US2278227A - Multicolor flock printing machine - Google Patents

Description

March 1942. N. c. THACKERAY arm.

MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOMYS.

Mai-ch 31', 1942.

N. c. THACKERAY ETAL 2,273,227 MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 5} may ZZZ-G. Z.

. NORMA N C. 7'/-/A CKERA Y I. .fl llll I... 1... llllllllllllllllll IIJ I |Il|.. a W 1| |I I o O O O O W O 9 Z w o o o o o 0 on I I1? r w a a w xx aw l a Q l. i v/w O .q/m 0 M Xm AW N M w 7 I m H N. v M O Q March 31, 1942. N. c. THACKERAY EI'AL 2,278,227

MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct 9, 1940 .8 Sheets-Sheet 3 NORMA/V C. THACAEEAY GEO/Q65 /V wro/v L 056).

v INVENTORS.

March 31, 1942 N. c. THACKERAY ET AL MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.

A TTORMYS.

Q NN March 1942- N. C..THACKERAY ETAL I 2,278,227

MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed 001;. 9, 1940 I -8 Sheets-Sheet 6 NORMA/V C. TVAC'Af/QAY 050 965 Mauro/v 055x INVENTORS.

AIYOX/VEYS.

March 31, 1942.

N. C. THACKERAY ET AL MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Oct. 9, 1940 INVENTORS.

A TTOzQ/VEYS.

March 31, 1942. N. c. THACKERAY ET AL 2,278,227

MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENI'ORS.

Filed Oct. 9, 1940 Patented Mar. 31, 1942 2,278,227 MULTICOLOR FLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Norman C. Thackeray, New Rochelle, N. Y., and

George Newton Lusby, Hightstown,

N. J.; said Lusby assignor to said Thackeray Application October 9, 1940, Serial No. 360,492

12 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in flock printing upon fabric, paper or the like, and more particularly to a multi-color ornamental design flock printing machine.

The primary object of the invention resides in a flock printing machine which will perform automatically what has heretofore been done manually, namely the stencil printing of the multicolored adhesive ornamental design areas upon the fabric or other surface to be flocked.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a flock printing machine in whichthe stencil printing of the adhesive upon a fabric is performed during the continuous movement of the fabric through the machine, thus expediting the adhesive printing and subsequent flocking operation.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a multi-color flock printing machine in which any number of different colors may be incorporated in an ornamental design during the continuous movement of the fabric through the machine, there being separate printing units for printing the different colored adhesive design areas, and a positive means for accurately aligning color flocked areas forming part of the design with the printing unit of the next colored areas to be printed and flocked, and which complete the niulti-color design.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a flock printing machine in which the printing heads of the printing units may be quickly and easily adjusted relative to the fabric being printed in order tocorrect any variations of alinement between the printing heads during the printing of the different colored components of a multi-color flock design to be printed.

Other important features of the invention will become apparent as the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a flock printing machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan viewwith parts broken away, and the tentering frame and fabric re- Figure 3 is a rear side elevational View with parts in section.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, illustrating the parts in adhesive printing position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view on Figure l.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line l-l of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a flocking apparatus composed of two printing machine units.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic top plan view illustrating the method of multi-color flockprinting, the adhesive applicator devices being illustrated in cross section.

Figure 10 is a detail vertical sectional view of a modified form of adhesive applicator device.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view on the line H-II of Figure 10.

Flock printing consists in applying an adhesive substance to the base material such as a fabric, paper, or the like, to which fine particles of flock such as rayon, cotton, wool, or the like 20' adhere. By applying the adhesive substance to the base material by stencil printing, various ornamental designs may be produced. By successively printing various components of the design in different c010rs and applying corresponding flock, multi-color flock designs may be produced, which in practice resembles a colored embroidery design upon the base material. So far as we are aware, multi-color flock printing has been performed by tedious manual operations which make the manufacture of flock printed design fabrics expensive and which has retarded wide spread use of such flocked fabrics; It is the purpose of this invention to apply the multicolored adhesive areas forming component parts of a inulti-color flock design to the base fabric by an automatic machine now to be fully described.

In a multi-color flock printing apparatus, separate adhesive printing units are required for the different colors incorporated in a design, and in Figures 3 and 9 two such units are shown for the printing of a, two color design, and for illustrative purposes, A designates an adhesive printing unit for the printing of the color brown, and B a unit for the printing of the color yellow. These two units cooperate in a manner which will be better understood after reading a description of the construction and operation of one of the printing machine units which are identical, except for the different color design components which they print.

