Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~23~i7
~ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to offset printing, and in parti~
cular to a two-color offset press utilizing a separate plate
cylinder for each of the two colors.
; In such a two-color press, a single blanket cylinder is
simultaneously engageable with the two plate cylinders wherein the
single color images from each of the plate cylinders are super-
imposed in proper registry upon the blanket cylinder for simultan-
eous transfer to paper supplied via an impression cylinder, also
l engageable with the single blanket cylinder.
1 To facilitate ready access to the plate cylinders and
! blanket cylinder for maintenance and set-up purposes, and to
~readily permit operation of the press as a single-color unit, the
prior art teaches the provision of a two-color press by use of a
removable second color attachment engageable with the blanket
cylinder o~ a single-color, single plate cylinder, o~fset press.
,Such an attachment includes a plate cylinder and an associated set
of dampening and inking rollers. The plate cylinder and the set
of dampening and inking rollers are mounted on the frame of the
j attachment, which in turn is hung on the sin~le-color press to
provide such press with a second color capability.
U.S. Patent 3,041,421 to Townsend and U.S. Patent
3,521,559 to Sejeck et al. illustrate such two-color presses
wherein t~o-color capability is provided by a plate cylinder con-
; taining second color attachments. To gain ready access to the
; plate cylinders and blanket cylinder for maintenance and set-up
purposes, or to utilize the press in a single color mode, one
merely moves or removes the second-color attachment.
. 1 - ~e
: - :. ~ i : .
123~
, While such a movable second-color plate cylinder-
containing attachment may provide the noted ready access to the
press cylinders and ready utilization of the press as a single-
color unit, problems do arise in accurately establishing and
llmaintaining precise positioning and alignment of the plate cylin-
-der of the movable attachment relative to the blanket cylinder
, mounted on the mainframe of the press. In an attempt to provide
such proper positioning and alignment, elaborate bracket means for
, hanging tne second-color attachment on the mainframe of the press
or complex attachment adjusting mechanisms and procedures must be
l~provided. Such attachments also present a problem in that the
¦ conversion between single-color and two-color operation may take a
, considerable amount of time and skill to perform.
,
~32~7
According to the present invention there is provided
a two-color, lithographic, sheet-fed, offset printing press
of the single blanket cylinder type, the press including a
mainframe including sheet handling means, the sheet handling
means defining a sheet handling path extending between a
sheet feed input and a sheet delivery output, sheets to be
printed on being serially transferred from the sheet feed
input to the sheet feed output, the sheet handling means
including an impression cylinder rotatably mounted generally
at an intermediate point of the sheet handling path. A
printer head is mounted on and fixed to the mainframe and
adjacent to the sheet handling path at the intermediate point
bet~7een the sheet feed input and the sheet delivery output,
the printer head including a single blanket cylinder rotatably
engageable with the impression cylinder when the~ are in
abutting relationship extending along parallel axes of rotation
and a pair of plate cylinders, the plate cylinders being
simultaneously engageable with the blanket cylinder, the
plate cylinders and blanket cylinder being adjacent to each
other and rotatably mounted on the printer head along generally
parallel axes of rotation, the blanket cylinder being adapted
to simultaneously transfer images ~rom the plate cylinders to
sheets provided by the sheet handling means as the sheets
serially move between the rotating blanket cylinder and the
rotating impression cylinder when they are in abutting
relationship. A movable carriage is mounted on the mainfram~
and located generally adjacent to the printer head~ the
carriage being linearly movable along a generally straight
line to and from the printer head. A first color set o~
~2~267
dampening and inking rollers is fixed to and rotatably mounted
on the printer head and engageable with one of the plate
cylinders. A second color set of dampening and inking rollers
is fixed to and mounted on the movable carriage, the second
set of dampening and inking rollers being engageable with
the other plate cylinder only when the carriage is moved toward
the main printer head to an engagement position wherein the
second color set of dampening and inking rollers are in
abutting relation with the other plate cylinder.
mb/~ - 3a -
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,-: ; .
~l~123~7
I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
!
~ FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view from the operator's
I side of a two-color offset pr;nting press, with covers in place,
l~in accordance with the present invention;
¦I FIG. 2 iS an elevation view of the printer head of the
'. press taken along line 2-2 of FIG. l;
~ FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the movable carriage of the
'press taken along line 3-3 of FIG. l;
i~ '
FIG. 4 is a schematic elevation view from the operator's
side of the press, with covers removed;
1~
¦ FIG. 5 is an operator's side, elevation view of the mov~
! able inking and dampening roller-containing carriage illustrating
various carriage positions;
FIG. 6 is a nonoperator's side, elevation view of the
movable inking and dampening roller-containing carriage supported
~by linear motion ball bushings;
- - , . : . - .
