Claims
- 1. A method of applying a heat-shrinkable label to a container, comprising:
- (a) fitting a heat-shrinkable label about a container;
- (b) conveying the container with the label along a path;
- (c) positioning a heat tunnel assembly along the path whereby the label will be shrink-fitted onto the container, said heat tunnel assembly comprising:
- (i) an insulated heating chamber defined by a first stationary portion and a second removable portion, said second portion having a substantially C-shaped cross-section;
- (ii) a heater positioned within said insulated heating chamber;
- (iii) movable mounting means for mounting said second removable portion of said insulated heating chamber for movement in a substantially horizontal plane between a first position engaged with said first stationary portion, and a second retracted position remote from said first portion;
- (iv) actuator means for moving said second removable portion of said insulated heating chamber into its engaged position; and
- (v) biasing means for resiliently biasing said second removable portion of said chamber toward said retracted position; and
- (d) deactivating the actuator means in the event of an emergency, whereby said heating tunnel assembly will be opened to prevent said container and label from overheating or burning.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises conveying a cylindrical container along the path by using a conveyor having rollers mounted thereon.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a piston-cylinder assembly, and wherein step (d) is performed by changing a condition of the actuator.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/096,087, filed Jul. 23, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,969 issued Dec. 19, 1995, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/794,558, filed Nov. 19, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,477 issued Feb. 21, 1995, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (59)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
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0397580 |
Nov 1990 |
EPX |
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Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
96087 |
Jul 1993 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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794558 |
Nov 1991 |
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