Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1~L5~9~
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DECALS TO .P~RTICIE~;
Ker~in U. S. patent No. 3,813,268 discloses a machine for
applying indicia, such as decals~ to generall~v cylindrical articles
such as glasses. The decals are carried by an elongated web or
strip of backing material, and the web is passed between an article
support and a die The die is curved and i`t folds the decal across
one side of the article when the d~e is moved against the article.
Brakes and a photocell sensor control the advance of the web through
the machïne as the decals are applied to successive articles.
~hile the machine disclosed in this Kerwin patent works well
and has been commerci~ally s-uccessful, its use has been limited to
applying relatively short decals to one side only of a generally
cylindrical article. Further, the machine shown in the patent is
not readily su;ted for use in applying a decal to an article having
a handle on one side, such as a mug, where the decal must be accur-
ately located relative to a handle of the mug.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide
a novel and improved machine that overcomes the foregoing
deficiencies.
The invention in one aspect pertains to apparatus for trans-
ferring a decal from an elongated web to an article having a gener-
ally cylindrical wall, comprising means for pressing the web against
the wall, means for pulling the web and thereby simultaneously mov-
iny the web and rotating the article to roll the decal onto the wall,
and means for stopping the rotation after the decal is transferred
to the article.
The inventïon also comprehends a method of transferring a decal
from an elongated web to an article having a generally cylindrical
wall, comprising the steps of pressing the web against the wall,
pulling the web and therehy simultaneously moving the web and ro-
tating the article to roll the decal onto the wall, and stopping
the rotation after the decal is transferred to -the article.
A method and machine in accordance with preferred aspects of
this invention is designed for use with an elongated web having a
plurality of decals thereon at generally regularly spaced intervals.
The machine includes means for supporting web supply and take-up
reels for the web, means forming a web transport path from the supply
reel to the take-up reel and drive means for moving the web to the
~15~Z9~
2-
take-up reel. The machine further includes a mandrel for rotatably
supporting an article and a pressure roller~ the web ~eing passed
between the roller and the mandrel, a brake for clamping and holding
the webJ and decal sensor means ~or controllin~ oper~tion of the
brake. The roller presses the web a~ainst the a~ticle, the brake
is released, and the drive means ~oves the web. causi`ng the pressure
roller and the article to rotate ~ue to the weh mo~ment, and the
decal is rolled onto the article. The decal sensor means controls
the operation of the hrake in order to start and stop the movement
of th.e web.~ and to accurately locate the next sNbse~uent decal after
each. application~
Other aspects, features and advantages of the present inven-
tion will be apparent from the followïng detailed description taken
in conjunction with.the accompanying fi.gures of the drawings which,
by wa~ of a pre~e.rred example only, illustrates an embodiment of
the invention, whereïn
Fig. 1 is a front view of a machine e~bodying the present
in~ention;
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vïew of a part of the machine showing
another posîtion of some o the parts;
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vi.ew taken on the line 3-3
of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view taken on the line 4-~
of Fi~. l;
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vie~ taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is an illustration of a we~ carrying decals, that may
he used in the machine;
Fig. 7 is a schemati.c electrical diagram of a control system
of the machine; and
Fig. 8 is a chart showing the operation of the control system
and the machine.
~hile the follo~ing detailed description includes references
to the locations of parts relative to other parts in a figure
of the drawings, such as above or below, it will be understood
that such references are used herein only to facilitate the
description of the parts, since the apparatus described may have
various orientations before and during use.
.
,:
3.
Furt~er, a~t,hau~h t,h~ method and appaxatus in accord-
ance with the. pre.s.ent i~ve~tion is espe¢ially adapted for
applying decals to generally cylindrical articles having
handles, suc~ as a mug, it will be understood that the
apparatus also has other uses and that the invention is
not limited to any part;cular use. For example, the appara-
tus may be used to apply labels carried by a long web rather
than decais, and the art~cles may not include a handle and
may be some~hat tapered instead of generally cylindrical.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings,
- the apparatus ~ncludes a base 10 that has fastened thereto
a vertically extending support post 11. At the upper end
o the support post`ll is fastened a generally rectangular
mounting plate 12 which supports most of the operating
mechanisms and the control circuitry of the machine.
control box and panel 13 are mounted at approxima.tely the
center section of the mounting plate 12 and houses the
control circuitry illustrated in Figure 7.
As mentioned, the apparatus is particularly designed to
transfer decals from an elongated web to a ware or article.
With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 6, the elongated web is
indicated by the reference numeral 20 and a series of decals
21 on the web are indicated by the reference numerals 21A,
21B and-21C. The decals are releasably formed on one side
of the web 20 and may be conventional heat-release decals.
A series of marks 22 are formed on the other or backside of
the web and are indicated by the numerals 22A, 22B and 22C,
one mark being associated with each decal.
As mentioned, the machine transfers each decal from
the web to a ware and in the present specific example
illustrated in the drawings, the ware consists of a mug 23
having a generally cyl~ndr;cal outer wall surface 24 and a
handle 25 that extends radially outwardly from one side of
the surface 24, as best shown in Fig. 1 and 3. The length
of each decal 21 is le$s than the outer circumference of
the outer mug surface 24, and as will be described hereafter,
~L~54~9~ ~
4.
the de.cal is rolled o~ta ~he.~ sur~ce 2~ ~xom one side of
the ~andle 25 ~o the ~th~r s~de of the. handle.
~ fter manufacture of the web 2Q and the decals 21
there.on, the web is wound on a feed or supply reel 2q
(Fig. 1) which ~s ro~atably mounted on a supply spindle
28 of the present mach.ine. The supply spindle 28 is moun-
ted in t~e upper left-hand corner of the plate 12 as seen
in Fig. 1, and the supply spindle is preferably connected
to an electric motor as will be described hereinafter in
connection with the control circui~ of Figure 7. From
the supply reel 27 the web 20 extends along a web tra~sport
path to a take-up or rewind reel 29 that is rotatably mounted
. on a take-up spindle 30. The spindle 30 is mounted in the
- . upper right-hand corner as seen in.. Fiyure 1 of the plate 12
and another mo~or, shown in Figure 7 and to be described
hereinafter, is connected to turn the take-up spi.ndle 30
in order to wind the web 20 onto the take-up :reel 29.
The web transport path carries or conducts the web
2~ ~etween the ware Z3 and a vertically movable head 33.
As is best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the head 33 has
the configuration o~ the letter "T" and a pressure roller 34is
freelyrotatably mounted at the lower end of the verticle
or center post of the "T". The axis of the roller 34 is
parallel to the surface 24 (Fiy. 3) and its length is
approximately equal to the width of the web 20 but less
than the height of the surface 24. The cross member or
top bar of the T-shaped head 33 is fastened to the lower
end of a piston rod 36 of an air cylinder 37. The air
cylinder 37 ~s controlled by a solenoid-operated valve
(Fiy. 7) such that, when the solenoid is energized, the
piston rod 36 and the head 33 are moved downwardly to the
down or lower position shown. in Fiyure 2. When the solen-
oid is not energized, the piston rod 36 and the head 33
are retracted to their upper position illustrated in
Figure 1.
~ he~ transport p~th fQr the web 20 furthex c~xries
the ~eb past a ~s~r as~embLy 41 whi~c~ responds to the
dark m~rks 22 shown ~n Fxg. 6, the sensor assembly 41
being better ~llustrated in Figures 4 and 5, past a web
brake 42, past a f~rst pair of idler rollers 43 that are
mounted on an arm 44, across the head 33, past a second
pair of Ldler rollers 46 that are mounted on a second
arm 47, past a driv~ roller 48 and pressure roller 49,
and to the take-up reel 29.
With reference to F~gures 4 and 5, the sensor assem-
bly 41 comprises a bracket 51 that is fastened to the
mounting plate 12 ~y a plurality of mounting screws 52.
