The Sherwin Williams Company

Clinton L Allen

Douglas Crank

William F Meyers

Arthur H Johnson, Jr

A method of conforming upper and lower detached edge portions of a label to upper and lower contoured sections of a container, includes moving the container along a travel path, and heating at least the upper and lower detached edge portions of the label to a sufficient temperature to achieve a sufficient degree of plasticity as the container moves along the travel path. The method also includes moving the container between a compression plate and a vertically oriented belt disposed about at least two rotatable drums, thereby applying pressure to at least a portion of the label. The method further includes applying pressure to the upper detached edge portion of the label with a first linear brush held in a rigid supporting structure, and applying pressure to the lower detached edge portion of the label with a second linear brush held in a rigid supporting structure.

Method of conforming a label to the contour of a container

An apparatus and method are provided for conforming a label to the contour of a container. The apparatus includes a conveyor configured to move the container along a travel path, a heat source positioned along the conveyor and configured to heat at least a portion of the label to a sufficient temperature to achieve a sufficient degree of plasticity as the container moves along the travel path, and a mechanical pressure applicator positioned along the conveyor downstream from the heat source. The mechanical pressure applicator is configured to apply pressure to at least a portion of the heated label to conform it to the contour of the container as the container moves along the travel path. The method includes heating at least a portion of the label to a sufficient temperature to achieve a sufficient degree of plasticity, and applying mechanical pressure to at least a portion of the heated label to conform it to the contour of the container.

Apparatus for conforming a label

An apparatus, formulation and method for cleaning soils, such as paint drips or splashes, from the outside surface of filled aerosol paint cans and other articles is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of reservoirs containing liquids for cleaning and rinsing articles. Articles to be cleaned travel on a conveyor system comprised of one or more mechanical conveyors. During the cleaning operation, one or more brushes apply cleaning solution to the articles, an air knife blows excess cleaning solution and/or solid soils off of the articles, and a jet spray rinses the articles. Another air knife may be used to dry the cleaned articles. The apparatus also includes a plurality of recirculation devices for removing solids from the cleaning and rinsing liquids so that these liquids may be reused in the cleaning operations. A cleaning formulation comprised of a glycol ether and hydrocarbon solvent is also provided.

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Medina, OH, United States of America

Clinton L Allen