Patent GB-909716-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus adapted for use in operating on articles (e.g. of ceramic ware) and especially in applying designs to articles
Inventor: JAMES DAVID RICHARD
IPC: B41F17/00
Filed: 1957-09-06
Abstract: 909,716. Printing on ceramic ware. MURRAY CURVEX PRINTING Ltd. Dec. 4, 1958 [Sept. 6, 1957], No. 28144/57. Class 100 (2). Apparatus for printing designs on articles e.g. of ceramic ware, comprises a work support, a printing member movable towards and away from the work support and means including at least three arms arranged to embrace an article for positioning it accurately on the work support, movement of the printing member towards the work support causing the positioning means to operate before engagement of the article by the printing member. General arrangement.-As shown an apparatus for printing on the upper and lower sides of a dinner plate comprises a machine frame 20 on which are mounted two horizontal rails 22. Slidably mounted on the rails 22 is a table 24 comprising a support 26 for intaglio printing plates 100, 102, and a work support 28 having a resilient upper surface on which the article to be printed rests. The table 24 is reciprocated horizontally between two end positions on the rails 22 by means of pistons secured thereto and which are reciprocable in pneumatic cylinders 40. In the right-hand end position of the table, Figs. 1 and 2, the intaglio plates 100, 102, which face upwards and downwards respectively, lie between two resilient dome-shaped gelatine pads 38, 60, which are vertically reciprocable by means of pistons secured thereto and slidable in pneumatic cylinders 32, 254, while the work support 28 is in a position in which the machine operator can remove the newly printed dinner plate and substitute a blank one. With the parts in this position the pads 38, 60 are respectively lowered and raised until they are pressed into contact with the inked intaglio plates 100, 102 and, being deformed into contact with the whole of the design-bearing surfaces thereof, receive images therefrom. The pads 38, 60 are moved apart and the table 24 is moved to its left-hand end position. As the table leaves its right-hand position arms 62 of a work-centring device of the type described in Specification 886,221 are swung into momentary contact with the edges of the dinner plate on the work-holder so as to position it thereon. As the table reaches its left-hand position wherein the plate to be printed is disposed between the offset pads 38, 60, the arms 62 are again actuated and the intaglio plates 100, 102 are inked by inking - mechanisms 198, 106 to be described hereafter. The pad 38 is pressed against the upper surface of the dinner plate in the work-holder 28 and offsets the image which it has taken from the plate 100 on to it. While the pad 38 is still in contact with the dinner plate the pad 60 is raised and passes through a hole in the middle of the work-holder 28 until it abuts the lower side of the dinner plate and offsets the image which it has taken from the plate 102 (which may be a Trade Mark for example) on to it. The pad 60 is then lowered and the pad 38 subsequently raised. Inking-apparatus.-As shown in Fig. 6 inking apparatus 106 for the intaglio plate 102 comprises an ink trough 104 secured to the frame 20 into which dips an applicator 108 made of bent wire. The applicator is secured to a shaft 110 rotatable in lugs 112 and which also carries an upstanding arm 114. As the table 24 reaches its left-hand position a bolt 116 carried thereby engages the arm 114 so as to bring the applicator 108 out of the trough 104 and into engagement with the plate 102 where it deposits a line of ink of an uneven thickness owing to the fact that the part of the wire applicator which dips into the ink trough is crimped, see Fig. 7 (not shown). A doctor blade 154 of polyethylene, nylon, steel or bronze is clamped in a holder 122 pivotally mounted in brackets 124. A depending arm 126 of the holder 122 is pivotally connected to a piston 132 reciprocating in a cylinder 134. As the table 24 leaves its left-hand end position, air under pressure is introduced into the cylinder 134 behind the piston 132 and the blade 154 is raised to the position shown in Fig. 6 wherein it wipes the intaglio plate 102 as the latter passes over it, surplus ink from the plate falling back into the trough 104. After the plate 102 has been wiped the pressure in the cylinder 134 is released and the blade 154 is pivoted under the influence of a spring 146 to a position where it will not engage the plate 102 on its return journey. The blade 154 is clamped in the holder 122, Fig. 8, by a clamping bar 160 and screws 162. A spring steel back support 158 is also clamped in the holder and is slotted at its upper edge to form resilient tongues each of which can be adjusted by screws 166 to vary the resilience of the blade 154 along its length. The inking-apparatus 198 for the intaglio plate 100 comprises a trough 200, Fig. 1, the lower end of which runs across the width of the plate 100 and has a slit therealong not wide enough to let ink drip through of its own accord. When the table 24 reaches its left-hand position the trough is lowered, by means of a piston working in a pneumatic cylinder 202, into contact with the plate so as to leave a bead of ink thereon when the trough is subsequently raised. A doctor blade 184 mounted and operating in a similar fashion to the doctor blade 154 is brought into operative position, by means of a piston working in a pneumatic cylinder 196, to wipe the intaglio plate 100 as it moves to the right. Specification 735,637 also is referred to.