Back to results
US 4,878,427 AGranted
Printing station with toolless changeable plate cylinder
AssigneeWebtron Corporation
InventorsBohdan Washchynsky, Vladimir J. Fisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing station for use in a flexographic printing press. The printing station has a frame to which is attached supports for holding a doctor roll, an anilox roll and an impression roll. Adjustable mechanisms are provided for adjusting these rolls such that a plate cylinder may be removed and reinserted, without the use of tools, and without any need to readjust the adjustable mechanisms. The doctor roll and the anilox roll may also be removed without the use of tools. Two printing stations may be used to print alternately while a web having substrates moves continuously through the stations. This is achieved without significant waste because of the ability to quickly change plate cylinders without readjustment of the printing station.
Claims30
A printing station for use in a printing press comprising:
- support means for providing a frame;
- first means on said support means for holding an impression roll;
- second means on said support means for holding an anilox roll;
- first adjustable means on said support means for positioning a plate cylinder relative to said impression roll;
- second adjustable means on said support means for positioning said plate cylinder relative to said anilox roll;
- releasable means for retaining said plate cylinder in a predetermined position relative to said impression roll and said anilox roll, said releasable means operable to allow removal and insertion of said plate cylinder without changing a setting of said first and second adjustable means;
- each of said first and second adjustable means having an adjustable mechanism and a bearer having a pivot end attached to said support means and a free end, said bearer having at least a curved surface for contacting an end region of said plate cylinder, said adjustable mechanism having a moveable member contacting said free end of said bearer, wherein said moveable member causes said free end of said bearer to move pivoting said bearer about said pivot end thereby adjusting the position of said plate cylinder;
- said bearer also having an aperture in its free end within which a stationary pin is located, said pin being connected to said support means, said pin and aperture providing a predetermined gap therebetween.
5 more elements
A printing station for use in a printing press comprising:
- support means for providing a frame;
- first means on said support means for holding an impression roll;
- second means on said support means for holding an anilox roll;
- first adjustable means on said support means for positioning a plate cylinder relative to said impression roll;
- second adjustable means on said support means for positioning said plate cylinder relative to said anilox roll;
- releasable means for retaining said plate cylinder in a predetermined position relative to said impression roll and said anilox roll, said releasable means operable to allow removal and insertion of said plate cylinder without changing a setting of said first and second adjustable means;
- each of said first and second adjustable means having an adjustable mechanism and a bearer having a pivot end attached to said support means and a free end, said bearer having at least a curved surface for contacting an end region of said plate cylinder, said adjustable mechanism having a moveable member contacting said free end of said bearer, wherein said moveable member causes said free end of said bearer to move pivoting said bearer about said pivot end thereby adjusting the position of said plate cylinder;
- said end region of said plate cylinder having a substantially disc shaped component for contacting said curved surface of said bearer;
- said diameter of said disc shaped component being substantially the same as the diameter of a mid-portion of said plate cylinder.
6 more elements
A printing station for use in a printing press comprising:
- support means for providing a frame;
- first means on said support means for holding an impression roll;
- second means on said support means for holding an anilox roll;
- first adjustable means on said support means for positioning a plate cylinder relative to said impression roll;
- second adjustable means on said support means for positioning said plate cylinder relative to said anilox roll;
- releasable means for retaining said plate cylinder in a predetermined position relative to said impression roll and said anilox roll, said releasable means operable to allow removal and insertion of said plate cylinder without changing a setting of said first and second adjustable means;
- said printing station further having third means on said support means for holding a doctor roll, and third adjustable means on said support means for positioning said doctor roll relative to said anilox roll;
- said third means for holding said doctor roll having two means for moving said doctor roll away from said anilox roll located on either end of said doctor roll;
- and
- said means for moving having an arm with a substantially U-shaped support on a first end thereof for supporting an end of said doctor roll and a latch mechanism on a second end thereof for locking said means for moving when said doctor roll is positioned relative to said anilox roll.
7 more elements
A printing station for use in a printing press comprising:
- support means for providing a frame;
- first means on said support means for holding an impression roll;
- second means on said support means for holding an anilox roll;
- first adjustable means on said support means for positioning a plate cylinder relative to said impression roll;
- second adjustable means on said support means for positioning said plate cylinder relative to said anilox roll;
- releasable means for retaining said plate cylinder in a predetermined position relative to said impression roll and said anilox roll, said releasable means operable to allow removal and insertion of said plate cylinder without changing a setting of said first and second adjustable means;
- third means on said support means for holding a doctor roll, and third adjustable means on said support means for positioning said doctor roll relative to said anilox roll;
- means for supporting an ink pan under said doctor roll;
- means for moving said ink pan away from said doctor roll, said means for moving said ink pan connected to said support means;
- said means for moving said ink pan having a frame for supporting said ink pan, said frame having a pair of upright members, each of said members slideably positioned in at least two bearings, and means for sliding said upright member in said bearings, said means for sliding connected to said upright member.
7 more elements
An alternating printing station system for use in printing press comprising:
- first and second printing stations having a continuous web with a plurality of substrates thereon moving first through said first printing station and then through said second printing station, each of said first and second printing stations having;
- support means for providing a frame;
- first means on said support means for holding an impression roll;
- second means on said support means for holding an anilox roll;
- first adjustable means on said support means for positioning a plate cylinder relative to said impression roll;
- second adjustable means on said support means for positioning said plate cylinder relative to said anilox roll;
- releasable means for retaining said plate cylinder in a predetermined position relative to said impression roll and said anilox roll, said releasable means operable to allow removal and insertion of said plate cylinder without changing a setting of said first and second adjustable means;
- means for counting said substrates on said web as said web moves through said printing station;
- means for controlling said releasable means in response to said means for counting, said means for controlling, when said means for counting reaches a predetermined number, providing a first control signal to cause said releasable means to effect movement of said plate cylinder from a printing position to a stand-by position, and said means for controlling providing a second signal;
- and
- said first and second printing stations alternately placing their associated plate cylinders in said printing position, one of said printing stations placing said plate cylinder in said stand-by position when its means for counting reaches said predetermined number, said second signal being sent to said other printing station which thereafter places its print cylinder in said printing position;
- each of said first and second adjustable means having an adjustable mechanism and a bearer having a pivot end attached to said support means and a free end, said bearer having a least a curved surface for contacting an end region of said plate cylinder, said adjustable mechanism having a moveable member contacting said free end of said bearer, wherein said moveable member causes said free end of said bearer to move, pivoting said bearer about said pivot end thereby adjusting the position of said plate cylinder;
- said bearer also having an aperture in its free end within which a stationary pin is located, said pin being connected to said support means, said pin and aperture providing a predetermined gap therebetween.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.