Printing unit having a tubular blanket-changing throw-off configuration allowing the passage of a web of paper and corresponding printing press

A printing unit for printing a web of paper comprising:

• a frame;
• and
• an upper printing group and a lower printing group, the upper printing group including an upper blanket cylinder and an upper plate cylinder, the lower printing group including a lower blanket cylinder and a lower plate cylinder,
• a cylinder support and movement mechanism moving the printing unit into at least one throw-on configuration and at least one throw-off configuration,
• at least one tubular blanket received by the upper and lower blanket cylinders each, the frame having in at least one lateral wall at least one opening, the tubular blankets passing through the at least one opening in at least one lateral wall of the frame, the tubular blankets sliding on the upper and lower blanket cylinders to change the tubular blankets,
• the at least one throw-on configuration occurring when the upper blanket cylinder is pressed against the lower blanket cylinder and the upper and lower blanket cylinders are pressed against the upper and lower plate cylinders respectively,
• the at least one throw-off configuration occurring when the upper blanket cylinder is spaced apart from the lower blanket cylinder,
• the at least one throw-off configuration including a blanket-changing throw-off configuration occurring when the upper blanket cylinder is moved upwards with respect to a position the upper blanket cylinder occupied in the at least one throw-on configuration, and the lower blanket cylinder is moved downwards with respect to another position the lower blanket cylinder occupied in the at least one throw-on configuration, so a web of paper printed by another printing unit passes through a space between the upper and lower blanket cylinders without touching the upper and lower blanket cylinders,
• wherein the cylinder support and movement mechanism includes a first actuator for moving the upper plate cylinder and the upper blanket cylinder away from the lower plate cylinder and the lower blanket cylinder and moving the lower plate cylinder and the lower blanket cylinder away from upper plate cylinder and the upper blanket cylinder, and a second actuator and a cam, the second actuator moving the cam between a first position where the cam holds the upper blanket cylinder and the lower blanket cylinder apart and a second position where the cam allows the upper blanket cylinder and the lower blanket cylinder to contact each other.