Each printing unit is designated II] in its entirety, and which includes an elongated pedestal base H having a flat top l2 provided with V- shaped track grooves l'3--| 3 in its upper face and the line 6-6 of which are disposed transversely of the top l2 adjacent the ends thereof. Slidably sup-ported upon the top of the base for adjustment transversely thereof is a saddle-plate |4 having V-shaped track rails |5|5 extending transversely from the underside thereof and which respectively seat in the V-shaped track grooves |3|3. Rising upwardly from the saddle-plate I4 and extending lengthwise thereof are two rows of spaced alined inverted V-shaped track rails |6|6 which slidably support a bed-plate H having inverted V- shaped track grooves |8|6 in its under side and which extend lengthwise thereof. The bedplate I! is slidable at right angle to the directional movement of the saddle-plate M on which it is supported and the individual means for slidably actuating the saddle-plate and bed-plate for adjustment purposes will presently be described. Formed integral with and extending beyond the front side of the bed-plate midway between its ends are alined depending bearings |9| 9 in which a main drive shaft 2i] is journaled and which is free and clear of the top plate l2 and saddle-plate l4, there being suificient clearance between these parts so as not to interfere with the relative sliding adjustment of the saddle-plate and bed-plate. A worm gear 2| is slidably splined to the shaft 29 as at 22 and arranged intermediate the bearings |9|9. The drive shaft is driven by any suitable source of power (not shown) and is operatively connected to all of the multi-color printing units, here designated A and B for simultaneous synchronized operation.

For the purpose of sliding and adjustably setting the saddle-plate I4, there is a screw shaft 23 journaled in the base crosswise of and beneath the fiat top l2 and to one end thereof a hand wheel 24 is fixedly attached. A lug 25 depends from the saddle-plate l4 and extends through a slot 26 in the fiat top I2. The lug 25 has a threaded bore 21 which threads to the screw shaft 23, thus by manually turning the hand wheel 24, the saddle-plate |4 may be shifted transversely of the flat top |2 of the pedestal base The sliding and adjusting means for the bedplate consists of a screw shaft 28 journaled in upstanding arms 29-49 disposed at opposite ends of the bed plate ll. The ends of the screw shaft 28 are squared to receive a hand crank 30 to facilitate the manual turning of the said shaft from either end thereof. The mid-portion of the screw shaft 28 passes through and is threaded to upstanding threaded bearings 3 |3| provided on the saddle-plate l4 and freely extending through a slot 32 provided in the bed-plate Thus by manual turning of the crank 33, the bed-plate I! may be moved lengthwise relative to the saddle-plate M to facilitate adjustment of the adhesive applicator or printing means of one unit relative to that of the next unit or units.

The tops of the upstanding arms 2929 support inverted V-shaped horizontal track rails 33 which are disposed transversely relative to the bed-plate and which track rails slidably support a substantially U-shaped carriage frame 34 having outwardly extending bearing lugs 35 provided with inverted V-shaped grooves 36 which receive the track rails 33 whereby the carriage frame may freely reciprocate crosswise or transversely relative to the bed-plate l7. Fixedly secured to and extending upwardy from the carriage frame 34 are spaced longitudinally alined leg member 31 which rigidly support a flat elongated table 38 over which the fabric to be printed freely passes. The fabric is protected against direct contact with the table by an endless belt or blanket 39 which passes around a roller 40 mounted on a shaft 4| journaled in spaced alined bearings 42 rising upwardly from the bed-plate H. The roller 40 is disposed at the forward side of the table while a roller 43 mounted on a shaft 44 is journaled in alined bearings 45 disposed at the other or rear side of the table. The blanket 39 passes about the roller 43 with the top operating lead thereof extending from the roller 43 in horizontal alinement with the table 38. The roller 40 is disposed below the plane of the roller 43 so that the blanket is pulled down wardly at an angle after passing over the table, as best illustrated in Figure 5. The lower or return lead of the blanket 39 passes over'a driven roller 46 located closely adjacent the roller 40 in gripping relation thereto. The roller 46 is fixedly mounted upon a shaft 41 journaled in the bearings 42. An idler roller 48 mounted in the leg members 31 bears against the upper side of the lower or return lead of the endless blanket to guide and tension the same. One end of the shaft 4'! has a gear 49 fixed thereto which is in constant mesh with an intermediate driven gear 50mounted on a stub shaft 5| journaled in the adjacent bearing 42. The gear 50 receives its power and is in constant mesh with a driving gear 52 fixed to a shaft 53 which extends from one end of the bed-plate IT to the other end, the same being journaled in end bearings 54-54 provided on the bed-plate and also in the bearings 42-42. Also fixed to the shaft 53 is a relatively large worm gear 55 which has constant meshing engagement with the worm 2|. Thus power is transmitted from the drive shaft 20 to the shaft 53 through the worm 2|, worm gear 55,'to stub shaft 5| through gears 5250, and thence to the shaft 41 through gears 50 and 49. Rotation of the shaft 41 in a clockwise direction serves to move the top lead of the blanket 39 forwardly and the bottom lead thereof rearwardly as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5.

