EP0895857A2 - Device and method for changing the printing image during the operation of a printing press - Google Patents

Abstract

At least two image cylinders (P1 -P4) are provided, which can selectively be brought into engagement with at least one rubber blanket cylinder (BLNKTU, BLNKTL). A first image cylinder is brought out of engagement with the rubber blanket cylinder when a second image cylinder comes into engagement with it, and vice-versa. The image cylinders are preferably mounted on a frame which can move between two positions, at which the appropriate cylinder is inked.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of offset printing. In particular, the The present invention relates to a device for changing a print image bearing Plates in an offset printing press when the printing press is in operation.

Offset presses are well known in printing technology. In these devices become a blanket cylinder and an image cylinder or plate cylinder for printing on one side of a material web (e.g. paper) that is in contact with the Blanket cylinder is. The blanket cylinder receives a color image from the image cylinder and transfers this image to the material web. The image cylinder usually includes one a plate carrying a printed image on which the image to be printed is located. Of the Image cylinder can alternatively be a cassette with imageable material that was previously was imaged or imaged by an imaging device in the printing press becomes. There are various ink fountains and inking rollers as well Moist application rollers for transferring the color to the image-bearing plate or the imageable material used on the image cylinder, thereby creating the image cylinder Color for later transfer of the colored image to the blanket cylinder deliver.

In conventional offset printing machines, every blanket cylinder is usually included connected to a single image cylinder. When in these presses the timing has come to replace the image-bearing plate or cassette, either because of of maintenance requirements or because a new image needs to be printed, it is necessary to stop the press. Because a single image cylinder to transfer an image is used on the blanket cylinder, it is not possible to Let the press run while the image-bearing plate is on or the cassette is in is removed from the image cylinder and replaced.

Stopping the press to replace an image-bearing plate or cassette acts as an interruption in printing that affects the entire printing process slowed down. In addition to the delays caused by changing the image-bearing plate or cassette, there is also the additional risk delays associated with restarting the press. This Delays are the result of the risk of the web breaking if the Printing process is started again and the printing press at full speed starts up. Starting and stopping the printing press to replace the image-bearing ones Plate or cassette increases the risk of a web break, which in turn leads to additional ones Delays can result when the spell is pulled back into the press must be removed and possible remnants of web must be removed from it.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for making this possible the exchange of image-bearing plates or cassettes in an offset printing machine, without stopping the press. The present invention is eliminated hence the problems of conventional methods, the possible delays of the Printing process caused because the printing press for removal and Replacing the image-bearing plate or cassette must be stopped.

In the present invention, each blanket cylinder is at least two Image cylinders connected, each image cylinder an image-bearing plate or cassette includes. When one of the image cylinders engages ("in press") the blanket cylinder stands, whereby one image is transferred to the web for printing, is the other Image cylinder detached from the blanket cylinder ("out of print"). As a result, the other image cylinders are stopped, causing the image-bearing plate or cassette can be replaced without the entire operation of the printing machine being stopped must become. After changing the image-bearing plate or cassette on the stopped image cylinder can then be brought up to speed and with the Blanket cylinder in a relative angular orientation to ensure the Register accuracy can be engaged while the other image cylinder is disengaged so that thereafter a replacement of the image-bearing plate or Cassette of this image cylinder is possible.

The present invention includes a drive and clutch assembly that Restart and register-accurate engagement of an image cylinder, which can be replaced the image bearing plate or cassette has been disengaged from the Blanket cylinder allows, while the other image cylinder, the Blanket cylinder and printing on the web was switched out of engagement brought and stopped. Each image cylinder can have its own paint application and Have dampening device, or it can be the two image cylinders Paint application and dampening device share that switched at the same time to which the ink cylinders are switched. In an alternative Embodiment of the present invention are two image cylinders and Paint applicators together on a frame for lateral movement relative attached to the blanket cylinder so that the lateral movement of one Image cylinder and the one ink application device away from the blanket cylinder engaging with this a lateral movement of the other image cylinder and the other inking device to the blanket cylinder and engaged with it has the consequence.