I FIG. 7 is an end view of a portion of the carriage mount-
~;ing means taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;
~i .
. ~
il FIG. 8 is an end view of the press carriage, with portions
cut away, taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 5;
FI&. 9 is a longitudinal, cross section view of one of the
ball bushing mountings of the carriage taken along line 9-9 of
FIG. 8;
!
¦ FIG. 10 is a transverse, cross section view of one of the
l ball bushing mountings of the carriage taken along line 10-10 of
! FIG. 5;
1.
1.
¦ FIG. 11 is an operator's side, elevation view of the
Iprinter head of the press;
!
1.
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross section view of the
axially adjustable plate cylinder taken along line 12-12 of FIG~
11; and
~.
FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of the printing press
safety interlock system.
.:
. , , : .
L123Z~i7
1' : ETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TI~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
.~ , ` .
,~ With reference to FIG. 1, there is schematically illus-
j trated in elevation a two-color offset printing press in accord-
! ance with the present invention wherein a mainframe 10 having a
I paper feed input 12 and a paper-delivery output 14, supports a
I,fixed printer head 16 and a carriage 18 linearly movable to and
¦ from the printer head 16.
! The printer head 16 includes a pair of plate cylinders
! engageable with a blanket cylinaer, in turn engageable with an
¦ impression cylinder, in turn engageable with a delivery cylinder.
! The printer head 16 further includes a ~irst se~ of dampening and
! inking rollers engagea~le with one of the plate cylinders.
¦; The movable carriage includes a second set o dampening
;and inking rollers en~ageable with the other plate cylinder
mounted on the printer head.
' - The detailea structure of the printer head 16 and ^arriage
'18 will be illustrated and discussed su~sequently.
By way of example, and with further reerence to FIG. 1,
`in a typical offset printing operationJ blank printing paper 1~ a
stream of sequentially fed separate sheets, is provided by the
,paper feed input 12 to the printer head 16 wherein the paper
passes between the image-containing blanket cylinder and an
impression cylinder, the image on the blanket cylinder being
transferred in a well-known manner to the paper. The printed
paper is then transferred via the paper delivery output 14 from
jthe printer head 16 into a conventional vertically ex~ending sheet
i' ' '
;-, - .
- .
-' ! - ' ' '
~ s ~ ~ . . 6
- : : ; ,
1~23~67
,stacking bin 20. The feeding of the printing paper to the printer ;
head 16 by the paper feed input 12 and the delivery of the printed
,'paper from the printer head 16 to the bin 20 by the paper delivery
I output 14 are provided by conventional chain transport systems
well-known in the art.
. To ensure safe operation of the press of the present
~invention, a plurality of fixed and movable covers are provided to
limit operator access to moving parts of the press. The printer
.head 16 includes a cover 22 and two cooperating plate cylinder
covers 24, 26, as sho n in FIG. 1. The covers 22, ~I, 26
.
I
.'
'. 7
- - - -,: ~ .
' lf ~ 32~7
serve to close printer head access openings used for maintenance
or set-up of the press in a non-running condition. The plate
cylinder covers 24, 26 are each pivotal about respective hinge
joints 25, 27 fixed relative to the printer head 16. Associated
with the covers 24, 26 are respective interlock s~itch means 30,
32 which are responsive to movement of their respective associated
covers 24, 26 wherein opening and closing of the covers 2~, 26
actuate the interlock switches 30, 32. In a manner to be subse-
quently e~plained in detail, opening of the covers 24, 26 by
moving either of them pivotally away from the printer head 16
actuates the respective interlock switches 30, 32, which in turn
deenergize the press drive motor to preclude operator access to
~moving press parts.such as rotating cylinders and rollers mounted
on and within the printer head 16. The cover 22 and movable
covers 24, 26 cooperate with a printer head housing 38 to gener-
ally enclose the cylinder and rollers within the interior volume
generally defined by the printer head housing 38.
The paper delivery output 14 includes a linearly slidable
cover 15 and a cooperating pivotal cover 17, which limits operator
access to the paper deliver~ chain drive when the paper delivery
covers 15, 17 are in their closed posit;on as illustrated in FIG.
1. Associated with the covers 15, 17 are respective intçrlock
switch means 19, 21 which function to deenergize the press motor
when the respective covers are in an open position as opposed to
their closed illustrated positions. ~ bin overload interlock
switch means 23 functions to deenergi2e the paper feed process
when the bin 20 is full.
.
. . .
