Abstract: A mailing machine including a base; a postage meter removably mountable on the base; the base and meter respectively including structure for guiding the meter in a path of travel to a predetermined position on the base when mounting the meter thereon; and a disposable inking cartridge having a generally rectangularly-shaped hollow housing movably connected to the base, the housing having opposed side walls and having an elongate perimeter edge wall extending between the side walls, each of the side walls including an arcuately-shaped cam surface oppositely spaced from the cam surface of the other side wall, the cam surfaces and edge wall defining a substantially arcuately-shaped aperture formed in the housing; and a transfer roller impregnated with printing ink and rotatably connected to the side walls so as to extend therebetween and be accessible via the housing aperture, the cam surfaces located in the path of travel of the meter for engagement thereby to move the housing out of the path of travel and carr

Abstract: A roller stamp device includes a housing which is open at a lower side thereof, a front wheel assembly, a rear wheel assembly mounted to a rear portion of the housing, and an ink pad assembly. The front wheel assembly includes a wheel mounted on a front wheel axle which, in turn, is rotatably mounted to a front portion of the housing and a stamping strip placed around and secured to the periphery of the wheel. The ink pad assembly includes at least one ink pad mounted around an ink pad axle, which, in turn, is mounted to a middle portion of the housing. The ink pad axle includes a first axle section and a second axle section which are separably engaged together. The roller stamp device further has a U-shaped bumper to rotationally mount the front wheel axle and the ink pad axle to the housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink supplying device for a printing press provided with a master cylinder (7), including an ink supply roller (41) comprising a cylindrical core member (51) internally defining an ink chamber (53) for containing ink, a cylindrical ink-absorbing member (52) formed on the cylindrical core member. The ink-absorbing member (52) is impregnated with the ink contained in the ink chamber (53) by a capillary action. The ink is transferred from the ink-absorbing member (52) through mixing rollers (43, 44) and an inking roller (46) to a master paper (2) wound around the master cylinder (7) of the printing press in an ink film of uniform thickness.

Abstract: A cartridge housing is provided for a transfer roll and an abutting ink roll. The housing inner wall is spaced closely around the transfer roll with a discontinuity in an exterior side wall that is only sufficiently wide to permit less than 90 degrees of the transfer roll outer circumference to be exposed at any one time. The exposed portion of the transfer roll abuts a print surface on a print drum. A like discontinuity in the inner housing wall around the transfer roll at a point distal from the exterior wall discontinuity permits contact with an eccentrically mounted rotatable ink roll which supplies a continuous amount of ink to the transfer roll as the transfer roll turns.

Abstract: A replaceable ink cartridge provides a means for replacing an ink roller on an imprinting device without soiling ones hands or clothes. The replaceable ink cartridge includes an ink roller which is received within and contained by a molded containment member prior to its insertion on an imprinting device. In addition, an imprinting device utilizing the replaceable ink cartridge and a method for replacing a replaceable ink cartridge without soiling ones hands or clothing are also provided.

Abstract: An addition to a multi-color lithographic offset printing press comprising a self-contained coating unit moveable into and out of operative relationship with the last stage impression cylinder without interrupting or disrupting printing taking place in this last stage. The coating unit includes a special blanket cylinder, a transfer roller and doctor or metering means to control the amount of coating material on the transfer roller. Inclined tracks are provided to guide the coating unit into and out of operative relationship with the impression roller of the last printing stage.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed for marking packages or objects having a printing drum, which is carried by a return mechanism, with an ink supply for applying ink to the printing drum. The return mechanism includes a base plate which is rotatable about a central axis and an eccentric member which is constrained to move in a circular path on rotation of the base plate. A spring acts on the eccentric member so as to bias the member to a predetermined position in order to bias the base plate and the printing drum to a corresponding initial position.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for printing labels on labeling machines. To carry out the printing procedure, a longitudinally translating ink coated ribbon runs through ink in a container and is advanced by a rotating inking roller. The inking ribbon contacts the outer circumference of the inking roller. In order to achieve interruption-free and low maintenance but uniformly good application of ink onto the stamping or printing head, the invention provides that the inking ribbon, at the point of contact between the ink ribbon and the ink roller, has its longitudinal extension arranged substantially transversely of the rotational direction of the inking roller.

Abstract: A hand-held printer in which tickets or the like are fed between a platen and an indicia-bearing printing wheel carried by a printing head. The platen is rotatable on a base on which the carrier is slidable vertically between an upper position in which the platen and wheel are spaced apart to receive the ticket therebetween and a down position in which the wheel presses the ticket against the platen. The printing wheel is inked by an associated inking wheel. Vertical movement of the carrier relative to the base is achieved manually by the gripping of elements located on the base and carrier. The printing head is selectively positionable crosswise of the platen to accommodate varying locations on the ticket to be printed. An adjustable ticket guide is provided to enable guiding of tickets of different dimensions.

Abstract: A printing device for printing a continuous strip of indicia. The printing device comprises a housing defining a handle and an operating end portion. The operating end portion defines a print wheel cavity adapted to carry a print wheel with an outer circumferential printing surface for rotation about a wheel axis. An inking assembly comprising an ink housing and an inking roller is moveable between a first forward position where the inking roller is in contact with the print wheel and a second retracted position where the inking roller is spaced from the print wheel. A spring is mounted in the housing which is adapted to urge the inking roller toward the first forward position and releasable retaining structure positioned on the ink housing is adapted to hold the inking assembly in the second retracted position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held device for optionally printing and dispensing a web of tags or pressure sensitive labels, or printing on pressure sensitive labels and applying the printed labels to merchandise. Also disclosed are composite webs of pressure sensitive labels and method of using such webs.

Abstract: Small, inexpensive printing machine for imprinting information such as seller identification data on preprinted lottery tickets and the like. The tickets are supplied in elongated strips, and the machine has a printing wheel with peripheral character forming elements for imprinting the desired information upon each successive ticket as the strip is pulled manually through the machine.

Abstract: For smoothing an ink film on an ink application roller, so that the ink film on the application roller which is also applied to the plate cylinder will be free from valleys, ridges, striations and the like, a plate-like stamp element (11) is engaged against the circumference of an ink application roller (9), preferably the last one in the direction of rotation of the plate cylinder (10). Preferably, the plate-like stamp element oscillates or reciprocates axially, and is engaged on the surface of the ink application roller (19) by an adjustable spring force (17, 18).

Abstract: In a packaging machine for packing in packages formed in a material web a printing means having type bars for printing on the material web reciprocally movable between a rest position having a distance from the material web and an operating position, and an inking wheel and drive means for moving the inking means in a direction transversely to the type bars and for applying ink onto the type bars. In order to eliminate the frequent exchange of an ink ribbon the inking wheel is designed such that ink is applied to the type bars only in case the inking wheel is heated to a temperature being above room temperature, and the inking wheel is disposed in a casing which at least partly surrounds the inking wheel and which is designed to be heated and to be moved reciprocally together with the inking wheel.

Abstract: A spool of pervious material impregnated with a marking medium, such as ink, is carried within a drum. The material extends from the spool through a passageway in the drum, such a segment of the material extends longitudinally along the exterior surface of the drum. As the drum is rolled along a surface, marks are made at predetermined, regularly spaced intervals. The supply of marking medium is replenished by drawing a successive segment of material from the spool.

Abstract: A marking device is disclosed which is capable of printing on the lower surface of a package as it passes over a conveyor belt. Multiple inking wheels and multiple printer wheels removably mounted on parallel shafts in a slidingly removable unit are described. The marking device employs an adjustment unit for adjusting the height of the slide-out unit with respect to a surface to be marked and a second adjustment unit for adjusting the position of inking wheels with respect to printer wheels. An improved printer wheel and inking strip is also disclosed.

Abstract: A printer which comprises a printing roll mounted upon a main shaft for rotation, an ink roll presented in axial parallel relationship to said printing roll and having heat-soluble ink, a clutch brake unit operatively connected to said printing roll and ink roll for controlling rotation thereof consonant with the printing interval of material to be printed responsive to a feeding mechanism, an encoder for translating the rate of speed of said material into a pulse of unit length. A heat sleeve is concentrically disposed upon said main shaft for rotation therewith; there being a heater element provided within said heat sleeve. A printing type holder is removably mounted on the outer periphery of said heat sleeve for receiving ink from said ink roller. A power supply shaft cooperates with said feed mechanism, and a quill shaft is provided for operative connection to said power supply shaft to transmit rotation to said printing roll and ink roll.