Secured to and extending for~ardly from the bracket 51
are a mounting arm 53 that is fastened to the upper end
of the bracket 51 by screws 54, and a lower photocell
support or housing 56 that is secured to the lower end
of the bracket 51 by mounting screws 57. Extending
vertically between ~he lower housing56 and the arm 53 are
a guidepost 58 and an adjusting post 59. The post 58 is
secured at its ends to the housing 56 and the arm 53,
whereas the adjusting post 59 is rotatably mounted on
the housing 56 and on the outer end of the arm 53. An
upper photocell housing 61 is threadedly connected to the
adjusting post 59 and slidably connected to the guidepost
58. At the upper end of the adjusting post 59 is secured
a knob 63 which may be manually turned in order to rotate
the post 59. While the post 59 is able to rotate, it can-
not move vertically with respect to the housing 56 and the
arm 53. It will be apparent from the foregoing that
while the lower photocell housing 56 is fixed in place
the position of the upper photocell housing 61 may be
vertically adjusted relative to the lower photocell
housing by turning the knob 63 and the adjusting post
59, such turning causing the upper photocell housing 61
to be screwed upwardly or downwardly depending upon the
~.
direction o~ rot.atio~ of t,he, post 5~. The guidepost 58,
of course, hold~ the uppe.r photocell housing bl substan-
tially parallel during such adjustment of the position of
the housing 61.
The upper photocell housing 61 supports an upper
photocell or sensor 66 and a light source 67, and the
lower photocell housing 56 supports a lower photocell
or sensor 68 and a lower light source 69.
As best shown in Figure 1, the web 20 is moved closely
adjacent the sensor assembly 41 by an idle~ roller 71 which
is spaced closely adjacent the photocell housings 56 and 61.
The side of the web 2a which faces the photocell sensors 66
and 68 contains the-dark marks 22. With reference to-
Figure 5, the light source 67, for example, directs light
toward the web 20 and in the absence of a dark mark, some
of the light is reflected toward and received by the upper
photocell 66. However, when a dark mark 22 crosses the
light path, the light is absorbed and not reflected, and the
absence of reflected light caused by the presence of the
dark mark is sensed by the photocell 66. The lower light
source 69 and photocell sensor 68, of course, operate
similarly. The sensor assembly 41 is located relative to
the decals 21 and the marks 22 so that the forward edge of
a decal 21 is adjacent the pressure roller 34 when the
head 33 is down as shown in Fig. 2 and when a mark 22 is
adjacent the lower cell 68.
Since a mark 22 is associated with each decal 21 and
since the sensors could be arranged to respond to the decals
instead of the marks, the sensors may be considered to sense
or respond to the decals.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the brake assembly
42 may be the same as the brake 43 shown in patent No~
3,813,268, and comprises a mounting bracket 76 that is fasten-
ed to the mounting plate 12. Secured to the mounting bracket
76 are a stop 77 on one side of the we.b 20 and a support 78
~.5~
7.
on t~e ot.her sid~ a$ th~e, we~. ~he SUppQrt 78 carries a
solenoid cont~ol~ed ai.~ ~Y~inder J~ ~çludi~g a plunger
81, and a pist,on Qr pre,ss,ure mem~ex 82 ~s secu,~ed to th.e
outer e.~d o~ t~e. plun~e.r 81~ The. pi,stRn~ Qr ~res$ure
member 82 ~s generall~ U~s~aped ~n,d is mQy~bl,e ho'x~zo~tally
as seen, In F~g. 1, and th.e en~ds of the arms. of ~he U extend
across the sides o~ t..h~e. support 78 ,so ~h~at th~, movement of
the piston. 82 ls gui,ded ~ e support 78.- Thç. cylinder 79,
whe'n, energized, moyes the plunger 8~ and the pIston 82
toward the le.ft. and the.re,~ clamps the web 2a t~ht~y be-
tween, the piston 82 an~ th,e stop 77, thexeby preYenti~n~
movement of the weh 2~ ~hen t,h,e cy~inder 79 is no~
energized, the pis;ton ~2 is moved toward the ri~h,t as see~
' in Fig. 1 away from the web 2Q and the weh is released,
as shown in F~gur~ 2.
