Automated cleaning of printing cylinders

An automated apparatus for cleaning a printing cylinder, comprising:

• a tank for receiving a printing cylinder that is to be cleaned of a dried ink on a surface thereof;
• a cleaning solution for said tank sufficient to substantially immerse said printing cylinder;
• means for spraying said surface of said printing cylinder with said cleaning solution in said tank;
• means for rotating said printing cylinder as said spraying means is spraying said surface thereof;
• and
• means for recycling said cleaning solution including a storage reservoir, a heater, a filter, and a pump;
• and
• said rotating means including two sets of wheels within said tank wherein at least one of said wheels of one of said two sets is a driven wheel and the wheels of the other of said two sets are idler wheels adjustably positioned relative to said set of wheels including said driven wheel;
• said spraying means including a longitudinally extending spray manifold mounted within said tank longitudinally adjacent said set of wheels including said driven wheel and having a plurality of spray nozzles each directing a spray of said cleaning solution onto said surface of said printing cylinder.

An automated apparatus for cleaning a printing cylinder, comprising:

• a tank for receiving a printing cylinder that is to be cleaned of a dried ink on a surface thereof;
• a cleaning solution for said tank sufficient to substantially immerse said printing cylinder;
• means for spraying said surface of said printing cylinder with said cleaning solution in said tank;
• means for rotating said printing cylinder as said spraying means is spraying said surface thereof;
• means for recycling said cleaning solution to said storage reservoir from said tank after cleaning;
• means for rinsing said printing cylinder to remove residue of said cleaning solution from said surface thereof;
• and
• said rinsing means being operable after said cleaning solution has been drained to said storage reservoir;
• and
• said rotating means including two sets of wheels within said tank wherein at least one of said wheels of one of said two sets is a driven wheel and the wheels of the other of said two sets are idler wheels adjustably positioned relative to said set of wheels including said driven wheel;
• said spraying means including a longitudinally extending spray manifold mounted within said tank longitudinally adjacent said set of wheels including said driven wheel and having a plurality of spray nozzles each directing a spray of said cleaning solution onto said surface of said printing cylinder.