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US 4,796,782 AGranted
Ink monitor system
AssigneeAutomation, Inc.
InventorsR. Langdon Wales, H. W. Crowley
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAutomation, Inc.
InventorsR. Langdon Wales, H. W. Crowley
Estimating the term…
A system for monitoring ink flow from an ink storage tank to at least one ink fountain of a high-speed, web-fed printing press employing a scale for measuring the weight of the ink storage tank and comparing weight signals from the scale at successive times to determine the weight of ink consumed over the interval between readings. A pump is associated with the storage tank for pumping the ink to the fountain via coupling lines. An ink level sensor detects the level of ink in the fountain and provides an ink demand signal for operating a valve means in the ink coupling line to in turn cause ink flow to the fountain so as to provide replenishment of ink thereat. With the use of plural fountains, means are provided for prioritizing delivery to the fountains so that individual ink consumption on a per fountain basis can be determined. In this regard, the system also employs a volume sensor preferably in the form of a pump stroke position sensor for determining incremental weight delivery per stroke.
A system for monitoring ink flow from an ink storage tank to at least one ink fountain of a high-speed web-fed printing press, said system comprising:
A method of monitoring ink flow from an ink storage tank to at least one ink fountain of a high-speed, web-fed printing press, said method comprising the steps of, measuring the weight of the ink storage tank along with the ink stored therein so as to provide a continuous signal representative of measured weight, pumping the ink to the fountain, detecting the level of ink at the fountain and providing an ink demand signal when the level of ink in the fountain falls below a predetermined level, enabling the pumping in response to the demand signal for causing ink to flow to the fountain, measuring volume flow during the pumping, and comparing weight signals at successive times to determine the weight of ink consumed over the interval between readings.
A method for monitoring ink flow from an ink storage tank to at least one ink fountain of a high-speed web-fed printing process comprising the steps of, measuring the weight of the ink storage tank along with any ink stored therein to provide a continuous signal representative of measured weight, pumping the ink to the fountain, comparing the weight signals at successive times to determine the weight of ink consumed over the interval between comparisons, operating delivery to only a single fountain at a time, and measuring the volume flow of ink during a single fountain delivery.
A method for monitoring the flow of material from a storage tank to a plurality of material receiving or consuming means comprising the steps of, measuring the weight of the storage tank along with any material stored therein to provide a continuous signal representative of measured weight, providing pumping means for pumping the substance to the material receiving or consuming means to deliver material to only a single receiving or consuming means at a time, comparing the weight signals at successive times to determine the weight of material consumed over the interval between comparisons, and measuring the flow volume of material during a single receiving or consuming means delivery.
A system for monitoring ink flow from an ink storage tank to a plurality of ink fountains, said system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.