Apparatus for continuous can printing

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON THE EXTERIOR OF CAN BODIES IN WHICH SAID BODIES MOVE INTO A PRINTING POSITION DURING A PRINTING PERIOD AND OUT OF SAID POSITION DURING A NONPRINTING PERIOD, AND COMPRISING: (A) AN IMPRESSION MEMBER, THE IMPRESSION-IMPARTING SURFACE OF WHICH IS ROTATABLE CONTINUOUSLY IN ONE DIRECTION; (B) A SUPPORT HUB ROTATABLE IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE IMPRESSION-IMPARTING SURFACE OF SAID IMPRESSION MEMBER, SAID HUB HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS POSITIONED AROUND ITS PERIPHERY; (C) A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN EACH OPENING IN SAID SUPPORT HUB FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL WITH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORT HUB, SAID SHAFT HAVING AN ECCENTRIC PORTION ATTACHED THEREON; (D) A MANDREL SLEEVE ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE ECCENTRIC PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, SAID MANDREL SLEEVE BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A CAN BODY, THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF WHICH IS TO BE PRINTED; (E) A LINK RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE ECCENTRIC PORTION OF SAID SHAFT MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT HUB AND EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM; (F) A CAM FOLLOWER CARRIED BY THE FREE END OF SAID LINK; (G) CAM MEANS POSITIONED IN OPERATIVE RELATION WITH SAID CAM FOLLOWER AND ADAPTED TO CONSTRAIN THE AXIS OF SAID CAM FOLLOWER TO FOLLOW A PATH PARALLEL WITH THE IMPRESSION-IMPARTING SURFACE DURING THE PRINTING PERIOD WHEREIN ENGAGEMENT IS MADE BETWEEN SAID SURFACE AND THE CAN BODY CARRIED BY SAID CAN-RECEIVING MANDREL SLEEVE, WHEREBY, THE MOTION OF THE CAM FOLLOWER IS TRANSMITTED TO SAID LINK CAUSING ROTATION OF THE PORTION OF SAID SHAFT MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT HUB THEREBY CAUSING THE ECCENTRIC PORTION OF THE SHAFT TO MOVE IN AN ARC ABOUT THE PIVOTAL CENTER OF SAID SHAFT CAUSING PRINTING PRESSURE BETWEEN THE IMPRESSION MEMBER AND A CAN BODY MOUNTED ON THE MANDREL SLEEVE DURING ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE IMPRESSION-IMPARTING SURFACE AND THE CAN BODY.