CA1322888C - Method and apparatus for printing quasi random number tables in a flexographic press - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention therefore provides apparatus for printing quasi random number tables comprising a printing press having one or more printing stations incorporating a plurality of endless belts, each entrained around an impression roller and an idle roller, each belt being a different length which is a multiple of a basic pitch value, and each belt having affixed to the outer surface thereof and arranged in a row along the length of the belt, a plurality of printing plates arranged to print an impression onto a web or other medium passing through the press in register with a similar impression printed by each other belt. In one form of the invention each plate prints a number such that each belt prints different numbers in register, forming larger numbers or tables whose digits change from impression to impression in a quasi random manner. In one form of the inventioneach printing station incorporates one said belt. In an alternative form of theinvention at least one printing station incorporates a plurality of belts entrained about a common impression roller. Each belt may be inked from a common source or may be independently inked so that a number of different colors may be printed at the one station. Preferably, each belt is provided with a tension roller or shoe arranged to tension the belt about the impression and idle rollers. This is particularly important when a plurality of belts of different lengths are entrained about common impression and idle rollers at the same station.

Description

~U~ 1~19 ~88 17:10 BSTZPQT Lfl P- 5 d 2 ~

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This inventloll relates to apparatus for printing quasl random number tables and has been devised p~rtlcularly tl~otlgh tlot solely fo~ printlng t~bles for games of chance.

This lnve~tion ~s a developme~t of the printing apparRtus described ln my gr~l~ted U,S, Patents 4,5~1,333 ~nd 4,601,Z3~. In those specific~tions there is described a flexo~raphic prislting press which can~ be ~et up to prin~ cluas; random number tables for games of ch~llce. These t~bles are seldom true random number t~bles but lncorporate a very lar~e number of v~riables whi~h are eventually repeated after ~ :
large nux~ber of tables have been p~inted. To the erl~ userj h~wever, each table~ppears to incorporate a m~lx of apparently random numbers and is referred to throughout this specification as ~ "quasi ~an~om number table".
The apparatus descri~ed in my U.S. patents referred to ~otre i~ very effective in ~ l~rge nurrlber of situations but requires the use of an entire flexogr~phlc press ~-which ntay not alway~ be available in 60me prin~lng situa~ions. ~urthermore, the~ize of ~he table printing cylinder~ whi~ may be utili~ed in ~ flexogr~phic pre~ ~s li~uted due ~o the physlc~l cons~raints of the pre~ and therefore the rtumber ofdifferent tables which c~n be prin~ed before the seque~ce of app~reIItly randornnumbers begins ~o repea~ is also limited. The number af di~ferent tables which c~n bç printed would be increased if lar~er table printing cylinders could be used, but these cann~t be physically accomm~dated on ~ conventional f~o~graphic pre~s.
The centra~ imprP~sion press des~ribed in n~y ab~ve refe~enced U.5. p4tent spedficatio1ls i~ also limited to printing on flexible u~ebs such as paper or sheet plas~lcs film I~ is som~ limes ~esir~ble to prirlt quasi random number table~ ~or games of challce onto cylirldrical ob)ects such as soft drin}c cans, papex cUp~Jcardboard tubes or the like.
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F!lJG 0g ~a8 17: lg BSTZP~T Lfl P ~

