Random jar coder

Claim 1

Apparatus for imprinting a code or other information on containers advancing on a conveyor in random spaced relation which comprises a rotatably mounted, continuously driven Coding wheel having a plurality of coding die elements mounted in predetermined spaced relation about the periphery thereof, which wheel is disposed for rotation in a vertical plane above the path traversed by the containers and which is operative to engage the top surface of each successive container with one of said die elements when said container is at a marking station located along the path of said containers, a drive for said coding wheel which normally synchronizes the speed of the coding wheel with the container advancing conveyor so that successive containers which are spaced on the conveyor according to the spacing of the die elements on said wheel will be engaged in the same area by said die elements, means for operating said drive to accelerate or decelerate said coding wheel in accordance with the advance of each successive container to said marking station and the position of a pair of said die elements relative to said marking station whereby the speed of said coding wheel is adjusted for each container, when required to bring selected die elements to proper position at said marking station for imprinting on each said container, and said drive for said coding wheel including means for comparing the advance of a container with the advance of said pair of die elements to the marking station and means for adjusting the operation of the drive for the coding wheel so as to accelerate or decelerate said coding wheel as required to bring into proper marking position the die element which is most nearly mated with the advancing container.