For protecting the endless blanket 39 from becoming soiled by colored adhesive which may penetrate the fabric during the stencil printing of the adhesive substance thereon, there is provided a movable paper strip 56 which leads from a paper roll 51 journaled in the bearings 45 rearward of the roller 43. The paper strip extends forwardly over the top lead of the blanket 39, passes about the rollers 40 and 46 with the v blanket, and thence forwardly where it is wound upon a winding roller 56 mounted on a shaft 59 journaled in brackets 60 mounted on the front side of the bed-plate IT. The paper strip travels with the blanket 39 for it is pulled with the blanket by its passage between the cooperating feed roller 40 and 46. The winding roller 58 is driven by a slip drive consisting of alined pulleys 6| and 62 respectively mounted on the shafts 59 and 53 over which pulleys a crossed belt 63 passes.

Rotation of the shaft 53 imparts horizontal reciprocation to the carriage frame 34 by eccentric crank connections now to be explained. Fixed to the ends of the shaft 53 are disks 64-64, each disk having an eccentric wrist pin 65 extending therefrom to which one end of a connecting rod 65 is pivotally connected, the other end of the connecting rod being pivotally connected to the front of the carriage 34 as at 61. By connecting the ends of the carriage frame 34 to the recipro- Gating drive mechanism a uniformback and forth force is applied to'thecarria'ge frame to effect free smooth sliding of the same alon'gthe track rails 33-33 during rotation of the driven shaft 53. I

The fabric to be printed upon is designated F and is taken from a roll (not shown) mounted beyond the head end of a battery of the ali'ned adhesive printing machine units and in Figure 8 it would be disposed beyond the rear side of the unit A. The fabric passes: over the table 38 of each adhesive printing machine unit and the side or selvage edges thereof extend beyond the side edges of the table to be gripped by the clips C of a tentering machine .T to hold the cloth taut and feed the same along the entire length of the battery of multi-color flock printing machine units. The clips C are carried along an endless chain D and the chain travels at a speed corresponding to the speed of travel of the blanket 39 and paper strip 56 and in the same direction as the top lead of the saidbl'anket. Tentering machines are well known in the art of processing silk, rayon, and otherfabrics so that it'is not believed necessary to enter into a lengthy description thereof, other than to say that it serves to hold the fabric F taut during its travel along the length of the battery of muli-color adhesive printing units and imparts the desired continuous uniform feeding movement to the fabric to be flocked. One example of a tentering machine of the type above referred to is that manufactured by Van Vlaanderen Machine Company.

Extending upwardly from and mounted on the arms of the carriage frame are slotted frame members 68-68 which are fixedly secured tothe arms respectively as by bolts. Slidably connected to the frame members 68-69 for up and down movement are end members 69-69 which are connected by a bar I6 extending lengthwise of the machine and disposed beneath the table 38. The end members 69 are guided in their vertical sliding movements by vertical guiderails II secured to the inner faces of the frame members 68. Fixedly secured to the upper ends of the end members 69 and disposed above the table 38 is a carrier plate I2 in which the lower receptacle sections I3 of the adhesive applicator or printing devices G are mounted. The adhesive printing devices G are arranged in two longitudinal rows, those devices inone row being staggered with respectto those of the other row. However, there may be more than two rows of devices G, and if desired, they may be transversely alined instead of' staggered without departing from the spirit of the invention. The lower receptacle section I3 of each device G consists of a cylindrical body I4 threaded in an opening I5 in the plate I2 and a discharge nozzle section 16 also threaded in the Opening I5 and depending downwardly from the plate I2. The bottom of the nozzle sec tion I6 consists of and is closed by a fiat perforated stencil disk I'I having perforations I8 provided therein in the form of the design to be flock printed as best illustrated in Figure 9. The lower receptacle sections I3 of the printing devices G contain a colored adhesive substance such as paint which is used in the art of flock printing. The color of the adhesive substance depends upon the color of the dyed flock to be applied to the adhesive areas to be printed upon the fabric in the making of colored designs. The consistency of the .adhesive substance is such that it will not freely flowthrough the stencil openings I8;.but. niust-be forcibly ejected therermmby means presently to be. described.

