Apparatus for printing frustoconical articles

Apparatus for applying at least two color images to cylindrical or frustoconical articles, said apparatus including a sub-frame and a main frame;

• a turret mounted on said main frame for rotation about a main axis extending substantially vertical;
• a plurality of mandrels for supporting articles to which images are to be applied;
• said mandrels being mounted to said turret in angularly spaced relationship and each of said mandrels being mounted for rotation on an individual mandrel axis extending radially with respect to said main axis;
• indexing means operable to turn the turret intermittently so as to index each of said mandrels in succession at a plurality of printing stations angularly spaced around the main axis;
• each of said printing stations mounted on said sub-frame and including a printing roll mounted for rotation about a radially extending rotational axis, inking means for applying ink to said printing roll, an auxiliary frame on which said inking means, said printing roll and means defining said rotational axis are mounted;
• means defining a substantially horizontal pivot axis about which said auxiliary frame is pivotable relative to said sub-frame to align the outer surface of the printing roll for adjustment thereof to image transferring relation with respect to the outer surfaces of articles mounted on said mandrels;
• drive means for synchronizing rotation of said mandrels and said printing rolls with each other and with operation of said indexing means;
• means for bringing about relative substantially vertical adjusting movement between said main frame and said sub-frame to simultaneously adjust gap widths between the outer surfaces of said printing rolls and said mandrels;
• after said vertical adjusting movement said main frame and said sub-frame remaining stationary as said turret rotates as well as during rotation of said mandrels and said printing rolls;
• said mandrel axes extending in a common horizontal plane which is fixed in the same vertical position while said turret is turning intermittently as well as while said mandrels are indexed at said printing stations.