Abstract: An apparatus and method for decorating cylindrical articles using direct rotary screen printing of a UV radiation curable composition in various predetermined patterns and registrations. A rotary screen printing assembly is arranged in either a horizontal or vertical orientation to achieve production rates of about at least 250 articles per minute, and up to 1000 articles per minute. The UV radiation curable compositions are at least partially cured between a plurality of screen printing workstations using a UV radiation source.

Abstract: A method and apparatus orient, position and spin print indicia on pellet shaped articles, such as pharmaceutical capsules and the like. More specifically, the method and apparatus use a rotating pick-up drum that receives and transports the pellet shaped articles to a rotating positioning drum that is synchronized with the pick-up drum. The positioning drum receives the pellet shaped articles from the pick-up drum and properly aligns the pellet shaped articles so that they may be transferred to a rotating printing drum which is also synchronized with the positioning drum. The printing drum contains a vacuum source that maintains the pellet shaped articles within pockets as the pellet shaped articles are passed through a printing station. The printing station contains a movable printing roller capable of being moved toward and away from the printing drum such that the printing roller accurately spin prints indicia onto the pellet shaped articles.

Abstract: A machine for printing on or otherwise decorating hollow bodies. It comprises a rotationally driven decoration application drum, which peripherally is provided with decoration faces, which are able to be moved along a first orbit. On an adjacent capstan plate receiving capstans are arranged for capstan units for carrying hollow bodies. On rotation of the capstan plate the radially inwardly facing sections of the hollow bodies proceed along a second orbit. Pitman units serve to so correct the second orbit on passage through a decoration zone that it coincides with the first orbit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus orient, position and spin print indicia on pellet shaped articles, such as pharmaceutical capsules and the like. More specifically, the method and apparatus use a rotating pick-up drum that receives and transports the pellet shaped articles to a rotating positioning drum that is synchronized with the pick-up drum. The positioning drum receives the pellet shaped articles from the pick-up drum and properly aligns the pellet shaped articles so that they may be transferred to a rotating printing drum which is also synchronized with the positioning drum. The printing drum contains a vacuum source that maintains the pellet shaped articles within pockets as the pellet shaped articles are passed through a printing station. The printing station contains a movable printing roller capable of being moved toward and away from the printing drum such that the printing roller accurately spin prints indicia onto the pellet shaped articles.

Abstract: Workpiece rotators are constructed for decoration registration control in spaced apart decoration stations for bottles rotatably supported by carriers of an endless chain conveyor. A screen drive at each decorating station linearly reciprocates a decorating screen to decorate the bottle. A squeegee is positioned to maintain line contact between the decorating screen and a bottle for applying decoration during each screening cycle. The workpiece rotator is coupled by a drive controller to the screen drive to rotate a bottle synchronously with linear travel of the decorating screen. The drive controller uncouples the workpiece rotator from the screen drive at times other than the application of decoration to a bottle.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine for the printing of synthetic cork stoppers of the type having a surface which is normally non-ink receptive. A Ferris wheel mechanism is provided, having a plurality of evenly spaced carriers mounted a predetermined radial distance from and parallel to the axis of rotation for the Ferris wheel mechanism, each carrier for rotatably holding a synthetic cork stopper. An indexing drive system controls incremental rotation of the Ferris wheel mechanism through a predetermined sequence of steps, and a cork feeder introduces a single synthetic cork stopper into each of the carriers as empty ones of the carriers are presented one-by-one at the cork feeder. A corona discharger treats the surface of each synthetic cork stopper prior to being printed with sufficient energy to alter the surface energy of the cork sufficiently to permit receptivity of printing ink. A rotary printing system rotatably imprints with ink the surface of each held synthetic cork stopper with an image.

Abstract: A screen-printing apparatus and method for printing skateboards, more particularly short boards. A multi-color press with UV cure stations between successive print heads and a system for transporting short boards to multiples of stations. The present invention uses a screen-printing process whereby; the screen is stationary, the squeegee is movable, and the short board rocks underneath the print head so that the surface during printing is always parallel to the screen. Compensation for the concave midsection is achieved by using a modified squeegee, which is able to change shape at the precise time.

