transferring it to a moving book as it moves beneath the label applying head.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus for transferring individual precut labels from the bottom of a stack thereof, the transfer from the bottom of the stack being accomplished by a pick up roller having suction openings thereon, the pick up roller cooperating with a hopper containing a stack of labels and being arranged to deform the label initially during its transfer to the pick up roller, suction means being employed for holding the label to the roller during its rotation from the pick up position to a transfer position at a label applying roller.

Another object is to provide an improved device effecting transfer from the hopper to the pick up roller, the pick up roller being subsequently movable to a position to transfer the label to a label applying roller, suction being employed for first transferring the label to the pick up roller, the suction being subsequently released at the point of the transfer to the label applying wheel.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification following taken with the drawings, which together describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment which the invention can assume in practice, and showing the best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein, and such other embodiments are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a label applying head embodying the improvements according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1

looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being shown in plan view;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the improved label applying head seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing details of the label applying roller of the labeling head seen in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a radial sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing passageways for applying suction to the label applying roller;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing details of a manifold for applying suction to the label applying roller of the label applying head seen in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing details of a suction manifold communicating with the label picking roller, so as to apply suction at the openings in the periphery thereof;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows showing details of the hopper and the label picking roller cooperating therewith, said view being to a larger scale than seen in FIG. 1; v

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the label picking roller seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, showing details of the suction openings in the periphery thereof;

FIG. 10 is a detail elevation view looking in the direction of the arrows along line Iii- 10 of FIG. 9, showing details of the suction openings in a central groove of the label picking roller;

FIG. 11 is a radial section taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 10, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a portion of the label picking roller seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, looking in the direction of the arrows 1212 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a View similar to FIG. 12, but showing another portion of the lable picking roller seen in FIGS. 10 and 11;

FIG. '14 is an elevational view taken along the line 1'4-14 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 15 is a section along the line 15-15 of FIG. 14 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIG. 1, the improved label head according to the present invention is designated by the reference numeral 20 and is adapted to place a label L upon a book B moving in the direction of the arrows. The book B moves along a conveyor table 21, and is moved longitudinally of such table by means of a conveyor 22 having lugs 23 spaced at regular intervals therealong. The conveyor 22 is reversed in its direction about an idler sprocket 24 mounted on shaft 26.

The arrangement for driving the conveyor 22 and for feeding of the books B for movement therewith is illustrated with reference to the aforesaid Ridenour patent. The labeling head 20 is driven in synchronisrn with the conveyor 22 and the books B moved thereby, and is mounted on the conveyor table 21 out of the path of the books B and in such fashion as to be in overlying relationship with respect to the books B.

The label applying head is supported in such overlying relationship with respect to the books B upon standards 27 disposed to each side of the conveyor 22. A driving shaft 28, see also FIG. 3, is supported at each end upon the standards 27 in bearings, not shown. The shaft 28 is driven in synchronism with the conveyor 22, and shaft 28 in turn drives a sprocket 29 fast thereon.

The shaft 28 affords a support for a frame 31 of the label applying head 20*. Frame 31 in turn affords a support for a label picking roller 32, a label applying roller 33 and an adhesive applying roller 34. The label picking roller 32 cooperates with a label stack LS supported in a hopper indicated generally by the reference numeral 35, and is operable to withdraw an individual label L from the bottom of the stack LS. The label picking roller 32 operates to transfer an individual precut label L to the label applying roller 33, label L in turn moving past the adhesive applying roller 34 where the label L receives a film of adhesive, the label applying roller 33 moving into the dotted line position seen in FIG. 1 to apply the precut and glued label L to the book B.

The frame 31 is provided with hearing supports 36, 37 and 38, these respectively holding longitudinally spaced bearings 39-, 41 and 42. A shaft 43 turns within the bearing 39, and the label picking roller 32 is fast thereto by means of key 44. The bearing 41 likewise supports a shaft 46 having the label applying roller 33 fast thereto by means of a key 47. The glue applying roller 34 is also fast upon a shaft 43 supported within the bearings 42. Each of the shafts 43, 46 and 48 is provided with a sprocket cooperating with a sprocket chain 49' driven by the sprocket 29 fast upon the shaft 28. Label picking roller 32 is accordingly driven by a sprocket 51 fast on shaft 43, and label applying roller 33 is also provided with a sprocket 52 fast on shaft 46. The glue applying roller 34 is driven by a sprocket 53 fast on the shaft 48.

