Abstract: The machine further comprises a paper sheet feed device, a device for transporting the paper and a unit for applying security images (7) supported by at least one ribbon (8, 8a). The ribbon is brought into contact with the paper (1) so that the images (7) are applied at determined points on the paper. The application unit comprises an applicator cylinder (5) fitted with pads (52) in register with determined points on the sheets (1) and cooperates with a press cylinder (4), between which cylinders the paper (1) passes. The ribbon (8, 8a) is mounted between two reels (B1, B2) for paying out the ribbon and (25) for winding up the ribbon. The machine is equipped with a device (13) for preheating the ribbon (8, 8a) upstream of the applicator cylinder (5) so as to preheat the images (7) which will be applied to the sheet of paper (1) by simple contact of said pads (52) with the images (7) against the press cylinder (4).

Abstract: An apparatus for producing printing plates on a supporting cylinder is provided. Mountings arranged on a frame accommodate a blank printing plate arranged on a supporting cylinder. The supporting cylinder is driven by a motor. The apparatus allows the supporting cylinder to be exposed at an end opposite the motor by its journal together with the mounting accommodating the journal. Thus, the supporting cylinder is capable of being moved away from the frame at one end, which makes it possible to draw the printing plate axially off the supporting cylinder. The apparatus can be used to produce a variety of printing plates, including: a relief printing plate, an off-set printing plate, a sleeve-like printing plate, and a gravure printing plate.

Abstract: A golf ball is provided which bears a mark having a distinct appearance unrealizable by only changing in tint. Ink can be prepared by mixing one or more than two components which can afford luster such as pearl particles, shell particles, mica particles and the like in an ink medium, thereafter such a ink can be used for marking on the surface of the golf ball by an indirect printing used with a transfer printing film or a direct printing such as a pad printing, a screen printing and the like. The composition of the ink is 5 to 150 parts by weight of the mica, pearl particles and the like. The mica, the pearl particles and the like are employed for flat forms.

Abstract: Tamp printing of at least one picture (4) occurs by means of at least one tamp pad (1, 18, 24, 34) on a piece (3), which has boundary surfaces (5, 13) forming angles relative to each other, the tamp pad first printing in one direction (10) against a boundary surface (13, 43) and thereafter, after further compression of the tamp pad (1) against said boundary surface (13) due to its deformation, prints in another direction (45) than the direction (10) against another boundary surface or other boundary surfaces (5, 43), whereby the picture is transferred to said boundary surfaces.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a goods-wrapping apparatus for wrapping a particular article of a plurality of articles, includes: a goods storing section operable to store the plurality of articles; a goods carrying in/out section operable to carry in the articles into the goods storing section and carry out the article from the goods storing section; a printer operable to print a printing content associated with the particular article onto a printing medium based on the particular article; and a wrapping section operable to wrap the particular article carried out from the goods carrying in/out section with the printing medium onto which the printing content associated with the particular article has been printed.

Abstract: A golf ball marking assistance device includes a template member sized and shaped to positively engage a golf ball to be marked. The template member includes a main body that forms a resiliently-deformable retention cavity that frictionally secures a golf ball inserted therein. Articulation handles extending from opposite ends of the main body allow the template to be moved between a securing orientation and a release orientation. A marking slot extending through the main body allows use of a marking device to place diagnostic indicia, such as a stripe or stripes, onto the exterior of a golf ball secured within the retention cavity. The device may include indicia-protecting recesses that prevent unwanted contact between newly-marked indicia and the interior of the retention cavity. An attachment aperture allows connection of the device to a golf bag via a tethering member, and the device may include a marking device holder to removably secure a marking device when not in use.

Abstract: A golf ball marking device for drawing a line around the circumference of a golf ball is provided with an inner wall, an outer wall, and a top wall, whereby the golfer inserts the golf ball into the golf ball marking device, and using the top wall as a guide, places a mark on the circumference of the golf ball using a marking utensil.

Abstract: A printing machine includes a printing table for printing groups of objects presented in an entry support and an exit support, a transfer system disposed between the printing table and a loading system, on the one hand, and an offloading system, on the other hand. The transfer system transfers the objects one by one. The loading and offloading systems include holding arrangements which take up simultaneously and move a group of objects between the entry support or the exit support and the intermediate supports. The intermediate supports support the group of objects disposed with a predetermined spacing. Spacing modification arrangements modify the spacing of the group of objects from an entry spacing to the predetermined spacing or from the predetermined spacing to an exit spacing. The transfer system transfers the objects between the printing table and the intermediate supports.

