Abstract: Spray coating apparatus featuring an improved solenoid valve construction in which response time of the valve actuation is improved by a free-traveling armature. The armature which is unrestrained by spring or other means has an annular shoulder portion which is engageable with an enlarged head portion of the pilot member of the valve. When the pilot is in its seated position, the dimensions of the valve are such that the armature must travel a short distance before its shoulder will impact against the pilot head thus allowing kinetic energy to build up as the armature travel is initiated by coil energization which enables the armature to effectively snap open the pilot upon impact despite spring and high fluid pressure resistance.

Abstract: A linear conveyor has a plurality of mandrels on which cans are held for movement between a feed station and a discharge station. A plurality of printers are longitudinally spaced between the feed and discharge stations. Printing cylinders are rotated in synchronism with the can mandrels so that exact registration of different printing patterns is obtained. A compensated conveyor produces no slack in the conveyor chain so that the conveyor moves at a constant velocity without the jerky motion which would otherwise cause misregistration of the printing patterns.