Method for Improved Plate Change and Sheet-fed Offset Printing Press Having a Plate Change Apparatus
AssigneeHeidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
InventorsChristian Gorbing, Martin Grieve, Alexander Knabe, Markus Stark, Markus Wolf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for changing printing plates in sheet-fed rotary printing presses include a plurality of printing units and plate cylinders being coupled to one another mechanically in the printing units during a printing operation. At the beginning of a plate change, the plate cylinders are coupled to one another mechanically and are driven jointly by a main drive motor. After an old printing plate has been conveyed out, each plate cylinder is decoupled from the common mechanical connection and is driven by a separate drive motor.
Claims23
A method for changing printing plates in sheet-fed rotary printing presses having a plurality of printing units with plate cylinders coupled to one another mechanically during a printing operation, the method comprising the following steps:
- coupling the plate cylinders to one another in a common mechanical connection and driving the plate cylinders jointly with a main drive motor, at a beginning of a plate change;
- and
- decoupling each plate cylinder from the common mechanical connection and driving each plate cylinder with a separate respective drive motor, after conveying out an old printing plate from the plate cylinder.
A printing press, comprising:
- a plurality of printing units having plate cylinders with printing plates;
- a main drive motor for said printing units;
- separate drive motors for said plate cylinders;
- and
- a plate changer for changing said printing plates in said printing units;
- said plate cylinders being coupled to one another in a common mechanical connection in said printing units during a printing operation;
- said plate cylinders being coupled to one another in said common mechanical connection and being driven jointly by said main drive motor at a beginning of a plate change;
- and
- said plate cylinders being decoupled from said common mechanical connection after conveying out an old printing plate and being driven by said separate drive motors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.