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The prese~t inventlon iherefore provldes apparatu~ for prll~ting quasi rnndom number tables comprising a printlng pre~s h~ving one or more prln~ing s~tion~ Incorporatlllg a plurality of endless belts, each entrained aroun~ an impressloll roller a~ld ~n idle roller, each belt b~ing a clifferent length which is a multlple o~ a b~sic pltch value, ancl each belt ~laving affixed to the outer surface tllereof and arranged il~ a row along; the le1lgth of the belt, A ~lurality of prirlting plates arral ged to prillt an ill1presçion onto a web ol~ other medium passing through the press in re~ister with a similar ill1pressioll printed by each other belt, In one form of the invexltion each plate prints ~ number such that each belt print~ different numbers in re&i~ter, {orming larger numbers or tables whQse diglts change from impressioll to impre$sio~ in a quasi random manner.
In one form of the illventioll each prislting station incorpoxates one sald belt.
In an ~lternatlve form of the invention at least one prin~in~ statlos incorpor~tes a plurali~y of belt~ entrained about a common lmpre~slon roller. ~ch belt m~y be inked frolll a common source or may be in~ependently lnked so that anumber of different colors m~ay be pri~lte~ at the one station,.
Preferably, each belt is provlde~ with a tension roller or shoe arranged to ten~ion the belt about the impression and lcile rollers. This i8 particula~ly lmportQnt when a plurality o~ belt~ of different lexlgths are enlrained abo~t common Impressi~n and idle rollers at the same station.
No~with~t~nding any other foxm~ th~t ~nay fall wlthin lts scope, ol~e preferred form ~ f ~ ve~ ,l will 3l0W bc ~cscril~cd l~y w~y of ~x~mpl~ ol-ly witl~ r~r~rence ~o the accompa~ying dr~wings~

f~JG 09 '~8 17:19 135TZPP~f~ P~7 ~32~$~i~

~l~e~S~LI~ DRAW.INGS~
. 1 19 a perspec~ive vlew of printin~ ayparAtu~ accordin~ to the lllve~1tlo~ -l~avi~ our belts of differQnt lengths provicied ~t a ~ gl~ printing statioM;
Flg. 21~ an elld vlew of tl~e apparatus shown in ~ig. 1~ showiI~g o1lly one beltfox clari~y;
~ 1~. 3 sllows ~ salltple ~ the outer surface of a belt used in the apparAtus accordillg to tl~e in~elltioll, and a salllple of a table that m~y be printed by six such ~ ~ -belts used togetl~er; ::
Fig. 4 is a diagra~ltlalic el~d view of four belts used at a ~ingle station, wllerei-1 eacll belt is inked from a se~nraie sour~e allowing a dif~erent colox to be used on eacl~ belt;
Fig. 51~ ~ diagrallt~natic end view of llle app~ratu~ according to tlle invention used for printillg olltO cyllndrlcal ~bjects such as cans;
Fi~. 6 is a diagramma~lc el~d view of ~ flexo~raphlc central irnpression press iIIcorporaling ~our 6ingle belt printing ~tAtions accord~n~ to the inventlon;
, 7 is n ~ gral~1mntic e~cl view of ~ rlexograpllic c~ r~l impressioll press iltcorpora~ g olle multiple belt pril~ting staLiol~ accQrdlng to the invelltion;rlg. 8 is a di~gra~Imatic elld view of a ~ix col~r ~t~c:lc pre~ coxpoxating one ~ingle belt alld o~e multl - b~lt printing stati~n ~ccordin~ to the in~enti~n; ~nd ~ ig. 9 ls a dlagral~matic end vlew o~ a narrow web single ~ta~ion pxess r~corporatillg ~ multl belt pri~ tg qtation accs:)r~in~ t~ the InYen~ion.
~ ig. 10 i9 a dia~rammatic el~cl vlew of an al~ernate e~bodi~ent of tl~e prese~t entiot~ as part of an endless belt system, ~ ig. 11 is a top view oE tl~e ~elt of figure 10, ~ 09 '88 17: ;~0 EISTZPP~T Lfl P. 8 ~ 322~3~, PRTA L~D DE~RIP~ION QEI T~E PRE5ENT INV~NTION
In the prefer~ecl form of the l~vention ~ ~ri~tln~; ~tAtion whlch may be used o~ ~ally ~ifÇerent types of pre~ses such as central Impres~lon flexographic presse~, roto~ravure presses, stack presses, or narrow web presses is constructed as follows.
Referri~g to flgure 1, th~ station has an impre~sion cylincler or roller (1) w~ich is driven by the drive mech~nism of the press in the normal ~anner. An endless belt (2) i~ en~rained around the impression cylinder ~nd alsQ around an ldle roller (3) spaced ftom the impression cylinder. In sonle forms ~f ~he in~entlon ~ .
teIIsion roller (4) may also be provide~ to tenslon the belt about the impre~sion and idle roller~.
The l)elt ~2), is typically a non e~astic nylo1l bel~ ha~in8 internal teetl~ on the inner surface of tha belt whlch are en~ged with gea~ teeth ~5) on the impressioncylillder to keep the belt always in regi~ter ~ith the m~tio~ of the impression cylinder.
The outer surface of the belt i~ provided with a plurallty of flexographic printing pla~es (~) which are adhered to the nylol belt ~t ~ pr~det~rmine~ basic pitch vRlue or ,~radient. As carl be seexs from Fig. 3 the pl~tes (6~ are typicall5~ arran$ed ~o :
print numbers ~uch ~s the three di~lt numbers showll and are sp~ced o~ the bel~ ~t n typlc~l gr~ciient of half an inch ~12m~
Each statio~ may incnrpora~e ~ ~ingle belt of ~he type shown in Fig. ~, or alternatively a number of belts such ~s the four belts shown In Pig. 1 may be positioned side by ~ide ~n con~mon elong~te impres~lon ~d idle rollers. In the latter situ~tion each belt h~s it~ own lension r~ller ~4) whic~ is located in a dlfferent position from the tel~sion rollers of the other belt6 ~o ~hat four or six b~lts sach sf different length may be entrained about the colnmoxl or impres~ion sullers~
Althou~ the tensioning device has been shown ~9 a tension rollex it will be appreci~ted that a tension shoe ~r other 5imilar devlce may ~lso be utilize~.
The flexogr~phic plates oa~ the belt (2~ are inked by way of an anilox roller (7) ~:
which i~ in turll inked from an inking roller (8) in the conventional m~Ilner.
' hfJG 0g ~ 88 17: 20 BSTZP~T LR ,. P . g ~ ~ 2 ~

