Apparatus for printing on webs

Apparatus for printing on webs, particularly textile webs, comprising a machine frame;

• a gas-permeable support for a web to be printed, said support being mounted on said machine frame and having an upper side and a lower side;
• a suction-box at said lower side and having an upper wall facing said lower side and provided with at least one suction opening, and also having a suction channel communicating with said suction opening;
• means for blocking the application of suction force from said channel to said opening, including a diaphragm seal in said suction chamber and comprising distendable diaphragms which is distended condition extend across said channel to engage one another and block the channel;
• a plurality of flat stencils adapted to be placed in a sequence one after the other in one and the same printing position above said upper side, each stencil having a stencil frame, a stencil screen in said stencil frame, and a combined printing medium container and squeegee device on the stencil frame for discharging printing medium onto the stencil screen;
• means for raising and lowering each stencil with reference to said upper side of said support;
• a single drive on said machine frame for moving the respective combined device to and fro over said stencil screen;
• and coupling means for coupling the device of the respective stencil with said drive in response to placement of each individual stencil in said printing position above said upper side.