Abstract: A horizontal pipe handling system that can include a base with a center longitudinal axis, an intermediate storage location comprising a cradle configured to support a first tubular in a horizontal orientation, a first horizontal pipe handler with a first feeder arm rotationally attached to the base at a first axis on a first side of the center longitudinal axis, wherein the first feeder arm extends from the first axis, past the cradle, and to a second side of the center longitudinal axis, and a second horizontal pipe handler with a first ramp arm rotationally attached to the base at a second axis which is disposed on the second side of the center longitudinal axis, wherein the first ramp arm is configured to support one or more tubulars in the horizontal orientation which is substantially parallel to the center longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Coating apparatus for coating cylindrical hollow bodies, having a machine frame and a workpiece rotary table which is equipped with a plurality of holding mandrels mounted rotatably on the workpiece rotary table, and having a coating station arranged on the machine frame, wherein the coating station includes a rotatably mounted coating roller, wherein axes of rotation of the holding mandrels and an axis of rotation of the coating roller are aligned parallel to one another, wherein the coating roller has a coating region and a free-wheeling region on a circumferential surface, the coating region being designed as a circular cylinder segment with a constant circular radius coaxial with the axis of rotation of the coating roller, and the free-wheeling region being formed from surface sections which each have a distance from the axis of rotation of the coating roller which is smaller than the circular radius.

Abstract: An improved ink jet printing machine (10) having an object loading means (30), capable of placing an object (1) in a first standby position on a first support (11) of the machine; a pretreatment station (40), including a first object holder (50) capable of: gripping an object (1) in the first standby position; bringing it into a pretreatment position in order to allow a pretreatment device (41) to perform a pre-treatment process on the said object; and, upon conclusion of the pretreatment, bringing it into a second standby position on a second support (12) of the machine; a printing station (60), including a second object holder (70) capable of: gripping an object in the second standby position; bringing it into a printing position in order to allow an inkjet type printing device to print the desired graphic on the said object; and, upon conclusion of the printing process, transferring it to an unloading means (80).

Abstract: A conveyance receiver for a honeycomb formed body is a conveyance receiver where a pillar, clayey honeycomb formed body extruded from a die is placed with its central axis set horizontally and moves on a conveyance path to convey the honeycomb formed body to a next process, and the conveyance receiver includes a concaved surface concaved to both end faces parallel to a surface perpendicular to the central axis of the honeycomb formed body to be placed, and that is a surface in contact with a side surface of the honeycomb formed body to be conveyed; and a receiver main body constituted of a plurality of members, and coupling means that couples the members to one another, and the receiver main body at least has a first member at the one end face side and a second member at the other end face side as the members.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for labeling containers, especially specimen containers for medical specimens. The apparatus comprises a printing device; a supply and removal device for supplying and removing at least one container to and from the printing device. The printing device is designed such that it can be moved into at least one first position and into a second position. In the first position, the container is automatically supplied to and removed from the printing device with the aid of the supply and removal device. The container can be manually supplied and removed from the printing device when it is in the second position.

Abstract: A printing machine includes: a frame a tower which is driven in rotation relative to the frame in order to move an object to be printed between at least a printing station, an introduction station and/or discharge station; a conveyor which is capable of introducing or discharging the object to be printed to/from the introduction station and/or discharge station; a transfer device including a conveyor web portion which is capable of moving the object to be printed between the conveyor and the tower. The machine includes an element for driving the conveyor web portion of the transfer device, the drive element being carried by the frame, each transfer device including a transmission element which can be disengaged from the drive element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for printing one multiple-pass print on each packaging container (2), on which the packaging containers are moved in a transport direction past printing stations or printing heads for applying the multiple-pass print. The device is constructed from a plurality of modules (4.1-4.8) in at least a partial area. Each module comprises at least one transport element having an associated drive. The transport elements of the module adjacent to each other form at least one part of the transport path.

Abstract: Process and system for removing printing in metallic packages used in drinks, food and other applications in general, comprising the removal of ink before the cure thereof, by means of spray with ink remover liquid and non abrasive friction. Preferably, said liquid is an alkaline aqueous solution, which is sprayed onto the package surface simultaneously with the friction thereof with a soft and non abrasive element. In a preferred embodiment, said friction results in the rotation of the package around the longitudinal axis thereof, which is mounted on a rotative support, and the soft non abrasive element in contact with the surface thereof keeps motionless.

Abstract: Described is a machine for printing containers such as bottles or cans, with a plurality of treatment stations, on which printing heads and if applicable further devices required for the pre-treatment and post-treatment of the containers are provided, with a carrier for a plurality of containers, which are arranged next to one another on the carrier. In the process it is provided that the carrier can be transported via a conveyor belt from one treatment station to the next, in that a plurality of treatment stations each are arranged in line next to one another substantially transversely to the conveyor belt, in that the carrier is arranged substantially transversely to the conveyor belt and in that the treatment stations and the carrier can be moved relative to one another in substantially vertical direction. Instead of the conveyor belt, a rotary device can also be provided.

