Crathern & Smith, Inc.

John DiValerio

Charles F Crathern

Robert J Carbrey

Halvard H Solberg

A system for registering containers carried on one conveyor belt with wraps carried on another conveyor belt, in which each container is viewed by an electronic camera that provides a digitized image of the container. Printed material on the face of each wrap, being carried face down on its conveyor, is viewed by another electronic camera that provides a digitized image of the printed material. The wrap conveyor comprises a flexible, light-transmissive conveyor belt supported on a light-transmissive frame. A light source is provided for lighting the wrap through the belt. In one embodiment where the wrap is light-transmissive, the printed material is viewed through the wrap itself. In another embodiment where the wrap is light-opaque, the printed material is viewed through the conveyor belt. Digitized information of standards of at least the location and details of the printed material and of the container are prestored in a computer. The latter compares the digitized images with the standards to generate commands that control a mechanical arm that correctly spots the containers on the wraps regardless of their original orientation and position.

Process and apparatus for spotting labels

A system for registering boxes carried on one conveyor line with wraps carried on another conveyor line, in which the boxes and wraps are viewed by electronic cameras that provide respective digitized images of the boxes and wraps, and a computer determines from those images sufficient information to effect such registration by a mechanical arm that spots the boxes on the wraps regardless of their original orientation, responsively to commands from the computer. A vacuum plenum is disposed beneath the wrap conveyor for maintaining a negative pressure that releasably retains the wraps on a surface of the wrap conveyor. The wrap conveyor comprises a flexible, pneumatically porous, light-transmissive conveyor belt for moving the wraps for viewing by a camera against the upper surface of the belt, the belt being supported over the vacuum plenum on an apertured, light-transmissive frame. A diffuse light source is also provided for lighting the opposite surface of the belt so as increase the optical contrast between the wraps and the upper surface of the belt.

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Havertown, PA, United States of America

John DiValerio