Abstract: Peel control for an off-contact printing press. The peel control includes a clutch and a linkage assembly synchronized in its peeling action in a printing stroke with a conventional carriage assembly mounting the squeegee and flood bar. In the printing stroke, the clutch is engaged to effect pivot of the master frame relative to the horizontal printing bed of the press and synchronized with the carriage assembly movement to effect peeling of the print screen in such a print stroke. Upon completion of the print stroke, the clutch is disengaged to permit return of the master frame to its horizontal position relative to the print bed. Thereafter, the flood bar is moved in its flood stroke across the print screen, which will be in a horizontal position relative to the print bed also, to the initial position for the succeeding print stroke.

Abstract: The invention is a take-off apparatus for removing sheets of stock from the bed of a screen printing press where the apparatus accommodates variations in the shape, position and size of the stock and includes a carriage member slidably mounted to a take-off frame which travels from a pick-up point through a drop-off point, and adjustable gripper bars mounted to the carriage member for gripping the stock at the pick-up point and for releasing the stock at the drop-off point. To accommodate variable arrangements of the forward edge, each gripper bar of the invention is adjustable on the carriage member laterally for selective positioning of the gripper bars along and longitudinally for selective positioning of the gripper bars at a forward edge of the stock.

Abstract: A pallet for supporting shirts for printing over the entire surface of the shirt, particularly including the sleeves. A shirt is telescoped over a thin upper panel whereafter separate sleeve panels mounted to the upper panel are slid outward into the sleeves of the shirt to provide support thereto. With the sleeve panels still maintained outward, the upper panel is then lowered down into abutment with the lower panel to secure the shirt between the upper and lower panels. Lowering of the upper panel with the sleeve panels mounted thereto causes the sleeve panels to be raised so that the pallet forms a generally planar overall surface upon which the shirt is supported and maintained in a stationary position during printing.

Abstract: A portable resin curing apparatus is used for curing or drying materials printed on a screen press which has rotatable platens carrying screen printed sheets from a printing station to a curing station. The portable curing apparatus is located at the curing station and has electrical resistance heating elements alternating between low voltage and high voltage in conjunction with a forced air flow between the heating elements and printed material being cured. A controller is employed which sends an electrical signal upon advancement of the printed materials. Full curing voltage with no forced air flow is supplied to the heating elements during curing operations, whereas a lower voltage in combination with forced air flow is employed during the intervals between successive curing operations to prevent heat from continuing to be imparted to the printed material while still allowing for rapid re-attainment of full curing upon resumption of production.

Abstract: A control for the electrical curing elements on screen printing apparatus which applies full power to the elements during a heat-up period, and upon attaining a preselected temperature the control switches to a selected lower percentage of full power which continues as long as the apparatus continues to index through its printing cycles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pallet aligning system which allows a pallet to be mounted to a pallet support arm in a desired orientation and lateral spacing with respect to the support arm and thereafter be removed and remounted to the support arm in the previously defined orientation and lateral spacing, thereby precluding the need to reposition the pallet upon each subsequent reattachment thereof to a pallet support arm. This pallet alignment system is particularly useful when combined with a screen alignment system to re-establish registration of the screens as well as the pallets used therewith. Lateral restraining members are mounted to the underside of the pallet for selective laterally movement. After the pallet has been oriented and positioned as desired, the lateral restraining members are moved into abutment against opposite lateral sides of the pallet support arm and secured in their respective positions thereat to maintain the set orientation and location of the pallet.

Abstract: A portable resin curing apparatus is used for curing or drying materials printed on a screen press which has rotatable platens carrying screen printed sheets from a printing station to a curing station. The portable curing apparatus is located and the curing station has electrical resistance heating elements alternating between low voltage and high voltage in conjunction with a forced airflow between the heating elements and printed material being cured. A controller is employed which sends an electrical signal upon advancement of the printed materials. Full curing voltage with no forced airflow is supplied to the heating elements during curing operations, whereas a lower voltage in combination with forced airflow is employed during the intervals between successive curing operations to prevent heat from continuing to be imparted to the printed material while still allowing for rapid re-attainment of full curing upon resumption of production.

