Automatic printing plate attaching system

Abstract

A carriage (1a) which supports a storage container (1) for holding a plurality of printing plates is movable in a path along the printing stations (101, 102, 103) of the rotary printing machine system; guide paths (4) extend parallel to the axes of rotation of plate cylinders (104 . . . 109) and plate handling apparatus (3) to apply or remove printing plates are movable between the plate cylinders (e.g. 105, 106) of neighboring printing stations. The plate handling apparatus removes printing plates after the carriage (1a) is moved to a plate pick-up position (121 . . . 124), applies the plate on the respective plate cylinder (e.g. 106), removes a used or old printing plate from another plate plate cylinder, if desired, and returns it back to the storage container on the carriage. The movement of the carriage can be controlled by a guide system (2a), and run along a fixed rail track, or guided by induction or radiation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.