US3496863A - Container printing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 24, 1970 D. S. CVACHO ET CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Dec. 12, 1966 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 I A INVENTORS DANIEL $.CVACHO FIELD |.ROBERTSON,JR

FIGJA THElR ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1970 n. s. CVACHO A CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS ATII) METHOD 1O Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 12. 1966 INVE NTOR S DANIEL S. CVACHO FIELD l. ROBERTSON,JR

THEIR ATTORNEYS Original Filed Dec. 12. 1966 D. s. CVACHO ETAL 3,496,83

CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 J07 INVENTORS EL as A0 THEIR ATTORNEYS DAN! V HO FIELD I. ROBERTSON ,JR

Feb. 24, 1970 s, cv c o ETAL 3,496,63

CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Dec. 12, 1966 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 I NVE NTOR S DANIEL S. CVACHO 28 FIELD I. ROBERTSON,JR.

THEIR ATTORNEYS D- s. c'vAcl-ao E AL 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS DANIEL S.CVACHO FIELD ROBERTSON,JR. aw n THEIR, ATTORNEYS Feb. 24, W70

CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Dec. 12. 1966 M NM 1M 2: Q m? Feb. 24, 1970 s. CVACHO ETAL 3,496,863

CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Dec. 12. 1966 l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 v |f:VE NTORS flANIEL S.CVACHO m I FIELD I.ROBERTSON,JR

BY 0: 2, 7% Y I? N mam ATTORNEYS Feb. 24, [9?9 o. s. CVACHO ETM- -CON'IAINER PRINTING MPABATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Dec. 12, 1966 l0 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIELD l. ROBERTSON,JR.

THEIR ATTORNEYS Feb. 24, 1970 o. s. CVACHO ETAL CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Dec. 12, 1966 l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR S DANIEL S. CVACHO FIELD l. ROBERTSON, JR

THEIR ATTORNEYS Feb. 24, 1970 D. s. CVACHO am. 3,496,

CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed Dec. 12. 1966 INVENTORS DANIEL $.CVACHO FIELD I.ROBERTSON,JR. $4,, Zv im THEIR ATTORNEYS Feb. 24, 1970 D. s. CVACHO ETAL CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Original Filed Dec. 12, 1966 10 Sheets-Sheet 1O INVENTORS DANIEL SCVACHO Y FIELD I.ROBERTSON,JR.

THEIR ATTORNEYS 3,496,863 CONTAINER PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Daniel S. Cvacho and Field I. Robertson, Jr., Chester-field County, Va., assignors to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 601,135, Dec. 12, 1966. This application July 29, 1968, Ser. No. 751,684 Int. Cl. 1341f 17/22; BtlSc 1/08 US. Cl. 10140 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A printing surface is mounted on one rotating support, and a cylindrical container is mounted on another rotating support which carries it into rolling engagement with the printing surface in order to print around the outside of the container. The container is mounted to allow it to change its path of movement to follow the contour of the printing surface while a fluid pressure system applies substantially uniform pressure on the container to cause it to be printed evenly with substantially constant pressure by the printing surface. The same pressure chamber is connected to successive container supports to apply the same substantially uniform pressure to successive containers as they are successively printed in the course of the continuous rotation of the two supports.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 601,135, filed Dec. 12, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for applying ink means or the like to the outer surface means of container means or the like.

It is well known that many different types of metallic containers for beverages, food products and the like are now being provided with ink means directly printed to the outer cylindrical surface means thereof to provide a label means or other informational media thereon whereby the printed metallic surface means adds to the attractiveness and sales appeal of the resulting container construction without having the deteriorating characteristics of the conventional paper labels. For example, certain manufacturers supply an aluminum-containing metallic container which has a seamless side wall means that is readily adapted to be printed with the aforementioned ink means without having a registration problem between the ink applying means and a longitudinal seam of the container as in the past.

However, it has been found, according to the teachings of this invention, that when such ink means is to be printed or otherwise disposed on the outer surface means of such metallic containers or the like, no satisfactory method or apparatus has been provided for not only permitting such ink means to be applied in a high speed and economical manner, but also to prevent distortion of the printed material because of variations in the container means and ink applying means.

Therefore, it is a feature of this invention to provide means for applying ink means or the like in a relatively high speed manner to the outer surface means of metallic containers or the like without the aforementioned distortion of the printed material.

This feature is accomplished by having the ink applying means of this invention apply the ink means to the outer surface means of the container with a constant pressure throughout the entire circumference of the container while permitting both the container means and ink applying means to move simultaneously during the entire ink applying operation whereby a relatively high speed opera- 3,496,863 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 tion can be provided without distortion of the printed ink means on the container.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for applying ink means or the like to the outer surface means of container means or the like, the apparatus of this invention having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for applying ink means or the like to the outer surface means of container means or the like, the method of this invention having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURES 1A and 1B provide a front view illustrating the improved apparatus and method of this invention, FIGURE 1A being the left half of the front view and FIGURE 1B being the right half thereof whereby by placing FIGURES 1A and 1B together at the respective break lines 1A1A and 1B1B the complete front view of the apparatus of this invention can be provided.

FIGURES 2A and 2B provide a top view of the apparatus of FIGURES 1A and 1B with FIGURE 2A providing the left top half thereof and FIGURE 2B providing the top right half thereof whereby the entire top view can be provided by placing FIGURES 2A and 2B together along the respective break lines 2A2A and 2B2B.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1B.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 5A and 5B provide a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line 5A and B-5A and B of FIG- URE 3 with FIGURE 5A providing the top half of the cross-sectional view and FIGURE 5B providing the bottom half thereof whereby the entire cross-sectional view can be provided by placing FIGURES 5A and 5B together at the respective break lines 5A5A and SB-SB.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 5A and illustrating part of the cam means of this apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 5A.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of the cam means illustrated in FIGURE 5A with the cam means in FIG- URE 8 being disposed in another operating position thereof.

