GB1021572A - Marking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,021,572. Marking rectangular boxes or cartons; cylinder tripping. ADOLPH GOTTSCHO Inc. Oct. 9, 1962 [Oct. 26, 1961], No. 38138/62. Heading B6C. A side surface and the back surface of each of a number of spaced rectangular cartons or boxes A are marked by frictional contact with a rotatable marking wheel 54 as they are moved on a conveyer 14 past a printing station which incorporates the wheel and its actuating mechanism. The wheel is rotatably mounted on a vertical shaft 50, Fig. 3, carried at the outer end of an arm 40 of a horizontal two-armed member 36 the other arm 38 of which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal support arm 20 by a bolt 34. This support arm 20, which is adjustably mounted on a vertical post 18 extending upwardly from a base 12 disposed to one side of the conveyer 14, carries at one end a bearer strip 32 along which the successive cartons or boxes slide during marking, and at the other end, a flange 68 to which a fluid pressure operated actuating cylinder 64 is pivotally mounted on a vertical pin 66, Fig. 1. The rod 72 of a piston 70, Fig. 2, slidable within the cylinder 64 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the arm 38 of the member 36. The piston is moved by supplying compressed air to either end of the cylinder 64 through conduits 78 and 80 which are connected to respective outlet ports 94 and 96 of a distributer valve 82 the air being supplied to the inlet port 90 of the valve through a line 92. The valve comprises a bore 86 housing a slidable spool 88 having an axial bore 120 and circumferential recesses 114, 116 and 118. A radial duct 122 connects the bore and the recess 114 whilst the spaces in the bore defined by the recesses 116 and 118 connect to atmosphere through ducts 110 and 112 in the valve body 84. The left-hand end of the bore 120 connects to poppet valves 104 and 106 through conduits 98 and 100 whilst the right-hand end of the bore is connected to a poppet valve 108 through a conduit 102. Each poppet valve has a spring- loaded pin which when depressed allows the compressed air in its associated supply conduit to escape to atmosphere. The pins of the valves 106 and 108 are depressed by fingers 142 pivotally mounted in the path of the moving cartons or boxes A whilst the pin 132 of the valve 104 is directly actuated by contact with an outer part of the arm 38 of the pivotally mounted member 36. The marking wheel 54 is inked by an inking drum 58 of the internal reservoir type which is mounted alongside the wheel in contact therewith. Suitable locking devices are provided to permit rotation of the wheel only whilst in contact with the surfaces of the boxes or cartons to be marked. The wheel is shown in its non-printing position in Fig. 3 with the spool 88 of the valve 82 at the lefthand end of the bore 86 such that compressed air admitted through the conduit 78 has forced the piston 70 to the top of the cylinder 64. An approaching carton or box A contacts the finger 142 of the poppet valve 106 which depresses the associated pin to ensure that the wheel 54 is in its non-printing position. Should the approaching carton or box be spaced too close to the preceding one such that if by writing until the valve 104 is actuated by the moving arm 38 a join-up of the wheel between the two cartons or boxes were to ensue, the actuation of the valve 106 would prevent this jam since the wheel would immediately be withdrawn out of the path of travel of the cartons or boxes. On contacting the finger 142 of the valve 108 depression of the pin thereof bleeds air from the right-hand end of the bore 86 of the valve 82 such that the spool 88 moves to that end thus allowing compressed air to enter the top of the cylinder 64 via the conduit 80 such that the piston 70 moves to swing the member 36 about the bolt 34. Initially the wheel contacts the side of the actuating carton or box A and prints thereon prior to moving along the back surface for further printing. The travel of the wheel into the path of the moving cartons or boxes is governed by the poppet valve 108 the pin 132 of which is depressed by the contacting part of arm 38 such that the left-hand end of the valve bore 86 is bled to attract the valve spool 88 thereto. Thereupon the piston 70 is moved once again to the top of the cylinder 64 to effect retraction of the wheel 54 to its non-printing position to await the next cycle of operations.