The idler rollers 43 mounted on the arm 44 and the
idler rollers 46 mounted on the arm 47 are generally
similar to the correspondin~ rollers and arms illustrated
and described in the previously mentioned Kerwin patent
No. 3,813,268. In ~he machine shown in the patent, the
arms pivot durin~ operation, but in the present machine
the arms are preferably locked in place~
The web transport path is further formed by a pair
of guides 91 and 92 which are laterally spaced on oppo-
site sides of the pressure roller 34 and the head 33.
The two guides 91 and 92 are curved at their lower ends
toward each other and in the direction of the roller
34 as shown in Figure 1, and the two guides are formed
at the lower ends of two plates 93 and 94 which in
turn are secured to the lower edge of the mounting plate
12. The lower surfaces of the guides 91 and ~2 are
approximately at the leve.l of th,e lower side of the
pressure roller 34 when the head 33 is in its upper
position, as shown in Figure 1. The two guides ~1 and ~2
s:~
are, of course, spaced sufficiently far apart that ~he
roller 34 and the head 33 are able to move downwardly
between them.
With reference to Figure 2, when the head 33 is
moved downwardly, the pressure roller 34 folds the web
20 downwardly and across a pair of latexally spaced
idler rollers 96 and 97. Again, the rollers 96 and 97
are spaced far enough apart to permit the vertical
post of the head 33 to move downwardly between them.
~t its lowermost position, the pressure roller 34 is
¦ below the level of the guides 91 and 92 and the level
of the idler rollers 96 and 97, and the pressure roller
34 folds the web and presses it against the outer sur-
face 24 of the mug 23. The force of the air cylinder
37 presses the roller 34 ti~htly against the web 20
and presses the web onto the surface 24, and as shown
in Figure 2, the web makes a narrow contact with the
- outer surface 24 of the mug 23. The surface of the
web which contacts the mug 23 is~ of course, the side
which carries the decals 21. As previously mentioned,
the decals may be head release decals, and in such event
~ the mugs 23 are preferably preheated before being pro-
cessed in the machine;. Such a heat release decal includes
a wax layer that is melted by the head and releases the
decal from the web. Consequently, when the pressure
! roller 34 presses the web and the decal tightly against
the heated mug, the decal is transferred from the web to
the mug. Thereafter, an additional heating or baking step
; may take place to permanently fix the decal on the mug.
In the case where a label is transferred from the web to
the mug, normally the above discussed heating steps are
not required.
The construction of the drive roller 48 may be the
same as the corresponding drive roller 31 illustrated and
described in the above-mentioned Kerwin patent, and the
mounting and operation of the pressure roller 49 may also
be the same as the pressure roller 32 described in the
patent. The drive roller 48 has an outer friction surface
,
~S~ 9
9.
that pulls on the ~eb, and its drive includes a slip
clutch that permits ~he roller 48 to remain substantial-
ly stationary while the brake assembly 42 engages and
holds the web against movement.
As previously mentioned and as described in the
Kerwin patent, the take-up spindle 3~ has torque applied
thereto ~y a motor to tend to turn the take-up reel 29
during operation of the machine.
AS illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the ware or mug 10 23 is supported beIow the level of the web 2~ and the
vertically movable head ~3. ~ith specific reference to
Fig. 3, the mug 23 i5 rotatably supported by a freely
rotatable mandrel indicated generally by the reference
numeral 101. ~he mandrel lUl comprises a shaft 102 that
is rotata~ly supported by a generally rectangular support
part 103 that'is mounted closely adjacent the post 11 and
underneath t~e head 33. ~he part 103 supports a pair o
spaced ~all bearings 104 which, in turn, support the rear~
ward end portion o the sha~t 102. The shaft 1~2 extends
generally horizontally in the forward direction from the
support part 103. On the forward end portion o~ -the
shaft la2 is secured a tubular sleeve 106, the shaft 102
extending through the center o the sleeve 106 and being
secured thereto by a~nut 107 on the threaded forward
end of the shaft lQ2. The rearward end of the sleeve 106
engages the inner race of the forward ball bearing 104,
and it will be apparent that the sleeve lQ6 and the shaft
102 are able to rota-te freely on the bearings r~lative to
the support part la3 and the frame of the machine.
resilient collar 108 is Eàstened around the outside of the
sleeve 1~6. While the O-ring 111 may be omitted, the
speci~ic em~odiment of the lnvention shown in ~e drawings
includes an O-ring 111 fastened in a gxoove formed
in a flange 10~ at the''rearward end of the sleeve 106.
