Device for indexing cylindrical plastic bottles for offset printing

Claim 1

FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH A PRINTING MACHINE OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A ROTARY PRINTING DRUM, ARTICLE FEED AND INDEXING MEANS FOR PRESENTING ARTICLES EACH HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION ON WHICH PRINTING IS TO TAKE PLACE TO SAID PRINTING DRUM IN AN INDEXED POSITION, SAID ARTICLE FEED AND INDEXING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF HOLDER UNITS FOR SUPPORTING ARTICLES FOR ROTATION DURING THE PRINTING THEREOF, MEANS MOUNTING SAID HOLDER UNITS FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A PREDETERMINED PATH AND FOR SEQUENTIALLY PRESENTING ARTICLES TO SAID PRINTING DRUM, EACH OF SAID HOLDER UNITS COMPRISING A FIXED HOLDER MEMBER AND A MOVABLE HOLDER, A SUPPORTING SHAFT, MEANS MOUNTING SAID MOVABLE HOLDER ON SAID SUPPORTING SHAFT, FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SUPPORTING SHAFT, A HOUSING SUPPORTING SAID SUPPORTING SHAFT TO SHIFT SAID MOVABLE HOLDER FOR INSAID SUPPORTING SHAFT TO SHIFT SAID MOVABLE HOLDER BETWEEN AN ARTICLE CLAMPING POSITION AND A RELEASED POSITION, ARTICLE INDEXING MEANS CARRIED WITHIN SAID MOVABLE HOLDER FOR INDEXING AN ARTICLE, SAID ARTICLE INDEXING MEANS INCLUDING AN INDEXING FINGER ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED IN AN ARTICLE RECESS, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID FINGER WITHIN THE GENERAL CONFINES OF SAID MOVABLE HOLDER FOR RETRACTING MOVEMENT AXIALLY OF SAID MOVABLE HOLDER AND HOLDING SAID FINGER FIXED AGAINST ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT.