Patent GB-410185-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for printing descriptive matter on can ends
IPC: B41F17/16
Filed: 1932-11-14
Abstract: 410,185. Printing-machines. FARRER, J. O., 27, Chancery Lane, London.-(Continental Can Co., Inc. ; 100, East 42nd Street, New York, U.S.A.) Nov. 14, 1932, No. 32151. [Class 100 (ii).] Platen machines; inking- apparatus ; printing on can ends.-A machine for printing descriptive matter on can ends comprises means for printing on the two levels of corrugated ends, for feeding the ends to the printing means, and for inking the type. The can ends are stacked in a holder 12, Fig. 1, from which they are released one by one and are fed along guide rails 13, 14, Fig. 4, by means of a reciprocating feed-bar 24. The feed-bar 24 carries spring-pressed dogs 25, which slide under the can ends or the reverse movement but engage them on the forward movement. The feed-bar is reciprocated by a link 31 and lever 32 actuated by an eccentric 36 driven from the main shaft 23 by bevel gearing. Platens 41, Figs. 4 and 5, are adjustable in height by screws and lock-nuts and have diametrical slots in which the feed-bar moves. Opposite the platens spring-pressed fingers 53 are provided, which are adapted to engage the edge of the upper surface of the can ends to strip them from the type heads. Two printing- heads 4, 6 are provided for printing on the two levels of the can end. The heads are mounted on shafts 57, 61 sliding in guides 3, 5 and operated from a shaft 63, Fig. 5. The shaft 63 is rocked by a link 65 and lever 68 on which is mounted a roller 70 co-operating with a cam 72 on the main shaft 23. A yoke 62 is fast to the shaft 63 and has two wings which engage, by means of adjustable screws 75, with arms 77 pivoted loosely on the shaft 63 and engaging yokes on the shafts 57, 61. By adjusting the screws 75 the position of reciprocation of the two printing-heads can be varied. The cam 72 is so shaped that during each cycle the printing-heads make two reciprocations, a long one for impression, and a short one for taking ink from the pads 80, Fig. 5. Each inking pad 80 is rotatably mounted on a carriage 81 moving in slideways 83 at right-angles to the direction of motion of the can ends. The carriage 81 is reciprocated by a cam-actuated lever 88, and comes under the printing-head during each short stroke of the same. The pad is rotated by the engagement of a ratchet wheel 95 on it with spring pawls 94 mounted on the slides. Two inking-rollers 103, 104 are mounted on the frame and pressed together so that, with the end plates 102, they form an ink trough. The roller 103 is rotated by a sprocket chain 109 from the main shaft 23. Ink is fed to a roller 115 in contact with the roller 104, and from there to a roller 119 mounted on arms 120 pivoted to the frame at 121. Adjusting-bolts 127, 128 on the arms 120 engage levers 126 also pivoted at 121 so that the relative positions of the levers 120, 126 can be adjusted. Rollers 125 mounted on depending arms 124 of the levers 126 roll over cam plates 129 fast to the carriage 81, and move the roller 119 up and down as the pad is reciprocated, so that, as the pad moves under the roller, the roller drops and applies ink to it, and later rises to take ink from the roller 115. After having been printed on both levels by the two printing-heads the can ends are passed on to a stacking turret 130. The main shaft is driven from a handpulley with a hand-controlled clutch 137. The two printing-heads may print in different colours.