Ink fountain apparatus

An ink fountain apparatus in an ink supply system for use with a printing press, comprising:

• an ink reservoir section provided with an ink fountain section having an outer wall;
• an ink stirring and collection section having an ink collecting zone formed in a zone of the ink reservoir section;
• a screw located and rotatively mounted in said ink stirring and collecting section and which is structurally adapted to stir, transfer and collect ink
• an ink delivery section cooperating with said ink reservoir section and adapted to deliver ink into said ink reservoir section in which it is stored;
• a pump located between said ink stirring and collecting section and said ink delivery section, said pump having a suction port directly connected to an ink collecting zone of the ink stirring and collection section where ink is collected through the action of said screw;
• a rotatable fountain roller having a peripheral surface, at least a portion of which is immersed in ink stored in the ink reservoir section;
• and
• an intermediate plate mounted in a close vicinity of the peripheral surface of the fountain roller wherein the fountain roller exits from the surface of ink stored in the ink reservoir section as the fountain roller is rotated, a top edge of the intermediate plate being located higher than a level of ink stored in the ink reservoir section, and a bottom edge of the intermediate plate being kept lower than the lever of ink.