US2365961A

US2365961A - Decorating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2365961A
Application number: US436602A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert S Jackson; Clarence A Heyne
Original assignee: Owens Illinois Glass Co
Current assignee: OI Glass Inc
Priority date: 1942-03-28
Filing date: 1942-03-28
Publication date: 1944-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 1961-12-26

Description

Deg. 26, 1944. A. s. JACKSON ET AL DECORATING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A- sd aczlion/ 1944- A. s. JACKSON ET AL 2,365,961

DECORATING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i; 20 61 L: Ill.

114;: n foal.

1944- A. s. JACKSON ET AL DECORATING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 26, 1944 DECORATING APPARATUS Albert S. Jackson and River, 111., Company,

Clarence A. Heyne, Wood assignors to Owens-Illinois Glass a corporation of Ohio Application March 28, 1942, Serial No. 436,602

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to apparatus for use in applying color decorations, printing or the like to the surfaces of articles such as round bottles, jars, or other ware having cylindrical surfaces to Which the decorations are to be applied. The invention relates particularly to means for rotatably adjusting the articles prior to the decorating operation. r

In Patent No. 2,231,535 granted in our names February 11, 1941, for Decorating apparatus, there is disclosed an apparatus for decorating the surfaces of bottles and the like. The bottles are placed in cradles on an endless conveyor driven intermittently to bring the articles in succession to stations at which they are rotatably adjusted so that the decorating screen will register with a predetermined surface area to be decorated. I

The present invention embodies certain improvements on the mechanism disclosed in said patent for rotatively adjusting the articles to be decorated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simplified and improved mechanism for rotatably adjusting the work-pieces preliminary to the decorating operations.

A feature of the present invention relates to the use of air operated motors for controlling the adjusting operations, and an object attained in the use of such air motors comprises the elimination of electrically controlled devices and a material simplification of the construction.

A further object of the invention is to shorten the ,time required for adjustment of the workpieces at the decorating station and thereby effect a corresponding increase in the output of the decorating apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of an apparatus designed for use in practicing our invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the ing the stop fingers.

Fig. 3 is a section at the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the aparms carryiparatus, parts being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a part sectional plan view of a carrier and operating mechanism for a stop finger.

Fig. 6 is a section at the line li'3 on Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section at the line 1-1 on Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional elevation of the apparatus, the section being taken substantially at the line 8-8 on Fig. l. I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on a comparatively large scale of friction clutch mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary shown in Fig. 9.

view of a friction ring Fig. 11 is a section at the line ||I| on Fig. 4 showing a valve and its operating cam.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section at the line |2|2 on Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a cam chart indicating the timin of the chuck rotations.

The apparatus for rotatably adjusting the Work-pieces or articles l5 which are to be decorated, herein shown as bottles, is mounted on a stationary frame-work including a table 6 or platform. The bottles are placed on cradles ll (Fig. 8) on an endless chain cradle conveyor or carrier 8 (Fig. 4) which is driven intermittently step by step to bring the articles in succession to stations A and B at which they are rotatably adjusted. Reference may be had to the above mentioned Patent No. 2,231,535 for a full disclosure of the cradle conveyor, its driving means and other parts of -the decorating apparatus which in themselves are not a part of the present invention.

At each of thestations A and B islocated a chuck for holding the work-pieces, the chuck being carried on a shaft 2| journalled for rotation in a frame 22 mounted on the platform l6. Means for rotating the chucks include an endless sprocket chain 23 trained over sprocket gear wheels 24 which the axes of the chuck hafts 2|. The sprocket chain also passes over an idler wheel 25 and a driving sprocket gear 26, keyed to a drive shaft 21 which is rotated continuously. Each of the chucks 20 is periodically connected, thru a friction clutch, for rotation with the continuously rotating sprocket wheel 24 which is journalled on the chuck shaft. This clutch includes a clutch disk 28 (Fig. 9) fixed to the chuck shaft 2|. A friction ring 29 is mounted on the gear 24 for rotation therewith by means of pins 30 fixed to the ring and extending into boxes in said gear. The friction ring has limited movement in a direction lengthwise of the shaft and is frictionally held in contact with the disk 29 by means of coil springs 3| housed in the gear 24.

