GB929819A - Supporting containers for printing thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

929,819. Printing on curved surfaces. MONSANTO CHEMICAL CO. Aug. 21, 1961, No. 30036/61. Class 100 (2). Apparatus for supporting containers C and printing in at least one colour on the curved exterior surface thereof comprises an offset drum 11, supporting a blanket 13, an expandable mandrel mechanism enclosed in a casing 31 and pivoted at 32 so as to be swingable towards or away from the drum 11, means for expanding said mechanism within a container to support a wall thereof during printing, means controlled in relation to the rotation of the drum to swing the expanded mechanism and a container supported thereon so that container engages the blanket 13 immediately after its leading edge, and means for preventing swinging movement of the mandrel mechanism prior to the expansion of said mechanism. Each container is mounted on a pivoted vacuum holder 21 on a rotatable turret 20 adapted to be indexed at a number of positions. The mandrel mechanism comprises an elongated member 40 having a tubular portion 41 at one end and an end wall 44 at the other. A support member 45 is connected by pivots 48, 49 to links 46, 47 which are themselves pivoted at 50, 51 respectively to the member 40 and an actuating rod 52 reciprocably mounted in the portion 41. Actuation of an air cylinder 70 moves a slide 73 and a further air cylinder 74 forwardly and a rod urges a cone 35 forwardly so that the container C is correctly aligned. The cylinder 74 is then actuated and the mandrel mechanism is threaded through the neck of the container C and expanded as the rod 52 is pushed forwardly so that the rod 45 contacts an inner wall of the container. The container is then swung into contact with the blanket by means of an air cylinder 90. The pneumatic operation of the apparatus is controlled by a cam 15 which co-operates with a valve 95 and by further valves, Figs. 9 and 10 (not shown) which are actuated by the slide 73 and the rod of the cylinder 74. The member 45 may be formed as a roller, Fig. 5 (not shown), and may be provided with a series of nylon bristles, Figs. 6 and 7 (not shown), which engage the inner wall of the container.