EP0530577B1 - Device for positioning a loader used for automatically exchanging printing plates - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for movably positioning in a plurality of positions a magazine for automatically changing printing plates in a printing machine for changing the printing plate of the plate cylinder, replacing the printing plates of the magazine, servicing the printing machine and normal operation, includes a device for mounting the magazine, including a vertical guide wherein the magazine is displaceable, and a horizontal shaft about which the magazine is swivelable, and drive devices for displacing and swiveling the magazine.

Description

The invention relates to a device for positioning a magazine, which can be moved in several positions and is used for automatic printing plate change, wherein the change of the printing plate of the plate cylinder, the exchange of the printing plates of the magazine, the machine service and normal operation are possible.

In the course of the automation of many work on the printing press, which the printer had previously had to carry out manually, magazines were developed which accept old and new printing plates, supply the plate cylinder with new printing plates and accept old printing plates. The problem arises that such magazines have to be attached to existing printing presses, the space between the individual printing units being relatively narrow in almost all presses.

From JP-PO Sho 61-248834 a device of the type mentioned is known, in which the magazine can be pivoted in three positions by means of an angular lever. For refilling and removing the printing plates of the magazine, it can be brought into a set-up position between the printing units. For normal operation of the printing press, the lever pivots the magazine over the printing unit, so that the magazine hovers above the printing unit in a substantially horizontal position, held by the lever. To change the plate, the lever swings down and the magazine folds into an inclined position with the magazine end on the plate cylinder. Because of the location the lever, as well as the axis of rotation of the magazine required for changing the plate, the magazine is in its set-up position in the space between the printing units. This has the consequence that the refilling and removal of the printing plates of the magazine can only be carried out from the side, since the space between the printing units is no longer accessible. This makes the exchange of the cassette plates problematic in large-format machines. By positioning the magazine above the printing unit in the normal operating position, the plates of the magazine cannot be replaced during printing. The magazines, held by the levers, hover over the printing units during printing, making them susceptible to vibrations, shielding the lighting required for working on the printing units and not fitting in with the design of the overall machine. Protection must be provided for the printing units, and the protection required for reasons of occupational safety must be removed from the printing unit in order to change the plates.

The invention is based on the object of designing a device for positioning an automatic printing plate changing magazine in such a way that as little space as possible is required between the printing units and the magazine fits inconspicuously into the overall machine during printing.

The object is achieved in that the magazine is displaceable in a vertical guide in a device of the type mentioned and in that drives are provided for the displacement.

An additional task is to design the device in such a way that the magazine also serves as printing unit protection during normal operation of the printing press.

This object is achieved in that the magazine covers the delivery side of the printing unit as protection in a normal operating position.

In addition to avoiding the disadvantages of the known prior art, the advantages of the invention are that the cassette clings closely to the printing unit during normal operation of the printing press and accessibility to the inking unit is ensured. The printer can easily carry out the work on the ink fountain, the platen roller, the ductor and the siphon roller. Since the magazine is firmly connected to the printing unit over a large area, there is no sensitivity to vibrations. The embodiment in which the magazine serves as printing unit protection in normal operation is particularly advantageous, since in this way such printing unit protection is saved and no removal of the printing unit protection is necessary for the automatic plate change. A manual operation or an additional device that ensures automatic printing unit protection removal are no longer required.

Appropriate refinements and developments of the invention are claimed in the subclaims and described below:
It is envisaged that the magazine is designed such that the printing plates of the magazine can be replaced from above. In this way, the old printing plates can be removed from the magazine and new printing plates can be inserted into the magazine while the printing press is running. This leads to a reduction in the makeready time to be carried out between the printing work.

The vertical guide is designed in such a way that the magazine can be moved upwards so far into a service position that access to the printing unit is guaranteed for all service work. In this way, an operating command can be used to produce a state in which the inking unit, the plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder, as well as the other parts of the printing unit are completely accessible to the printer. The rollers can also be removed from the printing unit. There is almost no machine maintenance activity that requires the magazine to be completely removed.

A lock, which locks the vertical adjustability of the magazine in the service position, provides additional protection for a person who carries out such service work.

To carry out the plate change, it is provided that the magazine can be brought into an approximately tangential to the plate cylinder plate changing position by moving and pivoting, in which pressure plates can be inserted into and removed from the clamping and clamping device of the plate cylinder. The vertical adjustability of the magazine in the plate changing position is also appropriately locked by the lock.

A further embodiment provides that the axis is mounted on both sides of the magazine in a sliding rail, each sliding rail runs in a fixed rail, the rails serve as a vertical guide and the axis can be locked in the vertical position of the magazine by means of a locking device . The locking mechanism ensures that the magazine is securely mounted, which is particularly advantageous for pneumatic drives, since the positioning is retained even if the compressed air fails.

