Article controlled rotary marking apparatus

Claim 2

Article marking apparatus associated with moving conveyor means on which articles to be marked are positioned and travel along a path spaced apart along the reach of said conveyor to a marking station for impression of indicia thereupon; said apparatus comprising, a marking device, electric drive means for operating said marking device, to place same in article marking condition in intercepting relation with said articles, first and second electric circuits each capable of energizing said drive means, normally open article sensing means responsive to the passage of an article initially to render said first circuit in condition for energizing said drive means and timer means driven by said drive means to render said second circuit in condition for energizing said drive means simultaneously with initial energization of said drive means, said second circuit operable to energize said drive means for a period of time after the first circuit is rendered non-operative whereby said marking device is in condition to receive said sensed article for impression of indicia thereon when the sensed article arrives at the marking station.

Claim 3

The article marking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said timer means comprise a timer wheel rotatably driven by said drive means, a pair of rollers mounted on said timer wheel and rotatable therewith, said switch means including a switch arm in intercepting relation with said rollers for engagement and disengagement thereby as the timer wheEl rotates, initial rotation of the timer wheel causing the switch arm to disengage one of said rollers energizing said second circuit, the other roller subsequently engaging said switch arm on further rotation of the timer wheel to deenergize said second circuit.

Claim 4

The article marking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said timer means comprise a timer member driven by said drive means on energization thereof, switch means arranged in said second electric circuit, spaced means carried by said timer member and arranged for disposition in periodic intercepting relation with said switch means to open and to close said second electric circuit, said spaced means operable on said second electric circuit upon initial energization of said drive means by said sensing means whereby to maintain energization of said drive means notwithstanding subsequent deenergization of said drive means on rendering of said first circuit non-operative, said spaced means further operable on said second electric circuit to deenergize said drive means.

Claim 5

The article marking apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said timer member is a timer wheel rotatably coupled to said drive means and said spaced means comprises cam members carried by said timer wheel, said switch means includes a switch arm mounted in intercepting relation to said cam members, said switch arm capable of being moved by said cam members to operate said switch means sequentially.

Claim 6

Article marking apparatus associated with moving conveyor means on which articles to be marked are positioned and travel along a path spaced apart to a marking station for impression of indicia thereupon; said apparatus comprising, a marking device, electric drive means for operating the marking device, a first and second electric circuits for energizing the drive means, normally open article sensing means responsive to the passage of an article to close said first circuit and timer means driven by said electric drive means closing said second circuit and holding said second circuit closed for a period of time after the first circuit is opened whereby said marking device is placed in condition to receive said sensed article for impression of indicia thereon when the sensed article arrives at the marking station, said timer means comprise a timer wheel carrying cam means thereon and switch means operable by said cam means first to close said second electric circuit and then to open said second electric circuit on elapse of said period of time and said cam means comprise a pair of diametrically opposed members mounted on said timer wheel adjacent the periphery thereof, said timer wheel arranged for rotation by said drive means, one of said members engaged with said switch means in open condition of said second electric circuit, rotation of said timer wheel disengaging said one member from said switch means to close said second electric circuit and said other member engagable with said switch means to open said second electric circuit at each half-revolution of said timer wheel.

Claim 7

Article marking apparatus associated with moving conveyor means on which articles to be marked are positioned and travel along a path spaced apart to a marking station for impression of indicia thereupon; said apparatus comprising, a marking device, electric drive means for operating the marking device, a first and second electric circuits for energizing the drive means, normally open article sensing means responsive to the passage of an article to close said first circuit and timer means driven by said electric drive means closing said second circuit and holding said second circuit closed for a period of time after the first circuit is opened whereby said marking device is placed in condition to receive said sensed article for impression of indicia thereon when the sensed article arrives at the marking station, said timer means comprise a timer wheel carrying cam means thereon and switch means operable by said cam means first to close said second electric circuit and then to open said second electric circuit on elapse of said period of time and said cam means comprise a pair of diametrically opposed members mounted on said timer wheel adjacent the periphery thereof, said timer wheel arranged for rotation by said drive means, one of said members engaged with said switch means in open condition of said second electric circuit, rotation of said timer wheel disengaging said one member from said switch means to close said second electric circuit and said other member engagable with said switch means to open said second electric circuit at each half-revolution of said timer wheel.

Claim 8

The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said lever means comprises a spring biased arm swingably mounted across the path of travel of said articles whereby to be intercepted and engaged by each article successively.

Claim 9

The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which there is a horizontally disposed platform above the path of travel of said articles; said drive means, timer means and marking device all being mounted upon said platform; vertically disposed raising and lowering means arranged on opposite sides of said platform and means fixedly coupling said platform thereto, said platform being selectively raised and lowered relative to the moving conveyor.

