US2015669A

US2015669A - Apparatus for decorating bottles, jars, cans, and like articles

Info

Publication number: US2015669A
Application number: US676636A
Authority: US
Inventors: Julian S Gravely; Leon N Kersey
Original assignee: Bond Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: Bond Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date: 1933-06-20
Filing date: 1933-06-20
Publication date: 1935-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1952-10-01

Description

Oct. 1, 1935. J. s. GRAVELY ET AL APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES 11 Sheets-Sheet l g gwuentozs 7 Filed June 20, 1933 J QLcOnSGraL/e/y 'Leon Nfirsgy ywzg W -Oct. 1, 1935. 2,015,669

APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, cans AND LIKE ARTICLES J. s; GRAVELY ET AL 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1953 3M Gum/ways J. s. GRAVELY ET AL Oct. 1, 1935.

APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES 11 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed June 20, 1935 gwoemtocs SGraVqQ dbtM/vwqs Leon Nfirs e g rm V 7 Oct. 1, 1935. J. s. .GRAVELY ET AL APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS,' CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed June 20, 1955 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 1, 1935.v .1. s; GRAVELYET AL APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed June 20, 1955 11 sheets-sheets Oct. 1, 1935 J. s. GRAVELY AL 2,0 5,

. APPARATUS FOR DECORATIING BOTTLES, JARS,- cms Ami LIKE ARTICLES Filed Jun 20, 1953 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aer-.5 y

abhor M115 6.6raygg Oct. 1, 1935. J. s. GRAVELY ET AL 7 2,015,669

APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed June 20, '19s:

11 sheets-sheet 'r Oct. 1, 1935. J. 5. GRAVE-LY ET AL APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed June 20, 1953 ll, Sheets-Sheet 8 MWWN a bm M3 M gm,

Oct. 1, 1935- I J. s. GRAVELY El AL 2,015,669

APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed June 20, 1933 ll Sheets-Sheet Q gwumt oms Oct. 1, 1935.

J. s VGRAVELY El AL 2,015,669

APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS AND LIKE ARTICLES 11, She ets-She'et 11 Filed June 20, 1955 I gmnmtoz Gra/ Q Leon; Nflerq; 9

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Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR DECORATING BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, AND LIKE ARTICLES Julian S. Gravely and Leon N. Kersey, Wilmington, DeL, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

.\ Bond Manufacturing Corporation, Inc.,. Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application June 20,1933, Serial N0. 616,636 12 Claims. (01.101-38) Our invention relates to improvements in proces of and apparatus for decorating bottles, jars, cans and like articles. In general, our invention has to do with providing a process and apparatus are not formed to precise dimensions and will a show variations in their wall thickness as well as imperfections and irregularities upon the surface portions to which the label or decoration is to be applied which, though'usually slight,

nevertheless have heretofore precluded the adoption of known printing and lithographing methods for applying labels and decorative designs to such articles.

In the case of tin cans, it has been proposed,

and some manufacture has taken place in accordance therewith, to lithograph the label, or design, on a sheet of tin plate before it is made into a can. This requires, however, that the side seam of the can be soldered from the inside, a slow and expensive process which adds considerably to the cost of such a decorated can. Other methods that have been and are being used to some extent in applying designs and labels to bottles, jars, cans and like articles are applications of the decalcomania process, rubber stamps and spray processes carried out with the use of means for shielding portions that are not to be decorated. These methods are essentially hand ope17ations and do not lend themselves to large scale automatic or semi-automatic machine operations.

We are also aware of the fact that, for many years, it has been customary to print the labels, or decorative designs, directly upon the walls of collapsib'e tubes. The collapsible tube, however, is made of material so soft that it has an easily yielding wall and any slight irregularities in the wall are ironed out by the pressure to which the tube is subjected during coating and printing. Moreover, in the manufacture of collapsible tubes, the wall thickness is maintained substantfally uniform throughout. Collapsible tubes, therefore, present quite a different problem than bottles, jars and cans, which have walls that are either rigid and unyielding, as in glass and similar ceramic materials, or relatively unyielding and resistant to deformations for correcting sur-.

face irregularities, as in the case of cans made of tin plate and similar materials. Furthermore, bottles, jars and cans vary considerably in wall thickness. It is not unusual to find variations of as much as a sixteenth of an inch in the 5 wall thickness of individual bottles of the same shipment. Such variations in the thickness of unyielding walls are bound to produce imperfect impressions, when one attempts to print thereon, unless some means are provided to compensate 10 automatically for the differences in wall thicknes..

One of the principal objects of ourinvention, therefore, is to provide a. process of and apparatus' for automatically compensating for varia- 15 tions in the thickness of unyielding or relatively unyielding walls in applying decorative coatings to or printing directly-on bottles, jars, cans and the like articles.

A further object of our invention is to provide 20 a process of and apparatus for compensating for imperfections and irregularities upon the surface portions of the bottles, jars, cans and like articles in applying decorative coatings or printting directly on such articles. 2

A further object of our invention is to provide a process of and apparatus for applying decorative coatings or printing directly upon selected portions of the surface of bottles, jars, cans and like articles wherein the articles to be treated are 30 fed automatically to and past a coating or a printing station and while positioned at such station are automatically manipulated to bring the surface to be coated or printed upon into the correct relationship, all while automatically com- 35 pensating for any variations in the wall thickness or imperfections or irregularities in the surface portions that are to be coated or printed upon.

Another object of our invention is to provide means whereby the article to be printed upon or 40 coated may be rotatably supported and positioned during the printing operation.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of our process and apparatus will definitely appear from the detailed description to 45 follow. In one instance, we have accomplished the objects of our invention by the devices and means described in the following specification.

