US2713821A - Device for marking cylindrical containers - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1955 E. J. PALCZEWSKI I 2,713,321

DEVICE FOR MARKING CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS Filed July 7, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR July 26, 1955 E. J. PALCZEWSKI DEVICE FOR MARKING CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July '7, 1953 INVENTOR [0144mm J 59.4 ezza/r/r/ NMN ATTORNEY July 26, 1955 E. J. PALCZEWSKI DEVICE FOR MARKING CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 7, 1955 R Y m K M l 1 w w o m a A M a mm M X NN m E Y %N B W\ mk y 1955 E. J. PALCZEWSKI DEVICE FOR MARKING CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 7, 1953 INVENTOR foam/r0 J x 11. czzwx/ ATTORNEY July 26, 1955 E. J. PALCZEWSKI DEVICE FOR MARKING CYLINDRICAL. CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 7, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent BEVICE F61 h IARKING CYLINDRICAL CQNTAINERS Edward J. Palczewski, Phiiadelphia, Pa.

Application Indy 7, 1953, Seriai No. 366,583

14 Claims. (Cl. Rib-126) My invention is an improvement in devices for marking containers with appropriate information concerning the contents and character of the contents of the containers, the names and addresses of the makers or processors of the materials to be found therein, and other data relative to such materiais. The machine embodying my invention is particularly designed for, but is not restricted to, use by establishments specializing in the application of data to cylindrical wall portions of drums, of five or ten gallon capacity, for the storage and distribution of bulk materiais, such as paints, lubricant greases, etc. Of course, the contents of the containers to be marked, whether they be bullets for machine guns, foodstuffs, ready for use or in the form of dehydrated powders, or free flowing liquids, such as alcohols, have no real bearing on the merits of my invention, since, at best, the nature or the contents would merely control the markings to be applied to the containers.

in the specific description, which follows, it will be assumed that each container is a can or drum of five gallon capacity and is made up of two disk-like end members connected by a cylindrical Wall, which is to be termed the side wall structure. Containers of this type may be conveniently handled in the machine disclosed and claimed hereinafter.

in its simpiest form, my apparatus consists of a framework made up of two rectangular end frames held in spaced relation by an upper pair of channel members for supporting and guiding a squeegee carrying device as it is reciprocated between said frames, a second pair of channel members for removably receiving a silk screen structure and located at a level below the first pair, and a pair of members, which are secured to the vertical sides of the end frames and floatingly support track members for ontrolling the movements of a carriage for transporting the drums to be processed as they travel through the apparatus. r tripping device is also connected to the end frames and aids in retaining them in spaced relation. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a drum receiving structure, on which a number of drums to be marked may be positioned, and also a drum discharge structure for expediting the removal of drums, after they are marked, from the machine. I

My invention may take the form of a machine, the power for operating which is furnished solely by the energy of an attendant of the machine, or the invention may be embodied in a machine actuated by pneumatically operated mechanism, or mechanism operated by electricity or other well known sources of power.

On reference to the drawings, it will be noted that:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of my invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 shows an upper plan view of the drum conveying carriage and the track members for supporting and guiding said carriage as it is reciprocated between the end frames, parts of the framework F being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a view restricted, for the sake of clearness, to a showing of one of the end frames, the ends of the Lil channel members supporting the squeegee conveying carrier and the silk screen structure, the ends of the track members mentioned in the brief description of Fig. 2, and the ends of the members floatingly supporting such track members;

Fig. 3a is a sectional view taken on the line 301-311 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the squeegee conveying carriage, the squeegee supported thereby, the drum conveying carriage, and the structure connecting the carriages for causing them to move in unison;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the squeegee and of the carriage for supporting the same;

Fig. 6 is a view of parts carried by the lower plate of the squeegee conveying carriage;

Fig. 7 is an upper edge view of the squeegee and of the plates between which it is clamped;

Fig. 8 is a view, partly in section showing the floatingly supported track members and the drum carriage;

9 is a view showing the silk screen structure in section;

vFig. 10 is a detail view showing parts of the means for floatingly supporting the tracks for the drum conveying carriage;

Fig. 11 is a schematic view, showing the use of a system, pneumatically operated, for reciprocating the squeegee and drum transporting carriages;

Fig. 12 is a side View, disclosing the connection of the various air conducting conduits to the valve control element forming part of the arrangement shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a view, partly in section, showing the connection, to the drum conveying carriage, of the pneumatically operated system for moving the carriages;

Fig. 14 is a detail view showing the mounting of a rail for guiding the drums upon one of the elements of the structure connecting the carriages employed for supporting the squeegee and conveying the drums;

Fig. 15 is a view of the structure shown in Fig. 14, but

taken at right angles, to the plane on which Fig. 14 is taken.