Abstract: The present invention is a ball marking template comprising first and second portions attached to each other at first ends respectively by a hinge mechanism, the first and second portions each further having two inwardly curving arms separated by a gap on second ends thereof, whereby when a golf ball is placed within the template, it may be marked by tracing along a peripheral edge of the gap. In an alternate embodiment, the ball marking template comprises first and second portions attached to each other by a curved portion, each of the first and second portions having a shaped aperture located at a distal end, respectively, whereby when a golf ball is placed within the template, it may be marked by tracing along a peripheral edge of the apertures.

Abstract: A tube printer and method for printing information on an interior surface of a tube. The tube printer including a housing, an ink wheel assembly and a print wheel. The housing having at least two side members interconnected by a top plate extending there between and including spring biased guide wheels that cooperatively center the housing within the tube. An operating handle is operatively attached to an end of the housing to provide a means to push and pull the tube printer within the tube. The ink wheel assembly is operatively positioned between the side members of the housing and the print wheel is operatively positioned between the side members of the housing and adjacent the ink wheel and includes a raised surface containing the information to be printed on the interior surface of the tube.

Abstract: A printer and method for printing indicia on a disk. According to an embodiment of the invention, a printer comprises a plurality of elongate print heads arranged orthogonally with respect to each other about a center axis defined between the print heads. The print heads are capable of printing indicia on a disk having an annular printing area. The disk may be a recordable compact disk or a read-only memory compact disk, if desired. The print heads may be coupled to a rotatable hub centered at the center axis, such that the print heads extend radially outwardly from the hub. A motor is coupled to the hub for rotating the hub, so that the print heads rotate in unison about the center axis as the hub rotates. A controller coupled to the motor and print heads synchronously control operation of the motor and print heads. In this configuration of the invention, the print heads rotate while the disk is stationary.

Abstract: A manually actuable stamp provided with first and second housing sections, one section being provided with stamping platen movable into engagement with a bulging surface and provided with a stamping surface conforming to the bulging surface when in engagement therewith, one of the first and second sections being provided with a continuous rib conforming to the contour of the bulging surface to prevent lateral slippage of the stamp thereon.

Abstract: This invention relates to provide a label printer which prints by using data recorded in a recordable/reproducible disc and forms a label for the disc. The printer is capable of creating labels to affixed to various portions of the disc and a disc cartridge of the disc by easy operations, and at a time. Further, irrespective of the size of contents of the disc, the printer can create a label from which contents of the disc are grasped at a glance.

Abstract: A method for marking a side of a straight-sided chip with a decoration by pad printing. The method comprises providing an ink plate with an image defined by radially deformed representation of the decoration of the straight side of the chip in a ring-shaped zone, moving a pad coaxially into contact with the ink plate such that the image transfers to the pad, and moving the pad coaxially into contact with the chip such that the image transfers to the side of the chip.

Abstract: A quilting machine is provided having a first station and a second station, one being a printing station and one being a quilting station. The printing station is located either in line and preferably upstream of the quilting station, with a conveyor extending through each of the stations to convey a web of quilting material through the machine, or is off of the quilting line such that the material with a pre-applied pattern thereon is transferred, preferably in web form, to the line of the second station for the application of a pattern in registration with the first applied pattern. At the second station, for example, registration of a plurality of transversely spaced points is detected to determine longitudinal and transverse registration as well as skewing or rotation of the material, and the opposite transverse sides of the material are differently adjusted to orient and register the material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for transferring a conductive picture (12) to an irregular surface of a mobile phone casing (4) for shielding the mobile phone casing from electromagnetic radiation. It also relates to the printing colour used for the conductive picture and tampon pads (5) used for the transferring of the conductive printing colour to the phone casing (4). Conductive partial pictures (7) are printed on the irregular surface of the casing (4) step by step by means of tampon pads until the complete conductive picture (12) is achieved. The tampon pad has a shape corresponding to the surface of the phone casing. The printing colour has a composition, which facilitates the adhering on the tampon pad. The invention also describes a method for printing an electrical circuit pattern on a phone casing (4) by using the above mentioned tampon pads and printing colour.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a paper card with printed graphics and a magnetically encoded stripe in an in-line process. The printed graphics information is synchronized with the magnetically encoded information to provide a card with information targeted to a particular customer.