As a design of the drive for the vertical adjustment, a further development provides that a lifting cylinder connected to the displaceable rail and supported on the base of the printing press is arranged on each side of the magazine, the lifting cylinders having a length which is at least the distance between the normal operating position and corresponds to the service position of the magazine.

The drive for the pivoting is designed such that at both ends of the magazine a lever, which is fixedly connected to the axis, is connected to a pivoting cylinder which is suspended at its other end on the displaceable rail.

Correct positioning of the magazine in the plate changing position can be achieved in that the magazine has two rollers which lie opposite the bearer rings at the ends of the plate cylinder and which run against the bearer rings in the plate changing position.

It is provided to design the locking device for locking the vertical alignment of the magazine in such a way that the locking device has a first stop which is fixedly connected to the axis and which, in a vertical position of the magazine, bears against a second stop which is fixedly connected to the displaceable rail and tilting the top of the magazine in the direction of the printing unit prevents a pivotable lever with pawl, which is mounted on the displaceable rail, from resting on the other side of the first stop, and that a locking cylinder is fastened to the displaceable rail, by means of which the pivotable lever with pawl is excepted Intervention and can be brought into engagement.

The locking of the magazine in a position adjustable by vertical displacement can be achieved in that the locking has a pivotable latch lever mounted on a fixed part in the uppermost region of the fixed rail, which is pressed by a spring against a stop and has a slope and a recess has, the pawl lever can be pushed back by means of the bevel by means of locks connected to the displaceable rail and the spring presses the pawl lever against the stop after overcoming the bevel while receiving a lock in the recess, that the pawl lever can be unlatched by a unlatching cylinder and that the unlatching cylinder brings an upper stop for the locks in and out of engagement at the same time.

For vertical locking of the magazine in the service position, a first lock can be arranged at the lower end of the displaceable rail and for locking in the plate changing position, a second lock is arranged at the position of the displaceable rail that is opposite the lock in the plate changing position.

The lifting cylinder, the tilting cylinder, the locking cylinder and the unlatching cylinder are expediently designed as pneumatic cylinders, since this enables the drives to be constructed in a simple manner, the compressed air available on the machine can be used and no damage to the hydraulic system can occur due to a leak in the lines.

An embodiment is shown in the drawing.

Figur 1

Eine Teilansicht eines Druckwerks mit der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung von der Auslegerseite,

Figur 1a

eine vergrößerte Teilansicht von Figur 1,

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung teilweise geschnitten in der Normalbetriebsposition,

Figur 3

dieselbe Ansicht wie Figur 2, jedoch in der Plattenwechselposition,

Figur 4

diese Ansicht in der Serviceposition und

Figur 5

eine zweckmäßige Ausgestaltung der Vertikalverstellung.

Show it:

Figure 1

A partial view of a printing unit with the device according to the invention from the delivery side,

Figure 1a

2 shows an enlarged partial view of FIG. 1,

Figure 2

a side view of the device partially cut in the normal operating position,

Figure 3

the same view as Figure 2, but in the plate change position,

Figure 4

this view in the service position and

Figure 5

an appropriate design of the vertical adjustment.

FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a printing unit, from the delivery side, with a device for positioning a magazine 1 which is used for automatic printing plate change. The magazine 1 is suspended in a vertical guide 2 by means of an axis 3. This consists of a fixed rail 9 and a slidable rail 8 mounted therein. The axis 3 is inserted into this slidable rail 8. The fixed rail 9 and the displaceable rail 8 are of such a length that the magazine 1 can be moved from the normal operating position A shown to a service position C in which the magazine 1 is pushed upwards to such an extent that an operator can perform service work all parts of the printing unit 4 comes up. This adjustment of the magazine 1 is carried out by a lifting cylinder 12, the one Adjustment path has the appropriate length. This lifting cylinder 12 is connected to the displaceable rail 8. The lifting cylinder 12 is supported on the underside 11 of the machine on the underside. An adjusting screw 33 serves for the exact positioning of the lifting cylinder 12. A tilting cylinder 14 serves to bring the magazine 1 into the plate changing position B. There is also a locking cylinder 19, which ensures that the magazine 1 is held in its vertical position and pivoting about the axis 3 can only be carried out by means of the tilting cylinder 14 for movement into the plate changing position B. These parts are shown in more detail in Figure 2 and are explained below.

