Abstract: A composite fabric structure comprising a plurality of warp and fill fibers or yarns forming a fabric substrate which is impregnated with a matrix material which contains a plurality of cells which impart compressibility to the fabric substrate. This fabric may be used, for example, in a composite structure for use with one or more additional layers or coatings. Articles which may be formed from the composite structure include gaskets, packing materials, flexible diaphragms or printing blankets. In the printing blankets, one or more of a vulcanized rubber layer, a fabric layer and a compressible layer may be included.

Abstract: A hand stamp assembly that includes a porous ink cartridge received in the stamp housing and a porous ink containing die head that is mounted in contact with the forward face of the ink cartridge so that ink may be transferred from the cartridge to the die head as the ink in the die head is depleted. The forward face of the die head is normally protected by a spring-loaded shielding sleeve that retracts when the stamp is pressed against the surface to be marked. An axial handle socket is provided so as to receive a handle or other gripping means. The socket is designed to have an inherent resilient flexing capability to provide firm gripping of the handle or other holder.

Abstract: To provide for circumferential support of a stretching spindle (8) having axially extending holding or stretching grooves (9, 10) to retain an end portion (14, 17) of a printing plate and clamp the other end portion (16) against the wall of an axially extending clamping groove, a resilient support element (11) is secured to the spindle, to bear against an inner wall of the clamping groove. Preferably, the support element is a resilient or springy element, secured to the spindle by a screw (12). The arrangement permits selective rotation of the form cylinder (1) in either direction, upon suitable placement of the printing plate thereover, with no change of parts or disassembly or reassembly being necessary, by merely rotating the spindle (8) in appropriate direction with respect to the direction of rotation of the form cylinder.

Abstract: To clamp a printing form (16), the end portions are inserted into a clamping groove (2, 3) which is formed by a channel (2) extending at an angle into the printing cylinder, and axially thereover. The channel 2 is enlarged interiorly of the plate cylinder 1 into an essentially cylindrical opening (3), for example a cylindrical bore, within which an eccentrically located spindle (4, 24) is located. Upon rotation of the spindle, it will engage the end portions of the printing plate and press it against a wall (5) which, preferably, is part cylindrical and a continuation of the circle of the spindle diameter (6, 26). The surface of the spindle may be roughened or knurled, and a support element (15, 30), resiliently retained in a radial bore, or formed as a projecting essentially cylindrical collar, engages the inner wall of the axially extending cylindrical opening or bore (3) to prevent bend-through of the spindle upon engaging the ends of a printing plate.

Abstract: A stamp has a housing and a stem provided on the housing. A lid is provided on the stem. A holder is connected to the lid by a rod and is receivable in the housing. A number of grooves are formed in a bottom of a lower casing. An upper casing and the lower casing are insertable into the holder. A number of blocks each has a letter, a numeral or a symbol carved on a lower surface. The blocks are disposed and arranged in the grooves. When the lid is pressed downward, the blocks are caused to move downward to stamp a surface to be stamped.

Abstract: A stamp mechanism for printing a message on a receipt or like record media issued from a business machine. The stamp mechanism includes a stud with a spring-loaded washer thereon. The stud extends through an opening in a stamp holder and supports a spherically-shaped skirt that mates with a recess in the stamp holder. The washer includes downwardly extending tongues that engage with slots in the stamp holder and which arrangement maintains the stamp in a parallel position relative to the platen.

Abstract: An apparatus for dry printing onto a workpiece (12) using a hot embossing film (10) and an emobssing die (1) is shown, whereby the hot embossing film (10) adheres onto the workpiece (12) corresponding to the embossing die (1) and after a cooling period the film, except for the impression itself, is released from the workpiece. The walls of the die body (2) are so thin that, as it is placed onto the workpiece (12) to be printed onto, it forms locally and elastically onto the workpiece surface (11). The side of the die body (2) facing away from the die face (3) displays a positive force transfer relief (7), which corresponds to or which is similar to the die face (3). On the side of the die body (2) facing away from the die face (3) there is an elastic pressure pad (8) for the die body (2) to form locally and elastically.

Abstract: A stamp is described which includes a die plate constructed in a number of clipped-together die plate sections, a rectangular die plate mounting member with a rigidly affixed handle, and elastomerically extensible retainers which releasably engage opposing side edges of the die plate and which normally draw the die plate into secure engagement with the mounting member. The die plate can be removed for replacement with another die plate, or for addition or substitution of die plate sections which conveniently alter the message otherwise printed by the die plate. The elastomeric extensibility of the retainers permits expansion of the die plate (or replacement with a larger die plate) without necessitating use of a larger or different mounting member.

