US3762315A - Container seam locator and positioner for container printing machine - Google Patents
Container seam locator and positioner for container printing machine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3762315A US3762315A US00155726A US3762315DA US3762315A US 3762315 A US3762315 A US 3762315A US 00155726 A US00155726 A US 00155726A US 3762315D A US3762315D A US 3762315DA US 3762315 A US3762315 A US 3762315A
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- Prior art keywords
- mandrels
- printing
- container
- carrier
- mandrel
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
- B41F17/00—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for
- B41F17/08—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for for printing on filamentary or elongated articles, or on articles with cylindrical surfaces
- B41F17/14—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for for printing on filamentary or elongated articles, or on articles with cylindrical surfaces on articles of finite length
- B41F17/20—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for for printing on filamentary or elongated articles, or on articles with cylindrical surfaces on articles of finite length on articles of uniform cross-section, e.g. pencils, rulers, resistors
- B41F17/22—Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for for printing on filamentary or elongated articles, or on articles with cylindrical surfaces on articles of finite length on articles of uniform cross-section, e.g. pencils, rulers, resistors by rolling contact
Definitions
- ABSTRACT Mechanism for locating the seams where the terminalends of containers such as steel cans are joined together in high-speed printing or decorating apparatus wherein a rotary mandrel drum must present the containers individually to offset printing blankets on a rotary printing drum in the same relative rotational position so that the seam of the can is never printed.
- the rotary mandrel has a series of circumferentially spaced mandrel lever assemblies with generally tangentially disposed laterally projecting mandrels thereon, mounted in line with printing blankets on the peripheral face of the rotary printing drum.
- the mandrel lever assemblies are provided with cam follower mechanism for engaging cam surfaces just upstream of the printing station which function to normally revolve the cans on the mandrels, and a can-engaging stop is provided which is biased to maintain engagement with each r0- tating can and halt further rotation thereof when the double thickness seam of the can is engaged.
- the additional cam surface utilized to bias the stops terminates just short of the printing station so that the cans, which have thus been positioned in preselected rotary positions on their mandrels, are now free to revolve with the mandrels, when engaged by the printing drum blankets.
- seams normally are made up of ends having overlapping tabs, and present a rough and uneven surface which would, in short order, destroy the printing blankets. Moreover, the seams sometimes have solder deposits or weld material deposits, resulting from the particular joining operation which is employed, and do not present a smooth surface which can be legibly printed or decorated.
- a further object of the invention is to provide simple and effective seam locating and positioning mechanism which is operative, without interrupting or slowing the high-speed printing operation, to preposition the cans on the mandrels, after they have been fed to the mandrels and before they reach the printing drum.
- a further object of the invention is to design mechanism of the character described which is reliable and effective, and can be readily incorporated in existing container printing machine s.
- a further object of the invention is to design mechanism of the character described which is capable of adjusting the position of the cans in a relatively short span of time during the travel of the mandrels from the container supply mechanism to the printing drum.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic, side elevational view of a typical continuous printing machine showing the can positioning parts in interrelationship with the mandrel drum and printing drum;
- FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, side elevational view, more particularly illustrating the can positioning mechanisms, the diagrammatic lines indicating in part the print assemblies which are removed from the view in the interests of clarity;
- FIG. 3 is an enlarged, sectionalplan view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
- FIG. 4 is a still more enlarged, fragmentary, partly sectional, side elevational view of the mechanism within circle 4 in FIG. 2, with the can shown in section to indicate the manner in which the seam is located;
- FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary under-plan view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2.
- FIG. 1 the high-speed multi-color printing machine disclosed is of the general type shown and described in the present assignees copending application Ser. No. 708,690, entitled “Container Printing Machine and Method of Printing,” filed Feb. 27, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,57l. While the machine depicted in FIG. 1 differs in detail to some extent from the machine described in the application mentioned, it is to be understood that the seam locating mechanism which is described and claimed may be incorporated with the machine disclosed in the application.
