Ink supply systems for printing presses

An ink supply system for a printing press comprising:

• a bulk ink supply system, wherein the bulk ink supply system comprises one or more supply lines leading to the printing press for supplying ink to the printing press in bulk;
• a supplemental ink supply system, wherein the supplemental ink supply system comprises one or more ink canisters for supplying ink to the printing press;
• and,
• an intermediate ink supply system, wherein the intermediate ink supply system comprises one or more barrels for supplying ink to the printing press.

An ink supply system for a printing press unit comprising:

• a plurality of ink canisters arranged adjacent to a printing press unit for supplying ink to the printing press unit, wherein the ink canisters contain ink of a single color;
• a plurality of dispense systems associated with one or more of the ink canisters, each dispense system comprising,
• an actuator causing ink to be selectively dispensed from an associated ink canister when the actuator is actuated, and
• a depletion sensor for sending a signal indicative of when the ink in the ink canister is at least partially depleted;
• and,
• a controller in operative communication with the dispense systems and adapted for causing at least one actuator to dispense ink from a subsequent one or more of the ink canisters when the depletion sensor sends a signal that the ink in a preceding ink canister is at least partially depleted.

An ink supply system for a printing press comprising:

• at least one barrel arranged adjacent to a printing press for supplying ink to the printing press;
• a dispense system associated with each barrel, each dispense system comprising
• a pump causing ink to be selectively dispensed from an associated barrel when the pump is actuated, and
• wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump.