US2672120A - Roll coating machine for message register wheels - Google Patents

Description

March 16, 1954 ROLL COATING Filed Aug. 15, 1951 A. J. FEDOR 2,672,120 MACHINE FOR MESSAGE REGISTER WHEELS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Mia-W701? A. J. FIDO/i Arum/v5) A. J. FEDOR ROLL COATING MACHINE FOR MESSAGE REGISTER Filed Aug. 15, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V v IIVVf/VTOI? A.J. F5001? ATTOAA FY March 16, 1954 A. J. FEDOR 2,672,120 ROLL COATING MACHINE FOR MESSAGE REGISTER WHEELS Filed Aug. 15, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v9? x w 28 \X q I M/VDVTO/P 45 a4 Ad. F5001? Patented Mar. 16, 1954 ROLL COATING MACHINE FOR MESSAGE REGISTER WHEELS Andrew J. Fedor, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 15, 1951, Serial No. 241,986

5 Claims. (Cl. 118233) 1 This invention relates to a roll coating machine and more particularly to a machine for rolling a coatingcomposition onto the peripheral surfaces of number wheels.

In counting devices for registering the number of movements of an element, wheels are employed having a series of numerals printed or otherwise indicated thereon. In some types of devices these wheels have cylindrical peripheral surfaces on which is applied a coating composition of one color forming the background color and on which the numbers of a contrasting color are printed. Heretofore, according to one method of marking the wheels, the background coating was applied to the wheels by assembling groups of the wheels on mandrels with the peripheral edges of the wheels in abutting relation so that each group of wheels formed an elongated cylindrical surface on which a coating composition of one color was sprayed. This manner of coating the wheels was satisfactory where the ends or edge ortions of the peripheral surfaces of the wheels could be placed in abutting relation to each other to form a continuous cylindrical surface from one to the other of the wheels. are of a design where the hubs extended axially beyond the edge of the cylindrical peripheral surface so that when a plurality of the wheels are mounted on a mandrel, the edges of the peripheral surfaces of the wheels are spaced apart, the spraying of the first or background coating onto the peripheral surface of the wheels is not satisfactory in that the sprayed coating is not confined to the peripheral cylindrical surface of the wheels, but gets on other exposed surfaces of the wheels, such as the hub portions. This is especially undesirable in that the appearance of the parts thus sprayed renders them unacceptable, and in cases where the wheels are molded with gear teeth formed in the hub or other portions thereof, any coating on the teeth portions of the wheels interferes with the normal operation of the registering mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to pro vide a machine for roll coating articles.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a rotating transfer roller, a supply of a coating composition, mechanism for applying a thin layer of the coating composition onto the transfer roller, a holder having a pair of notched arms for receiving an arbor therein on which a plurality of the Wheels to be coated are supported, the holder having a normal position for supporting the arbor and the wheels thereon in spaced relation to the transfer However, where the wheels roller and being movable into an operative position to carry the wheels into engagement with the transfer roller, and an actuating member movable from a normally open position to a closed position to hold the arbor in position on the holder and for moving the holder and the arbor with the wheels thereon into an operative position with the periphery of the wheels in engagement with the coating composition on the transfer roller whereby the coating is rolled from the transfer roller onto the peripheral surfaces of the wheels to coat the wheels, after which the holder and the member-are returned to their normal positions and the arbor and the coated wheels removed from the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the follow ing detailed description thereof when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, in which Fig. l is a plan view of the machine with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view of the arbor with a plurality of the wheels shown in dotted lines thereon;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end views, respectively, of one of the wheels which are to be coated;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the machine taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing the holder in operative position with the wheels to be coated transfer roller;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing one of the arms for adjustably supporting a transfer roll and means for adjusting the position of the arm;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 5 with the holder in its:

normal inoperative position;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line l--1 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, one type of the number wheels H) which are to be coated is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Each of the wheels in has a cylindrical peripheral surface I I, on which a thin coating of composition of one color is to be applied to form the background color on which the numbers of a contrasting color subsequently are to be applied. The wheel H! hasa central bore I2 passing through hub portions I3 thereon, one of which is formed in the shape of a gear l4, and on one end face of the wheel near the periphin engagement with the ery thereof is molded a pair of teeth it. A plurality of the wheels are adapted to be assembled on a rod or arbor i8 (Figs. 2 and 7) having a collar or shoulder is thereon in spaced relation to and adjacent one end of the rod, as shown in Fig. 2.

