Method and apparatus for mounting flexible printing plates on a forme cylinder

An apparatus for use in mounting flexible printing plates on a forme cylinder, said apparatus comprising:

• a forme cylinder supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an axially extending groove on a peripheral surface of said forme cylinder;
• a generally channel shaped insert bar secured in said cylinder groove and having first and second spaced, radially extending channel webs;
• first and second axially extending overhanging printing plate end engaging projections on upper ends of said first and second channel webs adjacent said peripheral surface of said forme cylinder, one of said first and second projections being usable to receive a first end of a flexible printing plate to be mounted on said forme cylinder;
• first and second spaced, axially extending tensioning bars having first, inner ends rotatably supported in said insert bar and having second, free ends with printing plate hang-up projections, one of said first and second hang-up projections being usable to receive a second end of a flexible printing plate to be mounted on said forme cylinder;
• bearing brackets secured to first and second ends of said insert bar and supporting axial ends of said first and second tensioning bars;
• first and second torsion bars preloading said first and second tensioning bars to force said free ends of said first and second tensioning bars toward each other to tension a flexible printing plate on said forme cylinder;
• and
• an inflatable hose positioned in said insert bar and extending axially between said first and second tensioning bars, said inflatable hose being inflatable to separate said free ends of said first and second tensioning bars against said preloading forces applied by said first and second torsion bars to untension a flexible printing plate on said forme cylinder.