Lithographic printing plate printer

A lithographic printing plate printer comprising:

• an original-film loading section for loading a plurality of original films in a stacked state;
• a lithographic printing plate loading section for loading a plurality of lithographic printing plates in a stacked state;
• a printing surface plate on which the original film is brought into close contact with the lithographic printing plate;
• a light source for printing an image on the original film onto the lithographic printing plate on said printing surface plate;
• reading means for reading a reference mark indicating a position of the image on the original film;
• punch-hole punching means for punching a punch hole in the original film for positioning the original film on said printing surface plate on the basis of the reference mark read by said reading means;
• a standby section for allowing the original film to remain on standby on an upstream side of a printing position;
• an original-film discharging section in which the original film discharged from said printing surface plate is placed;
• first transporting means for taking out the original film in said original film loading section and transporting the original film to said punch-hole punching means;
• second transporting means for transporting to said standby section the original film in which the punch hole has been punched by said punch-hole punching means;
• third transporting means for transporting the original film placed in said standby section onto said printing surface plate;
• fourth transporting means for discharging the original film placed on said printing surface plate to said original-film discharging section;
• a taking-out section for taking out the original film from said discharging section;
• lithographic printing plate transporting means for taking out the lithographic printing plate from said lithographic printing plate loading section and transporting the lithographic printing plate onto said printing surface plate;
• and
• transport-timing controlling means for controlling a timing for transporting the lithographic printing plate and the original film onto said printing surface plate and for controlling a timing for replacement of the lithographic printing plate and the original film.

A method of printing an image on an original film onto a lithographic printing plate, comprising the steps of:

• punching a punch hole in the original film for positioning the original film on a printing surface plate;
• transporting the lithographic printing plate onto said printing surface plate;
• transporting to said printing surface plate the original film in which the punch hole has been punched;
• bringing the original film into close contact with the lithographic printing plate;
• printing the image on the original film onto the lithographic printing plate on said printing surface plate;
• discharging the original film from said printing surface plate;
• and
• discharging the lithographic printing plate from said printing surface plate.