Soak on site and soak on press cleaning system and method of using same

A method of cleaning a cylinder of a printing press, the printing press comprising a frame, a take-up means, a cleaning fabric supply roll mounted with respect to the frame and having a strip of cleaning fabric, and means supported by the frame for guiding the strip of clearing fabric from the supply roll to the take-up means, the method comprising:

• unwinding said strip of cleaning fabric from said cleaning fabric supply roll;
• submerging said strip of cleaning fabric fed out of the cleaning fabric supply roll into a container on the press containing a solvent and soaking said strip of cleaning fabric with said solvent, said container mounted with respect to the frame of the printing press and located between the cleaning fabric supply roll and the cylinder;
• removing excess solvent from said soaked strip of cleaning fabric;
• and
• cleaning said cylinder with a cylinder cleaning means mounted with respect to the frame for bringing said strip of cleaning fabric containing solvent into contact with the cylinder, thereby creating a used strip of cleaning fabric which is received by the take-up means.

A soak on press assembly for use in a printing press, the printing press comprising a frame and a cylinder mounted with respect to the frame, the assembly comprising:

• a mounting assembly affixed to the frame of said printing press to support said soak on press assembly;
• a cleaning cloth supply roll mounted on the mounting assembly or the frame comprising a strip of cleaning fabric;
• at least one container, said container mounted with respect to said mounting assembly and located between said cleaning cloth supply roll and said cylinder;
• a low volatility, organic compound solvent which does not evaporate readily, at ambient temperature and pressure, said solvent located in said at least one container and at least a portion of said cleaning cloth supply roll placed within said solvent to soak and saturate said strip of cleaning fabric;
• at least one squeezing roller operatively associated with said strip of cleaning fabric for removing excess solvent from said strip of cleaning fabric to obtain a strip of cleaning fabric saturated to functional equilibrium with said solvent;
• a cylinder cleaning means mounted on the mounting assembly or the frame for bringing said functional equilibrium strip of cleaning fabric into contact with said cylinder to be cleaned and cleaning said cylinder;
• and
• a take-up roll means mounted on the mounting assembly or the frame for collecting said strip of cleaning fabric.

A soak on press assembly mounted on a printing press, the printing press comprising a frame and a cylinder supported by the frame, said assembly comprising:

• a mounting assembly affixed to the frame of the printing press,
• a suppose mounted on the mounting assembly or frame for holding a strip of cleaning fabric;
• at least one container, connected to said mounting assembly and located between the support for holding the strip of cleaning fabric and the cylinder, for storing a cleaning solvent and for receiving said strip of cleaning fabric to be submerged in the cleaning solvent;
• and
• at least one squeezing roller adjacent said container for removing excess solvent from said strip of cleaning fabric by contacting said strip of cleaning fabric with said at least one squeezing roller.

A soak on press assembly for use in a printing press cylinder cleaner comprising:

• (a) a mounting assembly affixed to said printing press for supporting said soak on press assembly;
• (b) a cleaning fabric supply roll comprising a strip of cleaning fabric, said cleaning fabric supply roll rotatably mounted on said mounting assembly;
• (c) at least one container;
• (d) a low volatility, compound solvent which does not evaporate readily at ambient temperature and pressure, said solvent located in said at least one container;
• (e) a dipper at least partially submerged in said solvent, said strip of cleaning fabric adjacent to said dipper so that said strip of cleaning fabric is soaked and saturated in said solvent;
• (f) a squeezer, said strip of cleaning fabric located within a gap between said squeezer and a surface of said container and in contact with said squeezer and said surface of said container so that said strip of cleaning fabric is squeezed and said excess solvent is removed from saturated cleaning fabric and placed in said at least one container and a strip of cleaning fabric saturated to functional equilibrium is obtained;
• (g) cylinder cleaning means for bringing said strip of cleaning fabric into contact with said cylinder to be cleaned and cleaning said cylinder;
• and
• (h) take-up means for collecting said strip of cleaning fabric.

A device for soaking cleaning fabric on a printing press, the printing press comprising a frame and a cylinder mounted with respect to the frame, the device comprising:

• a cleaning fabric support for holding a strip of cleaning fabric, said cleaning fabric support connected to the frame of the press;
• a container for storing a cleaning agent, the container connected to the press for receiving and soaking a portion of the cleaning fabric strip fed out of the cleaning fabric support, said container located between the cleaning fabric support and the cylinder;
• and
• a squeezing surface for contacting the portion of the cleaning fabric after the portion of the cleaning fabric strip has been soaked, and removing excess cleaning agent therefrom before the portion of the cleaning fabric contacts the cylinder of the printing press.