Adjustable printing press

• US 6,202,552 B1
• Filed: 01/20/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Billington Welding & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Billington Welding & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Billington, Charles J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): YAN, REN LUO
• Application Number:
  US09/233,924
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 101/114, 101/115, 101/123, 101/126, 101/127.1, 101/129, 101/DIG.36
• US Class Current: 101/126
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 15/0863 with a plurality of flat screens mounted on a turntable

Abstract

A printing press (10) including a pallet arm assembly (20) having a first arm extension (26) and a second arm extension (28) and an adjustable coupling (30) therebetween. Adjustment of coupling (30) adjusts the lateral and vertical position of a pallet table (22) carried by the pallet arm assembly. The printing press (10) also includes an angularly adjustable press arm bracket mount (60) that is mounted on a rotatable wheel (16) that carries multiple press arm assemblies (18). Adjustment of the angular position of bracket (60) assists in lowering press arm assembly (18) into a yoke gate (36) mounted on pallet arm assembly (20). Press arm assemblies (18) also include over-center spring mechanisms (90) that place a coil spring in compression rather than tension and include an enclosure (104) for capturing the coil spring for increased safety.

Claims

1. A screen printing press comprising:

a pallet arm assembly for supporting a pallet table for screen printing of articles, the pallet arm assembly including;

(a) a first arm for mounting to a base structure of a screen printing press, the first arm extending outwardly from the base structure,

(b) a second arm for supporting the pallet table, and

(c) an adjustable coupling joining the first and second arms, the adjustable coupling including a support member secured at the outer end of the first arm and a cover member secured at the inner end of the second arm, the cover member overlying the support member and being adjustable both laterally and vertically with respect to the support member; and

a bracket mount for a press arm assembly of the screen printing press, the bracket mount including;

(a) a pivotal mount for securing an end of the press arm assembly in a pivotal manner to a rotatable wheel that carries the bracket mount, the pivotal mount providing angular movement of the press arm assembly from a raised position over a pallet table of the screen printing press to a lowered position where a gate catches the press arm assembly and positions the press arm assembly over the pallet table, and

(b) an adjustable coupling for securing the bracket mount to the wheel in a manner that permits a degree of angular movement of the bracket mount so that the press arm assembly can be angularly repositioned to fit into the gate when the press arm assembly is lowered.

2. The screen printing press of claim 1 and further comprising:

an over-center spring mechanism including an extendable linkage pivotally secured at one end to the press arm and at the other end to the bracket mount, with

said one end and said other end being positioned on opposite sides of said pivot point, the extendable linkage including a coil spring mounted for compression upon extension of the linkage.

3. A pallet arm assembly for supporting a pallet table for screen printing of articles, comprising:

a first arm for mounting to a base structure of a screen printing press, the first arm extending outwardly from the base structure,

a second arm for supporting the pallet table, and

an adjustable coupling joining the first and second arms, the adjustable coupling including a support member secured at the outer end of the first arm and a cover member secured at the inner end of the second arm,

the cover member overlying the support member and being adjustable both laterally and vertically with respect to the support member.

4. The pallet arm assembly of claim 3 wherein,

the adjustable coupling includes adjustable set screws that adjustably position the cover member vertically and laterally with respect to the support member.

5. The pallet arm assembly of claim 4 wherein,

the set screws include generally vertically aligned set screws and generally laterally aligned set screws.

6. The pallet arm assembly of claim 4 wherein,

the adjustable coupling further includes clamp bolts for tightly securing the cover member to the support member once adjusted in position by the set screws.

7. The pallet arm assembly of claim 6 wherein,

a clamp bolt is provided adjacent each set screw.

8. The pallet arm assembly of claim 7 wherein,

the set screws include generally vertically aligned set screws and generally laterally aligned set screws.

9. The pallet assembly of claim 3 wherein,

the adjustable coupling further provides for adjustment of the yaw and pitch of the pallet table.

10. The pallet arm assembly of claim 9 wherein,

the adjustable coupling includes adjustable set screws that adjustably position the cover member vertically and laterally with respect to the support member.

11. The pallet arm assembly of claim 10 wherein,

the set screws include generally vertically aligned set screws and generally laterally aligned set screws.

12. The pallet arm assembly of claim 10 wherein,

the adjustable coupling further includes clamp bolts for tightly securing the cover member to the support member once adjusted in position by the set screws.

13. The pallet arm assembly of claim 12 wherein,

a clamp bolt is provided adjacent each set screw.

14. The pallet arm assembly of claim 13 wherein,

the set screws include generally vertically aligned set screws and generally laterally aligned set screws.

15. A bracket mount for a press arm assembly of a screen printing press, comprising:

a pivotal mount for securing an end of the press arm assembly in a pivotal manner to a rotatable wheel that carries the bracket mount, the pivotal mount providing angular movement of the press arm assembly from a raised position over a pallet table of the screen printing press to a lowered position where a gate catches the press arm assembly and positions the press arm assembly over the pallet table, and

an adjustable coupling for securing the bracket mount to the wheel in a manner that permits a degree of angular movement of the bracket mount so that the press arm assembly can be angularly repositioned to fit into the gate when the press arm assembly is lowered, the adjustable coupling including a pair of radially spaced coupling slots in one of the bracket mount and the wheel and bolts secured to the other of the bracket mount and the wheel, the bolts extending through the slots and the slots being arcuate to provide guided angular movement of the bracket mount through an arcuate path radially spaced from the center of the wheel.

16. The bracket mount of claim 15 and further comprising arcuate bushings secured between the bracket mount and the wheel and positioned in the arcuate slots for providing low friction angular movement.