~ six l~elt printin~ station of ~l~e type shown in Fig~ 1 ~nay therefore be utllized with sl~ belts all of difrerellt lel~gtll ~but each a multiple of the basic pit~ value or $radiel~tl to prlnt c1uasi r~1~dont number ~bles of the type shown ln Fig~ 3~
~ s a further vari~tioll, as 6hown in ~:lg. 4, a number af di~fexe~t belts, e.g. four belts l~ay l~e e~lrail~ed about a common elongctte prlntln~ vr impression cylinder (9) al~d thell eacll belt entr~ ed about an independent ldle roller (10)~ This configuratioll allows elcll belt to be in~ependently Inkecl vla an aItilox rollex (11) an~ al~ inkil~g rolles (12) provided as separate items for each belt so tl~at ectch belt may be inked witll a di~ferel1t color. ~l~is adds a further ~riation or variable to tlle qu~si rcllldom number ~able Ll~at may ~e prillted by tl~e apparatus.
All aller~ate el~bodimel~t o~ tlle presel~t inYe~tioll is illustrale-l in figure 10.
A belt 45 i~ elltrained ~b~ut ~ pril~ cylinder 41, tellsion ~ylinder 42 and drive cylinder ~4~ ~n optiol-sl tensiQn cylinder 43 may be utilized if desired. The drive ~yli~cler 44 illcludes a plurallty of pills or protrusions ~6 f~r engaging openings in belt 45~ The drive cyli~der 44 is turlled so as to ~ove belt 45 about the other c$~ lder~ In the exan~ple shown, drlve cylinder 44 turns ill ~ clockwise ài~ection, how~ver, it m~y also be used il~ a coul~ter clo~kwi~ ~irec~ion if clesir~d. ~eferring briefly to figure 11, a top view of belt 4~ enlrained about printing cylinder 41 and ~rive cyliltder 44 is illustratecl. ~Iss ~llown are addi~lonal belt~ 54 - 56, ~ach of the belts includes a. plurality of openings or i~ldentations 52 reglstere~. with the pins 46 of drive cyllnder 44. This allow~ ~he ellgagel1 ent of the belt 45 wlth the geari~lg of the ~rive cylinder 44.
ReferrIng agaixl to figure 10, an ink roller 8 ~ecei~ves ink frc)m ink font 4U an~
transfers it to anilsx roller 7~ Al~llox roller Y ellg,age~ tlls b~l~ 45 at printing cylinde~
41 and t~al~sfers the ink to the bel~ 45, ~el~ 45 en,gages web 47 a~ impresslon ~yllr~de~
1 and ~ransfer~ tllq image of bel~ 4~ to the web 47. Web 47 Is en~rained ~bout ilX~pres51~;)11 Cylillder 11 AltllOUgh 02~1y a ~ingle belt 45 is shown in figure 10, a number of belts such as L~el~s 54 ~ 56 of figure 11 may be en~ra~ned about ~ commvn tension cylillder and prin~ g ry~ der~ ~n op~ionAl tension roller such as tenslos~
xoller 43 may be used lo tensiol~ bPl~s of various pitch ratio~ and lengths as sllown in flgure 1, ~UG 09 '8~ 17:Z1 ~3STZPhT L~ P.10 ~ 3 2 ~