Our invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. The preferred instrumentalities for carrying out our process are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a f part of this specification, in which:

of mechanism for applying the ground coating to the articles in carrying out the first step of our improved process;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the workholders for rotatably supporting and positioning the article to be coated;

Fig. 4 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line i-l oi Fig. 1, showing a bottle supported in a work-holder and receiving the ground coating;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation, showing a'rnodified form of work-holder supporting a shorter bottle in position to receive the ground coating;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, illustrating the application of the ground coating to the bottle shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing a modified form of work-holder rotatably supporting a tin can in position to receive the ground coating;

Fig. 8 is a view in end elevation of the workholder shown in Fig. 7; I

Fig. 9 is a detail, sectional view, showing the spring-pressed pin in the work-holder of Fig. 3, for releasably retaining the bottle neck in position;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, illustrating the application of a ground coating to a small bottle or Jar, supported by a work-holdlng mandrel;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the mechanism 11- lustrated in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line- Iii-l2 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a'detail sectional view, corresponding to Fig. 12, but illustrating a form of mandrel without any resilient surface covering; v

Fig. 14 is a detail, sectional view, corresponding to Fig. 12, but illustrating a work-holding mandrel for use with small glass Jars, having a resilient surface covering of cork;

Fig. 15 is a similar view, illustrating a corkcovered mandrel for use in supporting glass vials;

Fig. 16 is a similar view, illustrating a plain mandrel for supporting a glass vial;

Fig. 17 is a view, in side elevation, of a corkcovered mandrel for engagement with the interior of a bottle, or jar, to be coated, showing how the driving roll may be formed integrally with the cork covering of the mandrel;

Fig. 18 is a view in side elevation of mechanism which may be used in carrying out the printing step of our process;

Fig. 19 is a top plan view of the carrier portion of the mechanism'shown in Fig. 18, the transfer cylinder being removedand the frame of the machine shown in section;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary view, in end elevation, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 18;

Fig. 21 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2|--2I of Fig. 18, showing the printing of a label directly upon the side wall of a bottle;

Fig. 22 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2222 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2323 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the resiliently supported platform and the adjacent portions of the conveyor frame;

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the platform;

Fig. 26 is a perspective view of the type of workholder particularly adapted for bottles;

Fig. 27 is a fragmentary detail view, corresponding in general to Fig. 21, but illustrating a workholder rotatably supporting a tin can to receive the imprint;

Fig. 28 is an end view of the work-holder shown 5 in Fig. 2'7;

Fig. 29 is a view, corresponding to Fig. 21, but illustrating a work-holder of the mandrel type for supporting a small bottle; or jar, to receive the imprint; 10

Fig. 30 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of mechanism particularly suited for striping tumblers;

Fig. 31 is a sectional view on line si-Si of Fig. 30, and 15 Fig. 32 is a sectional view taken on line 82-42 of Fig. 81.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking 20 in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

In general, the process of our invention consists in applying a ground coating to a portion of the wall of the bottle, Jar, can, or like article, hav- 25 ing relatively unyielding walls, which is to be decorated and, then, printing upon said ground. While this ground coating may function to promote adherence of the printed design applied thereto, it does not necessarily have such function 80 but may serve merely as a background for the printed design or cooperate with the printed colors in forming a composite design or decoration. We have used the term ground coating" in the latter, broad sense, wherever it occurs in the B5 specification or claims. Our invention contemplates the application of the ground coating to the wall of the article by any desirable means. For instance, this ground coating may be applied by a spraying operation. However, we prefer to use, as the instrumentality for applying the ground coating, a coating machine, which applies the ground by rolling contact between a coating roller and the rotatably mounted article. We contemplate the use of a gelatin-covered coating roller, as this provides a soft and yielding surface, which in most cases may compensate for the variations in wall thickness of the article to be coated. We propose, also, to use special workholding devices carrying the articles to be coated and holding them in contact with the surface of the coating roller. In many cases, these devices may advantageously consist of means for positioning and rotatably supporting the article to be coated, by external contact with such article. Our invention contemplates printing upon the ground coating thus applied to the article, by any suitable mechanism, but we prefer to use an offset printing machine, having incorporated therein special devices by which the articles to be printed upon are rotatably supported and resiliently presented to contact with the transfer cylinder. In some cases, we may print directly upon the article without applying a ground coating thereto. The ground coating is preferably an enamel and the design may be printed in any suitable ink. However, in cases where it is desirable to prevent the decoration, or design, from being washed off by the action of solvents used in cleaning the bottles, and the like, we propose to print the design in ceramic inks and fire the article after the design has been printed thereon, to fix the enamel and the ink. In such case, any enamel used for the ground coating should be of such a nature as to stand firing and become indurated thereby. The article, of course, has to withstand firing also.

Our invention contemplates, further, an improved coating apparatus, including a coating roller and a turret, or carrier, having mounted thereon a plurality of work-holders for the articles to be coated, the movement of said turret carrying the articles into contact with the coating roller and maintaining them in said contact during the coating operation. We propose to use, in most cases, work-holders which rotatably support and position the articles to be coated through external contact therewith, thus avoiding errors through variations in the wall thickness of the article. We prefer to use a gelatin-covered coating roller, because the yielding surface of this roller in most cases will compensate for variations in wall thickness and surface irregularities of the article. In some cases, we may use a workholder of the mandrel type engaging the interior of the hollow article to be coated, and, in that event, we prefer to use a mandrel having a resilient surface covering, which helps to compensate for variations in wall thickness and also functions to transmit power applied for rotating the articles during the coating operation. We propose to use, in some cases, an internal mandrel of smaller diameter than the hollow article to be coated, so that the article rolls upon the mandrel while in contact with the coating roller.

Our invention contemplates, further, an improved oflset printing apparatus, of such a nature that the article to be printed is resiliently presented to contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder of the printing mechanism. We propose to provide a carrier, having thereon a plurality of work-holders in which the articles to receive the imprint are rotatably supported, and said carrier may be intermittently advanced to present the articles successively in contact with the transfer surface of said cylinder. We contemplate the use, as a carrier, of an endless conveyor, which passes over a resiliently supported platform opposite the cylinder. We propose to mount a plurality of work-holders upon said endless conveyor, so that the work-holder carrying the article, while the latter is in contactwith the, transfer surface of the cylinder, engages the resiliently supported platform.

