Abstract: An apparatus for curing ink screen print on articles, particularly large articles such as pails or barrels, includes a rotatable turntable having a plurality of spin table compartments each of which is to receive a pail and carry the same in a circular path past a radiation source covered by a housing at a curing station. Each article is spun as it reaches the curing station to assure complete irradiation about the circumference of each article. The housing is provided with a large opening to facilitate loading of articles onto the spin tables and removal of articles with cured ink from the spin tables. An ejector mechanism is mounted on the apparatus to automatically eject cured articles from the turntable to reduce the labor needed to operate the apparatus. The preferred ejecter mechanism includes a fluid cylinder having a pusher mounted centrally of the turntable, and operable to extend into a compartment to push an article therefrom onto a takeaway conveyor.

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: An apparatus for curing ink screen print on articles, particularly large articles such as pails or barrels, includes a rotatable turntable having a plurality of spin table compartments each of which is to receive a pail and carry the same in a circular path past a radiation source covered by a housing at a curing station. Each article is spun as it reaches the curing station to assure complete irradiation about the circumference of each article. The housing is provided with a large opening to facilitate loading of articles onto the spin tables and removal of articles with cured ink from the spin tables while the turntable continuously rotates.

Abstract: A carriage drive mechanism for a screen printing press includes a stroke adjustment mechanism which enables the length of the printing stroke to be altered quickly and conveniently from the exterior of the press without interrupting operation of the press.The preferred drive mechanism includes a pivoting drive lever joined to a crank link by a movable connector. Longitudinal displacement of the connector on the drive lever alters the length of the stroke of the drive lever, which alters the length of the printing stroke. The preferred means for displacing the connector includes a threaded rod which is disposed within the drive lever and which extends through a threaded bore in the connector so that rotation of the threaded rod about its longitudinal axis imparts longitudinal motion to the connector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for individually transporting large sheets of stock which may have curled ends from a planar support surface such as a printing bed to another location, such as a delivery station. The present invention includes lifting members for positioning a leading end of each sheet at a predetermined elevation prior to engagement by a purality of grippers having upper and lower jaws which grip the end of the sheet to transport it. In the preferred embodiment, the lifting member comprises a plurality of pins mounted in the support surface which are driven upward to raise the leading end of the sheet.

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: In the preparation of screen process stencils a stencil frame is enclosed tightly by a pneumatically operated frame. Once the stencil frame is enclosed the pneumatic tensioning frame is inflated pulling a screen fabric outwardly to stretch the same with a concomitant vertical movement of the frame member and frame supporting portion of the tensioning frame so that the top wall of the frame member is pushed tightly and intimately against the underside of the screen fabric thereby promoting the desired adhesion between the fabric and the frame. This is achieved inexpensively in the present invention by providing a support means which supports the screen tensioning device at a predetermined angle to the horizontal so that with movement of the fabric carrying portion outwardly away from the stencil frame, the frame support portion is being raised and is lifting the side frame member upwardly against the underside of the screen fabric.

Abstract: A curing unit includes an arcuate reflector shield open at the lower end with a curing lamp in the shield and a cooling chamber above the shield. Cooling fluid is directed into the chamber toward the outer surface of the shield and some of this cooling fluid is also directed along the inner surface. Light trap are located adjacent the leading and trailing edges of the unit above an article conveyor belt and a vacuum chamber is located below the belt to draw ozone generated by the unit, as well as hold the article on the belt.

Abstract: A screen printing press including structure and electrical control circuits which permit selection of optimum speeds for the flood and print strokes, and which speeds may differ one from the other.

Abstract: A bottle printer includes a carriage reciprocated along a fixed screen and a squeegee and flood bar carried by the carriage. A bottle support and a nose cone are adjustably supported on the carriage to accommodate bottles of different sizes. A bottle registration mechanism is supported on the carriage and moves with the carriage.