Since it is expedient to lock the vertical adjustment of the magazine 1, a corresponding lock 6 with a release cylinder 27 is provided. Such a lock is required in the service position C to ensure with certainty that when work is carried out, the magazine 1 remains in this position even if the lifting cylinder 12 fails. In this way, an interruption in the compressed air supply can no longer cause the magazine 1 to leave the service position C. Such a lock is required for the plate change position B in order to achieve an exact positioning, which must not be impaired by disturbances in the compressed air supply. In order to achieve locking in the service position C, a first lock 25 is arranged on the displaceable rail 8 at the lower end. In the central area of the rail 8, a second lock 26 is used for locking in the plate change position B. The second lock 26 is arranged in such a way that after a latching in this position and a subsequent pivoting of the magazine 1, the latter exactly the plate change position on the clamping and clamping device (not shown) of the plate cylinder 7 reached.

FIG. 1 a shows an enlarged view of how a lock 6 is attached in the upper region of the fixed rail 9 for the locking devices. On the fixed rail 9, a ratchet lever 20 is arranged, which has a slope 23, which cooperates with the locks 25, 26 such that the ratchet lever 20 is pivoted about a bearing against the force of a spring 21 until the corresponding lock 25 or 26th the slope has overflowed 23 and engages in a recess 24. This process is illustrated by the indication of the second lock 26 in the position 26 ', in which it runs against the slope 23, and in the position 26' ', in which it is held between the recess 24 of the latch lever 20 and the upper stop 28 . The pivoting of the pawl lever 20 in the direction of the displaceable rail 8 is limited by a stop 22. For unlatching, a unlatching cylinder 27 is used, which has an adjustable part 35 with a shoulder 24 for retracting the pawl lever 20. This adjustable part 35 of the release cylinder 27 also has an upper stop 28 which limits the displacement of the locks 25, 26 upwards, but can also be disengaged by the release cylinder 27 when the latch lever 20 is withdrawn, which releases the lock 26 and latching of the lock 25 is necessary.

Since only one side of the printing unit 4 is shown, it must be considered that the devices described are expediently present on both sides of the magazine 1 and that positioning and locking devices on both sides of the magazine 1 interact in synchronism. It is necessary that the tilt cylinder 14 and the lifting cylinder 12 and the lock 6 must be present on both sides in any case. For locking device 10, which holds the vertical orientation of magazine 1, this is not absolutely necessary required. The control panel 31 of the printing unit 4 can also be seen. This must not be covered by the device.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the printing unit 4 with magazine 1. In this view, the vertical guide 2 in front of the magazine with the displaceable rail 8, the fixed rail 9 and the lock 6 with their individual parts are omitted. These parts are shown as far as they are behind the magazine 1. The parts are identical on both sides of the magazine 1 except for the locking device 10, which can also be arranged on only one side.

The tilting cylinder 14 serves to pivot the magazine 1 into the plate changing position B, as shown in FIG. 3. The tilting device has, in addition to the tilting cylinder 14, which is attached with its upper end to the displaceable rail 8, a lever 13 which is fixedly connected to the axis 3 of the magazine 1 and is connected to the piston rod of the tilting cylinder 14 by means of an articulation point . In position A, the piston rod of the tilt cylinder 14 is extended and the magazine 1 thereby assumes a vertical position, as is required for the normal operating position A and the service position C. When the piston of the tilt cylinder 14 pulls back the piston rod, the magazine 1 swings into the plate changing position B, as shown in FIG. 3.

For the normal operating position A, as shown in FIG. 2, and for the service position C, which is shown in FIG. 4, it is necessary to lock the magazine 1 in its vertical orientation. The locking device 10 serves this purpose. It has a first stop 15 which is fixedly connected to the axis 3 and which in the position shown strikes a second stop 16. this second stop 16 being connected to the displaceable rail 8, not shown. The stop 15 can be set to an exactly vertical position of the magazine 1 by means of an adjusting screw 32. The first stop 15 is held in the drawn, vertical position of the magazine 1 by a pawl 18 which can be unlatched by means of a lever 17 with a pivot point. This pivot point is also connected to the sliding rail 8. The actuation of the lever 18 serves a locking cylinder 19 which is suspended at its lower end on the displaceable rail 8.

From the representations of FIG. 2 as in FIG. 1 it can be seen that the magazine 1 in the normal operating position A covers the printing unit 4 on the delivery side. In this way, the magazine 1 serves to protect the printing unit 4, so that separate protection of the printing unit is no longer necessary. In this way, such protection is not only saved, it does not have to be removed for moving the magazine 1 into the plate changing position B.

From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the magazine 1 located in the normal operating position A does not hinder access to the inking unit 5. In this way, during normal operation of the printing unit, the printer can easily get to the ink fountain, the platen roller, the ductor, the lifting roller or other elements of the inking unit 5. All work that may be required during printing is possible without any hindrance.