Abstract: A registration apparatus and method is provided to accurately register film positive on screens held by screen frames and to likewise accurately register the screen frames within a printing apparatus with a registration system which reduces set-up time required for the printing machine without requiring an expensive automated registration system. An image positive is positioned on a vacuum table relative to a pair of registration pins or members which fit registration clamps on the screen frame. A plurality of pin tabs are secured on the vacuum table with their respective pins projecting through holes in the image positive. Each successive positive will be positioned on these pin tabs so that all successive positive have the same relationship between their respective image and the registration clamps of their associated screen frames.

Abstract: A pallet for supporting shirts for printing over the entire surface of the shirt, particularly including the sleeves. A shirt is telescoped over a thin upper panel whereafter separate sleeve panels mounted to the upper panel are slid outward into the sleeves of the shirt to provide support thereto. The sleeve panels may be provided with means for moving to their extended position automatically. With the sleeve panels still maintained outward, the upper panel is then lowered down into abutment with the lower panel to secure the shirt between the upper and lower panels. Lowering of the upper panel with the sleeve panels mounted thereto causes the sleeve panels to be raised so that the pallet forms a generally planar overall surface upon which the shirt is supported and maintained in a stationary position during printing.

Abstract: In a screen printing cylinder press, the combination comprises:a cylinder having a gripper thereon to grip a sheet,a screen printer including a movable screen printing carriage for applying ink to the sheet on the cylinder;a lever connected to the cylinder and screen printing carriage to move the same through a stroke of given length;a cam having a predetermined profiled cam surface and a cam follower for following the cam surface and connected to the lever to actuate the lever to rotate the cylinder and to reciprocate the screen printing carriage; andadjustable stroke device in said lever for adjusting the stroke of the lever from a given length of stroke, thereby changing the length amount of rotation of the cylinder and the travel of the screen printing carriage.

Abstract: A screen printing press carriage is reciprocated by an adjustable stroke lever connected through a cam follower to a cam profiled to cause the carriage to accelerate to its maximum velocity in each direction of travel in substantially less than fifty percent of the travel time in that direction and decelerating over more than fifty percent of the time in each direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically screen printing on objects includes a first transfer mechanism having suction cups for swinging the objects from a supply station at which are located a plurality of the objects to a preregistering station at which is a preregistering device which rotates the objects into a predetermined orientation closely positioned to a reference position to which the object is printed. From the preregistering station, the objects are swung by a second oscillating transfer means to a third oscillatory transfer means which swings the preregistered objects to the printing station. Preferably, the objects are swung into a holding station wherein the objects are held between transfer movements by the respective second and third transfer means.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for curing ink on the exterior surface of an article preferably with ultraviolet radiation. A conveyor transports the article along an enclosed path within a housing having a wrap-around reflector which provides indirect stray light about the 360.degree. circumference of the article. The interior reflective surface within the housing is preferably dimpled to cause the light to scatter in every direction and to provide indirect substantial uniform light intensity about the curcumference and the top of the article, i.e. uniform and indirect radiation over substantially the entire exposed surface of the article, without requiring rotation or other manipulation of the article. The preferred wrap-around reflector includes reflective specular surfaces on the front and rear walls of the housing as well as the corners of the housing where these walls join the side and top walls of the housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically screen printing on objects includes a first transfer mechanism having suction cups for swinging the objects from a supply station at which is a preregistering device which rotates the objects into a predetermined orientation closely positioned to reference position to which the object is printed. From the preregistering station, the objects are swung by a second oscillating transfer means to a third oscillatory transfer means which swings the preregistered objects to the printing station. At the printing station, the objects are rotated relative to a printing screen by a rotating chuck device. After printing, grippers are swung into the printing station to remove the printed object and to convey the printed object to discharge station at which is located a discharge conveyor of UV curing apparatus.

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.