Method and apparatus for registration of an imaged lithographic plate
AssigneeBurgess Industries, Inc.
InventorsDennis M. Burgess, William J. Campbell, Joseph A. Stein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The method and apparatus for registration of a lithographic plate includes a means for ensuring that the plate is in contact with registration pins on imaging and bending devices and a means for finely adjusting an initial position of the plate with respect to registration pins on the bender to bring the plate in registration with the specified plate lock-up position on the press cylinder. Three separate electrical circuits ensure that the plate is in contact with the registration pins if each separate circuit is able to conduct current between the respective pins and the plate. The fine adjustment is accomplished by rotation of eccentric registration pins until the plate is within tolerance.
Claims16
An apparatus for registration of a lithographic plate, comprising:
- (a) an imaging device having (i) one fixed registration pin for contact with a first edge of the plate, two fixed registration pins for contact with a second edge adjacent the first edge of the plate;
- (ii) an indicator means for indicating whether the plate is in contact with all three registration pins;
- (iii) a means for moving the plate in contact with all three registration pins;
- and (iv) a means for imparting an image, including a set of alignment marks, on the plate in register with the three fixed registration pins;
- and
- (b) a bending device having (i) one eccentric rotatable registration pin for contact with a first edge of the plate, two eccentric rotatable registration pins for contact with a second edge adjacent the first edge of the plate, the three eccentric rotatable registration pins disposed in target locations substantially the same as the relative locations of the fixed registration pins of the imaging device;
- (ii) an indicator means for indicating whether the plate is in contact with all three eccentric rotatable registration pins;
- (iii) a means for moving the plate in contact with all three eccentric rotatable registration pins so that the set of alignment marks become aligned with said target locations;
- and (iv) a means for punching and bending the imaged plate.
An apparatus for registration of a lithographic plate, comprising a bending device having (i) one eccentric rotatable registration pin in contact with a first edge of the plate, two eccentric rotatable registration pins in contact with a second edge adjacent the first edge of the plate, the three eccentric rotatable registration pins in locations substantially the same as the relative locations of fixed registration pins of an Imaging device;
- (ii) a means for determining whether the position of the plate is in registration with a specified plate lock-up position on a press cylinder;
- (iii) a means for moving the plate into register by rotating the three eccentric registration pins until the plate is in register;
- and (iv) a means for punching and bending the imaged plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.