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US 4,566,386 AGranted
Hot ink imprinter with swinging print head
AssigneeNorwood Marking & Equipment Co., Inc.
InventorCharles F. Davison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hot ink imprinter and method wherein a print head carrying marking type face is swingingly supported by a rocker arm for cyclical swinging, in one phase of which type face carried by the head effects imprinting of a workpiece, and in a second phase of which the type face is caused in the swinging of the head to roll in ink pickup relation on a rotary applicator inking roll. A pulley and timing belt arrangement may be provided for controlling swinging of the print head during rocking of the rocker arm. Another arrangement for controlling the print head swinging comprises a telescopic link mechanism.
Claims15
A hot ink imprinter, comprising:
- anvil means for supporting a workpiece to be imprinted;
- a rotatably mounted free-wheeling hot ink applicator roll;
- an elongate operating rocker arm having two end portions and mounted on a pivot intermediate said end portions of the arm;
- actuator means attached to one end portion of said arm for rocking said arm cyclically about said pivot intermediate said end portions;
- a print head carrying imprinting means and mounted swingably on the opposite end portion of said arm;
- a pulley mechanism including a timing belt connecting said arm and said actuator means for causing said print head to swing back and forth cyclically toward and past said arm as said arm is rocked for, in a first phase of the cycle causing said imprinting means to roll on said hot ink applicator roll in a first direction for applying ink to said imprinting means, in a second phase of the cycle causing said imprinting means to roll on said hot ink applicator roll in a second opposite direction with said hot ink applicator roll thereafter freely rotating for randomly orienting a portion thereof for a next roll of said imprinting means thereon, and in a third phase of the cycle effecting imprinting of the workpiece on said anvil means.
3 more elements
A hot ink imprinter, comprising:
- a print head carrying marking means;
- anvil means;
- a rotary hot ink applicator roll spaced from said anvil means and rotatable in opposite directions;
- a heater block having a cavity therein for accommodating said applicator roll;
- means for mounting said block in a fixed position relative to said means for cyclically swinging said print head;
- means within said cavity for mounting said applicator roll removably;
- a latch plate mounted swingably on said block for releasably retaining said applicator roll;
- means for biasing said plate against said block;
- a handle on said plate for manipulating the plate in opposition to said biasing means and for swinging the plate between a latching and a non-latching position;
- detent means for retaining said plate selectively in the latching position or in the non-latching position;
- and means for cyclically swinging said print head in opposite directions for in one swinging direction of the head effecting ink pickup rolling engagement of said marking means with said applicator roll and rotation of the roll in that direction, and then in the opposite swinging direction of the head again effecting ink pickup rolling engagement of said marking means with said applicator roll and thereby rotation of the roll in such opposite direction, and in the continuation of the opposite swinging direction causing the head to leave the roll for effecting imprinting engagement of said marking means with a workpiece on said anvil means.
8 more elements
A hot ink imprinter, comprising:
- anvil means for supporting a workpiece to be imprinted;
- a rotatably mounted hot ink applicator roll;
- an elongate operating rocker arm mounted on a pivot adjacent to one end portion of the arm;
- actuator means attached to said one end portion of said arm for rocking said arm cyclically about said pivot;
- a print head carrying imprinting means and mounted swingably on the opposite end portion of said arm;
- means operative in the rocking of said arm by said actuator means for causing said print head to swing back and forth cyclically for, in one phase of the cycle causing said imprinting means to roll on said hot ink applicator roll for applying ink to said imprinting means, and in a second phase of the cycle effecting imprinting of the workpiece on said anvil means;
- and said means operative in the rocking of said arm for causing said print head to swing back and forth cyclically comprising a timing belt and pulley mechanism.
4 more elements
A hot ink imprinter, comprising:
- anvil means for supporting a workpiece to be imprinted;
- a rotatably mounted hot ink applicator roll;
- an elongate operating rocker arm mounted on a pivot adjacent to one end portion of the arm;
- actuator means attached to said one end portion of said arm for rocking said arm cyclically about said pivot;
- a print head carrying imprinting means and mounted swingably on the opposite end portion of the said arm;
- means operative in the rocking of said arm by said actuator means for causing said print head to swing back and forth cyclically for, in one phase of the cycle causing said imprinting means to roll on said hot ink applicator roll for applying ink to said imprinting means, and in a second phase of the cycle effecting imprinting of the workpiece on said anvil means;
- said means operative in the rocking of said arm for causing said print head to swing back and forth cyclically comprising a first pulley mounted coaxially with said pivot;
- means for retaining said first pulley against any substantial rotation relative to said pivot;
- a second pulley mounted corotatively with said print head;
- timing belt means connecting said pulleys;
- and means for holding said belt means substantially against running displacement relative to said first pulley.
8 more elements
A hot ink imprinter, comprising:
- a print head carrying marking means;
- anvil means;
- a rotary hot ink applicator roll spaced from said anvil means;
- means for cyclically swinging said print head for ink pickup rolling engagement of said marking means with said applicator roll and then imprinting engagement of said marking means with a workpiece on said anvil means;
- a heater block having a cavity therein for accomodating said applicator roll;
- means for mounting said block in a fixed position relative to said means for cyclically swinging said print head;
- means with said cavity for mounting said applicator roll removably;
- a latch plate mounted swingably on said block for releasable retaining relation to said applicator roll;
- means for biasing said plate against said block;
- a handle on said plate for manipulating the plate in opposition to said biasing means and for swinging the plate between a latching and a non-latching position;
- and detent means for retaining said plate selectively in the latching position or in the non-latching position.
8 more elements
A hot ink imprinter comprising:
- an anvil means for supporting a workpiece to be imprinted;
- a rotatably mounted free-wheeling hot ink applicator roll;
- an elongate operating rocker arm having two end portions and mounted on a pivot intermediate said end portions of the arm;
- actuator means attached to one end portion of said arm for rocking said arm cyclically about said pivot intermediate said end portions;
- a print head carrying imprinting means and mounted swingably on the opposite end portion of said arm;
- a telescopic link connected at one end to said print head and pivotal mounting means connecting the opposite end of said link in a pivotal position spaced from said head and arm and applicator roll for causing said print head to swing back and forth cyclically toward and past said arm as said arm is rocked for, in a first phase of the cycle causing said imprinting means to roll on said hot ink applicator roll in a first direction for applying ink to said imprinting means, in a second phase of the cycle causing said imprinting means to roll on said hot ink applicator roll in a second opposite direction with said hot ink applicator roll thereafter freely rotating for randomly orienting a portion thereof for a next roll of said printing means thereon, and in a third phase of the cycle effecting imprinting of the workpiece on said anvil means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.