Patent abstracts

In GB patent 2286 996, Royal Doulton (UK) Ltd describes a dispensing appratus for thermoplastic printing ink. It comprises a container for ink, and means enabling the container to be mounted on a transfer printing machine adjacent to a printing plate to be inked. There is also a means for controlling ink temperature and for delivering measured quantitities of ink from the container to the printing plate. These should preferably include a delivery pipe adapted to extend between the container and the printing plate, a heater associated with the delivery pipe, and a method for detachably connecting the heater to an electrical supply, to enable the delivery pipe and the heater to be removed from the apparatus as a unit.