In its simplest form, shown in Figs. 1 to 10, the invention consists of a framework, a silk screen structure carried by the framework, a squeegee and its carriage supported by the framework, a drum conveying carriage and means for causing said carriages to move in unison.

Framework F comprises a front frame F and a rear frame F, connected by two pairs 10 and of channeled structures and a pair of angle members, all of which may be bolted or otherwise separably secured to the frames or may be welded thereto after the carriages are mounted for reciprocation within the framework. If desired, a pair 4d of members may also be secured to frames F and In any event, a trip structure 15, which is secured to frames F and F and for the most part overlies the framework, contributes to holding of frames F and F in spaced relation.

Each of the frames F F is preferably rectangular and is constructed of parallel upright members F joined at their upper ends by a cross member F and near their lower ends by a cross member F Each of these component members of the end frames is of the cross sectional shape shown in Fig. 3a and is composed of a body portion F presenting a flat side toward the interior of the frame of which it forms a part, and a rib F projecting outwardly from the side opposite to the first mentioned side of such body portion.

Pair it) of channeled structures consists, as shown in Fig. 3, of two elements 11 and 12, each of which is preferably bolted to the upper cross members F of frames F and F The channels of said elements 11 and 12 open toward the longitudinal center of the framework.

The pair of channeled structures consists of elements 21 and 22, each of which is preferably secured in any desired manner to the upright members F of frames F and F The angle members 31 and 32 of the pair have vertical flanges, which are secured to the upright portions of frames F F while their horizontal flanges extend inwardly toward the longitudinal center of the framework.

The elements of the pair may take the form of angle members 41, 42 secured to the members F, F of the end frames and merely contribute to the stability of the framework.

The squeegee structure, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 comprises a carriage 50, made up of a top plate 51, from which spaced apart lugs 52 project upwardly. A pair of members 53 depend, one on each side of plate 51, from the latter and carry each a pair of rollers 54 mounted to turn on vertical axes and each member 53 carries a second pair of rollers 55 mounted to turn on horizontal axes. Rollers 54 and 55 engage the vertical inner faces and the bottom flanges respectively of the pair 10 of channeled structures.

A wall member 56 depends from said plate 51 and secured thereto by hinge structure 57 is a second plate 58. The free end of plate 58 is urged toward plate 51 by one or more springs 59 anchored at the opposite ends thereof.

A bifurcated member 60 is pivotally mounted by means of a cross pin 61 on and between said lugs 52. One member of a linkage system to be described is pivotally mounted on cross pin 62 between the tines 63 forming the wall structure of the slot in the bifurcated member. A bolt 64 extends upwardly through an opening in the plate 51 and threaded thereon is a thumbnut 65, while a spring 66 is compressed between the ends of said tines and said thumbnut.

Threaded studs 67, 67' project toward each other from triangular members 68, 68, which depend from the undersurface of plate 51 along the longitudinal center thereof. These studs provide adjustable abutments for the linkage made up of the members 70 and 71, the upper link 70 extending downwardly through the slot in the bifurcated member 60 and through an opening in plate 51 and being pivotally connected to link 71.

A bar 72 extends across plate 58 and beyond the side edges of the latter. Bolts 73 secure the ends of the bar to a slotted angle member 74-. Clamped to the angle member by one or more threaded rods 75 and thumbnuts 76 is a squeegee or wiping element 78 of rubber or other suitable material. Rods 75 are rigidly secured to plate 77 and a second plate 79 and a distributor plate 80, provided with perforations 81, are also clamped to said angle member, as disclosed in Fig. 6, by said rods. Link 71 is pivotally secured at one end to the center of bar 72. As shown in Fig. 7, the squeegee is slotted downwardly toward its center to permit the passage of rods through the spaces thus formed. The slotting permits adjustment of the squeegee between plates 77 and 79.

