Inking systems for printing presses
AssigneeJames F. Price
InventorsJames F. Price, Robert L. Goodman, William A. Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printing system is disclosed including an inking system with a single form roller for applying ink to a printing cylinder. Ink is applied to the form roller by an applicator roller having a surface with an array of interconnected wells and a variable speed drive. The form roller and plate cylinder are rotated at the same rpm while the speed of the applicator roller is varied to vary the amount of ink applied to the plate. A variable speed subtractive roller system removes excess ink from the form roller and returns the ink to a common reservoir. For wash-up, the press drive and form roller are disengaged and the inking system is rotated by an inker roller drive while wash-up fluid is applied to the inking system.
Claims18
A printing system having a rotating plate cylinder including at least one printing plate and a form roller for applying ink to the at least one printing plate wherein:
- the plate cylinder and the form roller are rotated at the same rpm so that the same areas on the form roller contact the same areas on the at least one printing plate during each revolution of the plate cylinder;
- and
- the plate cylinder and the form roller have different diameters and have different surface speeds at a nip formed between the plate cylinder and the form roller.
A printing system comprising:
- a plate cylinder;
- an inking system comprising:
- a form roller engaging a plate cylinder for applying ink to the plate cylinder;
- an applicator roller for applying ink to the form roller from a common ink reservoir;
- and
- an ink subtractive means for removing ink from the form roller and depositing the removed ink in the common reservoir;
- and
- means for disengaging the form roller from the plate cylinder and for separately driving the inking system during wash-up.
In a printing system having a rotatable plate cylinder including at least one printing plate and a rotatable form roller for applying ink to the at least one printing plate, a method for minimizing repeating from prior rotations comprising:
- selecting a plate cylinder and form roller having different diameters;
- selecting a speed of rotation for the plate cylinder and form roller;
- and
- rotating the plate cylinder and form roller at the same rpm to maintain registration between the surfaces of the plate cylinder and form roller;
- wherein the diameters and speed of rotation of the plate cylinder and form roller are selected to produce a difference in surface speed at the nip formed between the plate cylinder and the form roller greater than one foot per minute while simultaneously maintaining registration of surface areas of the plate cylinder and form roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.