US 4,362,098 A · Rotary printing press using flexible plates

Abstract

To enable the printing cylinder of a rotary press, which carries printing plates, to move to and from operative proximity to an impression cylinder rotatable on a fixed axis, the respective printing cylinder bearings are eccentrically mounted on large diameter disc-like bearing carriers, each rotatable in a hole in a rigid side frame member, said holes being coaxial. Each of the bearings for an anilox cylinder that transfers ink to the printing cylinder is similarly eccentrically mounted on a small diameter circular bearing carrier rotatable in an eccentric hole in a large diameter bearing carrier. Each bearing carrier has a frustoconical edge surface tapering in one axial direction, and the hole in which it rotates has a matingly tapered edge surface to define a limit of its axial motion in said direction, at which it is confined. Cooperating abutment elements on the respective bearing carriers and the frame members are engageable to define operative rotational positions of the bearing carriers, the abutment elements on the frame members being adjustable. The large diameter bearing carriers are rotated to and from their said positions by actuators connected between them and the respective side frame members; the smaller ones by actuators connected between them and their respective large diameter bearing carriers. A drive mechanism has output elements, one for each of said cylinders, constrained to synchronized rotation on fixed axes, and each cylinder is driven from its output element through an axially expansible and contractable torque tube and universal joints at opposite ends of the torque tube, respectively connected with the cylinder and its output element. The arrangement substantially prevents all erratic cylinder motion, assuring good printing quality.

Claims17

Dependent claims

In a printing press comprising a frame having opposite spaced apart side frame members and a pair of cylinders between said side frame members, each rotatable in a pair of bearings that respectively support its opposite end portions, one of said cylinders being bodily movable relative to the other to and from an operative position in which said one cylinder is in proximity to the other and has its axis in a predetermined spaced and substantially parallel relationship to the axis of said other cylinder, mounting means whereby the bearings for said one cylinder are supported on said frame for bodily motion of that cylinder to and from said operative position, said mounting means being characterized by:

A. a pair of circular bearing carriers, one for each side frame member, each carrying a bearing for said one cylinder, said bearings being spaced equal distances from the respective axes of said bearing carriers;
B. each of said bearing carriers having its peripheral surface tapered axially in one direction;
C. each side frame member having a hole in which its bearing carrier is rotatably seated and which defines a mating axially tapering surface that is engaged by the peripheral surface on its bearing carrier to define a limit of axial motion of the bearing carrier in said direction, said holes in the side frame members being coaxial;
D. retaining means for each bearing carrier, adjacent to its marginal portion and the marginal portion of its hole in its side frame member, secured to one of said marginal portions and slidably overlying the other to confine the bearing carrier against axial motion away from said limit;
and
E. cooperating abutment elements on each bearing carrier and on its side frame member, engageable to define a position of rotation of the bearing carrier in which said one cylinder is in its operative position.

3 more elements

A printing press comprising first, second and third cooperating cylinders extending between opposite side members of a rigid frame and rotatable in bearings supported by said side members, said printing press being characterized by:

A. a pair of substantially large circular bearing carriers, one for each side member, said bearing carriers
(1) being rotatably seated in coaxial holes in said side members and
(2) each having one of the bearings for said first cylinder eccentrically secured thereto, said bearings being spaced equal distances from the axes of the respective bearing carriers;
B. abutment means for defining an operative position of rotation of each bearing carrier, said abutment means comprising an abutment element on each bearing carrier engageable against an abutment element on its side member, one of said abutment elements being adjustable to enable the axis of said first cylinder to be established in a desired relationship to the axis of said second cylinder when the bearing carriers are in their operative positions of rotation;
C. actuating means for each of said bearing carriers, reacting between it and its side member, for rotating the bearing carrier towards and from its operative position, said actuating means being arranged to maintain said abutment element for each said bearing carrier engaged under bias against the abutment element on its side member when the bearing carrier is in its operative position of rotation;
D. a pair of smaller diameter circular bearing carriers, one for each of said large diameter bearing carriers, each of said smaller diameter bearing carriers
(1) being rotatably seated in an eccentric hole in its large diameter bearing carrier and
(2) having one of the bearings for said third cylinder eccentrically secured thereto.

5 more elements

A rotary printing press having a printing cylinder, an impression cylinder that maintains a web engaged with the printing cylinder, and a further cylinder that applies ink to the printing cylinder, said press having substantially fixed and rigid side frame members between which said cylinders are rotatable and each of which supports a bearing for each of said cylinders, said press being characterized by:

A. a pair of large diameter circular bearing carriers, one for each of said side frame members, each rotatably seated in a hole in its side frame member, and each carrying a bearing for said printing cylinder, said printing cylinder bearings being spaced equal distances from the axes of said bearing carriers;
B. a pair of small diameter circular bearing carriers, one for each of said large diameter bearing carriers and rotatably seated in a hole therein, the large diameter bearing carriers having their holes centered at equal distances from their respective axes, and each of said small diameter bearing carriers carrying a bearing for said further cylinder, said further cylinder bearings being spaced equal distances from the axes of said small diameter bearing carriers;
C. a carrier abutment element for each of said bearing carriers, each constrained to rotate with its bearing carrier;
D. a plurality of frame abutment elements on the side frame members, one for each of said carrier abutment elements and by which the latter is engaged to define an operative rotational position of its bearing carrier;
E. actuating means connected between each of said side frame members and its large diameter bearing carrier for rotating the latter to and from its said position to carry the printing cylinder to and from operative proximity to the impression cylinder;
and
F. actuating means connected between each of said large diameter bearing carriers and its small diameter bearing carrier for rotating the latter to and from its said position to carry said further cylinder to and from operative proximity to the impression cylinder.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotary printing press using flexible plates

Life of this patent

Rotary printing press using flexible plates

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17