Claim 10

In a marking apparatus associated with a moving conveyor reach and arranged for applying impressions to articles positioned and traveling spaced apart on the conveyor reach to a marking station for impression of indicia thereupon and including a marking device disposed at the marking station, drive means operatively coupled to said marking device for placing same in impression rendering condition, and means for sensing the passage of articles along the conveyor reach; the improvement comprising, means for coordinating the operation of said marking device to the position of the article along the conveyor reach and said coordinating means comprising: said article sensing means arranged adjacent the path of the articles along the conveyor reach and operable on the drive means only when an article is disposed at the sensing means and returnable to normal condition upon passage of the article therepast and timer means operatively coupled to said drive means for continuing operation of said drive means subsequent to return of said sensing means to normal condition, said timer means comprising a wheel coupled to said drive means for rotation thereby, normally open switch means including a switch arm controllably coupled to said drive means and cam means carried by said wheel and arranged for intercepting said switch arm on rotation of said wheel through an arc of predetermined length, said cam means comprising at least a pair of cam surfaces mounted to said wheel and rotatable therewith, said switch arm being located in the path of said cam surfaces, one of said cam surfaces arranged to engage said switch arm to maintain the normally open condition, said drive means operable to disengage said one cam surface from said switch arm to close said switch means until engagement of said switch arm by the other of said cam surfaces whereby at the time the sensed article reaches the marking station, the marking device has been placed in condition for applying the desired impression thereto.

Claim 11

In a marking apparatus associated with a moving conveyor reach and arranged for applying impressions to articles positioned and traveling spaced apart on the conveyor reach to a marking station for impression of indicia thereupon and including a marking device disposed at the marking station, drive means operatively coupled to said marking device for placing same in impression rendering condition, and means for sensing the passage of articles along the conveyor reach; the improvement comprising, means for coordinating the operation of said marking device to the position of the article along the conveyor reach and said coordinating means comprising: said article sensing means arranged adjacent the path of the articles along the conveyor reach and operable on the drive means only when an article is disposed at the sensing means and returnable to normal condition upon passage of the article therepast and timer means operatively coupled to said drive means for continuing operation of said drive means subsequent to return of said sensing means to normal condition, said timer means comprising a wheel coupled to said drive means for rotation thereby, normally open switch means including a switch arm controllably coupled to said drive means and cam means carried by said wheel and arranged for intercepting said switch arm on rotation of said wheel through an arc of predetermined length, said cam means comprising at least a pair of cam surfaces mounted to said wheel and rotatable therewith, said switch arm being located in the path of said cam surfaces, one of said cam surfaces arranged to engage said switch arm to maintain the normally open condition, said drive means operable to disengage said one cam surface from said switch arm to close said switch means until engagement of said switch arm by the other of said cam surfaces whereby at the time the sensed article reaches the marking station, the marking device has been placed in condition for applying the desired impression thereto.

Claim 12

The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said sensing means includes lever means arranged normally in intercepting condition relative to articles traveling on the conveyor reach, second switch means, normally open, responsive to said lever means and coupled to said drive means, said second switch means being operable during engagement of said lever means with an article to operate said drive means.

Claim 13

The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said cam surfaces comprise the circumferential surfaces of rollers mounted to the wheel at diametrically opposed locations and being rotatable with said wheel.

Claim 14

The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said engagement occurs every half-revolution of the wheel.

Claim 15

The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, and platform means for mounting said marking device, drive means and timer means, and means for selectively raising and lowering said platform means to place the apparatus in operating relation to said conveyor reach for operation upon articles of varying height.

Claim 16

Article marking apparatus for association with moving conveyor means for applying impressions to articles as they travel spaced apart along the conveyor to a marking station, said apparatus comprising platform means arranged for supporting said apparatus operatively associated with said conveyor means, electrically operated drive means arranged on said platform means, article sensing means, including lever means, arranged along said path of travel of said articles and operable to energize said drive means when an article is disposed at said sensing means, a marking device drivably coupled to said drive means at a marking station arranged downstream of said sensing means for applying impressions to said articles, and timer wheel means operable by said drive means continuing energization of said drive means subsequent to the passage of the article past the sensing means and return of the sensing means to its normal condition, first and second switch means for energizing and deenergizing said drive means, said first switch means operable by said sensing means, means carried by said timer wheel operable on said second switch means at a selected time interval on rotation of said timer wheel through a given arc for deenergizing said drive means whereby the marking devIce is in condition for applying the desired impression to the sensed article when the same has reached the marking device.

Claim 17

Article marking apparatus for association with moving conveyor means for applying impressions to articles as they travel spaced apart along the conveyor to a marking station, said apparatus comprising platform means arranged for supporting said apparatus operatively associated with said conveyor means, electrically operated drive means arranged on said platform means, article sensing means, including lever means, arranged along said path of travel of said articles and operable to energize said drive means when an article is disposed at said sensing means, a marking device drivably coupled to said drive means at a marking station arranged downstream of said sensing means for applying impressions to said articles, and timer wheel means operable by said drive means continuing energization of said drive means subsequent to the passage of the article past the sensing means and return of the sensing means to its normal condition, first and second switch means for energizing and deenergizing said drive means, said first switch means operable by said sensing means, means carried by said timer wheel operable on said second switch means at a selected time interval on rotation of said timer wheel through a given arc for deenergizing said drive means whereby the marking devIce is in condition for applying the desired impression to the sensed article when the same has reached the marking device.

Claim 18

The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said means carried by said timer wheel comprise at least a pair of cam members secured to said timer wheel at spaced locations along the wheel and in intercepting relation with said second switch means.