Abstract: An offset printing press includes a blanket cylinder defining a first cylindrical surface having a radius r.sub.1 and a recessed section. A blanket is tightly stretched around the blanket cylinder and defines a second cylindrical surface having a radius r.sub.2 greater than r.sub.1. An impression cylinder is aligned with the blanket cylinder to define a printing interface between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder to receive paper sheets and to transfer an inked image from the blanket to the paper sheets. Drive means defines and maintains a fixed phase angle between the blanket cylinder and the immpression cylinder and rotates both cylinders at an equal angular velocity and in complementary directions to transfer images to the paper sheets. The number imprinting apparatus interfaces with the offset printing press and includes a number head having a body and a number imprinting surface.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive printing apparatus is provided for use with ink compositions of the type which are solid at normal room temperatures and are rendered liquid and flowable at elevated temperatures. The apparatus comprises a rotary printing member having one or more printing elements thereon, an inking roll for inking the printing elements with an ink composition of the type described, and a one-piece, wrap-around radiant heater block for maintaining the inking roll and printing elements at the necessary elevated temperatures. A method for printing with heated ink compositions is also described.

Abstract: An inking roller assembly wherein the rollers are driven and there being an impositive driving connection between the driven roller and the driving shaft therefor and the roller is driven by impact of the imprinting head and the roller as the roller is struck by the imprinting head, the rollers also being associated with pumping rollers and smoothing rollers for properly distributing the ink and the inking rollers having novel end plates which return the excess ink into the roller. The imprinting head intermittently impacts against limited areas of the inking roller periphery and then moves out of contact with the inking roller to cause the same to thereafter roll freely and thus override the drive imparted thereto by the impositive or one way driving means so that the imprinting head is caused to strike the periphery of the inking roller in different areas randomly.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring ink to the printing plate of a metering head of a metering machine has an ink storage roller mounted on a roller support with which it is interchangeably inserted through a lateral opening in the metering machine casing. On one end of the roller support, a handle is provided which is located laterally on the casing, thereby preventing contact with the ink storage roller during replacement. The insertion of a new ink storage roller is facilitated by a fixed bearing bolt on which is mounted the hollow shaft of the roller support. A protective sleeve connected to the back of the casing wall prevents unauthorized access to the metering head of the metering machine through the casing opening.

Abstract: A variable speed flexographic printer with means to match surface speeds of an ink transfer roll with the associated plate roll. A tachometer measures the rotational speed of a plate roll providing a variable DC input through means which adjust said input proportional to the diameters of the plate and ink transfer rolls providing a proportional variable DC signal to a variable speed DC motor driving the ink transfer roll. A wiper and metering blade is mounted to a block adjustably movable to and from the ink roll depending upon the diameter thereof.

Abstract: A code dater for coding tray blanks being formed into trays in a tray forming machine comprising means attached to said machine for maintaining each of said tray blanks in a semi-rigid condition as said blanks move through said machine, and means for printing coded information on said blanks as they are maintained in said semi-rigid condition.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing ink indicia on objects such as fruit and the like, which includes a conveyor to successively deliver the objects to a printing station where the indicia are applied to the respective objects by inked printing dies carried by a printing roller, the objects then being preferably discharged by the conveyor onto an appropriate receiver for collection or for moving them to a further processing station. In order to permit a rapid selection and interchange of inks having different characteristics, a plurality of inking rolls respectively charged with the different inks are carried by a turret assembly which is rotatable to engage a selected inking roll with the printing roller. The inking rolls are arranged to be axially reciprocated relative to the die roll, and are also adjustable to vary the engagement pressure between each of the inking rolls and the die roll.

Abstract: A scale printing instrument wherein one or more printing toothed wheels are rotatably held by a tip end of a grip member, an arm is carried by said grip and a brush containing a printing composition such as ink is provided at a tip end of said arm. With this instrument, when the wheel or wheels are run on paper while keeping the wheel or wheels in contact with the paper, the ink is furnished to the toothed wheel to print a scale having given intervals on the paper.

Abstract: The invention relates to a printing machine which makes it possible to effect ink or dry letterpress printing of different objects or to make moulds for stamps.The invention provides a printing machine having a movable head which carries a printing unit and a support for holding objects to be printed. The movable head is designed to receive different accessories, such as an inking device, and the support is designed to receive different platens according to the object to be printed. The invention is applicable to manual or automatic printing machines.

