Computer controlled marking apparatus

Claim 1

A computer controlled marking apparatus of the type adapted to be moved to a position to mark a workpiece maintained in a stationary position relative thereto comprising: a frame structure; means for clamping a workpiece to be marked in a fixed position relative to said frame structure including clamping arms pivotally secured to said frame structure and clamping cylinder means secured to said frame structure for operating said clamping arms to retain said workpiece in said fixed position relative to said frame structure; a unitary assembly supported on said frame structure for lateral movement relative thereto; means for laterally moving said unitary assembly relative to said frame structure and to a workpiece clamped in a fixed position relative to said frame structure to position said unitary assembly at successive marking positions; a marking assembly supported by said unitary assembly for reciprocal movement toward and away from said clamped workpiece to affect marking thereof at said marking positions with selected ones of a plurality of characters; said marking assembly including a marking dial having a plurality of marking characters thereon and moveable to a plurality of selected character positions in which a selected character may be marked on said workpiece upon reciprocal movement of said marking assemblies, and a character orienting motor secured to said marking assembly and moveable therewith and selectably energizable to move said marking dial to selected ones of said character positions; and means affixed to said unitary assembly for reciprocally moving said marking assembly to effect marking of the workpiece by said marking dial at selected ones of said marking positions with a character on said character dial located at said character position.