Referring to the numbered parts of the drawings, we have shown in Figs. 1 to 17, inclusive, mechanism which may be used in practicing the coating step of our process. The coating machine is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which there is illustrated a frame l0, provided with standards i l supporting the coating roller and the feeding mechanism therefor, and standards l2 supporting the work-holding disk, or carrier, and the driving mechanism therefor. A shaft l3, journaled in the standards ll, carries the coating roller i4, having a covering 15 of gelatin on a portion of the surface thereof. Whenever, in the specification and claims, we refer to a gelatin" covering for the coating roller, we use the term tov define generally that class of ink-applying rollers which are made of some soft composition and may be gelatin, soft rubber, or any one of the many special compositions that have been developed in the printing art. A sprocket l6, fixed on the shaft I3, is rotated by means of the chain 20, passing thereover and around a sprocket l6, fixed on a shaft l1, which is journaled in the main frame In of the machine. A gear i3, fast on the shaft l1, meshes with a pinion 22, which is fast on a shaft 2| :lournaled in hangers depending from the main frame I. The shaft 2| carries a pulley 23, around which passes the driving belt 24, transmitting power to the machine. Thus, it will be seen that the coating roller i4 is rotated by power transmitted from the belt '5 24, through pulley 23, shaft 2|, pinion 22, gear l3, sprocket l8, chain and sprocket l6.

Upon the standards ii, there is provided a reservoir 26, which contains the enamel or other coating material. A shaft 21, journaled in bearings carried by the standards H, carries a roller 26, which dips into the material in the reservoir 26. The roller 26 contacts with another roller 28, carried by shaft 29, journaled in bearings supported by the standards H, and the latter 15 roller contacts with the gelatin-covered surface I! of the coating roller. A gear 30 on the shaft 21 meshes with a pinion 3| on the shaft 23, and the latter meshes with a gear 32 fast on the shaft 13. Accordingly, as the coating roller revolves, 20 the feeding rollers '28 and 26 will be caused to revolve with it, thus feeding coating material to the surface of the coating roller. The adjusting bolts, screwed into portions of the frame and provided with

hand wheels

33 and 34, are provided for adjusting the bearings of the shafts 21 and 23, so as to regulate the contact between the

rollers

26, 28, and the coating roller ii. A drive roll 36 is fixed on the shaft i3 adjacent one end of the coating roller, and this drive roll preferably has a surface of cork, or like friction material. A guard 36 is fixed to one .of the standards II, and surrounds a portion of the periphery of the drive roll 35, so as to prevent the latter from being coated with the material fed to the coating roller.

A work-carrying disk, or turret, 36 is fixed on the shaft 31, which is journaled in the standards I 2 of the main frame. This disk carries a' plurality of work-holders, which will be described 40' hereinafter, and receive an intermittent motion through the following mechanisms. A ratchet wheel 40 is fixed on the shaft 31, and is engaged by the pawl 4i, pivoted at 42, to the end of a walking beam 43, which is journaled on the 4 shaft 31. The opposite end of the walking beam 43 is connected by link 44 to an eccentric pin 46 carried by the side of the gear 13. As the gear l9 revolves, therefore, the disk 33 will be moved intermittently due to the ratcheting of 50 the pawl 4| over the ratchet wheel 40. As illustrated, the. disk 38 carries three work-holders,

while the ratchet wheel 46 is provided with six teeth, so that there are six steps in a complete rotation of the disk 36. This is to'allow the operator more time for placing articles in the workholders. It is to be understood that more or less work-holders may be used, as desired, this being a matter of operation generally dependent upon the size, shape and kind of article, and the facilities for its manipulation.

As shown in Fig. 1, three work-holders are mounted upon the'disk 36, so that, at every other step of movement of thedisk, the article carried 1 v by one of the work-holders will be brought into contact with the coating roller. The means by which these work-holders are mounted upon the disk is best shown in Fig. 4. The work-holder itself is shown in the perspective view, Fig. 3'.

An L-shaped bracket 46 is fastened to the disk 7 38 by means of the bolts 41. The base 43 of the work-holder res s upon the portion of the bracket 46 extending at right-angles to the disk 36, and is secured thereto by the bolts 43. At one end of the base 46, a member 56 is secured, which is 7'5 provided with a notch 8|, adapted to receive the neck 82 of the bottle 83. A spring-pressed pin 88 is provided, which projects, normally, from one side of the notch 5|, so as to engage the neck 82 of the bottle and releasably retain it within the notch. As shown in Fig. 9, a recess 84 is formed in the member 58, and the springpressed pin has an enlarged end 58, which is lodged in the recess 58, the pin 55 projecting from said recess through a bore leading therefrom. A spring 57 is compressed between the enlarged end 58 and a plate 58 secured to the member 58 by a bolt 58, and closing the open side of recess 54. Thus, when the bottle neck is placed in position, the pin 55 will be pushed in and, then, automatically projected above the neck of the bottle, as shown in Fig. 9, so as to releasably retain it in position. The base of the bottle 83 is supported and positioned by a disk, or plate,

88, having a peripheral flange 6|, of such size that the base of the bottle fits snugly within it.

A trunnion 82 projects from the base 88, and is journaled in the member 83, which is fastened to the end of the base 48 opposite the member 88. A driving roll 84 is fixed on the projecting end of the trunnion 62, and adapted to engage the driving roll 35, when the work-holder is in position to present the article carried thereby to contact with the coating roller.

It will be understood that the size and construction of the work-holder depends somewhat upon the character of the article, which is to be held thereby for contact with the coating roller. In Fig. 5, we have shown a sightly modified form of work-holder adapted to support a bottle 53a, which is smaller and shorter than the bottle 83 shown in Fig. 4. This work-holder includes arotatable plate journaled in the member 63a, and having a peripheral flange 8|a fitting the'base of the bottle 53a. A driving roll 84a is also provided for contact with the driving roll 35, when the bottle is presented to contact with the coating is fastened to said base intermediate the ends "hereof, as shown in Fig. 5.

