Printing unit with roll-away inkers

#The present invention relates generally to printing presses and more specifically to a printing unit with a roll-away inking unit.

#U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,726 discloses a movable inker type printing machine in which an inker for a satellite printing press is automatically detachable to the press when in a clutch-off position, and automatically connects itself to the press when a clutch-on instruction is received. The plate cylinders of the printing press are plated in a conventional manner.

#U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,906 discloses a short multi-color web-fed rotary printing press utilizing a vertical stack of bridge printing units which are supported by horizontally shiftable frame sections. Inking units move with their respective printing cylinders on a common frame.

#The present invention is described below by reference to the following drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 shows a side view of a web printing press with printing units according to the present invention;

#FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 show a side view of a printing unit according to the present invention with the inking units in both active and inactive positions, and the movement of the inking units therebetween.

#FIG. 1 shows a side view of a four print-unit web offset lithographic printing press, each print unit being a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Each print unit has a first plate cylinder 1, which may include a gap for at least one lithographic offset printing plate, although a tubular plate or direct imaging are possible. A first blanket cylinder 2 may have an axially-removable or flat blanket attached thereto. A second blanket cylinder 12 forms a nip with first blanket cylinder 2, through which nip a web 10 passes. A second plate cylinder 11 is provided to image the second blanket cylinder 12.

#Blanket cylinders 2, 12 and plate cylinders 1, 11 are supported rotatable in a central frame section 5. A hoist 20 may be provided to aid in removing one or more of the cylinders 1, 2, 11, 12.

#Moveable with respect to central frame section 5 are a first frame section 6 and a second frame section 8, which support inking units 4 and 14 respectively. Inking unit 4 has ink rollers 3 and inks plate cylinder 1 when at least one of rollers 3 contacts plate cylinder 1, which is accomplished by moving first frame section 6 toward central frame section 5 so that an active position of inking unit 4 is defined. Inking unit 14 has ink rollers 13 for similarly inking plate cylinder 11.