Trip structure 15 includes a bar having its opposite ends turned downwardly and secured to the ribs F of the cross members F of the end frames F and F Portion 86 between such ends overlies the framework F, along the longitudinal center of the latter, and maintains a pair of spaced apart trip elements 87, 87' in position to be engaged by the upper end of the link member 7 0.

Members 31 and 32 of the pair 30 are preferably angular in cross section and have secured at each of their opposite ends a threaded rod 90, as shown in Figs. 1 and 10. Each of these rods 90 is clamped to the inwardly directed flange of a member of the pair 30 by nuts 91 and 92. Nuts 93 adjustably carried by the rods 90 clamp between them and the outwardly directed flanges 102, of the floatingly supported track members, to be subsequently described, the springs 95. Nuts 96 prevent said track members from being raised by springs above the tops of rods 90.

The floatingly supported track members 100, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 8, comprise each a member 101, angular in cross section and having an outwardly directed flange 102. A channel element 103 is rigidly secured to inner face of each member 101 and provides a guide for rollers to be mentioned hereinafter. Each member 101 is cut away near its opposite ends to provide angular depressions 104, 104. The top part 105 of each member 101 between such depressions is smooth and flat and, in the completed machine, extends substantially horizontally except for the slight tilting that must take place as a drum is passed through the machine and is pressed against the framing of the silk screen structure.

A drum conveying carriage 110, to be termed a drum carriage for the sake of brevity, is arranged to be carried by the floatingly supported tracks and reciprocate along the same between the depressions 104, 104'. The carriage is made up of a base member 111, to which are secured two wing members 112, 112 through the medium of hinges 113. A strip 114 extends upwardly from the bottom plate of base member 111 along each edge of said plate and each strip carries at its opposite ends rollers 115, 115' which rotate on vertical axes and engage the edge of the upper flange of a channel member 103. If desired, rollers 115, 115 may be arranged to engage the inner faces of the webs of the channel members. The lower flanges of the latter are engaged by rollers 116 also carried by strips 114 and extending slightly beyond rollers 115. Springs 117 connected to the base member and the wings stress the latter to swing downwardly about the pintles of the hinges 113. A roller 118 is carried by base member at the front edge thereof.

Each wing member 112, 112 has projecting from its upper face a pair of studs. A shaft is fixed in the studs 119 on the wing member 112 and carries at its ends a pair of rollers 121, while a shaft 120' is fixed in the studs 119 on the wing member 112 and carries at its ends a pair of rollers 121. Rollers 122, rotatable on said shafts between the rollers at the ends of the shafts and the studs carrying the latter, are prevented from axial movement along the shafts by collars 123. Wing member 112' has secured thereto a kickoff member 124, part of which normally overlies the other wing member.

The upper surface of plate 51 of the squeegee carriage tas secured to it arms of a pair of angle members 131. The remaining arms 132 of said angle members extend downwardly and carry straps 133, by means of which arms 132 are telescopically secured to plates 134, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The lower end of each plate 134 is directed inwardly and is secured to base member 111. The telescopic connection just described causes the squeegee carriage and the drum carriage to move in unison but permits a limited vertical movement of the latter with respect to the squeegee carriage.

If desired, there may be pivotally mounted on a bracket 135, carried by each plate 134, a T-shaped member 136, which is urged by spring 137 to swing against an adjustable abutment 138, threaded through the plate (see Figs. 14 and 15 The T-shaped members serve to prevent lateral shifting of the drums on rollers 122.

As shown in Fig. 9, the silk screen structure is composed of a rectangular framework or framing, preferably made of wooden strips 141, of the cross sectional shape shown. The lower edge of each strip is rabbeted to provide a flange portion 142, angular in cross section. Secured to the flange portions 142 is a pretreated sheet 143, preferably of silk. This sheet is pretreated to render it impervious to the passage of the liquid marking medium and is then modified to provide a transfer or stencil portion conforming to the desired design to be applied to the drums. The stencil portion permits the squeegee 73 to force the marking medium to pass therethrough but resists such passage of the medium under the force of gravity.

