Method and apparatus for handling linerless label material

Linerless labels (24) are produced by feeding a tape (11) having a release coated face (14) and an adhesive face (13) to a hardened anvil vacuum cylinder (21), utilizing a non-stick circumferential surface feed roll (18). A knife blade (27) on a cutting cylinder (26) is rotated into contact with the tape at the anvil cylinder to cut the tape into linerless labels, and release liquid is applied (at 29) to the blade after each cut. From the anvil cylinder the labels are deposited on a plurality of spaced conveyor tapes (32) of circular cross section with the adhesive faces contacting the conveyor tapes. A vacuum chamber (34) assists in holding the labels on the conveyor tapes. The release coat faces of the labels conveyed by the conveyor tapes may be heated and then printed with hot melt ink from an ink jet printer (36). The labels are separated from the conveyor tapes using a peeler roll (39) and non-stick stripper rings (38), and then immediately contact a moving web (31) or other elements to which they are to be applied, with the label and web passing through nip rolls (40) to activate the pressure sensitive adhesive.