Label imprinting apparatus with a plurality of interchangeable separate self-contained inking modules

Claim 2

In combination with an imprinting apparatus for successively printing serially arranged labels and the like connected together into a web of indeterminate length and including a generally rectangular main housing having a pair of upstanding spaced-apart plates including a threaded aperture in each and being secured to the upper surface thereof, a rotatable printing cylinder carried by said upstanding plates for printing labels presented thereto, feeding means carried by said housing for intermittently feeding the web of labels to said printing cylinder in timed relation to the rotation thereof for successive printing of the labels and for positioning and registering successive labels in proper position for the printing thereof, and drive means carried by said main housing and including a single motor means, a gear means operatively connected to said printing cylinder and a separate gear means operatively connected to said feeding means and said printing cylinder gear means and being driven by said motor means to rotate said printing cylinder and drive said feeding means in timed relationship for the proper printing of the serially arranged labels; the improvement of a plurality of separate inking modules for selective, alternative, interchangeable use to supply a desired type of ink to said printing cylinder, each of said inking modules being characterized by being completely self-contained to provide ease in assembling, disassembling and interchanging thereof in said imprinting apparatus, each of said inking modules comprising: a. a module housing including a top wall, front and rear walls and sidewalls connected together in modular form, said sidewalls registering with said upstanding plates of said main housing and carrying threaded bolt means for reception by said apertures in said upstanding plates to removably secure each of said inking modules to said imprinting apparatus and to allow easy disassembly and interchanging of said inking modules from said imprinting apparatus, b. a rotatable ink transfer roll carried by said module housing and being positioned for operative association with said printing cylinder when said inking module is mounted in said imprinting apparatus for supplying ink to said printing cyliNder, c. a rotatable inking roll carried by said module housing and having a supply of ink contained therein and frictionally engaging said ink transfer roll for rotation therewith to deposit a film of ink thereon, d. a rotatable and reciprocating ink spreading roll carried by said module housing and frictionally engaging said ink transfer roll for rotation therewith and for spreading the ink therealong, and e. drive means carried by said module housing for rotating said ink transfer roll and reciprocating said ink spreading roll and including a gear means operatively connected to said ink transfer roll and which meshes with said printing cylinder drive gear when said inking module is assembled in said imprinting apparatus for driving said ink transfer roll in timed relation to the rotation of said printing cylinder, and gear means operatively associated with said ink spreading roll and engaging said gear means for driving said label feeding means when said inking module is assembled in said imprinting apparatus for reciprocating said ink spreading roll in timed relationship to the drive of said feeding means and the rotation of said printing cylinder, said module drive means being easily disengaged from said printing cylinder and feeding means drive means when said inking module is removed from said imprinting apparatus.