Abstract: A printing machine includes at least one object support rotatably mounted on a conveyor which advances stepwise, at least one radiation type drying oven in vertical alignment with the path of movement of the object support and a drive system for driving a rotation cycle of the object support in line with the drying oven when the conveyor is stopped. The drive system modulates the rotation speed of the object support during the rotation cycle as a function of its angular orientation.

Abstract: In a screen printing apparatus for printing a conical object rotatable about a rotation axis (4) by means of a screen member (2) which must perform a circular motion about the cone intersection point (6) of the conical object, this circular motion is reproduced by means of three linear drive devices (14,22) and 24). A first linear drive device (14) produces a translational motion of a U-shaped frame (10), in which the screen member holder (8) is held, in a direction transverse to the rotation axis (4) of the object to be printed. The additional drive devices (22,24) act to superimpose both a translational motion transverse to that of the first linear drive device (14) and a rotary motion of the screen member (2) about its center point (38). The first linear drive (14) and the additional linear drive devices (22,24) are numerically controllable by a computer, in which a predetermined motion course for the screen member is stored.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine for the printing of synthetic cork stoppers of the type having a surface which is normally non-ink receptive. A Ferris wheel mechanism is provided, having a plurality of evenly spaced carriers mounted a predetermined radial distance from and parallel to the axis of rotation for the Ferris wheel mechanism, each carrier for rotatably holding a synthetic cork stopper. An indexing drive system controls incremental rotation of the Ferris wheel mechanism through a predetermined sequence of steps, and a cork feeder introduces a single synthetic cork stopper into each of the carriers as empty ones of the carriers are presented one-by-one at the cork feeder. A corona discharger treats the surface of each synthetic cork stopper prior to being printed with sufficient energy to alter the surface energy of the cork sufficiently to permit receptivity of printing ink. A rotary printing system rotatably imprints with ink the surface of each held synthetic cork stopper with an image.

Abstract: In a transfer sheet and a method of transferring a figuration to a ceramic product, an ink is provided by mixing a chromophoric pigment for expressing a desired coloration, a vitreous powder and thermoplastic resin. A sheet of paper or plastic film is prepared on which an appropriate figuration is screen printed with the use of the ink to transfer it to an outer surface of a ceramic product. A thermoplastic separable layer is provided between the mount sheet and a pigment layer. The pigment layer is coated with an adhesive layer.

Abstract: A printer and method for printing indicia on a disk. According to an embodiment of the invention, a printer comprises a plurality of elongate print heads arranged orthogonally with respect to each other about a center axis defined between the print heads. The print heads are capable of printing indicia on a disk having an annular printing area. The disk may be a recordable compact disk or a read-only memory compact disk, if desired. The print heads may be coupled to a rotatable hub centered at the center axis, such that the print heads extend radially outwardly from the hub. A motor is coupled to the hub for rotating the hub, so that the print heads rotate in unison about the center axis as the hub rotates. A controller coupled to the motor and print heads synchronously control operation of the motor and print heads. In this configuration of the invention, the print heads rotate while the disk is stationary.

Abstract: A continuous motion can decorator includes a plurality of mandrel subassemblies mounted on a rotating carrier with equal angular spacings between adjacent subassemblies. The assemblies reciprocate radially with respect to the carrier axis as a center. Each subassembly includes a radially extending support arm that mounts a radially extending mono rail which extends through guide bearing units on the carrier. The mandrel of each subassembly is mounted on an axis that is parallel to the rotational axis of the carrier. An eccentric type mounting is provided for the mandrel axle on the reciprocating arm so that there is an individually operated means to adjust spacing between the carrier rotational axis and the mandrel axis. Vacuum and pressurized air are fed selectively to each mandrel subassembly through a flexible hose having a single loop that is formed by curving virtually the entire length of the hose.