Automatic numbering assembly

An automatic numbering printer assembly for applying indicia to articles conveyed along a conveying path comprising:

• a support arm;
• a head suspension base carried by said support arm;
• a printing drum supporting plate carried by and rotatable with respect to said head suspension base;
• a printing drum carried by and rotatable with said supporting plate, said printing drum including a successively numbering digit wheel unit for applying indicia to an article moving past said printer assembly, said digit wheel unit having indicia applying means advanceable unit by one unit;
• a mounting plate supported by said supporting plate, said mounting plate having an outer peripheral portion forming a friction-providing ring positionable so as to be engaged by articles moving along the conveying path so that said mounting plate is rotated one complete revolution by an article moving past said printer assembly;
• locking means including a hydraulic lock for interconnecting said supporting plate and said mounting plate so that said supporting plate and said printing drum carried by said supporting plate are rotated one complete revolution when said mounting plate is rotated one complete revolution by an article moving past said printer assembly, rotation of said printing drum resulting in said digit wheel unit applying indicia to the moving article, said supporting plate being rotatable with respect to said mounting plate upon release of said locking means so as to permit angular adjustment of said supporting plate with respect to said mounting plate to thereby adjust the angular position of said printing drum;
• a first gear rotatably mounted on said supporting plate for advancing said digit wheel unit by one unit during one complete revolution of said supporting plate;
• a shaft rotatably supported by said supporting plate;
• a second gear carried by and rotable with said shaft, said second gear meshing with said first gear so that rotation of said shaft rotates said first gear thereby advancing said digit wheel unit;
• and
• engagement means movable between first and second positions for selectively interconnecting said shaft for rotation with said supporting plate, said shaft when said engagement means is in the first position being rotated when the interconnected supporting plate and mounting plate are rotated by articles moving past said mounting plate, said shaft when said engagement means is in the second position being rotatable with respect to said supporting plate without movement of said supporting plate.