In Figs. 7 and 8, we have illustrated a form of work-holder which is adapted for supporting a tin can. This includes a base 65, which is fastened to the projecting portion of the bracket 48. At one end of the base 65, there is fastened an upstanding arm 66. A supporting plate 61 of such size to fit snugly within the end of the can 18 is provided with a trunnion 68, journaled in the member 68, and a driving roll 88 is fastened to the projecting portion of said trunnion, so as to contact with the driving roll 35, when the can 18 is presented to contact with the coating roller. A part 1|, having a pair of spaced hinge lugs I2, is fastened to the other end of the base 85. A member 15 is provided with a hinge ear 13, which fits between the hinge lugs 12, to which it is hinged by means of the pin I4. A supporting and positioning plate 18, of such size as to fit within the corresponding end of the can 18, is journaled in the member 15 by means of a trunnion 11. A ring 16 fixed on the projecting end of said trunnion prevents displacementof plate 18. It will be seen that the member 15, carrying the supporting and positioning plate 18, can be swung to one side, as shown in dotted lines, to permit the insertion and removal of the can 18. when the can has been inserted in the holder, the member 18 is swung from the dotted line to the full line position, whereupon the can is rotatably positioned and supported by the holder, by means of 6 the external contact of the plates 81 and 18 within the projecting flanges at the ends of the can 18.

In some cases, as when the article to be coated is a small jar, the work-holders may take the form of a mandrel engaging the interior of the 10 jar, or other hollow article to be coated. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a plurality of spindles 88 are mounted upon the disk 88, and sleeves 8| are rotatably mounted upon said spindles. A mandrel 82 is secured to the outer end of the sleeve 8|, and 15 provided with a resilient surface covering 88, of rubber or the like. The size of this mandrel and its resilient surface covering is such as to permit it to pass through the mouth of the jar and engage the interior thereof, as shown in Fig. 12. A 20 driving roll 88 is fastened to the sleeve 8|, said driving roll being adapted to contact with the driving roll 35, when the jar 84 is presented to contact with the coating roller ill. It should be noted that the external diameter oi the mandrel 25 82, and its covering 83, is less than the internal diameter of the jar 84, so that the jar rolls upon this mandrel, while in contact with the coating roller.- The provision of the resilient covering 83 upon the mandrel, together with the gelatin-cov- 3 ered coating roller, will constitute a sufficient compensation for irregularities in wall thickness of the jar 84. At the same time, the resilient covering tends to increase the frictional contact between the article and the mandrel and to pre- 85- vent slippage of the article when driven during the coating operation. In some cases, it is unnecessary to provide the resilient covering 88 upon the mandrel and, then, we may use a holder such as shown in Fig. 13, in which the mandrel 88 is 40 rotatably mounted upon the spindle 88, and is provided with an enlarged portion 81, contacting with the interior of the jar 84a, and with a shoulder 88, against which the mouth end of the jar engages, to position the jar accurately upon the 45 mandrel. In some cases, we propose to use a mandrel having an external, resilient, surface covering of cork, as illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15. As shown in Fig. 14, a cork mandrel 88 is mounted upon the exterior of the revolving sleeve 8|, which 50 mandrel engages snugly the interior ofthe jar 84b, and supports the same. There is sufficient resilience in this cork mandrel to compensate for variations in thickness of the wall of the jar 84b. The cork covering may also function as an aid 65 in driving or rotating the article, as when the mandrels are positively driven. The cork forms an excellent medium for transmitting drive to the article. In Fig. 15, we have shown a similar form of mandrel adapted for use with long vials. 60 In this case, the cork sleeve 8| is mounted upon the exterior of the rotatable sleeve 8| carried by the spindle 80. In some cases, this cork sleeve will not be necessary for the coating of glass vials, in which event, the revolving sleeve'8l may en- 5 gage directly the interior of the glass vial 840. But, in this case, the sleeve 8| is formed of such diameter as to allow a clearance 82 between its outer surface and the interior of the vial 840, so that said vial will roll upon the mandrel 8| while 7 in contact with the coating roller.

In Fig. 17, we have shown a form of construction in which the cork mandrel 83 may be formed ed as a unit upon the revolving sleeve OI, carried by the spindle 80. In this way, a cork roll is provided for engagement with the driving roll 26, and an excellent, frictional driving surface is provided.

The. mechanism heretofore described for the application of a ground coating may, in some cases, be used as a printing mechanism by the substitution of transfer means for the coating roller.

From a description of the parts heretofore given, the operation of this mechanism in carrying out the coating step of our process will be readily understood. As the carrier disk 28 revolves intermittently, the operator places the bottles, or

articles to be coated, in the work-holders carried by said disk, and the rotation of the disk advances the articles carried by the work-holders into contact with the coating roller, when the work-holder assumes the position shown in Fig. 1, at the right hand side of the carrier disk. While the carrier disk is at rest with the article in the holder in contact with the coating surface I! of the roller Ht which revolves continuously, coating material vill be fed from the reservoir 25 to the coating roller, and will be spread uniformly upon the surface of the wall of the bottle, or article, rotatably supported and positively driven in the holder. At the end of the period of rest, the disk 28 will rotate and carry the coated article away from the coating roller to a position in which it may be removed from the holder by the operator, while another article is presented to the coatingroller for coating. Thus, the bottles, Jars,

cans, or like articles, rotatably supported in the holders of the carrier disk, will be provided with a coating of enamel, or other coating material, uni formly applied, notwithstanding variations in the wall thickness and surface irregularities of the article, and the relatively unyielding character of these walls.

In some cases, it is desirable to clean the surface of the bottles, or other articles, before they are coated and, to this end, we have provided a plate 96 on which is mounted a pad 9'! of felt, or like material. The plate 98 is provided, at one end, with an arm, which is pivoted at 38, to a post 89, fixed on the frame Ill. The other end of the plate 98 has a depending ear I03, to which is pivotally connected at I04 a threaded rod I00, extending through a bracket IOI, carried by the frame. A spring I02 is compressed on said rod I00 between ear E03 and bracket Illl, which spring tends to urge the plate 96 upwardly, so that, as the disk 38 rotates, the bottles, or other articles, in the holders are carried with a rolling and wiping motion across the felt pad 91, which cleans the surface to be coated. The nut I05 on rod I00- limits upward movement of plate 96.

