Improvements in and relating to Machines for Etching or Printing on Cylindrical or other Curved Bodies, such as Tumblers, Electrical Bulbs, Lamp Chimneys, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Etching or Printing
on Cylindrical or other Curved Bodies, such as Tumblers,
Electrical Bulbs, Lamp Chimneys, and the like.
1, CHARLES HOWARD BUNTING, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at Millvale Avenue (no number) in the City of Pittsburgh, in the County
of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Clerk, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to machines for printing on cylindrical bodies, such as
tumblers, electrical bulbs, lamp chimneys, or other articles.
Of late years it has become a popular habit with glass manufacturers to print
upon lamp chimneys, or other articles of glass ware, their trade-marks, or other
symbols. by which their goods are known to the trade. It is of course desirable
that such printing be formed of delicate lines clearly distinguishable, and yet such
as will not mar the appearance of the chimney, or other article of glass ware to
which they are applied.
Heretofore this printing upon glass ware has been done by marking upon the
glass article the design, or mark, with a mucilaginous substance, and then
sprinkling, or powdering upon the same a material which can be baked into the glass
body, this material being applied in a dried or powdered state, and being permitted
to dry. Any of such material not held by the mucilaginous substance was then
brushed from the article, and the design or mark was then baked into the glass by
subjecting the same to heat in a furnace or to a flame. The difficulty in such a
method was that it was practically impossible to obtain delicate and fine lines, as
in the brushing off of the powdered material, and in the baking of the mark into
the glass the letters or design often was blurred, so that it was not only indistinct,
but detracted from the appearance of the chimney.
The object of my invention is to provide for the printing on cylindrical bodies
of glass ware, so that the letters or designs will be reproduced in distinct and clear
lines, and furthermore, that the necessity of subjecting the article to heat to retain
the design be obviated.
To these ends my invention comprises certain details of construction, all of which
will be fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe
the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side view of my improved printing machine partly in section,
showing the type block in acid roller;"
Figure 2 is a like view, showing the type block in contact with the article to be
printed on;
Figure 3 is a section on line x-y Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a plan view;
Figure 5 is a section on the line y-y Figure 1;

page_text: Figure 6 is a cross-section of the acid roller and tank, and
Figure 7 is a detail view of the bearings for the distributing rollers.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each of the figures.
In the drawings a represents the base plate which may be clamped down to a
table, or other suitable support. Mounted on the base plate a are the frame
supporting blocks b, said blocks having secured thereto the side plates, or
castings Pivoted to the side plates 61 by means of the pivotal pins 62 is the
swinging handle C. This handle C has projecting downwardly therefrom the
arms c which are pivoted as before stated to the side plates 6'. A rod
from one of said arms c¹ to the other, and depending from said rod is the type
block frame D.
extends
This type block frame consists of the end plates d by which it is suspended from
the rod c, and the cross plate d to which the type block is attached. The type
block e is mounted on a wooden block e', said block having the clip e secured
thereto, one end of said clip being turned up to engage one side of the cross
plate d' and the other end of said clip being turned up to engage the opposite side
of said plate d', whereby by simply pressing down the projecting tongue e of said.
clip, the type block may be removed from the cross plate d¹ for the purpose of
cleaning said type block or for adjusting a new one into position. The type
block e is formed of rubber, or other acid proof material, and is preferably hollow
to allow for the compression of said block when it is brought into contact with the
article to be printed on. The type block has the printing face e thereon, which
contains the mark, or design, to be employed. In this case the printing face is in
the form of a medallion.
In order to provide for the swinging of the type block, alternately into contact
with the article to be printed on and the acid block, the 'end plates d of the type
block frame D are connected to the side plates b by means of the pivotal arms f, f',
said arms being pivoted to said end plates d and the side plates 6 respectively by
means of the pins f³. In this manner by grasping the handle C and drawing the
type block in the proper direction, said type block is brought into contact with
the article to be printed on, and by drawing said handle in the opposite direction
the type block is brought into contact with the acid block, as will be more fully
hereinafter set forth.
