Operating lever device for printing machine

A printing machine having an operating lever device, comprising:

• a plate cylinder;
• means for loading plates onto said plate cylinder;
• means for unloading said plates;
• a blanket cylinder;
• means for cleaning said blanket cylinder;
• form rollers;
• a form roller control mechanism;
• a plate cylinder control mechanism;
• a sheet feed;
• a sheet feed control mechanism;
• a water duct roller;
• a water duct roller control mechanism;
• a rubber cylinder;
• an ink duct roller;
• an ink duct roller control mechanism;
• an operating lever device;
• said operating lever device comprising an operating lever adapted to be set at any of a plurality of positions stepwise and a set cam secured to an operating shaft which is fixedly secured to said operating lever, said set cam holding said operating lever in such a manner that said operating lever can be held at more than one of said plurality of positions;
• a plurality of cams and arms coupled to said operating shaft for controlling said plate loading means, plate unloading means, blanket cylinder cleaning means, form roller control mechanism, plate cylinder control mechanism, sheet feed control mechanism, water duct roller control mechanism and ink duct roller control mechanism in accordance with an angular position of said operating lever;
• said plate loading means comprising a switch mechanism having a memory circuit adapted to be set to open and closed positions in accordance with a plate loading operation and to store a plate loaded state during an additional plate loading operation which is carried out upon completion of a first plate loading operation;
• an automatic returning mechanism for returning said operating lever to at least one of said plurality of positions, said automatic returning mechanism comprising at least one solenoid, said automatic returning mechanism being operated by said solenoid according to a rotational position of said rubber cylinder, said automatic returning mechanism being operatively coupled to said operating lever, said solenoid being coupled to be energized upon completion of a printing operation to successively return said operating lever to at least one of said plurality of positions;
• at least said water duct roller control mechanism and said form roller control mechanism being operatively coupled to said operating lever to be operated before a plate loading operation of said plate loading means by setting said operating lever stepwise to cause said form rollers to contact said plate cylinder;
• and
• said ink duct roller control mechanism being coupled to said operating shaft in such a manner that ink is supplied in a step in which said form rollers contact the surface of said plate and the surface of said plate contacts said rubber cylinder after said plate has been loaded on said plate cylinder.