Projecting forwardly from the frame F is a rack 150,

made up of a pair of angle bars 151, which are adjustably secured, in any desired manner, to a rod 152, secured to the floating track members, as shown in Fig. 2. A cross piece 153 connects the free ends of the bars 151. The rack serves as a receiving station for the cans to be operated upon by the machine and is inclined downwardly from its free end toward frame F The front ends of the track members of the pair lill} are connected by a plate 169. A bellcrank 161 shown in Fig. 13 is secured by a hinge 162 to said plate. A spring 163 urges the long arm 164, which is provided with a roller 165, against the rod 152. The other arm 166 of the bellcrank has secured thereto a strip 167, to which one end of spring 163 is secured, the opposite end of the spring being secured to plate 160. The bellcrank positions roller 165 removably against the innermost drum of a set of drums on the rack, and the upper end of arm 166 is positioned to be engaged by roller 118.

A second rack 170, which extends downwardly and outwardly from the rear ends of the floating tracks, is otherwise similar to the first rack and forms the discharge station of the machine. A plate 160 similar to plate 16%), is shown in Figs. 2 and 11 connects the ends of the floating tracks 1% adjacent to the frame F Operation of the first form of the machine Assuming that, at the completion of the marking of a number of drums with the desired indicia, the squeegee and the drum carriages have been left in their final positions adjacent to end frame F and a new set of drums are to be given a marking different from that applied to the drums last discharged from the machine, the operator or attendant of the latter replaces the silk screen structure last used by a new one, having the latest desired indicia incorporated in the sheet 143 thereof, and pours marking fluid into the silk screen structure. He also fills rack 15% with drums selected to have the new marking applied thereto. He then exerts force against either of the carriages or against the connections therebetween and moves the carriages toward end frame F During such movement, the upper end of link 7% engages and then clears trips 87' and 87 successively. Each of such engagements depresses plate 58 and the parts carried thereby, since the joined and of links 70 and 71 are free to slide over whichever one of the abutments they may be engaging at a particular time. However, abutment 67' is so adjusted that, during movement of the squeegee carriage toward frame F the squeegee rides clear of the sheet 343. As the carriages are reaching their final positions in their movements toward frame F, roller 118 contacts arm 166 of the bellcrank and then swings the latter to move arm 164 thereof out of the path of movement of the drums on rack 150. The drum, which happens to be nearest to the drum carriage, rolls onto the latter and takes its position on rollers 122. This drum now acts as a stop to prevent movement of any of the other drums off the rack. The attendant now moves the carriages toward frame F, thus breaking contact between roller 118 and the bellcrank and permitting arm 164 of the latter to engage the adjacent one of the drtuns still on the rack, thereby preventing rolling of any of the rest of the drums downwardly toward the drum carriage.

Continued movement of the carriages toward frame F results not only in removal of the rollers 121, carried by wing member 112, from the depressions 104 but also in the engagement of link 70 with trip 87. The linkage 70, 71 then swings past dead center and engages stop 67, thereby placing the squeegee in wiping contact with the sheet 143. Said continued movement of the carriages also results in the rotation of the drum on rollers 122, due to the contact of the drum with the framework of the silk screen structure, and the extrusion of marking fluid, through the permeable portions of sheet 143, onto the progressively presented portions of the wall of the drum. Eventually, rollers 121' reach and enter depressions 104 ill 6 and the downward swinging of wing 112, under the influence of springs 117, causes the kickoff member 124 to eject the drum onto the rack 170. The drum may roll off the latter or be removed otherwise from the machine. The cycle of operation is then repeated until all of the selected drums have been marked.

The second form of my invention involves the addition to the first form of mechanism for operating the machine automatically, that is relieving the attendant of the necessity of acting as the motive power to move the carriages. The arrangement is schematically shown in Fig. 11 and is shown in Fig. 13, in which the unnecessary disclosure of parts shown in Figs. 1 through 10 has been omitted for the sake of clearness.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13, is shown a pneumatically operated power system, which per se is not claimed as my invention, although the application of this system to the first form of the invention presented many problems, the solution of which it is claimed did involve invention.

