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AssigneeGoss International Americas, Inc.
InventorsDouglas Joseph Dawley, Brian Joseph Gentle, Erik John Ramsay
Estimating the term…
A web offset print unit includes a first plate cylinder, a first blanket cylinder selectively in contact with the first plate cylinder, a second blanket cylinder, the web passing between the first and second blanket cylinders, the second blanket cylinder and first blanket cylinder being selectively disengageable from the web in a throw-off position to permit the web to pass between the first and second blanket cylinders, and a second plate cylinder selectively engageable with the second blanket cylinder. A single drive motor drives the first plate cylinder, first blanket cylinder, second blanket cylinder and second plate cylinder when the first and second blanket cylinders engage the web and the single drive motor rotates the first and second plate cylinders when the first and second blanket cylinders are in the throw-off position. Autoplating during the throw-off position thus is possible.
A shaftless web offset printing press comprising:
A web offset print unit comprising:
A method for autoplating a first and a second plate cylinder of an offset print unit, the offset print unit also having a first and second blanket cylinder and a single drive motor, the method comprising the steps of:
A web offset printing press comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Devices for attaching printing elements or formes to supports: for attaching flexible printing formes
For offset printing: using two cylinders one of which serves two functions, e.g. as a transfer and impression cylinder in perfecting machines
Electric or hydraulic features of drives: electric driving devices
Common details of rotary presses or machines: mechanical features of drives, e.g. gears, clutches
Term ended 18 Aug 2026 (estimated)
The present invention relates generally to printing presses and more specifically to web offset printing presses having removable sleeve-shaped blankets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,346 describes for example a printing press with two blanket cylinders separable from each other to permit a blanket throw off.
In such presses, the blankets are offset from a vertical from each other, and in order to pass the web through the blankets when the blankets are offset, lead rolls or air bars are necessary to properly guide the web through the blankets. These guides can mark the printed product and also alter registration of the web between two printing print units, causes deteriorated print quality.
FIG. 1 shows a web offset printing press having eight print units according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the print unit according to the present invention when the web is engaged;
FIG. 3 shows the print unit in FIG. 2 when the blankets are in a throw-off position and disengaged from the plate cylinder
FIG. 1 shows a web offset printing press having eight offset print units 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, each having a plate cylinder 42, blanket cylinder 44, plate cylinder 48 and blanket cylinder 46. Blanket cylinders 44 and 46 nip a web 30 in a printing mode, as shown for print units 10, 12, 14, 16, which may print black, cyan, yellow and magenta, respectively for example. The web may enter the print units via nip rollers 32 (which may be infeed rollers for example) and may exit via exit rollers 34, which may for example be located downstream of a dryer.
The blanket cylinders 44, 46 for each print unit may be thrown-off, as shown for units 22 and 24, so as to separate from each other and from the respective plate cylinder 42, 48. Plate cylinders 42, 48 may move back into contact with the blanket cylinders 44, 46, respectively, during an automatic plate change operation, for example via automatic plate changers 40 and 50, respectively. Automatic plate changers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,053,105, 6,460,457 and 6,397,751 and are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
A throw-off mechanism 60 is shown schematically for moving the blanket and plate cylinders 42, 44, 46, 48. Preferably, each print unit is driven by a single motor 172. Each print unit 10, 12 . . . 24 may be the same. The individual motors may be controlled by a common control unit 200, which can also control each throw-off mechanism and each autoplating unit for the entire press.