Abstract: A screen printing apparatus comprising a plurality of print stations arranged in a circle and an equal plurality of platens carrying objects to be printed by the print stations. Objects to be printed are placed on platens at a loading/unloading one of the stations and the platens are indexed around the circle of print stations for printing. A control unit controls the printing at the print stations and selectively inhibits printing at individual ones of the print stations. During start up, the control unit activates print stations, one at a time, in synchronism with the indexing of the platens. A skip mode is available in which printing at a given platen is inhibited by the control unit at each print station, when the given platen is at that print station. The control unit also successively inhibits print stations, one at a time, in synchronism with platen indexing to provide a controlled stop of the apparatus.

Abstract: A manually operated silk screen printing apparatus having a printing bed and a chase overlying the printing bed for removably mounting a screen in alignment with the overlying printing bed. Preferably, a single ball-shaped handle or joystick is mounted on the top of the squeegee carriage for pushing or pulling to slide a squeegee carriage mounted on a lever arm over the center of the screen. The carriage travels on a three-point bearing arrangement with a guide or track surface on the lever arm. Flipping of the handle through an overcenter position reverses the squeegee and the carriage for the respective flood and print strokes. More specifically, the lever arm includes a generally horizontal guide track overlying the chase and extending approximately the length of the screen. The guide track is centered with respect to the chase and guides the carriage.

Abstract: An automatic peel control mechanism for use in a screen printing press employs a cam-driven mechanical linkage to raise the front end of the screen frame at a controlled rate to a predetermined height above the printing bed in timed relation to the motion of the carriage which transports the squeegee. The linkage includes a pair of elongated reciprocating bars which extend the length of the printing head and are connected to lifters at their forward ends to lift the front end of the printing screen. The cam is rotatably mounted upon the carriage drive shaft. The rotation of the cam is controlled by a roller chain assembly which maintains a timed relationship between the cam and the drive shaft. The initial off contact dimension and peel rate may be readily adjusted by varying the initial position and the rate of travel of the elongated bars.

Abstract: A screen printing frame is formed with hollow extruded metal frame members joined at their ends by extruded metal interfitting connectors which are retained within the ends of their associated frame members by frictional engagement supplemented by a bonding agent. The force required to establish the frictional engagement is maintained in the preferred embodiment by elastic flexure of a bowed side wall on each connector arm. The structural members may have prefinished surfaces such as anodized surfaces and are joined together without welding as would mar such surfaces during the welding operation. The amount of metal used for the extrusions has been minimized for cost reduction and to obtain a lightweight structure.Grooves on the interfacing surfaces of the connector arms and the frame members cooperate to form an interstitial lattice which receives a bonding agent. Miter joints at the corners of the structure are sealed by corner webs on the connectors in combination with a bonding agent.

Abstract: Printing material, particularly textile material, imprinted with solvent- or water-based heat curable printing ink, or with a plastisol ink, is dried and the ink cured by first subjecting the imprinted stock to high velocity jets of temperature-controlled heated air until the solvent or water is substantially removed therefrom, and then, while the stock is still warm, moving the same to another position and further heating the imprinted stock by radiant heat for time sufficient to cure the ink imprint or design thereon.

Abstract: An improved low cost screen printing apparatus for printing on both flat and curvilinear objects. Two vertically aligned shafts support the printing head and, by following the pivotal motion of a rocker arm, raise and lower the printing head relative to the object being printed with a straight vertical displacement, resulting from the controlled movement of the upper shaft by the rocker arm which drives the upper shaft through an elongated slot. The squeegee assembly operates in a timed relationship with the raising and lowering of the screen head to alternatively raise and lower the squeegee assembly concurrently with the raising and lowering of the screen so that the squeegee and flood bar are retained in an operative position and parallel to the screen surface during both print and flood cycles. When the screen and squeegee assembly are in the raised position, the squeegee assembly and screen frame are selectively connectable to a reciprocating carriage, for printing either curvilinear or flat objects.

Abstract: An improved low cost screen printing apparatus for printing on both flat and curvilinear objects. Two vertically aligned shafts support the printing head and, by following the pivotal motion of an arm, raise and lower the printing head relative to the object being printed with a straight vertical displacement, resulting from the controlled movement of the upper shaft cooperating with arcuate channels formed in the end supports. The squeegee assembly operates in a timed relationship with the raising and lowering of the screen head to alternately lower the squeegee and raise the flood bar for forcing ink through the screen in the print cycle and raise the squeegee and lower the flood bar to flood the screen on the return cycle. When the screen is in the raised position, the squeegee assembly and screen frame are selectively connectable to a reciprocating carriage, for printing either curvilinear or flat objects.