Abstract: Apparatus for decorating cylindrical articles includes a plurality of mandrel assemblies mounted on a carrier that rotates continuously on a main axis. The assemblies are equally spaced from each other and are disposed in an array surrounding the main axis. A cam device drives the base for limited radial movements relative to the carrier. Each assembly includes a base and a cantilevered mandrel pivotally mounted to the base on a mandrel pivot that is parallel to the main axis. For each revolution of the carrier a decorator engages an article on the mandrel and applies a decoration to such article. Engagement between the articles and decorator produces a reaction force that tends to tile the free end of the mandrel radially inward about the cam means as a center, if the reaction force is permitted to do so, decorating quality will be degraded. A bracing device is provided to resist tilting of the mandrel.

Abstract: A continuous motion cylindrical can decorator is provided with mandrels that receive undecorated cans and a deco chain that carries decorated cans through a curing oven. The mandrels are mounted along the periphery of a continuously rotating carrier. Chain speed is much slower than linear mandrel speed and spacing between pins on the chain is much less than spacing between mandrels. Interposed between the chain and the mandrel carrier is a continuously rotating transfer carrier having a plurality of suction holding devices thereto. As the holding devices move through a transfer region they are in single file and receive cans that are blown from the mandrels. In the transfer region mandrel linear speed is substantially greater than linear speed of the holding devices, and spacing between the latter is much less than spacing between mandrels As the loaded suction holding devices move downstream through a pickup region cans thereon are loaded on two rows of pins carried by the deco chain.

Abstract: Continuous motion apparatus for decorating cylindrical articles includes a plurality of removable and replaceable inker subassemblies each of which includes an inker section and a transmission section through which the inker section is mechanically connected to the main drive for the apparatus. Each inker subassembly applies a controlled film of ink to an individual associated printing cylinder that remains mounted to the main frame of the apparatus when its associated inker subassembly is dismounted from the main frame. The transmission section is a sealed unit that utilizes a liquid lubricant. Mounting stability is obtained by utilizing four mounting points where each inker unit engages the main frame. A readily releasable securing clamp is provided at each mounting point, and a sliding collar constitutes a readily disengageable coupling through which the input of the transmission section is driven by the main drive.

Abstract: A continuous motion cylindrical can decorator is provided with mandrels that receive undecorated cans and a deco chain that carries decorated cans through a curing oven. The mandrels are mounted along the periphery of a continuously rotating carrier. Chain speed is much slower than linear mandrel speed and spacing between pins on the chain is much less than spacing between mandrels. Interposed between the chain and the mandrel carrier is a continuously rotating transfer carrier having a plurality of suction holding devices thereto. As the holding devices move through a transfer region they are in single file and receive cans that are blown from the mandrels. In the transfer region mandrel linear speed is substantially greater than linear speed of the holding devices, and spacing between the latter is much less than spacing between the mandrels.

Abstract: A continuous motion decorator of the type in which cans are supported on freely rotatable mandrels during decorating is provided with a plurality of equally spaced mandrel actuator subassemblies mounted along the periphery of a rotating carrier. Each subassembly is mounted for radial movement toward and away from the carrier's rotational axis with the radial position of the subassembly being controlled by a stationary closed loop cam track on which a follower roller of the subassembly is disposed. The subassembly also includes a rotary operator having a rotor that supports the mandrel and is on a pivot axis that is parallel to the axis of the carrier as well as being parallel to and laterally offset from the rotational axis of the mandrel. Sensors detect unloaded and misloaded mandrels, and upon doing so cause the rotary operator that is unloaded or misloaded to be actuated to withdraw the rotor from its normal decorating path so that it will not engage the printing blanket of a decorating unit.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming elongated metal cans from relatively short cups by utilizing a reciprocating ram to drive the cups one at a time through a die pack, is provided with a continuously rotating feeder that transfers the cups from the exit of a gravity feed chute to a receiving station where each cup is indexed for engagement by the ram as it moves forward in its working stroke. The feeder rotates through one complete revolution for each forward-return cycle of the ram and during each revolution thereof a pocket in the feeder receives a cup from the chute, which cup then moves along a curved guideway to a receiving station. Prior to being engaged by a registry formation at the receiving station the cup is engaged by a stripper that removes the cup from the feeder pocket. The feeder continues to drive the cup toward the registry formation while the cup is being stripped from the feeder pocket.

Abstract: Apparatus which reduces the number of moving parts and the movements required by such parts to enable cups to be transferred rapidly, without damage to cup sheet metal or coating, while controllably feeding cups into a press for redraw. Cups are held in a continuous-feed conveyor collimating means by a stationary element coacting with a longitudinally movable pusher-arm means on the opposite lateral side of the longitudinally directed cup travel path. After release, the cup at the head of the collimated feed line moves both longitudinally of and transversely to the cup travel path along a graded ramp surface, provided by the stationary element, into the control of a pivotally mounted gate means.

Abstract: A photocomposer includes a fixed rearwardly inclined backboard for supporting a sensitized lithographic plate. To substantially reduce the weight of the backboard and its supporting structure, the main portion of the backboard is of cellular construction. Depressible register pins for positioning the lithographic plate are mounted on the backboard. Each pin is part of an assembly constructed to readily permit transverse adjustment of the pins.

Abstract: The continuous can printer and transfer apparatus is provided with infeed means devoid of moving parts, whereby cans move in a guided path by gravity through an inclined chute to stationary pockets on a rotatable pocket mandrel wheel where they are drawn from the pockets and seated by vacuum on mandrels which carry the cans to a printing blanket cylinder. Before contacting the rotating printing blanket, the surface speeds of the mandrel and printing cylinder are precisely matched by a pre-spin belt on the printing cylinder and rollers. Decorated cans are transferred to suction cups on a transfer wheel and discharged to a pin chain conveyor by a transfer assembly wherein all motions of the transfer cups are controlled in a radial and axial direction by a single cam motion.

Abstract: A pocket mandrel wheel having mandrels mounted on mandrel arms that pivot to move the mandrels laterally to prevent the mandrels from contacting an associated printing wheel. The mandrel arms are attached to the mandrel wheel by a pivot arm that controls the radius of the mandrels line of motion as the mandrel wheel rotates. The pivot arm causes the mandrel arm to rotate the mandrel in response to an electronic system that detects improperly seated cans on the mandrels. The pivot arm rests against an interposer block having a recessed step, and the mandrel is withdrawn when the block is moved in response to a signal from the electronic system so that the pivot arm rests against the recessed portion of the block. The movement of the block is controlled by a mechanical system that moves the pivot arm away from the block prior to the time when the mandrel may be tripped.