US 4,287,828 A · Ink metering apparatus

Abstract

Ink metering apparatus comprising a resilient surfaced roller urged into indented relation with a printing plate; a source of ink positioned to apply an excess of ink to the portion of the resilient roller surface which has applied ink to the printing plate; and a resilient metering member having a hard, smooth, polished, highly developed, flexible edge resiliently urged by adjustment screws into pressure indented relation with the resilient roller surface. The flexible polished edge is resiliently and adjustably urged into pressure indented relation along the length of the resilient roller surface by forces of sufficient magnitude to deform the flexible polished edge along the length thereof such that the edge and the roller surface conform with each other and cooperate to form an orifice which is adjusted to the imperfections of the metering member and the resilient roller surface to form a continuous uniform film of ink on the resilient roller surface.

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Drawings

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method of forming a thin film of printing ink on a resilient form roller surface urged into pressure relation with a printing plate, wherein an excess of ink is applied to a portion of the form roller surface carrying a film of ink of irregular thickness, the improvement comprising the steps of:

providing a resilient cantilever metering member supported at one end;
positioning a flexible support surface lying between a metering edge and a trailing edge on the other end of said metering member in pressure indented relation with ink and said resilient roller surface such that the metering edge is indented further into the roller than the trailing edge and the support surface is entirely indented into the resilient roller surface so that ink carried by the roller surface impinges against a substantially radially disposed metering surface on the metering member adjacent the metering edge;
resiliently applying force along the entire length of the support surface for resiliently urging the metering edge and the trailing edge in a direction generally radially of the roller to position the metering edge and the trailing edge on the metering member in pressure relation with the resilient roller surface;
said step of resiliently applying force including providing resilient pressure adjustment means at spaced locations along the length of the metering member, supporting said resilient pressure adjustment means separate from said metering member so that said resilient pressure adjustment means are biased toward and into contact with said resilient metering member, adjusting the resilient adjustment means so as to deflect the support surface at said spaced locations for thus applying a resilient contacting force to said resilient metering member at spaced locations along the length of the metering member to vary the thickness of the film of ink along the length of the roller while permitting movement of the support surface in a direction radially of the roller to prevent changes in the film thickness around the circumference of the roller as the roller rotates.

1 more element

Improvements in ink metering apparatus for applying ink to a printing plate in a printing press wherein an excess of ink is applied to the surface of a form roller having a resilient surface and the ink is metered to form a thin film of a controlled thickness, the improvements comprising:

a form roller having a resilient roller surface urged into pressure relation with the printing plate;
a resilient metering member;
a polished support surface on said resilient metering member;
a metering surface on said resilient metering member;
a third surface on said resilient metering member, said support surface and said metering surface intersecting to form a resilient metering edge, said support surface and said third surface intersecting to form a resilient trailing edge;
support means supporting said resilient metering member to indent said metering edge and said trailing edge into said resilient roller surface, said support means positioning said resilient metering member such that said metering edge is indented into the resilient roller surface a distance at least as great as the distance the trailing edge is indented into the resilient roller surface, said support means resiliently supporting said resilient member in a direction radially of the form roller to permit movement of the resilient metering edge relative to the axis of the form roller, and supporting said resilient metering edge to prevent movement of said resilient metering edge in a direction tangent to the form roller;
resilient means secured to said support means and spaced from said resilient metering member;
pressure adjustment means secured to said resilient means to adjust force between the resilient surface of the roller and the polished metering edge on said resilient metering member at spaced intervals along the length of the resilient metering member to deform the polished metering edge relative to the surface of the roller while permitting movement of the metering edge radially of the form roller;
means to apply an excess of ink to the resilient roller surface which carries a film of ink of irregular thickness after engaging the printing plate;
and means to rotate said form roller to move said excess of ink to impinge against said metering surface.