Abstract: A combination hand stamp and writing instrument which has the appearance of a ball point pen of standard size and construction. The apparatus includes an easy to use indicia imprinting assembly which is conveniently housed within the upper portion of the device. The indicia imprinting assembly is movable from a retracted position into a stamping position against the urging of a novel biasing mechanism in a manner that prevents smearing and produces a clean, sharp inprint.

Abstract: A sheet gripper assembly for a sheet-fed rotary printing press having a gripper tip with a non-resilient pressure element fastened to the gripper tip by a layer of resilient material, the pressure element having a central protuberance, extending through the resilient layer, upon which the gripper tip bears.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a poromeric article of manufacture comprising a felt sheet of fibers impregnated with microporous elastomer having a work surface, side surfaces joining the work surface and a support surface joining the side surfaces, wherein a majority of the fibers are oriented primarily transverse to the work surface such that the majority of fiber ends adjacent to the work surface form an angle of between about 45.degree. and about 135.degree. with respect to the work surface, and preferably, wherein the fibers have a uni-directional orientation substantially perpendicular to the work surface. The present invention also includes a plurality of such articles bonded together and oriented such that the work surfaces of adjacent articles are substantially coplanar to form a laminated article of manufacture. Further, processes for making the basic and laminated articles are set forth as other aspects of the invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying a printed image to an interior surface of a hollow article is disclosed. The method involves using a mandrel with an expansible block having an outer surface for transferring an image, and means for exerting a force on the block to cause the block to expand in the cavity of the hollow article to effect image transfer. Use of mechanical compression and fluid pressure as alternatives for expanding the block are disclosed.

Abstract: An improved ink stamp (10) includes an upper housing (12) receiving a stationary stamper element holder (14) and a translatable shield (16) biased downwardly by means of a spring (104) such that the lip (80) extends past the printing surface of the stamp element (20). A cover (18) having side arms (32, 34) joined by a cover face (36) rotates from a first position over the stamp element (20) to a second position over the curved, top surface (24) of the housing (12). The cover may also include means for locking the cover in both positions such as a set of protuberances (62, 64) provided on the side walls (50, 52) of the housing which are received in corresponding detents (66, 68) provided on the inner surface of each side arm (32, 34).

Abstract: A heat-sensitive printing machine is disclosed. The printing machine includes a platen upon which a heat-sensitive printing medium may be placed. A printing head has raised portions defining the indicia to be printed. A heater is provided for heating the printing head. A reciprocator moves the printing head between a first position remote from the platen and a printing position wherein the raised portions contact a heat-sensitive printing medium located on the platen. The printing head is connected to the reciprocator by a pair of leaf springs whose cross-section is sufficiently small that no more than about 20% of the heat in the printing head is conducted to the reciprocator through the leaf springs.

Abstract: The raised edge part of a deep-drawn plastic cover is printed by pressing a carrier of a resilient deformable material, carrying a coloring composition, against the raised edge part.An apparatus for manufacturing the plastic cover comprises a deformable carrier for carrying a coloring composition. The carrier is integral with a cylindrical part connected with a first cylinder. Two concentric cylinders, positioned around the first cylinder at either side thereof, deform annular parts of resilient material and press these annular parts against the raised edge part when, on the one hand, the first cylinder and, on the other hand, the two concentric cylinders are moved with respect to each other.The coloring composition may also be carried by a layer-shaped carrier material.

Abstract: A retractable ink stamp having a handle and a stamp housing slidably positioned on one end of the handle with an ink absorbing stamp matrix located within the stamp housing. The matrix, preferably of polyethylene foam construction, functions as both an ink reservoir and ink stamp. The stamp matrix is durable, has increased ink absorbing capabilities, exhibits excellent capillary characteristics, but yet is easily manufactured at low cost.

Abstract: A method of printing which comprises placing a pattern for printing on a deformable layer consisting of an assemblage of a plurality of fine straight pins which are arranged in parallel in high density and having an impression surface for printing which is formed by the ends of the pins, and impressing a material to be printed onto the pattern to relatively immerse the material to be printed into the deformable layer so that the pattern is closely adhered to the material to be printed.

Abstract: An article marking apparatus of the reciprocable impact type wherein an imprinting head is driven from a rest condition in sealed engagement with an inking cartridge through a ninety degree rotation to impact upon the surface of a passing article whereby to imprint indicia information thereon by means of printing type carried by said imprinting head. The imprinting head is an integral part of a carrier or shuttle device pivotally coupled to a pneumatic drive device by a folding linkage including a drive link supplemented by an idler coupled between the shuttle and the carrier. A guide member is provided in intercepting relation to the shuttle to maintain the shuttle along a preferred path toward a straight line vertical orientation aligned with a window through which the imprint is effected. The inking cartridge is removably mounted within said marking apparatus to intercept the imprinting head carried by said shuttle.