At the station B a clutch member 32 in the form of a disk is secured to a gear wheel 33 which is mounted on ball bearings 34 for rotation about the axis of the shaft 2|. The disk 32 carries a friction rin 35 which bears against the disk 28. The gear 33 is periodically rotated for rotating the work-piece during'the decorating operation, by mechanism such as fully disclosed in the above mentioned patent. Such mechanism includes a bar 36 (Fig. 8) formed with rack teeth for driving the gear 33. Means for reciprocating the bar 36 includes a cam driven crank 31 attached to the lower end of a vertical rock shaft journalled in the frame and having attached to its upper end a horizontal rock arm 38. The..latter carries a connector block 39 having operative connection with the bar 36. The arm 38 is conare mounted for rotation about nected to reciprocate a slide plate t8 which is connected to and reciprocates the screen frame.

The chuck shaft 2| at station B has a limited movement in the direction of its length for shifting the clutch disk 28. The shaft is moved in one direction by an air operated piston motor 40 including a piston-4|, and in the opposite direction by a compression spring 40. A head 42 on the piston rod is connected to the chuck shaft 2| for moving the latter endwise, the shaft being journalled for rotation in said head. Air under pressure for operating the motor 4|] is supplied thru a pipe 43 leading to the motor from a valve 44 (Figs. 4 and 11) under the control of a cam 46 on a cam shaft 50. The cam shaft has mounted thereon a series of

cams

45, 46, 41 and 48. Each of said cams controls a valve 44 (Fig. 11). The cam operates thru an arm to depress the valve stem 52 and thereby open the valve. Air under pressure is supplied from a tank 53 having connections thru pipes 54 to the valves. Each of the cams 45 to 48 may be constructed as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 permitting adjustment of the length and position of the operating section of the cam. Such a construction includes

annular plates

55 and 56 rotatably mounted on the flanged hub of the cam and secured in adjusted position by a clamping ring 51.

The means for rotatably adjusting the workpiece at station A includes an arm 6|] (Figs. 1 to 4) mounted for oscillating movement about the axis of the chuck. at said station. A contact finger 6| is pivotally mounted on a pin 62 (Figs. 2 and 3) on a slide block 63 slidably mounted in guideways 64 formed in a head 65 on the arm 60. The finger 6| is adapted to bear on the peripheral surface of the bottle l5 and is yieldingly held in contact with said surface by a coil tension spring 66. A stop pin 61 attached to the slide block 63 extends into the path of a lug 68 on the finger SI for limiting'the movement of said finger. The block 63 is adjustable in the guideways 64 by means of an adjusting screw 69 threaded thru the slide block and provided with an adjusting knob '10. This permits the finger 6| to be adjusted to articles of different diameters.

The friction clutch disk 32 at the station A has a stationary mounting. The chuck shaft 2| at this station is moved longitudinally outward by an air motor 1| (Fig. 4) and is returned by a coil spring 4|] (see Fig. 8). Air for operating the motor H is supplied thru a pipe 12, the air supply being under the control of the cam 41.

When air pressure is supplied to the motor "II it" moves the chuck shaft 2| lengthwise, and presses the clutch disk 28 against the ring 29 so that the gear 24 which is rotating continuously, operates to rotate the chuck 20 and the work-piece l5.

Each work-piece or bottle I5 is formed with a lug 13 or other stop surface which as the bottle is rotated is brought into engagement with the stop finger 6| thereby stopping the rotation of the bottle. After the bottle has thus been arrested the cam 4! operates to cut off the air pressure supply to the motor ll, permitting the spring 40 to return the shaft and motor piston. This relieves the pressure between the ring 29 and disk 28 and at the same time presses the disk against the friction ring 35 which serves as a brake and quickly stops the rotation of the chuck.