- the machine as shown in FIG. 1, includes a frame F, a pair of side-by-side container supplying conveyor assemblies, each generally designated 10 at a loading station L, which include a double star wheel assembly, generally designated 11, as part of the mechanism for supplying containers C individually to laterally extending individual mandrels M mounted on mandrel assemblies, generally designated 12 (see FIG. 2), on a revolving mandrel drum, generally designated 13.
- the mandrel assemblies 12 are, for the most part, obscured by no print assemblies N which form no part of the present invention and will not be described.
- the mandrel drum 13 is mounted for rotation on a shaft 14 in line with a printing drum assembly, generally designated 15 which includes a printing drum 16 mounted for rotation on a shaft 17.
- the printing drum 16 is revolved in timed relation with the mandrel drum 13 to print the containers at a printing station, generally designated P, betweenthe container loading mechanism 10 at the lower edge of drum l3 and a container unloading mechanism, generally designated 18 at the upper edge of drum 13.
- a double line of containers is being supplied to the machine which, typically, may have a capacity in the neighborhood of 400 to 600 con tainers per minute.
- the containers will comprise metal cans C, including a side wall 19, having joined ends 19a and 1% which overlap, as shown in FIG. 4, to form a seam, generally designated S.
- the cans C are fed to the machine via a pair of side-by-side chutes 20, each of which is provided with guide rails 21.
- a pair of feed screws 22 journaled by bearing plates 23 at their ends which may be supported by a frame member 24.
- the star wheel assembly 11, which incorporates a pair of star wheels 25, is provided for receiving the separated cans C and is revolved in the direction of the arrow a on a shaft 26, which may be driven in timed relation with screws 22 and the drums l3 and 16 by a chain and sprocket mechanism, generally designated 27.
- a curvilinear can guide bar 28, pivoted at 29 to the downstream end plate 23 is biased to move its free terminal end 28a laterally inwardly and gradually move the cans C onto the paired mandrels M as the pairs of mandrels M move on the drum 13 past loading station L.
- a spring-biased guide rod 28, which may be biased by a torsion spring provided on its pivot shaft mounting is provided at each side of the drum 13 to load cans C to each of the laterally in line, mandrels.
- the star wheel mechanism 11 delivers the cans C to a position laterally opposite the mandrels M proceeding on drum l3 and it is the guide rods 28 which then cause the cans C to telescope laterally over the mandrels M until they reach the laterally innermost position in which they are shown in FIG. 3.
- suction forces may be provided in the manner disclosed in the previously mentioned application to assist in drawing the containers C onto mandrels M.
- the printing drum assembly may be of exactly the character illustrated in the copending application mentioned and may comprise a pair of printing drums 16 rotatably supported for movement in the direction b.
- the drum shaft 17 may be driven by a pulley 29a via a timing belt 30 in the usual manner.
- Mounted on the drums 16 are the circumferentially spaced offset printing blankets 31 (see FIG. 2) which may be of the character described in the previously mentioned application and include an ink applying blanket portion and a trailing lacquer applying blanket portion.
- the blankets 31 in the machine are of such length relative to the speeds of rotation chosen that each can C will be revolved through one complete revolution by the blankets and the containers will be printed over the desired circumferential surface by the particular blanket 31, in each color which is being used.
- the engaging surfaces of the various blanket portions 31 are so configured, in the usual manner, that no one color is in contact with another color, and there is no mixing of the inks.
- a lacquer may be applied by the trailing portions of each blanket to cover the inks printed with a fast-drying, clear, protective coating.
- the blankets 31 are, of course, formed of a resilient material such as natural or synthetic rubber which the ink and lacquer used do not attack.
- Ink supply and blanket coating assemblies generally designated 32, for applying different colors of ink to each blanket 30, and a similar assembly 33, for applying the protective lacquer to the trailing portion of each blanket are provided in the usual manner.
- Each blanket 31 prints all colors and applies a coat of lacquer to a can C.
