GB2107250A

GB2107250A - Printing process and printing press

Info

Publication number: GB2107250A
Application number: GB08130945A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clifford Horne Hamilton
Original assignee: HAMILTON PUBLICATIONS
Current assignee: HAMILTON PUBLICATIONS
Priority date: 1981-10-14
Filing date: 1981-10-14
Publication date: 1983-04-27
Also published as: GB2107250B; IE822120L; IE53695B1

Abstract

Distinct sequences of different groups of characters are repetitively printed and juxtaposed, the repetition periods also being different so that large numbers of separate combinations can be produced, e.g. for bingo cards. For example paper web (2) passes successively through four printing stations (3, 4, 6, 7), each having a respective printing cylinder (8, 11, 14, 17). Each printing cylinder carriers different groups of characters arranged in rows, and the different printing cylinders have different circumferences and different numbers of rows. As the web passes through the printing stations, matter is successively over printed at the printing stations to produce sets of characters. Because the different printing cylinders carry different numbers of rows of characters, different permutations of characters from the printing cylinders are produced, to give a succession of sets of characters having different combinations of characters therein. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Printing process and printing press This invention relates to printing, and is concerned both with printing processes and printing presses. It is particularly, although not exclusively, concerned with the printing of bingo cards or the like.

As is known, a bingo card typically comprises a set of numbers arranged within a grid having nine columns and three rows. Usually, the columns respectively contain units, tens, twenties and so on. In the United Kingdom, it is customary to include spaces in each grid, such that there are, say, only five numbers in each row. In the United States, it is customary to fill-up the whole grid with numbers, such that there are no spaces. The numbers of rows and columns in each grid is not critical. What is important is that, where a game of bingo is to be played with a set of cards, the numbers on each card are different.

The traditional method of printing bingo cards and the like involves the use of a large number of printing plates. Each printing plate prints an array of different bingo cards, usually arranged in rows and columns on the printing plate. A large number of prints is made from each printing plate in turn, and then a set of prints is collated, one from each printing plate. Following this, that set of prints may be guillotined and sorted as desired, to give a final set of bingo cards, each of which is different from the other.

Such a method has been found to be reasonably satisfactory for certain applications, for example in boxed bingo games, where only a relatively small number of different cards is required, and in bingo clubs, where a very large continuing custom continues over an extended period of time, whereby large stocks of different bingo cards can be justified. However, it may be appreciated that such methods do have certain disadvantages, in that, if a very large number of different bingo cards is required, then a very large number of different printing plates is correspondingly required. Also, in order to obtain a final set of different bingo cards, a considerable amount of additional machine and labour cost is involved in the necessary guillotining and collating operations.

In preferred aspects, the present invention aims to provide a process of printing bingo cards or the like, which may be improved in the foregoing respect. Preferred methods in accordance with the present invention may be employed to print a relatively large number of different bingo cards in a relatively quick and cheap manner.

More generally, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process of printing sets of characters, each set comprising at least first and second groups of characters, the process comprising the steps of repetitively printing a first sequence of differing said first groups of characters and repetitively printing a second sequence of differing said second groups of characters, and so on for each further groups (if any), said sequences being in such juxtaposition as to make up said sets, and the repetition period of said sequences differing to produce different combinations of characters in the sets.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing press adapted to print sets of characters, each set comprising first and second groups of characters, the press comprising first means printing repetitively a first sequence of differing said first groups of characters, second means printing repetitively a second sequence of differing said second groups of characters in such juxtaposition with said first sequence as to make up said sets, said first and second means affording different repetition periods of said sequences to produce different combinations of characters in said sets.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a printing press embodying the present invention, and being adapted to carry out a process in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 represents a print produced by one revolution of a first printing cylinder of the printing press; Figures 3 to 5 similarly represent respective prints of second, third and fourth printing cylinders of the printing press; and Figure 6 illustrates part of a set of bingo cards produced by the printing press.

The illustrated printing press 1 affords a feed path for a web of printing medium, which in this example is paper 2. The paper 2 passes successively through a first printing station 3, a second printing station 4, around guide rollers 5, through a third printing station 6, and a fourth printing station 7.

As the first printing station 3, a first printing cylinder 8 is driven by a first drive means 9, and co-operates with a first impression cylinder 10, to define a nip through which the paper 2 passes.

Similarly, the second, third and fourth printing stations comprise respective printing cylinders 11, 14 and 17, respective drive means 12, 1 5 and 18, and respective impression cylinders 13, 1 6 and 19.

As the paper 2 passes through the printing press, it is printed initially at the first station 3, and then over printed at the succeeding printing stations 4, 6 and 7. A central control means 20 is provided to synchronize rotation of the printing cylinders 8, 11, 14 and 17, to ensure that the successive printings at the printing stations are in register with one another.

The first printing cylinder 8 prints a plurality of columns of bingo card grids, each containing a first group of numbers. Figure 2 shows an array of these grids, comprising two columns and nine rows. (In practice, it may be more convenient to print a larger number of columns-say 4, but only two columns are shown in this example, for ease of understanding). It will be seen that each grid itself contains twenty-seven boxes, arranged in nine columns and three rows. The columns of boxes are respectively for containing units, tens, twenties, and so on.

The first group of numbers printed by the first cylinder for each grid comprises a selection of numbers in the units, fourties, and eighties. Thus, the top grid in the first column in Figure 2, which is referenced 1 a, has the number 4 printed in the first column, the number 47 printed in the fifth column, and the numbers 80 and 96 printed in the ninth column. It will be seen that two blank boxes are left in the first and fifth columns, and one blank box is left in the ninth column. The second grid in the first column, referenced 1 b, has a different first group of numbers in the units, fourties and eighties, arranged in a different configuration. The remaining sixteen grids 1 C to 1s have different numbers in the units, fourties and eighties, arranged in different configurations.