Abstract: An independent mandrel trip system wherein a mandrel support block retaining a mandrel is connected to a shaft mounting block in a manner such that the mandrel support block can be reciprocatingly retracted and extended relative to the shaft mounting block in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. The system includes parallel front and rear plate members to which are mounted linear bearing assemblies such that mandrel support block is supported in the front and the rear.

Abstract: A printing machine includes a conveyor for at least one item to be printed, a print station and a transfer device including at least one bucket for conveying the item and an element for driving the conveyor bucket, which element is capable of displacing the conveyor bucket between a position for taking up or depositing the item on the conveyor and a position for taking up or depositing the item at the print station. The transfer device further includes an element for adjusting the path of displacement of the conveyor bucket, which element is capable of controlling the drive element in order to displace the position for taking up or depositing the item at the print station without displacing the position for taking up or depositing the item on the conveyor.

Abstract: A printing machine for cylindrical objects, comprising a carousel for moving for locating the cylindrical objects in a successive number of work stations, among which at least a printing station and a drying station; at least a device for inking for printing on the lateral surface of a cylindrical object located in the printing station; and at least a drying device for generating a beam of rays which strike a cylindrical object located in the drying station; the drying device including an obturator for intercepting the beam of rays when the means for moving transfer the objects from one station to another.

Abstract: A printing machine includes a support stand, a plate rotational with respect to the stand about an axis of rotation, elements for driving the plate in rotation, at least two mandrels for holding two articles to be printed in succession, the mandrels being carried by the plate, elements for driving the mandrels in rotation about axes of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the plate, and a plurality of workstations distributed around the rotational plate. The machine includes elements for the displacement of each mandrel in a plane parallel to the plane of the plate, in order to modify the spacing between the axis of rotation of the mandrel and the axis of rotation of the plate. The elements for the displacement of the mandrels are designed to synchronize the displacement of each mandrel with the rotation of the plate.

Abstract: The screen-printing machine (10) comprises: a print station (12); at least one support surface (40A, 40B) for supporting the objects away from the print station (12); and at least one transfer device (18, 20) for transferring an object, which transfer device comprises a manipulator arm (54) equipped with an end clamp (56), the arm (54) being hinged relative to the support surface (40A, 40B) about a pivot axis (Z1-Z1) and the clamp (56) being hinged relative to the arm (54) about a tilt axis. The pivot axis (Z1-Z1) of the arm (54) defines with the normal to the support surface (40A, 40B) a non-zero angle of inclination that is less than 45°. Application to printing flasks.

Abstract: A flexographic press of conventional design is used to print on a container, with the container to be printed upon replacing the web and the impression roll of the conventional press. In order to maintain the registration between the print stations, the container is placed into a carrier and stays registered to the carrier until all colors are printed. The carrier is moved between the different print stations and is registered to each print station independently. All print stations are set up to print in exactly the same place relative to the carrier, thus registration is achieved.

Abstract: A printer machine for printing on articles, includes a plurality of article-carriers suitable for moving in indexed manner in a plane around a circular path. Each article-carrier is stationary in an indexed position and mobile between the indexed positions, and a plurality of print stations distributed around the path in register with indexed positions of the article-carriers. Each article-carrier is fitted with an inlet shaft turnable about its own axis by drive elements, and with at least one outlet shaft for carrying an article and adapted to turn when the inlet shaft is turned. The inlet shaft of each article-carrier is adapted to turn in register with an indexed position, and to conserve the same angular orientation between print stations.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine for the printing of synthetic cork stoppers of the type having a surface which is normally non-ink receptive. A Ferris wheel mechanism is provided, having a plurality of evenly spaced carriers mounted a predetermined radial distance from and parallel to the axis of rotation for the Ferris wheel mechanism, each carrier for rotatably holding a synthetic cork stopper. An indexing drive system controls incremental rotation of the Ferris wheel mechanism through a predetermined sequence of steps, and a cork feeder introduces a single synthetic cork stopper into each of the carriers as empty ones of the carriers are presented one-by-one at the cork feeder. A corona discharger treats the surface of each synthetic cork stopper prior to being printed with sufficient energy to alter the surface energy of the cork sufficiently to permit receptivity of printing ink. A rotary printing system rotatably imprints with ink the surface of each held synthetic cork stopper with an image.