It will be understood that the extent=of the area to be coated .will be determined by the length of the cylindrical band of gelatine covering l5 upon the coating roller, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Although, in many cases, we prefer touse a. coating machine of the character described, 'for carrying out the first step of our process, that shown,

see, that is to say, the printing-of the required de- .sign upon the ground coating. previouslyapplied to the wall of the bottle, far, can, or like article to be decorated, we prefer to use an offset printing mechanism, which may be of the multicolor type. Such an offset printing mechanismwould include the usual plate cylinders and transfer cylinder and, also a work-carrying mechanism, which is especially constructed, so that variations in the wall thickness or surface irregulario ties of the articles to be printed upon will not affect the accuracy d registry, or result in imperfect printing.

Referring to Figs. 18 to 29, inclusive, in which we have illustrated such an offset printing mech- 1g anism, forming the preferred means for carrying out the second step of our process, we have in Fig. 18, a printing mechanism comprising the frame H0, in which there is journaled the shaft Ill, carrying the transfer cylin- 20 der III. Arranged around the periphery of the transfer cylinder, are the usual plate cylinders H2 with theirink-feedingmechanisms. Arubber blanket II! is stretched over a portion of the surface of the cylinder III, forming the transfer 25 surface of said cylinder. A gear Ill, fast on shaft 9, meshes with a pinion II! on shaft iii, the latter carrying a pulley II'I, around which passes the belt III, transmitting power to run the machine. As shown in Fig. 20, there 39 is a belt shifter I08, pivoted at I01, and connested by a link I08 with the lever Q08, pivoted on the frame, at I35. To the lower end of this lever there is connected a rod I35, which passes out through the frame at the front of the ma- 35 chine, and is provided with a handle I36, by which the rod 525 may be moved longitudinally to shift the belt I"; from the loose pulley to the fast pulley ill, on shaft iii. An eccentric pin ltd, on the end of shaft 558, is connected by link '40 iii with the mechanism for imparting intermittent motion to the work-carrier, which mechanism will be described hereinafter. The portion of the offset printing mechanism heretofore described is substantially the same as that illus- 45 trated in United States Letters Patent to A. J. Ford, No. 1,092,830, for Printing press, patented April 14, 1914, and needs no further description here. In order to make use of an offset printing 50 mechanism of this character for printing directly upon bottles, jars, cans, and like articles, having relatively unyielding walls, it has been necessary for use to devise a novel form of work-carrier, by means of which the work to receive the im- 55 print may be resiliently presented to contact with the rotating transfer surface of the cylinder. novel work-carrier is constructed as follows:

Four posts I22 are connect to form a rigid 60 frame work by means of the members I23. At the upper end of each post, there is mounted a ,rod I24, provided with right and left hand threads, and to which a hand wheel I26 is fixed, so that the rod may be rotated easily. The -up- 65 per portions of the rods are screwed into the cross-bars I25, while the lower portions, threaded in the opposite direction, are screwed into the nuts I21 fixed at the tops of the posts I22. Thus, the-posts I22 support the two cross-bars I25, and 70 the frame work carried by said cross-bars may be leveled at each -of the four corners thereof, by adjustment of the hand wheels I26. This permits a fine adjustment of the carrier, so as to insure proper alinement of the work with the 7s transfer cylinder to secure a perfect impression.

A pair of angle-bars I28 rest upon and are secured to the cross-bars I, and said anglebars I23 constitute the side members of the carrier frame. These two angle-bars are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the workholding conveyor to run between them. The sprocket shafts I23 are journaled in said side members I28, at opposite ends thereof, and, on each shaft I29, a pair of spaced sprockets I are fixed. A pair of spaced endless chains I3I run over these sprockets I30, as shown in Figs. 18 and 19. A plurality of base plates I32 are carried by the endless chain I3I, being located between these chains and pivoted thereto by means of the trunnion pins I33, carried by the chains and journaled in the base plates I32, as illustrated in Figs. 21 and 23. Angle-bars I33 are carried by the side members I28, by means of bolts I31 and spacing sleeves I38, in such a way that the base plates I32, carried by the upper reaches of the chains I3I, may rest upon and ride over the rails formed by the upper legs of the angle-bars i39. This arrangement is best shown in Figs. 19, 21, 22 and 23. The rails I33 are interrupted opposite the transfer cylinder, as shown in Figs. 19 and 22, in order to provide room at that point for a resiliently supported platform, upon which the base plate and the work-holder carrier thereby may rest, while the article in the work-holder is in contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder. Angle-bars I are carried by the side members I23 by means of hangers I42, and constitute guide rails for the lower reach of the conveyer, these angle-bars being of such size as to support the base plates I32 on the lower reach of the conveyor, as best shown in Fig. 21. At both ends, the angle-bars I40 are curved around in an arc, as at I4I, so as to accommodate the swinging movement of the base plates I32, as the chains I3I pass around the sprockets.

As already stated, a resiliently supported platform is provided, opposite the transfer cylinder, upon which the base plate I32 of the work-holder may rest, while the article carried by it is-in contact with the transfer surface of the rotating cylinder III, so that the article is resiliently presented to contact with the transfer surface. This platform I43 is shown, in perspective, in Fig. 25, and also illustrated in Figs. 21, 22 and 24. The platform I43 has the end portions I44 reduced in thickness to accommodate the chains I3I. Depending from the lower surface of the platform I43, are the four posts or legs I45, which project through holes formed in the horizontal flanges of the angle-bars I23. Nuts I41 are screwed on the lower ends of the posts I45 and limit the upward movement of the platform I43 with respect to the frame. Surrounding the bolts I45 are the coil springs I48 compressed between the lower surface of the platform I43 and the upper surfaces of the horizontal flanges of the side members I23, whereby the platform is resiliently supported from said frame. Guide blocks I43 are fixed to the vertical legs of the angle-bars I23, as shown in Figs. 21 and 24, and said guide blocks I49 fit in notches I50 at opposite ends of the platform I43, whereby said guide blocks, and the posts I45, confine the movement of the platform I43 with respect to the frame to a vertical movement, and thus prevent its moving out of the proper registry.