After the bottle has been thus rotatably adjusted at station A, the conveyor I8 is advanced one step, thereby bringing the next succeeding bottle to station A and at the same time advancing a preceding bottle to the decorating station B where it is connected to the chuck for a final rotative adjustment which is immediately followed by the screen decorating operation while the bottle is still held in the chuck. Such final adjustment may be required because of the tendency of the bottle to be moved slightly out of its initial adjustment before it is gripped by the chuck at station B. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 1 that the bottle at station A is rotated by the chain 23 in a clockwise direction whereas at station B the rotation is in the counter-clockwise direction. It will be noted also that the contact finger at station B engages the bottle at a somewhat lower point than at station A. This insures the contact finger being below the stop lug when the bottle is gripped by the chuck, so that rotation of the chuck thru a small angle will always be sufficient for the final adjustment of the bottle. This shortening of the adjustment time at the decorating station permits a corresponding reduction in the time interval required for a complete cycle of operations, and a consequent increase in the output of the apparatus.

The stop finger 6| at station B is pivotally mounted on a carrier 15 which is mounted as presently described to swing about the axis of the chuck shaft. Said carrier comprises an inclined section recessed to receive a rectangular slideblock 16 mounted for sliding movement toward and from the chuck shaft. Attached to or formed integral with said inclined section is a horizontally disposed section 11 or arm which extends beneath the chuck shaft. A bearing sleeve 18 surrounding the shaft 2 I, is formed with an arm 19 extending parallel with the arm 11 and formed with guideways in which the arm 1'! is slidably mounted for adjustment in the direction of its length. The end portions of the arm 19 may be split to receive clamping bolts by which the arm is clamped in adjusted position. The carrier 15 may be adjusted lengthwise by means of a screw threaded rod 8| (Fig. 5) with a knob 82. Said rod is swiveled in the arm H and threaded thrualug 83 formed on the arm 19. Carrier 15 may be rotatably adjusted about the axis of the chuck shaft thru a limited distance determined by a stop pin 84 (Figs. 1 and 5) which is mounted in the arm 19 and works in a slot 85 in the arm 11. Such adjustment may be effected manually as by means of a hand wheel connected to a shaft 86 (Fig. 1) operating thru bevel gears to rotate a screw shaft 88 threaded thru a connector 88 connected thru a link 89 to the arm 19.

The contact finger 6| at station B is mounted between a pair of wings 90 (Figs. 1 and 5) formed on a plate Hi and swings about a pivot pin 9|. The plate 16 is formed with a hub 92 journalled for oscillating movement in the slide block '16. The contact finger is yieldingly held in engagement with the work-piece by means of a coil spring 98 (Figs. 6 and 7) mounted in a bore in the slide block and applying a downward pressure on a pin 99 attached to the plate l6 and extending beneath the spring. The slide block 16 is moved forward in the carrier 15 to operative position by an air motor I00 mounted on the carrier, and is returned by coil springs I00 (Fig. 6). The air supply to the motor m0 is controlled by the cam 45 which operates one of the valves 44 in a pipe line ||l| extending to the motor. When the slide block 16 is withdrawn a cam roll I02 on the contact finger engages an inclined cam surface I03 and swings the finger about its pivot 9| to the dotted line position, Fig. 5, out of the path of the work-piece as the latter advances beyond the station B.

Operation rotating thru an arc defined in Fig. 13 by the radial lines I05, I06. The valve for the air motor II is now opened by its cam 41 and the motor operates to move the chuck shaft outwardly and causes the clutch disk 28 to bear against the friction ring 29 so .that the clutch disk 28 is rotated by the chain driven gear 24. This rotation is continued while the cam shaft rotates thru an arc I01 defined by the radial lines I and I08. The air is then out off from the motor II and the friction clutch released. The work-piece is also disengaged from the chuck. During the rotation of the chuck the work-piece or bottle I rotates therewith until the stop lug I3 thereon engages the stop finger 0| at station A and stops the rotation of the bottle. The distance thru which the bottle is rotated depends upon the position of the stop lug I3 when the bottle is placed on the cradle so that the angle of rotation may be anywhere from zero to a complete rotation, as the clutch is engaged a suflicient length of time to complete such rotation. After the bottle is released from the chuck the carrier I8 is indexed while the cam shaft is completing it rotation thru the arc I09 defined by the radial lines H0 and I05, thus completin the cycle.

