Reinforced hose means for biasing a squeegee

Claim 1

In a screen printing machine, a combination comprising an elongated liquid-permeable stencil having endless internal and external surfaces; means for moving said stencil so as to engage successive increments of a web of material to be treated along a region of contact which extends lengthwise of said stencil; a movable holder having one side facing towards said region of contact and another side which faces away from said region of contact and is provided with a bar-shaped extension extending lengthwise of said stencil; stationary support means for supporting said holder and having a portion located in the interior of said stencil; a squeegee mounted on said holder at said one side thereof; biasing means interposed between said support means and said holder to urge said squeegee against said internal surface, including an elongated tubular elastically deformable but non-stretchable gas-filled envelope forming a cushion comprising a resiliently deformable but nonstretchable hose and at least one reinforcing layer embedded in the material of said hose, said cushion having a first side facing away from and a second side facing towards and straddling said bar-shaped extension substantially coextensive therewith, said cushion being inwardly deformed by said extension with resultant changes in the shape but due to its non-stretchability not in the total cross-sectional area of the cushion whereby variations in the depths of the deformation of said envelope and consequently of said cushion result in corresponding variations in the biasing action; and means confining said envelope to said one side against yielding in direction away from said extension.