Abstract: A screen printing apparatus having a screen support carriage and squeegee support mechanism which are both mounted for separate lateral back and forth movement on horizontal support bars which are in turn mounted for vertical movement. The vertical movement of the support bars and the lateral movement of either the squeegee support mechanism or the carriage support mechanism is produced by penumatic cylinders which are sequentially operated through a pneumatic control system.

Abstract: A screen drive assembly is described for use with screen printing presses for facilitating the printing of elongated articles. In the printing press of the subject invention, the screen is driven towards and away from the press over the article to be printed by a unique drive which converts the reciprocal motion of the drive carriage between the end supports to a reciprocal motion in a perpendicular direction. The article is mounted for printing with an axis of rotation parallel to the primary support shafts, and may be substantially freely rotated, in response to the passage of the screen over the article during the printing cycle.

Abstract: In a screen printing press having a squeegee and flood bar mounted on a movable support carriage, a movable actuator means is provided by the present invention which includes a pivotal lever having a brake pad on its upper end to firmly engage an upper braking surface at the point of transition from the flood mode to the print mode and vice versa in response to change in direction of movement of the carriage, for securing the carriage in a fixed position while the squeegee and flood bars shift position in preparation for the print or flood stroke.

Abstract: A screen printing press is provided having essentially three distinct power trains for accomplishing the infeed, printing and removal of stock from the printing bed, which power trains are completely mechanical in operation and are interconnected to operate in a timed relation with one another.

Abstract: A holder accessory is described for use with screen printing presses for adapting the screen printing on three-dimensional objects of revolution of different sizes, all at high speeds. The holder accessory is capable of being loaded manually or automatically and comprises a nesting assembly which is rocked to present the peripheral surface of the object to be printed to the screen at precisely the same linear speed as the screen. A drive tee mounted on the drive carriage captivates an extension of an upper end of a drive slide, thereby oscillating the drive slide by its reciprocatory motion. The drive slide is vertically adjustably mounted to the nesting assembly so that its oscillation may be conveyed to the nesting assembly for duplication of the precise linear speed desired on the surface of the object to be printed.

Abstract: A flood bar actuator for initiating the flood cycle in a universal screen printing machine is described. The squeegee assembly is mounted for vertical movement relative to the screen. The flood bar assembly is mounted adjacent the squeegee assembly, with an inner end fixedly mounted to an accessory support, and an outer end pivotally attached to the inner end. A peg extending from the squeegee assembly forces the flood bar up in the print cycle and allows the flood bar to drop onto the screen during the flood cycle. The height of the flood bar is adjustable through the rotation of the screw seated in an opening formed by a split support block forming the opening. A first half of the split support block is pivotally attached to the inner flood bar support as described, while the flood bar is supported from the second movable half. This second movable half has a threaded channel formed in its walls while the first channel has smooth walls.

Abstract: A cantilevered takeoff apparatus is provided by the present invention which is particularly adapted to automatically remove printed stock from the bed of a screen printing press and transfer the stock to a wicket dryer, having a plurality of rows of wickets movable along the upper and lower surfaces of the dryer frame, where the stock is released face up on a row of wickets for drying. The cantilevered takeoff apparatus herein enables the wicket dryer to be positioned directly beneath the printed work to receive the work as it is transferred thereto, without obstructing the path of the rows of wickets during operation.

Abstract: A screen printing machine is described which multiplies the normal carriage stroke of a printing machine to allow printing on the surfaces of large objects of revolution. The drive means comprises a sprocket-chain assembly with a chain connected to the carriage drive for following its lateral reciprocal movement. The sprocket is fixedly mounted in axial alignment with a pinion gear for rotation about that axis. The pinion gear in turn is engaged with a rack gear mounted on the screen. As the sprocket rotates, the pinion gear drives the rack and screen in lateral motion. The ratio of pinion gear diameter size to sprocket diameter size governs the stroke length of the screen. With a large (2 to 1 or 3 to 1) ratio the screen stroke or lateral movement of the screen may be doubled or tripled in length.

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.