Abstract: A marking element assembly including a yoke which is driven by an arm. The arm is connected to a slider block which transfers motion to the yoke. The yoke has an interior channel for slider block free motion, with drag, after a marking element connected to the yoke stops yoke motion. The slider block moves against interior walls of the yoke dissipating arm motion and providing shock absorption for the marking element.

Abstract: An inner frame having upper and lower portions carries an inkable pad in the lower portion thereof. The pad projects below the inner frame for contact with a surface to be stamped. An integral retaining ridge is located on the outer surface of the inner frame between the upper and lower portions. An outer frame is detachably connected to the inner frame and a hollow sleeve member is interposed between the inner and outer frames. The sleeve member has an upper flange which is located above the integral retaining ridge. A plurality of C-shaped resilient fingers integrally molded with the inner frame, outer frame or the sleeve member is located between the upper flange of the sleeve and the inner and outer frames. The lower edge of the sleeve member extends below the level of the inkable pad when the spring member is in the relaxed position. Downward pressure on the outer frame is transmitted by the detachable connection to the inner frame.

Abstract: A compressible container such as a plastic squeeze bottle filled with paint and having an applicator nozzle with a spring loaded absorbant sponge unit which if desired may have short bristles is positioned in the outer open mouth of the nozzle, the mouth being shaped and sized to just receive an enlarged peripheral portion such as an attached washer of an object to be painted by the sponge when it is saturated with paint, while protecting the surrounding area from the paint.

Abstract: A stamp carrier on which a plurality of elastomeric stamps are mounted for the marking of lumber and other products. In a stamping operation, an appendage of the carrier flexes to assure desired presentation of the stamp to the surface. The carrier is of molded construction and utilizes resilient materials of different hardness to avoid distortion of the stamp when the latter is applied other than in a true manner to the product.

Abstract: A hand operated stamp has only two parts, a resilient printing section and a firmer handling portion, both molded of plastic and being relatively flat. The printing section is tray-shaped to hold the handling portion, and the stamp can be molded together with other stamps connected by removable connecting pieces.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a credit card printer apparatus which includes inkless fingerprinting directly on a medium, such as a check or credit card slip. The printer can include a housing or bed having one or more replaceable cartridges with a pair of reservoir resilient foam cell pads having a semi-sealed surface. A platen roller is movable across the bed to both print the information from a credit card and to deposit fluid from the pads for a subsequent fingerprint development. Generally, the pads can be resiliently mounted to the bed to permit a pressure contact of the respective pads with the surface of the medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for effecting sublimation printing of a substrate wherein a matrix comprising the design to be printed is electrostatically charged in a given polarity and then a fine disperse dye powder, oppositely charged, is brought into contact with said matrix wherein the charged matrix attracts the oppositely charged dye particles to effect coating of the matrix with the dye, after which the coated matrix is moved into registry with the substrate to be printed, and specifically in overlying relation with respect to a surface of the substrate that has been coated with a dye receptive coating, after which the matrix is brought into pressurized contact with the coated surface of the substrate to cause sublimation of the dye pattern into said coated substrate surface.

Abstract: A pre-inked stamp device comprising a holder or mount and a die, said mount comprising a shell, a stamp core reciprocally movable relative to said shell, and a handle affixed to said core for reciprocally moving said core; the improvement wherein said shell and core are formed with complementary elongated ribs that contact and guide the core within said shell during relative reciprocal movement.

Abstract: An instrument for making graphic designs on walls or ceilings, including an elongated member having a plurality of rigid sections joined together by a unitary, integral flexible portion, center-line apertures spaced along the longitudinal axis of each rigid section providing a pivot point and a plurality of marking points along the instrument, each section having paired edge apertures spacially located along respective, opposite longitudinal edges of each section, and a paint pad having a pair of upstanding lugs for detachably mounting the paint pad at a selected pair of edge apertures to selectively place painted arc segments or stripes on walls or ceilings. A guide member having rollers can be mounted to one end of the instrument to aid in placing vertical or horizontal stripes on walls or ceilings. For very large wall or ceiling surfaces a link member can be used to couple together two instruments.

Abstract: A hand-held label printing and applying gun for large, legible special-purpose labels. The gun has a printing head in which a printing mat is removably held in place by a magnet so as to facilitate quick change of printing mats.