The printing apparatus according to th~ inv~ntion h~s the fur~her advantage that it cAn be utili~ed not ~nly for prlntis~g vn webs such as paper or plastics film material but lt can also be used for printing onto cyllndrical ob3ect~ ~uch as soft clrink can~ or p~per CUp9~ Fig. 5 shows q~ ~pplication of printil~ onto cans (13) which are fed through the norma1 can l~ril~ting line and revolve as they pass down the line.
photocell (14? in the printin~ line activates a c1utch to st~p the revolvin~ ca~ into a predetermined aligllment for printing, whereupon the can p~sseq beneath the impression cylinder (15) of A printing station (16) accc)rdin~ to the invention. The prin~ing station has endless belts (17) and a tension roller ~18) of the type pre~ious1y described al~d is also provided with the i~king ~pparatus earlie~ descri~ed but not $hown In Fig. 5. Although Fig. 5 only ~hows the end vlew of ~ single belt, it woulcl of course be ~orl~al to incorporate a number of belts entrained about t~le impression cylinder (15) il~ a similar manner to the apparatus showll in Fig. 1 or ~ig. 4.
As the can pas~es beneath the 1mpressiol~ roller (15) it rlses up to touch the ~eriPI\~IY ~f ~ elL al~l rol~ eo~lacl will~ e pri~ ell ~ pr~ e impresslon from the flexographic plates on the belt onto the can. In this way quasi random number ta~les of the type shown i~ Pig. 3, or sing1e len~thy qu~si randomnumbers call be prlnted ol~tO ~he surface of a can or any other ~yl1ndrlcal ob~e~t and used i~ g~ es of chance ill tl~e same w~y ~ quasi random numbe~s or tables printed onto sheet materlal.
The belt p~inting st~tion accordmg to the invention may be uglllzed in a n~mber of different w~ys on flexographic, photogravure, st~ck or narrow web presses as will now be described wi~h reference-to Fig~. 6 to 9~
Fi~,. 6 sh(~w~ a conventional central impres~ion flexographic press hav~Ilg a ¢entr~l impression cylinder (20) ancl two conventional printing ~tat1~ns ~21) and (22). In place of the rem~lning printing station~ th~t woulcl normally form part of the central impresslon pre~s, single belt prinling s~alions (2~, (24), (~5) and (26) are provided. These stations each ha~e ~ impression ~oller, idle roller an~ op~ionally a tension roller ~bou~ which a sing1e belt is en~rained. In many regards, this form of the invention is similar to that described in my 8rante~ U.S~ pa~ents 4,5~1,333 and 4,601,239 except that by the use of be1ts a& stations (23), (24), (2S) and (26) it is ~ossible RUI~; 09 '88 17:Z BSTZP~IT LR P.ll ~32~
to utillze a greater nurnber of ~radient~ a~ these stations than would be posslble u~lng conventlonal printi~g cyllnders~ In the exantple shown iI1 Flg 6 station~ of 41, ~1, 59, and 53 gradlents are ut~llzed which would be dl~ficult i~ not ls~p~s~ible If u6ing conventlonal cylinders ~ue t~ the large slze o~ the c~llndexs requlred.
Fig~ 7 shows a central imp~ession flexographic press havir~ a central imyresslon cylinder t27) and six conventiol~al printi~lg stations (28). These conventional printing st~tlo~s m~y be u~ilized to print conven~ional ir~pressions onto th~ surface of payer or other medium and can ~e used for multiple ~olor or scratch ~ilver applications in the ~on~eIltior~al manner. One of the conventlonal statiolls is removed and subslituted by a multiple belt station (29) of the type shown and described in Flgs. 1 and 2. In this w~y quasi random number tables can be printed from the single station (29) wllile retaining the remainillg conventional prillting stations ~28) fo~ p~ ing the remain~er of the document of which the randoln num~er table farms a ~ all p~rt.
Various other c~mblnations of multiple belt or sing1e belt printing stations may be incorporated into various other type~ o~ printin~ press such as the six colored. ~tack pre6s shown in ~ig. 8 having a multlple belt station (30) and a ~ingle belt station (31). Pig. g shows a narrow web ~ress with ~ multi - belt pxintin~ station (32).
The printing ~ppara~us ~ccordlng to the inventi~n has a numbe~ of significan~ adv~n~ages over the prior art. For ex~mple when printing random number tables on~o ~ylindrical ob3ec~s such as caIls it is possible to reliably p~int tables havillg very long repeat factor~ without any risk of erxor~ leadin~ to unbudgeted prl~ claims. Claim~ of thi~ type can happer. when jet printin~ which is comr only used for printing ~odlng, da~e codes, etc. ~nto cans is used for promolions ~s the jet prin~ing sys~em is insufficien~ly reliable. ~e~hanlcal ~umbering is reco~nized by mo~t security p~inters as beir~g the most reliable as it is snechanlcal alld functions continuously without s~ops while the mach~ne is rux~ltil~g. Con~entiona1 mechanical numberin~ however is very li~nited in the number of repeats that m~y be p~ ed, but ~llis problem i5 overcome by usin~
multipl~ belt ~ation3 of the typ~ described aboYe. The invent{on allow~ g~uasi ~ 09 'B8 17:22 EISlZP~T LF~ P, 1~