Extendinglngthwise er the carriage. frame 34 and journaled in upstanding bearings 19-19 is a driven shaft 86 which receives its power from the driven shaft 53 with which it is operatively connected by a drive connection in a manner now to be explained. The shaft 86 is disposed on a plane below the bar I6 in vertical alinement therewith, and fixed adjacent one end of the said shaft is a bevel gear 8I which is in constant mesh with a bevel gear 82 fixed to the outer end of a splined shaft section 83 which is journaled in a bearingjj84 pivoted to the shaft 86. The splined shaftj section 83 slides in the socket or tubular portion 85 of a splined shaft section 86, the latter being journaled in a bearing 81 pivoted on the shaft: 53.. and the outer end thereof carries a bevel gear 38 which is in constant mesh with a bevel gear 89 fixed to the shaft 53. It will thus be seen that as the carriage frame 34 moves back and forth, power is transmitted from the shaft 53 to the shaft 86', the sliding telescoping splined shaft sections 63 and 86 compensating for the relative movement of the carriage frame with respectto the shaft 86.

The up and down movements of the lower receptacle sections I3 of the adhesive printing devices G are controlled by a pair of identical cams 96-96 fixed to and disposed adjacent the opposed ends of the shaft 66. Each cam 96 consists of a high concentric cam surface 9| which extends slightly more than one hundred and eighty degrees; and a low concentric surface 92 2 extending the remaining distance of the periphcry of the cam. Journaled in bearings 93-93 attached to and depending from the underside of the bar III, are rollers 94-94. which constantly engage the peripheries of the respective cams 96-96 for 'contactwith the cam surfaces 9|. and 92 thereof for the purpose of raising and lowering the carrier plate I2 on which thelower receptacle sections of the printing devices G are mounted. The carrier plate I2 is under a constant downward pressure exerted by expansible springs. 95 interposed between the tops of the end members 69-69 and seatmembers' 96 swivelly connected to the lower ends of screws 9I-9'I threaded in the top of the frame members 68-68. The tension of the springs 95 may be accurately adjusted by the turning of the screws 91 and each screw held in a set position by jamb nut 98 threaded thereon and screwed tight against the top of the frame member 68. The ends of the machine are boxed in by casings 99 which rise upwardly from the arms 29-29 of the saddle plate II. The casings are fastened to the arms 29-29 by bolts I66.

