Patent GB-870729-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to work supports for marking presses
Inventor: TYPROWICZ WLADYSLAW
IPC: B41F17/30
Filed: 1958-02-28
Abstract: 870,729. Printing on curved surfaces. MASSON SEELEY & CO. Ltd. Feb. 17, 1959 [Feb. 28, 1958], No. 6572/58. Class 100(2) A work-support, which may be used in a blocking press, includes a work-holder openable to receive a three-dimensional workpiece therewithin and which supports the workpiece in fixed relationship to the press, the work-holder being rotatably mounted so as to enable each of two or more surface areas spaced around the periphery of the workpiece to be presented in turn for marking, openings being provided in the work-holder to reveal the areas to be marked, and means for locating the work-holder in predeterminedangular positions corresponding to the marking positions of the workpiece. As shown the work-support holds two golf balls 9 which are mounted between the two semicylindrical parts 4, 5 of the work-holder, hemispherical recesses 6 being provided in each of the parts for this purpose. Apertures 7 are formed in parts 4, 5 and open into the bases of the recesses 6. A cup 10 is mounted in each of the recesses 6 in the part 5 and has an aperture which registers with the aperture 7, pimples 11 being formed on the cups to mate with indentations on the surface of the golf balls. The work-holder is mounted in a carriage 2 comprising end pillars 17, 18, intermediate members 19, and a base plate 20. The carriage 2 has roller bearings 16 projecting downwards through the base plate 20 and which support the carriage for longitudinal reciprocation on a track 15 on a bed-plate 3, the track 15 being bounded by side rails 14. Axially aligned shafts 21, 22 are journalled in the pillars 17, 18 respectively and carry at their inner ends cylindrical support members 23 for the work-holder. The members 23 are rotatable in cylindrical recesses in the pillars 17, 18 which recesses are open at the tops of the pillars as at 25, 26. The members 23 have diametral slots 24 which can be brought into alignment with the openings 25, 26 so that when the parts 4, 5 of the workholder are assembled lugs 13 thereon can be inserted through the openings 25, 26 and engaged in the diametral slots 24. The intermediate members 19 of the carriage 2 are shaped to provide an upward facing semi-cylindrical bearing surface for the work-holder when mounted between the members 23. When the work-holder is mounted in the carriage 2 the shafts 21, 22 and the work-holder are connected for rotation in unison by means of a knob 29, arms 33, 34 on the shaft 21 limiting the angular movement thereof to 180 degrees by abutment with stops 35, 36 or 37, 38 carried by a frame member 39 mounted on the bed-plate 3. The abutment of an arm 33 or 34 with one of the stops corresponds to the upward facing position of one or the other of the pairs of apertures 7 and also to the engagement of an upwardly spring-biased plunger 40 mounted in the pillar 17 with one of two apertures 41 in the bed-plate 3, such engagement being caused by the action of a cam surface 44 on the shaft 21 which engages the upper end of the plunger 40. Thus the apertures 7 cannot be brought into the upward facing position until the plunger 40 is positioned over one of the apertures 41. Either of two double cams 30 carried by the shaft 21 can actuate a pair of microswitches 31 which control operation of the press. The longitudinal movement of the carriage 2 is limited in one direction by the abutment of the end of the shaft 21 with a stop 45 at which point rotation of the work-holder to bring one pair of apertures 7 into the upward facing position causes the plunger 40 to enter the left-hand recess 41 and causes the right-hand double cam 30 to actuate one of the microswitches whereby a marking element (not shown) descends and makes an impression on the exposed parts of the golf ball surface through the apertures 7. Rotation of the work-holder through 180 degrees exposes the other pair of apertures and actuates the other microswitch so that an impression is again made upon the golf balls at a region diametrically opposed to the first impression. Rotation of the work-holder to a position in which the apertures 7 face sideways allows the plunger 40 to be raised by its spring from the aperture 41 and the carriage 2 to be moved to the right until a spring-biased latch 48 pivoted to the pillar 18 engages in a notch 47 in one of the rails 14. This constitutes a second printing position at which a further part of the design, which may be in a different colour, is added to the balls in the same way as at the first printing position, rotation of the work-holder causing the plunger 40 to enter the right-hand aperture 41 and the left-hand double cam 30 to actuate the microswitches 31. The latch 48 is then released by means of a handle 51 and the carriage moved to its extreme right-hand position where the pillar 18 abuts against a stop 46 and at which fresh golf balls are substituted for the newly-printed ones. The cycle is recommenced by pushing the carriage back to its extreme lefthand position. An ejector may be provided to facilitate removal of the work-holder from the carriage and there may be more than two printing stations. Specification 716,884 is referred to.