The base plate a has erected thereon the supports go', having the concave seats
or recesses ² constructed to conform to the shape of the article to be supported
therein. In order to insure the printing of the mark at the same distance from
the end of each article to be printed on, I employ a gauge h in the rear of the
rear support g. The gauge h has the slotted plate thereon which presses on
the base plate a and which passes through an opening in the rear support g', said
opening forming a guide for said gauge. In order to regulate the distance of the
gauge from the rear support g', a thumb-nut 2 engages a threaded stud ³ in said
base plate entering said slotted plate . It is apparent upon releasing said
thumb nut the gauge may be fixed at any desired position to regulate the distance
from the top of the article at which the mark, or design is to be printed. Toward
the rear end of the base plate a is the cross-wall i, said cross-wall having the
opening i¹. Behind the cross wall i is located the rectangular frame j in which is
mounted the acid roller j¹. This acid roller is secured on the shaft, journaled
in said rectangular frame. The roller has its body portion preferably formed
of gutta percha, and has its working face covered with a rubber band 3.
A stationary acid block may be employed if desired. Both the gutta percha
and the rubber are indestructible under the action of the acid. The journal
box itself is preferably formed of gutta percha as well as the shaft . Two
acid proof distributing rollers are also journaled within the rectangular
frame, the lower of said distributing rollers being preferably formed of
gutta percha and the upper of rubber. In order to make said distributing
rollers adjustable to and from the roller said rollers are enclosed within the
guide 1.

page_text: The journals of the distributing rollers k extend through the openings formed
for them in the guide and are journaled within the recesses k formed in the inner
walls of the rectangular frame, j. Vertical grooves permit of the insertion of
the journals of the rollers k within the rectangular frame, while the recesses k*
communicate with said vertical grooves, as shown in Figure 7. By this con-
struction the rollers can be moved to and from the acid roller j', and in order to
provide means for adjusting the guide l, I employ the thumb screw which passes
through the end of the journal box and is forced into contact with said guide.
By turning said screw the guide l is advanced toward the acid roller j and the
journals of the distributing rollers move forward in the recesses k³.
Mounted on the shaft is the ratchet wheel m, said ratchet wheel projecting
through the opening in the cross wall i. This ratchet wheel and its connections
with the shaft are also preferably made of gutta percha to prevent their being
acted upon by the acid. The teeth of the ratchet wheel m are engaged by the
pawl n, which is carried by the arm o, pivoted at o' to the outer face of the cross
wall i. The stud o' in said cross wall i regulates the distance to which said arm o
can descend. The upper end of the arm o is bent to form the flattened portion o³.
A pin inserted through the opening p' in one of the side plates brests in
contact with the flattened portion of the arm o. When the handle is in the
position shown in Figure 2 the pivotal arm f¹, on that side will force down the
pin p, so that the flattened portion o³ of the arm o will be lowered. Consequently
each time said handle is turned over to bring the type block into contact with the
article to be printed on, the pawl n will be raised, and will turn the ratchet
wheel m, whereby the acid roller j¹ is rotated slightly upon each movement of the
handle.
Below the rectangular frame j is the tank q which contains the acid employed.
This tank is preferably constructed of lead, which metal is not acted on by the
acid. The acid roller enters the tank g and takes up the acid therefrom. The
distributing rollers k k moving in contact with the acid roller jact to distribute
the acid evenly over said roller. As said roller j revolves the roller k takes off
the surplus acid taken up by the roller j', while the roller distributes the acid
evenly over said roller j', so that when the printing face of said type block comes
into contact with the roller j¹, it only takes up just enough of the acid to make the
proper impression upon the article to be printed on. In order to permit of the
insertion of the ratchet wheel m through the opening in the cross wall i at
the same time that the acid roller j' is within the tank g, the rectangular frame j
and said tank g are supported on the sliding blocks rr and s, respectively. The
sliding blocks have the seats formed therein, within which the rectangular
framej rests, while the sliding blocks has the seat s therein to receive the tank g.
Bolts & pass through the cross wall i and through the sliding blocks and from
openings in the rear plate u. The said plate is then held in position by applying
the thumb nuts u¹ to said bolts. In this manner by removing the thumb nuts from
the bolts t the blocks r r and s may be drawn out and with them the tank g and
rectangular frame j.
