US 6,116,158 A · Retractable printing/coating unit operable on the plate and blanket cylinders

Abstract

A retractable in-line inking/coating apparatus can apply either spot or overall inking/coating material to a plate and/or a blanket on the first printing unit or on any consecutive printing unit of any rotary offset printing press. The inking/coating apparatus is pivotally mounted within the conventional dampener space of any lithographic printing unit. The aqueous component of the flexographic printing ink or aqueous coating material is evaporated and dried by high velocity, hot air dryers and high performance heat and moisture extractors so that the aqueous or flexographic ink or coating material on a freshly printed or coated sheet is dry and can be dry-trapped on the next printing unit. The inking/coating apparatus includes dual cradles that support first and second applicator rollers so that the inking/coating apparatus can apply a double bump of aqueous/flexographic or UV-curable printing ink or coating material to a plate on the plate cylinder, while simultaneously applying aqueous, flexographic or UV-curable printing ink or coating material to a plate or a blanket on the blanket cylinder, and thereafter onto a sheet as the sheet is transferred through the nip between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder. A triple bump is printed or coated on the last printing unit with the aid of an impression cylinder inking/coating unit.

Claims50

Dependent claims

In a rotary offset printing press of the type having multiple printing towers in succession comprising spaced first and second press side frame members comprising printing units operatively supporting a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder and an impression cylinder for rotation in operable combination wherein each printing unit has a delivery side and a dampener side having a dampener or a space for a dampening assembly between the first and second press side frame members, and an interunit press operator space between successive printing units, the improvement comprising:

a printing apparatus mounted in the space for a dampening assembly on the dampener side of a printing unit, the printing apparatus comprising a frame movably coupled to the press side frame members in the dampener space for movement between an on-impression operative position and an off-impression retracted position;
the printing apparatus frame having an upper cradle and drive adapted for supporting a first applicator roller in position for impression with the plate cylinder when the printing apparatus is moved to the on-impression operative position;
and
at least one first applicator roller being drivingly supported in said printing apparatus.

1 more element

In a rotary offset printing press of the type having multiple printing towers in succession comprising spaced first and second press side frame members comprising printing units operatively supporting a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder and an impression cylinder for rotation in operable combination to print a substrate passing between the blanket cylinder and impression cylinder wherein each printing unit has a delivery side and a dampener side having a dampener or a space for a dampening assembly between the first and second press side frame members, and an interunit press operator space between successive printing units, the improvement comprising:

a printing apparatus mounted in the space for a dampening assembly on the dampener side of a printing unit, the printing apparatus comprising a frame movably coupled to the press side frame members in the dampener space for movement between an on-impression operative position and an off-impression retracted position;
the frame comprising a pair of spaced apart side support members configured for installation substantially within said space for a dampening assembly of the printing unit, the frame having an upper cradle and drive adapted for supporting a first applicator roller in position for impression with the plate cylinder and a lower cradle and drive for supporting a second applicator roller in position for impression with the blanket cylinder when the printing apparatus is moved to the on-impression operative position;
and
at least one first or second applicator roller drivingly supported in said printing apparatus and a means for applying printing liquid thereto which is carried by the frame of the printing unit.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Retractable printing/coating unit operable on the plate and blanket cylinders

Life of this patent

Retractable printing/coating unit operable on the plate and blanket cylinders

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims50