Method of removing stretchable sleeves from bottles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for removing film sleeves from objects quickly and easily. The apparatus includes a housing and frame structure adapted to be shifted from a vessel pick-up station to a vessel processing station. A plurality of transfer heads carried by the frame structure are provided. Each head is positioned to grasp an associated one of a set of vessels disposed in a transport case positioned at the pick-up station. A transfer head actuating structure is adapted to cause the heads respectively associated with vessels at the pick-up station to substantially concurrently grasp the associated vessels. The frame structure is then shifted to shift the vessels to the processing station as the frame structure is shifted to the processing station. The actuating structure is further adapted to cause the heads to release associated vessels once they are transferred to the processing station. Desleeving structure in the form of a plurality of nozzles is provided and is carried by the housing and frame structure. A set of nozzles is associated with each of the heads and is positioned when in use in circumferentially spaced relationship relative to a grasped vessel. The nozzles are oriented for direction of fluid streams tangentially against a surface of a grasped vessel.