Patent GB-903247-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for handling and treating sleeves
IPC: B41F17/22
Filed: 1960-02-10
Abstract: 903,247. Printing on curved surfaces. AMERICAN CAN CO. Feb. 10, 1960 [March 31, 1959], No. 4702/60. Class 100 (2). An apparatus for handling and treating sleeves comprises at least one mandrel supported at one end thereof, an auxiliary support engageable with the unsupported end of the mandrel to hold the latter against deflection during treatment of a sleeve thereon, means for sliding over the mandrel a sleeve having an inside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the mandrel so as to be frictionally held on tne mandrel against rotation relatively thereto during a treating operation, means for treating the sleeve disposed on the mandrel, and means for thereafter stripping the sleeve from the mandrel. A series of sleeves A, Figs. 7 and 9, are moved forwards by a conveyer belt 31 until the front sleeve abuts a stop 38. A continuously-rotating drive snaft 114 carries a cam 88 which controls the reciprocation of a bar 48 to open and close electric switches 47, 53, 86, 83. When the stop 38 is retracted to release the front sleeve, which is when the bar 48 moves to the left to open tne switch 47 and break the circuit from a generator 46 to a solenoid 39, closing of the switch 53 energizes a solenoid 42, which projects a member 41 against the second sleeve so as to hold back the-column of sleeves. The released front sleeve is moved by its conveyer into the ambit of a pair of pivoted fingers 21 mounted on a head 58. When the head moves to the left (Figs. 7 and 9), stationary cams 61 cause the fingers to grip the sleeve, which is then carried to the right until further cams 62 open the fingers, which drop the sleeve into a hopper 22, Fig. 2. The head 58 is controlled by a pneumatic piston 67 itself controlled by a valve 73 actuated by solenoids 76, 77. When the head moves to the left, it closes a control switch 91 to energize a solenoid 94 and move the bar 48 to the left, thus retracting the stop and advancing the member 41, closing the fingers, opening the switch 83 to de-energize the solenoid 76 and release the valve 73, and closing the switch 86. When the cam 88 closes a timing switch 87, the solenoid 77 is energized, the valve 73 moved to the left, and the head moved to the right. Opening of the switch 91 frees the bar 48. The head then mechanically moves the bar to the right, thereby advancing the stop and retracting the member 41, opening the switch 86, and closing the switch 83 to reverse the movement of the head, while the sleeve drops into the hopper. The shaft 114 through a grooved cam 113 and rollers 111 causes intermittent rotation of a disc 24 carrying a plurality of mandrels 23, Figs. 1 and 2. After each stepwise movement, a mandrel is aligned with a sleeve in the hopper, and a pusher 117 actuated by a cam 136 on the shaft 114 pushes the sleeve on to the mandrel. The mandrel is then indexed to a locating station 140, where a member 141 having a ring 142 and similarly actuated by the cam 136 pushes the sleeve further on to the mandrel and into an accurate position thereon. The mandrel is then indexed through some idle positions to a printing station 150, where its free end becomes supported for the printing operation by a pin 145 moved into its open end under the control of a cam 154 on the shaft 114. The sleeve A is frictionally rotated for printing by a printing drum 25 driven from the shaft 114. The pin is then retracted and the mandrel indexed through an idle position to a discharge station 26, Figs. 1 and 4, where it is engaged by a pocket in a freely-rotatable star wheel 177 mounted in a resilient manner, so as to engage the mandrel under spring action, on the end of a bar 181, which is reciprocated under the control of a cam 192 on the shaft 114, so as to strip the sleeve from the mandrel on to one prong 194 of a conveyer 27 driven from the shaft 105 of the indexing disc 24. The above procedure is carried out simultaneously at the several stations, there being a sleeve on each mandrel.