Patent ID: 6688364
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: B44C,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A sign making apparatus capable of dispensing and applying an adherent transfer sheet to sign applique&sacute; and retrieving the transfer sheet and adhered applique&sacute; for application onto a sign substrate, comprising:a layout surface upon which sign applique&sacute; can be placed into a desired arrangement for making a sign composed of the sign applique&sacute;; a carriage support mounted upon the apparatus, said carriage support having opposing side portions that extend along opposing sides of the layout surface; said carrier support being mounted for elevational positioning relative to the layout surface; a carriage having opposing ends which are mounted upon the carriage support at the opposing side portions, said carriage extending over the layout surface, said carriage also being movable along the carriage support over a range of carriage positions; a carriage drive which is controllable to provide coordinated positioning and movement of the opposing ends of the carriage upon the carriage support to position the carriage at differing carriage positions along the layout surface; a transfer roll support mounted upon the carriage for supporting a roll of transfer sheet in a manner allowing transfer sheet to be unrolled therefrom onto the layout surface and re-rolled onto the transfer roll support; at least one applicator roll mounted upon the carriage for rolling the transfer sheet against the sign applique&sacute; positioned on the layout surface when the at least one elevator is properly positioned; at least one elevator for controllably changing the elevational position of the applicator roll relative to the layout surface.