7 more elements

Improvements in ink metering apparatus for applying ink to a printing plate in a printing press wherein an excess of ink is applied to the surface of a form roller having a resilient surface and the ink is metered to form a thin film of a controlled thickness, the improvements comprising:

a form roller having a resilient roller surface urged into pressure relation with the printing plate;
a resilient metering member;
a polished support surface on said resilient metering member;
a metering surface on said resilient metering member;
a third surface on said resilient metering member, said support surface and said metering surface intersecting to form a resilient metering edge, said support surface and said third surface intersecting to form a resilient trailing edge;
support means supporting said resilient metering member to indent said metering edge and said trailing edge into said resilient roller surface, said support means positioning said resilient metering member such that said metering edge is indented into the resilient roller surface a distance at least as great as the distance the trailing edge is indented into the resilient roller surface said support means resiliently supporting said resilient member in a direction radially of the form roller to permit movement of the resilient metering edge relative to the axis of the form roller, and supporting said resilient metering edge to prevent movement of said resilient metering edge in a direction tangent to the form roller;
a serrated leaf spring having slots formed therein to provide flexible fingers spaced along the length of said resilient metering member;
means securing said serrated leaf spring to said support means in spaced relation from said resilient metering member;
adjustment means movably secured to each of said flexible fingers to engage said resilient metering member at spaced locations along the length of said resilient metering member to adjust force between the resilient surface of the roller and the polished metering edge on said resilient metering member at spaced intervals along the length of the resilient metering member to deform the polished metering edge relative to the surface of the roller while permitting movement of the metering edge radially of the form roller;
means to apply an excess of ink to the resilient roller surface which carries a film of ink of irregular thickness after engaging the printing plate;
and means to rotate said form roller to move said excess of ink to impinge against said metering surface.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description12,135 words

Summary2,596 words

#Inkers for printing plates which have achieved commercial acceptance generally comprise from two to four form rollers which are positioned in rolling engagement with a printing plate. Each of the form rollers are usually in rolling engagement with one or more vibrator rollers to which ink is applied by a multitude of rollers in a train of rollers of varying diameters arranged in pyramid fashion. Ink is delivered to the train of rollers over a ductor roller which oscillates into and out of engagement with a film of ink formed by a flexible doctor blade urged into engagement with the hard surface of an ink fountain roller by a multiplicity of ink keys.

#The ink film formed on the ink fountain roller has been too thick and too irregular for application directly to a printing plate for quality printing. These inkers which include a multiplicity of rollers are intended to reduce the thickness of the ink film and to deliver a film of uniform thickness to the printing plate. However, since the ink film on each form roller is not totally replenished on each revolution of the form rollers; image ghosting and ink accumulation and starvation is not eliminated.

#The multiple roller inkers require complex drive trains and are relatively expensive to purchase initially and to maintain thereafter.

Brief description of the drawings12 figures

#Drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention are annexed hereto so that the invention may be better and more fully understood, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken transversly through a printing press;

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the relationship of the metering member relative to a resilient covered roller;

Detailed description9,268 words

#Numeral references are employed to designate like parts throughout the various figures of the drawing.

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the numeral 1 generally designates an inker having spaced side frames 2 movably secured to side frames 3 of a printing press having a conventional plate cylinder P, blanket cylinder B, and impression cylinder I mounted therein for printing on a web W or a sheet of paper.

#Support means 5 is provided to adjustably secure metering member 10 between side frames 2 and to position metering member 10 in relation to a resilient covered applicator roller 40. Opposite ends of applicator roller 40 are rotatably secured to side frames 2 in suitable bearings and applicator roller 40 is driven by any suitable drive means such as a chain 4 drivingly connecting a sprocket on the plate cylinder to the sprocket on a clutch (not shown) at an end of applicator roller 40. The surface speed of applicator roller 40 is preferably equal to the surface speed of plate cylinder P. However, the surface speed of applicator roller 40 can be about ten percent faster or slower than the surface speed of plate cylinder P to facilitate cleaning non-image areas of the plate P.

Ink metering apparatus

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Ink metering apparatus

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims7

Description12,135 words

Drawings

Classification2 codes

Life of this patent

Description12,135 words