Ink transfer arrangement and method in a printing press

An arrangement for transferring ink to an engraved die surface of a reciprocating die in an intaglio printing press, comprising:

• (a) means for providing a pool of ink;
• (b) means for distributing ink from the pool circumferentially along an outer circumferential surface of a rotatable fountain roller;
• (c) means for normally mounting a rotatable inking roller in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis to thereby distribute the ink on the fountain roller circumferentially along an outer circumferential surface of the inking roller;
• (d) means for mounting the inking roller for linear displacement relative to the fountain roller in a linear direction radial to the axis of rotation of the inking roller;
• and
• (e) means for displacing the inking roller along said linear direction radial to the axis of rotation of the inking roller by a predetermined distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller but in close confronting adjacent relationship therewith, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface.

A method of transferring ink to an engraved die surface of a reciprocating die in an intaglio printing press, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a pool of ink;
• (b) distributing ink from the pool circumferentially along an outer circumferential surface of a rotatable fountain roller;
• (c) normally mounting a rotatable inking roller in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis to thereby distribute the ink on the fountain roller circumferentially along an outer circumferential surface of the inking roller;
• (d) mounting the inking roller for linear displacement relative to the fountain roller in a linear direction radial to the axis of rotation of the inking roller;
• and
• (e) displacing the inking roller along said linear direction radial to the axis of rotation of the inking roller by a predetermined distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller but in close confronting adjacent relationship therewith, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface to permit the ink-laden inking roller to roll over and apply ink to the engraved die surface jointly during the reciprocating die movement.

In a printing press of the type including a reciprocatable die having an engraved surface to be inked, a die drive for reciprocating the die, and a press ram drive for pressing sheet material to be printed against the inked engraved die surface to produce intaglio printing,

• an ink transfer arrangement for transferring ink to the engraved die surface prior to the pressing, comprising:
• (a) an ink fountain counted on the press and containing a pool of ink;
• (b) a rotatable fountain roller mounted on the fountain and having at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface in inking communication with the ink from the pool, said fountain roller including a cylindrical body centered on a shaft;
• (c) means for rotating the fountain rollrer to distribute ink from the pool circumferentially along the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (d) a rotatable inking roller normally mounted in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis, said inking roller having a outer circumferential surface along which ink is distributed by the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (e) means for mounting the inking roller for limited displacement relative to the fountain roller in direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the inking roller;
• (f) displacing means operatively associated with the die drive, for displacing the inking roller by a predetermined limited distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface to permit the ink-laden inking roller to roll over and apply ink to the engraved die surface during the reciprocating movement of the die;
• and
• (g) means for readily removably mounting the fountain roller on the fountain, including a pair of circular bearings at opposite end regions of the shaft for journaling the same, a pair of circumferentially-incomplete supports on the fountain for supporting the bearings, and a pair of locks for fixedly mounting each bearing in a respective support.

In a printing press of the type including a reciprocatable die having an engraved surface to be inked, a die drive for reciprocating the die, and a press ram drive for pressing sheet material to be printed against the inked engraved die surface to produce intaglio printing,

• an ink transfer arrangement for transferring ink to the engraved die surface prior to the pressing, comprising:
• (a) an ink fountain mounted on the press and containing a pool of ink;
• (b) a rotatable fountain roller mounted on the fountain and having at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface in inking communication with the ink from the pool;
• (c) means for rotating the fountain roller to distribute ink from the pool circumferentially along the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (d) a rotatable inking roller normally mounted in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis, said inking roller having an outer circumferential surface along which ink is distributed by the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (e) means for mounting the inking roller for limited displacement relative to the fountain roller in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the inking roller;
• (f) displacing means operatively associated with the die drive, for displacing the inking roller by a predetermined limited distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface to permit the ink-laden inking roller to roll over and apply ink to the engraved die surface during the reciprocating movement of the die;
• (g) a rotatable auxiliary roller including a cylindrical bocy centered on a shaft;
• and
• (h) means for adjustably mounting the auxiliary roller on the fountain closely adjacent to the fountain roller to control the thickness of the ink on the same, said adjustable mounting means including a pair of circular bearings at opposite end regions of the shaft for journaling the same, a pair of circumferentially-incomplete movable supports on the fountain for supporting the bearings and the auxiliary roller in an operating condition, and means for fixedly positioning each movable support and the auxiliary roller in the operating condition.