The present invention is more preferred in the following description Embodiments in connection with the accompanying, listed below Drawings explained in more detail.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung des Farbwerks eines Ausführungsbeispiels der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 2A

eine Seitenansicht einer in vorliegender Erfindung verwendeten Hilfsantriebs- und Kupplungsanordnung, wobei sich die Kupplung in Hilfsantriebsposition befindet;

Fig. 2B

eine Seitenansicht der Hilfsantriebs- und Kupplungsanordnung gemäß Fig. 2A, wobei sich die Kupplung zwischen der Hilfsantriebsposition und der Hauptantriebsposition befindet;

Fig. 2C

eine Seitenansicht der Hilfsantriebs- und Kupplungsanordnung gemäß Fig. 2A, wobei sich die Kupplung in der Hauptantriebsposition befindet;

Fig. 3A-3B

ein alternatives Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung in der ersten bzw. zweiten Position;

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht der Hilfsantriebs- und Kupplungsanordnung gemäß Fig. 2A-2C;

Fig. 5

eine Seitenansicht einer Alternative der Hilfsantriebs- und Kupplungsanordnung gemäß Fig. 2A-2C.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of the inking system of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2A

a side view of an auxiliary drive and clutch assembly used in the present invention, wherein the clutch is in the auxiliary drive position;

Figure 2B

a side view of the auxiliary drive and clutch assembly of FIG 2A, with the clutch between the auxiliary drive position and the main drive position.

Figure 2C

a side view of the auxiliary drive and clutch assembly of FIG 2A, with the clutch is in the main drive position.

3A-3B

an alternative embodiment of the present invention in the first and second position;

Fig. 4

a side view of the auxiliary drive and clutch assembly of FIGS. 2A-2C;

Fig. 5

a side view of an alternative of the auxiliary drive and clutch arrangement according to FIGS. 2A-2C.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of the printing device of an embodiment of the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the printing method used is, for example, wet offset printing. A web W is passed between the upper and lower blanket cylinders BLNKT _U and BLNKT _L , respectively. Each of the blanket cylinders BLNKT _U and BLNKT _L has two image cylinders connected to it, ie blanket cylinder BLNKT _U has two image cylinders P ₁ , P _{2 connected to it} , and blanket cylinder BLNKT _L has the image cylinders P ₃ , P _{4 connected to it} . As is known to the person skilled in the art, an outer circumferential surface is provided on the blanket cylinders BLNKT _U , BLNKT _L , preferably in the form of a removable blanket, which transfers a colored printing image from the associated image cylinder in contact with it to the side of the web W which in FIG Is in contact with the blanket cylinder BLNKT _U or BLNKT _L. As described in more detail below, only one of the image cylinders P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P _{4 is} in contact with one of the blanket cylinders BLNKT _U and BLNKT _L, respectively. Each of the image cylinders P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P ₄ has its own inking unit K ₁ , J ₁ , F ₁ , E ₁ , F ₁ ; K ₂ , J ₂ , F ₂ , E ₂ , F ₂ ; K ₃ , J ₃ , F ₃ , E ₃ , F ₃ or K ₄ , J ₄ , F ₄ , E ₄ , F ₄ connected. Each of the image cylinders P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P ₄ is also equipped with its own dampening roller equipment S, N ₁ , M ₁ ; S, N ₂ , M ₂ ; S, N ₃ , M ₃ or S, N ₄ , M ₄ connected.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the dampening roller equipment shown comprises spray application rollers S. The associated inking units for the blanket cylinders BLNKT _U and BLNKT _L share a common ink fountain roller A _U or A _L , a common ink metering roller B _U or B _L and a common one Swivel roller G _U or G _L. The swivel rollers G _U , G _L pivot from a first position (solid lines), in which they transfer ink to a first printing unit F ₁ or F ₃ and a first image cylinder P ₁ or P ₃ , to a second position (dashed lines ) in which they transfer color to a second printing unit F ₂ or F ₄ and a second image cylinder P ₂ or P ₄ . The upper image cylinders P ₁ , P ₂ can also share a common digital imaging device I _U , while the lower image cylinders P ₃ , P ₄ can share a common digital imaging device I _L. Digital imaging devices I _U and I _L can be used, for example, to image an imageable material from an image-bearing cassette which is fastened in the image cylinders P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P ₄ .

