(57) A machine for the multi-colour silk-screen printing of cylindrical containers in
general, comprises a loading station (5), at least two printing stations (3) and a
discharge station (6) for the containers (4), these stations being angularly equidistant
on a horizontal circular path, along which a like number of angularly equidistant
radial mandrels (34, 36) move stepwise.
A gear (8) coaxial to the machine central vertical axis is constantly engaged in corresponding
gears associated with said mandrels (34, 36) and printing stations (3). The gear (8)
is rotated with reciprocating motion of any amplitude, to drive the mandrels (34,
36) through any arc, which can also be greater than 360°. If the return movement of
the gear (8) is completed during transfer of the mandrels (34, 36) berween one station
and another, the mandrels will always have undergone one complete revolution about
themselves, so that they become repositioned in their exact starting position. As
a particular case, the gear (8) is rotated with reciprocating motion of angular amplitude
equal to that by which the mandrels are distributed, so that in one direction the
mandrel follows their movement along the circular path so maintaining them stationary
with respect to their axis, whereas in the opposite direction it causes them to rotate
about their axis, with simultaneous concordant sliding of the screens (31) which have
been lowered against the containers (4).
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