Claim 3

In combination with an imprinting apparatus for successively printing serially arranged labels and the like connected together into a web of indeterminate length and including a generally rectangular main housing having a pair of upstanding sidewalls, a rotatable printing cylinder carried by said sidewalls for printing labels presented thereto, feeding means carried by said housing for intermittently feeding the web of labels to said printing cylinder in timed relation to the rotation thereof for successive printing of the labels and for positioning and registering successive labels in proper position for the printing thereof, and drive means carried by said main housing and including motor means, gear means operatively connected to said printing cylinder and separate gear means operatively connected to said feeding means and said printing cylinder gear means and being driven by said motor means to rotate said printing cylinder and drive said feeding means in timed relationship for the proper printing of the serially arranged labels; the improvement of a plurality of separate inking modules for selective, alternative, interchangeable use to supply a desired type of ink to said printing cylinder, each of said inking modules being characterized by being completely self-contained to provide ease in assembling, disassembling and interchanging thereof in said imprinting apparatus, each of said inking modules comprising: a. a module housing including a top wall, front and rear walls and sidewalls connected together in modular form, said sidewalls registering with said sidewalls of said main housing, b. fastening means carried by said main and module housings for removably securing each of said inking modules to said imprinting apparatus and to allow easy disassembly and interchanging of said inking modules from said imprinting apparatus, c. positioning and registering means carried by said main and module housings for positioning and registering said module housing on said main housing, said positioning and registering means being separate from said fastening means and comprising cooperating pins and brackets having openings therein for receipt of the pins, d. a rotatable ink transfer roll carried by said module housing and being positioned for operative association with said printing cylinder when said inking module is mounted in said imprinting apparatus for supplying ink to said printing cylinder, e. a rotatable inking roll carried by said module housing and having a supply of ink contained therein and frictionally engaging said ink transfer roll for rotation therewith to deposit a film of ink thereon, f. a roTatable and reciprocating ink spreading roll carried by said module housing and frictionally engaging said ink transfer roll for rotation therewith and for spreading the ink therealong, and g. drive means carried by said module housing for rotating said ink transfer roll and reciprocating said ink spreading roll and including gear means operatively connected to said ink transfer roll and which meshes with said printing cylinder drive gear means when said inking module is assembled on said main housing for driving said ink transfer roll in timed relation to the rotation of said printing cylinder, and gear means operatively associated with said ink spreading roll and engaging said gear means for driving said label feeding means when said inking module is assembled on said main housing for reciprocating said ink spreading roll in timed relationship to the drive of said feeding means and the rotation of said printing cylinder, said module drive means being easily disengaged from said printing cylinder and feeding means drive means when said inking module is removed from said imprinting apparatus.

Claim 4

In combination with an imprinting apparatus for successively printing serially arranged labels and the like connected together into a web of indeterminate length and including a generally rectangular main housing having a pair of upstanding sidewalls, a rotatable printing cylinder carried by said sidewalls for printing labels presented thereto, feeding means carried by said housing for intermittently feeding the web of labels to said printing cylinder in timed relation to the rotation thereof for successive printing of the labels and for positioning and registering successive labels in proper position for the printing thereof, and drive means carried by said main housing and including motor means, gear means operatively connected to said printing cylinder and separate gear means operatively connected to said feeding means and said printing cylinder gear means and being driven by said motor means to rotate said printing cylinder and drive said feeding means in timed relationship for the proper printing of the serially arranged labels; the improvement of a plurality of separate inking modules for selective, alternative, interchangeable use to supply a desired type of ink to said printing cylinder, each of said inking modules being characterized by being completely self-contained to provide ease in assembling, disassembling and interchanging thereof in said imprinting apparatus, each of said inking modules comprising: a. a module housing including a top wall, front and rear walls and sidewalls connected together in modular form, said sidewalls registering with said sidewalls of said main housing, b. fastening means carried by said main and module housings for removably securing each of said inking modules to said imprinting apparatus and to allow easy disassembly and interchanging of said inking modules from said imprinting apparatus, c. positioning and registering means carried by said main and module housings for positioning and registering said module housing on said main housing, said positioning and registering means being separate from said fastening means and comprising cooperating pins and brackets having openings therein for receipt of the pins, d. a rotatable ink transfer roll carried by said module housing and being positioned for operative association with said printing cylinder when said inking module is mounted in said imprinting apparatus for supplying ink to said printing cylinder, e. a rotatable inking roll carried by said module housing and having a supply of ink contained therein and frictionally engaging said ink transfer roll for rotation therewith to deposit a film of ink thereon, f. a roTatable and reciprocating ink spreading roll carried by said module housing and frictionally engaging said ink transfer roll for rotation therewith and for spreading the ink therealong, and g. drive means carried by said module housing for rotating said ink transfer roll and reciprocating said ink spreading roll and including gear means operatively connected to said ink transfer roll and which meshes with said printing cylinder drive gear means when said inking module is assembled on said main housing for driving said ink transfer roll in timed relation to the rotation of said printing cylinder, and gear means operatively associated with said ink spreading roll and engaging said gear means for driving said label feeding means when said inking module is assembled on said main housing for reciprocating said ink spreading roll in timed relationship to the drive of said feeding means and the rotation of said printing cylinder, said module drive means being easily disengaged from said printing cylinder and feeding means drive means when said inking module is removed from said imprinting apparatus.