Another O-ring L12 is fastened' in a groove formed in the
forward face of the slee've 106.
Means is also preferably provided to form a partial
~4~,9t~
10 .
may be provided for this purpose, in t~.e specific ex~mple
illustrated in Figure 3.the vacuum arrangemen-t includes a
I passage 116 formed su~stantially on the center line of the
shaft lQ2, the passage 11~ extending from the forward end
' of the shaft to the support part 103. Radial passages`are
3 formed through a hearing support wall 100 of the. part 1~3
7 and through a spacer lQ5, and a solenoid controlled air
valve. 118 i5 connected to the radial passages 117. A
tubing 11~ connects the valYe 118 with a vacuum source
(not sh.own~, such a~ a ~ump. Thu~, a ~acuum applied
within the passage 116 ~ill appear within the interior
o~ the mug 23 and will be sealed b~ ~he O-ring 1120
Thi~ vacuum, as will be. e~plained hereinafter, is selec-
`. tively applied at times to hold the mug 23 tightly in
place on the mandrel while the decal is being applied.
With reference to Fig. 3, the head 33 includes two
spaced apart supports 110. The pressure rollex 34 is lo-
cated between the supports 11~ and freely rotatably mounted
thereon ~y a pin 115. On the rearward side of the head 33
20 a ring 12~ i.s secured to the outer end of the pin 115 and
it rotate~ with the pin 1~5 and the roller 34. When the
machine îs provide.d ~ith the O-ring 111, the ring 12~ is
ali.gned with the o-r~ng 111, and when the head 33 is in
its downward position the ring 12Q tightly engages the
O-ring 111. Thus, the roller 34, the pin 115, the ring
12Q, the sleeve la6 and the mug 23 all rotate in unison.
The fallowing is a brief summaxy of the oper,~tion of
the machine., ~hich will then ~e descrihed in mare detail
in ConneCtiQn with Figures 7 and 8. At the beginning of
a cycle, an operat~r of the machine positions a mug on the
mandrel lql as shown in Figures 1 to 3. Furthex, the opera-
tor locate~ the handle 25 of the mug 3 adjacent ~he right-
hand guide ~5 as shown in Fig. 1. At the ~eginning of a
cycle of operation, the head 33 is in the uppex position
shown in Figure 1. '~he operator then actuates a start switch,
which may ~e an ordinary foot pedal switch, and starts a
cycle of operation. The head 33 is moved downwardly by the
air cylinder 37 and a partial vacuum is applied within the
,
~c~
interior of the mug 23 to hold the mug in place. ~s the
head 33 moves downwardly, the, we~ 2~ is ~olded ahead of the
pressure roller 34 as shown in Fig. 2, and the brake 42 i5
applied to grip the web. The drive roller 48 is continu-
ously powered and exerts a pull on the we~ which ~olds it
tight under the head 331 but the ~eh to he folded under .
the roller 34 is pulled ~ack~ardly some~hat past th,e drive
roller 48. When the head 33 reaches its lo~e.r position
sho~n in Figs. 2 and 3, the pressure roller 34 presses the
we~ tightly against the outer surface of the mug 23 and
then the brake 4~ is xeleased. The previously mentioned wax
coating on th.e decal melts due to the heat of the mug and
the decal i5 transferred to the mug. ~here is good fric-
ti,onal engagement ~et~,een the we~, the pressure roller 34
and th,e mug, and they all mo~e together. The drive :roller
48 pulls the ~e~ 20 forwardl~ to~ard the takeup reel 29 and
the pressure exerted by the roller 34 on the web~ and against
the mug 23 i5 sufficient for the web to turn the pressure
roller 34 and to rotate the mug in the, clockwise direction
a~ see.n in Figures 1 and 2, the entire mandrel and the mug,
of course, rotating relative to the support part 103. The
pressure roller 34 may ~e made, for example, of s.ilicone
rub~er and be sufficiently sot to flatten slightl~ at the
line af engagement ~ith t~e ~eb, and there~y place a narrow
strip of the ~e~? and the decal in engagement ~ith the outer
surface of the mug. This narrow engagement normally pro- I,
duce.s sufficient frictional pull to turn the mug and the
mandrel, but if it i5 not, the O-ring 111 may be provided.