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 99 of FIGURE 8 and illustrates the cam means in a manner similar to FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 1010 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional vie-w taken on line 11-11 of FIGURE 1A.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for applying ink means to the outer surface means of container means, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to apply other means to other devices as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1A and 1B and FIGURES 2A and 2B, the improved method and apparatus of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral and is utilized to apply printing ink means to the outer cylindrical surface means of metallic containers or the like at relatively high speeds and without distortion in the predetermined pattern of the ink means being printed on the container means.

In general, the apparatus 20 is provided with a stationary frame means 21 which carries a feed means 22 for serially feeding container bodies 23 from a supply chute 24 to a supporting and transferring means 25 carried by a rotatable member 26 with each support means 25 receiving one container means 23 from the feeding means 22 and carrying the same from the feeding means 22 in a clockwise direction to be aligned with a particular mandrel means 27 being orbited behind the support means 25 in a manner hereinafter described whereby the particular container means 23 is transferred from the aligned support means 25 into telescoped relation on the respective mandrel means 27 to be orbited thereby in a clockwise direction. As the particular container carrying mandrel means 27 is moving in a clockwise direction, an ink means applying device 17 carried by the frame means 21 applies the printing ink or other means directly to the outer cylindrical surface of the container body 23 during simultaneous movement of the container carrying mandrel means 27 and ink means apply device 17 to permit a high speed operation therebetween without smearing or distortion of the ink means being applied to the container 23 in a manner hereinafter described.

Subsequently, the container carrying mandrel means 27 is orbited away from the ink means applying device 17 in a clockwise direction and can have additional means applied to the outer surface means of the container means 23 by another applying device 28 of this invention.

Thereafter, the orbiting container carrying mandrel means 27 has the container means 23 thereof removed in a manner hereinafter described by a pick-off apparatus 29 which subsequently disposes the picked-off container 23 onto a conveying means 30 which will convey the serially printed container bodies 23 to any desired location away from the apparatus 20 for subsequent operations, such as for subsequent product filling, storing, shipping or the like operations as desired.

It has been found that the method and apparatus 20 of this invention is adapted to print the ink means or the like directly to and about the entire outer peripheries of the cylindrical side wall means of the containers 23 at speeds in excess of 650 container bodies 23 per minute without noticeable distortion in the printed media and with the ink means applying device 17 printing such ink means with one or more colors as desired.

While the container bodies 23 of this invention, as best illustrated in FIGURE 11, are illustrated as being a one piece metallic member having an integral bottom wall means 31, a seamless cylindrical side wall means 32 and an outwardly flanged open end 33 to be subsequently closed by crimping a metallic end closure or the like to the flange means 33 thereof in a conventional manner, it is to be understood that the container means 23 of this invention can be formed of other suitable material and in other desired configurations to have the ink means or the like applied thereto in the manner previously described by the method and apparatus 20 of this invention.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to the particular type of container means 23 illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described because such container means 23 is merely being utilized for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

The particular details of the method and apparatus 20 of this invention will now be described.

FEEDING MEANS 22 As illustrated in FIGURES 1A and 1B and FIGURES 2A and 2B, the container means 23 are serially supplied from a suitable hopper means (not shown) by gravity down the chute means 24 onto the upper end of a feed screw means 34 rotatably mounted to a stationary frame part 35 of the frame means 21, the screw means 34 being angularly disposed relative to the horizontal and having a thread 36 helically disposed about the same to properly and serially convey the container bodies 23 from the bottom of the chute 24 to the lower end 37 of the screw means,

As each container body 23 is received from the bottom of the chute means 24 onto the screw means 34, the rotating screw means 34 advances that particular container body 23 downwardly between guide members 38 with the longitudinal axis of the container body 23 being disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis of the screw means 34, the thread 36 of the screw means 34 being so constructed and arranged that the same will properly space each container body 23 from the preceding container body 23 as the same serially reach the lower end 37 of the screw means 34 to be dropped by gravity into the orbiting support or transfer means 25 in a manner now to be described.

SUPPORT OR TRANSFER MEANS 25 As illustrated in IA and 1B and FIGURES 3 and 10, the rotatable member 26 is directly connected to another rotatable member 39 =by an interconnecting hub 40, the rotatable member 39 being driven by a shaft means 41 in a manner hereinafter described whereby rotation of the member 39 directly rotates the member 26 in unison therewith. The member 26 carries a central shaft means 42 rotatably mounted by hearing means 43 in a stationary part 44 of the frame means 21 whereby the member 26 rotates about the axis of the shaft means 42.

Each support means 25 comprises a shelf member 4'5 having a concave recess 46 defined therein and extending completely across the same to hold and support the side wall means 32 of the respective container body 23 fed thereon by the feeding means 22 in the manner previously described. Each shelf member is carried on a cylindrical rod 47 telescoped in suitable bearing means 48 and 49 carried by the rotatable member 26 to permit radial inward and outward movement of the rod 47 and, thus, shelf member 45 relative to the rotatable member 26 while still being orbited by the rotatable member 26 in a manner hereinafter described.

