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(11) | EP 0 143 568 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Curing apparatus with ejector mechanism |
| (57) An apparatus for curing ink screen print on articles, particularly large articles
(14) such as pails or barrels, includes a rotatable turntable (22) having a plurality
of spin table (32) compartments each of which is to receive a pail and carry the same
in a circular path past a radiation source (16) covered by a housing (18) at a curing
station. Each article (14) is spun as it reaches the curing station to assure complete
irradiation about the circumference of each article. The housing (18) is provided
with a large opening (24) to facilitate loading of articles onto the spin tables and
removal of articles with cured ink from the spin tables. A torque limiting device
is provided for the turntable drive to prevent injury to a hand of the operator. An
ejector mechanism (35) is mounted on the apparatus to automatically eject cured articles
from the turntable to reduce the labour needed to operate the apparatus. The preferred
ejector mechanism includes a fluid cylinder (41) having a pusher (43) mounted centrally
of the turntable, and operable to extend into a compartment to push an article therefrom
onto a takeaway conveyor. Operation of the ejector mechanism disables the turntable
drive mechanism. |