Label separation and application apparatus and method

1. Apparatus for the separation of a leading label from a label supply, said apparatus including means for advancing a label supply to a point of label application, said label supply having a first planar surface having a release layer applied thereto and an opposing planar surface having a layer of adhesive applied to at least a portion thereof, said label supply having a series of labels defined therein by lines of weakening, and means for separating the leading label from the supply of labels to allow the same to be applied to an article, wherein said means for separating include a tool positioned such that at least one protruding portion of the tool contacts and locates with an aperture formed along the line of weakening so as to commence the breaking of the line of weakening and the remainder of the line of weakening is formed by microperforations and characterized in that the width of the at least one aperture which is engaged by the tool is substantially the same as the width of the adjacent microperforations.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the breaking of the line of weakening is commenced once a portion of the label has been applied to the article by adhesive or mechanical location, subsequent movement of the article and label bringing the line of weakening into contact with the tool.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the label supply is fed through first and second sets of rollers, and the line of weakening which is to be broken is located between the two sets, with the tool located between the two sets at a position such that the protruding portion thereon engages with the aperture formed along the line of weakening.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the contact between the protruding portion and the aperture in the line of weakening is encouraged by a selective drive and/or drive speed of the first and second sets of rollers.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tool is provided to be relatively movable with respect to the label supply so as to allow the protruding portion on the tool to be selectively moved into the aperture in the line of weakening.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a support plate which lies between first and second sets of rollers and towards which the label supply is encouraged to be positioned.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the support plate has an aperture shaped so as to allow the tool to pass therethrough and into contact with the label supply to break the line of weakening.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tool includes two or more spaced protruding portions, each portion provided to be locatable in a respective aperture formed along the line of weakening in the label supply at the same spacing.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the speed of feed of the labels will be substantially the same as the speed of feed of the articles to which the labels are to subsequently be applied.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is relative movement between the tool and a label feed means during one cycle of operation so as to allow the leading edge of the leading label to be held in a defined position and then applied to the article accurately whereupon the trailing edge of the leading label is separated from the label supply via the tool.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tool is provided with a 3 dimensional profile and first and second sets of rollers are provided, a first set on one side of the line of weakening which is to be broken and a second set on the opposing side of the line of weakening.