1~L232~;7
The carriage 18 includes a housing 2~ and a cover 29 which
generally encloses the interior mechanism of the dampening and
inking roller-containing carriage 18, such mechanism to be
explained subsequently in detail. Two carriage-related interlock
switches 35, 36 are responsive to linear movement of the carriage
18 away from and toward the printer head 16. The carriage-related
interlock s~iitches 35 and 36 cooperate with a plate cylin~er
~interlock switch means 37, the switching means 37 being responsive
i to the movement of a carriage-associated, printer head-mounted,
plate cylinder into and out of an engaged position with the
printer head-mounted blanket cylinaer. The cooperating switch
means 35, 36, 37 function together to limit operator access to
moving parts within the printer head housing 38 and the carriage
,housing 28 when the carriage 18 is pulled back away from the
i~printer head 16.
The heretofore discussed switch means are preferabl~ in
the form of mechanical microswitches~ although other types of
`switches, such as optical coupler-type relays, are clearly appli-
cable. The precise manner in which the above-noted plurality of
!interlocking switching means cooperate to deener~i~e the press
motor to preclude unsafe operation of the press will be subse-
~quently explained in detail.
With reference to FIG. 2 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1,
it can be seen that the printer head housing 38 provides an edge
~wall 40 which circumscribes and defines a rectangular aperture for
operator access to the interior of the housing 38 containing the
¦printer head-mounted cylinders and rollers.
~ , .
- . :.
ilZ3Z67
I With reference to FIG. 3 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1,
¦ it can be seen that the carriage housing 28 has an edge wall 43
which circumscribes and defines a rectangular aperture for access
to the interior of the dampening and inking roller-containing
carriage housing 28.
~ When the carriage 18 is pulled back or withdrawn a~ay from
¦ the printer head 16 to a prescribed degree, operator access to
¦ both the interior of the carriage housing 28 and the interior of
the printer head housing 38 is provided via the noted rectangular
¦ apertures. When the carriage 18 is moved to a position closest to
the printer head 16, the housing edge walls ~0, 43 abut in oppos-
¦,ing relation (FIG. 1) to limit operator access to the interior of
i, the housings 28 and 38 wherein the housings cooperate with eachother and with the earlier-noted covers 22, 24, 26, 29 to gener-
ally enclose the cylinder and roller mechanisms of the printer
l head 16 and carriage 18, respectively.
i Turning to FIG. 4, there is illustrated, in accordance
with the invention and in a more detailed manner, the printer head
16 and the carriage 18, which are generally enclosed by their
`respective housings 28, 38, schematically represented in outline
¦,fashion. The printer head 16 includes a first plate cylinder 50,
¦I~a second plate cylinder 55, a blanket cylinder 60, an impression
cylinder 65, and a delivery cylinder 70.
The plate cylinders 5Q, 55, the blanket cylinder 60, the
impression cylinder 65, and the delivery cylinder 70 are inter-
; engageable and rotatably mounted on the printer head 16. Each ofthe cylinders 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 lies along parallel axes of
,rotation with their outer surfaces of revolution in generally
.. ..
~' 10
- , ' , ~ .: '
,: , ~ '' '
il~23;26'7
¦ opposed, abutting relationship, as illustrated. Associated with
¦ and mounted on and fixed to the printer head 16 is a first set of
dampening and inking rollers 80 rotatable on axes of rotation
, parallel to the axes of rotation of the printer head cylinclers.
' The set of dampening and inking rollers 80 is conventional and
functions to provide the first plate cylinder 50 with dampening
and inking fluid in a well-known manner.
Associated with and mounted on and fixed to the movable
carriage 18 is a second set of conventional dampening and inking
rollers 90 located along axes parallel to those of the printer
head cylinders. The second set of dampening and inking rollers
functions to provide the second plate cylinder 55 with dampening
and inking fluids as illustrated.
In a two-color printing operation, the carriage 18 is
moved to an engagement position closest to the printer head 16, a~
illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein the second set of dampening and
inking rollers 90 contacts the second plate cylinder 55, as illus-
trated, via the apertures defined by the carriage and printer head
, housing edgewalls 40,43 (See FIGS. 2 and 3). The first set of
I dampening ànd inking rollers 80 contacts the Eirst plate cylinder
50.
¦ In operation, the plate cylinders S0, 55 each contain, in
~Iwraparound fàshion, a single-color image-carrying plate which is
¦ inked and dampened in a conventional manner by the sets of dampen-
in~ and inking rollers 80, 90, the directions of cylinder and
I roller rotation being indicated in FIG. 4 Images from the plate
I cylinders 50, 55 are simultaneously transferred and superimposed
1, 11
'~ ,
' ' ' ` ' '
23~7
in proper registry upon the`blanket cylinder 60. The superimposed
l~images on the blanket cylinder 60 are then simultaneously trans-
¦ ferred to the blank printing paper fed between the blanket cylin-
der 60 and the impression cylinder 65. The printed paper is then
~,stripped from the impression cylinder 65 by the delivery cylinder
70. The movement of the paper between the paper feed input 12 and
the paper delivery output 14 defines a sinuous paper handling path
j~extending therebetween, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
, The process of printing on paper with two single-color
~ plate cylinders cooperating with a blanket cylinder, which in turn
¦ cooperate with respective impression and delivery cylinders, is
known in the art, as is a paper handling means generally illus-
litrated in FIG. 4.