Extending through a vertical bore I6I in each end member 69 is a rod I62. The lower ends of the rods are: screw threaded and pass through openings. I63 provided adjacent the ends of a bar I64 disposed directly beneath the shaft 86. Nuts I65 are threaded to the lower screw threaded ends of the rods I62 and engage opposite sides of the bar I64 for securely fastening the bar to the rods. The upper ends of. the rods I62 extend well above the tops of the end members 69 and are provided with shoulders or flanges I66 and with a reduced screw threaded portion I61. The shoulders or flanges I66 support the ends of a carrier plate I68 having openings I69 through which the threaded portions I6'I extend. Nuts H6 are threaded to the portions I61 for securely holding the ends of the plate I68 against the shoulders I06. The carrier plate I08 supports rows of upper compressor sections III of the ad-' hesive applicator devices G. Each upper compressor section III comprises a cylindrical body I I2 which is closed at its top, the closed top has a screw threaded stud II3 extending therefrom which threads into the carrier plate I08 from the underside thereof. The rows of compressor sections III respectively telescope the exterior of the cylindrical bodies 14 of the lower receptacle sections I3 for sliding movement relative thereto. The carrier plate I08 which carries the upper compressor sections III is normally urged upwardly by the tension of the expansion springs II 4 which surround the rods I02 and which are interposed between the shoulders or flanges I06 and the top ends of the end members 69. The carrier plate I08 moves up and down in timed relation to the up and down movement of the carrier plate I2 so as to compress the liquid adhesive contained in the stencil printing devices G and forcibly discharge a portion of the same through the stencil openings I8 but only after the flat stencil nozzle plates H are in contact with the fabric F to be flock printed. For the purpose of controlling the reciprocation of the carrier plate I08, there is provided cams II-II5 at the ends of the shaft 80. Each cam I I5 has an annular disk like body IIB from the periphery of which a nose cam III extends. The periphery of each cam II5 rides over a roller II8 journaled in bearings provided on the bar I 04 and the noses I" of the cams II5 are positioned radially with respect to the cam surfaces of the cams 90 so that the noses engage the rollers II8 immediately after the rollers 94 ride from the high surfaces 9| of the cams 90 to the lower surfaces 02 thereof, at which time the stencil disks 1! are in printing contact with the fabric F. The stencil disks 1! remain in printing contact with the fabric while the rollers are in contact withthe lower surfaces 92 of the cams 90, during which time the carriage frame 34 and all parts carried thereby move with the fabric at the same rate of speed. The stencil printing devices G contact the fabric when the carriage 34 begins its forward movement and is traveling at a rate of speed as that of the fabric F and remains in such contact until just prior to the limit of the forward movement of the carriage, at which time the rollers '94 ride onto the high surfaces 9| of the cams lifting the plate I2 and the lower nozzle sections I3 of the devices G out tially the same time establishing contact of the stencil plate 1! with the fabric, and immediately thereafter the upper sections I I I move down further relative to. the lower'receptacle sections I3 and imparts the desired pressure necessary to cause the adhesive to fill up the stencil openings I8, and as the devices G move upwardly, a deposit of colored adhesive is left on the fabric of a design corresponding to the design formed by the arrangement of the stencil openings. The upward movement of the upper sections I I I relative toxthe lower receptacle sections 13 creates a suction which tends to draw in any adhesive which may be present in the stencil openings, thus keeping the contacting faces of the nozzles clean. Any colored adhesive which is stencil printed on the fabric F and which might pass therethrough is absorbed by the paper backing sheet 56, thus protecting the endless blanket 39 from becoming soiled. The upper sheet 56 also prevents any possible soiling of the underside of the fabric, which might occur should the blanket become soiled by reason of its constant use. The soiledportion of the paper strip 56 is wound uponthe winding roller 60 and when the strip is fully wound thereon, the roller may be removed from its bearings and disposed of and a fresh roll of paper inserted into the machine.

After the adhesive printing machine hereinbefore described has applied the ornamental design color adhesive areas to the fabric F, such areas are presented to a flock sifter to receive of contact with the fabric, and with the devices G out of contact with the fabric, the carriage is moved rearwardly by the links 66 and eccentric crank connections to return position for starting the next adhesive printing operation. The adhesive is shot out of the nozzles by the downward impulse imparted to the carrier plate I08 by the noses III engaging the rollers H8, and which impulse causes the upper compressor sections III to' compress the pocketed air above the level of the adhesive contained within the lower receptacle sections I3 and forcibly eject the same into the stencil openings I8 and deposit adhesive areas corresponding to the shape of the openings on the top surface of the fabric F. The springs II4 lift the carrier plate I08 and the compressor sections II to non-operating position when the noses II! of the cams II6 ride off the rollers I I8. Briefly, the cycle of movement of the adhesive printing devices G into engagement with and away from the fabric is as follows: Both sections I3 and III move down at substanflock corresponding in color to that of the adhesive areas, and in Figure 8 a rotary flock sifter H is mounted above the fabric F beyond the front side of the adhesive printing'machine unit A. Flock dropped by the sifter settles on the fabric and any design adhesive areas which have been printed by the unit A such as the equidistantly spaced brown adhesive dots X in Figure 9; will pick up the flock and cause it to stick to the fabric. The fabric after having received a deposit of flock from the flock sifter H passes over beater sticks J which beat the underside of the fabric to loosen any flock not stuck to the colored adhesive areas or dots X. The fabric continues to'move in the direction of the second adhesive printing machine unit B by means of the tentering machine T, and after passing the beating sticks the flocked brown areas or dots X pass between suction nozzles KK respectively disposed above'and beneath the fabric so as to forcibly draw from the opposed sides of the fabric, any loose flock, thus leaving that flock upon the fabric which is secured thereto by the adhesive areas or dots X. The flocked dot areas 7 X which form only part of a multi-color composite flock design now pass to and respectively aline up with the adhesive applicator devices G of the stenciladhesive printing machine unit B and receive the next-colored adhesive areas to be subsequently flocked. In the drawings, the second colored component of the flock design consists of yellow petal-like areas Y and combined with the brown. flocked areas X, they form, when subsequently coated with yellow flock, equidistantly spaced brown and yellow flower designs. The yellow flock is applied in the same manner as the brown flock hereinbefore mentioned, and whereas there is shown an illustrated simple flower design consisting of two colored flocked components, various designs of unlimited multi-colors may be produced, there being one machine such as specifically shown and described for the printing of each adhesive color designcomponent'the same being arranged in alined tandem formation as illustrated at A and B in Figure 8. True alinement of the adhesive printing devices G of the respective units and with respect to the speed of travel of the fabric is essential for producing a perfect multicolor design, hence the necessity of the means for adjusting the saddle-plate l4 transversely of its base H, and the bed-plate I'I lengthwise relative to the saddle-plate, it being understood that the adhesive printing head of the machine is supported and reciprocated upon the bed plate.

