Abstract: An automatic screen printing press has a platen turntable carrying a plurality of platens which are indexed through a plurality of stations in an endless path of movement past printing heads having a power-driven squeegee carriage thereon. The turntable is driven by a powered carriage having a linear guide that causes the carriage to have a linear reciprocal movement. Each of the printing stations has a roller cam that is selectively engaged by a shifting fork that is mounted for movement with the carriage. The shifting fork is driven in a transverse reciprocal direction to the linear reciprocal movement of the carriage for selective engagement with and disengagement from a roller cam.

Abstract: An automatic screen printing press has a frame with a plurality of platens which are movable seriatim through a plurality of stations in an endless path of movement past printing heads having a power-driven squeegee carriage thereon. At least one of the printing heads is mounted for movement and is positioned at a first location adjacent an open printing station at which cooling or drying of the ink is done when printing in a first sequence. When desiring to print in a different or second sequence, the movable printing head is shifted to previously open printing station to print at this latter station during this second sequence thereby leaving its previously-occupied station open for cooling or drying of ink during this second sequence. The movable head allows the user to print a larger number of sequences using fewer printing heads than a user can print using a conventional, automated screen printer which has the same number of printing heads, but all of which heads are fixedly mounted.