In order to provide for proper registry of the base plate I32 with the platform I43, upon which it rests during the printing operation, the upper surface of the platform I43 is provided with a rib I5I, which has its leading end I52 tapered or pointed, and which rib fits snugly within a notch I53 formed in the lower surface of the base plate I32. The pointed, or tapered, end I52 of the rib helps to guide the base plate I32 into proper registering position upon-the platform I43, in which position it is securely held during the printing operation. An angle-bar I54 is fixed to the front side member I28, at a point adjacent the platform I43, and the horizontal leg of said angle-bar overhangs the chain and the front edge portion of the platform I43, and base plate I32 thereon, as shown in Fig. 21.

It will be apparent, therefore, that we have provided a frame work in which is mounted an endless conveyor, comprising a plurality of pivoted base plates, which are advanced with the conveyor until they reach a point opposite the transfer cylinder, at which time, the base plate engages a resiliently supported platform in perfect registry therewith. The means for intermittently advancing this endless conveyor are as follows: The end of link I2I is pivoted, at I55, to an arm I53 journaled on a shaft I53 carried by the frame. The pivot pin I55 also carries a pawl I51, which co-operates with a ratchet wheel I58, fast on shaft I53. Shaft I59 also has secured thereto a gear I60, which meshes with a pinion I6I on the adjacent sprocket shaft I28. .Thus, the sprocket shaft I29 is rotated so as to advance the conveyor intermittently, it being understood that the gearing is so designed that, at each step, the conveyor will be advanced a distance sufilcient to bring the next work-holder on its base plate I32 into printing position.

We have shown a work-holder mounted upon each of the base plates I32 of the conveyor. Of course, it is not necessary to mount a work-holder on each base plate. For instance, if it is desired to provide more time in which the operator can place bottles, or other articles, in the work-holders, work-holders may be omitted from certain of the base plates, as, for example, every other one of them. With a conveyor of the endless chain type, however, we believe that there will be sufficient opportunity for the operator to place articles in the work-holders before they reach the printing position, so that a work-holder can be provided on each of the base plates. Fig. 26 shows a work-holder, of the form which we propose to use for bottles, mounted upon one of the base plates I32. This form of work-holder, with a bottle mounted in position, is also shown in Fig. 21. It comprises a base I62, which is fastened to the base plate I32 by the bolt I63. To one end of the base I 62, there is fastened the upright member I64, in which a supporting and positioning plate I65, provided with a peripheral flange I66, is journaled. The plate I and flange I66 are of such size that the base of the bottle A to receive the imprint will flt snugly within the flange. From the opposite face of the plate I65, there extends a trunnion I61, journaled in the member I64, and a ring I63, fixed to the projecting end of trunnion I61, prevents displacement of the rotatably mounted supporting and positioning plate I65. To the other end of the base I32, a member I69 is fastened, which is provided with a notch I10 to receive the neck of the bottle A. This notch is of such form as to provide lateral support only for the neck, it being so deep that the neck does not touch the bottom thereof. Betweeen the members I64 and I63, a support "I is fastened to the base I62,

which support contacts with the wall of the bottle Ajust above the decorated portion thereof, as shown in Fig. 21.

In Figs. 27 and 28, we have illustrated a form of work-holder especially suitable for use with tin cans, having projecting peripheral flanges at top and bottom. This work-holder comprises a base I62, fastened by the bolts I68 to the base plate I32. To one end of the base I62 there is fastened a member I12, in which the supporting 'and positioning disk I13 is joumaled. The disk I13 is of a size to fit within the projecting flange at the end of can B, as shown in Fig. 27, and is provided with a trunnion I14, which is journaled in member I12. A ring I15 fixed on the projecting end of the trunnion I14 prevents displacement of the rotatable supporting and positioning disk I13. To the other end of the base I82; a member is fixed, which is provided with a pair of hinge lugs I15. A member I18 has projecting therefrom a hinge ear I11, which fltsbetween the hinge lugs I15 and is hinged thereto by the pin I18. The supporting and positioning disk I19 is journaled in the member I18, and is of such size as to fit snugly within the projecting flange at the corresponding end of the can 13, as shown in Fig. 2'7. The disk I18 has a trunnion I projecting therefrom, which is journaled in the member I16, and a ring I81 fixed on the projecting 1 end of said trunnion, prevents displacement of the positioning and supporting disk I19. It will be observed that the member I18, and the parts carried thereby, can be swung to dotted line position, as shown in Fig. 27, to permit removal or insertion of a can.

' jar C to be decorated. The external diameter of the mandrel I84, and its covering I85, is such that it will pass through the mouth of the jar C. and is less than the internal diameter of said jar, so that the jar rolls upon this mandred under rolling contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder. The base I62 is mounted on a base plate I32, as in the other forms of work-holders shown, so that, the jar is resiliently supported aganst the transfer surface of the cylinder by the resilient platform on which the base plate I 32 rests, when in position for printing, and, also, by the resilient surface covering I of the mandrel. This we have found to be sufficient to compensate for variations in the wall thickness of the jar C and for surface irregularities and imperfections. In a similar manner, work-holders of the forms shown in Figs. 13 to 1'7, inclusive, may be used, mounted on the base plates I82.

The operation of this offset printing mechanism will be apparent from the description of the parts 'given above, audit will be evident'therefrom how the printing step of our process is carried out. When the belt I I8 is shifted onto the 'fast pulley, so that the machine is driven thereby, the transfer cylinder III rotates continuously. The carrier mechanism is advanced intermittently. As the transfer cylinder rotates in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 18, the transfer surface I I3 passes over the plate cylinders 2, which apply ink to its surface arranged in the required design. The continued rotation of the cylinder brings this a transfer surface into contact with the article held by the work-holder opposite said cylinder and, as this transfer cylinder rolls in contact withv said rotatably supported article, the ink arranged in the required design on the transfer surface is to present the articles held in said workholdersm:

successively at the printing station. These articles may be placed in the work-holders by the operator before the work-holders reach the printing station, as is well understood. At the printing station, the base plate I82 of the work-holder 15 engages the resiliently supported platform I, so that the article, which is rotatably supported in the work-holder, is resiliently held in contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder at the time it receives the imprint therefrom. When the transfer surface has completed the transfer of the imprint to the article, the carrier, or conveyor 'is advanced again, taking this article out of contact with the transfer cylinder and presenting another article to receive the imprint. The articles which have been printed may be removed from the work-holder after the conveyor has left the printing station. This mechanism for intermittently presenting the articles to contact with the transfer surface, may also be used for intero mittently presenting articles to contact with a roller, or rollers, to apply a coating,,or coatings, thereto. An example of such use wlllbe describe hereinafter.