In Figures 10 and 11 there is illustrated a modified form .of adhesive printing head wherein all of the stencil printing devices receive their supply of adhesive from a common reservoir. The lower carrier plate I2 supports a rectangular shaped tank 14 in which the colored adhesive is placed. Threaded into the plate and communicating withv the interior of the tank are rows of spaced staggered nozzles 16 having'flat stencil disks [8 at the lower ends thereof. The carrier plate 12 is moved up and down similar to the carrier plate 12 hereinbefore described. Telescoping the open-top of the tank 14 is a compressor section H l which is secured to the underside of the upper carrier plate I08. The carrier plate I08 moves up and down in timed relation to the carrier plate 12 so as to compress the air within the tank and forcibly ejectithe adhesive through the stencil openings 18 and onto'the fabric being flock printed. By providing a tank common to all of the stencil printin'g nozzles,the same may be quickly filled with adhesive when the supply. becomes low or exhausted. The stencil printing devices G hereinbefore described may also be easily and expeditiously filled byunscrewin'g the nuts H and lifting the plate I08 from the rods I02, whereupon the open tops of the lowerreceptacle sections)" are exposed and the adhesive may be placed therein.

Whilewe have specifically referred throughout that the machine In isintendedfor multi- .color flock printing uponfjfabric, it will be under stood that itmay be used in flock printing upon wall paper for producing colored designs thereon. Furthermore, the drawings areillustrative of one particular design and construction, and we do not wish to limit ourselves thereto, for such changes in design and construction as come within the scope of the appended claims maybe resorted to if desired Without departing'from the spirit-of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by'L'etters Patent of the United States, is: r

1. In a machine for flock printing upon fabric or the like, a table, a fabric or like sheet to be flock printed, means for continuously moving the sheet across said table at a uniform rate of speed, vertically movable adhesive applicator devices superposed relative to said table, each adhesive applicator device including an adhesive receptacle having stencil openings in the bottom wall thereof, means for bringing the bottom walls of the'receptacles of the'adhesive applicator devices into stencil printing contact with the fabric, automatic means for forcibly ejecting adhesive from the receptacles through said stencil openings when the devices are in contact with the fabric and. means for subsequently moving the adhesive applicator means away from the fabric and returning it to its original position.

2. ma machme forapplying adhesive for flock printing upon a fabric or the like, a table, means for continuously moving "a sheet of fabric or the like to be printed upon across said table, vertically reciprocable adhesive printing devices superposed relative to said table, each of the adhesive printing devices including an adhesive receptacle having a bottom wall provided with stencil openings arranged in spaced relation to form the design to be printed, means for initially bringing the,

bottom walls of the receptacles into printing contact with the sheet, automatic means for forcibly ejecting adhesive from the receptacles through the stencil openings when the bottom walls of the receptacles are in printing contact with the fabric, means for maintaining the adhesive printing means in contact with the sheet during movement thereof, and means for subsequently releasing the printing means from the sheet and returning it to its original position.

