Synthetic plastics article manufacturing system

A plastics container forming system comprising:

• a frame;
• means thereon for continuously advancing a heated plastic in the form of an elongated web;
• an endless member supported by said frame, about which said web is trained, having a plurality of generally radially extending plug assist passages therein open to the periphery thereof and said web;
• a closable cover mounted on said endless member to cooperate with each plug assist passage;
• a mold in each cover;
• and means for moving the covers successively to closed position to clamp the web to the endless member and, after a predetermined forming interval, to then move the covers to open position to release the formed web;
• the improvement wherein:
• a piston driven plug assist assembly is mounted in each of said passages to deform the web initially into the mold in each cover when the cover is in closed position;
• said assemblies each including a cylinder with a piston to which a plug assist mechanism having a tubular support rod is connected;
• there being air emission ports in said plug assist mechanisms to create a differential pressure to move the web into intimate engagement with the mold as a final deforming step;
• supply means for supplying air under pressure to each plug assist cylinder at air inlet passage means located in said cylinder wall radially inwardly of each piston;
• and an air flow inlet port in the inner end of each tubular support rod located radially inward of said air inlet passage means in the cylinder when the piston is in radially innermost position, positioned axially to communicate with the air inlet passage means when each piston has been moved to radially outward position.

In a plastics container forming system having mechanism for advancing a heated plastic in the form of a web;

• a downstream forming station with means for deforming selected portions of the web to the shape of containers with peripherally projecting rims supported and interconnected by undeformed intervals of web;
• mechanism for separating the containers from the web;
• and mechanism for moving the web in a path to the forming station and separating mechanism;
• the improvement wherein:
• a set of circumferentially spaced rollers having axially spaced apart, radially aligned separate grooves is provided to define a series of radially aligned rim supporting flanges supporting the rims for stepwise axial movement of the containers axially between said rollers, the flanges being provided with cut out portions which permit the containers to pass axially from one set of radially aligned flanges to another when the cut out portions of the respective rollers are in a radially inward position and certain of the grooves having radial projections to radially deform the rims;
• and means provided for rotating said rollers in unison and timed relation.

A plastics container forming system comprising a frame;

• a set of circumferentially spaced, vertically disposed, parallel rollers between which containers with rims to be curled are to be fed axially;
• means for revolving said rollers at the same speed in unison;
• each roller having axially spaced apart, radially aligned, separate grooves provided to define a series of rim supporting flanges at different levels for supporting the rims for stepwise axial movement of the containers axially between the rollers, the flanges of the respective rollers being in radial alignment and being provided with cut out portions which permit the containers to pass axially from one radial aligned series of flanges to another when the cut out portions of the respective rollers are in a radially inward position and do not support the rims of the containers;
• and radial projections of increasing girth provided on said rollers to radially deform the rims at the time they dwell axially between axial indexes from one level of flanges to another.

In a continuous plastics container forming system having mechanism for advancing a heated plastic in the form of a web;

• a downstream molding station with means for deforming selected portions of the web to the shape of containers which are supported and interconnected by undeformed intervals of web;
• mechanism for separating the containers from the web;
• and mechanism for moving the web in a path to the forming station and separating mechanism;
• the improvement wherein:
• a set of circumferentially spaced rim deforming rollers is provided defining an axial pathway between them for the containers;
• means is provided thereon for releasing the containers one at a time;
• indexible transfer means having container receiving mandrels thereon is provided and has a path of movement which moves containers between a load station adjacent the release end of said rollers and a container release station;
• mechanism is provided for indexing said transfer means in increments of travel separated by periods of dwell during which the mandrels are positioned at said stations;
• and means is provided for driving the means for releasing the containers from said rollers synchronously with the transfer means.

In a container forming system, a frame;

• rim deforming mechanism thereon for curling the rims of containers and releasing them one at a time;
• container side wall printing mechanism provided at a printing station;
• indexible transfer means having container receiving mandrels thereon;
• means mounting said transfer means for continuous travel in a path of movement which moves containers to a load station adjacent the release end of said rim deforming mechanism, thence to a printing station, thence to a container release station, and thence back to the load station;
• mechanism for indexing said transfer means in increments of travel separated by periods of dwell during which the mandrels are positioned at said stations;
• and means for driving the rim deforming mechanism synchronously with the transfer means.

