US3880692A — Web handling apparatus and method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 193 words

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LABELS OF VARYING SHAPES AND SIZES FROM A PREPARED LABEL SUPPLY TO A PRODUCT WHEREIN THE LABEL SUPPLY INCLUDES A PREPARED ELONGATED WEB COMPRISING A WEB REMMANT SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF REMOVABLE LABELS THROUGH OUT ITS OPERABLE LENGHT, AND WHEREIN SAID APPARATUS IS OF THE TYPE WHICH INCLUDES MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A TACKY SURFACE TO LABELS WITHIN THE WEB, RECIPROCATING PLUNGER MEANS AT A DETACHING STATION FOR DRIVING THROUGH THE WEB WHEN THE WEB IS SUBSTANTIALLY STATIONARY TO DETACH A LABEL FROM THE WEB, AND FOR APPLYING SAID LABEL TO A PRODUCT, AND MEANS AT THE DETACHING STATION FOR HOLDING SAID WEB REMNANT STATIONARY DURING REMOVAL OF A LABEL THEREFROM, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR ESTABILISHING A TACKY SURFACE TO LABELS INCLUDES MEANS FOR APPLYING A HOT MELT ADHESIVE TO LABEL SURFACES COMPRISING PORTIONS OF ONE SIDE OF SAID WEB, AND WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID WEB REMNANT STATIONARY INCLUDES HEATED WEB ENGAGING MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID ONE SIDE OF THE WEB ADJACENT THE LABEL SURFACES TO WHICH HOT MELT ADHESIVE HAS BEEN APPLIED IN ORDER TO RESIST ACCUMULATION OF SAID HOT MELT ADHESIVE ON SAID HOLDING MEANS.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 193 words

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LABELS OF VARYING SHAPES AND SIZES FROM A PREPARED LABEL SUPPLY TO A PRODUCT WHEREIN THE LABEL SUPPLY INCLUDES A PREPARED ELONGATED WEB COMPRISING A WEB REMMANT SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF REMOVABLE LABELS THROUGH OUT ITS OPERABLE LENGHT, AND WHEREIN SAID APPARATUS IS OF THE TYPE WHICH INCLUDES MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A TACKY SURFACE TO LABELS WITHIN THE WEB, RECIPROCATING PLUNGER MEANS AT A DETACHING STATION FOR DRIVING THROUGH THE WEB WHEN THE WEB IS SUBSTANTIALLY STATIONARY TO DETACH A LABEL FROM THE WEB, AND FOR APPLYING SAID LABEL TO A PRODUCT, AND MEANS AT THE DETACHING STATION FOR HOLDING SAID WEB REMNANT STATIONARY DURING REMOVAL OF A LABEL THEREFROM, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR ESTABILISHING A TACKY SURFACE TO LABELS INCLUDES MEANS FOR APPLYING A HOT MELT ADHESIVE TO LABEL SURFACES COMPRISING PORTIONS OF ONE SIDE OF SAID WEB, AND WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID WEB REMNANT STATIONARY INCLUDES HEATED WEB ENGAGING MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID ONE SIDE OF THE WEB ADJACENT THE LABEL SURFACES TO WHICH HOT MELT ADHESIVE HAS BEEN APPLIED IN ORDER TO RESIST ACCUMULATION OF SAID HOT MELT ADHESIVE ON SAID HOLDING MEANS.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said heated web engaging means comprises a clamp having a plurality of heated finger means for engaging said web.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 46 words

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein each of said finger means includes a web engaging end of relatively narow cross-section with respect to a remainder of the finger means, and including means for supplying an electrical current to ssaid finger means for heating the ends thereof.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said ends of said finger means surround a label to be detached from said web.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said finger means comprise a continuous electrically conductive member having electrical terminals at each end thereof.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 62 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means for applying a hot melt adhesive to label surfaces includes means for applying said adhesive to portions of said label surfaces, and wherein said heated web engaging means are disposed to engage said web near said adhesive portions, and further including non-heated clamping means for engaging said web adjacent non-adhesive portions of said labels.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 143 words

