High speed ink feed mechanism

A printing apparatus for transferring ink to a rotatable plate cylinder, said printing apparatus comprising:

• an ink fountain for containing a supply of ink;
• a fountain roll for picking up ink from said ink fountain, said fountain roll having an outer surface rotatable at a first surface speed;
• an ink distributing roll spaced from said fountain roll for transferring ink to said plate cylinder, said ink distributing roll having an outer surface rotatable at a second surface speed which is substantially greater than said first surface speed;
• a ductor roll for transferring ink from said fountain roll to said ink distributing roll, said ductor roll being movable between a first position in contact with said outer surface of said fountain roll and a second position not in contact with said outer surface of said fountain roll but in contact with said outer surface of said ink distributing roll;
• and
• means for moving said ductor roll through a duct cycle from said first position to said second position and back to said first position at a rate of at least one quarter of a duct cycle per one rotation of said plate cylinder, including means for continuously holding said ductor roll in ink transferring relationship with said distributing roll and means for supporting said ductor roll in driven engagement with said distributor roll and for adjusting said rolls to permit slipping between the surface of said rolls.