Abstract: A flexographic press of conventional design is used to print on a container, with the container to be printed upon replacing the web and the impression roll of the conventional press. In order to maintain the registration between the print stations, the container is placed into a carrier and stays registered to the carrier until all colors are printed. The carrier is moved between the different print stations and is registered to each print station independently. All print stations are set up to print in exactly the same place relative to the carrier, thus registration is achieved.

Abstract: An independent mandrel trip system wherein a mandrel support block retaining a mandrel is connected to a shaft mounting block in a manner such that the mandrel support block can be reciprocatingly retracted and extended relative to the shaft mounting block in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel.

Abstract: A reduction to the traveling motion of bottles along a delivery conveyor in an intermittent motion decorating machine is provided by one of a pair of workpiece feed cams rotatably supported in a side-by-side relation to rotate about spaced horizontal axes lying in a common horizontal plane. The workpiece feed cams have feed cam tracks for receiving cam followers of each of plurality of vertical bottle carriers. One of the feed cam tracks reduces the speed of the bottle carriers from a relatively high entry speed corresponding to the through put speed in the decorating machine to the speed of the deliver conveyor for more densely populating the delivery conveyor with workpieces. Carrier transfer members at each of opposite ends of the workpiece feed cams transfer the bottle carriers from one to the other of the workpiece feed cams. A drive rotates the workpiece feed cams, carrier return cams and carrier transfer members.

Abstract: A transfer device with which the hollow bodies to be printed in a printing machine may be transferred from a supply conveyor means to a capstan plate associated with the printing device. Since the hollow bodies are supplied by the supply conveyor means with a distance between them, which is smaller than the pitch of the receiving capstans of the capstan plate serving to accept the hollow bodies, a transfer rotor is placed in between, which possesses holding units, which perform the hollow body transfer as part of a pitch matching operation. A similar arrangement may also be employed to transfer already printed hollow bodies from the capstan plate to a removal conveyor means.

Abstract: A system and process for placing printed color images on a series of objects including: generating digital data representing a plurality of different color images; providing a print medium composed of a substrate carrying a releasable coating which is formulated to retain printing inks; supplying the generated digital data to a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; feeding the print medium through the printer while operating the print heads under control of the generated data; and placing a portion of the printed coating in contact with an objects and transferring the image to the object. The printed medium may be incorporated into a mold. Alternatively, this may be accomplished by: providing a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; feeding the objects to be printed upon past the printer; and operating the print heads under control of the generated digital data to print the color images on the objects.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine for the printing of synthetic cork stoppers of the type having a surface which is normally non-ink receptive. A Ferris wheel mechanism is provided, having a plurality of evenly spaced carriers mounted a predetermined radial distance from and parallel to the axis of rotation for the Ferris wheel mechanism, each carrier for rotatably holding a synthetic cork stopper. An indexing drive system controls incremental rotation of the Ferris wheel mechanism through a predetermined sequence of steps, and a cork feeder introduces a single synthetic cork stopper into each of the carriers as empty ones of the carriers are presented one-by-one at the cork feeder. A corona discharger treats the surface of each synthetic cork stopper prior to being printed with sufficient energy to alter the surface energy of the cork sufficiently to permit receptivity of printing ink. A rotary printing system rotatably imprints with ink the surface of each held synthetic cork stopper with an image.

Abstract: A compact drive mechanism for both driving a paper web and severing a printed receipt in a transaction or point-of-sales printer. Both driving the paper web and cutting the printed receipt is accomplished through a bi-directional stepper motor that is operative through a one-way clutch.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for decorating an article, printing ink or electrostatic charges is or are applied in dependence on a digital program in dot form to the article carried by a holder, with individual dots going together to at least form a partial pattern or image. In the case of the latent pattern formed by electrostatic charges, it is then brought into contact with ink particles to form the decoration. In both cases the article is transported along a transportation path through at least one print station provided with an inkjet print head or an ionographic print head, the print head being controllable in dependence on the digital program. The individual nozzles or the electrodes of the respective print head are actuated in accordance with the digital program which is called up for example in dependence on the transportation movement of the article.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine for the printing of synthetic cork stoppers of the type having a surface which is normally non-ink receptive. A Ferris wheel mechanism is provided, having a plurality of evenly spaced carriers mounted a predetermined radial distance from and parallel to the axis of rotation for the Ferris wheel mechanism, each carrier for rotatably holding a synthetic cork stopper. An indexing drive system controls incremental rotation of the Ferris wheel mechanism through a predetermined sequence of steps, and a cork feeder introduces a single synthetic cork stopper into each of the carriers as empty ones of the carriers are presented one-by-one at the cork feeder. A corona discharger treats the surface of each synthetic cork stopper prior to being printed with sufficient energy to alter the surface energy of the cork sufficiently to permit receptivity of printing ink. A rotary printing system rotatably imprints with ink the surface of each held synthetic cork stopper with an image.

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.