Ink fountain mechanism

An ink fountain mechanism for adjustably metering the thickness of a layer of ink in a plurality of zones axially across an ink receiving fountain roller, comprising:

• (a) a main beam that extends the length of the fountain roller;
• (b) a plurality of metering blocks, horizontally aligned and axially adjacent to one another and each having an upper surface adjustably spaced from the ink receiving fountain roller;
• (c) a plurality of adjustment bolts having heads, each separately and threadably engaged with each of the plurality of metering blocks, the adjustment bolts slideably supported in the main beam that extends the length of the fountain roller;
• (d) a plurality of cams pivotably attached to the main beam and positioned adjacent to the heads of each of the adjustment bolts, the cams engaged with the heads of the adjustment bolts and manually actuatable between a minimum position, providing a minimum ink metered thickness, and a maximum position, providing maximum metered ink thickness, wherein each cam is mounted on a mounting shaft held by the main beam for rotation between the minimum and maximum metering positions and wherein orifices are formed through the cam and the mounting shaft, such that in one metering position the orifices are aligned to permit access through the orifices to the adjustment bolt, for an adjustment tool to be extended through the cam and the mounting and
• (e) a plurality of levers attached to the cams for manually actuating the cams, the levers continuously movable between the minimum and maximum positions to provide substantially continuous metering of the thickness of ink in a range between the minimum and the maximum ink thickness.

An ink fountain mechanism for adjustably metering the thickness of a layer of ink in a plurality of zones axially across an ink receiving fountain roller, comprising:

• (a) a main beam that extends the length of the fountain roller;
• (b) a plurality of metering blocks, horizontally aligned and axially adjacent to one another and each having vertical side surfaces, an upper surface at and angle adjustably spaced from the ink receiving fountain roller, wherein the metering blocks are positioned side-by-side and so that the adjacent angled support surfaces of the metering blocks define a substantially continuous support surface with independently adjustable spacing from the fountain roller at each metering block along the length of the fountain roller;
• (c) a plurality of adjustment bolts having heads, each separately and threadably engaged with each of the plurality of metering blocks, the adjustment bolts slideably supported in the main beam that extends the length of the fountain roller,
• (d) a plurality of cams pivotably attached to the main beam and positioned adjacent to the heads of each of the adjustment bolts, the cams engaged with the heads of the adjustment bolts and manually actuatable between a minimum position, providing a minimum ink metered thickness, and a maximum position, providing maximum metered ink thickness;
• and
• (e) a plurality of levers attached to the cams for manually actuating the cams, the levers progressively movable between the minimum and the maximum positions to provide substantially continuous metering of the thickness of ink in a range between the minimum and the maximum ink thickness.