As an alternative to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, each image cylinder P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P _{4 can} have its own ink fountain roller, ink metering roller and swivel roller. An embodiment of this type, in combination with a roller washer, would allow all of the ink to be removed from the inking unit for a particular image cylinder while it is not in engagement with the blanket cylinder, followed by reloading of ink into the inking unit, thereby causing inking for the inking unit with the correct coverage for the print image on the image cylinder after setting the color zones. In this way, the ink roller that is not in use could be washed with fresh ink immediately after it was removed from the printing process and loaded with fresh ink just before it returned to printing, at the same time that the other ink roller and the image cylinder were used for printing. This embodiment is particularly advantageous if a printing cylinder is integrated into a printing process over a longer period of time, so that the ink in the ink roller that is not in use would otherwise start to dry on the rollers.

The operation of the device according to FIG. 1 is as follows: an image cylinder P ₁ carries a printed image (generally in the form of a plate on the outer circumference of the image cylinder P ₁ or an imageable material from a cassette which is mounted in the image cylinder P ₁ ) on its outer circumference and transfers this image after the ink application to the blanket cylinder BLNKT _U by transferring ink from the ink fountain roller A _U through the first inking unit K ₁ , J ₁ , F ₁ , E ₁ , F ₁ . The blanket cylinder BLNKT _U in turn prints the image on the upper portion of the web W. At some point, either because of the need to clean the inking unit K ₁ , J ₁ , F ₁ , E ₁ , F ₁ , or because of the one used Image-bearing plate or cassette must be replaced, the reproduction of an image is stopped by means of the image cylinder P ₁ , and the reproduction of an image is started by means of the image cylinder P ₂ (as is easy to understand, this description applies equally to the image cylinders P ₃ and P) ₄ , which print on the lower surface of the web W). As described in more detail below, the image cylinder P _{2 is brought up} to speed and coupled into a transmission. Thereafter, the image cylinder P _{2 is brought} into contact ("in print") with the blanket cylinder BLNKT _U , and the image cylinder P ₁ is brought out of contact ("out of print") with the blanket cylinder BLNKT _U. At the same time, the swivel roller G _{U is} switched into position so that it connects the ink fountain roller A _U to the inking unit K ₂ , J ₂ , F ₂ , E ₂ , F ₂ . As a result, printing takes place through the second inking unit K ₂ , J ₂ , F ₂ , E ₂ , F ₂ and the second image cylinder P ₂ , while the first inking unit K ₁ , J ₁ , F ₁ , E ₁ , F ₁ and the first image cylinders P _{1 are} out of operation.

An embodiment of the device for switching the operation of the image cylinders P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P ₄ is shown in detail in FIGS. 2A-2C, 4 and 5. A blanket cylinder BLNKT comprises a shaft 1 which is attached to a blanket cylinder gear 2. In a manner known to the person skilled in the art, the rubber blanket cylinder gear 2 is driven by known drive devices, which results in the rubber blanket cylinder gear 2, the shaft 1 and the rubber blanket BLNKT being rotated. Blanket cylinder 2 is carried with a switchable image cylinder gear 3. Shaft 5 of the blanket cylinder BLNKT is connected to a blanket cylinder shaft encoder 13. The image cylinder gear 3 is mounted for rotation on a bearing 4, this bearing being fixed on a shaft 5 of the image cylinder P.

Also on shaft 5 is a coupling device 6, which moves along the length of shaft 5 and rotates with shaft 5. The coupling device 6 comprises on one side, which faces the image cylinder P ₁ , radially outwardly projecting wedges 7 which selectively engage in radially inwardly projecting wedges 8 on the inner circumference of the image cylinder gear 3 when the coupling device 6 is in the position shown in FIG. 2A position shown. The coupling device 6 further comprises, on a side facing away from the picture cylinder P _1, radially outwardly projecting wedges 9, into the radially inwardly projecting wedges 10 on the inner circumference of a first picture cylinder auxiliary drive pulley 11 when the coupling device 6 is shown in FIG. 2C Position. The first image cylinder auxiliary drive pulley 11 is mounted for rotation on a bearing 12, this bearing being fixed on the shaft 5 of the image cylinder P ₁ .