- the assemblies 32 and 33 may be of the type mentioned in Jackson et al. US. Pat. No. 2,718,847, Munn U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,754 or I-Iovekamp U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,451, and, since they form no part of the present invention, will not be described in further detail.
- the mandrel drum assembly 13 comprises a circular disc 34, drivenby a pulley 35 fixed on shaft 14, via a timing belt 36 in the usual manner, in the direction of rotation c.
- the drum carries a succession of circumferentially spaced mandrel assemblies 12 which are perhaps best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.
- Radially extending support arms 37, provided on each side of the disc 34, are arranged in pairs so that each pair can mount a mandrel support arm 38.
- Each arm 38 is supported by a pivot shaft 39 from disc 34 and has a mandrel shaft 40 which projects laterally from both sides at its outer end.
- a mandrel M is mounted on the shaft 40 on each side of each arm 38 and comprises a sleeve 41 which has an enlarged diameter shouldered portion 41a at its inner end functioning as an axial stop for a can C which is telescoped over sleeve 41.
- Bearings 42 and 43 function to mount each mandrel sleeve 41 for rotation relative to the shaft 40, and cap members 44, secured by nuts 45, serve to maintain the mandrel parts in position.
- Each arm 38 is fixed to its pivotal pin 39 and, also fixed to each pin 39,
- each set of arms 38 and 46, and pin 39 function as bell crank levers to bias a can-carrying mandrel M outwardly to engage one of a pair of arcuate cam track 50.
- cam track member 51 which also is supported on a frame part 52. It is the enlarged diameter inner portions 41a of each mandrel sleeve 41 which engage the twin cam tracks 50 and are responsible for revolving the mandrel sleeves 41 on the shafts 40 as the mandrel assemblies 12 traverse cam tracks 50. It will be observed that the earns 50 and 51 terminate short of the printing station P.
- the cam 51 extends between the earns 50 in position to be engaged by follower rollers 53 provided on arms 54 which are fixed to transversely extending shafts 55. Each shaft 55 is carried by plates 56 which fix to each side of arm 38 (see FIG. 5).
- each shaft 55 also mounts a lever 57 having a seam sensing or locating follower roler 58 which is rotatably mounted thereon via a pin 59.
- the levers 57 are fixed to the shaft 55.
- sh arm 60 Also fixed to each shaft 55 is sh arm 60 in engagement with a coil spring 61 which normally tends to bias each of the arms 54 radially outwardly to the position in which arm 54 of the leading mandrel assembly 12 is shown at the printing station P in FIG. 2.
- a roller 54a is rotatably mounted on the arm 54 for engaging the arm 60 to compress the coil spring 61 when the follower rollers 53 traverse the cam 51.
- unloader mechanism 18 an alternate form of unloader mechanism is shown at 18 in FIG. 1.
- the unloader mechanism comprises a pair of laterally spaced, endless chains 62 carrying suction cup assemblies 63 which are alternately supplied with air or communicated with a vacuum source via lines 64, lines 64 communicating with a vacuum-air manifold of the type described in connection with the mandrel drum assembly in the aforementioned application.
- the suction cups engage the ends of the cans on each pair of mandrels M and draw them endwisely off the mandrels at a time when lines 64 are in communication with a vacuum source. Later, when the suction cups are traveling along the upper runs of conveyor chains 62, air pressure is supplied to the lines 64 to discharge the cans to a suitable discharge conveyor (not shown).
- a drive motor 66 (FIG. 1) may be provided to perform the remaining drive functions.
- the motor 66 drives a drive pulley 67 on the input shaft 68 of a gear box 69 via drive belts 70.
- One output shaft 71 on the gear box 69 drives a jack shaft 72, which mounts a pulley 73 around which belt 36 is trained, via a drive belt 74.
- a second opposite output shaft (not shown) mounts a pulley (not shown) around which timing belt 30 is trained.
- the biasing force exerted by cam 51 is sufficient to depress even a can with an inset seam slightly adjacent the seam to form aridge which prevents the can C and mandrel sleeve 41 from rotating further.
