# US 6,293,199 B1 · Printing press circulation system

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- Number: US 6,293,199 B1
- Document ID: US6293199B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/611,509
- Filed: 2000-07-07
- Granted: 2001-09-25
- Earliest claimed: 2000-07-07
- Assignees: Baldwin GraphicsSystems, Inc.
- Inventors: Charles R. Gasparrini; Christopher Hickey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6293199B1

## CPC

- B41F 7/32: Ducts, containers, or like supply devices for liquids
- B41F: PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES (manifolding devices or office printing machines B41L)

## Abstract

A printing press liquid circulation system including a cooling pan having a dedicated power return drain having a power drain orifice and optional cooling capacity located on and as part of the pan. The system induces or suctions flow of liquid from the pan, having a pan supply orifice, to a reservoir through a return conduit by connecting the return conduit to a power return drain. Proper design of the power drain orifice and the pan supply orifice allows for a matched pan supply and return system for an open hydraulic circuit, free of foam and flooding with no adjustments required.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A circulation system for a printing press having a cylinder, said circulation system comprising:
a pan for supplying liquid to the cylinder of the printing press, said pan including a liquid supply orifice and an outlet;
a standpipe configured to drain liquid from the pan while maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in the pan, wherein said standpipe communicates with the outlet of said pan;
a circulator reservoir holding the liquid;
a power drain dedicated to and located in proximity to said pan, said power drain including a first inlet having a power drain orifice, a second inlet and an outlet;
a drain conduit extending from said standpipe to the second inlet of said power drain for draining liquid from said pan;
a return conduit extending from the outlet of the power drain to said circulator reservoir; and
a pump configured to pump liquid from said circulator reservoir through a supply conduit to the pan liquid supply orifice and the first inlet of said power drain to draw liquid from the pan and to induce suction in said return conduit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein an intermediate conduit extends between the supply conduit and the first inlet of the power drain.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the intermediate conduit includes a cooling mechanism located in proximity to the pan.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the cooling mechanism is a cooling coil.

### Claim 5

A circulation system for a printing press having a cylinder, said circulation system comprising:
a pan for supplying liquid to the cylinder of the printing press, said pan including a liquid supply orifice and an outlet;
a standpipe configured to drain liquid from the pan while maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in the pan, wherein said standpipe communicates with the outlet of said pan;
a reservoir for holding the liquid;
a power drain dedicated to and located in proximity to said pan, said power drain including an inlet having a power drain orifice, a second inlet and an outlet;
a cooling mechanism for cooling the liquid in said pan, said cooling mechanism located in proximity to said pan;
a drain conduit extending from the cooling mechanism to the power drain orifice of said power drain for draining liquid from the standpipe;
a return conduit extending from the outlet of said power drain to the reservoir; and
a pump configured to pump liquid from the reservoir through a supply conduit to the liquid supply orifice and the cooling mechanism to induce a suction pressure in said return conduit to draw liquid from said pan and to the return conduit.

### Claim 6

A circulation system for a printing press having a cylinder, said circulation system comprising:
a pan for supplying liquid to a printing press, said pan including an inlet and an outlet;
a standpipe configured to drain liquid from the pan while maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in the pan, said standpipe communicating with the outlet of the pan;
a reservoir for holding the liquid;
a cooling mechanism corresponding to and located in said pan, said cooling mechanism including an inlet having a cooling mechanism inlet orifice, at least one pan flow orifice to supply the pan with liquid, and an outlet;
a power drain dedicated to and located in proximity to said pan, said power drain including a first inlet having a power drain orifice for receiving liquid from the outlet of said cooling mechanism, a second inlet for receiving liquid from the standpipe, and an outlet;
a return conduit extending from the outlet of said power drain to the reservoir; and
a pump configured to pump liquid from the reservoir through a supply conduit to the cooling mechanism inlet orifice to induce a suction pressure in said return conduit to draw liquid from the pan to the return conduit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The circulation system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pans, each pan having a dedicated power drain.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The circulation system of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of pans, each pan having a dedicated power drain.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The circulation system of claim 8, wherein each of the pans has a cooling mechanism located in proximity to the corresponding pan.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The circulation system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of pans, each pan having a dedicated power drain.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The circulation system of claim 10, wherein each of the pans has a cooling mechanism located in proximity to the pan.