Structure is provided for correcting the tension in the driving chain 49, and such structure includes a pin 54 having an eccentric 56 thereon with an idler sprocket 57 mounted on eccentric 56, the eccentric being adjusted in its position as desired. Means, not shown, are provided for locking the pin 54 in position to maintain the desired tension upon the sprocket chain 49.

The hopper is supported upon a frame 58 which includes a central hub 59 arranged to be pivoted on a boss 62 enclosing one of the bearings 39 of the shaft 43, see FIG. 2. The hub 59 is split and is clamped to the boss 62 by means of ears 61 extending from hub 59 and having a fastening screw 63 passing through the cars 61. The frame 58 is thus adjusted in its position with respect to the support boss 62. The hub 59 has an extension 65 therefrom which supports a laterally extending bottom hopper plate 64, the position of the hopper plate 64 on the extension 65 being adjusted by means of screws 70.

The hopper 35 is also defined by side guides 66 having feet 67 held in place to the bottom hopper plate 64 by a bolt 68 extending through a slot 69 therein. The hub 59 also has an extension 75 therefrom, generally at right angles to the extension 65, the extension 75 supporting an angle member 71 adjustably positioned "with respect thereto by cap screws 72, see FIG. 8. The angle member 71 has a leg 73, with guides 74 and 76 extending therefrom, the guides 74 and 76 being secured to the leg 73' by respective screws 77 and 78. The upper ends of the guides 74 and 76 are joined together by a cross member 79 held thereto by cap screws 81.

The guides 74 and 76 guide a forward gate 82, see

again FIG. 8, which is adjusted in its position with respect to the label picking roller by means of a screw 83. The end of the gate remote from the roller 32 has a cross member 84, into which the screw is threaded, the gate 82 being maintained in its adjusted position by means of a cylindrical spring 86 constrained between the cross member 79 and the cross member 84. It will be seen that any lost motion between the adjusting screw 83 and the'cross member 84 will be taken up by the spring 86.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 13 of the drawings, the label picking roller 32 has a hub 87 held to the shaft 4-3 by means of the key 44. The periphery of the roller 32 is provided with a central annular groove 88 having a radius corresponding substantially with a radius 89 at the lower end of the gate 82. The central groove 83 has a pair of openings 90 and 91 therein which are separated by a web 92.

The web 92 limits the deformation of the label at the openin s 90 and 91, and yet there is afforded good suction at the openings to give good separation of the bottommost label. These openings 98 and 91 connect with a radial passageway 93 within the roller 32, the passageway 93 in turn connecting to a passageway 94 intersecting one side of the roller 32, see also FIG. 2. The central groove 83 of roller 32 is flanked by lands 96 and 97, and lands 96 and 97 have openings 98, )9 and 161 therein respectively connected with radial passageways 162, 103 and 134, these passageways in turn being conheated with passageways 18-6, 167 and 108 respectively intersecting the side of the roller 32 in a fashion similar to the passageway 94, see also FIG. 7.

Structure is provided for applying suction to the openings 9t 91, 98, as, 101 so that a label L withdrawn from the bottom of the stack L5 is held to the periphery the roller 32 by such suction. To this end the roller 32 is flanked by a suction manifold 109 including a wear plate iii interposed between the manifold 109 and the side of the roller 32.

The manifold 1239 has a central hub 112 which is supported upon the shaft 43, and the manifold is held to the wear plate 111 by countersunk screws 116, see also FIGS. 14 and 15. The manifold 1'99 has a passageway 114 communicating with a suction pipe 11-8 threadably connected with the manifold 16? at a boss 119, see FIGS. 7 and 14. The wear plate 111 has an annular cavity 117, seen in FIGS. 2 and i4,'causing communication of the passageways heretofore described with the suction pipe 118 as the label picking roller rotates.

The label picking roller 32 seen in FIG. 7 is thus adapted to remove the bottornrnost label L from the label stack LS disposed within the hopper 35. As the label picking roller 32 moves into a position against such lowermost label L the suction is applied by means of the suction manifold 109 and wear plate 111, the passageway 94 of the label picking roller 32 coming into register with the annular cavity 117 in the wear plate 111, which in turn is connected to the suction pipe 118. The suction in the pipe 118 will thus be applied at the openings 99 and 91 in the periphery of the picking roller 32 to pick up the leading edges of the label L, the gate 82 help ing to eifect a separation between the bottommost label and the one immediately thereabove.