3. In a machine for applying spots of adhesive to a fabric or the like, a fiat table, a taut fabric sheet movable across the table at, a uniform rate of speed, adhesive applicator means superposed relative to said table, said applicator means including spaced'adhesive containing receptacles, eachreceptacle having a bottom wall provided with discharge openings suitably arranged to form a design to be printed, means for bringing the bottom walls of the adhesive applicator means in contact with the fabric during movement thereof;across "said table, automatic means for forcibly discharging adhesive from the discharge openings when the bottom walls of the receptacles are in printing contact with the fabric, means for causingthe applicator means to travel a pre-' determined distance at the same rate of speed as the fabric, and means for subsequently releasing the bottom walls of the applicator means iromthe fabric and return it to its original posi- 4. Ina machine for applying ornamental adhesive spots upon fabric or the like to be flock printed, a flat reciprocal table, means for holding a sheet of fabric taut across said table and for moving it at a uniform rate of speed, adhesive applicator means superposed relative to said table, said applicator means including spaced adhesive containing receptacles, each receptacle having a bottom wall provided with discharge openings suitably-arranged to 'form a design to be printed, means for bringing the bottom walls of the adhesive applicator means in printing contact with the fabric, automatic means for forcibly discharging adhesive from the discharge openings when the bottom walls of the receptacles are in printing contact With the fabric, means for simultaneously moving the table and the applicator means forwardly a predetermined distance at the same rate of speed asthe movement of the fabric with the applicator means inprinting contact with the fabric, means for moving the applicator means outof contact with the fabric upon the limit of forward movement of the same, means for moving the applicator means and, the table rearwardly in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the fabric to return them to their original positions for the next subsequent printing operation.

5. In a machine for applying ornamental adhesive spots upon fabrics to be flock printed, a supporting structure, a carriage slidably mounted on said supporting structure for horizontal reciprocable movement, means for imparting reciprocable movement to said carriage, a flat table mounted on said carriage over which the fabric its forward movement, means operable when the applicator means initially contacts the fabric for forcibly discharging adhesive through the perforated bottom walls of the receptacles, means for holding the applicator means in printing positionduring such forward movement of the carriage, and means for moving the adhesive applicator means away from the table when the carriage reaches a position adjacent the limit of its forward movement.

6. In a machine of the class described, a stationary base, a saddle-plate slidably supported by said. base, a bed-plate slidably mounted on said saddle-plate for movement at right angle to the sliding movement of the saddle-plate to facilitate relative adjustment between the saddle-plate and the bed-plate, means for securing the bedplate and the saddle-plate in relative adjusted positions, a carriage slidably supported by said bed-plate for forward and rearward horizontal reciprocable movement, a table fixedly supported upon said carriage over which a length of fabric to be flocked is adapted to pass, a tentering machine having its traveling grippers disposed beyond the ends of the table for holding the fabric taut thereacross and for moving the same thereover, vertically reciprocable adhesive printing means mounted on said carriage and superposed relative to said table, means for moving the adhesive printing means down into contact with a sheet of fabric positioned over said table when the carriage starts its forward sliding movement and for holding the applicator means in such position until the carriage nears the limit of its forward sliding movement, and means for moving the applicator means upwardly and for holding it away from the fabric during the return backward movement of the carriage.

7. Ina machine for applying ornamental design areas of adhesive to a length of fabric to be flock printed, a supporting structure, a carriage slidably mounted upon said supporting structure for horizontal forward and rearward movement, a table mounted on said carriage over which the fabric to be flock printed passes, means for moving said carriage forwardly at the same rate of speed and in the same direction as the travel of the fabric and for moving said carriage rearwardly in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the fabric, a vertically reciprocable frame mounted in said carriage and having a carrier plate disposed over the table, one or more rows of adhesive applicator devices carried by said carrier plate, each of the applicator devices including a receptacle body containing an adhesive liquid and having a downwardly facing discharge nozzle having suitably arranged stencil openings forming a design unit to be printed, means for moving said frame downwardly when the carriage starts its forward movement to bring the stencil discharge nozzles of the adhesive applicator devices into printing contact with the fabric and for so holding the same until the carriage nears the limit of its movement in a forward direction, means for forcing adhesive under pressure from initial contact of the nozzles with the fabric, and means for moving the frame upwardly as the carriage nears the limit of its forward movement to cause the stencil discharge nozzles to disengage the fabric and for so holding the same during the rearward return movement of the carriage.