Abstract: An apparatus for decorating articles has at least one article carrier which is movable along a transport path through treatment stations and which is connected to a vacuum source at least over a portion of the transport path for holding an article in the article carrier by the vacuum. A stationary vacuum duct is arranged along at least a portion of the transport path, to make a connection between the vacuum source and the article carrier. At least one vacuum conduit in the article carrier is connected to the vacuum duct by way of a connecting conduit which is connected to the vacuum conduit in the article carrier and which is moved along the transport path. The vacuum duct is provided with an opening for the passage of the vacuum to the connecting conduit, the opening being movable along the vacuum duct.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing onto circular objects includes a housing that mounts a platen and a carrier for the circular object, and a separate removable and latchable carriage carrying the printhead and positionable on the housing to retain the printhead in a fixed location. The carrier for the circular object is driven relative to the printhead while printing takes place. The platen, carrier and circular object are urged against the printhead as the carrier moves. An actuator is used for moving the platen and carrier with a variable force to vary the force of the circular object against the printhead so that the force is increased when the length of the line of printing increases to span the circular object.

Abstract: A device for conveying sheets in a sheet-processing machine uses a processing cylinder having a circumferential speed. Conveyor belts cooperate with the cylinder for transporting sheets with the belts arranged between the processing cylinder and a chain conveyor with a gripper system. A ratio between the transportation speed of the processing cylinder can be changed by use of a drive of the conveyor belts in order to vary the distance between successive sheets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing digital graphic images directly onto a bottle. First, an electronically storable and retrievable digital image is generated. Next, the digital image is transferred to a printing site. Finally, the digital image is digitally printed directly onto bottle at the printing site. The step of digitally printing the digital image directly onto packaging material can include digitally printing the digital image directly onto a preformed bottle, such as a PET bottle. The ink can be provided as a UV-reactive ink, in which instance the UV-reactive ink, after the step of printing, can be cured by exposure to UV light. The present invention allows for full color digital graphic images to be printed directly onto the surface of a bottle.

Abstract: A golf ball accessory is provided which affixes a personalized visual indicia to the outer surface of a golf ball for the purposes of identification. The accessory can be conveniently stored in a golf bag compartment normally used for storing golf balls. The accessory includes a generally golf-ball shaped casing having an ink stamp and a printing surface housed therewithin. The generally spherical accessory is comprised of two separable hemispherical halves. The halves snap together in mating engagement. When the halves are separated, a stamp portion presents a concave outer surface with a radial curvature substantially equal to that of a golf ball. A complementary convex ink pad housed within the opposing half of the accessory provides ink for the stamp. A golf ball is placed against the stamp portion and an ink image of indicia embossed thereon is transferred to the surface of the golf ball.

Abstract: A method for customizing a book using a printer conveyor system which provide 100% non-contact print coverage on any portion of both covers of a book being conveyed thereon while maintaining custody and precisely registering each book prior to non-contact printing.

Abstract: A system uses a disk dispenser to dispense memory storage disks including CD's and the like to the printer. The system includes a housing, a disk dispenser and a printer. The disk dispenser can be affixed to the housing, or mounted on a turntable. The disk dispenser includes an upper guide and a lower guide attached to the upper guide. The upper and lower guides are formed with axially offset openings. The lower guide has a rim for supporting a disk. A plate mounts between the lower guide and the upper guide. The plate has an arced edge for contacting a disk. The plate slides, causing the arced edge of the plate to dispense the disk through the opening in the lower guide to the printer.

Abstract: A processing method for undetachably printing pictures on the surface of a fastening sheath for a shoe lace head, including the steps of: processing acetic acid fiber at high temperature and then pressing the fiber into transparent film which is wound into a roll of film; printing one side of the film with necessary colorful pictures by general ink printing technique; printing two liquid transparent inks onto the side of the film to cover the colorful pictures as a protective coating for protecting the colorful pictures from being corroded by chemical adhesive agents; and by means of a fixed mold and a movable mold, which are unifiedly operated at a certain temperature, placing the head section of the shoe lace on the fixed mold and spraying chemical adhesive agents such as MEK, acetone, toluene, etc. thereon. The roll of film is then cut off into a segment of film having a certain length with the necessary colorful pictures.