By providing this mechanism by which the ar- 5 ticles to be printed upon are rotatably supported and resiliently presented at the printing station,

we have been able to print successfully directly upon bottles, jars, cans and like articles, having relatively unyielding walls or showing imperfections or irregularities in the surface portions. The resilient support for the work-holders, provided at the printing station, serves the purpose of compensating for variations in the thickness of the wall of an aticle, so that a perfect imprint will be received notwithstanding such variations. As already indicated, the entire frame supporting the carrier may be delicately adjusted by the hand wheels I26,'so that the several articles carried in the work-holders will be properly alined with the transfer surface of the cylinder in order to receive the impression. This machine operates quickly, efficiently and at low cost, and yet produces perfect imprints upon the walls'of the bottles, jars, cans, or other articles of this nature.

Moreover, we have found that with this mechanism, and this process, it is possible to print labels and like decorative designs directly upon the walls of bottles of oval or other irregular shapes, the resilient support for the work-holder being of such a nature as to permit a yielding to take care of such irregularities in shape of the article; Thus, our invention is applicable to articles of various non-cylindrical shapes, such as flat bottles, square or octagon shaped bottles, articles of frusto-conical form, such as tumblers, or articles having bulbous intermediate portions. In coating, these. variations in shape can usually be taken care of by suitably controlling the resiliency of the coating surface of the coating roller, 74, as by choosing the appropriate composition for contact with it for coating. In printing, this" will involve suitable adjustments of the shape and movements of the transfer medium, as for example a continuous blanket, so as to insure that the blanket, or other transfer medium, will conform to the shape of the article in printing and that the surface speeds of travel of the article and the blanket during the period of contact in the different parts of their mutually contacting surfaces are the same.

In Figs. 30, 31 and 32, we have illustrated a modified form of apparatus embodying the underlying principles of our invention, which we have found particularly useful for applying a plurality of narrow, colored bands on the side walls of glass tumblers. These bands may be of the same or different colors on, the same article and, for permanence, the stripes or bands may be of ceramic material, which can be applied as an ink or enamel and which will be indurated and rendered permanent by subjecting the striped tumbler to a firing process.

The mechanism is shown in side elevation in Fig. 30 and comprises a frame consisting of the side members 200 suported by the legs 20l, At opposite ends of the frame, the shafts 202 and 203 are journaled in the side members 200. These shafts carry the spaced sprockets 204 and 200, respectively, around which the spaced conveyor chains 206 travel. Angle-bars 208, constituting rails supporting the upper reaches of the conveyor chains 206, are secured to the side members 200 by the straps 201. The side members 200 are provided with inwardly extending flanges 209, at their lower edges, which constitute rails supporting the lower reaches of the conveyor chains 206. The flanges 209 are curved upwardly at the ends, as shown at H and 2! l. A

plurality of base plates 2|2 are pivoted to the conveyor chains 206, by the pins 2 I3, and rails 208 and flanges 209 are wide enough so that they also support the base plates, as shown in Fig. 31. Each base plate 2l2 has a groove 2 formed in the inner face thereof and extending in the direction of travel of the conveyor.

A series of platforms 215 are provided, one being located opposite each of the units for coating or applying material to the surfaces of the tumblers. These platforms are so located as to cooperate with work-holders on the lower reach of the conveyor. Each platform 215 has secured thereto a rib 2H5, fastened by the bolts 2l8 and having a pointed or tapered end 2| I. As the base plates 2|2 move into engagement with a platform, the tapered end 2|! of the rib 2l0 enters the slot 2 l5 and guides the base plate into registry with the platform, as shown in Fig. 32. Each platform carries a pair of posts 219, which extend upwardly from the inner face of the platform, and the upper ends of these posts pass through holes provided in the horizontal flanges of angles 220, which are fastened to the side members 200, as shown in Fig. 31. Nuts 22l are secured on the upper ends of the posts 2 l 0, above the angles 220, and springs 222 surround the posts 2I9, and are compressed between the inner face of the platform 21! and the lower face of the horizontal flanges of angles 220. These springs resiliently urge the platform toward the unit which applies material to the surfaces of the tumblers. Guide blocks 2213 are fastened to the side members 200 and engage notches 224 formed in the ends of the platform, so as to restrain the platform 215 to vertical movement.

Upon each base plate 2l2 a work-holder is mounted. which rotatably supports one of the articles to be decorated. Each work-holder comprises a base225 secured to the base plate 2 l2 by bolts 228. At one end of the base 225, there is secured an upright member 221. A supporting and positioning plate 220, having a flanged pe- 5 riphery receiving the base of a tumbler 229, or other article, is provided with a trunnion 230, Journaled in the member 227. On the projecting end of the trunnion, there is fixed a driving roller 2, and a block 232 is fixed on the end of 10.

the trimnion so as to hold it against displacement. To the other endof the base 225 there is fixed a member 233. A block 235 is hinged to this member, at 234, and a trunnion, or post, projecting from the supporting plate 230, is journaled in the block 235. The supporting plate or disk 230 is flanged and receives the top of the tumbler, or other article, 229, supporting and positioning it, A block 237 fixed on the projecting end of said trunnion prevents displacement thereof in 1 its bearing.

It will be observed that the mechanism heretofore described is quite similar to the work-holding conveyor, or carrier, illustrated in Figs. 18 to 28, inclusive. In this case, however, the platforms are located so as to cooperate with the lower reach of the conveyor and each platform is springprcssed downwardly instead of upwardly. This is because the material-applying mechanism is located below the conveyor instead of above, as in Fig. 18.

