Method of manufacturing printed springs
AssigneeVulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
InventorAlexander Rankin, VI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spring to operate a merchandise dispenser used for storing and dispensing a plurality of like items of merchandise. The dispenser utilizes a metal spring having indicia imprinted or engraved thereon to provide both a biasing force to the merchandise and inventory information. A method is provided for producing a metal spring having indicia printed in ink or paint.
Claims14
A method for making metal springs having indicia thereon, comprising the steps of:
- feeding a continuous strip of metal past a print station;
- applying indicia at pre-set intervals on said strip of metal;
- imparting a constant force-type coil memory into said strip of metal after said indicia is applied;
- and then
- cutting said continuous strip of metal at appropriate lengths to form individual springs each having said indicia thereon.
A method for making metal springs for use in merchandise dispensers, comprising the steps of:
- feeding a continuous strip of metal in a continuous manner past a print station;
- applying inventory indicia at pre-set intervals on said continuous strip of metal;
- imparting a coil memory into said strip of metal after said indicia is applied;
- and
- cutting said continuous strip of metal at appropriate lengths to form a plurality of springs each having said indicia thereon;
- wherein said coil memory causes each of said springs to coil upon itself with said indicia facing outwardly of said spring.
A method for continuously making printed, constant force metal springs for use in merchandise dispensers, comprising the steps, performed in the following sequence, of:
- feeding a continuous strip of metal in a continuous manner past a print station;
- applying inventory-representative indicia at pre-set intervals on said strip of metal;
- imparting a constant-force coil memory into said strip of metal after said indicia is applied;
- and
- cutting said continuous strip of metal at appropriate lengths to form a plurality of springs each having an arrangement of said indicia thereon;
- said constant-force coil memory causing each of said springs to coil upon itself with said indicia facing outwardly of said spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.