Patent ID: 7886894

Claim:
A machine arrangement which operates on a plurality of articles comprises: a plurality of machines arranged to cooperate with each other in a manner to form a machine arrangement, the plurality of machines including an upstream machine and a downstream machine in the machine arrangement, at least one of the machines comprises an apparatus configured to modify the articles in at least one modifying operation as they pass from an article infeed to an article discharge of the machine arrangement; a recirculation mechanism which moves the articles from the downstream machine after a first pass through the machine arrangement and recirculates the articles back to the upstream machine in a recirculation pass so that the articles which are recirculated through the recirculation pass are subjected to a different modifying operation in at least one of the machines that the articles have previously passed through in the first pass; a first lubrication mechanism to apply lubricant over an exterior portion of each article after each article passes through the article infeed, the first lubrication mechanism including at least one lubrication roller a first star wheel with a plurality of pockets, the first lubrication mechanism being positioned at the first star wheel and the at least one lubrication roller of the first lubrication mechanism being configured to rotate and apply lubricant to the article in at least one of the plurality of pockets; a second lubrication mechanism to apply lubricant over an exterior portion of each article after each article passes through a recirculation infeed, the second lubrication mechanism including at least one lubrication roller; and a second star wheel with a plurality of pockets, the second lubrication mechanism being positioned at the second star wheel and the at least one lubrication roller of the second lubrication mechanism being configured to rotate and apply lubricant to the article in at least one of the plurality of pockets, wherein the recirculation mechanism comprises an article guide track which transfers the articles from the downstream machine to the upstream machine, the article guide track comprising a track width adjusting arrangement that adjusts the track width of the article guide track to accommodate varying article sizes, and wherein the at least one lubrication roller of the second lubrication mechanism has a diameter different from a diameter of the at least one lubrication roller of the first lubrication mechanism, such that the second lubrication mechanism is configured to process a modified surface of the article.