Mandrel rotation assembly for intermittently operated tapered sidewall

Abstract

Apparatus for printing on frusto-conical cups includes a mandrel wheel intermittently rotatably movable to a loading, pre-treatment, printing, first cure, second cure, and unloading station; a plurality of mandrel assemblies rotatably mounted on the mandrel wheel for holding the containers on the mandrel wheel; a stationary support at each station, each stationary support including a slot therein; a mandrel rotation assembly for rotating the mandrel assemblies and containers at the pre-treatment and first and second cure stations, the mandrel rotation assembly including a resilient rubber ring rotatably mounted adjacent to the plurality of mandrel assemblies in concentric relation with the mandrel wheel, a mounting assembly for rotatably mounting the resilient ring in concentric relation to the mandrel wheel, a drive mechanism for continuously rotating the resilient ring, a biasing assembly for biasing the resilient ring into engagement with each mandrel assembly at the pre-treatment and first and second cure stations to rotate the containers thereat, the mounting assembly including a clamp for clamping the ring and a ball bearing assembly for rotatably mounting the clamp assembly adjacent to the plurality of mandrel assemblies, the drive mechanism including a belt in engagement with the clamp assembly for rotating the clamp assembly and a motor for controlling the belt to continuously drive the clamp assembly, and the biasing assembly including a roller rotatably mounted to each station for engaging the resilient ring with each roller being movable toward and away from the resilient ring, and a locking assembly positioned in a respective slot for locking each roller at a fixed position with respect to the resilient ring.