The second form of the invention involves the use of a receiver or air tank 24)!) of an air compressor-receiver unit for supplying air under pressure. A flexible conduit 2% leads to the inlet nipple 2&2 of a reversing valve casing 266, which is fixedly secured to one of the members 31, 32 near the front end thereof. Air under pressure is conducted alternately from nipples 294, 205 of said casing through flexible conduits 2'96, 297 to ports 268, 209 in the cap members 210, 211 respectively closing the opposite ends of cylinder .212. Cap member 214 is pivotally secured to an angle member connecting the front ends of angle members 31 which correspond to members 31, 32 of the first form. A piston rod 212, carrying a piston not shown, projects through suitable stufling in cap 211 and is secured to an angle member 213 carried by the base member of the drum carriage, as shown in Fig. 13. Flexible conduits 2M and 215 extend from nipples 216 and 217 of the casing 2&3. Conduit 214 is connected to a spring loaded valve structure 213 carried by the kickoff plate 124 of the wing 112, while conduit 215 is connected to a spring loaded valve structure 219 carried by the plate 16% connecting the rear ends of the floating track members. Exhaust nipples 22d and 221 project from casing 2'93.

In the normal operation of the second form of the invention, the carriages, at the completion of any cycle of movement, will be in the positions reached at the end of their travel toward frame F due to the fact that each contact of the drum conveying carriage with valve structure 21? will cause the pneumatic system to move the carriages away from frame F and if there be no drum available to contact and open valve 218 air will not be discharged from conduit 2% into cylinder 212, whereas, in the operation of the first described form of the invention, the attendant may leave the carriages at either end of the machine when he has completed the marking of a particular lot of drums. To begin a new cycle of operation of the pneumatically operated machine, a valve not shown, is turned to permit compressed air to pass through conduit 281. to casing 2&3. Assuming that the drum carriage has reached its foremost position, and the bell crank lever has been properly tripped, a drum rolls onto the rollers 122 and opens valve 218, projecting into the path of the drum. A discharge of air takes place through valve 218 and the space between the piston in cylinder 212 and the cap member 219 receives air under pressure through conduit 296. As the piston is moved forward, the piston rod moves the drum carriage and, through the telescopic connection above described, the squeegee carriage also. As the rollers 121 of the wing 112 move into the depressions 164- in the floating tracks, the rear edge of bottom plate of base member 111 comes into contact with valve 219 opening the same. A discharge of air through the valve takes place and the space between cap 211 and the piston receives compressed air through conduit 26W, while air is exhausted through conduit 266 and one of the ports 220,

221. So long as there is a drum on rack 150 in position to roll on the drum carriages and open valve 218, reciprocation of the carriages is continuous, assuming, of course, that there is no interruption of the supply of compressed air through conduit 291.

While but two forms of the invention have been dis closed, it is obvious that modifications falling within the scope of the claims may be resorted to. For instance, the carriages may be moved in unison by being connected together by cables trained over pulleys mounted on frames F and F Valves 218 and 219 might be replaced by electric switches connected to casing 203 to operate mechanism therein to shift the supply of compressed air to opposite sides of the piston in cylinder 212. A reversible electric motor controlled by switches respectively located on the kickoff plate 124 and on rear plate 1'63 might be substituted for the compressed air system. Furthermore, the silk frame shown might be replaced by one divided into parallel sections to take care of drums, the side walls of which are divided by beading into two or more cylindrical sections. In the latter event, the squeegee would be replaced by squeegee sections corresponding in number to such parallel sections and carried by the angle member 74. Furthermore, modification of the machine in the matter of size to take care of drums of larger or smaller capacity than five gallons would merely be a matter of machine design.