Each rod means 47 of each shelf member 45 has a roller or cam follower 50 secured thereto and disposed outwardly and transverse thereto to be received in a cam track or groove 51 formed in an outwardly directed section 52 of the stationary part 44 previously described, the cam track means 51 being eccentrically arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft means 42.

In this manner, as the member 26 is rotating about the axis of the shaft 42 by rotation of the rotatable member 39, each shelf member 45 has its radial position controlled by the configuration of the cam track means 51 in such a manner .that as a particular shelf member 45 approaches the end 37 of the feeding screw means 34, a particular container body 23 can be dropped therein wherein the lefthand arcuate part 53 of the shelf member 45 will hold the same in the recess 46 thereof in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 10 and will carry the deposited container body 23 in a clockwise direction with the cam track 51 properly positioning the shelf member 45 radially relative to the rotating member 26 so that the container body 23 will be properly aligned with the previously described mandrel means 27 to be transferred from the respective shelf means 45 into telescoped relation onto the mandrel means 27 in a manner hereinafter described. Just after the particular container body 23 has been transferred onto the aligned mandrel means 27, the cam track means 51 causes the respective shelf member 45 to be moved radially inwardly out of alignment with the respective mandrel means 27 as illustrated in FIGURE 10 so that should the container body 23 jam on its respective mandrel means 27 and not be fully telescoped thereon for the subsequent ink applying operation, the mandrel means 27, in a manner hereinafter described, will eject such container body 23 by blowing the same outwardly toward the front of the apparatus 22, such blow-off operation not being impeded by the particular shelf means 45 as the same has been moved radially inwardly as illustrated in FIGURE 10 out of the way of such blown-01f or ejected container body 23.

Thus, it can be seen that the rotatable member 26 carries the support means 25 in such a manner that the same are adapted to serially transfer the container bodies 23 from the feeding means 22 into proper alignment with the mandrel means 27 for subsequent transfer of the container bodies 23 onto the mandrel means 27 in a manner now to be described.

MANDREL MEANS 27 As illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4, A and 5B, each mandrel means 27 has an outer cylindrical surface 54 on the free end thereof and over which the particular container body 23 is fully telescoped in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3 until the flanged end 33 of the container body 23 abuts a shoulder means 55 of the respective mandrel 27 to properly position the container body 23 thereon. The free end 56 of each mandrel means 27 is open and is adapted to be interconnected to a source of vacuum in a manner hereinafter described so that when the mandrel means 27 is properly aligned with a particular container body carrying support 45 in the manner previously described, the open end 56 of the mandrel means 27 is interconnected to the vacuum source and sucks the aligned container body 23 thereon from the shelf 45 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3 to fully hold the container body 23 in telescoped relation thereon as illustrated by full lines in FIGURE 3.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, each mandrel means 27 is pivotally mounted to the rotatable member 39 by link means 57 having one end 58 pivotally mounted to the mandrel means 27 and the other end 59 pivotally mounted to a stationary and radially extending part 60' of the rotatable member 39. Each mandrel means 27 is normally urged toward a radial outward pivoted position by an actuator means 61 associated with each mandrel means 27, each actuator means 61 including a piston member 62 slidably disposed in a radial bore 63 in the rotatable member 39 and urged radially outwardly by a compression spring 64. Each piston member 62 carries a piston rod 65 pivotally secured to an ear means 66 of the respective mandrel means 27 by a pivot pin 67.

Not only can the compression spring 64 of each actuator 61 urge the respective mandrel means 27 in a radially outward pivoted position relative to the rotatable member 39, but also pressure fluid can be directed to the cylinder bore 63 below the piston member 62 to tend to move the piston member 62 radially outwardly so that the force tending to move the respective mandrel means 27 radially outwardly can be accurately controlled for a purpose hereinafter described.

Each mandrel means 27 carries a roller or cam follower '68 at the rear end thereof with the cam follower 68 being adapted to roll against a cam track surface 69 formed on a stationary member 70 rotatably supporting the previously described drive shaft means 41 by suitable bearing means 71. In this manner, it can be seen that the actuator means 61 will urge the mandrel means 27 radially outwardly to tend to maintain the roller or cam followers 68 thereof into direct engagement with the cam surface 69 of the stationary member 70 during the entire orbiting movement of the mandrel means 27 by the rotating member 39.

As previously stated, the hollow part 56 of each man drel means 27 is adapted to be interconnected to a vacuum source to draw an aligned container means 23 into telescoped relation thereon as well as to be interconnected to a source of pressure fluid to eject or blow off a container body 23 which has not been properly telescoped thereon when transferred from an aligned support member 45 in the manner previously described.

In particular, each mandrel means 27 has the interior thereof fluidly interconnected to a flexible conduit 72 or the like which is disposed in fluid communication with a passage means 73 formed through the rotatable member 39 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3 and interrupting a rear face valve surface 74 thereof. The face valve surface 74 of the rotatable member 39 is adapted to slide relative to flat face valve surface means 75 of the stationary member '71} in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3 with the valve surface means 75 being interrupted by a plurality of elongated slots 76 which will be serially placed into fluid communication with each passage means 73 of the rotatable member 39 as the rotatable member 39 rotates relative thereto.

The various slots 76 in the stationary member 70 can be supplied or fluidly interconnected with pressure source means or vacuum source means by conduit means 77 or the like as illustrated in FIGURES 3, 5A, and 5B.

