Mechanism for rigidifying a collapsible object

Claim 1

In a machine for decorating and inflating a bottle comprising, a. a first base for supporting said machine, b. a frame on said base defining an open work area, c. a die mounted in said work area, d. a platform mounted in said base for movement between proximate and distal positions with respect to said die, e. means for selectively moving said platform between said proximate and distal positions, f. said platform having a second base thereon having an air receiving opening therein and means to receive a bottle thereon whereby the neck of the bottle is contiguous with said opening, g. a tape having decorative material removably secured thereto extending between said die and the bottle on said platform whereby the tape is impressed against the bottle and the die when the platform is in the proximate position with respect to the die, h. an air line interconnecting an air supply to the air receiving opening in said second base, i. selectively operable valve means in said air line for opening and closing said air line to selectively permit air to flow from said supply to said second base to inflate a bottle thereon, j. an adjustable timer for selectively operating said valve means upon actuation of the timer to open said valve means for a selected predetermined period of time, which period of time after actuation of the timer, is independent of the position of said platform, thereby to pressurize said bottle for said predetermined period of time, and k. means, responsive to movement of the platform, for actuating the timer.

Claim 8

The method of rigidifying a bottle for decoration in a machine having a die and a platform mounted for movement between proximate and distal positions with respect to the die and having a base thereon having an air receiving opening and means to receive a bottle Thereon whereby the neck of the bottle is contiguous to said opening, and a tape having decorative material removably secured thereto and extending between the die and the bottle on the platform, whereby the tape is impressed against the bottle and the die when the platform is in the proximate position with respect to the die, said method comprising the steps of a. presetting a time interval into a timer b. moving said platform to said proximate position with respect to said die, c. actuating said timer as said platform approaches said proximate position, d. opening an air valve upon actuation of said timer, e. supplying air through said valve to said base opening and the bottle to inflate the bottle whereby the bottle is held rigidly against the die in the proximate position of said platform, and f. releasing the air from said bottle after expiration of the preselected time interval in the timer independently of the position of the platform.

Claim 9

The method of rigidifying a bottle for decoration in a machine having a die and a platform mounted for movement between proximate and distal positions with respect to the die and having a base thereon having an air receiving opening and means to receive a bottle Thereon whereby the neck of the bottle is contiguous to said opening, and a tape having decorative material removably secured thereto and extending between the die and the bottle on the platform, whereby the tape is impressed against the bottle and the die when the platform is in the proximate position with respect to the die, said method comprising the steps of a. presetting a time interval into a timer b. moving said platform to said proximate position with respect to said die, c. actuating said timer as said platform approaches said proximate position, d. opening an air valve upon actuation of said timer, e. supplying air through said valve to said base opening and the bottle to inflate the bottle whereby the bottle is held rigidly against the die in the proximate position of said platform, and f. releasing the air from said bottle after expiration of the preselected time interval in the timer independently of the position of the platform.