~ In accordance with the invention, the second plate cylin-
¦~der 55 is rotatably mounted and fixed to the printer head 16,
while its associated set of dampening and inking rollers 90 is
I~mounted on and fixed to the movable carriage 18. The carriage 18
, is preferably linearly movable to and from the second plate cylin-
der 55 in a manner to be subsequently explained and lockable at a
!ipredetermined number of positions along its travel length by means
¦ of, for example, a detent mechanism 95 or a simple latch mechanism
92.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the carria~e is in an engagement
position for a typical two-color offset printing operation as
earlier discussed. In accordance with the invention, it can be
seen that the detent mechanism 95 as shown in FIG. 4 locks the
i
! 12
.,.,,-; . ~
~carriage 18 at the engagement position. The positive locking of
the carriage in position by the detent mechanism 95 is accom-
plished by rotating an eccentrically mounted, vertically extending
cam membee 96 about a pivot pin 98. Rideable upon the outer upper
~edge of the cam member 96 is a spring-biased pin 99 which recipro-
-cates to and from the carriage 18 upon a predetermined degree o~
'rotation of the cam member 96. With the cam member 96 in a lock-
ing position as illustrated in FIG. 4, the pin 99, slidable upward
through a collar 100 fixed relative to the press mainframe, pro~
~'jects into a receiving detent cavity 101 to positively lock the
j carriage at the illustrated engagement position.
As illustrated in phantom in FIG. 4, the carriage is left-
wardly linearly movable back from the illustrated engagement
position to a disengagement position 105 which is utilized when
, the press is operating in a single-color mode. Movement from the
illustrated engagement position to the phantom-illustrated disen-
, gagement position 105 is accomplished by rotation of the cam
~member about its pivot pin 98 for approximately 180 degrees from
l its position illustrated in FIG. 4, causing the pin 99 to move
I downwardly and drop out of the detent cavity 101, wherein the
I operator pulls the carriage back away from the printer head 16 to
the disengagement position 105, and wherein the cam member 96 is
~again rotated 180 degrees about the pivot pin 98 to push the pin
99 upward into a disenga~ement detent cavity 102 for positive
~locking of the carriage 18.
I
13
. -
:. -- . ..
23~
. .
1~ The carriage is also linearly movable to a further d~gree
~,away from the printer head 16 to a wash-up position 1~ at which
'the carriage is positively lockable hy a mechanism similar to the
detent mechansim 95 but not illustrated. It is further noted tha'c
the nonoperator side (FIG. 6) of the carriage 18 may include a
'detent locking mechanism which is opposite but substantially
'~lidentical to the illustrated detent mechanism 97. The opposed
,detent mechanism and the illustrated operator side detent mech-
"anism 97 can operate together via a common sha~t extendiny across
!I the carriage from the location of (and in substitution for) the
Ipivot pin 98 to the pivot pin location of the opposed detent
'mechanism. Such a mechanism permits positive locking o~ both
jsides of the carriage 18.
i The carriage is further movable to a lock-back position
l107 farthest from the printer head 16, wherein positive loc~ing of,
,~the carriage in the lock-back position 107 is provided by the
pivotally movable latch member 110 mounted to the carriage via a
'pivot pin 112. As the carriage moves away from the printer head
jto`the lock-back position, the latch mem~er is raised up by a
jhorizontally inclined camming surface 11~ ~or latching engagement
iwith a keèper 115 in the ~orm o~ a horizontally pro3ecting pin or
rod fixed relative to the mainframe in a manner to be explained in
more detail.
The rotatable mounting and fixing of the second plate
~cylinder 55 to the printer head ensures proper alignment between
such second plate cylinaer 55 and the blanket cyIihder 60. ~he
Iprovision o~ a linearly movable carriage containing the set of
i ~ . .
I'
- 14
~ ''
~.
~ .
3~6~7
dampening and inking rollers 90 which can be withdrawn from the
second plate cylinder 55 advantageously permits ready access to
the second plate cylinder and to the carriage-mo~nted dampening
and inking rollers for set up procedures and usual maintenance.
Turning to FIGS. 5 and 6, a more detailed illustration of
the carriage 18 is presented from the operator's si~e as shown by
FIG. 5 and from the opposed or nonoperator's side shown in FIG.