Thus, when a particular passage means 73 of a respective mandrel means 27 is aligned with a slot means 76 in the stationary member 70 and the respective mandrel means 27 is properly aligned with a supporting shelf member 45, the vacuum source can be interconnected to the mandrel means 27 to draw the container 23 carried by the support '45 onto the mandrel means 27 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3. However, suitable detection means, such as a pair of stationary electrodes 78 and 79, FIGURE 3, can be carried by the stationary member 70 and be so positioned relative to a mandrel means 27 that the same will contact the container body 23 telescoped thereon to complete an electrical circuit from one electrode 78 through the metallic container body 23 to the other electrode 79 for detection purposes. Thus, when the mandrel means 27 is made from a non-conductive material, such as plastic or the like having a relatively low slip resistance to readily permit the container body 23 to be telescoped thereon and untelescoped therefrom, and if the forward end 33 of the container body 23 is not fully telescoped onto the mandrel means 27 to abut the abutment 55 thereof, no electrical circuit can be completed between the electrodes 78 and 79 whereby the same will indicate either that a particular container body 23 has been jammed thereon so as not to be properly positioned or that the same did not receive a container body 23 from its respective aligned support member 45.

In this manner, the detection means 78 and 79 will automatically cause an actuator to direct pressure fluid into the hollow mandrel means 27 to blow off the jammed container body 23 therefrom so as to prevent the jammed container body from being carried to the ink means applying device 17.

Also, such detection means 78 and 79 will operate the cam track means 69 in a manner hereinafter described to prevent the ink means applying device 17 and other device 28 from applying the printing ink or the like to a mandrel means 27 which does not have a container body 23 thereon or 'which has a container 23 thereon but not properly positioned as determined by the detector means 78 and 79 and which has not been ejected by the previously described blow off operation, the latter situation preventing the jammed and unblown off container body 23 from adversely affecting the ink means applying device 17 and device 28 should the same be orbited thereto by the rotatable member 39 as will be apparent hereinafter.

As illustrated in FIGURES 5A and 5B, the cam track means 69 of the stationary member 70 defines a substantially circular path for the roller means 68 of the mandrel means 27 except that such circular path includes inwardly disposed convex arcuate sections 80, 81 and 82 so constructed and arranged that as each roller means 68 is being orbited in a clockwise direction in FIGURES A I and 5B, the same will be smoothly and progressively moved radially inwardly in opposition to the force of the octuator means 61 and thereafter move smoothly and progressively radially outwardly back to the normal circular orbiting path of the cam surface 69, the arcuate portions 80 and 81 of the cam track 69 also functioning in the same manner to cause progressive and smooth radial inward movement of the roller means 68 and thereafter smooth and progressive radial outward movement thereof back to the circular orbiting path of the cam track 69 in a manner hereinafter described to prevent the devices 17 and 28 from applying this means when required by the previously described detection means 78 and 79.

In this manner, the mandrel means 27 of the respective roller means 68 will follow the orbiting path determined by the cam track means 69 with the arcuate portions 80, 81 and 82 for a purpose hereinafter described, the arcuate cam parts 80 and 81 being so constructed and arranged in a manner hereinafter described to cause the outer surface means 32 of a partticular container 23 to trace part of the arcuate paths of the ink means applying device 17 and other applying device 28 in a manner hereinafter described while the arcuate portion 82 facilitates the transfer of the particular container body 23 to the transfer device 29 in a manner hereinafter described.

As previously stated, the arcuate portions 80 and 81 of the cam track means 69 are so constructed and arranged that the same are adapted to prevent a particular mandrel means 27 from tracing the desired arcuate paths of the ink means applying device 17 and other applying device 28 when the previously described detection means 78 and 79 determine that either a container body 23 has been jammed on the particular mandrel means 27 or no container body 23 is disposed thereon.

In particular, it can be seen in FIGURES 5A, 5B, 6, 7 and 8 that a cam member 83 is pivotally mounted to the stationary member 70 by a pivot pin 84 and is pivotally interconnected by a pivot pin 85 to a piston rod means 86 of a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator 87 carried by the stationary member 70. The cam surface 88 of the cam member 83 is so constructed and arranged that when the actuator 87 is in a deactuated position thereof, the cam surface 88 of the cam member 83 permits each roller means 68 to trace the arcuate stationary part 80 of the cam track 69 as illustrated in FIG- URES 5A and 5B. However, when the actuator 87 is actuated by the detection means 78, 79 or the like, the piston rod 86 is extended until a stop flange 89 on the cam member 83 abuts a stationary stop 90 on the member 70 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 8 whereby the cam member 83 is pivoted in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin 84 by the actuator 87 so that the cam surface 88 thereof will now control the path of movement of each roller means 68 in the manner illutsrated in FIGURES 8 and 9 while still permitting smooth and progressive radial inward movement of the orbiting roller means 69 and its associated mandrel means 27 and, thereafter, smooth and progressive radial outward movement of the roller means 69 and its associated mandrel means 27 back to the circular path defined by the cam track means 69. However, with the cam member 83 pivoted to the position illustrated in FIGURE 8, the particular mandrel means 27 being controlled by the cam member 83 follows a path relative to the ink means applying device 17 in such a manner that the ink means applying device 17 will not apply its ink means to either the empty mandrel means 27 or to a jammed container body 23 being carried thereby.

While the cam member 83 and actuator means 87 for the arcuate portion 80 of the cam track means 69 has been described, similar means are provided for the arcuate part 81 of the cam track means 69 to prevent the other applying device 28 from applying its means to an empty mandrel means 27 or a jammed container body 23 thereon in the manner previously described.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, each cylinder means 63 of each actuator means 61 is in direct fluid communication with a chamber 91 formed between the rotatable member 39 and the previously described hub 40 whereby such chamber means 91 can be interconnected in any suitable manner to a source of fluid pressure to tend to drive the piston means 62 radially outwardly with a predetermined force auxiliary to the force of the compression springs 64 to tend to maintain the followers 68 in engagement with the cam track means 69 with a constant force during the entire orbiting movement thereof for a purpose hereinafter described.