Abstract: Multicolor graphic image screen printing on basketball backboards using ultraviolet light-cured inks is disclosed. The UV inks include a cure catalyst which enables the UV inks to meet adhesion and weatherability standards for basketball backboards. The UV inks are printed using fine mesh screens which provide high resolution and require less ink to print the graphic image. Four-color process printing, including photographic printing, is possible according to the present invention.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method of decorating articles which are transported on article carriers through a treatment station along a transport path which is linear at least over a portion of its extent, the article carriers are transported through the linear portion of the transport path by a screw having a screw flight adapted to engage with a respective article carrier required to move along the linear portion of the transport path. Rotation of the screw advances the respective article carrier along the linear transport path portion. The screw preferably rotates at a constant speed so that changes in the speed of movement of the article carrier along the linear portion of the transport path are implemented by variations in the screw flight pitch over the length of the screw.

Abstract: A device including a receiving device for a stack formed by sheets of stock material that move by gravity along the receiving device toward a marker and which includes positioning elements for positioning a sheet to be marked with respect to the marker, and which also includes an ejector for the marked sheets. The marker is arranged under the receiving device and it is used to mark the underside of each bottom sheet of the stack.

Abstract: A curved surface screen-printing apparatus adapted to screen-print a to-be-printed object having a large radius of curvature. Concentric curved-surface guides having an equal radius of curvature are respectively provided on both side portions of a jig table on which a printing board to be bent and used as the to-be-printed object is placed. A squeegee head crossing over the jig table, and a screen plate mounting frame are provided in the apparatus. A pair of steel belts are used to connect a corresponding one of the guides to the frame. The belts of each pair are made to intersect each other. An end of each of the belts is fixed to a side end portion of a corresponding one of the curved surface guides as viewed from a side thereof. The other end thereof is fixed to a corner portion of the screen plate mounting frame. A reciprocating motion of the squeegee head causes the screen plate mounting frame to perform a rocking motion along the curved surface of the jig table.

Abstract: A printer (10) is modified to effectively remove the center tension rollers (154', 254', or 354') so as to avoid adversely impinging on edible paper (14) along the paper path (32) of the printer (10). A tray (282) may provide a wall (290) to define an offset from an outboard edge (232) of the paper path (32) so as to align a substrate (18) supporting the edible paper (14) with a paper-free margin (22) under an outboard tension roller (154, 254, 354) rather than the edible paper (14). A portion (O) of an outboard roller (354) may be thickened to elevate an inwardly portion (I) thereof off from adversely impinging on edible paper (14) passing thereunder.

Abstract: A quilting machine is provided having a quilting station and a printing station located upstream of the quilting station, with a conveyor extending through each of the stations to convey a web of quilting material through the machine. At the printing station a top layer is printed with a multi-colored design under the control of a programmed controller, which may vary the design from section to section of the web so that individual or small quantities of panel sections of the web may be decorated with a different pattern. The conveyor preferably moves the quilting material relative to stationary heads, but the conveyor may alternatively stop at various stations and the printing or quilting heads moved relative to the stationary web on the conveyor. Precise longitudinal position information is maintained of the location of the printed pattern. The conveyor then conveys the top patterned layer web through a drying station.

Abstract: A system for the flexographic printing of compact discs is provided in which the transport member for the compact discs travels in an oval-shaped path. The transport member is made up of individual segments connected together so that each end can be pivoted on a vertical axis. These individual segments are provided with top and bottom rollers that are engaged by a sprocket drive. A support member for a compact disc tooling fixture is attached to each of the individual segments. The flexographic print heads are caused to move at the same rate as the transport member for the compact discs by a rack segment that is provided on each of the support members attached to an individual segment of the transport member and which meshes with a toothed gear on a print head. The flexographic print heads can be moved laterally and radially to provide registration of the decoration to be printed on the compact disc supported by a particular tooling fixture for the compact disc.

Abstract: A system for registering a work support pallet on an arm of a printing machine with a screen frame of the machine has spaced-apart rods pivotally mounted on a pallet tool and on an arm of the machine for accurate shuttle movement of the pallet tool and a work support pallet thereon into proximity with the screen frame.

Abstract: A process for coating and transfer printing sheet metal which is especially suited for manufacture into three-dimensional articles such as appliance panels and one-piece pictures and frames. The coatings may include a thin pigmented base coat and a clear, thin top coat. A decorative image is transfer printed in the clear top coat.