I claim:

1. A machine for applying indicia to cylindrical portions of wall members forming parts of drums for the storage and transportation of bulk materials: said ma.- chine comprising a framework; a squeegee device; a drum conveying device; means cooperating with said framework to provide a drum receiving station; and other means c0- operating with said framework to provide a station for discharging drums from the machine; said framework including a pair of end frames connected together, a pair of structures extending from one end frame to the other adjacent to the top of the framework and providing a continuously straight path of travel, a second pair of structures located below the first pair of structures and providin a continuously straight path of travel substantially parallel to the first mentioned path and coextensive therewith, and means for holding a silk screen between and parallel with said paths of travel; said squeegee device comprising a carriage and means connecting said carriage to the first mentioned pair of structures for reciprocation in the first mentioned path of travel; said drum conveying device comprising a carriage and means connecting the second mentioned carriage to the second mentioned pair of structures for reciprocation along the second mentioned path of travel; means connecting said carriages to cause the same to reciprocate along said paths in unison; means limiting the passage of drums from the drum receiving station onto the carriage of the drum conveying device to a predetermined number at a time; and means carried by the carriage of the drum conveying device and cooperating with parts of the second mentioned structure to insure the discharge of drums from such carriage.

2. A structure of the type recited in claim 1, in which the pairs of path providing structures assist in connecting said end frames together.

3. A machine of the type recited in claim 1, in which the carriage of the squeegee device comprises an upper plate provided with said means connecting said plate to the first mentioned pair of structures, a second plate pivotally connected to the first mentioned plate and a squeegee element carried by the second mentioned plate.

4. A structure of the type recited in claim 3, in which the framework includes means for depressing the second mentioned plate, during one phase of the reciprocation of the squeegee device, to bring the squeegee element to a position to extrude marking fiuid through the silk frame onto drums traveling through said machine.

5. A machine of the type recited in claim 4, in which the depressing means comprises an element overlying the first pair of structures and carrying a pair of trips and in which the squeegee device includes a linkage system having an element projecting into a path to be engaged by said trips.

6. A machine of the type recited in claim 5, in which the squeegee structure includes a pair of opposed stops positioned to be engaged by said linkage to limit the movement thereof and in which the stops are relatively adjustable with respect to each other.

7. A machine for applying indicia to cylindrical portions of wall members forming parts of drums for the storage and transportation of bulk materials; said machine comprising a framework; a squeegee device; a drum conveying device; means cooperating with said framework to provide a drum receiving station; and other means cooperating with said framework to provide a station for the discharge of drums from the machine; said framework including a pair of end frames connected together, a pair of structures extending from one end frame to the other adjacent to the top of the framework and providing a continuously straight path of travel, a second pair of structures located below the first mentioned pair and providing a continuously straight path of travel parallel to the first mentioned path and coextensive therewith, and means for holding a silk screen between and parallel with said paths of travel; said squeegee device comprising a carriage and means connecting said carriage to the first mentioned pair of structures for reciprocation in the first mentioned path of travel; the second mentioned pair of path providing structures comprising a pair of parallel supporting elements, a pair of track members, means resiliently connecting said track members to said supporting members, said track members providing the second mentioned path of travel; said drum conveying device comprising a base, means connecting the carriage of the drum conveying device to said track members for reciprocation in the second mentioned continuously straight path of travel, a pair of wing members, means pivotally connecting said wing members to the base of the second mentioned carriage, a kickoff device carried by one of said Wing members and overlying part of the other wing member, said track members having depressions therein arranged to cooperate with said kickoff device to remove from the wing members drums carried thereby; and means connecting said carriages together to cause the same to move together in complete unison.

8. A machine of the type recited in claim 7, and including a control structure for feeding drums, a predetermined number at a time, from the drum receiving station onto the carriage of the drum conveying device.

9. A machine of the type recited in claim 7, in which the means resiliently connecting the track members to their supports are adjustable to position the carriage of the drum conveying device to present drums carried by the latter for contact with a silk frame located in the silk screen holding means.