Abstract: A hand held portable labeler includes a housing enclosing a movable print head, and the housing has a pivotal cover section which covers the print head. A molded plastic frame is pivotally supported by the cover section and has spaced U-shaped bearing surfaces for receiving the end journals of an ink roller positioned to apply ink to the selected printing characters of the print head. The journals are confined in the bearing surfaces by spaced arms of a molded plastic retainer pivotally supported by the frame and releasably secured by a finger depressable positive latch so that the ink roller may be quickly and conveniently replaced without contacting the ink applying surface of the roller.

Abstract: A method of making a resilient expandible inking ring by forming a ring of elastomeric ink-absorbent material of generally rectangular cross-section, seating the ring in a thin wall U-shaped shell of unvulcanized rubber leaving the outer portion of the ring outwardly to extend from the shell introducing a bonding material formed of an uncured rubber slurry between the shell and the ring and vulcanizing the assembly. The ring may be formed by end to end bonding of a strip of said ink-absorbent elastomeric material.

Abstract: An inking wheel having a ring formed of firm inking material, said ring being mounted upon a hub by means of a concentric, radially yieldable support comprising a concentrically disposed coil spring, said concentric spring having a pair of outer coils supporting the ring and an inner lesser diameter coil adapted to be frictionally seated on the hub, the inner and outer coils joined integrally by a pair of bridging coils at opposite ends of the inner coil with the resilience being provided thereby.

Abstract: A rotary imprinting device for imprinting information on articles passing successively spaced along a given path and including a frictionally driven imprinting wheel provided with a planetary repositioning mechanism for returning the wheel to its initiate condition after an imprint has been effected and the wheel is released from the article. The repositioning mechanism is adjustable to change the null conditions of the wheel relative to the given start condition thereof. A slot and key coupling is described between the drive means, the means holding the imprinting type and the imprinting wheel, to prevent relative shifting thereof as the imprinting wheel is rotated.

Abstract: An inking ring and wheel for code daters, the ring being formed as an elongate length of ink absorbent strip material of generally rectangular cross-section arranged secured end to end to define a ring, said ring being seated in a thin wall U-shaped shell whereby the outer portion of the ring extends radially from the shell so that a portion thereof is disposed outward of the shell. Preferably, the strip is formed of foam rubber and the shell is formed of uncured rubber. A slurry of a solvent and uncured rubber is used as an adhesive for joining the ends of the strip, as well as the strip to the shell. The assembly is vulcanized to effect permanent securement. The thus formed inking ring is mounted upon a cylindrical hub and a pair of side plates retained thereon on both sides of the inking ring to define an inking wheel.

Abstract: An inking roller is provided which has both inking and non-inking portions and which has substantially uniform deflection characteristics across its entire axial length; and, an improved apparatus and method for printing using such roller is also provided.

Abstract: The printing press includes a printing cylinder and an inking roll operatively positioned on a frame means and characterized by positioning arms engaging the inking roll for pivotal movement of such roll towards and away from the printing cylinder to operative and inoperative positions, respectively. Fluid actuating means operatively engages the positioning arms for moving the inking roll and an adjustment device is present to control the extent of movement of said inking roll. Further adjustment means are provided in the positioning arm engaging one end of the inking roll to aid in operatively positioning the inking roll parallel to the printing cylinder.

Abstract: A marking device has a cylindrical housing journalled to an extended arm. The cylindrical housing has an outer peripheral surface whose circumference preferrably corresponds to a standard linear distance that is normally encountered in the building industry. The peripheral surface has at least one marking element extending radially from it so that as the cylindrical housing is rotated over a workpiece, the marking element leaves a mark on the workpiece that serves as a centerline measurement for the accurate alignment and placement of building components on the workpiece. The extended arm of the device includes a movable guide that may be extended radially beyond the peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing for guiding the marking device as it is moved along the workpiece or that may be retracted radially from its extension beyond the peripheral surface so that the marking device may be used on an extended planar surface without the guide interfering with the travel of the device over the planar surface.

Abstract: A cylindrical printing roller combining a rubber mat printer and a stencil printer. The rubber mat portion is inked externally while the stencil portion receives its ink from internally of the roller. The two printing forms on the roller print simultaneously.