A belt or chain 14 is placed over the first image cylinder auxiliary drive pulley 11 entrained, this belt or chain 14 also via a second image cylinder auxiliary drive pulley 11 '(Fig. 4 and 5) and an auxiliary drive pulley 15 is carried. The auxiliary drive pulley 15 is driven by an auxiliary drive 16. In a Implementation of the invention (FIG. 4), the belt or chain 14 drives a guide pulley 31 on, which is connected to the auxiliary coding device 17. In an alternative Embodiment (Fig. 5), the guide disc 31 is not used, and the auxiliary coding device 17 is connected directly to the auxiliary drive 16. In the alternative 5 can signals from the auxiliary encoder 17, the Reflect speed and phase angle, are processed to ensure that from the rotation of the auxiliary drive 16 derived signals speed and position the auxiliary drive disks 11, 11 'are reflecting.

The operation of the auxiliary drive and clutch assembly of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 2A-2C and Figures 4 and 5. 2A shows the present invention in a position in which the image cylinder P _{1 is} "in print" and is driven by the blanket cylinder BLNKT. In Fig. 2A, it can be assumed that a second image cylinder P ₂ (not shown in Fig. 2A, shown in Figs. 4 and 5) is simultaneously "out of pressure" and is not driven by the blanket cylinder BLNKT, as above and below in described. In the position of the coupling device 6 shown in FIG. 2A, the wedges 7 and 8 engage in one another and thereby connect the shaft 5 to the image cylinder gear 3. As a result of this connection and the entrainment of the image cylinder gear 3 with the blanket cylinder gear 2, the image cylinder P ₁ becomes through and with the Blanket cylinder BLNKT driven. At the same time, the image cylinder P _{2 is} "out of pressure" and is not driven by the blanket cylinder BLNKT, ie a corresponding coupling device 6 connected to the image cylinder P ₂ is in the position shown in FIG. 2C, and the image cylinder P ₂ is slightly from the blanket cylinder BLNKT offset (ie "pivoted" by conventional pivoting devices to move an image cylinder for changing the plate on the image cylinder away from a blanket cylinder). In the position of the coupling device 6 shown in FIG. 2A, the shaft 5 is not coupled to the first image cylinder auxiliary drive pulley 11, which is why the auxiliary drive 16 has no influence on the image cylinder P ₁ .

If it is desired to bring the image cylinder P ₁ "out of pressure" and stop driving the image cylinder P ₁ with the blanket cylinder BLNKT in order to change the image on this image cylinder, to replace the plate on or the cassette in the image cylinder in question or the inking roller For cleaning this cylinder, the image cylinder P _{2 is} brought up to speed with the blanket cylinder by operating the auxiliary drive 16 when the coupling device for the image cylinder P _{2 is} in the position shown in FIG. 2C. A control unit (not shown) compares the speed measured by the auxiliary coding device 17, which is connected either to the guide pulley 31 carried by the belt or chain 14 (FIG. 4) or directly to the auxiliary drive 16 (FIG. 5) and phase with the speed and phase measured by the blanket cylinder shaft encoder 13 and adjusts the rotational speed of the auxiliary drive 16 so that the interlocking parts (wedges 7 and 8 or wedges 9 and 10) are coordinated for engaging and disengaging. The auxiliary encoder 17 measures the speed of the auxiliary drive 16 and therefore the speed of the drive pulley 11, while the blanket cylinder shaft encoder 13 measures the speed of the blanket cylinder BLNKT and therefore of the transmission 3.

Register accuracy can be achieved in one of two ways. First, the angular position or phase angle of the auxiliary drive 16 can be adjusted to achieve register accuracy. This register accuracy is achieved by comparing the angular position measured by the auxiliary coding device 17 with the angular position measured by the coding device 13 of the blanket cylinder shaft, which rotates once per revolution of the blanket cylinder BLNKT, and adjusting the phase angle of the auxiliary drive 16 until register accuracy is achieved. Second, the wedges 7, 8 may include a guide member that allows a degree of relative rotation after engagement and only engages in a specific angular position by guiding the wedges toward this engagement. The wedges 7 and 8 are designed so that engagement is only possible in one position of the relative angles of rotation of the image cylinders P ₁ , P ₂ and the blanket cylinder BLNKT in order to secure the image adjustment.

The coupling device 6 for the image cylinder P ₂ is then moved to the position shown in FIG. 2A, whereby a drive of the image cylinder P _{2 is} effected by the blanket cylinder gear ₂ . Next, the image cylinder P ₂ goes "in print". At the same time, the image cylinder P _{1 is} pivoted away from the blanket cylinder BLNKT, thereby "goes out of pressure", and the coupling device 6 for the image cylinder P ₁ is moved to the position shown in FIG. 2C. The auxiliary drive 16 is then slowed down until the rotation of the image cylinder P _{1 is} stopped. The plate on or the cassette in the image cylinder P ₁ can then be replaced and the inking unit for this image cylinder can then be cleaned. Alternatively, a cassette (not shown) can be contained in an image cylinder P ₁ and actuated to position a virgin layer of an imageable material or a pre-imaged layer on the periphery of the image cylinder P ₁ . In this embodiment, the cassette only needs to be replaced when all of the material in the cassette has been used up. After a cassette has been replaced, the auxiliary drive 16 can be used to drive the image cylinder P ₁ while it is being imaged by an imaging device I. If it is desired that printing is then started with image cylinder P ₁ and ended with image cylinder P ₂ , the method described above can of course be reversed.

3A and 3B show an alternative embodiment of the present invention. By doing 3 is a blanket cylinder blanket in engagement with a web W. Above the blanket cylinder BLANKET is a side Slidable frame 23 on which a first inking and imaging device 21 and a second inking and imaging device 22 are attached. The inking and Imaging devices 21, 22 each comprise their own inking unit and one own plate cylinder. A common is attached over the frame 23 Ink fountain unit 20. Fig. 3A shows a first position of the frame 23, and Fig. 3B shows a second position of the frame 23. In the first position of the frame 23 connects the first inking unit and imaging device 21, the ink fountain unit 20 with the BLANKET blanket cylinder, while the second inking and Imaging device 22 of the ink fountain unit 20 and the blanket cylinder BLANKET is separated. In the first position of the frame 23 according to FIG. 3A, the Image-bearing plate or cassette on the second inking and imaging device 22 can be replaced, and the second inking and imaging device 22 can getting cleaned. In the second position of the frame 23, the second inking unit and Imaging device 22, the ink fountain unit 20 with the blanket cylinder BLANKET, while the first inking and imaging device 21 of the Ink fountain unit 20 and the blanket cylinder BLANKET is separated. In the second Position of the frame 23 as shown in FIG. 3B, the image-bearing plate on or cassette in the first inking and imaging device 21 are replaced, and the first Inking unit and imaging device 21 can be cleaned.

LIST OF REFERENCES

BLNKT _U

Upper blanket cylinder

FLASHES _L

Lower blanket cylinder

P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P ₄

Image cylinder

K ₁ , J ₁ , F ₁ , E ₁ , F ₁ ... K ₄ , J ₄ , F ₄ , E ₄ , F ₄

Inking unit

S, N ₁ , M ₁ ... S, N ₄ , M ₄

Dampening roller equipment

S

Spray application roller

A _U , A _L

Ink fountain rollers

B _U , B _L

Ink metering rollers

G _U , G _L

Swivel rollers

I _U , I _L

Imaging device

1

wave

2nd

Blanket cylinder gear

3rd

Image cylinder gear

4th

camp

5

wave

6

Coupling device

7

Wedges

8th

Wedges

9

Wedges

10th

Wedges

11

Image cylinder auxiliary drive pulley

12th

camp

13

Blanket cylinder shaft encoder

14

Strap or chain

15

Auxiliary drive pulley

16

Auxiliary drive

17th

Auxiliary coding device

20th

Ink fountain unit

21

first inking and imaging device

22

second inking and imaging device

23

frame

31

Guide disc

Claims (19)