In addition, each mandrel means 27 includes a hollow part 92 defining the surface means 54 and abutment means thereof previously described and is rotatably mounted on a shaft means 93 of the mandrel means 27 by suitable bearing means 94 to permit the mandrel part 92 to rotate about the axis of the shaft means 93 during orbiting movement of the mandrel means 27 for a purpose hereinafter described.

[NK MEANS APPLYING DEVICE 17 As illustrated in FIGURES 1B, 2B and 4, the ink means applying device 17 includes a rotatable cylindrical drumlike member 95 carrying a plurality of flexible ink transferring blankets 96 about the outer periphery thereof, four such blankets 96 being illustrated in the drawings and normally being of a rubber-like material in the order of /s of an inch thick. The drum 95 is rotated by shaft means 97 rotatably mounted to the frame means 21 through suitable gear train means 98 in a synchonous manner with the rotation of the rotatable members 39 and 26 previously described as the main input drive means for the apparatus 20 is provided by drive belts 99 which through suitable gear trains and the like, drive all driven parts of the apparatus 20 in a synchonous manner.

Suitable supports 100 of the frame means 21 support a plurality of sets 101 of roller means 102, 103 and 104 of suitable ink applying means which transfer, in a conventional manner, suitable colored inks from reservoirs thereof in suitable doctored and metred amounts to the rollers 104 of the sets 101 thereof with the roller 104 having raised surfaces theron formed in a predetermined pattern so that the inks transferred by the rolls 103 to the raised surfaces of the rolls 104 will be applied onto the respective blanket 96 in the predetermined pattern of the raised portions of the rollers 104 to form at least part of the labeling or informational means for a particular container body 23.

By having a plurality of sets 101 of ink transfer means, a multi-colored label-like ink pattern can be applied to approximately the last half of each blanket 96 as the same is rotated in a circular path by the drum means 95 in a clockwise direction for a purpose hereinafter described.

Thus, as each blanket 96 transfers its ink pattern to the outer cylindrical side wall means 32 of a particular container body 23 in a manner hereinafter described to form the label means thereon, that particular blanket 96 is orbited past the sets 101 of roller means to have another ink means applied thereto to be subsequently applied or printed to another container body 23 as the same is moved adjacent the device 17 by an orbiting mandrel means 27.

While the ink means applying device 17 has been described as applying ink means to the outer cylindrical surface 32 of the container bodies 23, it is to be understood that the applying device 17 can comprise another type of applying means as desired.

The other applying means 28 schematically illustrated in FIGURE 1B can be formed in a manner similar to the label means 17 previously described except that the applying means 28 can apply a protective coating of shellac or the like over the previous applied printed label means on the container body 23 as the same orbits past the applying means 28 in a manner hereinafter described with regard to the ink means applying means 17.

After the means 17 and/or 28 have applied their particular means to the side wall means 32 of a particular container body 23 being orbited therepast by the rotatable member 39, the finished container body 23 is brought by the rotating member 39 to the pick-off means 29 now to be described.

PICK-OFF MEANS 29 AND CONVEYOR MEANS 30 As illustrated in FIGURES 1A, 2A, 4 and 11, a member 105 is rotatably mounted to a stationary part 106 of the frame means 21 by means of a shaft member 107 fixed to the rotatable member 105 and rotatably mounted in the part 106 by suitable bearing means 108, the shaft 107 being driven by pulley =belt means 109 in a synchronous manner with orbiting mandrel carrying member 39 as will be apparent hereinafter.

A plurality of suction cup-like members or means 110 are carried by the rotatable member 105 and are mounted for axial movement relative thereto by being received in bore means 111, each suction cup member 110 being interconnected to a flexible diaphragm means 112 closing off one end of a chamber defining means 113 in the rotatable member 105. The flexible diaphragm 112 is normally urged to the right in FIGURE 11 'by compression spring means 114 until the diaphragm means 112 abuts a stop or shoulder means 115 as illustrated at the bottom of the member 105 in FIGURE 11.

However, when a vacuum source is interconnected to a particular chamber 113 of the rotatable member 105, the flexible diaphragm 112 is moved from right to left against another stop means 116 by pressure differential to hold the suction cup member 110 in its leftward position as illustrated at the top of FIGURE 11. In addition, the suction cup means 110 includes a rod-like portion 117 having a passage means 118 passing longitudinally therethrough and having its left end in fluid communication with the respective chamber 113 to the left of the diaphragm means 112 with its right end disposed in fluid communication with a cup-shaped flexible disc-like element 119 for a purpose hereinafter described whereby when the chamber 113 is interconnected to the source of vacuum to draw the suction cup means 110 to the left, the source of vacuum is also interconnected to the suction cup 119 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The rotatable member 105 includes a valve plate 120 rotatable therewith and having a flat valve surface 121 interrupted by a plurality of bores 122 each respectively leading to the chamber 113 of a respective suction cup means 110. The valve seat surface 121 rotates in sealing relation relative to a stationary valve seat surface means 123 of the stationary part 106 of the frame means 21 whereby suitable slot means 124 can interrupt the stationary valve seat surface 123 in substantially the same manner as the slot means 76 previously described for the stationary member 70 so that as each passage 122 of a particular suction cup means 110 is disposed in fluid communication with a slot means 124, that particular slot means 124 can be either interconnected to a vacuum source to not only draw the suction cup means 110 to a selected position, but also to apply the suction at the cup means 119 thereof or the particular slot means 124 can be interconnected to a pressure source to not only assist the spring means 114 in moving the particular suction cup means 110 to its extended right hand position, but also to effect a flow of fluid pressure out through the suction cup 119 thereof for a purpose hereinafter described.