At the. start of rotation of th,e mug, the particular de~al
associated with the mug is prefera~?ly located so that its
leading or forward edge is closely adjacent the mug. Then,
as the we,b is pulled ~or~ardly, the leng~h c?f ~he decal is
rolled and pressed onto the outex surface of the mug as ',
th,e we~ moves for,w,ardl~ a~d the mug rotates. Further, at
the beginning o~ the decal-applying cycle,' one of the dark
mark6 22 i5 adjacent th~ ~o~er p~otocell 68 of the sensor
assembly 41. As the ~e~ 20 moves ~orwardly during the time
~s~
12,
that a decal is being applied, the mark that ~as adjacent
the lowermost photocell mo~es downwaxdl~ and the next
subsequent mark moves to th,e upper photocell 66. The spac-
ing of the mark 22 is set or adju~ted 50 that at the time
the next subsequent mark,xeaches -the uppermost ph.otoce~ll 66,
the rearward 4r trailing end portion o~ the dec~l is pressed
onta the mug 23. ~he brake 42 is applied, the head 33 is
retracte.d or moved up~ardly to the position shown in
Figure 1, and the vacuum in the mandrel is released. The drive
roller 48 and the take-up ~eel pull up the slack in the we~
as the h.ead 33 moYes up~.ardly. ~hen the h ad re.aches its
~- upper position, ~h,e brake ~2 is again reIeased and the we~
20 i5 pulled ~or~ardly by the drive roller until the dark
mark that ~as at the upper cell 66~''reaches the lower photo-
cell ~8, at which time the ~rake 42 is again applied. The
operator of the machine then removes the mug 23 and replaces
it ~ith. a fresh mug at the ~eginning of the next:su~sequent
cycle of operation.
The arrangement where~y the we~ turns the rollex 34 and
the mandrel and the mug is highly ad~antageou~. The surface
speeds o~ the ~eb 2~ and the mug 23 are the ~ame and ~here
is no danger o~ the decal smearing or ~arping as it i5 beins
applied and mechanisms are not needed to drive the mandrel
or the pressure roller. Suc~ drive mechanisms would ~e
expensive and relatively complex because all of the parts
~ould have to he driven in ~ynchronism.
The control circuit illustrated in Fig. 7 controls the
operatian of the machine ta perform the oregoing series
o~ operations,,and the chart shown in Fig. 8 shows the
condition~ of the ~itches and circuit parts at various
stages in t~e cycle of operation of th.e machine. With
speci~ic reference to Fig. 7, the control circu;i~ includes
two powe.r ~us.es 121 and 122 t~at are adapted to ~e connec-
ted to an AC power supply ~y a power s~itch 123 which i~
13.
al~o shQT~n on the panel 13 in Fig. 1. A pilQt lighk 124
sho~s ~hen the power ~itch 123 i~ closed. A manually
operated motor start switch 126, also shown on the panel in
Fig. 1, connects the.~ power to three motors 127, 128, and
129, which are connected to turn the two reel spindles 28
and 30 and the drive roller 48, ~he two motoxs 128 and 129
are capacitor 131 ~tart motor~ and are pre~erably connected
to the take-up reel and to the drive roller 48. ~he third
motor is connected to the feed Qr supply spindle 28 and tends
to turn the spindle 28 in the counter clockT~ise direction as
seen in Fig. 1, and thereby maintains tension in the p~rtion
of the web between the supply reel and the ~rake 42.
