Printing press

In a screen printing press, an improved squeegee support mechanism for adjustably supporting a squeegee blade relative to the crown of a print cylinder of the printing press, said support mechanism comprising:

• a frame for said press;
• a squeegee assembly including a squeegee blade;
• support means coupled between said frame and said squeegee assembly for supporting said squeegee blade generally above said printing cylinder, said support means including a pair of support posts positioned on opposite sides of said frame, said support means further including a slide assembly coupled between said squeegee blade assembly and said support post at each end of said squeegee blade assembly, each of said slide assemblies including guide means for movably receiving a slide therein and said guide means are coupled to said support posts;
• a gear rack coupled to each of said guide means and a drive gear coupled to said each of said slides and engaging an associated gear rack;
• and
• means for simultaneously rotating said drive gears to move said squeegee blade assembly by moving said slides relative to said guide means for moving said squeegee blade longitudinally along the direction of movement of printing stock in the press for adjusting the position of said squeegee blade with respect to the crown of said printing cylinder.

In a screen printing press of the type including a reciprocating screen frame carriage for transporting a stencil screen through print and return strokes, improved drive means for said screen carriage comprising:

• a frame for the printing press;
• at least one drive gear mounted within said frame;
• drive means for reciprocally rotating said drive gear through a predetermined arc during print and return strokes of printing operation;
• and
• a screen carriage slidably supported on said press frame and including at least one gear rack and means for coupling said gear rack to said carriage for moving said gear rack between operative and inoperative positions with respect to said drive gear, said coupling means including means for selectively moving said gear rack away from said drive gear to selectively disengage said gear rack and said drive gear whereby said screen carriage can be disengaged from said drive means without moving a stencil screen from said screen carriage.

In a screen printing press including a squeegee assembly having a squeegee blade movable between a lowered position during a print stroke of each cycle of operation to engage a printing screen and elevated out of contact with said printing screen during a return stroke of each cycle of operation, means for controllably lowering the squeegee onto the printing screen at an initial portion of each printing stroke comprising:

• a frame for said printing press;
• a screen frame carriage slidably mounted to said press frame, said carriage including means for receiving a stencil screen frame having a stencil screen mounted thereto;
• drive means coupled to said carriage for reciprocating said carriage between print and return strokes;
• a squeegee assembly including a squeegee blade;
• support means coupling said squeegee assembly to said press frame for vertical movement therebetween, said support means including squeegee assembly drive means for moving said squeegee assembly toward the printing screen during at least a portion of each printing stroke;
• and
• cam means extending between said squeegee support means and said carriage to intercept said squeegee assembly for controllably and gradually lowering said squeegee blade into contact with said screen as the screen carriage advances during the initial portion of each print stroke.

In a screen printing press of the type feeding successive segments of printing stock into a print station and registering the stock with respect to a printing cylinder and screen, improved means providing side registration of said stock comprising:

• a frame for said printing press;
• a stock support surface coupled to said frame for receiving and supporting printing stock thereon;
• means for supplying printing stock to said stock support surface;
• a block movably positioned on said stock support surface and including a plate movably coupled thereto by means of a rotatable threaded member, said plate forming an abutment surface for printing stock;
• adjustment means extending to an edge of the press and cooperating between said block and said plate to permit adjustment of said plate relative to said block wherein said adjustment means engages said threaded member to rotate said member providing relative motion between said plate and said block and comprises a first gear mounted to said threaded member;
• a pair of spaced support arms fixedly coupled to said stock support surface;
• an elongated gear rotatably coupled between ends of said arms to continuously engage said first gear as said block is moved;
• and means for rotating said elongated gear whereby said first gear rotates to adjust the position of said plate with respect to said block;
• vacuum pull-over means movably mounted within said support surface for lateral motion with respect to said feed direction of said printing stock, said pull-over means including a plurality of spaced apertures opening toward said stock support surface for gripping printing stock when positioned thereon and when vacuum is applied to said pull-over means;
• and
• drive means coupled to said pull-over means for moving said vacuum pull-over means to urge printing stock into a side registered position against said plate.

In a screen printing press of the type feeding successive segments of printing stock into a print station and registering the stock with respect to a printing cylinder and screen, improved means providing side registration of said stock comprising:

• a frame for said printing press;
• a stock support surface coupled to said frame for receiving and supporting printing stock thereon;
• means for supplying printing stock to said stock support surface;
• pull-over means movably mounted within said support surface for lateral motion with respect to the feed direction of said printing stock, said pull-over means including a plurality of spaced threaded apertures;
• a block bolted to selected apertures of said pull-over means and including a stock pusher plate movably coupled to said block by at least one rotatable threaded member, said plate engaging an edge of printing stock during side registration;
• adjustment means extending to an edge of the press and engaging said threaded member to rotate said member to move said plate relative to said block wherein said adjustment means comprises a first gear mounted to said threaded member;
• a pair of spaced support arms fixedly coupled to said stock support surface;
• an elongated gear rotatably coupled between ends of said arms to continuously engage said first gear as said block is moved;
• and means for rotating said elongated gear whereby said first gear rotates to adjust the position of said pusher plate with respect to said block;
• and
• drive means coupled to said pull-over means for moving said pull-over means and said block and pusher plate a predetermined distance to provide side registration of printing stock engaged by said pusher plate.

In a screen printing press, an improved squeegee support mechanism for movably supporting a squeegee between an operative position relative to the crown of a print cylinder of the printing press and in inoperative position spaced longitudinally and away from said print cylinder, said support mechanism comprising:

• a frame for said press;
• a squeegee assembly including a squeegee blade;
• slide means coupled to said squeegee assembly at opposite ends;
• support means coupled between said frame and said slide means for supporting said squeegee blade generally above said printing cylinder, said support means including guide means for receiving said slide means and means for moving said slide means in said guide means for moving said squeegee blade longitudinally along the direction of movement of printing stock in the press for moving said squeegee blade with respect to the crown of said printing cylinder, said support means further including means for lifting said squeegee assembly away from said printing cylinder whereby said squeegee assembly can be lifted and longitudinally moved to a position remote from said printing cylinder to provide access to the press for maintenance when in the inoperative position.