As the roller '32 revolves past the hopper 35, the suction will in turn be applied at the openings 9.; and 99 and 161 in lands 96 and 97 of the label picking roller 32, to hold down the trailing end of the label being removed from the hopper 35.

The openings 98, 99 and 161 may be selectively blockedby countersunk screws (not shown), the openings being tapped to receive the screws. Suction will accordingly be applied only to holes at the trailing end of the label.

It may be noted that the manifold 16? can be rotated about the shaft 4-3, its position being adjusted with respect to the position of the hopper 35. The suction pipe 118 and the manifold 109 are held in position by a slotted adjusting strap 121, the position of which can be adjusted with respect to the arm 69 by the adjusting screw 122 and slot 123, seen in FIG. 1.

Likewise, the position of the hopper with respect to the label picking roller 32 may be adjusted by rocking the hub 59 supporting said hopper about the boss 62, other adjustment of the position being also provided by adjusting the position of bottom plate 64 and locking the screws 79 seen in FIG. 1.

The control of suction against the suction openings 90, 91, 98, 99 and 101 is achieved by the passageways 94, 105, 137 and 103 which are opened and closed as the roller 32 moves with respect to the wear plate 111, and the opening 117 therein. The passageways 106', 107 and 108 are thus adapted to communicate in turn with the openings 117 connected to the annular suction cavity 114 as the label picking roller rotates past the hopper 35. Likewise, the chambers 107 and 108 are thus able to communicate with the annular cavity 114 in accordance with the length of a label being picked by the label picking roller 32.

It will thus be seen that the label L is adapted to be held to the periphery of the label picking roller 32 irrespective of the length thereof, in each such case the trailing end of the label L being held to the periphery of the picking roller 32 by means of the suction openings 98, 99 and 101, depending upon the length of the severed label L.

It will be noted that the leading end of the label L is deformed slightly so as to enter the groove 38 of the label picking roller 32 as seen more clearly in FIG. 8, the amount of deformation at the leading end of the label L being controlled by the configuration of the cross land 92 extending between the openings 99 and 91. Such deformation of the label L, however, is not carried throughout the length of the label L, the label being flattened toward the trailing end thereof, and being held in a flat condition, transversely across the spaced lands 96 and 97 of the label picking roller 32.

Structure is provided for eifecting transfer from the label picking roller 32 to the label applying roller 33, the label applying roller 33 being adapted to hold the label L to the periphery thereof by suction applied to openings of the label applying roller 33.

As seen more particularly in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 of the drawings, the label applying roller 33 includes a central hub 126 which is keyed to the shaft 46 by means of the key 47, see particularly FIG. 2. The label applying roller 33 cooperates with a suction manifold 127 connected by countersunk screws 128 to a wear plate 129, the suction manifold 127 having a suction passageway 136 therein connected by a suction pipe 131 to a suitable source of suction, similar to the source providing suction at the suct on passageway 18 for the label picking roller 32. The wear plate 129 has an annular cavity 130 therein in communication at all times with suction pipe 131 connected to the manifold 127. The dimensions of the annular cavity 136 in the wear plate 129 is defined by end walls 129a and 12%.

The label applying roller 33 is provided with a raised pad portion 133 which is held to the periphery of the label applying roller 33 by means of cap screws 134, see FIG. 4. The raised padded portion 133 has a suction chamber 136 therein in register with a radial suction pass-ageway 137 in the label applying roller 33. The radial passageway 137 has an opening 138 which at times comes into register with an annular cavity 131 in the wear plate 129. The suction passageway 136 within the pad 133 communicates with a suction opening 139 in the periphery of the raised pad portion 133, and the passageway 136 within the pad 133 also communicates with a radial suction passageway 141, see particularly FIG. 4.

The two suction openings 139 and 141 provide suction against label L which has been transferred from the label picking roller 32 to the label applying roller 33. It may be noted that other passageways, not shown, similar to the passa eway 141 may be provided in the pad 133 to hold a label L thereto both along the leading end and the trailing end thereof, in accordance with the length of the label L. It will be seen also, that the movement of the label applying roller 33 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 4, will control the suction at the openings 139 and 141, the label L being adapted to be held to the pad 133 by the suction and to be released from the pad 133 as it moves to the label applying position. "It will be noted that the suction on the openings 139 and 141 will be relieved as the pad 133 moves to the label applying position seen in FIG. 1, the radial passageway 137 and passageway 138 being in between the end walls 129a and 129!) of wear plate 129.