Further connected aGross the power buses 121 and 122
are two logic modules 132.and 133, the module 132 being
part of the lower photocell 68 and the module 133 being
part of the upper photocell 166. ~he module 132 controls
operation of normally open contacts 132A and 132B, and the
other module 133 controls the operation of normally closed
contacts 133A and normally open contacts 133B. The two
contact~ 132A and 133A are connected in series in a line
that also includes a start operation switch 134, a run
switch 136 (also shown on the panel in Fig. 1) and a
solenoid coil 137 that controls operatlon of the air valve ,
for the head air cylinder 37 and the air valve 118 for tile
vacuum line connected to the mandrel 1~1. When the coil 137
is energized, air under pressure is admitted to the head cy-
linder 37 and the head 33 is moved downwardly, and the valve
118 is ~pened causing a partial vacuum to appear within the
mandrel 101. Connected in parallel with the contacts 132A
and the s~itch 134 i5 a limi~ switch 138 which is normally
Qpen but is closed when the~ head 33 i~ in the d~wn or loT~er
position. ~h.e sT~itch 138 i5 al~o shoTwn in Figures 1 and 2
and, for example, may be mounted on a plate ~3 at a position
where it will be engaged and actuated by the head 33 T~hen
the head i~ in the down position as shown in Fig. 2.
14.
The control circuit still further includes a power
supply 141 having power input terminals or connections to
the power buses 121 and 122 and DC output connection~
leadin~ to control buses 142 and 143. The control circuitry
includes the parallel connection of a ~rake solenoid 144
and a surge protection diode 147. The normally open
contacts 132B are connected in series with the a~ove
parallel connection and, in addition, another line is
connected in parallel wi.th the contacts 132~. T~is other
line, includes the contacts 133B, contacts T-2 of a timer
148, and limit switch contacts 14~. The limit swltch
contacts 14~ are part of limit swi~ch that i5 also shown
in Figs. 1 and 2 and ~hich is actuated ~hen the head 33
is in the upper position. The limit s~itch 14~ may also,
for example, be mounted on the plate 93. The limit switch
14~ includes second contacts 151 which are operated simul~
taneously with the contacts 14~. The contacts 14~ are
closed and the`contacts lSl are open when the head 33 i~ i
moved downwardly away from its uppermost position and the
opposite condition occurs when the head is up. l~he contacts
151 are connected to a reset terminal 15~ of the logic
module 133.
The timer 148 includes the ahove contacts ~2 and second
contacts Tl which are connected to a reset input 152 of ~he
module 132..
The operation of each of t~e modules 132 and 133 is
such that, ~hen a dark mark is adjacent, for example, the
upper photocell 66, the module 133 is set, and khe contacts
133A and 133B are in theix abnormal p4sitions. The module
133 remains in the set mode or condition until a reset
signal appe.ars at th.e reset input 15~, and when the module
133 is reset, t~e two contacts 133A and 133B are moved to
their normal positions. The modul.e is then reset until it is
set by the next dark mark.
15.
I`o opexate the machine, the operatox mounts a reel
filled with the ~e~ on the supply spindle 28 and threads or
runs the we~ through the sensor assembly 41, the brake 42
past the head 33 and the drive roller ~8 and to the takeup
reel 29. The operator positions the web 2Q such that a dark
mark 22 is adjacent the lower photocell 68 and, as a conse-
quence, the leading end Qf a decal 21 is closely adjacent
t~e pressure r~ller 34. ~he operator closes the power
s~itch 23, the motor s~itch 126 and the run switch 136 and
these switche~ remain closed during the operation o the
machine. The operator then places a mug 23 on the mandrel
101 with the handle 2~ against the guide ~5 as previously
explained and then manually closes the start s~itch 134 to
start a cycle of operation. The conditions of the various
switches and logic modules at this time are illustrated in
the column 156 in Fig. 8 having the caption "Head Up- Start
Cycle". A circuit is then completed through the head
solenoia 137 and the head i~ moved downwardly and the partial
vacuum i5 i5 applied to the mandrel. Since the contacts
132B are closed, the hrake solenoid 144 i5 also energized,
and the armfi 44 and 47 are held stationary and the brake is
applied.