8. In a machine for applying ornamental design areas of adhesive to fabric to be flock printed, a table on which the fabric to be flock printed is positioned, a carrier member, means for slidably mounting said carrier member above said table for up and down movement, adhesive receptacles mounted on said carrier member in which liquid adhesive is contained, each adhesive receptacle having a downwardly facing discharge nozzle provided with stencil openings, means for moving the carrier member downwardly to cause the nozzles thereof to contact a fabric positioned on said table, means for forcibly ejecting adhesive from the receptacles through the stencil openings when the nozzles are in contact with the fabric, and means for moving the carrier member upwardly to cause the nozzles of the receptacles to disengage the fabric.

9. In a machine for applying ornamental design areas of adhesive to a length of fabric to be flock printed, a supporting structure, a carriage slidably mounted upon said supporting structure for horizontal forward and rearward movement, a table mounted on said carriage over which the fabric to be flock printed passes, means for moving said carriage forwardly at the same rate of speed and in the same direction as the travel of the fabric and for moving said carriage rearwardly in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the fabric, a vertically reciprocable frame mounted in said carriage and having a carrier plate disposed over the table, one or more rows of adhesive applicator devices carried by said carrier plate, each of the applicator devices including a receptacle body containing an adhesive liquid and having a downwardly facing stencil discharge nozzle, means for moving said frame downwardly when the carriage starts its forward movement to bring the stencil discharge nozzles of the adhesive applicator devices into printing contact with the fabric and for so holding the same until the carriage nears the limit of its movement in a forward direction, means for moving the frame upwardly as the carriage nears the limit of its forward movement to cause the receptacles through the stencil openings upon the stencil discharge nozzles to disengage the fabric and for so holding the same during the rearward return movement of the carriage, and automatic means for forcibly ejecting adhesive liquid from the applicator devices when the discharge nozzles thereof contact the fabric to be flock printed.

10. In a machine of the class described, a stationary base, a saddle-plate slidably supported by said base, a bed-plate slidably mounted on said saddle-plate for movement at right angle to the sliding movement of the saddle-plate to facilitate relative adjustment between the saddle-plate and the bed-plate, means for securing the bed-plate and the saddle-plate in relative adjusted positions, a carriage slidably supported by said bedplate for forward and rearward horizontal reciprocable movement, a table fixedly supported upon said carriage over which length of fabric to be flocked is adapted to pass, vertically reciprocable adhesive printing means mounted on said carriage and superposed relative to said table, means for moving the adhesive printing means down into contact with a sheet of fabric positioned over said table when the carriage starts its forward sliding movement and for holding the applicator means in such position until the carriage nears the limit of its forward sliding movement, and means for moving the applicator means upwardly and for holding it away from the fabric during the return backward movement of the carriage.

11. In a machine of the class described, a stationary base, a saddle-plate slidably supported by said base, a bed-plate slidably mounted on said saddle-plate for horizontal sliding movement at right angle to the sliding movement of the saddle-plate, means for securing the bed plate and the saddle-plate in relative adjusted positions, a table supported by the bed-plate over which a length of fabric to be flocked is adapted to pass, a frame structure mounted on said bedplate, vertically reciprocable adhesive printing means mounted in said frame and superposed relative to said table, and means for imparting reciprocable movement to said adhesive printing means to alternately move the same into and out of printing engagement with the fabric as it passes over the table.

12. In a machine for applying adhesive design areas to a fabric to be flock printed, a table over which the fabric to be flock printed is adapted to pass, an adhesive printing mechanism including a vertically reciprocable support, a plurality of applicator nozzle carried by said support and disposed above said table, each applicator nozzle having a bottom wall provided with suitably arranged discharge openings defining the design to be flock-printed, means for supplying adhesive to the applicator nozzles, means for imparting vertical reciprocation to said reciprocable support for alternately causing the bottom walls of the nozzles to move down into printing contact with the fabric and upwardly away therefrom, and pressure means operable upon contact of the nozzles with the fabric for forcibly ejecting adhesive from the nozzles through the discharge openings therein. I

' NORMAN C. THACKERAY.

GEORGE NEWTON LUSBY.

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