Method of continously moving containers through a treatment process

Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus is disclosed for printing on the sidewalls of containers such as cups having a generally circular cross-section and a cylindrical or frusto-conical shape. The apparatus is designed for continuous operation as distinguished from indexed operation. Methods and apparatus are disclosed which are used to accomplish certain portions of the over-all printing method, which form parts of the over-all printing apparatus, and which also have separate utility in other applications. Among these are a method and apparatus for individually separating and feeding containers from axially aligned or nested relationship in a stack, a turret assembly and a method for moving containers in supported condition through a treatment station, a print blanket assembly including a method and means for controllably pivoting the print blankets during printing, a method and apparatus for removing containers from an orbiting mandrel without contacting the printed sidewall, and a method and apparatus for drying decorating material on the sidewalls of printed containers. The feeding apparatus employs several successive container conveying sections, two of which operate at an increased speed to separate containers from a line or stack and feed them to a remote position. The turret assembly comprises a rotatable frame carrying a plurality of rotatably mounted mandrels through an orbital path including a treatment section and includes a friction wheel for accelerating the mandrels to a given rotational velocity in a section of the orbital path prior to the treatment section. Cam means are provided to control the direction of tilt of the axis of each mandrel as it passes through the treatment section when the surfaces of hollow frustoconical objects are to be treated. The printed blanket assembly includes apparatus for pivoting the print blankets during contact with the moving surface to be printed so that contact with the moving surface is maintained for a longer time. The apparatus for removing containers includes a suction cup moveable through an orbital path and operating on the end of the container to transfer successive containers to gripping belts which feed it rapidly onto a conveyor substantially free from any bouncing action or other motion disturbance. The container drying apparatus includes guides to cause containers to follow a skewed path along and across a conveyor in a manner which rotates the container about its axis and substantially uniformly exposes its sidewall, and a number of radiant heaters and coolers arranged to circulate air over the exterior sidewall of the container as it rotates and moves axially in a skewed path along and across the conveyor.

Inventors

• 👤 Eric S Buhayar
• 👤 James E Hazard
• 👤 John J Jaagus
• 👤 Fred W Werner
• 👤 Robert W Wheeler
• 👤 Robert C Crowe

Bibliographic Details