GB1500648A - Apparatus for decorating and curing generally cylindrical articles - Google Patents

Abstract

1500648 Handling cylinders during coating SUN CHEMICAL CORP 23 Sept 1976 [26 Sept 1975 (2)] 39478/76 Heading B2L [Also in Divisions B6, H3 and H5] Cylindrical articles are decorated and cured by passage along a conveyor which includes a plurality of rotatably mounted mandrels which support the articles for decoration, and a transfer assembly comprising a rotating wheel mounting a plurality of spindles which receive decorated articles directly from the mandrel and support and rotate them whilst being cured, but which are non-rotating whilst an article is received. In Fig. 1 open-ended containers 16 are fed by a screw 31 and a wheel 32 into pockets 17 on a wheel, from which they are transferred to mandrels on a co-axial wheel. The containers are decorated and varnished by wheels 21, 23 respectively and are then transferred to spindles on a wheel assembly 27 where they are held for ultra-violet curing at 55 before being discharged at 14. Transfer assembly (Fig. 6A). A series of heads 40 each of which are mounted on a rotatable spindle 52 remove the containers 16 from the mandrels by means of an axially movable suction cup 51. The spindle 52 is connected to the output of a clutch 105 whose input derives from the rotation of the transfer assembly 27. The clutch is selectively operated via air conduits 108, 109 and a valve interface 110, so that the spindle 52 and head 40 rotate intermittently, i.e. whilst passing the curing assembly 55. The axial movement of head 40 is controlled by a cam groove 111 and follower 112 connected therewith, a notch 114 (Fig. 8, not shown) being provided on the head frame. The suction at cup 51 is provided intermittently, i.e. to support the containers from removal from the mandrels until discharge at 14, by a bore 121 which is selectively connected to atmosphere at 92 and to vacuum via 96 by means of a cam-operated valve 97. Ultra - Violet curing. (Fig. 2) The main sub-assembly 55 includes a series of fluidcooled arcuate tubes 57 (Fig. 4, not shown) constituting a reflector: side housings, e.g. 68, providing mountings for elongate ultra-violet lamps 80, which mountings can be cooled by a blower 70 (Fig. 1) via inlets 73; and a fluid-cooled shutter 82 mounted on a bracket 83 for actuation by a cylinder 88 to prevent overheating. The shutter 82 when actuated slides across the radiation path to abut against a fluid-cooled shield 81 (Fig. 5 not shown). The sub-assembly 55 is pivotable at 56 for servicing and is maintained in the operative position by an ear 89 and bracket 91. A subsidiary fluid-cooled reflector shield 54 is provided. USA Specification 3766851 is referred to: this discloses a similar conveyance past decorating means and loading on to suction heads on a transfer assembly, but the transferred articles are deposited on a pin chain to convey the articles through a curing oven.