Printing group pertaining to a printing machine having a linearly displaceable transfer cylinder

A printing group of a printing press comprising:

• a forme cylinder having forme cylinder journals;
• a transfer cylinder having transfer cylinder journals, said transfer cylinder being engageable with said forme cylinder;
• a counter-pressure cylinder having counter-pressure cylinder journals, said transfer cylinder being supported by said transfer cylinder journals for movement along a linear actuating path between a print-on position in contact with said counter-pressure cylinder and a print-off position out of contact with said counter-pressure cylinder;
• at least a first drive motor adapted to drive at least one of said transfer cylinder and said forme cylinder mechanically independently of said counter-pressure cylinder, said at least first drive motor being fixed in place on a lateral frame of the printing press;
• a drive mechanism between said at least first drive motor and said at least one of said forme cylinder and said transfer cylinder, said one of said forme cylinder and said transfer cylinder being coaxially driven by said at least first drive motor through said drive mechanism, said drive mechanism including a coupling between said journal of one of said forme cylinder and said transfer cylinder and said at least first drive motor, said coupling being adapted to absorb axial relative movement between said journal of said one of said forme cylinder and said transfer cylinder and said at least first drive motor, said coupling also being adapted to compensate for at least slight angles and offsets;
• radial bearings receiving each of said transfer cylinder journals and said counter-pressure cylinder journals;
• a separate bearing housing receiving said radial bearings of each of said transfer cylinder and said counter-pressure cylinder, each said separate bearing housing supporting its one of said transfer cylinder radial bearings and said counter-pressure cylinder radial bearings for movement of said one of said transfer cylinder and said counter-pressure cylinder along said linear actuating path with respect to the other of said transfer cylinder and said counter-pressure cylinder;
• and
• first and second linear guide devices supporting each said separate bearing housing for movement of each said separate bearing housing, and said radial bearings with respect to said lateral frame of the printing press, said first and second linear guide devices being parallel to each other, and being positioned on interior walls of said lateral frame.