6. The carriage rides upon a pair of straight parallel rails 120
(FIG. 5) and 122 ~FIG. 6) which are supported by and mounted
'~relative to the mainframe of the press. The carriage is movable
along the rails 120, 122 between a pair of lock-back, end stop,
ringlike collars 125, 126 and the printer head 16 with which the
carriage abuts in its engagement position. The collars 125, 126
fit around the rails 120,122 not immediately adjacent to the
printer head 16 and are locked to their respective rails 120, 122
by, for example, ap2ropriate setscrews.
The rails are each supported along substantially their
entire lengths by an associated pair of L-shaped cross section
, lengths of angle iron 135, 137 and by generally equal parallel
extending lengths of generally rectangular cross section bar stock
136, 138 positioned bet~een and engaging the angle iron lengths
135, 137 and the respective rails 120, 122. The rails 120, 122,
the lengths of bar stock 136, 138, and the lengths of angle iron
' 135, 137 are rigidly fixed to each other by appropriate fasteniny
means, such as bolts, welds or the like. The lengths of angle
iron 135, 137 are in turn rigidly fastened to the press fame~
Thus, straight rails 120, 122 rigidly fixed relative to the press
;frame are parallel to each and extend along and are parallel to an
: ?- . ~ ~
~ llZ3267
¦iaxis normal to the axis of rotation of the second plate cylinder
1l55 (FIG. 4)~ The set of dampening and inking rollers 90 have axes
'. of rotation which are normal to the linear motion direction of the
carriage and parallel to the axis of rotation of their associated
plate cylinder 55.
. As.illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the carriage 18 having a
.generally rectangular base area rides the rails 120, 122 on sup-
.portive rolling friction bearing means in the form of two pairs of
,,linear motion partial ball bushings 140, 145, each pair riding a
i'respective rail 120, 12~. Such mounting of the carriage structure
advantageously provides positive linear motion of the carriage 18
~toward the printer head 16 without lateral or skewing movements of
the carriage 18 relative to the printer head 16, which could cause
~misalignment between the set of inking and dampening rollers 90
i and the respective second plate cylinder 55.
ii Turning to FIG. 7, it can be seen that the length of angle
l iron 135 has a vertically extending ieg 131 which is fastened to
,~the press frame by appropriate bolts 132 (only one illustrated).
~A horizontally extending leg portion 133 of the lenth of angle
;.ron 135 supports the generally equal length of bar stock 136
which has a generally rectangular cross section (shown more
clearly in FIG. 8). The length of bar stock 138, as illustrated
in FIG. 7, is held in place against the hori~ontally extending
! flange 133 by appropriate bolts 13~ (only one shown). The
lock-back collar 125 fastened to an end of the rail 120 farthest
I from the printer head 16 has extending from it in a generally
',horizontal direction outwardly from the carriage the keeper 115
¦Iwith which the latch member 110 engages when the carriage is in
I its lock-back position (FIGS. 4 and 5) as illustrated and earlier
', discussed with regard to FIG. 4.
I
i
~ 16
.
~23~
j Turning to FIG. 8, the mounting of the carriage 18 upon
!` the rails 120, 122 is further illustrated. It can be seen that
the ball bushings 140, 145 extend only partially about the circum-
ferential extent of the rods 120, 122. Such linear motion partial
l, ball bushings are further illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, where it
- can be seen that a series of circulating ball bearings move-in a
~,line along the longitudinal extent of the rail 120. In FIG. 10 it
' can be seen that the weight of the carriage is substantially sup-
ported only by the lines of recirculating ball bearings so as to
j provide only rolling friction forces between the carriage and the
rail upon which it is movable. Linear motion partial ball bush-
ings of the type illustrated are known in the art and available
from Thomson Industries, Inc. of Manhasset, New York. With regard
,to the rail 122 and its related ball bushings 145, it should be
noted that their structural relationship to each other is gener-
~ally identical to the structural relationship between the other
. rail 120 and ball bushings 140 as discussed with regard to FIGS.
7, 9 and 10.
Turning to FIG. 11, there is illustrated in more detail
, from the operator's side the printer head 16 which is mounted on
I and fixed to the mainframe 10 of the press using a plurality of
i supportive bolts 151. The printer head 16 has rotatably mounted
on it the plurality of parallel oriented and generally abutting
cylinders in the form of the first plate cylinder 50, the second
plate cylinder 55, the blanket cylinder 60, the impression cylin-
I der 65, and the delivery cylinder 70. The rotatable mounting of
¦ the second plate cylinder 55 utilizes an eccentric mounting 155
; well-known in the art which permits limited translational shifting
.
17
. ~ .