$ ~ :3 random number tables to be prillted onto sc~ft drink cans in hlgh speed ~peratio~s such as 1500 cans per minute in a mechan~cally synch~onlzed contlnuous flow pr~duction ~ lthough the invention ha~ been c~escrlbed thu~ far as a flex~graphic p~inting lnk applicatioll system it could readily be ~clapte~ to off-set printing.
As an example of a six belt prln~ing st~tion, the belts are common}y provided of different lellgths and t~pically with ~ix different h~lf il~h ~radients such as 61 half i~ch gradiellts on the first belt, 58 on the second, And 53, ~7, 41 and 49 gradients respectively on the othe~ belts. All of these belt len~th~ are prime number lengths whicll give a large nul1lber of con~bination~, and in the example given above allow 1,~33,~0,~00 nul~bers to be prillted before ~he combillatiol~ ~epe~ts. Although it is ~esirable for the endless belts to be prime number multiples of the base gradient, the belts can be l~on-prin~e multiples as lo~g as they contaln a multiplication of the prime numbeI, e.~. 7 x 5 = 35.
Although the p~intins~ appar~tus according to the invention has been descxibed as being i~corporated iltto larger printing pres~ sy~tems, it ~an als~ be used as an "out~oard uni~" separate from the normal printing press line or after a ~ -conventional printlng press a~ a ~econdary printing proces~. rrhi& could be used in conjunction with a die cutting, gluin~, perforatillg produ~tion line. ~ ~
The vari~lon of the invention sh~wn in Fig. 4 has the ~dvan~ag~ tllat four ~ :
color capacity may be added at aT-y one printing s~ati~n. In this mannex the ~ ~:
inven~ion adds four color capa~ity to one cen~ral irnpre~sion p~e~s station at the . :
expense o~ only one conventional ~tatlon.
By adding the apparatus accQrdin~ to the invention to a gravure/flexo outboard unit on a gra~ure printing l~ne, random gan~e lmprlntlll~ is achieved during nor~al gravure printing. Similarly the invention can be applied to a web off~set printing line to achieve random imprin :in8 before, dLIring or ~fter the off-set println~ process dependlng c)n dryin~ requirements.

