Dome and round parts rotary marker
First Claim
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, andsaid 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.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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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.
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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.
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18. A rotary marking device comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification