Plate cylinder for a printing press having plate material in a cartridge within the plate cylinder

A plate cylinder for a sheet-fed rotary printing press, such a printing press comprising a frame and a blanket cylinder, said plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder for being rotatably mounted on the frame, said plate cylinder comprising:

• an external surface;
• means for producing an inked image and for transferring the inked image from said plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder;
• said image producing means comprising a foil;
• said foil comprising a plurality of portions for being disposed on the external surface of said plate cylinder;
• said plurality of portions comprising a series of images corresponding to different printing runs;
• said image producing means being configured for producing a printed product by means of an application of ink to said portions of said image producing means;
• means for storing said foil in a wound state, said storing means being disposed substantially within said plate cylinder;
• means for being powered, disposed substantially within said plate cylinder, for replacing a first portion of said image producing means, corresponding to a first printing run, with a second portion of said image producing means, corresponding to a subsequent printing run;
• said foil comprising:
• said first portion of said image producing means, corresponding to the first printing run;
• and
• said second portion of said image producing means, corresponding to the subsequent printing run;
• said storing means comprising:
• first roll means for storing said foil in a wound state;
• second roll means for receiving said foil and for winding said foil;
• said means for being powered comprising means for:
• unwinding said foil from said first roll means;
• disposing said foil about a substantial portion of said plate cylinder;
• and
• winding said unwound foil on said second roll means;
• replacing said first portion of said foil, corresponding to the first printing run, with said second portion of said foil, corresponding to the subsequent printing run, by unwinding a portion of said foil from said first roll means and winding another portion of said foil onto said second roll means;
• said plate cylinder comprising groove means and cartridge means being disposed within said groove means;
• means for selectively fastening said cartridge means into said groove means;
• said cartridge means being removable from said groove means by means of said fastening means;
• said first roll means, said second roll means and said means for being powered being disposed within said cartridge means.

A cartridge for being disposed in a plate cylinder of a sheet-fed rotary printing press, such a printing press comprising a frame and a blanket cylinder, the blanket cylinder and said plate cylinder for being rotatably mounted on the frame;

• the plate cylinder comprising an external surface;
• said cartridge comprising:
• means for producing an inked image and for transferring the inked image from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder;
• said image producing means comprising a foil;
• said foil comprising a plurality of portions for being disposed on the external surface of said plate cylinder;
• said plurality of portions comprising a series of images corresponding to different printing runs;
• said image producing means being configured for producing a printed product by means of an application of ink to said portions of said image producing means;
• means for storing said foil in a wound state, said storing means being disposed substantially within said cartridge;
• means for being powered, disposed substantially within said cartridge, for replacing a first portion of said image producing means, corresponding to a first printing run, with a second portion of said image producing means, corresponding to a subsequent printing run;
• said foil comprising:
• said first portion of said image producing means, corresponding to the first printing run;
• and
• said second portion of said image producing means, corresponding to the subsequent printing run;
• said storing means comprising:
• first roll means for storing said foil in a wound state;
• and
• second roll means for receiving said foil and for winding said foil;
• said means for being powered comprising means for:
• unwinding said foil from said first roll means;
• disposing said foil about a substantial portion of the plate cylinder;
• winding said unwound foil on said second roll means;
• and
• replacing said first portion of said foil, corresponding to the first printing run, with said second portion of said foil, corresponding to the subsequent printing run, by unwinding a portion of said foil from said first roll means and winding another portion of said foil onto said second roll means;
• means for selectively fastening said cartridge into groove means of the plate cylinder;
• said cartridge being removable from the groove means by means of said fastening means;
• and
• said first roll means, said second roll means and said means for being powered being disposed within said cartridge.

A method of operating a sheet-fed rotary printing press, wherein the printing press comprises:

• a frame, a plate cylinder for being rotatably mounted on the frame;
• and a blanket cylinder being rotatably mounted on the frame and for being engaged with the plate cylinder;
• the plate cylinder comprising an external surface;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• providing means for producing an inked image and for transferring the inked image from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder;
• configuring the image producing means to comprise a continuous web;
• configuring the continuous web to comprise a plurality of portions for being disposed on the external surface of the plate cylinder;
• configuring the plurality of portions to comprise a series of images corresponding to different printing runs;
• configuring the image producing means for producing a printed product by means of an application of ink to the portions of the image producing means;
• providing means for storing the continuous web in a wound state, the storing means being disposed substantially within the plate cylinder;
• and
• providing means for being automatically powered, disposed substantially within the plate cylinder, for automatically replacing a first portion of the image producing means, corresponding to a first printing run, with a second portion of the image producing means, corresponding to a subsequent printing run;
• said method further comprising the additional steps of:
• during a first printing run:
• disposing the first portion of the image producing means on the external surface of the plate cylinder;
• producing an inked image by applying ink to the first portion of the image producing means;
• and
• transferring the inked image from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder;
• during a subsequent printing run:
• disposing the second portion of the image producing means on the external surface of the plate cylinder;
• producing an inked image by applying ink to the second portion of the image producing means;
• and
• transferring the inked image from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder;
• subsequent to the first printing run and prior to the subsequent printing run, by means of the means for being automatically powered, automatically replacing the first portion of the image producing means with the second portion of the image producing means;
• configuring the continuous web to comprise:
• the first portion of the image producing means, corresponding to the first printing run;
• and
• the second portion of the image producing means, corresponding to the subsequent printing run;
• said step of providing means for storing the continuous web in a wound state comprising the steps of:
• providing first roll means for storing the continuous web in a wound state;
• and
• providing second roll means for receiving the continuous web and for winding the continuous web;
• configuring the means for being automatically powered for:
• unwinding the continuous web from the first roll means;
• disposing the continuous web about a substantial portion of the plate cylinder;
• winding the unwound continuous web on the second roll means;
• and
• replacing the first portion of the continuous web, corresponding to the first printing run, with the second portion of the continuous web, corresponding to the subsequent printing run, by unwinding a portion of said continuous web from said first roll means and winding another portion of said continuous web onto said second roll means;
• configuring the plate cylinder to comprise groove means;
• providing cartridge means for being disposed within the groove means;
• providing means for selectively fastening the cartridge means into the groove means;
• configuring the cartridge means to be removable from the groove means by means of the fastening means;
• disposing the first roll means, the second roll means and the means for being automatically powered within the cartridge means;
• performing the following steps prior to the first printing run:
• disposing the cartridge means within the groove means of the plate cylinder;
• and
• fastening the cartridge means into the groove means;
• and;
• unwinding the continuous web from the first roll means;
• disposing the continuous web about a substantial portion of the plate cylinder;
• winding the unwound foil on the second roll means;
• and subsequent to the first printing run and prior to the subsequent printing run, replacing the first portion of the foil, corresponding to the first printing run, with the second portion of the foil, corresponding to the subsequent printing run, by unwinding a portion of said foil from said first roll means and winding another portion of said foil onto said second roll means;
• and
• removing the cartridge means from the groove means.