The operations which take place at the station B during this cycle and concurrently with the operations at station A are as follows: The bottle at station B is connected with its chuck at the same time as the bottle at station A. The motor 4| then operates under the control of its cam 40 to move the chuck shaft outwardly and effect a driving engagement of the

clutch members

20 and 29. The chuck is thereby rotated and eiiects the final rotative movement of the bottle to accurately position or register it relative to the decorating screen. This rotation of the bottle will ordinarily be thru only a very short distance and takes place while the cam is rotatin thru an arc III (Fig. 13) extending between radial lines I06 and H2. Thruout this final registration period the air-motor I00 is subjected to air pressure under the control of its cam and holds the contact finger Si in operative position. The air supply is then cut off from motor I00 and the slide block 16 retracted by the springs I00 to swing the stop finger out of the path of the stop lug I3, thereby permitting the bottle to be rotated during the decorating operation. During such operation the decorating screen is held in contact with the bottle and rolled therealong as set forth in the above mentioned patent. The-chuck s also rotated by the rack bar 30 (Fig. 8) in engagement with the gear 33, said gear operating thru the friction clutch to drive the chuck shaft 2|. This decoration takes place while the chuck rotates thru an arc II3 (Fig. 13) The chuck is then disengaged, permittin the conveyor I8 to be indexed and bring the next bottle to the station B.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim: v

1. Decorating apparatus comprising a workholder for an article to be decorated, means for rotating the work-holder about an axis, an arm mounted to rock about said axis, a block slidably mounted on said arm for adjustment in a direction toward and from the work-holder and said article, means for adjusting said block, a finger pivotally mounted on said block, and extending into position to engage a round surface of thesaid article, a spring for holding the finger in contact with the said article, and a stop for'limiting the movement of the finger by said spring.

2. Apparatus for decorating articles comprising a chuck for holding an article, a shaft carrying said chuck, means for rotating the shaft, a contact finger for engaging a round surface of the article, a carrier for said finger, a slide block mounted for movement on the carrier, means providing a pivotal connection between the slide block and said finger, means for moving the slide block relative to the carrier, means for holding the finger in operative relation to the said article while the slide block is in one position, and means for swinging the finger about its pivot to a position out of the path of the article when the slide block is moved to a different position.

3. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece, means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging the workpiece While the latter is being rotated, a carrier for said finger, a slide block mounted in said carrier, a plate rotatably mounted on the slide block. said finger being pivotally connected with said plate, spring means for rocking said plate in a direction to move the finger into engagement with the work-piece and hold it with a yielding pressure thereon, means for shifting said slide block. and cam means for swinging the finger about its pivot into a position out of the path of the workpiece.

, 4. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece, means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging the workpiece while the latter is being rotated, a carrier for said finger. a slide block mounted in said carrier, and a plate having a swivel connection with the slide block, said finger being pivotally connected to said plate to swing about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the swivel.

5. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece, means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging the workpiece while the latter is being rotated, a carrier for said finger, a slide block mounted in said car- Tier, 2. plate having a swivel connection with the slide block. said finger being pivotally connected to said plate, a piston motor mounted on said carrier, and operable to move the slide block in one direction, and means for moving the slide block in the opposite direction.

6. Decorating apparatus comprising a chuck for holding a work-piece, means for rotating the chuck, a contact finger for engaging the work-piece while the latter is being rotated, a

carrier for said finger, said carrier being mounted for rocking movement about an axis parallel with the axis of the chuck shaft, a slide block mounted in said carrier, and a plate having a swivel connection with the slide block, said finger being pivotally connected to said plate to swing about an axis of the swivel.

7. Apparatus for decorating the surfaces of round articles, said apparatus comprising chucks for holding the articles and positioned respectively at first and second stations, a chain carrier for supporting the articles and advancing them to said stations in's'uccession, stop fingers, means for mounting said fingers at said stations and holding them in contact with round surfaces of the articles to be decorated, friction driving means for rotating the chucks and-causing the articles carried thereby, each to be rotated to a stop position and to be arrested at such stop position by a stop on the article engaging the stop finger, and means operable independently of the stop fingers to break the driving connections between the clutches and their said driving means after the articles have been arrested at said stop positions, said stop finger at the first station being positioned rotatively a short distance in advance of the finger at the second station, so that a short rotative movement of the article at the second station in a direction opposite to that in which it is rotated at the first station is required to bring it to the stop position at said second station.