A ratchet wheel 238 is fixed on the shaft 202 and actuated, to rotate the shaft intermittently, by a pawl 239 pivoted on the arm 200, which is Journaled on shaft 202 and rocked by a link 2M 85 connected to a pin eccentrically mounted on a gear I9 fast on the drive shaft ll of one of the coating or material-applying units. Three of these units are shown in Fig. 30. They are substantially identical in construction with the coating mechanism shown in Fig. 1, with the exception of the work-holding carrier, and, therefore, corresponding reference numerals have been used. On the shaft l3, there is a roller It provided with a working surface 15 of gelatin or similar yielding material. As shown in Fig. 31, the working surface comprises four narrow cylindrical surfaces, each of the width of a stripe to be applied to the tumbler, or other article, to be decorated. The material to be applied is fed to these working surfaces l5 by the

rollers

26 and 28. Further description of these material-applying units is not needed, in view of the description of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 31, the working surfaces on the several units are staggered, so as to contact with different portions of the tumbler. This is particularly useful where stripes of different colors are to be applied, in which case each of the three units shown may apply stripes of a particular color to the surface of the tumbler.

From the description of the parts given above, the operation of this mechanism should be readily understood. The tumblers. or other articles, to be decorated are placed in the work-holders by the operator in the manner which will be readily understood from the preceding description. The articles are rotatably supported in these workholders and, as the conveyor is advanced intermittently, are presented in rolling contact with the working surfaces l5 of the material-applying uni s. When the conveyor is at rest, the workholders presenting articles to contact with such working surfaces engage platforms 2 l 5 and hence are resiliently pressed, or urged, toward said articles.

In cases where the articles are likely to be exposed to the action of solvents, which may remove the enamel coatingusually employed, we

propose to use ceramic inks. After the ground will not stand up under the heat. It is intended,

more particularly, forglasswar The ground coating, as well as the inks, should be of such character as to become indurated by the firing.

operation.

In the description set forth in the preceding portions of this specification and in the appended claims, we have referred to the invention as applied in decorating bottles, jars, cans and like articles. It will be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to hollow articles such as bottles, jars and cans. It is likewise applicable to the treatment of solid articles having a similar external appearance and shape, and, as ordinarily manufactured, lacking in conformity, to a precise dimension or showing to a greater or lesser extent imperfections and irregularities in their surface portions. In other words, the expression like articles as used herein is to be understood as including any and all articles which present the same problems or one or more of the problems that are met with in printing upon and decorating bottles according to the known printing and lithographing methods.

We are aware that the process and apparatus herein described are susceptible of considerable variations without departing from the spirit of our invention, and, therefore, we claim our invention broadly as indicated by the appended claims. Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: a

I 1. In a machine for applying ink or like ,material to the surfaces of bottles, jars, cans and like articles, whether hollow or solid, the combination of a rotating transfer cylinder, a platform opposite said cylinder, an endless conveyor running over said platform, a plurality of workholders mounted on said conveyor and each adapted to support rotatably one of the articles, and means for advancing the conveyor intermittently to present the articles successively to contact with the transfer surface of said cylinder,

2. In a machine for applying ink or like material to the surfaces of,bottles, jars, cans and like articles, whether hollow or solid, the combination of a rotating transfer cylinder, a platform opposite said cylinder, an endless conveyor running over said platform, a plurality of workholders pivotally mounted on said conveyor and each adapted to support rotatably one of the articles, and means for advancing the conveyor intermittently to present the articles successively to contact with the transfer surface of said cylinder. 1

3. In a machine for applying ink or like material to the surfaces of bottles, jars, cans and bination of a rotating conveyor intermittently to like articles, whether hollow or solid, the combination of a rotating transfer cylinder, a plat form opposite'said cylinder, means for urging said platform resiliently toward the cylinder, an endless conveyor running over said platform, a 5 plurality of work-holders mounted on said con veyor and each adapted to support rotatably one of the articles, and means for advancing the conveyor intermittently to present the articles successively to contact with the transfer surface of 10 said cylinder.

- 4. In a machine for-applying ink or like material to the surfaces of bottles, jars, cans and like articles, whether hollow or solid, the combination of a rotating transfer cylinder, a platform opposite said cylinder and resiliently urged toward it, an endless conveyor running over said platform, a plurality of work-holders pivotally mounted on said conveyor and each adapted to support 'rotatably one of the articles, and means go for advancing the conveyor intermittently to present the articles successively to contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder.

5. In a machine for applying ink or like material to the surfaces of bottles, jars, cans and 5 like articles, whether hollow or solid, the comtransfer cylinder, a platform opposite said cylinder, an endless conveyor running over said platform, a plurality of workholders mounted on the conveyor and each adapted to support rotatably one of the articles, inter-engaging means on the platform and workholders for insuring registry .of the work-holder on the platform and means for advancing the present the articles successively to contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder.

6. In a machine for applying ink or like material to the surfaces of bottles, jars, cans and like articles, whether hollow or solid, the com- 40 bination of a rotating transfer cylinder, a plat form opposite saidcylinder, means for resiliently I urging said platform toward said cylinder, an

endless conveyor running over said platform, a plurality of work-holders mounted on the conveyor and each adapted to support rotatabiy one of the articles, inter-engaging means on the platform and work-holders for insuring registry oi the work-holder with the platform, and means for advancing the, conveyor intermittently to present the articles successively to contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder while the work-holder carrying the article is in registry with the platform.

7. In a machine for applying ink or like material to the surfaces of bottles, jars, cans and like articles, whether hollow or solid, the combination of a rotating transfer cylinder, a frame, sprockets at opposite ends of the frame, a platform supported in said frame and resiliently urged 30 toward said cylindenmeans confining said platform to vertical movement with respect to said frame, an endless conveyor running around said sprockets and over said platform, a plurality of work-holders pivotally mounted on said conveyor and each adapted to support rotatably one of the articles, and means for advancing the conveyor intermittently to present the articles successively to contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder while the work-holder carrying the 70 article is upon the platform.

.8. In a machine for applying ink or like material to the surfacesof bottles, jars, cans and