Fig. 3 shows the same view as Fig. 2, but the magazine 1 is in the plate change position B. In this representation, all parts correspond to the the same reference numerals to the parts that have already been described in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The function of the device when the magazine 1 is moved into the plate changing position B is described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3:
To move the magazine 1 into the plate changing position B, the lifting cylinder 12 first comes into operation and pushes the displaceable rail 8 with the magazine 1 up until the second lock 26 is held in the lock 6. Thereafter, the locking device 10 comes to a standstill by the locking cylinder 19 pivoting the lever 17 to release the first stop 15 and then the tilting cylinder 14 pivoting the magazine 1 about the axis 3 via the lever 13 until the magazine 1 reaches the plate changing position B. A safe reaching of this plate change position B is achieved in that two rollers 29 are attached to the magazine 1, which lie opposite the bearer rings of the plate cylinder 7 and strike these bearer rings when the plate change position B is reached. In this position B, a used printing plate can be removed from the plate cylinder 7 in that the clamping and clamping device, not shown, releases the printing plate at one end, so that it can be pushed into the magazine 1 or can be grasped and pulled there. A new printing plate is then conveyed out of the magazine 1, inserted into the clamping and tensioning device and wound around the plate cylinder 7. The end of the pressure plate is pushed into the clamping and tensioning device with a pressure roller (not shown), clamped there and tensioned. In these processes, the positioning of the magazine 1 is maintained in that the magazine 1 is held in the vertical by the lock 6 and the inclination thereby remains that the rollers 29 run on the bearer rings.

The return to the normal operating position A takes place in that the tilt cylinder 14 transports the magazine 1 back into the vertical position and then a locking in this position is carried out by the locking device 10 by the locking cylinder 19 pivots the lever 17 again and thereby the first stop 15 is held between the second stop 16 and the pawl 18. Then the lifting cylinder 12 comes into operation by lowering the magazine 1 by means of the displaceable rail 8 until the normal operating position A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is reached again.

Fig. 4 shows the magazine 1 in the service position C. Here, too, all parts with the same reference numerals correspond to the parts described so far. To move the magazine 1 to the service position C, the lifting cylinder 12 is actuated until all parts of the printing unit 4 are released for service work. When this position is reached, the first lock 25 is held in the manner described by the lock 6. In this way it is achieved that the positioning of the magazine 1 in the service position C is retained even if the actuating medium of the lifting cylinder 12 fails. When the magazine 1 is moved to the service position C and when it remains in this position, the locking device 10 remains in its locking position in order to securely lock the magazine 1 in the vertical position. As shown in FIG. 4, the locking device 10 and the tilt cylinder 14 with the parts interacting therewith are displaced upwards with the displaceable rail 8, since they are connected to the latter. As in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sliding rail 8 and the fixed rail 9 are also here lie in front of the magazine for clarity. In the position shown, the piston rod 30 of the lifting cylinder 12 is visible, which must have a length corresponding to the adjustment path.

FIG. 5 shows an expedient embodiment of the vertical adjustment of the magazine in order to achieve a synchronous run. For this purpose, fixed, vertical racks 40, 40 'are arranged on both sides of the magazine 1. Gears 41, 41 'run in these racks and are connected to one another by a connecting shaft 42. This connecting shaft 42 is connected to the magazine 1 by a bearing 43, preferably having two bearing points. For the arrangement of the toothed racks 40, 40 ', attachment to the fixed rails 9, 9' or to a base body, which also carries the fixed rails 9, 9 ', is appropriate.

This further training ensures a synchronous, jerk-free and clean run of the vertical adjustment of the magazine. Of course, other synchronizing devices are also possible, for example guides on both sides with the aid of chains or toothed belts.

Reference list

1

magazine

2nd

Vertical guidance

3rd

axis

4th

Printing unit

5

Inking unit

6

Interlock

7

Plate cylinder

8, 8 '

sliding rails

9, 9 '

fixed rails

10th

Locking device

11

Substructure

12, 12 '

Lifting cylinder

13

lever

14

Swivel cylinder

15

first stop

16

second stop

17th

lever

18th

pawl

19th

Locking cylinder

20th

Ratchet lever

21

feather

22

attack

23

Weird

24th

Recess

25th

first lock

26

second lock

26 ', 26' '

Second lock position

27

Unlatching cylinder

28

upper stop

29

roll

30th

Piston rod of the lifting cylinder

31

Control panel of the printing unit

32

Adjusting screw

33

Adjusting screw

34

paragraph

35

adjustable part

40, 40 '

Racks

41, 41 '

Gears

42

Connecting shaft

43

storage

A

Normal operating position

B

Plate change position

C.