Apparatus for applying labels including means for establishing a tacky surface on labels within a label carrying web, reciprocating plunger means at a detaching station for engaging and passing through the plane of the web to detach a label from the web, and means at said detaching station for holding said web adjacent a label during detachment of a label from the web, wherein said means for establishing a tacky surface includes means for applying a hot melt adhesive to label surfaces comprising portions of one side of said web and wherein said means for holding said web comprises a heated web engaging and clamping means for engaging said one side of said web adjacent said label surfaces and for clamping said web against opposite supporting surfaces of said holding means, said heated web engaging and clamping means resisting accumulation of adhesive thereon.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 143 words

Apparatus for applying labels including means for establishing a tacky surface on labels within a label carrying web, reciprocating plunger means at a detaching station for engaging and passing through the plane of the web to detach a label from the web, and means at said detaching station for holding said web adjacent a label during detachment of a label from the web, wherein said means for establishing a tacky surface includes means for applying a hot melt adhesive to label surfaces comprising portions of one side of said web and wherein said means for holding said web comprises a heated web engaging and clamping means for engaging said one side of said web adjacent said label surfaces and for clamping said web against opposite supporting surfaces of said holding means, said heated web engaging and clamping means resisting accumulation of adhesive thereon.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 78 words

Apparatus for applying labels including a label supply comprising a label carrying web, means for applying a hot melt adhesive to said labels at one statiOn, reciprocating plunger means for engaging and passing through the plane of said web to detach a label therefrom at another subsequent station, and clamping means for holding said web stationary during detachment of a label therefrom, said clamping means including heated web engaging fingers having ends defining in combination approximate label shapes.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 78 words

Apparatus for applying labels including a label supply comprising a label carrying web, means for applying a hot melt adhesive to said labels at one statiOn, reciprocating plunger means for engaging and passing through the plane of said web to detach a label therefrom at another subsequent station, and clamping means for holding said web stationary during detachment of a label therefrom, said clamping means including heated web engaging fingers having ends defining in combination approximate label shapes.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said heated web engaging fingers are positioned to engage the web adjacent surfaces of the label to which hot melt adhesive has been applied.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said hot melt adhesive overlaps the labels onto the web adjacent the labels and said fingers engage said overlapping adhesive but resist accumulation of adhesive thereon.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 145 words

Apparatus for clamping a web having hot melt adhesive applied to one side thereof, and for removing an adhesive portion of the web when the web is clamped, said apparatus including means for supporting a non-adhesive side of said web and clamping means for engaging said one adhesive side of said web and for holding said web stationary against said supporting means, said clamping means including a plurality of web engaging fingers having heated tips for resisting accumulations of adhesive thereon, a plunger mounted for movement through the plane of the web and between said fingers for detaching a portion of said web to which adhesive is applied, and said plunger having a predetermined shape and said fingers and heated tips being disposed around an area corresponding to the shape of the plunger to permit the plunger to pass therebetween while said web is clamped.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 145 words

Apparatus for clamping a web having hot melt adhesive applied to one side thereof, and for removing an adhesive portion of the web when the web is clamped, said apparatus including means for supporting a non-adhesive side of said web and clamping means for engaging said one adhesive side of said web and for holding said web stationary against said supporting means, said clamping means including a plurality of web engaging fingers having heated tips for resisting accumulations of adhesive thereon, a plunger mounted for movement through the plane of the web and between said fingers for detaching a portion of said web to which adhesive is applied, and said plunger having a predetermined shape and said fingers and heated tips being disposed around an area corresponding to the shape of the plunger to permit the plunger to pass therebetween while said web is clamped.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 44 words

Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said web comprises a web remnant defining partially precut labels supported therein each label having at least portions covered by said adhesive, and wherein said fingers are disposed about an area corresponding to the shape of a label.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said clamping means hold said web remnant stationary during removal of a label therefrom.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said clamping means further includes non-heated web engaging means for engaging said one adhesive side of said web adjacent non-adhesive portions of said labels.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 145 words

A method for clamping a tacky web between spaced web engaging means on opposite sides of the web, wherein the web comprises a non-adhesive side and a hot melt adhesive at a predetermined temperature on portions of an adhesive side thereof, and further comprises a web remnant supporting a plurality of labels therein, said hot melt adhesive covering at least portions of label surfaces on said adhesive side, the method comprising: heating the web engaging means on the adhesive side of said web to a temperature approximately equal to said predetermined temperature to resist the accumulation of adhesive thereon, and clamping said web between said spaced web engaging means, the heated web engaging means contacting said adhesive side of said web, in areas of said web remnant adjacent a label, to permit the label to be removed from the web while the web is clamped.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 145 words

A method for clamping a tacky web between spaced web engaging means on opposite sides of the web, wherein the web comprises a non-adhesive side and a hot melt adhesive at a predetermined temperature on portions of an adhesive side thereof, and further comprises a web remnant supporting a plurality of labels therein, said hot melt adhesive covering at least portions of label surfaces on said adhesive side, the method comprising: heating the web engaging means on the adhesive side of said web to a temperature approximately equal to said predetermined temperature to resist the accumulation of adhesive thereon, and clamping said web between said spaced web engaging means, the heated web engaging means contacting said adhesive side of said web, in areas of said web remnant adjacent a label, to permit the label to be removed from the web while the web is clamped.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 38 words

A method as in claim 15 wherein the hot melt adhesive overlaps said label surfaces onto said web remnant and wherein the clamping step includes engaging the adhesive on the web remnant with said heated web engaging means.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 136 words

A method of clamping a web between spaced clamping means on opposite sides of the web, wherein the web comprises a non-adhesive side and an adhesive side to which a hot melt adhesive at a predetermined temperature has been applied, said hot melt adhesive covering at least portions of said web, the method comprising: heating the clamping means on the adhesive side of said web to a temperature approximately equal to said predetermined temperature to resist the accumulation of adhesive thereon, clamping said web between the heated clamping means on the adhesive side of the web, and the clamping means on the non-adhesive side of the web, said heated clamping means comprising a plurality of web engaging fingers having heated tips, and said clamping including engaging said adhesive side of said web with said heated tips.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 136 words

A method of clamping a web between spaced clamping means on opposite sides of the web, wherein the web comprises a non-adhesive side and an adhesive side to which a hot melt adhesive at a predetermined temperature has been applied, said hot melt adhesive covering at least portions of said web, the method comprising: heating the clamping means on the adhesive side of said web to a temperature approximately equal to said predetermined temperature to resist the accumulation of adhesive thereon, clamping said web between the heated clamping means on the adhesive side of the web, and the clamping means on the non-adhesive side of the web, said heated clamping means comprising a plurality of web engaging fingers having heated tips, and said clamping including engaging said adhesive side of said web with said heated tips.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 67 words

A method as in claim 17 wherein said web is elongated and comprises a web remnant defining partially precut labels supported therein, each label having at least portions covered by said adhesive and wherein the heated tips of web engaging fingers are disposed around an area corresponding to the shape of a label, said clamping including, engaging said web remnant around said labels with said heated tips.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method as in claim 18 wherein said heated tips engage said web remnant to hold said remnant stationary against the clamping means on the non-adhesive side of the web, said heated tips resisting adhesive accumulation thereon.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 49 words

A method as in claim 17 wherein portions of the clamping means on the adhesive side of the web are not heated, said clamping including, engaging the adhesive side of the web, in areas to which no adhesive has been applied, with said non-heated portions of the clamping means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-04-28	1978-10-28	1979-04-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-04-28	1982-10-28	1983-04-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-04-28	1986-10-28	1987-04-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Web handling apparatus and method

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