Screen printer ink supply with quick coupling and level sensing

Claim 2

A printing press assembly comprising: stencil support carriage means; ink vessel support means; ink vessel means positionable on said ink vessel support means, and including a gas inlet formed through a side wall of the vessel, said vessel support means providing support for transporting said ink vessel between an operative position and a non-operative position thereon, said vessel including an ink outlet extending from said vessel toward said stencil support carriage means to discharge ink onto a stencil supported thereon; gas supply means for supplying pressurized gas to said ink vessel means, said supply means including coupling means having a sealing member positioned for releasably engaging a portion of said side wall surrounding said gas inlet of said vessel when said vessel is in said operative position on said support means for coupling said supply means to said vessel, and control valve means for regulating the supply of gas to said ink vessel means.

Claim 3

The assembly in claim 1 including ink level sensor means positioned relative to said stencil support carriage means to sense the ink level on said stencil and coupled to said control valve means for actuating said valve means as a function of the ink level sensed.

Claim 4

The assembly in claim 2 wherein said control valve means is pressure actuated and said sensor means includes a gas conducting tubular probe with a lower outlet extending toward said screen, said probe coupled to said gas supply means for causing a flow of gas through said probe, whereby back pressure created in said probe by the presence of ink at said lower outlet of said probe actuates said control valve means.

Claim 5

For use in screen printing apparatus, an ink supply system comprising: stencil support carriage means; a printing station including an elongated track for receiving an ink supplying vessel and transporting said ink supplying vessel between non-operating and operating positions; an ink supplying vessel including a removable cover providing access to the interior of said vessel and a side wall including an orifice formed therethrough; an ink discharge tube extending through said cover to be submerged in a supply of ink in said vessel and extending to a stencil screen supported on said stencil support carriage means and to which ink is to be supplied; a fixed plate positioned adjacent said track and including resilient coupling means coupled to a source of pressurized gas and positioned on said plate to sealably contact a portion of said side wall surrounding said orifice of said vessel for coupling said source of gas to said vessel when said vessel is at said operating position on said track to supply the interior of said vessel with pressurized gas for forcing ink from said vessel through said discharge tube; and means for controlling the gas pressure applied to said vessel to control the flow of ink through said discharge tube.

Claim 6

For use in screen printing apparatus, an ink supply system comprising: stencil support carriage means; a printing station including an elongated track for receiving an ink supplying vessel and transporting said ink supplying vessel between non-operating and operating positions; an ink supplying vessel including a removable cover providing access to the interior of said vessel and a side wall including an orifice formed therethrough; an ink discharge tube extending through said cover to be submerged in a supply of ink in said vessel and extending to a stencil screen supported on said stencil support carriage means and to which ink is to be supplied; a fixed plate positioned adjacent said track and including resilient coupling means coupled to a source of pressurized gas and positioned on said plate to sealably contact a portion of said side wall surrounding said orifice of said vessel for coupling said source of gas to said vessel when said vessel is at said operating position on said track to supply the interior of said vessel with pressurized gas for forcing ink from said vessel through said discharge tube; and means for controlling the gas pressure applied to said vessel to control the flow of ink through said discharge tube.

Claim 7

The system as defined in claim 4 wherein said ink supplying vessel is shaped to receive And support an open container of ink such that said discharge tube extends into said ink container when said cover is in position, and means for sealing said cover on said ink supplying vessel such that gas entering said ink supplying vessel through said orifice exerts pressure directly on the surface of ink in said ink container to force ink from said discharge tube.

Claim 8

The system as defined in claim 5 wherein said sealing means includes a seal interpositioned between said vessel and said cover therefor, and a pivot lever positioned adjacent said cover and movable toward said cover to clamp said cover tightly against said seal.

Claim 9

The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said cover includes an outwardly projecting abutment and said lever includes a stop member for engaging said abutment to position said ink supplying vessel as it is moved along said track into engagement with said resilient coupling means.