As previously stated, the rotatable member 105 is adapted to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in FIG- URE 4 synchronous with the clockwise orbiting of the mandrel means 27 whereby a particular suction cup means 110 will be aligned with a particular mandrel means 27 adjacent the arcuate portion 82 of the cam 10 track means 69 so that the particular mandrel means 27 at the arcuate portion 82 will trace part of the same path of arcuate or circular movement of its aligned suction cup means 110.

Thus, if the particular mandrel means 27 has the container body 23 telescoped thereon and with the aligned suction cup means in its extended position to the right in FIGURE 11, suitable fluid pressure can be directed through the hollow mandrel means 27 to tend to blow off the labeled container means 23 thereon directly against the suction cup part 119 of the pick-01f member 110 at the same time that a suction is being applied to the chamber 113 thereof so that the combined suction at the suction cup 119 and the force of the fluid pressure blowing the container body 23 off the aligned mandrel means 27 will cause the container body 23 to be carried by the suction cup member 119 to the left into an untelescoping relation from the mandrel means 27 during the time the mandrel means 27 is tracing a portion of the arcuate movement of the suction cup member 110 through the contoured portion 82 of the cam track means 69 in the manner previously described whereby the now empty mandrel means 27 can subsequently receive another container body 23 from an appropriate support mean 45 during a later portion of the orbiting movement of that particular mandrel means 27 as previously described.

Further, it can be fully seen in FIGURE 10 that the orbiting support means 45 are still radially inwardly disposed relative to the mandrel means 27 at the position where the pick off means 29 is serially removing the labeled container means 23 from the mandrel means 27 so that no interference problem exists from the orbiting supports 45.

With each container body 23 now being carried by the suction cup means 110 away from the orbiting mandrel means 27, the transfer means 29 serially carry each labeled container body 23 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 4 away from the clockwise moving mandrel means 27 to transfer the same to the conveying means 30.

The conveying means 30 as illustrated in FIGURES 1A, 2A and 11 includes a continuous chain 125 adapted to move upwardly in FIGURE 1A to any desired location for subsequent container filling, storing, or shipping operations for the container bodies 23 and return downwardly in FIGURE 1A back to a position adjacent the orbiting suction cup means 110 for a purpose now to be described.

The chain 125 carries a plurality of outwardly directed pins or mandrels 126 disposed in spaced relation relative to each other and having substantially frusto-conical free end means 127 to tilt the container bodies 23 telescoped thereon so that the same will not readily slide off the spindles 126 during subsequent movement of the conveyor means 30.

As each mandrel means or spindle 126 moves into aligned relation with a particular suction means 110 carrying a container body 23, a source of fluid pressure is interconnected to the chamber 113 of the particular suction cup means 110 to not only move the same from its inward position to its full right position, but also to cause fluid pressure to issue to the interior of the cup means 119 thereof and blow the particular container body 23 to the right as illustrated in phantom lines in the middle of FIGURE 11 into telescoping relation onto the aligned spindle means 126 so that the container body 23 is now carried by the conveyor means 30 away from the apparatus 20 for any suitable further operation thereon.

Thus, it can be seen that the means 29 previously described is adapted to not only serially remove the labeled container means 23 from their respective mandrel means 27, but also is adapted to serially transfer the same to the conveyor means 30 so that the labeled container bodies 23 can be conveyed away from the apparatus 20 in an automatic manner.

1 ll OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS 20 When the apparatus 20 is to be operated, the drive belt means 99 are driven by suitable motor means to operate all of the moving parts of the apparatus 20 in a synchronous manner to produce the following sequence of operation.

As the feed screw means 34 is rotating, the thread 36 thereof serially moves each container body 23 from the lower end of the supply chute 24 downwardly at the correct speed and in the proper spaced relation relative to the other container means 23 on the screw means 34 so that when a particular container body 23 reaches the end 37 of the screw 34, the same drops onto an aligned support or shelf member 45 being orbited by the rotatable member 26 whereby the orbiting shelf member 45 carries the received container body 23 in a clockwise direction away from the feed means 22 with the particular container body 23 being held therein not only by the configuration of the shelf means 45, but also by side guide member means 128 and top guide member means 129 illustrated in FIGURES 1A and 2A to prevent the carried container body 23 from bouncing on the shelf member 45.

The cam track means 51 of the stationary member 52 controls the radial position of the shelf member 45 in such a manner that the container body 23 carried thereby will be subsequently aligned with a particular mandrel means 27 being orbited by the rotatable member 39 whereby the carried container means 23 will be drawn onto the mandrel means 27 in telescoping relation therewith when the hollow member 92 of the mandrel means 27 is interconnected to a vacuum source in a manner previously described.

The detection means 78 and 79 will determine whether the container body 23 is fully telescoped on the mandrel means 27 in a proper position and, if so, the cam members 83 at the arcuate portions 80 and 81 of the cam track means 69 of the stationary member 70 will not be actuated when that particular mandrel means 27 engages or approaches the same.

However, if the detection means 78, 79 detect that no container body 23 is on the mandrel means 27 or is jammed thereon so as not to be in a proper position, the detection means 78, 79 cause a fluid pressure source to be interconnected to the particular hollow member 92 of the mandrel means 27 to tend to blow off such jammed container body 23, the cam track means 51 having radially moved inwardly the respective support means 45 to permit such blow oif condition.