'The point at which the suction is applied to the raised pad portion 133 of label applying roller 33 is varied'by rocking the suction manifold 127 on the shaft 46. Its position is maintained by means of a hanger 151 secured to a mounting car 152 located on frame 31, a bolt 153 being provided for holding the hanger 151 in position.

The raised pad 133 on the label applying roller is adapted to cooperate with the glue applying roller 34, see FIG. 3, which has a number of circumferential alternating lands 148 and grooves 149 thereon. These interdigitate with alternating grooves and lands 143 on the label applying roller 33, so that any glue on lands 148 of glue roller 34 will not apply glue to the raised pad portion 133 if there is a miss on the conveyor 21 of the books B or a miss in the feed of a label L from the label stack LS by way of roller 32. a It may be noted that the width of the glue applying roller 34, is greater than the width of the label picking roller 32 and the label applying roller 33 and the glue roller is capable of gluing both narrow and wide labels L. It should be noted that the width of the label picking roller 32 is sufficient to provide the deformation at the leading end of the label L in the central groove 88 a trailing portion of the label L being flattened between the suction openings in the periphery of the lands 96 and 97 of the label picking roller 32.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 particularly, the grooves 143 of pad 133 alternate with the radially extending suction openings 141, as seen in FIG. 5. The relationship of these radially extending suction passageways 141 to the peripherally extending grooves 143 is such as to hold the label L tightly against the raised pad portion 133 while the label picking roller 32 and the label applying roller 33 are in cooperating relationship as seen in FIG. 2.

As with the label picking roller 32 previously described, the label applying roller 33 may have other radially extending grooves, not shown, which are adapted to hold the trailing end of the label L against the label applying roller pad 133.

It will be noted from the description thus far that the label picking roller 32 moves in a clockwise direction to transfer the cut label L to the label applying roller 33, the label applying roller being adapted to rotate in a counter clockwise direction so that the raised pad 133 thereof comes into 7 contact with the adhesive applying roller 34- with the label L therebetween.

The adhesive applying roller 34, see also FIG. 2, is fast on the shaft 48 by means of a key 144 and the adhesive applying roller 34 turns in .a reservoir 14 6 supported by the frame 31, see FIG. 1. The level of adhesive in the reservoir 146 is supplied bysupply means 147, the precise form of which forms no part of the present invention and is therefore not shown in detail, such supply having suitable means for regulating the height of the liquid adhesive within the reservoir 146. The alternate lands 148 and grooves 149 cooperate to place a plurality of glue lines on the back of the label L held to the pad 133 of the label applying roller 33. It may be noted that the width of the glue applying roller 34- may be wider than the width of the label L.

It will be seen from the description foregoing that the label picking roller 32 is adapted to withdraw the bottom most label L from the hopper 35 containing a stack of labels LS therein, the label picked up by means of the label picking roller 32. being adapted to transfer the same unto the label applying roller 33. During such picking operation of the label L from the bottom of the stack LS thereof, suction is applied to the label L to hold the same to the label picking roller 32. It may be noted that the configuration of the label picking roller 32 is such as to deform the leading end thereof, the central groove of the label picking roller 3-2 cooperating with the gate 82, the cooperation of the gate 82 and the central groove 88 being such as to provide good separation between the bottommost label L of the stack LS and the next superjacent label. It willbe noted also that the trailing end of the label L will be maintained in a flat condition by means of the suction openings in the periphery of the lands 96 and 7 of the label picking roller 32, such flat condition of the trailing end of the label providing good transfer between the label picking roller and the label applying roller.

Structure is provided for controlling the suction within the passageways 131 and 118, and the control of such suction may be by mechanism such as is shown in the aforesaid Ridenour patent, the suction being relieved when there is a gap between the books as might be occasioned by the failure of the feed rollers at the hopper to opcrate properly or by reason of the fact that the hopper is no longer provided with books. In such case, the label picking roller 32 no longer picks a label from the hopper 35 by reason'of the fact that the suction is released at such rollerJ While the invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, thereof, its scope is intended to be limited only by the claims here appended.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a label applying machine for applying a precut label to a moving article; a label applying head of the type comprising a frame supporting a hopper for a stack of precut labels, a label picking roller adapted to remove a single label from the bottom of said stack, a label applying roller adapted to receive said single label from said picking roller and transfer same to said moving article including an adhesive applying roller cooperating with said label applying roller and adapted to place 7 a film of adhesive on said label as it moves past said adhesive applying roller, the improvement in said label picking roller and said hopper comprising a central groove in said label picking roller, a gate mounted on said hopper and having an end thereof adapted to enter said groove. but spaced therefrom, a suction manifold on said label picking roller, a suction opening in said groove, means in said label picking roller adapted to control the suction at said opening whereby said bottommost label is deformed at the leading end thereof into said groove, lands on said label picking rollerfianking said central groove, means for positioning said manifold relative to said label picking roller for varying the point at which suction is applied to said label picking roller, and means for varying the position of said hopper with respect to said label picking roller for varying the position Where said label picking roller removes a label from said hopper.

