Printing apparatus

A printing apparatus comprising a printing station, an inking station spaced apart from said printing station, a printing plate disposed at said inking station, said printing plate having a face surface with a design formed thereon, a plurality of resiliently compressible injector units disposed at said inking station, passage means for connecting each of said injector units in fluid communication with the face surface of said printing plate, each of said resiliently compressible injector units including means for effecting a flow of ink through said passage means to the face surface of said printing plate upon compression of the injector unit, a movable counter plate disposed at said inking station, first drive means for moving said counter plate along a first path from a retracted position spaced apart from said printing plate to a position disposed adjacent to the printing plate, for thereafter continuing movement of said counter plate along said first path against the influence of said injector units to resiliently compress said injector units and effect a flow in ink from said injector units to the face surface of said printing plate, and for moving said counter plate back to said retracted position after said injector units have been compressed, an ink transfer roller, said ink transfer roller including surface means for receiving ink from the face surface of the printing plate at the inking station and for applying ink to the sheet material at the printing station, and second drive means for moving said transfer roller along a second path extending between the inking station and the printing station, a portion of said second path being disposed between said counter plate and said printing plate when said counter plate is in the retracted position.