Abstract: A device useable with a pellet-marking machine for inverting a multiplicity of pellets is disclosed. Pellets are transported in cavities on carrier bars mounted on a conveyor. The carrier bars move with relation to one or more rails disposed beneath the cavities and oriented transversely to the carrier bars. Each rail has a pellet supporting surface region arranged in tandem with a trough, followed by an inclined surface, followed in turn by a second pellet supporting surface region. Initially, each pellet is partially supported on a cavity bottom and partially on an associated pellet supporting surface region. As the carrier bars pass along the rails over the troughs, each pellet tips downwardly into a respective trough, flipping past the vertical. Each pellet next encounters the inclined surface following the trough, where each pellet is fully inverted while being moved upwardly out of the trough, to be supported on the second pellet supporting surface region following each inclined surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for stamping skins including a plurality of stamping units of thermal transfer type, positioned side by side trasverse to a direction of advancement of the skin. Each stamping unit is provided with at least one skin presence sensor which enables the corresponding stamping unit to operate, and further includes a skin advancement sensing element.

Abstract: A method and system for printing new material onto a designated area of a randomly oriented data storage substrate involves determining the orientation of the data storage substrate and electronically generating printer data that compensates for the specific orientation of the substrate. The preferred printing system includes an imaging device, a printing device, and a computer system. The printing method involves imaging a randomly oriented target substrate, such as an optical disk, having a visible pattern and a designated area for receiving new printed material. The new material, text and/or graphics to be printed onto the target disk, is normally oriented in a reference position, but, in order to account for the randomly oriented nature of the target disk, the orientation of the new material is electronically adjusted relative to the printing system. The electronically adjusted new material is then printed onto the designated area of the target disk without having to rotate the disk.

Abstract: A CD printer for printing labels on compact discs print information on a CD centered on a print program center. A support for the CD is movable in one axis. The printer moves on a perpendicular axis. The axis forms a plane parallel to the plane of the disc. The CD may be centered selective to the printer program by printing on the disc a first series of lines that are radially spaced and extend from the CD center along both of the axes, and then rotating the CD 180.degree. and printing a second set of lines which are radially spaced along each of the axes but are spaced a radial distance less than the lines printed in the first printing. A vernier is established and where the lines align, the amount of offset from a centered position is indicated. Offset can be corrected by moving the tray and print head on its mounting in the respective directions to a new zero position indicated by the vernier display.

Abstract: The present invention is a device for marking golf balls comprising a top portion with at least two apertures and a tube that is centrally located and perpendicularly attached, said tube also having a pair of oppositely located longitudinal slits therein, a bottom portion having at least two apertures and a post that is centrally located and perpendicularly attached, said post on the bottom portion being adapted to slideably fit within the tube located on the top portion, further, two projections on the post extend through the slits thereby limiting movement of the top portion relative to the bottom portion, additionally, the at least two apertures in the top portion are aligned with the at least two apertures in the bottom portion, whereby when a golf ball is placed between opposing apertures in the top portion and the bottom portion, a clamping pressure between the top and bottom portion secures the golf ball in place and the golf ball is then capable of being marked.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and printing method for separating, image processing, and printing image objects on CD labels according to whether the image objects require multiple or two density levels.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing images on generally cylindrical objects, such as cans, including: an image bearing surface having an image thereon; and an impression guide which is generally parallel to and spaced from the image bearing surface, which guide supports the cylindrical objects in rolling contact with the image bearing surface, whereby images are transferred from the image bearing surface to surfaces of the cylindrical objects in contact therewith.

Abstract: A method of transferring a decorative stenciled image to an irregular object utilizes flexible plastic static cling sheet material as the stencil medium. The cutout stencil is shaped approximately to the size of the surface of the object that will receive the image and conforming the stencil medium to the surface smoothly, adhering the sheet material such that the static cling attribute of the material will bond to the object's surface without lifting or breaking that would cause gaps or bubbles. The method is completed by well-known steps of applying stencil ink or paint by brush or other suitable applicator, removing the stencil medium and optionally curing the image by baking or other fixation step.