- the portions 410 of mandrel sleeves 41 will then simply slide on surfaces 50 and will not be rotated thereby. Since rollers 58 rotate independently, the rolleron each end of each shaft 55 is free to locate the seam on the can C it engages.
- the biasing cylinders 49 maintain a constant force on arms 38 maintaining the portions 41a of mandrel sleeves 41 in engagement with cam surfaces 50.
- the associated biasing cylinder 49 is free to move the trailing arm 46 slightly inwardly to a position such that the cans C on mandrels M will engage the printing blankets 31 with sufficient pressure to be rotated thereby about the axis of rods '40 and be printed.
- the mandrels M are caused to make more than one, and preferably two revolutions, as they pass a blanket 31.
- the containers revolve relative to blanket 31 and will be printed.
- the containers C are in engagement with the lacquer applying portion of the blanket and a protective fast-drying lacquer will be applied over the ink.
- raised drive strips may be provided in conjunction with each printing blanket 31 for engaging the enlarged diameter portions 41a of mandrel sleeves 41 to positively drive the mandrel sleeves at printing station P.
- the mandrels float in the sense that the pressure cylinders 41 permit them to adapt to the printing drum blankets 31, which act as cams to revolve them.
- the drum 16 travelsin timed relation with, but much faster, than the drum 13.
- stop means comprises sensing rollers, biased into engagement with the side walls of the container parts.
- High speed printing or decorating apparatus for container part side walls and the like having generally longitudinally disposed seams or obstruction portions
- a carrier having a series of spaced, laterally projecting container part receiving, non-driven mandrels thereon, movable in a continuous path of travel; said carrier including laterally projecting mandrel supports and said mandrels being freely rotatably mounted on said mandrel supports for rotation in a continuous path of travel opposite the direction of travel of said carrier; means mounted adjacent the carrier presenting offset printing blanket means at a printing station past which said mandrels move; means for supporting the container parts; transfer means mounted opposite the path of travel of the mandrels for transferring container parts between the mandrels and said support means; and means mounted on said carrier in association with said mandrels for locating said seams or obstruction portions and prepositioning said container parts relative to said printing blanket means so that only predetermined portions of the container parts are printed, includingzstops on the carrier associated with the mandrels for halting
- High speed printing or decorating apparatus for container part side walls and the like having generally longitudinally disposed scams or obstruction portions including: a carrier, having a series of spaced, laterally projecting container part receiving mandrels thereon, movable in a continuous path of travel; means mounted adjacent the carrier presenting offset printing blanket meansat a printing station past which said mandrels move; means for supporting the container parts; transfer means mounted opposite the path of travel of the mandrels for transferring container parts between the mandrels and said support means; and means mounted on said carrier in association with said mandrels for locating said seams or obstruction portions and prepositioning said container parts relative to said printing blanket means so that only predetermined portions of the container parts are printed including seam sensing stop means mounted on said carrier adjacent each mandrel for movement between a radially outer position removed from a mandrel supported container part and a radially inner position engaging the exterior surface of the container part side wall, and cam means in the path of at least a portion of said seam sensing stop means
- each seam sensing stop means comprises a projecting lever with a stop part thereon; yieldable means normally urging said stop part to a position removed from said mandrel, said cam means being positioned to bias each lever in a direction opposing said yieldable means to maintain said stop means in engagement with the container part on each mandrel during a portion of its travel with said carrier, but releasing said stop means, upstream of said printing station, permitting said stop means to return to said radially outer position.
- said locating and prepositioning means includes: a roller for engaging the container part on each mandrel and a common cam mechanism for biasing each roller into engagement with the container part upstream of the printing station; said rollers being positioned with respect to the printing blanket means such that the nonseamed portions of the container parts only are printed or decorated.
- each stop assembly comprises a projecting lever with a stop part thereon; and means for biasing each lever in a direction such that each said stop part is maintained in engagement with the container part on each mandrel during a portion of its travel with said carrier.
