Cylindrical article printer

Claim 1

A printing device for printing cylindrical objects, such as wheels, drums, etc. comprising a printing stereotype having a cylindrical arcuate printer surface, first mounting means rotatably supporting said stereotype, a workpiece holder, second mounting means rotatably supporting said workpiece holder, movable support means movably supporting said second mounting means to move said workpiece holder toward and away from said printing stereotype for moving the workpiece into and out of engagement with the printer surface, means for applying ink to said printer surface, and positive gear drive means connected to rotate said stereotype and its printer surface and to rotate said workpiece holder at the same speeds but opposite directions of rotation and to hold said printer surface and said workpiece holder in the same relative angular positions during movement of said second mounting means for engagement and disengagement of the workpiece and said printing surface whereby engagement will always take place at a predetermined point on the cylindrical circumference of the workpiece and the surfaces of the workpiece and said printing stereotype will move smoothly together in contact during printing, said means for applying ink to said printer surface comprising an inking ribbon, means guiding said ribbon for movement between said workpiece and said printing surface, and inking ribbon drive means connected to said ribbon and to said positive gear drive means for rotation the ribbon in timed relationship to the rotation of the workpiece, said ribbon being disposed between said workpiece and said printer surface and being movable with said workpiece rotation and said printer surface rotation during printing of said workpiece, said positive gear drive means comprising a printing stereotype shaft having a driven gear pulley thereon, a drive shaft having a drive gear pulley thereon, a gear belt interconnecting said drive gear pulley to said driven pulley, said second support means comprising a pivotal support lever pivotally mounted adjacent said stereotype printer and comprising said movable support means carrying said workpiece holder, a transmission shaft rotatably supported on said lever and geared to said drive shaft, a transmission gear pulley affixed to said transmission shaft for rotation therewith, a workpiece pulley affixed to said workpiece shaft for rotation therewith, a workpiece drive gear belt engaged over said transmission shaft pulley and said workpiece shaft pulley to rotate said workpiece support, said workpiece support comprising a disc member, said disc member having means for adjustably angularly positioning a workpiece thereon, and means to shift said support lever for shifting the workpiece toward and away from said printing surface.