32~7
of the second plate cylinder 155 to and away from the blan~et
¦,cylinder 60 where, for example, only a single~color operation is
, required when only the plate cylinder 50 is engaged with the
, blanket cylinder 60. Such translational shifting of the plate
j.cylinder 55 causes opening and closing of the switch means 37
(FIG. 1) illustrated in FIG. 11 as a microswitch response to press
-linkage movements associated with the noted translational movement
', of the plate cyiilinder 55. The utilization of the switch means
j 37 will be discussed in more detail with regard to the press
! safety interlock system. The control linkage illustrated in FIG.
Il is ol the typical type.
, .
18
'
.
3267
- - With reference to FIG. 12, there is illustrated in longi-
itudinal cross section an operator-accessible ~echanism for axially
adjusting the second plate cylinder 55 to establish proper super-
position or registry of the two-platè cylinder images transferred
to the blanket cylinder as explained earlier.
The second plate cylinder 55 is rotatably mounted on and
between two opposed and parallel printer head frame members 160,
161. Opposed, cylindrical, aperture-defining walls 162, 163
concentric with a common axis 165, each engagingly receive
respective concentric, cylindrical, ringlike bushings 168, 169,
which each include respective radiall~ extending flange portions
168a,169a. The bushings 168, 169 are fixed within the apertures
defined by the walls 162,163 to their respective frame members
160, 161 by appropriate screw fasteners 170.
Extending between the bushings 168,169 is a plate cylinder
shaft 175 which has a cylindrical midportion 177 having an axis of
~revolution 178 which is eccentrically set~off by a predetermined
amount from the axis 165 along which the concentric bushings
16B,169 are oriented. The shaft 175 further includes a non-
threaded cylindrical end portion 180 received by the bushing 168.
The shaft 175 further includes a threaded cylindrical end portion
185 received by the bushing 169. The cylindrical end portions
180,185 lie along their common axes of revolution 165, while the
shaft midportion 177 lies along its axis of revolution 178. The
two axes 165,178 are parallel to each other wherein the end por-
tions 168,169 of the shaft are eccentric by an equal radial and
¦-angular degree relative to the shaft midportion 177. Both of
1.
19
~ 232~7
the axes 165,178 are normal to the parallel plane defined by the
frame members 160,161 to provide parallel positioning of the
second plate cylinder 55 relative to the blanket cylinder 60 (FIG.
11), which is also mounted along an axis normal to the planes
defined by the frame members 160,161.
The plate cylinder 55 is rotatably mounted upon reduced
end portions 179 (only one shown) of the miaportion 177 of the
shaft 175. Suitable bearing means, such as tapered roller bear-
ings 181 (only one shown), are utilized at each end of the cylin-
drical plate cylinder 55 to rotatably mount it on the shaft 175
¦'which is generally not rotatable around the axis 178. The shaEt
175 is axially movable to a limited degree between the frame
members 160,161 by being axially slidably and rotat;onally
l:received within the bushings 168,169.
Limited translational movement of the plate cylinder 55 to
and from and into and out of engagement with the associated
blanket ~cylinder 60 (see FIG. 11) is provided by rotation of the
eccentric end portions 180,185 on the axis 165, such end portion
rotation causing the noted translational movement of the shaft mid
portion 177 and the associated rotationally mounted plate cylinder
55. A suitable linkage 176 (as further illustrated in FIG. 11) is
utilized to rotate to a limited degree the shaEt end portions
180,185 to provide the noted translational movement of the rotat-
ably mounted cylinder 55. The linkage 176 is fixed to the distal
i~end of the nonthreaded end portion 180 by means of a bolt 190 and
shaft key means 191 to limit the degree of rotation of the shaft
175 to substantially less than a full revolution. The use
1,
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' ~232~7
~of such eccentric cylinder mountings (Also see element 155, FIG.
! 11) is well-known in the art, and such mountings can be adapted to
- any of the cylinders or rollers of the press where such a trans-
- lational movement function is desirable.
, To adjust and maintain the position of the axially movable
-shaft 175 slidable within the-ringlike bushings 168,169, an
adjustment mechanism 190 is provided in accordance with the inven-
tion. The mechanism 190 includes a spindle 195 having a shaft-
engaging end 200 and an operator-accessible distal end 202 which
extends through the printer head cover 38 for operator access.
'The spindle 195 is rotatable on the axis 165, and in a preferrecl
form includes a tube having outer and inner cylindrical walls
194,196. The shaft-engaging end 200 of the spindle 195, which
further includes a ringlike collar 197, is threaded on its inner
cylindrical wall 198 to enga~ingly receive the threaded end
;portion 185 of the shaft 175. While the spindle 195 is rotatable
about the axis 165, it is generally not translationally movable
,along the axis 165. On the other hand, the spindle 175, while
axially movable to a limited degree, is in general not rotatable
labout the axis 178, but for the limited degree of eccentric shaft
¦rotation to cause the earlier-discussed translational movement of
the cylinder 55. It can be seen that rotation of the spindle 1~5,
;which is generally fixed axially, will cause axial movement of the
generally nonrotatable shaft 175. The degree of movement caused
by a single revolution or rotation of the spindle 195 depends upon
the thread pitch oi the threaded end portion 185.