In a container processing system an indexible shaft;

• a revolvable carrier with mandrels for receiving containers thereon mounted on said shaft and movable in a path of revolution;
• loading mechanism adjacent said path for loading containers individually to said mandrels;
• offset printing mechanism adjacent said path and downstream from the loading mechanism for printing ink on container side wall surfaces at a printing station;
• ink drying means adjacent said path downstream from the printing mechanism for applying thermal energy to said side wall surfaces to dry said ink at a container drying station;
• means adjacent said path downstream from said ink drying means for receiving said containers at a container discharge station;
• spindles on said carrier projecting radially and having said mandrels on the outer ends thereof;
• mechanism for indexing said shaft and mandrels in increments of revolution to said stations, separated by periods of dwell during which said mandrels are disposed at said stations;
• a drive element rotatably supported on said shaft;
• driving means for revolving said drive member;
• and drive parts on said spindles maintained in driving engagement with said driving element during increments of travel and periods of dwell for continuously revolving said spindles and the mandrels thereon.

In a continuous plastics container manufacturing system having mechanism for advancing a heated plastic in the form of a web having a path of travel;

• a downstream molding station adjacent said path with means for deforming selected portions of the web to the shape of containers which are supported and interconnected by undeformed intervals of web;
• mechanism adjacent said path for separating the containers from the web;
• a load mechanism adjacent the separating mechanism for receiving containers separated from the web at a load station;
• container side wall offset printing mechanism adjacent the load mechanism for printing the side walls of the separated containers at a printing station;
• and means adjacent the printing mechanism for applying thermal energy to the containers at an ink drying station;
• the improvement wherein indexible transfer means having container receiving mandrels thereon is provided which has a path of movement for moving containers from the load station to the printing station, and for moving containers from the printing station to the drying station;
• means for indexing said transfer means in increments of travel separated by periods of dwell during which the mandrels are positioned at said stations is provided;
• and means is provided for revolving said mandrels at said drying station to expose the circumferential area of said container side wall to the thermal energy applying means.

In a continuous plastics container manufacturing system having mechanism for advancing a heated plastic in the form of a web having a path of travel;

• a downstream molding station, adjacent said path with means for deforming selected portions of the web to the shape of containers with tapered side walls, which are supported and interconnected by undeformed intervals of web;
• mechanism adjacent said path for separating the containers from the web;
• a load mechanism adjacent the separating mechanism for receiving containers separated from the web at a load station;
• container side wall offset printing mechanism adjacent the load mechanism for printing the side walls of the separated containers at a printing station;
• indexible transfer means having container receiving tapered mandrels thereon which has a path of movement for moving containers from the load station to the printing station;
• said printing means including a blanket cylinder having a complementally tapering side wall and a cylinder for transmitting images to said blanket cylinder having also a complementally tapering side wall adjacent the blanket cylinder;
• each of said blanket cylinder and transmitting cylinder being mounted on shafts with axes which in plan view intersect at an acute angle;
• and a bevel type gear mounted on each of said shafts in mesh such that one cylinder drives the other cylinder synchronously.

In a continuous plastics container manufacturing system having mechanism for advancing a heated plastic in the form of a web;

• a downstream molding station with means for deforming selected portions of the web to the shape of containers with side walls, which are supported and interconnected by undeformed intervals of web;
• mechanism for separating the containers from the web;
• container side wall offset printing mechanism provided at a printing station;
• a load station for receiving containers separated from the web;
• indexible transfer means having container receiving mandrels thereon which has a path of movement for moving containers from the load station to the printing station;
• means associated with the mandrels for selectively gripping containers loaded thereto and releasing them;
• overridable drive mechanism for revolving said mandrels on the transfer means for driving the containers thereon in one direction of rotation;
• said printing means including a blanket cylinder having a complementally disposed side wall to the side walls of containers on said mandrels;
• and means for driving the blanket cylinder in a direction to drive said containers in the same direction of rotation as said mandrels and containers and at a slightly greater speed of rotation.