Back to results
US 5,179,896 AGranted
Indent printer for plastic pipe and method of use
AssigneeChevron Research and Technology Company
InventorJames R. Copeland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An indent printer having a marking wheel with a plurality of printing heads operatively connected to the periphery thereof, at least one of the printing heads being adjustable to change printing type indicia and at least one support roller being spaced from the marking wheel, the circumference of the support roller being positioned relative to the marking wheel to support therebetween a moving substrate to be marked, and a method of adjustably marking are disclosed.
Claims13
An indent printer comprising:
- a marking wheel having a plurality of printing heads operatively connected to the periphery thereof, at least one of said printing heads being adjustable to change printing type inidicia;
- and
- at least one support roller spaced from said marking wheel, the circumference of said support roller being complimentary to said marking wheel to support therebetween a moving substrate of plastic pipe to be marked, said marking wheel being rotatably connected to a movable mount means for movement toward and away from said support roller, said movable mount means being vertically adjustable relative to said support roller, said movable mount means including means to heat said marking wheel to maintain uniform elevated temperature of said printing heads to affect printing, said mount means further including at least one guide means adjustably connected to said mount means to contact and ride on the surface of a plastic pipe to be marked to floatably support the weight of said mount means and said marking wheel upon such a surface to control the vertical spacing of said printing heads relative to such a surface.
A method of indent printing comprising the steps of:
- providing a continuously moving substrate of plastic pipe;
- rotating a marking wheel relative to said substrate to contact said substrate;
- providing at least one printing head moving printing indicia on the periphery of said marking wheel;
- changing the indicia on said marking wheel;
- adjustably supporting said marking wheel on a mount means having a guide means;
- placing the guide means in contact with the surface of said plastic pipe and floatably supporting the weight of said mount means and said marking wheel on said surface to control the vertical spacing of said printing head relative to said surface;
- heating and marking wheel;
- and
- providing a marking tape between said marking wheel and said plastic pipe.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.