- stop means assemblies include follower rollers and said biasing means includes a curvilinear stationary cam located upstream of the printing station and engaged by the follower rollers to urge said stop parts to engage the side walls of the container parts and locate the scams or obstruction portions thereon.
Abstract
Description
Claims (13)
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US15572671A | 1971-06-23 | 1971-06-23 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US3762315A true US3762315A (en) | 1973-10-02 |
Family
ID=22556553
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US00155726A Expired - Lifetime US3762315A (en) | 1971-06-23 | 1971-06-23 | Container seam locator and positioner for container printing machine |
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Country | Link |
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US (1) | US3762315A (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11266572B2 (en) * | 2015-10-20 | 2022-03-08 | Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. | Methods and systems for labeling and loading pharmaceutical containers |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1990498A (en) * | 1931-07-06 | 1935-02-12 | American Can Co | Printing machine |
US2528912A (en) * | 1949-05-02 | 1950-11-07 | Wright Machinery Co | Spotter mechanism |
US2919788A (en) * | 1956-03-16 | 1960-01-05 | American Can Co | Seam indexing devices for can bodies |
US3110247A (en) * | 1961-08-22 | 1963-11-12 | Continental Can Co | Side seam indexing device for cans |
US3306473A (en) * | 1965-06-14 | 1967-02-28 | Carando Machine Works | Seam locating device for metal drums |
US3478860A (en) * | 1967-05-01 | 1969-11-18 | Gilbert Mfg Co Inc | Apparatus for orienting articles |
US3553419A (en) * | 1967-11-09 | 1971-01-05 | Grotnes Machine Works Inc | Welding machine having provision for precise positioning of two or more workpieces relative to one another during high-speed welding operations |
US3613571A (en) * | 1968-02-27 | 1971-10-19 | Brown Machine Co Of Michigan | Container printing machine and method of printing |
-
1971
- 1971-06-23 US US00155726A patent/US3762315A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1990498A (en) * | 1931-07-06 | 1935-02-12 | American Can Co | Printing machine |
US2528912A (en) * | 1949-05-02 | 1950-11-07 | Wright Machinery Co | Spotter mechanism |
US2919788A (en) * | 1956-03-16 | 1960-01-05 | American Can Co | Seam indexing devices for can bodies |
US3110247A (en) * | 1961-08-22 | 1963-11-12 | Continental Can Co | Side seam indexing device for cans |
US3306473A (en) * | 1965-06-14 | 1967-02-28 | Carando Machine Works | Seam locating device for metal drums |
US3478860A (en) * | 1967-05-01 | 1969-11-18 | Gilbert Mfg Co Inc | Apparatus for orienting articles |
US3553419A (en) * | 1967-11-09 | 1971-01-05 | Grotnes Machine Works Inc | Welding machine having provision for precise positioning of two or more workpieces relative to one another during high-speed welding operations |
US3613571A (en) * | 1968-02-27 | 1971-10-19 | Brown Machine Co Of Michigan | Container printing machine and method of printing |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11266572B2 (en) * | 2015-10-20 | 2022-03-08 | Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. | Methods and systems for labeling and loading pharmaceutical containers |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: JOHN BROWN INDUSTRIES LTD.; 100 WEST TENTH ST., WI Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:LEESONA CORPORATION; 333 STRAWBERRY FIELD RD., WARWICK, RI. A CORP. OF MA.;REEL/FRAME:003936/0206 Effective date: 19810501 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: LEESONA CORPORATION Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:JOHN BROWN INDUSTRIES LTD.;REEL/FRAME:003936/0238 Effective date: 19810331 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: LEESONA CORPORATION, A CORP. OF MASS., MASSACHUSET Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:KOEHRING COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:003954/0491 Effective date: 19751212 Owner name: LEESONA CORPORATION, A CORP. OF MASS. Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:KOEHRING COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:003954/0491 Effective date: 19751212 |