Conversion kit for a gravure printing unit

A conversion kit for converting a doctor blade assembly and an ink fountain of a printing unit, said printing unit being of the type for depositing ink on a substrate, such as a web of paper, and comprising

• a pair of spaced apart side frames,
• an image carrier having a cylinder engraved with the image to be printed on the substrate, said cylinder being removably and rotatably mounted on said side frames,
• an ink fountain having an ink well positioned beneath the cylinder and means for depositing ink on the cylinder, said ink fountain being supported by said side frames,
• a doctor blade assembly mounted on said side frames and having a blade which wipes excess ink from non-image areas of the cylinder, said doctor blade assembly being stationary and/or having a limited range of motion, and
• an impression roller which holds the substrate to be printed against the cylinder to obtain ink transfer, said impression roller being rotatably mounted on said side frames,
• said conversion kit comprising:
• a pair of side frame mounting plates, one for each side frame, said mounting plates being mounted on the inwardly facing surfaces of their respective side frames after said cylinder, ink fountain, and doctor blade assembly are removed therefrom;
• a new ink fountain having an ink well positioned beneath the cylinder and means for depositing ink on the cylinder, said ink fountain being mounted on and supported by the mounting plates;
• and
• an adjustable doctor blade assembly mounted on the mounting plates, said adjustable doctor blade assembly having a doctor blade, and means for moving the doctor blade towards and away from the cylinder, the arrangement being such that by virtue of the adjustability of the doctor blade, the side frames of the printing unit can receive cylinders having various circumferences,
• wherein the new ink fountain and adjustable doctor blade assembly are mounted directly on said pair of side frame mounting plates and function as a self-contained unit.