Service position

Claims (18)

1. Device for the positioning of a magazine for printing plates which is movable into a plurality of positions in which the magazine is mounted such that it can swivel about a horizontal axis and in which a drive is provided for the swivelling, characterized in that the magazine (1) is mounted such that it can be displaced in a vertical guide (2) and a drive (12) is provided for the displacing.
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the magazine, in a normal operating position (A), covers the delivery side of the printing unit (4) as protection and the top side of the inking unit (5) is accessible.
3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the printing plates of the magazine are exchangeable from above.
4. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the magazine can be displaced far enough upwards into a servicing position (C) to enable the printing unit (4) to be accessed for all servicing works.
5. Device according to Claim 4, characterized in that a lock (6) arrests the vertical adjustability of the magazine (1) in the servicing position (C).
6. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the magazine (1) can be brought by displacement and swivelling into a plate-changing position (B) running approximately tangentially to the plate cylinder (7), in which position the printing plates can be inserted into the clamping and gripping mechanism of the plate cylinder (7) and removed therefrom.
7. Device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the lock (6) arrests the vertical adjustability of the magazine (1) in the plate-changing position (B).
8. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the axle (3), on both sides of the magazine (1), is mounted in each case in a displaceable rail (8) and each displaceable rail (8) runs in a fixed rail (9), the rails acting as a vertical guide (2), and in that the axle (3) can be arrested, by means of a locking mechanism (10), in the perpendicular alignment of the magazine (1).
9. Device according to Claim 8, characterized in that on each side of the magazine (1) there is disposed a lifting cylinder (12), which is connected to the displaceable rail (8) and is supported on the base (11) of the printing press, and in that the lifting cylinder (12) has a length which corresponds at least to the distance between the normal operating position (A) and the servicing position (C) of the magazine (1).
10. Device according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, on both sides of the magazine (1), a lever (13) firmly connected to the axle (3) is in each case linked to a swivel cylinder (14), which is suspended at its other end from the displaceable rail (8).
11. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the magazine (1) exhibits two rollers (29), which lie opposite the bearer rings at the ends of the plate cylinder (7) and, in the plate-changing position (B), run up against the bearer rings, butting against them.
12. Device according to one or more of Claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the locking mechanism (10) exhibits a first stop (15), which is firmly connected to the axle (3) and, in a vertical position of the magazine (1), bears against a second stop (16), which is firmly connected to the displaceable rail (8) and prevents the top side of the magazine (1) from tilting in the direction of the printing unit (4), in that a pivotable lever (17), mounted on the displaceable rail (8), bears by means of a latch (18) against the other side of the first stop (15) and in that an arresting cylinder (19) is fastened to the displaceable rail (8), by which arresting cylinder the pivotable lever (17) can be engaged with and disengaged from the latch (18).
13. Device according to one or more of Claims 5 to 12, characterized in that the lock (6) exhibits a pivot-able ratchet lever (20), which is mounted on a fixed part in the uppermost region of the fixed rail (9) and is forced by a spring (21) against a stop (22) and exhibits a sloping face (23) and a recess (24), the ratchet lever (20) being able to be forced back, by virtue of the sloping face (23), by catches (25, 26) connected to the displaceable rail (8), and the spring (21), once the sloping face (23) has been travelled over and whilst a catch (25 or 26) is at the same time received in the recess (24), forcing the ratchet lever (20) against the stop (22), in that the ratchet lever (20) can be unlatched by an unlatching cylinder (27) and in that, at the same time, the unlatching cylinder (27) thereupon engages and disengages an upper stop (28) for the catches (24 or 25).
14. Device according to Claim 13, characterized in that a first catch (25) is disposed at the lower end of the displaceable rail (8) and serves the vertical detention of the magazine (1) in the servicing position (C).
15. Device according to Claim 13 or 14, characterized in that a second catch (26) is disposed at the site of the disposable rail (8), which, in the plate-changing position (B), lies opposite the lock (6).
16. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the lifting cylinder (12), the swivel cylinder (14), the arresting cylinder (19) and the unlatching cylinder (27) are pneumatic cylinders.
17. Device according to one or more of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that on both sides of the magazine (1) there are disposed fixed, vertically running toothed racks (40, 40'), in that running in the toothed racks (40, 40') are gearwheels (41, 41'), connected by a connecting shaft (42), and in that the connecting shaft (42) is connected to the magazine (1) by a mounting (43).
18. Device according to Claim 17, characterized in that the toothed racks (40, 40') are connected to the fixed rails (9, 9').

Images