Dome and round parts rotary marker

• US 5,190,384 A
• Filed: 02/11/1992
• Issued: 03/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ingomar Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: M.E. Cunningham Company
• Inventors: Speicher, Edwin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YAN, REN LUO
• Application Number:
  US07/834,170
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 101/4, 101/18, 101/35, 101/93.48, 400/102, 400/112, 400/127, 400/128, 400/129, 400/134
• US Class Current: 400/128
• CPC Class Codes: B44B 5/0019 Rectilinearly moving embossing tools
• CPC Class Codes: B44B 5/0095 using computer control means

Abstract

A rotor supports a plurality of marking devices in spaced relation around the arcuate surface of an object to be marked which is fixed relative to the rotor. The rotor is mounted for rotation about an axis which is coaxial with an axis of the object to be marked. The rotor is also linearly movable on the axis. Each marking device includes a single impact pin positioned to extend and retract relative to the object to impress an identification mark, such as a dot, on the arcuate surface of the object. The impact pins are remotely controlled by a computer to inscribe on the object an array of dots in parallel rows to form desired programmed characters on the object. The impact pins are moved in a raster pattern by rotational and linear movement of the rotor in a preselected direction relative to the object. The impact pins are actuated to impress dots on the surface of the object in a first arcuate row. The rotor is then linearly advanced to place the impact pins in position for impressing dots in a second arcuate row spaced from the first row. The rotor rotates in a direction opposite to the first direction as dots are simultaneously impressed in an arcuate path on the object in the second row. The rotor is again linearly advanced to position the pins for the next arcuate row of dots.

Claims

1. Apparatus for marking a selected array of characters in an arcuate path on the surface of an object comprising,

a support member positioned adjacent to the object to be marked, said support member having a reference plane parallel to an axis of the object,

a carriage mounted on said support member for movement parallel to said reference plane with the object to be marked remaining fixed relative to said carriage,

first drive means drivingly connected to said carriage for linearly moving said carriage to a preselected position on said support member relative to the surface of the object,

a rotor supported by said carriage in coaxial alignment with the surface of the object to be marked for rotation relative to the object in a preselected direction,

marking means for imprinting a selected array of characters on the surface of the object,

means for supporting said marking means radially on said rotor for movement into and out of contact with the surface of the object,

second drive means connected to said rotor for rotating said rotor through a preselected angle in a first direction about the axis of the object,

actuating means for selectively actuating said marking means to mark the surface of the object with portions of the selected array of characters on a first line radiating in an arcuate path about the axis of the object as the rotor rotates in a first direction through a preselected angle about the object,

said first drive means linearly moving said carriage a preselected distance on said support member for rotation of said rotor by said second drive means in a second direction opposite to said first direction through a preselected angle, and

said actuating means actuating said marking means to mark the surface of the object on a second line spaced from and radiating in an arcuate path parallel to said first line with the other portions of said selected array of characters.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

means for supporting the object to be marked in a stationary position relative to said rotor,

said rotor having an axis of rotation coaxially aligned with the axis of the object, and

said rotor being linearly movable with said carriage on said axis to selectively position said marking means at a preselected position opposite the surface of the object.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a housing mounted on said carriage,

said second drive means including a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said housing,

said drive shaft having a first end portion, a second end portion, and an axis of rotation coaxially aligned with the axis of the object,

a motor mounted on said carriage and drivingly connected to said drive shaft first end portion for programmed rotation of said drive shaft in a first directional through a preselected angle followed by rotation in a second direction opposite to said first direction through a preselected angle, and

said rotor nonrotatably connected to said drive shaft second end portion for rotation therewith.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said marking means includes a plurality of marking devices positioned radially in spaced relation on said rotor around the surface of the object to simultaneously imprint the selected array of characters in the arcuate path around the circumference of the surface of the object.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said means for supporting said marking means radially on said rotor includes a hub portion connected to said rotor to rotate with said rotor,

said hub portion including an inclined peripheral surface, and

said marking means positioned on said inclined peripheral surface to extend at a preselected angle relative to the axis of the object toward the surface of the object.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which,

said actuating means actuates said marking means to impact the surface of the object as the rotor rotates in a first direction through a preselected angle to form a first row of dots radiating about the axis on the surface of the object,

said first drive means being operable to linearly advance said carriage a preselected distance on said support member to position said marking means in position for forming a second row of dots radiating about the axis on the surface of the object, and

said rotor being rotatable in a second direction opposite to said first direction as said marking means impacts the object to form a second row of dots spaced a preselected distance and parallel to the first row of dots on the surface of the object.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which,

said carriage includes means for slidably engaging said support member for movement in a horizontal reference plane to horizontally advance said marking devices relative to the surface of the object, and

said first drive means being actuated to incrementally move said carriage a preselected linear distance on said support member after rotational movement of said rotor to maintain the rows of dots a preselected distance apart on the surface of the object.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 which includes,

