GB702098A - Apparatus for marking characters on the periphery of round objects - Google Patents

Abstract

702,098. Printing on cylindrical surfaces. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. Nov. 13, 1951 [Nov. 13, 1950], No. 26559/51. Class 100 (2) A device for marking characters on the periphery of round objects, e.g. the bases of small lamp bulbs comprises a pair of arms 10, 11 carrying gripping means at their forward ends, means for advancing the arms towards a work station at which bulbs are periodically presented, means for actuating the arms to close the gripping means on the base of the bulb, means for sliding the arms with respect to each other to roll the base between them, and a marking stamp 46 adapted to print on the base during the rolling. The arms 10, 11 are of square section and slidably mounted in guides 12, 13 each pivotally mounted on a block 14 and formed with gear teeth 15, 16 so that their swinging movements are equal. A spring 26 urges the arms together and a latch 27, pivoted to guide 13 and having a shoulder engageable with a peg 29 on guide 12, maintains the arms in the open position, Fig. 6a. The block 14 is slidable on a base to which are fixed a pair of rollers 37, 38 co-operating with the ends of the arms. At the other end arm 10 carries a pair of rollers 41 and arm 11 carries a serrated gripping plate 43 resiliently mounted by springs 44 on adjusting screws. The printing type 46 is carried on a spring loaded lever pivoted on the underside of arm 11. The operation of the device is as follows : From the initial position, Fig. 6a, the block 14 is displaced towards the bulb 1 which is held in the work station by a spring clip; this displacement causes the latch 27 to be tripped by engagement with a fixed peg 30 so that the arms 10, 11 are closed to gripping position by spring 26 as shown in Fig. 6c; the block 14 is then moved away from the work station carrying the bulb with it ; this movement first causes the end of arm 10 to abut roller 37, the arm 10 being caused to slide through guide 12 against the action of a spring housed in a longitudinal bore of the arm ; the relative movement betwen the arms causes rolling and printing of the base of the bulb as seen in Fig. 6e ; further movement causes engagement between the inclined rear end 39 of arm 11 and roller 38 so as to swing the arms anart and release the bulb which drops into a delivery chute ; the latch assumes its operative position again and the block 14 is returned to the initial position shown in Fig. 6a. Inking apparatus.-The type 46 is inked bv a pad 53 pivotally carried on a sliding cross member 54 actuated by hand or automatically towards the type during the rest period of the device. A projecting member fixed under the arm 11 engages an arm on the pivot 57 of the pad 53 to swing the pad vertically against the type. Ink is supplied to the pad by a stationary spring- loaded roller transferring ink from a disc to which it is fed. e.g. by dripping. The disc may be revolved by a pawl and ratchet actuated by the oscillation of the slider 54.