8. Decorating apparatus comprising article holding chucks positioned at stations one in advance of the other, a conveyor extending between said stations by which articles to be decorated are advanced in succession to the chucks, chuck shafts connected to the chucks, sprocket gears mounted for rotation about the axes of said shafts, an endless sprocket chain trained over said sprocket gears, a driving gear for driving said chain, friction clutches individual to said sprocket gears and operative to effect driving connections between said shafts and sprocket gears and thereby causing the gears to rotate said shafts, stop fingers arranged to contact round surfaces of the articles while the latter are being rotated with the chucks, said stop fingers being positioned in the path of stop surfaces on the articles and operable by contacting said stop surfaces and obstructing their movement to arrest the articles at predetermined rotative positions while the chucks continue to rotate, and means operable independently of said stop fingers and said arresting of the articles to actuate the clutches and thereby break the driving connections between the chuck shafts and sprocket gears after the articles have been arrested by the stop fingers.

9. Decorating apparatus comprising article holding chucks positioned at stations one in.

advance of the other, a conveyor extending between said stations by which articles to be decorated are advanced in successton to the chucks, chuck shafts connected to the chucks, sprocket gears mounted for rotation about the axes of said shafts, an endless sprocket chain trained over said sprocket gears, a driving gear for. driving said chain, friction clutches individual to said sprocket gears and operative to effect driving connections between said shafts and sprocket gears thereby causing the gears to rotate said shafts, stop fingers arranged to contact round surfaces of the articles while the latter are being rotated with the chucks, and operable to engage stop surfaces on the articles and arrest them at predetermined rotative positions while the chucks continue to rotate, and means operable after the articles have been arrested by the stop fingers to actuate the clutches and break the driving connections between the said sprocket gears and chuck shafts, said sprocket chain being arranged to drive the sprocket gears in opposite directions, the stop finger at the second station being at a rotative position a short distance in advance of that of the finger at the first station as measured in the direction of rotation of the chuck at the first station.

10. Decorating apparatus comprising in combination, chucks for holding round articles, chuck shafts, a conveyor by which the articles are advanced to the chucks, the latter being positioned at stations one in advance of the other along said conveyor, gears individual to the chucks andmounted respectively for rotation about the axes of said chucks, 'an endless chain trained over said gears, means for driving said chain, friction clutches individual to said chuck shafts, air motors individual to said clutches, and each positioned and arranged to operate its clutch and thereby establish a friction driving connection between the chuck and its said gear and thereby causing the chuck and the article held thereby to be rotated, stop devices cooperating with the said articles for arresting each article in predetermined rotative position and holding the article stationary while the said friction driving connections are maintained, a cam shaft, cams thereon, valves actuated by said cams and controlling the operation of the air motors, and means for driving the cam shaft in synchronism with the rotation of said gears.

11. Apparatus for decorating round articles, comprising a support for the articles, a driving element, means for operating said element continuously, a chuck positioned and arranged to engage an article on said support, automatic means operable periodically to effect a friction driving connection between said driving element and chuck for rotating the chuck, and for breaking said driving connection after the chuck has been rotated a predetermined length of time, and means for obstructing and thereby stopping the rotation of said article, said obstructing means comprising a stop device positioned and arranged to project into the path of a stop surface on said article and engage said stop surface when the article has been rotated to a predetermined position and thereby stop the rotation of the chuck and said article while the said friction driving connection is retained.

12. Apparatus for decorating round articles comprising a chuck for holding the articles, a continuously rotating driving element, a friction clutch interposed between said element and chuck, automatic means for periodically actuating the clutch at predetermined time intervals and thereby connecting the driving element to the chuck and disconnecting it from the chuck, a stationary stop device positioned adjacent the chuck and the article held thereby and projecting into the path of a stop surface on the article with the stop device in a stop position in which it forms a positive stop for the article and thereby stops the rotation of the article when the latter is at a predetermined rotative position, and means for holding the stop device in said stop position while the friction driving connection between the driving element and chuck is retained.

ALBERT S. JACKSON. CLARENCE A. HEYNE.