GB788754A - Improvements in rotary printing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

788,754. Printing on curved surfaces. TIMSON, E. A. June 20, 1956 [June 20, 1955], No. 17809/55. Class 100(2) A rotary machine for printing on the exterior of cylindrical containers, e.g. light metal containers to be filled later, comprises a magazine for a supply of containers, an inclined feed track extending downwardly frcm the magazine to and beyond the printing station, means for releasing containers from the magazine one at a time on to the track along which they roll to the printing station, and means to move a released container from the track into contact with the printing cylinder and re-position it on the track after printing so that it can roll to a discharge station. The printing cylinder 4 may carry rubber type, is rotated by a motor-driven shaft 5, and is inked by mechanism 51, 52, 53. The magazine 6 comprises two angle-bars 9 and two rectangular bars 10, the bars 9 being adjustable towards and away from each other by nuts and towards and away from the bars 10 along slots in carrier arms 13 to accommodate containers of different sizes. Trigger elements 17, 18 shaped to fit the container circumferences are carried on arms 19, 20 pivoted at 27 and are released alternatively by cams 24 (not shown) and 25 on the shaft 5 so as to be withdrawn by springs out of the magazine, so that the containers 7, which have been conveyed to the magazine along a track 8 are released one at a time on to an inclined feed track 14 comprising angle rails 15 carried on brackets. 16. Each container rolls down the track and is stopped at the printing station by a stop element 46. Two pairs of rollers 28 are carried on shafts 32, 32<SP>1</SP> mounted on arms 30 pivoted on a shaft 31, the rollers 28 being rotated bv the cylinder 4 through gears 34, 35, 36, 37. A roller 42 mounted on the arms 30 is engaged by a further cam on the shaft 5 to hold the rollers 28 down against the action of a snring 41, and is neriodically released to allow the rollers 28 to move a container 7 upwards against the printing cylinder in contact with which it is rotated by the roller 28. the upward movement of the roller 28 alo being limited by a stop engaging an adjustable screw on the roller carrying assembly. The rollers 28 move up through spaces in the rails 15. After the rollers 28 are moved downwardly by the roller 42 to replace the container 7 on the rails 15, the element 46 which is carried by a spring-urged lever 47, is moved out of the path of the container by a face cam carried on the cam 24 (not shown) engaging the upper end of the lever 47, whereupon the container rolls to a discharge station S and falls on to a delivery conveyer 48, a rod 49 causing the container to be disposed on the conveyer 48 in a tilted position, whence on being moved by the conveyer it is set in an upright position by an inclined arm 50.