Abstract: A pellet-shaped article marking system marks two sides of a pellet-shaped article. A hopper is disposed over a ramp-type conveyor and feeds pellet-shaped articles onto the conveyor. A first marking device marks a first side of the pellet-shaped articles. A pickup drum receives the pellet-shaped articles from the conveyor and transports them to a second marking device so that a non-marked side of the articles faces the second marking device. The second marking device marks the non-marked side of the articles. The pickup drum then discharges the pellet-shaped articles into a bin.

Abstract: A template for marking golf balls with identifying indicia includes an elongated, rectangular-shaped main body member which is foldable into a cylinder for encompassing the golf ball, a central body portion having a plurality of apertures in the form of letters, numbers, and other symbols arranged thereon, a first end having a flexible tongue formed from a U-shaped slot, and a second end having a transverse slot. When the main body member is rolled into a cylinder for receiving a golf ball for marking, the tongue is inserted through the slot for maintaining the cylindrical form, whereupon the point of a pen can be successively inserted through the appropriate apertures on the central body portion in order to mark the golf ball with an identifying name, symbol, expression, monogram or moniker.

Abstract: A quilting machine is provided having a quilting station and a printing station located upstream of the quilting station, with a conveyor extending through each of the stations to convey a web of quilting material through the machine. At the printing station a top layer is printed with a multi-colored design under the control of a programmed controller, which may vary the design from section to section of the web so that individual or small quantities of panel sections of the web may be decorated with a different pattern. The conveyor maintains precise longitudinal position information of the location of the printed pattern and conveys the top patterned layer web through a drying station. Then, after combining the top layer web with webs of filler and backing material, it conveys the multi-layered web to the quilting station where a quilted pattern is caused by the controller to be sewn on the printed pattern bearing material in registration with the printed pattern.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in providing printed wire markers, comprises a spool of unprinted wire markers, a casing for the spool, the casing bearing sensible indicia defining information related to the encased wire markers, a sensor for sensing the indicia and providing output signals indicative of the information and a wire marker printer for receiving the spooled, unprinted wire markers from the casing and printing thereon accordingly with the information. An elongate wire marker holder device for supporting a wire marker for imprinting thereon, comprises an elongate one-piece body defining an elongate opening and first and second elongate body portions cantilever-supported by the body in the opening and having respective free ends spacedly juxtaposed at a location distal from locations of contiguity of the elongate body portions with the body to define a slot therebetween.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing medicine bags includes a plurality of cassettes in which different type of medicine bags are contained, the cassettes being vertically spaced, printers for printing predetermined information on the medicine bags, a medicine bag conveying member, and a control unit. The medicine bag conveying member is pivotable at an outlet thereof so that an inlet thereof communicates with any one of the cassettes to convey medicine bags to the printers from the cassettes. The control unit selects any one of the cassettes, causes the medicine bag conveying member to pivot so that the inlet of the medicine bag conveying member is connected to the selected cassette, causes the medicine bag conveying member to convey the medicine bag to a selected printer, and causes the printer to print the predetermined information on the medicine bag.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for medicine bags includes storage means having stored print data responsive to differences among individual drugs and patients. Reading means reads corresponding print data from the storage means based on prescription data. Printing means prints the print data read by the reading means on a medicine bag or the like in a specified format.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allowing a decorative stain to be applied to a predetermined epidermal area of a subject is disclosed. An adhesive stencil having an adhesive layer and a generally non-absorbent layer substantially coextensive therewith about a decorative pattern is temporarily secured to a predetermined epidermal area to allow a decorative stain to be applied thereon by the steps of applying a predetermined amount of a material that is capable of staining the epidermis to said generally non-absorbent layer, allowing said epidermal stain material to dry and removing said stencil and said epidermal stain material from said predetermined epidermal area.

Abstract: The printing apparatus has a holding cylinder in which communication holes for communicating an external portion and an internal portion are made and a transfer pad which covers the outer surface of the holding cylinder at ordinary times in a detachable manner, expands upon pressure being applied via the above communication holes when the interior of the holding cylinder is pressurized, and contracts and returns to its original state when the pressure is released. Ink is adhered to the outer surface of the expandable/contractable transfer pad. The transfer pad is inserted in the contracted state into a cylindrical hole of an object to be printed. Pressure is applied from the inside of the transfer pad to cause it to expand and cause the outer surface of the transfer pad to press against the inner surface of the cylindrical hole and thereby transfer the ink adhered to the outer surface of the pad to the inner surface of the cylindrical hole.