Printing press and method of operating same

Method of operating a printing press, such a printing press comprising:

• a frame;
• a plate cylinder being rotatably mounted on the frame;
• an inking unit for supplying ink to the plate cylinder;
• the inking unit comprising an ink fountain for containing ink, a plurality of inking rollers, means for transferring ink between the ink fountain and the plurality of inking rollers, a plurality of ink applicator rollers for transferring ink between the plurality of inking rollers and the plate cylinder;
• a damping unit for supplying damping medium to the plate cylinder;
• the damping unit comprising:
• a damping medium reservoir for containing damping medium;
• a form roller, being disposed adjacent the plate cylinder, for transferring damping medium to the plate cylinder;
• means for transferring damping medium from the damping medium reservoir to the form roller, the form roller having an outer surface;
• means for driving the distributor roller;
• the distributor roller for being disposed adjacent the form roller, for being rotatingly engaged with the form roller;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a frame;
• providing a plate cylinder and rotatably mounting the plate cylinder on the frame;
• providing an inking unit for supplying ink to the plate cylinder;
• said step of providing the inking unit comprising:
• providing an ink fountain for containing ink;
• providing a plurality of inking rollers;
• providing means for transferring ink between the ink fountain and the plurality of inking rollers;
• providing a plurality of ink applicator rollers for transferring ink between the plurality of inking rollers and
• the plate cylinder;
• providing a damping unit for supplying damping medium to the plate cylinder;
• said step of providing the damping unit comprising:
• providing a damping medium reservoir for containing damping medium;
• providing a form roller and disposing the form roller adjacent the plate cylinder, for transferring damping medium to the plate cylinder, the form roller having an outer surface;
• providing means for transferring damping medium from the damping medium reservoir to the form roller;
• providing a distributor roller and disposing the distributor roller adjacent the form roller, the distributor roller for being rotatingly engaged with the form roller;
• providing means for driving the distributor roller;
• said step of providing the distributor roller comprising:
• providing an outer cylindrical surface for engaging with the form roller;
• configuring the distributor roller to rotate about a rotational axis;
• configuring the outer cylindrical surface to have a longitudinal dimension defined parallel to the rotational axis and a circumferential dimension defined perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension;
• disposing a plurality of depressed areas in the outer cylindrical surface of the distributor roller;
• providing a plurality of protruding areas, such that the plurality of protruding areas separate the plurality of depressed areas from one another;
• configuring the distributor roller driving means and the plurality of protruding areas to provide means for making contact with the outer surface of the form roller;
• and
• configuring the distributor roller driving means and the plurality of protruding areas to provide means for transferring a rotational driving force to the outer surface of the form roller to drive the form roller;
• said method further comprising the additional steps
• driving the distributor roller with the means for driving the distributor roller;
• and
• driving the form roller, simultaneously with said step of driving the distributor roller, by transferring, with the plurality of protruding areas, a rotational driving force from the distributor roller to the form roller.

A distributor roller for a printing press, such a printing press comprising a frame;

• a plate cylinder being rotatably mounted on the frame;
• an inking unit for supplying ink to the plate cylinder;
• the inking unit comprising an ink fountain for containing ink, a plurality of inking rollers, means for transferring ink between the ink fountain and the plurality of inking rollers, a plurality of ink applicator rollers for transferring ink between the plurality of inking rollers and the plate cylinder;
• a damping unit for supplying damping medium to the plate cylinder;
• the damping unit comprising a damping medium reservoir for containing damping medium;
• a form roller, being disposed adjacent the plate cylinder, for transferring damping medium to the plate cylinder;
• means for transferring damping medium from the damping medium reservoir to the form roller, the form roller having an outer surface;
• means for driving the distributor roller;
• said distributor roller for being disposed adjacent the form roller, for being rotatingly engaged with the form roller;
• said distributor roller comprising:
• an outer cylindrical surface for engaging with the form roller;
• a rotational axis;
• said outer cylindrical surface having a longitudinal dimension defined parallel to said rotational axis and a circumferential dimension defined perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension;
• a plurality of depressed areas disposed in said outer cylindrical surface of said distributor roller;
• a plurality of protruding areas separating said plurality of depressed areas from one another;
• said plurality of protruding areas and said distributor roller driving means being configured to provide means for making contact with the outer surface of the form roller;
• and
• said plurality of protruding areas and said distributor roller driving means being configured to provide means for transferring a rotational driving force to the outer surface of the form roller to drive the form roller.