Patent GB-1251856-A (GB)
IPC: B41F17/16
Filed: 1969-06-23
Abstract: 1,251,856. Marking containers. ADOLPH GOTTSCHO Inc. 23 June, 1969 [21 Jan., 1969], No. 31535/69. Heading B8C. Coding apparatus for containers 28, Figs. 1-3, comprises conveyer means 14 for the containers, coding means 16 for sequentially imparting a code or indicia on the top and/or bottom surface of each container, means for vertically adjusting the coding means relative to the conveyer means, timing means 18 for spacing the containers on the conveyer means for registration with the coding means, holddown means 20, and driving means 22 operatively connected with the conveyer means, coding means and timing means. As shown, the apparatus is disposed adjacent a through conveyer 24 for containers 28, which are deflected by guide rails 26 on to and from a pair of spaced endless belts 30, 31 of the apparatus, where they are engaged by a rotating screw 108 to sequentially space the containers beneath an endless driven belt 83 and to locate each container beneath a shoe 90 of an assembly 88, for absorbing the impact of the coding operation on the bottom surface of the container. The assembly is adjustable to raise or lower the shoe on to the container. The screw 108 is adjustable in a horizontal plane towards and away from the centre line of the belts 30, 31. The coding means 16 includes an ink roller 144 which engages in an ink fountain 142 fed from a container and applies ink to a type face at the end of rotatable die arms 148 which extend through an open area 36 between the belts 30, 31 and engage the bottom surface of the container. The coding means 16 is also pivotally mounted on a main table 12 of the apparatus about a pin 167 on a rod 161 depending from table 12 and passing through a fixed arm 160. Upward bias of the spring 163 is resisted by slide blocks 166, 168 mounted respectively on the arm 160 and on an adjusting screw 170, by means of which the die arms 148 are adjustable vertically. The die arms 148, Fig. 13, extend from a central body 188 releasably mounted on a shaft 180 and each arm carries a die 216 mounted in a holder 208 spring-mounted on the body 188. The ink roller 144 is mounted on a shaft 230, Fig. 7, for rotation within an eccentric bushing 232 mounted on a frame 154 fixed to the table 12. The bushing is rotatable manually to adjust the pressure between the ink roller and a metering roller 146, Fig. 1. One end 236 of the bushing 232 abuts a ring 240 on the frame 154 having a radial bore 246, Fig. 10, for a spring-loaded ball 252 housed in a radial bore 248 in the bushing. The arrangement is such that upon release of a locking-nut (244), Fig. 11 (not shown), the ring and bushing may be rotated as a unit to establish the proper pressure between the rollers 144, 146 and the nut (244) then relocked. The bushing may then be rotated relative to the ring to relieve the pressure and subsequently rotated back to the original position in which the ball re-engages the bore 246 to re-establish the proper pressure. In the arrangement according to Fig. 19 (not shown), the hold-down means 20 is replaced by a topcoding means (260) for the simultaneous marking of the top and the bottom surfaces of containers. The coding means 16 or the die arms 148 may be dispensed with to provide for coding the top surfaces only.