As the particular mandrel means 27 is being orbited in a clockwise direction, the cam track means 69 at the arcuate portion 80 thereof causes the outer cylindrical side surface 32 of the carried container body 23 to tend to trace the arcuate or circular path of movement of a particular blanket 96 of the ink applying means 17.

The cam track means 69 and arcuate portion 80 are so constructed and arranged that when a particular blanket 96 is orbiting in a clockwise direction, the forward and non-ink carrying part of the blanket 96 will engage the cylindrical side wall surface 32 of the container body 23 being carried by the orbiting mandrel means 27 with a constant pressure because the blanket 96 tends to move or pivot the mandrel means 27 radially inwardly when the container means 23 and the blanket 96 are in engagement. In this manner, the actuator means 61 of the particular mandrel means 27 opposes such force of the blanket means 96 tending to move the mandrel means inwardly so that a constant force is applied between the blanket 96 and the side wall 32 of the container body 23 throughout the entire time that the blanket 96 is engaging the container body 23 whereby the blanket 96 will only be compressed by a constant force and by an amount determined by the actuator means 61 and cam surface 80 of the track means 69.

Since the first portion of the blanket means 96 does not carry the printing ink means thereon and since there is differential movement between the container body 23 and the blanket 96, the orbiting blanket 96 causes the container body 23 and its associated mandrel member '92 of the mandrel means 27 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction even though the same are orbiting-in a clockwise direction so that by the time the last half of the blanket means 96 comes into engagement with the side wall means 32 of the container means 23, the container body 23 is rotating at the same speed of rotation of drum so that the printing ink means on the blanket means 96 will be applied to the container body 23 without slippage therebetween as the same are moving in unison. Further, because the container body 23 is, in effect, tracing part of the arcuate path of movement of the blanket 96 during the label applying operation and because the cam follower 68 of the respective mandrel means 27 moves against the arcuate portion 80 of the cam track means 69, the entire printing operation of the blanket 96 to the side wall surface 32 of the container means 23 is with a constant pressure between the side wall means 32 of the container body 23 and blanket 96 so that no distortion is effected in the printed label means by a changing pressure relationship as in prior known label applying apparatus.

Thus, it can be seen that not only is the particular container body 23 being orbited by the rotatable member 39 at the same time that the ink applying blanket means 96 is moving to provide a relatively high speed printing operation, but also the blanket means 96 is applying the ink means directly to the outer cylindrical side wall means 32 of the container means 23 with a constant pressure about the entire outer periphery of the container 23 to prevent smudging and printing distortion as found in prior known printing apparatus because of the changing degress of compression of the printing blanket in the prior known printing apparatus.

After the particular mandrel means has traced the arcuate path of movement of the blanket means 96 and has the ink means printed thereon in the manner previously described, the cam means 69 causes the printed container body 23 to be moved away from the printing device 17 and be moved toward the other applying device 28 which will also apply its means to the outer side wall means 32 of the container body 23 with a constant pressure and while the means 28 and container body 23 are simultaneously orbiting in their respective paths in the same manner as previously described for the ink means applying device 17.

For example, the other applying means 28' can apply a protective coating of shellac or the like to the previously printed ink means on the side wall means 32 of the container 23 to not only protect the printed label means, but also to add luster thereto for eye appeal.

However, as previously described, should a particular mandrel means 27 being orbited by the member 39 to the applying devices 17 and 28 have been previously detected by the detecting means 78 and 79 as not containing a container body 23 or have one improperly jammed thereon, the actuating means 87 at the arcuate portions 80 and 81 of the cam track means 69 are actuated in such a manner that when the particular roller or cam follower 68 of the sensed mandrel means 27 approaches the same, the cam members 83 are pivoted radially inwardly to force the mandrel means 27 out of the path of engagement with the blanket means 96 of the label applying means 17 and the applying means of the other device 28 in the manner previously described. In this manner the blanket means 96 will not be damaged by an oifset flange 33 of a jammed container body 23 and an empty mandrel means 27 will not have ink and like applied thereto.

As each mandrel means 27 is orbited into alignment with a suction cup member adjacent the arcuate portion 82 of the cam track means 59, the carried container body 23 is caused to move in substantially the same path as the suction cup means 110 aligned therewith whereby the extended suction cup member 110 is interconnected to a vacuum source at the same time that a pressure fluid is directed to the hollow member 92 of the respective mandrel means 27 to cause the telescope container body 23 to move radially away from the mandrel means 27 and be carried by the pick-off member 110 away from the orbiting mandrel means 27.

Subsequently, the pick-off member 110 carries the picked off container body 23 adjacent a spindle 126 of the conveyor means 30 and blows the same onto the mandrel means 126 by having fluid pressure directed to the actuating chamber 113 thereof in the manner previously described so that the conveyor means 30 will carry the labeled container body 23 :away from the apparatus 20.

Therefore, it can be seen that the method and apparatus 20 of this invention is not only readily adaptable to print ink means to the container bodies 23 in a high speed manner, such as in the order of 650 container bodies per minute, because the ink means applying device and container bodies are simultaneously moving during the entire printing operation without any intermittent operation as in prior known printing apparatus, but also the ink means is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the container bodies 23 with a constant pressure throughout the entire printing operation whereby printed label distortion or smearing is substantially eliminated.