2. In a label applying machine for applying a precut label to. a moving article; a label applying head of the type comprising a frame supporting a hopper for a stack of precut'labels, a label picking roller adapted to remove a. single label from the bottom of said stack, a label applying roller adapted toreceive said single label from saidpicking roller and transfer same to said moving article including an adhesive applying roller cooperating with said label applying roller and adapted to place a film of adhesive on said lable as it moves past said adhesive applying roller, the improvement in said label picking roller and said hopper comprising a central groove in said label picking roller, a gate mounted'on said hopper and having an end thereof adapted to enter said groove, but spaced therefrom, a suction manifold on said label picking roller, a suction opening in said groove, means in said label picking roller adapted to control the suction at said opening whereby said bottommost label is deformed at the leading end thereof into said groove, lands on said label picking roller flanking said central groove, suction openings spaced from said central suction opening for holding the trailing end of smd label to the periphery of said roller, and means for varying the position of said hopper with respect to said label picking roller for varying the position where said label picking roller removes a label fromsaid hopper.

3. In a label applying machine for applying a precut label to a moving article; a label applying head of the type comprising a frame supporting a hopper for a stack of precut labels, a label picking roller adapted to remove a single label from the bottom of said stack, a label applying roller adapted to receive said single label from said picking roller and transfer same to said moving article including an adhesive applying roller cooperating with said label applying roller and adapted to place a film of adhesive on said label as it moves past said adhesive applying roller, the improvement in said label picking roller and said hopper comprising a central groove in said label picking roller, a gate mounted on said hopper and having an end thereof adapted to enter said groove but spaced therefrom, a suction manifold on said'label picking roller, a suction opening in said groove, means in said label picking roller adapted to control the suction at said opening whereby said bottommost label is deformed at the leading end thereof into said groove, lands on said label picking roller flanking said central groove, suction openings spaced from said central suction opening for holding the trailing end of said label to the periphery of said roller, and means for positioning said manifold relative to said label picking roller for varying the point at which suction is applied to said label picking roller.

4. In a label applying machine for applying a precut label to a moving article; a label applying head of the type comprising a frame supporting a hopper for a stack of precut labels, a label picking roller adapted to remove a single label from the bottom of said stack, a label applying roller adapted to receive said single label from said picking roller and transfer same to said moving article including an adhesive applying roller cooperating with said label applying roller and adapted to place a film of adhesive on said label as it moves past said adhesive applying roller, the improvement in said label picking roller and said hoppercornprising a central groove in said label picking roller, a gate mounted on said hopper and having an end thereof adapted to enter said groove but be spaced therefrom, a suction manifold on said label picking roller, a suction opening in said groove, means in said label picking roller adapted to control the suction at said opening whereby said bottommost label is deformed at the leading end thereof into said groove, lands on said label picking roller flanking said central groove, and suction openings spaced from said central suction opening for holding the trailing end of said label to the periphery of said roller.

5. In a label applying machine for applying a precut label to a moving article; a label applying head of the type comprising a frame supporting a hopper for a stack of precut labels, a label picking roller adapted to remove a single label from the bottom of said stack, a label applying roller adapted to receive said single label from said picking roller and transfer same to said moving article including an adhesive applying roller cooperating wlth said label applying roller and adapted to place a film of adhesive on said label as it moves past said adhes ve applying roller, the improvement in said label picking roller and said hopper comprising a central groove in said label picking roller, a gate mounted on said hopper and having an entl thereof adapted to enter said groove, a

9 suction manifold on said label picking roller, a suction opening in said groove, means in said label picking roller adapted to control the suction at said opening whereby said bottornmost label is deformed at the leading end thereof into said groove, means extending across said groove at said suction opening for limiting the deformation of said label at said suction opening, lands on said label picking roller flanking said central groove, and suction openings spaced from said central suction opening for holding the trailing end of said label to the periphery of said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kagley Mar. 26, 1940 Von Hofe Oct. 7, 1952 Rose July 14, 1953 Zimpel Feb. 9, 1954

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