The arbor IS, with the wheels 10 assembled thereon, is adapted to be positioned in a holder 22 (Figs. 5 and 6) of the coating machine with the end portions of the arbor 23 formed in a pair of arms The arms 22, which are spaced mined distance, are secured to or formed integral with a sleeve 26 (Fig. 8) which is mounted for oscillatable movement on a shaft 21.- The shaft 21 is supported in a pair of bearing bushings 28 2A of the holder.

and 29, which are mounted in vertical plates or walls 39 and 31, respectively, which, in turn, are mounted on the base 32 of the machine. The bearing bushings 29 and 29 serve to lock the holdera22 against axial movement-on the: shaft 211.? .Acoiled spring. 35: on the bushing. 22' has one endthereof anchored in the wall 39 and the other end secured to the arm 24 to stress the holder for rotation in .a clockwise direction and yieldably maintain it in an upper inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 6, against a stop member 3Bv on the wall 39. The holder 22 supports the arbor l8 and the wheels 19 thereon in a normal inoperative position-(Fig. 6) above an applicator. or transfer roller All and parallel to the axis thereof and is movable downwardly into an operative position (Fig.5) to carry the wheels lit into closeproximity and in substantial engagement with the periphery of the roller 49.

Anactuating member or lever 52 is provided for clamping the arbor onto the holder 22 and for moving-the holder and the arbor l8 withthe wheels in thereon from the inoperative to the operative position. The member. 42 comprises a pair of arms l343 secured to a block 45, which is. mounted for oscillatable movement on the sleeve as between the arms 24 of the. holder 22. The: forward portions of the arms 53 are connectedtcgether by a bail-shaped handle member I 41 and-are adapted to engage the shoulder portion 19 and a portion of the arbor 18 when the actuating member is moved from an openposition as shown in Fig. 6 to a closed position to grip the arbor in the notches 23 inthe arms .24 of the holder 22. After the actuator member 42 has been moved into. engagement with the arbor 18, continued movement of the member will carry the holder and the arbor with the wheels Iii thereon into the operative positionshown in Fig. 5. .An adjustable stop screw 59, mounted on one of the arms 24, is engageable with a sleeve 59 on a shaft 5!, on whichthe, transfer roll 49. is mounted, to stop the downward movement of the holder and accuratelyposition the wheels 19 relative to the periphery of theroller. 49 during the roll-coating operating. A spring53 stresses the actuating member 42 in a clockwise direction and serves to return it to its normal open position, shown .in Fig. 6, in which positionthe. actuating member is stopped by the engagement of a pin 54 on the block with an arm 24 of the holder 22.

The shaft 5!, on which the transfer roll til is rotatably mounted, is fixed to and supported in one end of a pair of arms 51, which are secured at their other ends to a shaft 58 journaled for oscillating movement in the walls 39 and BL, As shown in Fig. '7, the shaft 5Lextends through clearance slots or aperturesin the walls 39v and i8 fitting in notches apart a predetering 3| and has a nob or handle portion 59, by means of which the roller may be manually rotated and vertically moved to facilitate the cleaning thereof. A pair of springs 60, connected to the arms 51, urge the roller 49 downwardly and an extension Bl (Fig. 5 on one of the arms 51 is engageable with a set screw 62' (Figs. 1 and. 5 adjustably mounted in a lug 63 on the wall 3 1, whereby the roller 49 is accurately positioned relative to a vibrator roller 65 to regulate the degree of pressure between therollers 49 and B5.