The operation of my improved printing machine is as follows:
Taking the lamp chimney X by way of illustration as the article to be printed
on, said chimney is placed in the seats gl in the support g, the upper end of the
chimney being in contact with the gauge h, said gange having been adjusted at the
proper position. The tank q having been filled with any suitable acid, which has
the property of etching the glass, and the type block bearing the mark or design
to be imparted to the chimney having been adjusted on the cross plate d', the
operator then forces the handle to the rear of the machine, whereupon the type
face of the type block will be brought into contact with the acid roller jl. It is to
be understood that said acid roller is first rotated so as to apply the acid to its
periphery before the type block is lowered thereon. The type face of the type
block is brought into contact with the periphery of the acid roller with sufficient

page_text: force to take up the acid, whereupon the operator then forces the handle C to the
front of the machine. This brings the type block with its type face into contact
with the chimney at the proper point and by slight pressure on said handle C the
mark or design is imparted to the said chimney. The mark or design in this
manner is imparted to the chimney in clear and distinct lines so that as the acid
eats into the glass, the outline of the figure is clear and distinct and without being
blurred. At the same time that the type block is forced into contact with the
chimney the pin p is forced down by the link f thereby lowering the flattened
portion o3 of the arm o. The lowering of this flattened portion o³ of the arm o
raises the inner end of said arm and consequently the pawin pivoted ou said arm,
the pawl being in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel m imparts a
partial rotation to said wheel and consequently to the acid roller j. In this
manner a gradual rotation is imparted to the acid roller j so as always to present
a practically fresh portion of said rollers' periphery to the type face brought in
contact therewith. In this manner the chimney can be printed on in rapid
succession and as they require no reheating to bake in the design, as in the ordinary
operation, the work of printing is greatly facilitated. At the same time, as the
transmission of the acid from the roller to the chimney is a direct one, without the
necessity of any application of powdered material, the operation can be performed,
by using a little care, without fear of blurring or making the outlines of the mark
or figure too coarse.
However, in cases where it might be desirable to dispense with the use of
the acid, my machine is equally well suited. for printing on glass articles
with the ordinary mucilaginous substance and the application of the powdered
material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:-
1. In machines for printing cylindrical bodies, the combination of a swinging
frame carrying
a type block, an acid roller, a ratchet wheel connected to said
roiler, a swinging arm, a pawl pivoted at one end of said arm and engaging sail
ratchet wheel, a sliding pin engaging the upper end of said arm, said sliding pin
being lowered by the swinging of said frame, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. In machines for printing cylindrical bodies, the combination with suitable
supports, of a swinging handle, a swinging frame mounted on said handle, pivotal
arms connecting said swinging frame with said supports, a type block on said
swinging frame, an acid roller, a ratchet wheel connectel to said acid roller, a
swinging arm, a pawl, one end of said arm engaging said ratchet wheel, a sliding
pin in said supports engaging the opposite end of said swinging arn, sail sliling
pin being in the path of one of said pivotal arms, substantially as an 1 for the purposes
set forth.
3. In machines for printing cylindrical bodies, the combination with a suitable
base plate, of a swinging frame, a type block on said frame, a cross wall on said
base plate having an opening therein, sliding blocks in the rear of said cross
wall on said base plate, a rectangular frame supported by said sliding blocks,
an acid roller journaled in said journal box, a ratchet wheel connected to
said roller and extending through said opening in said cross wall, mechanism for
turning said ratchet wheel upon the swinging of the frame, an acid tank below said
journal box, said acid tank resting on sliding supports, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
4. In a machine for printing on cylindrical bodies, the combination of a
moving frame carrying a type-block, a rectangular frame, an acid roller journale 1
in said frame, an acid tank below said franie within which said roller enters,
said frame having elongated seats in its side walls, a guide, distributing roller

page_text: supported in said guide, the journals of said rollers resting in said elongated
seats, and a set screw for regulating the position of said guide, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 26th day of November 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.