Printing machine of the blocking press type, comprising a heating block which comprises a curved carrier medium surface of a printing plate, an application head comprising means of guidance of the heating block in a tilting motion, and an actuator for tilting of the heating block relative to the application head.

Printing machine of the blocking press type, comprising a heating block which comprises a curved carrier medium surface of a printing plate, an application head comprising means of guidance of the heating block in a tilting motion, and an actuator for tilting of the heating block relative to the application head.

A thermoforming platen is provided having a tooling support plate and a plurality of discrete load paths. The tooling support plate has a top tooling surface, a bottom surface, and an outer periphery. The plurality of discrete load paths interconnect the bottom surface with one or more external load sources operative to distribute and centralize load deformation of the top plate from forming loads. The load paths are provided laterally inboard of the top tooling surface at one of a plurality of inboard locations to impart minimized tooling surface deformation along the top plate tooling surface. A method is also provided.

A thermoforming apparatus is provided having a frame, a pair of opposed platens, a toggle shaft, a kinematic linkage, a form air manifold, and a pair of articulating bearing assemblies. The pair of opposed platens is carried by the frame each with a die, one die configured to engage an opposed face of another die across a heated sheet of thermoformable material in sealed relation there between. The toggle shaft is carried by the frame for rotation. The kinematic linkage is coupled between the toggle shaft and one of the dies. The form air manifold and a source of differential pressure is coupled with a die face on one of the dies. The pair of articulating bearing assemblies is carried by the frame and configured to support the at least one toggle shaft for translation towards and away from the another die and platen. A method is also provided.

A thermoforming apparatus is provided having a frame, a pair of opposed platens, a toggle shaft, a kinematic linkage, a form air manifold, and a pair of articulating bearing assemblies. The pair of opposed platens is carried by the frame each with a die, one die configured to engage an opposed face of another die across a heated sheet of thermoformable material in sealed relation there between. The toggle shaft is carried by the frame for rotation. The kinematic linkage is coupled between the toggle shaft and one of the dies. The form air manifold and a source of differential pressure is coupled with a die face on one of the dies. The pair of articulating bearing assemblies is carried by the frame and configured to support the at least one toggle shaft for translation towards and away from the another die and platen. A method is also provided.

A toolpack for a can bodymaker with a vertically oriented, reciprocating, elongated ram assembly is provided. The toolpack includes a tool pack housing assembly, a number of die spacers, a number of dies, and a compression device. The tool pack housing assembly defines a passage and includes an inner surface, an upper sidewall, a lower sidewall, a first lateral sidewall, a second lateral sidewall, a rear sidewall, and a door. The tool pack housing assembly passage extends generally vertically. Each die spacer structured to support a die and defining a central passage. Each die including a body defining a central passage. The die spacers and dies are disposed in said tool pack housing assembly. The compression device is disposed at said tool pack housing assembly lower sidewall and is structured to axially bias said number of die spacers.

A compression molding device, which can obtain a high compression molding force without lowering the efficiency of article production, and whose molding means has a long service life, is provided. In the compression molding device, a one-side mold assembly moving means (58) includes a toggle link mechanism including two links (62) and (64), and a toggle link mechanism operating means (60), while an opposite-side mold assembly moving means (108) includes a hydraulic cylinder mechanism. When a one-side mold assembly (16) and an opposite-side mold assembly (18) are to be brought from an open state into a closed state, the one-side mold assembly (16) is first moved to a nearly closed state by the one-side mold assembly moving means (58), and then the opposite-side mold assembly (18) is moved from the nearly closed state to the closed state by the opposite-side mold assembly moving means (108).

A can bodymaker is provided. The can bodymaker includes two rams that travel over a generally vertical path. The bodymaker includes a housing assembly and an operating mechanism structured to move a number of ram assemblies over a vertical path of travel. The operating mechanism includes a crankshaft, a motor, a link assembly, and a number of ram assemblies. The crankshaft is rotatably coupled to the housing assembly and includes a number of pairs of crankpin journals. The motor is operatively coupled to said crankshaft. The link assembly includes a number of links. Each ram assembly includes an elongated ram body, each ram body structured to move over a ram path. Links from said link assembly extend between, and movably couple, each crankshaft crankpin journal to a ram body.

A can bodymaker is provided. The can bodymaker includes two rams that travel over a generally vertical path. The bodymaker includes a housing assembly and an operating mechanism structured to move a number of ram assemblies over a vertical path of travel. The operating mechanism includes a crankshaft, a motor, a link assembly, and a number of ram assemblies. The crankshaft is rotatably coupled to the housing assembly and includes a number of pairs of crankpin journals. The motor is operatively coupled to said crankshaft. The link assembly includes a number of links. Each ram assembly includes an elongated ram body, each ram body structured to move over a ram path. Links from said link assembly extend between, and movably couple, each crankshaft crankpin journal to a ram body.

A hydrostatic/hydrodynamic fluid bearing assembly for a can bodymaker is provided. The hydrostatic/hydrodynamic fluid bearing assembly is separate from the ram body. The outboard guide bearing assembly includes a carriage assembly and a number of elongated journals. The carriage assembly includes a ram coupling, a crank coupling, and body defining a number of journal passages. The ram body is coupled to a ram coupling. The crank coupling is structured to be coupled to a crank arm. Each journal extends through a carriage assembly body journal passage. In this configuration, the ram body may form a can body in a traditional manner, but fluid bearing assembly fluid is not applied to the ram body. Instead, the fluid bearing assembly fluid is applied to the journals.