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- To maintain a set axial position of the shaft 175 and its
l rotatably mounted plate cylinder 55, a friction biasing means is
provided to lock the spindle at a particular rotational location
and to substantially limit axial movement of the ro~atable spindle
195. In a preferred form, the friction biasing or loc~ing means
i includes a spindle flange portion 205 extending radially from the
- shaft-engaging end portion 200 of the`spindle 195. The -flange
portion 205 provides first and second annular friction engaging
faces 207, 209 which are concentric with the spindle 195. The
first annular face 207 engages with a corresponding annular area
of the frame provided, as illustrated, b~ the bushing flange
;portion 169a. The second annular face 208 frictionally engages
, with a corresponding opposed annular area provided by a ringlike
member 212 which is biased against the second annular face 208 o~
the flange 205 by appropriate helical spring means 21~ extending
between the distal ends of studs 216 extending normally from the
frame member 161, the studs 216 having lengths substantially in
excess of the thick of the flange 205, as illustrated. The studs
216 are equidistantly spaced about the spindle 195 and project
through correspondingly equidistant space apertures 211 through
the ring member 212. Spring biasing of the ring member 212
l against the flange 2n5 effectively sandwiches the flan~e between
l~the biased ring member 212 and the bushings 169 to limit axial
, movement of the rotatable spindle 195. The clutching effect
provided between the annular faces 207~ 208 and the respective
mating annular portions of the bushing 169 and ring member 212 act
as an effective means to maintain the axial position of the plate
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cylinder 55 once it has been set by operator turning of the
l;
.spindle end 202, which may include a knob 218 fixed thereto. A
conventional grease fitting 219 is fixed to the distal end of a
hollow rod 220 having its other end 2~1 threaded into an axial
bore (not shown) throuqh the spindle 185, the axial bore communi~
1 .. i.
'cating with the pair of roller bearings i81. Lubricant is appliecl
-unaer pressure via the grease-fitting 219, ~he hollow ~od 220, and
. - ~ithe spindle axial bore (not shown) to the roller bearin~s 181.
- i Also fixed about the rod 220 at its distal end is a ringlike stop
I.member 222 which moves between the distal end of the spindle 195 .. -~ and the knob 218, as illustrated, to limit the range of axial
jmovement of the plate cylinder 55O
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With reference to FIG. 13 and FIG. 1, the earlier- .
.discussed interlock control system for-ensuring safe operation of
¦the press of the present invention will now be discussed in
l~further detail. FIG. 13 is a generally scXematic diagram of the
interlock control system in accordance with the invention which
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jincorporates the earlier noted switching means 19t 21, 23t 30, 32,
j37, as geometrically located and as functionally described with
- ~ regard to FIG. 1. The interlock system includes a conventional
ipair of power lines 300, 302. Extending across the power lines
j.300,302 in parallel relation for electrical energization are a
'press motor 305 and a paper handling vacuum pump 307. Electri-
I cally connectea between the power lines 300,30~, and in series
with the press motor 305, is a fuse 306 o~ the conventional type
;and a set of normally open relay contacts 304. It can be seen
that power will be applied to the press motor 305 when the nor-
¦~mally open contacts 304 are closedO In likewise fashion, a set o~
normally open relay contacts 308 are provide~ in series with the
vacuum pump 307 wherein closing of the contacts 308 applies power
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to the pump 307, the vacuum pump providing paper to the printer
head 16 (FIG. 1) from the paper feed input 12. The operation of
the vacuum pump 307 and its utilization in the paper feed input 12
are well-known in the art. Also connected across the-power lines
300, 302 are a motor control circuit 320 and a vacuum pump control
circuit 340.
The motor control circuit 320 includes, in serial relation
and in electrical series relationship between the power lines 300,
302, the paper delivery interlock switch means 19, a carriage/
printer head interlock switch means 322 which includes switching
means 35, 36, 37, the other paper delivery interlock switch means
21, the printer head movable cover interlock switch means 30, 32,
an on-off rocker switch 325, and a motor relay 330.
In operation, the rocker switch 325, having two sets of
serially connected contacts 326, 327 and illustrated in its
at-rest position, is momentarily switched by the operator to an on
condition wherein the set of contacts 327 close. If all of the
press interlock switch means (19,322,21,30,3~), disregarding
switch means 23, are in their proper condition, as will be subse-
quently explained, power is applied to the press motor relay 330.
