US3645201A — Multicolor printing machine cylindrical and frust…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 339 words

A machine for applying two or more color images to the surfaces of cylindrical or frustoconical articles, comprising a frame, a turret mounted on the frame for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said turret having a plurality of rotatable mandrels for supporting the articles, indexing means operable to turn the turret intermittently so as to index each mandrel in succession with printing stations spaced around the turret, a plurality of printing cylinders, bearing support means rotatably mounting the cylinders at said printing stations, the axes of rotation of the mandrels and printing cylinders being substantially radial with respect to the axis of rotation of the turret, inking means for applying a volatile color liquid ink to the printing cylinders, a master gear unit for rotating the mandrels and printing cylinders in synchronism to ensure registration of the successive color images printed on articles supported on the mandrels, said gear unit including two main gears rotatably mounted about the axis of the turret, one main gear being in constant mesh with pinions drivably connected to the mandrels and the other main gear being in constant mesh with pinions drivably connected to the printing cylinders, means securing said main gears together for rotation in unison, and drive means operable to rotate the gear unit and operate the indexing means in synchronism with rotation of the gear unit, wherein said bearing support means hold the printing cylinders in fixed positions during operation of the machine, the printing cYlinders are substantially larger in diameter than the mandrels, each cylinder having printing media on a sector only of the cylinder whereby printing is carried out during part only of one revolution of the cylinder, and the drive means are arranged so that each mandrel is held at an index position at each printing station during rotation of the cylinder at the station through said part only of one revolution and is moved out of the index position during the remainder of the revolution of the printing cylinder during which no printing takes place.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 339 words

A machine for applying two or more color images to the surfaces of cylindrical or frustoconical articles, comprising a frame, a turret mounted on the frame for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said turret having a plurality of rotatable mandrels for supporting the articles, indexing means operable to turn the turret intermittently so as to index each mandrel in succession with printing stations spaced around the turret, a plurality of printing cylinders, bearing support means rotatably mounting the cylinders at said printing stations, the axes of rotation of the mandrels and printing cylinders being substantially radial with respect to the axis of rotation of the turret, inking means for applying a volatile color liquid ink to the printing cylinders, a master gear unit for rotating the mandrels and printing cylinders in synchronism to ensure registration of the successive color images printed on articles supported on the mandrels, said gear unit including two main gears rotatably mounted about the axis of the turret, one main gear being in constant mesh with pinions drivably connected to the mandrels and the other main gear being in constant mesh with pinions drivably connected to the printing cylinders, means securing said main gears together for rotation in unison, and drive means operable to rotate the gear unit and operate the indexing means in synchronism with rotation of the gear unit, wherein said bearing support means hold the printing cylinders in fixed positions during operation of the machine, the printing cYlinders are substantially larger in diameter than the mandrels, each cylinder having printing media on a sector only of the cylinder whereby printing is carried out during part only of one revolution of the cylinder, and the drive means are arranged so that each mandrel is held at an index position at each printing station during rotation of the cylinder at the station through said part only of one revolution and is moved out of the index position during the remainder of the revolution of the printing cylinder during which no printing takes place.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 119 words

A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing support means for each printing cylinder comprises a hub member provided with axial and radial abutments, the cylinder being detachably mounted on the hub member and having axial and radial abutments in engagement with the axial and radial abutments on the hub member, and clamping means clamp the printing cylinders on the hub members, the axial and radial abutments on each hub member being in register with the corresponding axial and radial abutments on the other hub members whereby the printing cylinders may be interchanged upon release of the clamping means without loss of registration of the successive color images printed by the cylinder on articles on the mandrels.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 61 words

A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hub member comprises a shaft having a shoulder thereon forming the axial abutment on the shaft, and the printing cylinder has a web forming the corresponding axial abutment of the cylinder, said clamping means comprising a nut threaded on a screw thread on the shaft and clamping the web against the shoulder.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 39 words

A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of said radial abutments comprises a detachable cylindrical element, whereby rotational adjustment of the printing cylinder may be effected by replacing the cylindrical element by another element of different size.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 275 words

A machine for applying two or more color images to the surfaces of cylindrical or frustoconical articles, comprising a frame, a turret rotatably mounted on the frame, said turret having a plurality of rotatable mandrels for supporting the articles, indexing means operable to turn the turret intermittently so as to index each mandrel in succession with printing stations spaced around the turret, rotary printing cylinders at said stations, inking units having inking rollers for applying a volatile color liquid ink to the printing cylinders, and drive means operable to rotate the mandrels and printing cylinders in synchronism to ensure registration of the successive color images printed by the cylinders on the articles, said machine including at each printing station a main slide on the frame, the main slide supporting the printing cylinder at said station and being movable to bring the cylinder into and out of contact with an article on a mandrel indexed with the station, stop means limiting the travel of the main slide relative to the frame, an auxiliary slide supporting the inking unit at each station, the auxiliary slide being movable relative to the main slide to bring the inking roller into and out of contact with the printing cylinder, further stop means limiting the travel of the auxiliary slide relative to the main slide, and means operable to displace the auxiliary slide relative to the frame, whereby, at one extremity of movement of the auxiliary slide, the printing cylinder is in contact with both the article and the inking roller while at the other extremity the printing cylinder is out of contact with both the article and the inking roller.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 275 words

A machine for applying two or more color images to the surfaces of cylindrical or frustoconical articles, comprising a frame, a turret rotatably mounted on the frame, said turret having a plurality of rotatable mandrels for supporting the articles, indexing means operable to turn the turret intermittently so as to index each mandrel in succession with printing stations spaced around the turret, rotary printing cylinders at said stations, inking units having inking rollers for applying a volatile color liquid ink to the printing cylinders, and drive means operable to rotate the mandrels and printing cylinders in synchronism to ensure registration of the successive color images printed by the cylinders on the articles, said machine including at each printing station a main slide on the frame, the main slide supporting the printing cylinder at said station and being movable to bring the cylinder into and out of contact with an article on a mandrel indexed with the station, stop means limiting the travel of the main slide relative to the frame, an auxiliary slide supporting the inking unit at each station, the auxiliary slide being movable relative to the main slide to bring the inking roller into and out of contact with the printing cylinder, further stop means limiting the travel of the auxiliary slide relative to the main slide, and means operable to displace the auxiliary slide relative to the frame, whereby, at one extremity of movement of the auxiliary slide, the printing cylinder is in contact with both the article and the inking roller while at the other extremity the printing cylinder is out of contact with both the article and the inking roller.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 96 words

A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the inking roller is drivably connected to the printing cylinder by gears and a unidirectional clutch adapted to transmit driving torque in one direction of rotation of the cylinder and permit free wheel in the opposite direction, said gears being arranged so that they remain in mesh during displacement of the auxiliary slide relative to the main slide between said further stops, and a motor is driVably connected to the inking roller through a second unidirectional clutch to effect rotation of the inking roller in said one direction.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-02-28	1975-08-30	1976-02-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-02-28	1979-08-30	1980-02-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-02-28	1983-08-30	1984-02-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Multicolor printing machine cylindrical and frustoconical objects

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