Abstract: To minimize the presence of roll-to-roll nips in an inking system for a printing plate cylinder, an ink transfer belt transfers ink from an ink transfer roller, which receives ink from a supply, to the ink receiving elements on a printing plate cylinder. A plurality of guide rolls inside the loop of the ink transfer belt contact the drivable surface of that belt. A drive is connected with one of the guide rollers for driving it to rotate at a first velocity, which is the velocity of the ink transfer roll and of the printing plate cylinder. An ink distribution roller is disposed outside the loop of the belt in contact with the opposite, ink transfer surface of the belt and between the ink transfer roller and the printing plate cylinder. The ink distribution roller is driven to rotate at a different speed than the ink transfer belt and is also driven to vibrate or to oscillate axially for ink distribution on the ink transfer surface of the belt.

Abstract: Continuous motion apparatus having an offset blanket wheel for applying main images to cylindrical containers is also provided with a plurality of direct printing units that apply auxiliary images to the containers. All of the cassettes are mounted on the blanket wheel. Each cassette is provided with at least one belt having a plurality of auxiliary images in tandem. The belt or belts, as the case may be, is driven continuously at uniform speed along a closed loop path. The cylindrical outer surface having images applied thereto travels at the same linear speed as the offset blanket, and there is a difference in linear speeds between the belt with the auxiliary images thereon and the cylindrical outer surface, even while the auxiliary images are being applied to the cylindrical outer surface.

Abstract: A metacarpophalangeal joint prosthesis includes a proximal component and a distal component mounted for relative pivotal movement with each including a metal core mounted in a plastic capsule with the proximal metal core having a cup-like socket in which a plastic bearing cup is positioned to receive a spherical pivot ball on the distal metal core member. A guide slot extends through the plastic bearing cup and the cup-like socket to guide the distal metal core member when said distal core member is in a pivoted flexion position with respect to the proximal core member to prevent lateral pivotal movement of the distal component under such conditions while permitting such movement when the components are in linear extended relation in the manner of the natural joint.

Abstract: A system for decorating cylindrical cans each having one open end including a curing section which receives the decorated cans with the decorations uncured. In the curing section the cans move through a preheat chamber where can temperature is elevated. The heated cans then move through a drying chamber where flames from gas and air fed burner heads impinge directly on the exterior of the can for curing of the decorations. Thereafter the cans pass through a cooling chamber and then exit from the curing section.The preheat chamber is heated by the burners in the heating chamber. These burners are disposed so that the flame jets are directed downstream at an angle of approximately 13.degree. with respect to lines normal to the path of travel for the cans. The burners are arranged in two parallel arrays disposed one above the other. As the cans travel between these arrays flame impingement on the cans is interrupted.

Abstract: Cylindrical two-piece cans are decorated with thermally curable inks and coatings and are placed on generally horizontally extending pins of a pin-chain conveyor. The cans are then moved through a flame drying chamber to dry the inks and coatings by direct impingement of flame on the can surface. The cans are thereafter moved through a cooling chamber and then are discharged from the pin-chain conveyor which circulates back to the decorator unit to receive newly decorated cans. The pins of the pin-chain conveyor can be at an angle to the horizontal and the pins can have brushes or the like to grip the internal surface of the can. The flame dryer unit consists of gas and air-fed burner heads disposed in one of several different patterns along the path taken by the cans through the flame dryer housing. Flame impinges directly on the can and the can moves through the tunnel at a speed sufficient to prevent heat damage to the can.

Abstract: Apparatus for ultra-violet light curing by photopolymerization of radiation free ink or coating material, which is coated on the peripheral surfaces of a multisided rotatable object: each uncured ink coated object is positioned on a rigid or resilient support at the end of a respective mandrel; the mandrels are rotatably journaled to an endless belt, or the like, which moves the mandrels and the objects supported thereon through a radiation oven; each mandrel carries a wheel, which engages a rack that is oriented parallel to the pathway of the mandrels through the oven such that the mandrels and the objects they support are rotated as they move along the path through the oven; a radiation emitting lamp in the oven is in a plane that is spaced from the axes of the objects as they move through the oven and is generally parallel to the path of movement of the objects through the oven; the lamp is oriented obliquely to the direction of extension of the mandrels and the objects as they pass through the oven to cau