Patent GB-458013-A (GB)
Title: Printing machine for impenetrable surfaces
IPC: B41F15/08
Filed: 1936-05-14
Abstract: 458,013. Printing -machines. SHURLEY, F., and SHURLEY, Q., 2905, N. Charles Street, Baltimore, U.S.A. May 14, 1936, No. 13719. [Class 100 (ii)] A machine for printing on articles having a surface of glass, metal, &c. such as bottles, jars, tumblers, bulbs, cans, &c., comprises conveying means for feed. ing the bottles &c to a gripping means constructed of a pair of opposec discs each having at least one chuck like gripping-de vice adapted to carry the articles past a printing-device from which they pass to a delivery conveyer. The printing means may comprise a reciprocating frame carrying a stencil which is reciprocated past a fixed squeegee adapted to print in either direction of reciprocation of the frame ; or the printing means may comprise a multi-colour rotary printing device. The feed conveyer 4, Fig. 2, feeds the bottles to a spring stop, which holds the bottles until they are seized by chucks 10 carried by a pair of discs 8, 9 which are rotated intermittently by a freely mounted chain 23 formed at intervals with pins 24 (not shown) which engage projections 8<1> on a pair of discs fixed to a shaft 7 and arranged at either side of the freely mounted sprocket over which the chain 23 passes. The chain 23 is driven from a motor 24<1> which drives a sprocket shaft 26 over which the chain 23 passes. A spring-pressed pawl 29, Fig. 4, holds the discs 8, 9 in the stationary position. In a modified form of intermittent feed the shaft 7 is held in its positions of rest by a spring- actuated pawl which is released from a notch in a disc secured to the shaft 7 by means of lugs on the chain 23 which act in synchronism with the pins 24. The chucks 9, 10 are normally pressed inwards by springs 12, Fig. 8, and a box cam 13 engages a head 12a on each chuck to withdraw the chucks when the bottle is to be released, and to permit the chucks to close on the bottle. While the discs 8, 9 are stationary the bottle is printed on by a reciprocating frame 31 which is moved in guides 32 by crank-mechanism operated by chain gearing. A stencil frame 40, Fig. 3 is adjustably carried by the frame 4.1, and with the aid of an adjustably mounted squeegee 42 the bottle is printed as the frame moves horizontally, the bottle being rotated by the action of friction strips carried by the frame on the periphery of the chucks. A rack-and-pinion drive may replace the friction drive. At the end of each stroke of the table 31 the squeegee is raised by means of a cam 48 acting on one of a pair of pivoted fingers 47 attached to the bar 43 of the squeegee. This permits the transfer of ink from one side to the other of the squeegee and the printing to take place on both the up and down strokes of the table. The cam 13 permits the chuck to open to release the printed bottle and permit its delivery by a chain-driven conveyer 15. In a modification, Fig. 20, a multi-colour printing-machine is substituted for the stencilprinting device, and comprises a printing- roller 66 mounted in frames 65 and fitted with two printing-blocks 72 and two spring-pressed ink reservoirs 74 and ink distributing rollers 75, 76 which can slide on tracks 77 and are controlled bv face cams 81 which cause the blocks 72 to be inked by different colours. Friction discs on the roller 66 engage the chucks and rotate the bottles in contact with the printing-blocks 72 to receive designs in multi-colour.