Abstract: An inkcup and drive mechanism for a printing machine wherein the inkcup comprises a hollow body for containing a supply of ink and having an open end outlined by a wiping edge, a biasing spring for urging the wiping edge into contact with a surface of a printing plate, and a holder for supporting the biasing spring and engaging the printing plate so that the assembly of hollow body, biasing spring and holder is movable along the printing plate to place the open end of the hollow body into and out of registry with the image for inking the same and so that the biasing spring is entirely within the inkcup and applies force only to the hollow body and to the holder. The printing plate is removable from the machine so that the inkcup is easily manually removable from the machine in a sealed and contained condition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decorating or finishing the external surface of an article having a non-circular cross-sectional configuration, the apparatus including a roller for applying a decorating medium to the article surface, wherein during a teaching mode a constant force is applied by the roller to the article while the latter is rotated and during a subsequent decorating or finishing mode the force applied by the roller and the speed of rotation of the article are controlled according to a trajectory generated from information derived during the teaching mode to provide constant pressure and constant linear speed between the article and the decorating medium. In particular, the article is rotated about a first axis and the roller is mounted for free rotation about a second axis and is moved linearly along a path joining the two axes and into contact with the article surface.