The. coating of composition applied to the wheels 19 from the transfer roller is carried to the. roller 49 through a series of rollers includthe vibrator .roll 65, distributor roll 68, vibrator'rollt9, distributor rolls 19 and 1|, ductor roll 12,. anda supply roll 13 from a supply 14 of the composition in a container or fountain 15. The. vibrator roll is fixed to a shaft 89 (Fig. '1), which is rotatably and slidably mounted in bearing apertures in the plates 39' and 31. and has a pair of gearsBl and 82 fixed thereto, the former of which meshes with a gear flsfixedto a'drive shaft 84. The drive shaftB l may be driven byany suitable means, such as a speed reducing unit 85, which, in turn, is driven from an electric motor (not shown) mounted on the base 32. The shaft 89 has a barrel cam 81 fixed thereto, in the cam groove of which rides a stationary cam-follower 88 formed on a bracket 89 fixedto the side wall 3| of the machine forimparting. axial reciprocation to the vibrator roller as it rotates.

The gear 32 on theshaft. 8| meshes with an idler gear. 92 suitably mounted for rotation on the sidewall 39, and the gear 92,-.in turn, meshes with a gear 99 fixed to a shaft 95, on whichthe distributor roller 1| is fixed. The; distributor rollers .63. and 19 are formed. on shafts 96' and 91, respectively, which are rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 98 and 99 removably mounted in slots I99 and MI. in the walls wand- 31. The. rollers. 68 and-19 bear against the. rollers 65. and 1|, respectively, and support the vibrator roll 69. The vibrator roll 89 is rotatablyv mounted. on a shaft I95, which, at its ends, is fixed to. posts int, and the posts 106 are slidably mounted in slots H11 in the side walls 30 and 31 of the ma-' chine for holding the. vibrator roll 69 against axial and lateral displacement as it rests von the distributor rolls 68 and 19. A suitable mechanism (not shown) is contained within the vibrator roll 69 to impart apredetermined axialreciprocatory movement thereto in response to rotation thereof.

The ductor roll 1'2 is supported for rotation in theends of a pair of arms H9 fixed to'a shaft Hi, which is mounted. for rocking movement in bearing apertures in the side plates 39 and. 3! and is adapted to be oscillated-to and. fromens gagement with the distributorroll 1| and the supply roll 13. A. springv H2 connectedto. one of the arms H9 stresses thearms for movementin a clockwise direction and an arm I M fixed to the shaft H I has a cam follower 5 i5 thereon engaging the periphery of the cam H9 fixed to a shaft 5 f1. J ournaled in bearing. apertures inthe plates 33 and 31, the shaft H1 has a gear H8 fixed thereto which meshes with and isdriven from the gear Sl t. The supply roller 13 is adapted to be rotated step by step and is mounted on a shaft 5'25. which is journaled in suitable bearings in the walls 39 and 9! and has a ratchet I25 fixed thereto which is adapted tobe driven by a pawl lili'fpivotally mounted on an .oscillatable. arm I28. The larm. I28. isconnectedto one..end ofa link I 29, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the gear I It in eccentric relation to the axis of the shaft H1 so that, as the gear H8 rotates, it acts as a crank to impart oscillation to the arm I28 and pawl I21 to impart step by step rotation to the ink roller i3. Rotated from a positive gear drive, the rollers 65 and H impart rotation to the transfer roller 49 and the distributor rollers 68 and it in engagement therewith, and the vibrator roll 69 is rotated through engagement with the distributor rolls 68 and 10.

A thin film of the ink or coating composition, governed by the setting of a doctor blade '5 32, adheres to the supply roller is as it is advanced step by step, and the ductor rollers 12 serve to transfer the composition from the roller 73 onto the roller 1!. The coating composition is then rolled into a thin smooth film and is transferred from one roller to another until it arrives at the roller 48 and is applied thereon in a thin even film.

