Patent GB-892866-A (GB)
Title: Can marking machines
Inventor: MOELLER FRANK CLAUS
IPC: B41F17/16
Filed: 1960-01-25
Abstract: 892,866. Printing on cans. GOTTSCHO Inc., ADOLPH. Jan. 25, 1960, No. 2596/60. Class 100(2) In a can marking machine having a rotatable turret on to which vertically disposed cans are fed for marking and marking means which mark the top of each can as it is carried by the turret between can receiving and can discharging stations, the marking means is mounted for movement with the turret about a vertical axis and resilient means urges each can radially inwards towards the vertical axis of the turret during the marking operation. General arrangement. An endless conveyer 20 feeds cans 48 between guide rails 20a to the marking turret which is mounted on a base member 23. The turret is suspended from a cross-frame 26 mounted above the member 23 by means of a post 25, Fig. 4, and another similar post not shown. A spindle 34 is mounted so as to be vertically adjustable but non-rotatable in the cross-frame 26 and has rotatably mounted on its lower end a sleeve 40. Secured to the sleeve 40 in vertically spaced relationship are a can support plate 27, three discs 41, 42, 45 a bevel gear 78, and a marker supporting disc 77. The discs 41, 42 are formed with vertically aligned peripheral recesses 43 of the shape shown in Fig. 3 and the disc 45 has shallower peripheral recesses 47 which are vertically aligned with the recesses 43. Cans leaving the conveyer 20 slide over a stationary plate 28 and on to the can support plate 27 being pushed by the cans moving up behind them on the conveyer 20. As a can slides on to the plate 77 it strikes the leading edges of a pair of recesses 43 in the discs 41, 42 and causes the discs and thus the sleeve 40 and plate 27 to rotate whereupon the can enters fully into the recesses 43, such positioning being aided by magnets 44, Fig. 4, mounted on the discs 41, 42 adjacent to the recesses. Arcuate guide rails 50, secured to the post 25 guide the cans as the turret rotates. At a position substantially adjacent to the post 25 each can is marked by a marking device 76 mounted on the disc 77. Thereafter the can is deflected by fingers 29b from the turret on to a second stationary plate 31, cans subsequently deflected from the turret pushing it over the plate 31 and on to a second endless conveyer 29 which transports it away between guide rails 29a. In a modification the turret is positively driven, a source of power being connected to the bevel gear 78. In the marking position the cans are urged inwards and downwards in relation to the turret by means of an angled confining member 55 which is pivotally mounted for horizontal and vertical movement on a bracket 54, Fig. 3, secured to the post 25. The member 55 is resiliently urged downwards and inwards by springs 62, 66 respectively. A second confining member 69, Fig. 4, is pivoted at 70 and urged inwards by a spring for engaging the lower parts of the cans 48. Alternative confining means to replace the member 55 will be described in connection with the marking devices. Marking devices. A marking device 76 is mounted on the support plate 77 above each of the aligned pairs of recesses 43. Each device comprises a block 83 secured to the plate 77 and a plunger 84 slidable but non-rotatable in the block. A plate 89, Fig. 16, is secured to the lower end of the plunger and a further plate 93 carrying the marking member 91 is detachably secured thereto. A cam follower roller 98 is mounted on the upper end of the plunger 84. The roller 98 normally rests on the upper surface of a cam disc 97 non-rotatably secured to the spindle 34, but adjacent to the post 25 a portion of the periphery of the disc 97 is cut away and replaced by a cam member 100, Fig. 16, which causes the roller 98 to descend in two steps, the second step causing the marking member 91 to make an impression on the top of a can carried by the turret. Thereafter the roller 98 is guided back to the surface of the disc 97 and the marking member 91 is raised out of contact with the can. A strip of springy metal 101 assisted by a spring 105 holds the roller 98 in engagement with the cam member 100. As the turret rotates each marking member 91 is inked by an inking roller 117. The inking roller 117 and its associated fountain roller 128 and transfer roller 124 are driven by gearing from the bevel gear 78 on the sleeve 40 so that their peripheral speeds are substantially equal to the linear speed of the members 91. Alternative means for confining the cans in marking position consists of a plate 134, Fig. 16, secured to the plate 93, and on which is mounted a block 136. The block 136 has a piece of spring metal 137 attached to it which passes through a slot in the plate 134. As the plunger 84 moves downwards to make an impression the piece of spring metal 137 is moved yieldably into contact with the rim 49 at the top of a can 48 for confining the can tops against the recesses 47 in the disc 45.