METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHANGING THE ORIENTATION OF WORKPIECES ABOUT AN ANGLED AXIS FOR A DECORATOR

摘要

A workpiece transfer for a decorating machine (10) includes transport conveyors (24A,24B) for carrying workpieces to and from the decorating machine. The conveyors support each of the workpieces such that an elongated axis (A) of each workpiece is vertically oriented. The machine has a conveyor (155) with spaced workpiece carriers to support a workpiece for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the workpiece in a horizontal orientation. A plurality of workpiece grippers (186) pivotally supported by a drive hub (165) support the workpieces during movement of the longitudinal axis between the vertical and horizontal orientations.