Automatic device for replacing printing cartridges in a gravure printing machine

Abstract

An automatic device (10) for replacing printing cartridges to be used in cooperation with a gravure printing machine (11) comprises a plurality of printing stations, each printing cartridge including an ink tray (28) and a printing cylinder (29) and being supported by a trolley (23) that is provided with a mechanism (27) for selectively raising and/or lowering said printing cartridge to and from a working position inside of a printing station of said gravure printing machine (11). The device comprises: a series of panels (37) housed within a cavity (36) placed close to a respective printing station (13), said panels having an upper surface that is long enough for supporting at least two trolleys (23) suitable for carrying said printing cartridges; a device for displacing said panels (37) along a direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said machine (11); a device for displacing said trolleys (23) in a direction that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said machine, in order to carry out a reciprocating movement of the trolleys to and from the respective printing stations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.