Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for continuously applying heat-shrinkable members to containers, such as for formation of tamper-evident seals, protective sleeves, labels, or the like. The apparatus includes a conveyor for carrying and moving the containers, and further includes an inclined gravity feed magazine for holding a quantity of the annular-shaped heat-shrinkable members. The apparatus includes a transfer mechanism which uniquely functions to apply a suction to each of the heat-shrinkable members received from the feed magazine so that each member is releasably retained at an acute angle with respect to the direction of movement of the containers on the conveyor. In this way, each container engages its respective one of the heat-shrinkable members to move it from the transfer mechanism into association with the container. In order to maintain the heat-shrinkable members in a predetermined position with respect to the containers before they are heated for shrinking, the apparatus can include a pair of cooled, positioning support rails upon which the heat-shrinkable members are slidably supported after they have been transferred into association with the containers as the containers and the members are moved by the conveyor into a heat tunnel. The heat tunnel heats the heat-shrinkable members, causing them to shrink into conformance with the containers, with a rotating mechanism preferably provided in association with the heat tunnel for rotating the containers and their members as the members are heated.

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First Claim