The conditions of the parts when the head arrives
at the down or lower position is illustrated in the column
157 in Fig. 8. The limit switch contacts 14~ and 151 shift
or are actuated so that the contacts 14~ are closed in order
to start the tLmer 148 and the contact~ 151 are apened.
The timer 148 has a short timing period of, for example, .8
second/ and at t~e end of the .8 second period, contacts T-l
and T-2 are clased~ The contacts 133B are apened because the
module 133 was previously reset. The contacts 132B and 133B
~eing open, the ~rake solenoid i~ not energized. The drive
raller then pu115 khe weh causing the mug 23 and the roller
34 to rotate as the decal is rolled onto the mug as previous-
ly explained. The mark moves down~ardly a~ay from the lower
16.
photocell 68, hut when the next subsequent mark reaches the
upper photocell 66, the condition of the control circuit is
as shown in the column 1S8 marked "Head Down- End Appli-
cation". Wh.en this next dark mark reaches the upper
photocell 66, the module 133 iS set by the mark and
the contacts 133B open. The contacts 132B ~ere pre~iously
opened ~ecause the module 132 was reset by the closure of
the tîmer contacts T-l. Consequently, the brake solenoid is
deenergized causing the head 33 t~ be retracted to the upper
position sho~n in Fig. 1. The drive roller 48, of course,
takes up the slack from the fold of the web as the head
moves upwardly. When the head arrives at the upper position,
the ~ondition af the parts is as illustrated in column 159
in Fig. 8. ~hen the head arrives in the upper position, the
: limit switch contacts 151 are Glosed causing the module 133
t~ be reset, therehy opening the contacts 133B. The ~rake
144 solenoid is deenergized and the drive roller 48 again
ad~ance~ the we~ 2Q a ~hort distance until the dark mark
moves from the upper eye 66 to the lower eye 68. This
condition of the parts is shown in column 160 in Fig. 8.
When the mark reaches the lower cell 68, this module 132
i5 set and the contacts 132B are closed resulting in energization
of the ~rake solenoid 144 and the arms solenoid 146. The
brake then holds the web 20 against further movement. The
machine is then at the beginning of the next subsequent
cycle and the operator removes the mug 23 and replaces it
with another heated mug and then starts the next cycle of
operation.
While a preferred and specific embodiment of the
present invention has be.en shown and described, it will be
appare.nt that the. described embodiment is suscepti~le
to change and modification ~ithout departing from the
scope of the broader aspects of the inventi~n, and it , .
will therefore ~e understood that the in~ention is to
be limited only by the scope of the claims. For example,
instead of an arrangement ~herein two photocells and a
single dark mark are provided on the web for each decal,
- ~.54~
17.
the reverse arrangement may ~e provided wherein only one
photocell is provided and two spaced mark~ are f~rmed on the
~e~ for each decalL In such an arrangementr the difference
in ~peration is that first the leading mark ~dvances or is
advanced to the photocell and subsequently the brake is
released to permit the second mark to be advanced to the
photocell. Of course, the reason for the t~o sepaxate
advances of the we~ for each cycle of operation is to allow
the web to advance as the decal i5 being applied and then to
advance the ~e~ a small additional amount in order to properly
position the next suhsequent decal relative to the mug.
The location of the upper photocell is therefore preferably
made adiustable ~o that the machine ma~ be adapted for
slightly different length decal~ and to enable the operator
of the machine to obtain proper registration of the decals
relative to the mug~. Of course, if only a single size
decal is pro~ided and the positions of the marks are pre-
cisely fixed, it may not be necessary to make the location
of one of the two photQcells adjustable. The apparatus
may also be used to place one or more decals on a tumbler
or other cylindrical article that does not have a handle.
In this instance, the control circuit may be simplified
and include only a single photocell sensor and operate
generally similar to the control described in Kerwin U.S.
patent No. 3,813,268.
