Tensionless plate lock-up

In combination:

• a. a printing cylinder in a printing press having a longitudinal slot formed in an outer surface thereof to define at least one undercut surface against which both ends of a flexible printing plate are clamped to hold the plate securely against the outer surface of said cylinder;
• b. locking means including a plurality of individual cylinders substantially evenly spaced along the length of said longitudinal slot;
• c. individual spring biasing means disposed in operative compression between the bottom of said longitudinal slot and a spring receiving opening in each of said cylinders to urge individually each of said cylinders outwardly against the overlapping ends of the plate and hold them against said undercut surface;
• and
• d. spacer means secured to the bottom of said longitudinal slot, said spacer means including a bar extending along the length of said slot, said bar including a plurality of evenly spaced protruding studs which receive said individual spring biasing means to hold said spring biasing means at fixed locations;
• said spring biasing means extending from the base of said studs to beyond the longitudinal extent of said studs and to the full depth of said spring receiving opening.