Claims (18)

1, A device for printing quasi random number tables comprising:
a plurality of printing stations, each of said printing stations including an impression cylinder, a continuous belt disposed about said impression cylinder, and idle roller disposed within said belt, said idle rollers spaced apart from said impression cylinder, a tension roller abutting said belt for providing tension to said belt;
each of said plurality of printing stations having a belt of different length, each of said belts having gearing means disposed on one side thereof for engagement with said impression cylinder and maintaining registration between said belts and said impression cylinder, said belts having a plurality of flexographic printing plates disposed on another side thereof at a predetermined pitch;
each of said belts having a length which is a multiple of said predetermined pitch;
each of said printing plates having at least one number disposed thereon so that a plurality of numbers may be printed by said plurality of printing stations.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of printing stations share a common impression cylinder.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of printing stations share a common idle roller.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said tension roller is disposed within said belt and away from said impression cylinder and idle roller.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said belts has a length which is a prime number multiple of said predetermined pitch.

6. A device for printing quasi random numbers comprising:
a plurality of printing stations comprising an impression cylinder, a continuous belt disposed about said impression cylinder, an idle roller disposedwithin said belt and spaced apart from said impression cylinder;
inking means for transferring ink to said belt;
said belt having gearing means disposed on one side thereof for engagement with said impression cylinder and maintaining registration between said belt and said impression cylinder, said belt having a plurality of flexographic printing plates disposed on another side thereof at a predetermined pitch;
each of said printing stations having a belt of different length.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said inking means comprises a plurality of individual inking stations.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein each of said inking stations comprises a different color of ink.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein each of said printing stations comprises a common impression cylinder.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein the length of said belts is a prime multiple of said pitch.

11. The device of claim 6 further including alignment means for aligning cylindrical objects to a predetermined position and transporting means for moving said cylindrical objects into contact with said belt at said impression cylinder.

12. The device of claim 6 wherein said printing stations are disposed adjacent a central impression cylinder having at least one conventional printing station disposed adjacent thereto for printing on flexible webs.

13. The device of claim 6 wherein said printing stations are disposed in a stackpress having at least one conventional printing station.

14. A method of printing quasi random numbers comprising the steps of:
disposing a first belt about an impression cylinder and an idle roller spaced apart from said impression cylinder, said first belt having flexographic printing plates disposed on one side thereof at a predetermined pitch;
disposing a second belt about an impression cylinder and an idle roller spaced apart from said impression cylinder, said second belt having flexographic printing plates disposed on one side thereof at said predetermined pitch, said second belt having a greater length than said first belt such that said belts produce a pattern that repeats after a predetermined time;
inking said belts;
bringing said belts into contact with a printing medium at said impression cylinder.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first and second belts are disposed about a common impression cylinder.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said first and second belts are disposed about a common idle roller.

17. The method of claim 14 further including the step of disposing tension rollers adjacent said first and second belts.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said belts have a length which is a prime multiple of said predetermined pitch.