Coors Container Company

Danny L McMillin

James S Stirbis

Larry M Dugan

Enn Sirvet

An apparatus for continuous heat transfer of ink images onto the outer surfaces of continuously moving articles, for example, generally cylindrical articles, from a length of continuously moving heat transfer sheet material having thereon a series of uniformly spaced heat transferable ink images. In the case of cylindrical articles, an elongated wrapping and heating tube is used for continuously wrapping a portion of the sheet material into intimate contact with the outer surface of each cylindrical article as the sheet material and the cylindrical members move through the tube and for heating the wrapped portion of the sheet material and the cylindrical articles during movement through the tube to cause transfer of the ink image to the articles within the tube. The sheet material is thereafter unwrapped and disassociated from the decorated cylindrical members after passing through the tube during continuous movement of the sheet material and the printed cylindrical members.

Apparatus for printing articles from heat transfer paper

A method and apparatus for continuous heat transfer of ink images onto the outer surfaces of continuously moving generally cylindrical articles from a length of continuously moving heat transfer sheet material having thereon a series of uniformly spaced heat transferable ink images by use of an elongated wrapping and heating tube for continuously wrapping a portion of the sheet material into intimate contact with the outer surface of each cylindrical article as the sheet material and the cylindrical members move through the tube and for heating the wrapped portion of the sheet material and the cylindrical articles during movement through the tube to cause transfer of the ink image to the articles within the tube. The sheet material is thereafter unwrapped and disassociated from the decorated cylindrical members after passing through the tube during continuous movement of the sheet material and the printed cylindrical members.

Method for printing cans from heat transfer paper

Apparatus for continuous heat transfer of ink images onto outer surfaces of continuously moving generally cylindrical members from a length of continuously moving heat transfer sheet material having thereon a series of uniformly spaced heat transferable ink images. In a preferred form, the apparatus comprises: a roller for unwinding the sheet material into an unwound intermediate length of the sheet material; a chute or guide rails for feeding the members into association with the unwound intermediate length of sheet material; a moving chain belt with pins for penetrating the sheet material and for transporting the cylindrical members in association with the unwound intermediate length of sheet material, a tube for wrapping the sheet material about each cylindrical member transported on the sheet material and for providing heat to cause transfer of an image from the sheet material to each cylindrical member, a star wheel for removing printed members, unwrapped from the sheet material, downstream of the tube; and a roller for winding up the sheet material after the printed members have been removed therefrom.

Apparatus for printing cans from heat transfer paper

A container conveying and transfer system for conveying and transferring decorated containers from a continuously rotatable mandrel wheel of container decorating apparatus to a continuously moving continuous loop container conveying belt member having container holding vacuum cups fixedly mounted thereon in association with an elongated vacuum plenum extending along a container carrying portion of the path of movement of the belt member whereby the containers are transferred from the belt member to pins carried by a continuously moving continuous loop chain member, the belt member being driven in synchronized, timed relationship to the rotatable mandrel wheel and the chain member by vacuum cup attachment nut members received in driving slots in a drive wheel member and in guide slots associated with the vacuum plenum and belt guide wheel members.

Container conveying and transfer system

The continuous can printer and transfer apparatus is provided with infeed means devoid of moving parts, whereby cans move in a guided path by gravity through an inclined chute to stationary pockets on a rotatable pocket mandrel wheel where they are drawn from the pockets and seated by vacuum on mandrels which carry the cans to a printing blanket cylinder. Before contacting the rotating printing blanket, the surface speeds of the mandrel and printing cylinder are precisely matched by a pre-spin belt on the printing cylinder and rollers. Decorated cans are transferred to suction cups on a transfer wheel and discharged to a pin chain conveyor by a transfer assembly wherein all motions of the transfer cups are controlled in a radial and axial direction by a single cam motion.

Continuous gravity fed can printer and transfer apparatus

Apparatus and methods for testing printed metallic can body members for defects by the use of light involving gravity infeed apparatus for locating can body members in separate pockets on a continuously rotating transfer wheel, seating apparatus for seating the can body members in the pockets, testing the exterior surface of the can body member for the presence of printed ink thereon, axially displaceable can body member support apparatus for axial displacement of the can body members relative to the pockets and the transfer wheel to locate a flange portion in sealed association with a resilient deflectable sealing member, application of vacuum to the bottom of the can body member to hold the can body member on the support apparatus until release of the vacuum, application of pressure to and pressurization of the sealing member and the inside of the can body member; location of the pressurized can body member in a zone of florescent light, location of the can body member relative to light detecting apparatus in the light zone to detect any light passing through the walls and through or around the flange portion of the container body member, retracting the can body member from sealed association with the sealing member, first discharging defective can body members into discharge chute apparatus by gravity after release of vacuum, and then unloading acceptable can body members into unloading chute apparatus by gravity after release of vacuum.

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Golden, CO, United States of America

Danny L McMillin