Thus, not only does this invention provide an improved ink means applying apparatus, but also this invention provides an improved method for applying ink means or the like.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for printing ink means and the like to the outer surface means of a container means comprising an ink means applying device, means for moving said ink means applying device in a predetermined path, means for moving said container means to cause said surface means of said container means to move in a predetermined path toward and away from said path of said ink means applying device, said paths of movement of said device and said surface means tending to overlap each other at portions thereof whereby the overlapping of said paths of movement permits relative rolling movement between said container means and said ink means applying device, said ink means applying device being capable of moving said container means out of its predetermined path at the overlapping portions of said paths of movement, and means to press said container means toward said ink means applying device with a substantially constant pressure during substantially the entire time of contact therebetween to cause said device to apply said ink means to said outer surface means of said container means with a substantially constant pressure during simultaneous movement of said device and said surface means of said container means through said portions of said paths of movement thereof as said device causes said container means to move out of its predetermined path of overlapping movement, said means for moving said container means comprising a mandrel on which said container means is telescoped and a rotatable member carrying said mandrel to tend to move said mandrel in a circular orbit, said mandrel carrying a cam follower, said means for moving said container means also comprising a normally stationary cam track means to determine said path of movement of said surface means of said container means except in the overlapping portions of said paths of movement, said means for pressing said container means toward said ink means applying device pressing said cam follower into positive rolling contact with said cam track means except during the overlapping portions of said paths of movement where said ink means applying device moves said container means and said cam follower out of their respective predetermined paths of movement.

2. Apparauts according to claim 1 in which said means for moving said ink means applying device rotates said ink means applying device about an axis, said means for moving said container means orbiting said container means about a different axis.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said means to press said container means with a substantially constant pressure comprises a fluid pressure chamber and means connecting the fluid pressure chamber to said mandrel to apply a substantially constant pressure to said container means against said ink means applying device during the overlapping portions of said paths of movement thereof.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which there are a plurality of said ink means applying devices orbited about a common axis by said means for moving said ink means applying device, and in which there are a plurality of said mandrels for carrying a plurality of said container means, said means for moving said container means orbiting the same about a common axis.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the fluid pressure chamber is connected to each of the plurality of mandrels and causes each container means to pass suceessively over at least one of the ink means applying devices and to have a substantially constant pressure exerted thereon throughout each of their respective printing engagements.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which there are a plurality of said ink means applying devices, said means for moving said ink means applying device orbiting said plurality of ink means applying devices about a common axis.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which there are a plurality of said mandrels for supporting a plurality of said container means for rotation about their respective axes.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said means for moving said container means orbits said plurality of mandrels for the plurality of container means about a common axis.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said cam track means has a movable cam member which when moved from one position thereof to another position thereof acts against said cam follower to prevent a noncontainer carrying mandrel from having said ink means applied thereto at said overlapping portions of said paths of movement thereof.

' 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said cam member causes said cam follower of said mandrel to move with a smooth transition from said cam track means onto said cam member when said cam member is in said other position thereof.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said cam member causes said cam follower of said mandrel to move with a smooth transition from said cam member back onto said cam track means when said cam member is in another position thereof.

12. A method for printing ink means and the like to the outer surface means of a container means comprising the steps of moving an ink means applying device in a predetermined path, moving said container means to cause said surface means of said container means to move in a predetermined path toward and way from said path of movement of said ink means applying device so that said paths of movement of said device and said surface means tend to overlap each other at portions thereof whereby the overlapping of said paths of movement causes relative rolling movement between said container means and said ink means applying device, said ink means applying device thus moving said container means out of its predetermined path at the overlapping portions of said paths of movement, and pressing said container means toward said ink means applying device with a substantially constant pressure during substantially the entire time of contact therebetween, said steps of moving said container means and said device and said step of pressing said container means toward said device causing said device to apply said ink means to said outer surface means of said container means with a substantially constant pressure during simultaneous movement of said device and said surface means of said container means through said portions of said paths of movement thereof as said device causes said container means to move out of its predetermined path of overlapping movement, said step for moving said container means comprising the step of providing a cam follower carrying mandrel on which said container means can be telescoped, said step for moving said container means also comprising the steps of providing a rotatable member to carry said mandrel and rotating said member to tend to move said mandrel in a circular orbit, said step for moving said container means also comprising the step of providing a normally stationary cam track means to determine said path of movement of said surface means of said container means except in the overlapping portions of said paths of movement, said step of pressing said container means toward said ink means applying device comprising the step of pressing said cam follower into positive rolling contact with said cam track means except during the overlapping portions of said paths of movement where said ink means applying device moves said container means and said cam follower out of their respective predetermined paths of movement.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said step of providing said cam track means comprises the step of providing a movable cam member which when moved from one position thereof to another position thereof acts against said earn follower to prevent a non-container carrying mandrel from having said ink means applied thereto at said overlapping portions of said path of movement thereof.

14. A method according to claim 13 and including the step of causing said cam follower of said mandrel to move with a smooth transition from said cam track means onto said cam member when said cam member is in said other position thereof.

15. A method according to claim 14 and including the step of causing said cam follower of said mandrel to move with a smooth transition from said cam member back onto said cam track means when said cam member is in said other position thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,745,342 5/1956 Kusters 101-247 3,131,631 5/1964 Haskin 101--152 3,261,281 7/1966 Hartmeister 101-37 2,326,850 8/1943 Gladfelter et a1. 101-40 2,936,701 5/1960 Stuchbery 10140 3,139,817 7/1964 Terry 101-38 XR 3,356,019 12/1967 Zurick 10139 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner C. D. CROWDER, Assistant Examiner US. 01. XR.

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