Printing machine comprising: At least one blanket cylinder, at least one ink fountain unit, a first image cylinder and a second image cylinder, which can be selectively engaged with the at least one blanket cylinder, wherein the first image cylinder can be detached from the at least one blanket cylinder if the second image cylinder with the at least one Blanket cylinder is engaged, and wherein the second image cylinder can be released from the at least one blanket cylinder when the first image cylinder is in engagement with the at least one blanket cylinder. The printing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a movable frame comprising, the first and second image cylinders on the movable frame are attached, the movable frame from a first position at which the first Image cylinder brought into engagement with the at least one blanket cylinder can be moved to a second position at which the second image cylinder is brought into engagement with the at least one blanket cylinder. Printing machine according to claim 2,
characterized,
that in the first position of the movable frame the ink fountain unit supplies color to the first image cylinder and in the second position of the movable frame the ink fountain unit supplies color to the second image cylinder. The printing machine of claim 1, further comprising a swivel roller, wherein the swivel roller from a first position at which the ink fountain unit ink through the swivel roller to the first image cylinder, to a second Position is movable, at which the ink fountain unit paint through the swivel roller delivers to the second image cylinder. The printing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a second ink fountain unit comprises, wherein the at least one ink fountain unit paint on the first Image cylinder supplies, and the second ink fountain unit paint to the second Image cylinder supplies. Printing machine according to claim 1, which further comprises a blanket transmission, the with which at least one blanket cylinder is connected, a first one Image transmission, which is selectively connectable to the first image cylinder, and a second image transmission, which can be selectively connected to the second image cylinder, the first image transmission and the second image drive with the Blanket gears are carried, a first coupling device that selectively couples the first image transmission to the first image cylinder, and one second clutch device that selectively connects the second image transmission to the second Coupled image cylinder, includes. Printing machine according to claim 6,
characterized,
that the first coupling device and the second coupling device comprise mating wedges. Printing machine according to claim 7,
characterized,
that the matching wedges comprise a guide element. Printing machine according to claim 6, which further comprises a first auxiliary image plate, which is selectively connected to the first image cylinder, the first Coupling device selectively the first auxiliary image plate to the first Coupled image cylinder, and includes a second auxiliary image plate, which selectively with is connected to the second image cylinder, the second coupling device selectively couples the second auxiliary image disc to the second image cylinder. Printing machine according to claim 9, further comprising an auxiliary drive, wherein the auxiliary drive drives the first and second auxiliary picture disks. A printing machine according to claim 10, which further comprises a belt or a chain comprises, the belt or chain between the auxiliary drive and the first and the second auxiliary image transmission is connected. Printing machine according to claim 9, which further comprises an auxiliary coding device comprises, the auxiliary encoder the speed and position of the measures the first auxiliary image disc and the second auxiliary image disc. Printing machine according to claim 11, further comprising an auxiliary coding device comprises, the auxiliary encoder the speed and position of the measures first auxiliary image disc and the second auxiliary image disc, and further one Guide pulley which is carried with the belt or chain, the Auxiliary coding device is connected to the guide disk. Printing machine according to claim 10, which further comprises an auxiliary coding device comprises, the auxiliary encoder the speed and position of the measures the first auxiliary image disc and the second auxiliary image disc, the auxiliary coding device is connected to the auxiliary drive. Method for exchanging printed images in a printing press, comprising the following steps: Providing at least one blanket cylinder, providing at least one ink fountain unit, providing a first image cylinder and a second image cylinder, the first and second image cylinders being selectively engageable with the at least one blanket cylinder, releasing the first image cylinder from the at least one blanket cylinder if the second image cylinder is in engagement with the at least one blanket cylinder, and releasing the second image cylinder from the at least one blanket cylinder when the first image cylinder is in engagement with the at least one blanket cylinder. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: Attaching the first and second image cylinders to a movable frame, moving the movable frame from a first position at which the first image cylinder engages with the at least one blanket cylinder to a second position at which the second image cylinder with the at least one blanket cylinder in Intervention is. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: Connecting the ink fountain unit to the first image cylinder in the first position of the movable frame, and connecting the ink fountain unit to the second image cylinder in the second position of the movable frame. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: Providing a swivel roller, moving the swivel roller from a first position in which the ink fountain unit supplies color through the swivel roller to the first image cylinder to a second position in which the ink fountain unit supplies color through the swivel roller to the second image cylinder. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: Providing a second ink fountain unit, and delivering color to the first image cylinder using the at least one ink fountain unit, and delivering color to the second image cylinder using the second ink fountain unit.

Images