Method of operating a beverage container filling plant with a labeling machine for labeling beverage containers such as bottles and cans, and a beverage container filling plant with a labeling machine for labeling beverage containers such as bottles and cans

Abstract

Beverage filling plant comprising a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position comprising a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material; said filling devices comprising apparatus being configured to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material; said apparatus configured to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material comprising apparatus being configured to terminate the filling of beverage bottles upon liquid beverage filling material reaching said substantially predetermined level in bottles; a first conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move inspected bottles from said inspection machine to said filling machine; a closing station being configured to close filled bottles. The labeling machine is for the processing of sleeve, paper, roll-feed and self-adhesive labels in the form of a strip of labels which are supplied not in the form of rolls but in special receptacles such as boxes, whereby the label strips are arranged in this receptacle such that both the beginning and the end of the label strip are accessible even when the receptacle is full.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of labeling beverage containers in a beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material, said beverage bottling plant comprising: 
 a beverage filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position comprising a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material;    said filling devices comprising apparatus being configured to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material;    said apparatus configured to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material comprising apparatus being configured to terminate the filling of beverage bottles upon liquid beverage filling material reaching said substantially predetermined level in bottles;    a first conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move said bottles from a supply of bottles to said filling machine;    a closing station being configured to close filled bottles;    a second conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer filled bottles from said filling machine to said closing station;    a labeling station being configured to label filled bottles with labels from a strip of labels directly from a first box, said strip of labels being folded over and lined-up in a continuous serpentine inside said first box;    said strip of labels having a first end and a second end;    said first box having a first opening and a second opening;    said first end being configured and disposed to be accessible through said first opening to permit removal of said first end from said first box through said first opening;    said second end being configured and disposed to be accessible through said second opening to permit removal of said second end from said first box through said second opening;    a second box having a strip of labels being folded over and lined-up in a continuous serpentine inside said second box;    said second box having a first opening and a second opening;    said first end of said strip of labels in said second box being configured and disposed to be accessible through said first opening in said second box to permit removal of said first end from said second box through said first opening;    said second end of said strip of labels in said second box being configured and disposed to be accessible through said second opening in said second box to permit removal of said second end from said second box through said second opening;    said strips of labels being arranged in said boxes such that both the first end and the second end of the strips of labels are accessible even when said boxes are full;    a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer filled bottles from said closing station to said labeling station;    said method comprising the steps of:    moving said bottles to said filling machine;    filling bottles with a predetermined amount of liquid beverage filling material from said filling devices;    moving said filled bottles to said closing station;    closing said filled bottles;    moving said closed bottles to said labeling station;    removing said first end of said strip of labels from said first box;    inserting said first end of said strip of labels from said first box into said labeling machine;    activating said labeling machine to remove at least a portion of said strip of labels from said first box and begin labeling said bottles;    removing said second end of said strip of labels from said first box;    positioning said second box adjacent said first box;    removing said first end of said strip of labels from said second box; and    connecting said second end of said strip of labels from said first box to said first end of said strip of labels from said second box to permit continuous feed labels to said labeling station upon said strip of labels of said first box being exhausted.    
     
     
         2 . A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material, said beverage bottling plant comprising: 
 a beverage filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position comprising a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material;    said filling devices comprising apparatus being configured to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material;    said apparatus configured to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material comprising apparatus being configured to terminate the filling of beverage bottles upon liquid beverage filling material reaching said substantially predetermined level in bottles;    a first conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move inspected bottles from said inspection machine to said filling machine;    a closing station being configured to close filled bottles;    a second conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer filled bottles from said filling machine to said closing station;    a labeling station being configured to label filled bottles with labels from a strip of labels directly from boxes, said strip of labels being folded over and lined-up in a continuous serpentine inside said boxes; and    a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer filled bottles from said closing station to said labeling station.    
     
     
         3 . Labeling machine for labeling containers such as bottles or cans with sleeve, paper, roll-feed or self-adhesive labels in the form of an endless strip of labels, characterized by the fact that these labels are processed without the use of a label strip buffer directly from special receptacles which are called containers ( 2 ), whereby the labels are made available in the form of endless strips that are folded and lined-up in serpentine and/or flat S-shape segments inside the container ( 2 ).  
     
     
         4 . Labeling machine as claimed in  claim 3 , characterized by the fact that the label strip is arranged in the container ( 2 ) such that both the beginning and end of the label strip are accessible even when the container ( 2 ) is full.  
     
     
         5 . Labeling machine as claimed in claims  3  or  4 , characterized by the fact that means are located on the labeling machine which hold the containers ( 2 ) and simultaneously make it possible to move the containers ( 2 ) easily.  
     
     
         6 . Labeling machine as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized by the fact that the means are roller tables.  
     
     
         7 . Labeling machine as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized by the fact that the means are sliding surfaces.  
     
     
         8 . Labeling machine as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized by the fact that the means are air cushions.  
     
     
         9 . Labeling machine as claimed in one of the  claims 3  to  8 , characterized by the fact that there are additional guides to prevent the containers from tipping or falling.  
     
     
         10 . Labeling machine as claimed in one of the  claims 3  to  9 , characterized by the fact that on the labeling machine there is a gluing and cutting device ( 5 ) for the label strips ( 3 ).  
     
     
         11 . Labeling machine as claimed in  claim 10 , characterized by the fact that the gluing and cutting device ( 5 ) is movable and/or can be moved.  
     
     
         12 . Labeling machine as claimed in one of the  claims 3  to  11 , characterized by the fact that means are located on the labeling machine that make it possible to handle the containers ( 2 ) more easily.  
     
     
         13 . Labeling machine as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized by the fact that said means are cranes.  
     
     
         14 . Labeling machine as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized by the fact that said means are vacuum lifting devices.