Method and apparatus for detecting defects in articles and for marking the locations of defects detected in the articles

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 and further including adjusting the radial position of the marking assemblies relative to said path for accommodating articles of various diameters.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein adjusting the radial position of said marking assemblies includes simultaneously moving the assemblies radially while maintaining the relative positions between the assemblies constant axially along the path of travel.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said marking assemblies are operated to spray article marking fluid, and further including marking an article by spraying fluid on a circumferential segment of its surface in which a flaw is detected.

Claim 6

Apparatus for detecting and marking defects in cylindrical articles advancing along a path of travel comprising: a. an inspection unit having at least an inspection head for detecting flaws in articles; b. a marker unit comprising a body supporting a plurality of marker assemblies individually operable to mark detected flaws in the articles; c. means for operating a marker assembly in response to detection of a flaw in an article; d. said assemblies including marking devices stationed at circumferential locations about the path of travel each operable to mark a circumferential section of the article surface in which a flaw is detected; e. said marking devices supported by linkages for adjustably moving said devices radially toward and away from said path of travel with respect to the body, said linkages each including link arms rotatable with respect to the body; and, f. a transmission drivingly connected to each linkage for transmitting motion to said arms, said transmission including a gear connected to an arm of said linkage and a second gear rotatably supported by said body, said second gear rotatably driven by a sprocket wheel.

Claim 7

Apparatus for detecting and marking defects in cylindrical articles advancing along a path of travel comprising: a. an inspection unit having at least an inspection head for detecting flaws in articles; b. a marker unit comprising a body supporting a plurality of marker assemblies individually operable to mark detected flaws in the articles; c. means for operating a marker assembly in response to detection of a flaw in an article; d. said assemblies including marking devices stationed at circumferential locations about the path of travel each operable to mark a circumferential section of the article surface in which a flaw is detected; e. said marking devices supported by linkages for adjustably moving said devices radially toward and away from said path of travel with respect to the body, said linkages each including link arms rotatable with respect to the body; and, f. a transmission drivingly connected to each linkage for transmitting motion to said arms, said transmission including a gear connected to an arm of said linkage and a second gear rotatably supported by said body, said second gear rotatably driven by a sprocket wheel.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said sprocket wheel of each transmission is driven by a chain drive including a chain engaged with each sprocket wheel.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said sprocket wheels are disposed at spaced radial positions about said path of travel and said chain is woven about successive sprocket wheels.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 and further including a driving gear connected to one of said sprocket wheels, said driving gear manually rotated to drive said chain and adjust the position of said marking devices.

Claim 11

Apparatus for detecting and marking defects in cylindrical articles advancing along a path of travel comprising: a. an inspection unit having at least an inspection head for detecting flaws in articles; b. a marker unit comprising a body supporting a plurality of marker assemblies individually operable to mark detected flaws in the articles; c. means for operating a marker assembly in response to detection of a flaw in an article; d. said assemblies including marking devices stationed at circumferential locations about the path of travel each operable to mark a circumferential section of the article surface in which a flaw is detected; e. said marking devices supported by linkages for adjustably moving said devices radially toward and away from said path of travel with respect to the body, said linkages each including link arms rotatable with respect to the body; and, f. a transmission drivingly connected to each linkage for transmitting motion to said arms.

Claim 12

Apparatus for detecting and marking defects in cylindrical articles advancing along a path of travel comprising: a. an inspection unit having at least an inspection head for detecting flaws in articles; b. a marker unit comprising a body supporting a plurality of marker assemblies individually operable to mark detected flaws in the articles; c. means for operating a marker assembly in response to detection of a flaw in an article; d. said assemblies including marking devices stationed at circumferential locations about the path of travel each operable to mark a circumferential section of the article surface in which a flaw is detected; e. said marking devices supported by linkages for adjustably moving said devices radially toward and away from said path of travel with respect to the body, said linkages each including link arms rotatable with respect to the body; and, f. a transmission drivingly connected to each linkage for transmitting motion to said arms.

Claim 13

Apparatus for detecting and marking defects in cylindrical articles advancing along a path of travel comprising: a. an inspection unit comprising a plurality of inspection heads positioned about said path for detecting flaws in the articles; b. a marker unit comprising a body supporting a number of marker assemblies exceeding the number of inspection heads, said marker assemblies individually operable to mark detected flaws in articles; c. means for selectively operating a marker assembly in response to detection of a flaw in an article by an inspection head; and, d. said marker assemblies including marking devices stationed at circumferential locations about the path of travel, each of said devices selectively operable to mark a circumferential section of the article surface in which a flaw is detected.

Claim 14

Apparatus for detecting and marking defects in cylindrical articles advancing along a path of travel comprising: a. an inspection unit comprising a plurality of inspection heads positioned about said path for detecting flaws in the articles; b. a marker unit comprising a body supporting a number of marker assemblies exceeding the number of inspection heads, said marker assemblies individually operable to mark detected flaws in articles; c. means for selectively operating a marker assembly in response to detection of a flaw in an article by an inspection head; and, d. said marker assemblies including marking devices stationed at circumferential locations about the path of travel, each of said devices selectively operable to mark a circumferential section of the article surface in which a flaw is detected.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said marker assemblies are supported by linkages for adjustably moving said assemblies radially toward and away from said path of travel with respect to the body.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said marker assemblies comprise spray guns for directing a spray of marking fluid onto an article, and means for simultaneously adjusting the positions of said guns so that each gun is positioned to direct marking fluid onto a predetermined circumferential section of an article.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said means includes a drive mechanism and drive transmissions individually connected to said linkages for adjusting said spray guns.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said supporting body for said marker assemblies fixes said assemblies against circumferential movement relative to said path of travel.

Claim 19

Apparatus as fefined in claim 10 wherein said marker unit is hinged to said inspection unit and movable away from said inspection unit about the hinge to permit access to said inspection unit.

Claim 20

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and further including a rotatable support structure for said inspection heads, said support structure rotatable to orbitally move said inspection heads about an article, said marker operating means effecting operation of a selected marker assembly aligned with a section of an article in which a flaw is detected by an inspection head.

Claim 21

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said inspection heads are each cooperatively related to said marker-operating means so that said marker-operating means operates a selected marker assembly to mark a given circumferential section of an article in response to detection of a flaw in said given section by any one of said inspection heads.