10. In a machine, designed for applying indicia to cylindrical portions of the wall structures of bulk material holding drums, and comprising a framework having end frames connected together, parallel structures providing a continuously straight path of travel, a squeegee device, which includes a wiping element, means connecting the squeegee device to said parallel structures for reciprocation in said path, and means for holding in position to he engaged by said wiping element a panel member, which has portions treated to permit the passage therethrough of a marking fluid and other portions treated to resist such passage and which panel member is mounted in a framing: the combination, in said machine, of means cooperating with said framework for providing at one end thereof a drum receiving station; other means cooperating with said framework to providc, at the end thereof opposite to the first mentioned end, a station for the discharge of drums from the machine; a pair of supporting members; track forming members carried by said supporting members and providing a continuously straight path of travel parallel with the first mentioned path of travel; a drum conveying carriage, including a pair of wing members mounted on said track forming members for reciprocation in the second mentioned path of travel; means for urging said wing members to hold drums carried thereby yieldably in contact with said framing during one phase of the reciprocation of the drum conveying carriage; means for restricting the passage of drums from the drum receiving station onto said carriage to a predetermined number at a time; and means carried by one of said wing members, cooperating with portions of the track forming members to remove drums from said carriage at the drum discharging station.

11. A machine of the type recited in claim 10, in which the last mentioned means comprises a kickoff device extending from the wing member carrying the same partly across the other wing member.

12. A machine for handling substantially similar containers; said machine including a pair of spaced apart end frames each formed to permit such containers to pass therethrough a predetermined number at a time; pairs of supporting structures extending through the space between said end frames and arranged one pair above another; a device located between the two uppermost pairs of supporting structures and including a framing and a panel carried thereby and treated to permit the extrusion, through selected portions only thereof, a liquid marking medium; the uppermost two pairs of supporting structures providing two continuously straight and continuously parallel paths of travel; a carriage mounted on the upper pair of supporting structures for reciprocation along the paths of travel provided thereby, a squeegee connected to said carriage, and means, operated by the movement of the carriage, for movement into and out of contact with said panel, a second carriage; said second carriage and the second pair of supporting structures having cooperating means for maintaining the second carriage in floating relation to said framing for movement along the other of said straight paths of travel; connections joining said carriages to cause them to move in unison; power operated structure connected to one of said carriages, and control means having a part located at each of the opposite ends of the path of travel of said one carriage to govern the operation of said power operated structure to cause the reciprocation of said one carriage along its path of travel.

13. A machine of the type set forth in claim 12 in which the power operated structure includes a cylinder having ports at its opposite ends, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder to one end of said one carriage, and connections joining said parts to said ports, including a flow reversing device to cause reversal of flow of a fluid medium under pressure through said ports into and out of the cylinder.

14. A machine for handling a plurality of substantially similar containers; said machine including a pair of oppositely disposed end frames spaced apart and each formed to permit the passage therethrough of such containers, a predetermined number at a time; two pairs of supporting structures extending through the space between said end frames and arranged one pair above the other pair; means for applying indicia to such containers, said means including mechanism, mounted on said pairs of structures for reciprocation in the space between said end frames, and an element treated to permit the extrusion, through selected areas only thereof, of a fluid marking medium, and means for effecting such reciprocation of said mechanism; said mechanism including means for positioning such containers successively to receive marking medium being extruded through said selected areas, and means operable, while the containers are so positioned, to effect such extrusion of the marking medium; the means for effecting the reciprocation of said mechanism including a pair of control elements mounted at the opposite ends of the path of travel of said mechanism and in position to be operated by the latter to control the direction of travel thereof; one pair of the supporting structures being located above said treated element and the other being located below said element and including a set of tracks floatingly mounted with respect to such element for limited movement with respect thereto to compensate for accidental variations in the sizes of the containers; said means for positioning the containers comprising a carriage mounted on said tracks for movement, from a position located for the receiving of the containers, through a path wherein the containers are presented for receiving the extruded marking medium, to a point where the containers are to be discharged from the machine; said mechanism also including a carriage, movably mounted on the upper pair of supporting structures and carrying the means for effecting said extrusion of the marking medium; said mechanism also including means connecting the carriages to cause movement of one of them to effect movement of the other thereof, said connecting means including a pair of elements, secured one to each carriage and means telescopically connecting said elements together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,114,323 Simmonton Apr. 19, 1938 2,132,818 Cone Oct. 11, 1938 2,157,638 Soubier May 9, 1939 2,207,818 Perry et a1. July 16, 1940 2,261,255 Jackson Nov. 4, 1941 2,383,947 Wensel et a1. Sept. 4, 1945 2,398,379 Kenney Apr. 16, 1946

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