means for adjusting the distance of linear movement of said carriage on said support member after rotational movement of said rotor to maintain the rows of dots formed on the surface of the object spaced an equal distance apart.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said rotor is rotated by said actuating means from a starting point on the surface of the object in said first direction through an angle of 45°

about the axis of the object, and

said rotor being rotatable in said second direction through an angle of 45°

back to said starting point.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said means for supporting said marking means on said rotor includes a circular plate having at least one guide slot radially positioned on said plate,

said guide slot extending radially on said plate from a center point thereof outwardly to an outer edge of said circular plate, and

said marking means being reciprocally positioned in said guide slot to move toward and away from said center point and extend said impact pin at an angle of 90°

with respect to the axis of the object.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which,

said impact pin is actuated by said actuating means to move into and out of contact with the surface of the object to impress a plurality of dots on the object as said rotor moves in an arcuate path relative to the surface of the object.

12. A method for marking a selected array of characters on the surface of an object comprising the steps of,

positioning a carriage on a support member for movement parallel to a reference plane with the object to be marked remaining fixed relative to the carriage,

linearly moving the carriage coaxially relative to the surface of the object to a preselected position on the support member,

positioning a rotor on the carriage in coaxial alignment with an axis of the object,

positioning marking means radially on the rotor for imprinting a selected array of characters on the surface of the object,

rotating the rotor through a preselected angle in a first direction about the axis of the object,

actuating the marking means to mark the surface of the object with portions of the selected array of characters on a first line radiating about the axis of the object as the rotor rotates in a first direction through a preselected angle relative to the object remaining fixed,

linearly moving the carriage on the support member to move the rotor relative to the object,

rotating the rotor in a second direction opposite to the first direction through a preselected angle, and

actuating the marking means upon rotation of the rotor in the second direction to mark the surface of the object on a second line spaced from and parallel to the first line with the other portions of the selected array of characters.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 which includes,

positioning a plurality of the marking means an equal radial distance apart around the rotor,

extending an impact pin from each marking means at a preselected angle relative to the reference plane toward the surface of the object,

moving the impact pins from an initial rest position into contact with the surface of the object to impress dots in a first row on the surface of the object,

forming simultaneously the first row of dots in an arcuate path on the surface of the object at preselected intervals as the rotor rotates in a first direction about the axis of the object,

advancing the carriage linearly a preselected distance for forming a second row of dots spaced a preselected distance from the first row of dots on the surface of the object, and

forming simultaneously the second row of dots in an arcuate path in spaced parallel relation to the first row of dots on the surface of the object as the rotor rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction about the axis of the object.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 which includes,

rotating the rotor through an equal angle in the first and second direction, and

forming a preselected number of spaced, parallel rows of dots in an arcuate path on the surface by successively rotating the rotor and linearly advancing the rotor to form a desired array of characters from the rows of dots impressed on the surface of the object.

15. A method as set forth in claim 12 which includes

marking the surface of a cylinder with the portions of the selected array of characters positioned on a line extending coaxially about a longitudinal axis of the cylinder on the arcuate surface of the cylinder.

16. A method as set forth in claim 12 which includes,

marking the surface of a cone with the portions of the selected array of characters positioned on a line extending coaxially about a longitudinal axis of the cone on the arcuate surface of the cone.

17. A method as set forth in claim 12 which includes,

marking the vertical surface on the end of a cylindrical member with portions of the selected array of characters positioned on a line extending about the radius of the cylindrical member.

18. A rotary marking device comprising:

a rotor,

support means for rotatably supporting said rotor about an axis coaxially aligned with an axis of an object having an arcuate surface to be marked,

said rotor being linearly movable on said support means along said axis,

a marking device for imprinting a selected array of characters on the arcuate surface of the object,

positioning means for positioning said marking device to extend radially on said rotor relative to the arcuate surface of the object,

means for actuating said marking device to selectively imprint an array of characters on the arcuate surface of the object, and

drive means for combined sequential movement of said rotor first rotationally in a selected direction through a preselected angle about said axis followed by linearly advancing said rotor along said axis as said marking device marks the arcuate surface of the object with dots in a raster pattern to form the selected characters on the arcuate surface of the object, said drive means providing said combined sequential movement simultaneously with the marking of said marking device.

19. A rotary marking device as set forth in claim 18 which includes,

an impact pin extending from said marking device at a preselected angle relative to said axis to impact the arcuate surface of the object and impress a dot thereon, and

said marking device being selectively actuated during rotation of said rotor to form a plurality of dots in a first row on the arcuate surface around the object.

20. A rotary marking device as set forth in claim 19 which includes,

means for incrementally, linearly advancing said rotor after rotation of said rotor through a preselected angle to position said impact pin relative to the object for forming on the arcuate surface a second row of dots spaced a preselected distance from and parallel to said first row of dots.