In the operation of the device, sets of wheels in are assembled on arbors l8 and a supply of the arbors with the wheels assembled thereon is stationed close to the machine. The operator takes the arbors in succession and lays each one with the ends thereof in the grooves 23 of the arms 24 of the holder (Fig. -6), after which he presses the handle portion 4'! of the actuator member 42 downwardly, causing the arms 63 to first engage the arbor and lock it in position in the holder 24 and then move the holder and the mandrel with the wheels thereon into the operative position shown in Fig. 5, where the periphery of the wheels I engage the film of composition on the transfer roller 49. The holder za may be held down with the wheels ill in engagement with the roller 40 for several rotations of the wheels to cause a film of coating material to be rolled onto and adhere to the peripheral surface of the wheels. The operator then releases the downward pressure of the actuator member 42, permitting the holder to return to its inoperative position and the actuator member iz to return to its open position, as shown in Fig. 6, after which the arbor l 8, with the coated wheels it thereon, is removed from the machine and placed in a rack.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A roll coating machine for coating the peripheries of a plurality of wheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, means for rotating and applying a coating of composition onto said roller, a holder including a pair of arms engageable with the ends of said arbor for supporting said arbor and the wheels thereon for movement to and from an inoperative position in spaced relation to said transfer roller and an operative position in which said wheels in engagement with said roller, resilient means for moving said arms to said inoperative position, an actuating member having a pair of arms movable from a normal position spaced from an arbor in said holder into engagement with an arbor in said holder to grip said arbor and to move said holder into operative position, and resilient means for moving said actuating member into said normal position.

2. A roll coating machine for applying a coat--v ing composition onto the peripheries of a plurality of wheels supported on an arbor comprising a transfer roller mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, a receptacle for a supply of said composition, means for distributing a thin layer of said composition onto said transfer roller, a holder having seats engageable with the ends of said arbor for supporting the arbor and the wheels thereon, means mounting said holder and an arbor with the wheels thereon for movement to and from an inoperative position in spaced relation to said applicator and an operative position in which the wheels are in engagement with said applicator roller, yieldable means for retaining said holder in said inoperative position, an actuator member, means mounting said actuator member for movement from a normal position into engagement with an arbor in said holder to grip the arbor in said holder and to move said holder and the arbor with the wheels thereon to said operative position, and yieldable means for retaining said actuator member in said normal position.

3. A roll coating machine for coating the periphery of a plurality of wheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller, means for rotating and applying a coating of composition onto said roller, a holder having a pair of armswith seats for receiving the arbor therein to support said arbor and the wheels, means mounting said holder for movement to guide said arbor and the wheels thereon toward and away from said roller and in parallel relation thereto whereby said wheels may be pressed into engagement with said roller, stop means for arresting the movement of said holder in one direction to limit the pressure of said wheels against said roller, and means for adjusting said stop means to vary the pressure between said wheels and said roller.

4. A roll coating machine for coating the periphery of a plurality of wheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller, means for rotating and applying a coating of composition onto said roller, a holder having a pair of arms with seats for receiving the arbor therein to support said arbor and the wheels, means mounting said holder for movement to guide said arbor and the wheels thereon toward and away fro said roller and in parallel relation thereto whereby said wheels may be pressed into engagement with said roller, stop means for arresting the movement of said holder in one direction to limit the pressure of said wheels against said roller, means for adjusting said stop means to vary the pressure between said wheels and said roller, and means for yieldably retaining said holder with the arms in a normal position for receiving and supporting an arbor with said wheels thereon in spaced relation to said roller.

5. A roll coating machine for coating the peripheries of a plurality of wheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller, means for rotating and applying a coating of composition onto said roller, a holder having a pair of arms with seats for receiving the arbor therein to support said arbor and the wheels thereon, means pivotally mounting said holder for movement about a predetermined axis to guide said arbor and the wheels thereon to and from said roller and in parallel relation thereto whereby said wheels may be. guided and pressed into engagement with said roller, stop means for stopping the movement of said holder toward said roller in a predetermined position to control the pressure between said wheels and said rollen. means for yieldably retaining said holder and an arbor and wheels therein in a normal position in spaced relation to said roller, an actuating member, means mounting said actuating member for pivota} movement about said predetermined axis into engagement with said holder and the arbor therein to hold said arbor on said holder and to move said holder against said stop means to effect the engagement of said wheels with said roller, and means for yieldably holding said ac tuating member in; a normal position in spaced relation to the seats on said arms of the holder Number Name Date 682,431 Smith Aug. 28, 1928 1,874,059 Paradise Aug. 30, 1932 2,015,669 Gravely et a1. Oct. 1, 1935 2,329,263 Gladfelter' et a1. Sept. 14, 1943 2,387,248 Dunlap et a1 Oct. 23. 1945

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