Article decorating machine and method
First Claim
1. A method for applying indicia to the surface of a generally cylindrical article comprising:
- (a) vertically elevating said article horizontally positioned and gripping the sidewall surface of said article at an article-loading station by gripping means carried by a rotating article transport assembly;
(b) rotating said article transport assembly about a horizontal axis to bring said article to a fixedly positioned, combined orienting and indicia transfer station;
(c) supporting said article for rotation about its longitudinal axis at said combined orienting and indicia transfer station;
(d) releasing said article from the grip of said gripping means;
(e) orienting said article to properly position the selected portion of the sidewall surface thereof for receiving the indicia by rotating said article with means fixedly positioned at said orienting and indicia transfer station;
(f) drivingly rotating said article on its axis while pressing a moving strip of indicia printing material between said selected portion of said bottle sidewall surface while contacting the other side of said strip with a hot die carrying the indicia to be printed on said article;
(g) stopping said rotation of the article after indicia transfer is completed and gripping the sidewall surface of said article by said gripping means;
(h) rotating said article transport assembly to bring said article to an eject station; and
(i) opening said gripping means to release said article.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for applying indicia to the surface of generally cylindrical articles. The machine utilizes a rotary article transport assembly or turret mechanism which has a plurality of gripper hands mounted thereon for holding the cylindrical articles to be decorated. At least one article orienting station is provided to orient the article so that the indicia is applied over the proper portion of the surface of the article. After orienting, the article is rotated in a holding assembly and the indicia carrying tape or foil is pressed against the appropriate portion of the outer surface of the article by a heated die carried on a cylindrical drum mounted immediately adjacent to the article being decorated. Means are provided for rotating the article being decorated and the die carrying drum at the same peripheral surface speed. Also, means are provided for positively feeding the decorating tape between the bottle and the transfer die.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for applying indicia to the surface of a generally cylindrical article comprising:
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(a) vertically elevating said article horizontally positioned and gripping the sidewall surface of said article at an article-loading station by gripping means carried by a rotating article transport assembly; (b) rotating said article transport assembly about a horizontal axis to bring said article to a fixedly positioned, combined orienting and indicia transfer station; (c) supporting said article for rotation about its longitudinal axis at said combined orienting and indicia transfer station; (d) releasing said article from the grip of said gripping means; (e) orienting said article to properly position the selected portion of the sidewall surface thereof for receiving the indicia by rotating said article with means fixedly positioned at said orienting and indicia transfer station; (f) drivingly rotating said article on its axis while pressing a moving strip of indicia printing material between said selected portion of said bottle sidewall surface while contacting the other side of said strip with a hot die carrying the indicia to be printed on said article; (g) stopping said rotation of the article after indicia transfer is completed and gripping the sidewall surface of said article by said gripping means; (h) rotating said article transport assembly to bring said article to an eject station; and (i) opening said gripping means to release said article.
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2. An apparatus for applying indicia to generally cylindrical articles comprising:
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(a) article elevating means adapted to receive a horizontally positioned single article and to elevate said article in a direct vertical path to an article-receiving station; (b) turret means mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, said turret means having a plurality of radially extending, article-gripping means mounted thereon for gripping the sidewalls of a plurality of said articles; (c) means for rotating said turret in incremental steps including rotating coupling means for directly applying power to said turret; (d) means independent of said turret means for rotatively holding and orienting an article at an indicia-applying station; (e) means for applying indicia to an article at said indicia-applying station after said article is oriented; (f) means to simultaneously (i) open said gripping means to receive an article at said article-receiving station, (ii) release a gripped article after it is received by said holding and orienting means at said indicia-applying station, and (iii) release a gripped article at a discharge station; and (g) means to simultaneously close said gripping means at said article-receiving station and at said indicia-applying station to hold said articles securely while said articles are transported from said receiving station to said indicia-applying station and from said indicia-applying station to said discharge station. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for applying indicia to generally cylindrical articles having an open end and a closed base comprising:
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(a) an article elevator assembly including a cradle for receiving a horizontally positioned single article and a reciprocable shaft attached to said cradle for elevating said article in a direct vertical path to an article-receiving station; (b) an article transport turret assembly mounted above said elevator, the turret assembly having a plurality of radially extending arms mounted on a shaft positioned for rotation about a horizontal axis, each of said arms being provided with a pair of openable and closable gripping hands adapted to open and close on the sidewall of each of said articles; (c) a drive assembly for rotating said article transport turret through incremental steps including a cylindrical drive gear fixed to said shaft and a second intermeshing drive gear powered by a clutch mechanism having a motor coupled thereto; (d) a common article-holding and orienting assembly fixedly mounted at an indicia-applying station, said assembly including a horizontally movable and rotatable neck insert for holding said open end of the article and a base cup horizontally movable and rotatably mounted for receiving the base of said article and rotating said article to its final oriented position, and a mandrel received in the base cup adapted to positively engage said base of said article and to rotate the same in synchronization with the application of indicia to said article; (e) an indicia-applying assembly located above said article-holding and orienting assembly at the indicia-applying station adapted to apply indicia to said article after orientation thereof; and (f) gripping hands opening and closing assembly adapted to open and close said gripping hands when they are located at said article-receiving station, at said article indicia-applying station, and at an article discharge station provided after said indicia-applying station. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification