Apparatus and method for removing slip sheets
AssigneesAgfa NV, K & F International
InventorsDavid B. Larsen, Jeffrey Scott Carter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for removing a slip sheet from the top of a stack of printing plates. The apparatus includes a wing for covering an end section of the slip sheet, an air manifold coupled to an end of the wing, the air manifold including a plurality of orifices for directing streams of air along an underside of the wing to lift the end portion of the slip sheet off of the printing plate and toward the underside of the wing, a plurality of idler rollers rotatably mounted about the air manifold, and a clamping bar mounted to the wing for selectively pinching the lifted end section of the slip sheet against the underside of the wing, thereby capturing the slip sheet.
Claims27
An apparatus for removing a slip sheet from a surface of a printing plate, comprising:
- a wing for covering an end section of the slip sheet;
- an air manifold coupled to an end of the wing, the air manifold including a plurality of orifices for directing streams of air along an underside of the wing to lift the end portion of the slip sheet off of the printing plate and toward the underside of the wing;
- a plurality of idler rollers rotatably mounted about the air manifold;
- and
- a clamping bar mounted to the wing for selectively pinching the lifted end section of the slip sheet against the underside of the wing, thereby capturing the slip sheet.
An apparatus for removing a slip sheet from a surface of a printing plate, comprising:
- a wing having first and second rotatably coupled sections;
- a wing drive system for laterally displacing the wing to position the second section of the wing over an end section of the slip sheet;
- an air manifold coupled to an end of the second section of the wing, the air manifold including a plurality of orifices for directing streams of air along an underside of the second section of the wing to lift the end portion of the slip sheet off of the printing plate and toward the underside of the second section of the wing;
- a plurality of idler rollers rotatably mounted about the air manifold;
- and
- a clamping bar for selectively pinching the lifted end section of the slip sheet against the underside of the second section of the wing, thereby capturing the slip sheet.
A method for removing a slip sheet from a surface of a printing plate, comprising:
- providing a wing having an air manifold, wherein the air manifold includes a plurality of orifices, and wherein a plurality of idler rollers are rotatably mounted about the air manifold;
- displacing the wing over an end portion of the slip sheet;
- displacing the idler rollers into contact with a surface of the slip sheet;
- directing streams of air along an underside of the wing to lift the end portion of the slip sheet off of the printing plate and toward the underside of the wing;
- and
- clamping the lifted end portion of the slip sheet against the underside of the wing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.