In a printing press of the type including a reciprocatable die having an engraved surface to be inked, a die drive for reciprocating the die, and a press ram drive for pressing sheet material to be printed against the inked engraved die surface to produce intaglio printing,

• an ink transfer arrangement for transferring ink to the engraved die surface prior to the pressing, comprising:
• (a) an ink fountain mounted on the press and containing a pool of ink;
• (b) a rotatable fountain roller mounted on the fountain and having at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface in inking communication with the ink from the pool;
• (c) means for rotating the fountain roller to distribute ink from the pool circumferentially along the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (d) a rotatable inking roller normally mounted in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis, said inking roller having an outer circumferential surface along which ink is distributed by the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (e) means for mounting the inking roller on the fountain for limited displacement relative to the fountain roller in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the inking roller;
• and
• (f) displacing means operatively associated with the die drive, for displacing the inking roller by a predetermined limited distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface to permit the ink-laden inking roller to roll over and apply ink to the engraved die surface during the reciprocating movement of the die.

In a printing press of the type including a reciprocatable die having an engraved surface to be inked, a die drive for reciprocating the die, and a press ram drive for pressing sheet material to be printed against the inked engraved die surface to produce intaglio printing,

• an ink transfer arrangement for transferring ink to the engraved die surface prior to the pressing, comprising:
• (a) an ink fountain mounted on the press and containing a pool of ink;
• (b) a rotatable fountain roller mounted on the fountain and having at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface in inking communication with the ink from the pool;
• (c) means for rotating the fountain roller to distribute ink from the pool circumferentially along the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (d) a rotatable inking roller normally mounted in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis, said inking roller having an outer circumferential surface along which ink is distributed by the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (e) means for mounting the inking roller for limited displacement relative to the fountain roller in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the inking roller, said inking roller mounting means including means for constantly and yieldably urging the inking roller into inking engagement with the fountain roller;
• and
• (f) displacing means operatively associated with the die drive, for displacing the inking roller against the constant urging of the urging means in a radially linear direction by a predetermined limited distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface to permit the ink-laden inking roller to roll over and apply ink to the engraved die surface during the reciprocating movement of the die, said urging means automatically returning the inking roller into inking engagement with the fountain roller after said limited displacement.

In a printing press of the type including a reciprocatable die having an engraved surface to be inked, a die drive for reciprocating the die, and a press ram drive for pressing sheet material to be printed against the inked engraved die surface to produce intaglio printing,

• an ink transfer arrangement for transferring ink to the engraved die surface prior to the pressing, comprising:
• (a) an ink fountain mounted on the press and containing a pool of ink;
• (b) a rotatable fountain roller mounted on the fountain and having at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface in inking communication with the ink from the pool;
• (c) means for rotating the fountain roller to distribute ink from the pool circumferentially along the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (d) a rotatable inking roller normally mounted in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis, said inking roller having an outer circumferential surface along which ink is distributed by the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (e) means for mounting the inking roller for limited displacement relative to the fountain roller in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the inking roller, said inking roller mounting means mounting the inking roller on the fountain for adjusting movement relative to the fountain roller, including a pair of support arms on opposite sides of the fountain and each arm operatively supporting opposite axially spaced-apart end regions of the inking roller, a pair of guide blocks each fixedly connected to the opposite sides of the fountain and each being received in an elongated slot formed in a respective arm, means for finely adjusting the position of each arm relative to its respective guide block, and means for fixedly locking each arm in a selected adjusted position;
• and
• (f) displacing means operatively associated with the die drive, for displacing the inking roller by a predetermined limited distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface to permit the ink-laden inking roller to roll over and apply ink to the engraved die surface during the reciprocating movement of the die.

In a printing press of the type including a reciprocatable die having an engraved surface to be inked, a die drive for reciprocating the die, and a press ram drive for pressing sheet material to be printed against the inked engraved die surface to produce intaglio printing,

• an ink transfer arrangement for transferring ink to the engraved die surface prior to the pressing, comprising:
• (a) an ink fountain mounted on the press and containing a pool of ink;
• (b) a rotatable fountain roller mounted on the fountain and having at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface in inking communication with the ink from the pool;
• (c) means for rotating the fountain roller to distribute ink from the pool circumferentially along the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same;
• (d) a rotatable inking roller normally mounted in inking engagement with the fountain roller for rotation by the same about an axis, said inking roller having an outer circumferential surface along which ink is distributed by the outer circumferential surface of the fountain roller during rotation of the same, said inking roller including a cylindrical body centered on a shaft extending along the axis of rotation;
• (e) means for mounting the inking roller for limited displacement relative to the fountain roller in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the inking roller;
• and
• (f) displacing means operatively associated with the die drive, for displacing the inking roller by a predetermined limited distance out of inking engagement with the fountain roller, and into inking engagement with the engraved die surface to permit the ink-laden inking roller to roll over and apply ink to the engraved die surface during the reciprocating movement of the die, said displacing means including a pair of cam follower wheels mounted at opposite end regions of the shaft, and a pair of cam shoes operatively connected with the die drive to jointly move with the reciprocating movement of the die, each shoe engaging a respective wheel during a part of the reciprocating movement to effect said limited displacement.