Upon power actuation to the press motor relay 330~ the set o
press motor eontacts 304 are closed to apply power to the press
motor 305. Also closed by the actuation of the relay 330 are a
set of latching contacts 328 which parallel and bridge the con-
tacts 327, which, after being momentarily closed by the operator,
are returned to the position illustrated such that the contacts
327 are opened and the latching contacts 328 are closed or
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r-~~ - latched. The relay continues to be powered and to maintain the
' motor contacts 304 in a closed condition for press motor energi-
zation. To turn o~f the press motor, the operator need only p~sh
the rocker switch 325 to its oEf position wherein the contacts 326
are momentarily open to deenergize the relay 330 and to open the
~ latching contacts 328 and the motor contacts 304. Return of the
-- - contacts 326 to their illustrated at-rest, closed position will
not affect the deenergized condition of the press, since both sets
of contacts 327 and 328 are now open.
The functioning of the various safety interlock switches
within the press motor control 320 will now be discussed.
With the press in an on condition, with the relay 330
being energlzed via the closed latching contacts 328, the press
¦ will continue to run unless an unsafe condition is presented in
¦I the form of, for example, an open condition of any of the covers
~15, 17, 24 or 26, as earlier explained with respect to FIG. lo
l, The opening of the noted covers during an operatin~ condition of
¦ the press would actuate their respective interlock switches 19,
¦;21, 30 or 32 to an open circuit condition. Opening of any of
these series of connected interlock switches 19,21,30,32 will
deenergize the relay 330 and shut down the press motor 305 due to
the opening of contacts 30~, as explained earlier. With regard to
the series-connected carriage/printer head interlock control 322,
ithe printer head interlock switch means 37 switches between its
two illustrated positions as a function of translational movement
of the second plate cylinder to (engagement) and away from
(disengagement) of the blanket cylinder. The carriage interlock
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switches 35 and 36, on the other hand, are actuated in accordance
i,with the degree of carriage movement away from the printer head.
-- ~The switch means 35, 36, 37 cooperate together to limit operator
- - access to the moving plate cylinder when it is turning as a result
¦'of engagement with the blanket cylinder and actuation of the press
- motor 305. With the carriage at its engaged position and with the
- ;second plate cylinder engaged~with the blanket cylinder, switch 37
is positioned as illustrated in FIG. 13, switching means 36 is
closed, and switching means 35 is open. Under these switch condi-
tions, the press motor operates in a normal manner. With the
carriage moved to its disengaged position 105 (FIG. 4) the switch
lmeans 36 opens and the press motor will not operate until the
"second plate cylinder is shifted translationally away from and out
lof engagement with the blanket cylinder. Such shifting`of the
second plate cylinder throws the switch 37 from the position shown
in FIG. 13 to its other position wherein it is in series with
;switch means 35, which is now closed as a result of carriage move-
! ment away from the printer head to the disengagement position. At
¦ithe wash-up position 106 (FIG. 4) of the carria~e, switch means 36
is open and switch means 35 is closed. Press motor actuation for
¦driving of the carriage dampening and inkin~ rollers 80 ~FIG. 4)
~ior wash-up purposes can only occur when interlock switch means 37
~is in its other position, i.e., when it is actuated by transla-
! tional movement of the second plate cylinder away from the blanket
jcylinder so that the cylinder will not rotate, thus exposing the
,operator to an unsafe position. Finally, when the carriage is
jmoved all the way back to its lock-back position 107, both
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carriage interlock switch means 35, 36 are in an open circuit
condition and the press motor will not operate regardless of the
position oE the plate cylinder actuated interlock switch means
, 37. Thus, it can be seen that the press motor interlock switch
- - means 320 provides quick deenergization of the press whenever an
I unsafe operating condition, as earlier discussed, exists.
. Turning to the vacuum pump.control circuit 340, a second
relay 345 is connected between the power lines 300 and 302 via a
series-connected second rocker switch means 346 and the bin over-
load interlock switch means 23. The rocker switch means 346
I functions in the manner similar to that as earlier explained with
! regard to rocker switch 325, wherein moving of the rocker switch
346 to an on position energizes the vacuum pump relay 345 and its
llatching contacts 347, and vacuum pump contacts 308, which in turn
! energize the vacuum pump 307. When an overload condition within
¦the bin 20 (FIG. 1) is sensed by the interlock switch means 23,
¦ opening of interlock switch 23 deenergizes the vacuum pump relay
1345, which in turn opens contacts 308 and 347. Reenergizatioll of
j,the vacuum pump motor 307 requires that the operator once again
!momentarily move the rocker switch 346 to its on condition a~ter
¦the printed paper has been removed from the bin 20 ~FIG. 1) to
Ireset the interlock switch means to a closed position.
¦ Although a preferred embodiment of this invention is
illustrated, it should be understood that various modifications
and rearrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing
from the scope of the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
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