Abstract: A price-marking stamp device adapted to be mounted to the molding positioned along the edge of a shelf having items stored thereon, whereby the consumer can individually mark the price of a selected item therefrom. The device comprises a main support body having a locking member to retain the device within the channel of the molding, and a movable ink-pad holder interconnected to the main support body by a ball-joint member, the ink-pad holder being arranged to removably receive various price-indicating ink pads, and the pad holder and ink pad being covered by a slidable housing which is spring-biased to normally receive and cover the ink pad, the ink pad having numerical indicator members disposed on the face thereof so as to be pressed against the selected item to be price-tagged, at which time the slidable housing is forceably retracted to expose the ink pad.

Abstract: A tool for making designs on surfaces such as ceilings. It comprises a head and a handle therefor. The head is formed into the desired pattern and the material applying surfaces thereof have resiliency for efficient operation on an uneven surface. The head may have a flexible connection to the handle to provide good surface engagement by the head even though the tool is tilted relative to the surface.

Abstract: A method for printing designs, patterns, characters, letters, and other desired images on an object having a convex or raised surface, wherein the images to be transferred onto the object is first carried on a flexible image carrier, then this flexible image carrying medium is disposed in a mutually opposed relationship with the object to be printed at a predetermined space interval provided therebetween, thereafter the flexible image carrying medium is caused to expand or bulge out toward the raised surface of the object to be printed by a fluid pressure to act on the flexible medium from one side thereof opposite to that where the image is carried, while controlling a degree of expansion of the flexible image carrying medium is controlled by a restrictive frame for the flexible image carrying medium to attain an intimate contact between the flexible image carrying medium and the object to be printed over the entire surface thereof.

Abstract: A pivotally mounted starwheel is selectively positioned to sequentially engage a series of containers such as beer cans freely mounted on a moving conveyor bed. The starwheel rotates in response to a predetermined number of containers operatively applying pressure thereto and rotates an inter-connected supporting wheel providing a series of radially and circumferentially spaced printing units which sequentially engage an inking wheel and the containers for applying a mark thereto. The inking wheel is coupled through a transmission and drive wheel to the supporting wheel and rotates in synchronism with the starwheel. The ink source includes plural ink retainers inter-connected by a gravity feed and cooperates with a pair of ink transfer wheels. Each of the printing units is cam operated and includes a pair of oppositely biased pistons which compensate for variances in container height.

Abstract: Apparatus for identifying the load characteristics of a centerfire firearm cartridge which has been loaded by a process including insertion of an unstruck primer into a primer pocket in the cartridge head and in which indicia identifying the load characteristics of the cartridge are imprinted onto the unstruck primer. The apparatus is contemplated as being particularly useful with reloaded cartridges which are to be again reloaded subsequent to use.

Abstract: An endorser assembly comprising inking, ink transfer and endorser rolls resiliently mounted within a modular type supporting frame to enable removal and replacement of the entire endorser assembly from paper handling apparatus. The endorser and ink rolls are adapted to be easily removed from and replaced in the supporting frame. The endorser roll is adapted to print variable and semi-permanent graphic data on sheets processed by the document count handling device and may be selectively moved between an engaged and disengaged position without being removed from the proper handling apparatus. The data-bearing surfaces are resilient and raised relative to the endorser roll surface. A backing platen cooperative with the endorser roll is provided with grooves aligned with the data-bearing surfaces to prevent "back printing" of the processed sheets being endorsed.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing indicia on corrugated board in particular is provided. The apparatus includes a printing plate made of a polymer material which has a number of advantages over conventional printing plate materials. However, because the polymer material is somewhat resilient and exhibits a degree of yieldability, and dimensionally-stable sheet is provided, which is either on the back of the material or molded into the material near the back. The printing plate is adhered to a mounting sheet which is also dimensionally stable and is mounted on a printing plate cylinder. A resilient or compressible layer or pad is affixed to the back of the mounting sheet, between the mounting sheet and the printing cylinder, and is of a size at least equal to that of the printing plate.

Abstract: A wall decorating paint applying device which is composed of a one piece, unitary, soft, compressible, resiliently self-restoring, sponge body having a relieved, design defining, paint imprinting, face. The opposite side of the body is formed with an integral, finger grippable, sponge handle portion for manually handling the device in applying paint to the imprinting face and thereafter correctly positioning the face in compression on a wall surface to be decorated.

Abstract: A punch press is utilized for rapidly embossing ceiling tile. The embossing plate in the press is backed up with a high output heater to assist in the embossing operation.