The numbers are so chosen that, for each three successive grids in any one column, no number is repeated.

The second printing cylinder 11 is arranged to over print second groups of numbers into respective boxes on the grids already produced by the first printing cylinder 8. It prints numbers in the tens and fifties, into the second and sixth columns of each grid. The second printing cylinder is arranged to print twenty-six groups of numbers, arranged in thirteen rows and two columns.

The third printing cylinder 14 is arranged to over print numbers in the twenties and sixties into respective boxes third groups of the grids produced by the first printing cylinder 8. As may be seen in Figure 4, the third printing cylinder 14 prints twenty-two groups of numbers, arranged in eleven rows and two columns.

As may be seen in Figure 5, the fourth printing cylinder 1 7 prints fourth groups of numbers in the thirties and seventies into respective boxes in the grids printed by the first printing cylinder 8. The fourth printing cylinder 7 prints twenty groups of numbers, arranged in ten rows and two columns.

It will be appreciated that, since each printing cylinder 8, 11, 14 and 17 prints a different number of rows of groups the different printing cylinders are of different circumference. For example, the first, second, third and fourth printing cylinders may have respective circumferences of thirteen and a half inches, nineteen and a half inches, sixteen and a half inches, and fifteen inches.

As the paper 2 passes through the first to fourth printing stations, the grids printed at the first printing station 3 become progressively filled up with numbers, until an array of completed bingo cards is produced as the paper 2 leaves the fourth printing station 7. An example of one column of such an array is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6 shows the first column of grids 1 a to li printed at the first station 3, after it has gone successive over printings at the subsequent printing stations. For this example, it is assumed that, as grid 1 a reaches the second printing station, the top group 3a of numbers in the first column printed by the second printing cylinder 11 registers with the grid 1 a. Similarly, it is assumed that, at the third and fourth stations 6 and 7, the respective top groups 5a and 7a of the first column printed by the third and fourth printing cylinders 14 and 1 7 are in register with the grid 1a. Thus, Figure 6 represents the superposition of the grids 1 a to 1 i, with the groups of numbers 3a to 3i, 5a to 5i, and 7a to 7i.The result is an array of nine bingo cards, each comprising a unique set of numbers arranged in three rows, with five numbers in each row. It will be seen that, in any successive three cards in the column, no number is repeated.

Once this array of nine cards has been produced (together with the remaining cards printed in the or each remaining column of each printing cylinder), it is to be understood that the array is not repeated until a very large number of cards has been successively produced. Thus, for example, once the first columns of grids 1 a to li has registered with the first nine groups of numbers 3a to 3i of the second printing cylinder 1 the next column of grids 1 a to lito be printed registers with the nine groups of numbers 3jto 3e respectively of the second printing cylinder 11.

The number of rows (9, 13, 11 and 10) of groups of numbers on the four printing cylinders have no common factor, and therefore, in continuous operation of the printing press 1, the groups of numbers combine to give 12,870 different combinations before a set of numbers (i.e. a given bingo card) is repeated.

The control means 20 (which may be mechanical and/or electrical) serves to ensure that the four printing cylinders 8, 11, 14 and 17 rotate in precise synchronism with one another. In an advantageous arrangement, the control means 20 is operative to index any selected one of the printing cylinders one row forward with respect to the other cylinders. In this way, the phase relationship of the printing cylinders may be altered at will, to increase yet further the number of different permutations available from the four printing cylinders. In practice, a few prints may be spoiled whilst one of the printing cylinders is being so indexed, but this number of prints is likely to be negligible as compared with the number of prints likely to be lost during a shut-down of the printing press 1, to index the printing cylinders by alternative means.

The number of permutations afforded by the four printing cylinders 8, 11, 14 and 1 7 may be increased yet further by altering the actual numbers on at least one of the printing cylinders.

For example, at least one of the printing cylinders may have type arranged on four removable rings, corresponding to four columns of groups of numbers. The rings may be indexable around the cylinder with respect to one another, and/or may be interchangeable with one another. In an alternative arrangement, the type comprises rubber elements set on an adhesive backing on the cylinder. A group of numbers may be removable as a single type element, and readily interchanged with another group of numbers.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated printing press 1, and the above described printing process, may be used to provide a very large number of different sets of characters, in the form of bingo cards, in a quick and economic manner.

This can be of very great advantage in "promotional" bingo games and "newspaper" bingo games, where a very large number of cards is to be provided, for checking against a single set of master numbers.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated printing press and above described process may be extended to provide virtually any desired number of different permutations, simply by providing a different number of successive printing stations, and/or a different number of rows of groups of numbers on the printing cylinders.

Although the illustrated process is concerned with the production of bingo cards of the type commonly used in the United Kingdom, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to the printing of sets of any characters, where different set are to have different combinations of characters.

Claims

1. A process of printing sets of characters, each set comprising at least first and second groups of characters, the process comprising the steps of repetitively printing a first sequence of differing said first groups of characters and repetitively printing a second sequence of differing said second groups of characters, and so on for each further group (if any), said sequences being in such juxtaposition as to make up said sets, and the repetition period of said sequences differing to produce different combinations of characters in the sets.

2. A process according to Claim 1, wherein said sequences are printed at consecutive printing stations along a printing medium feed path.

3. A process according to Claim 1, being a continuous process.

4. A process according to Claim 1, including the step of altering the juxtaposition of said sequences intermittently so as to increase the number of different combinations of characters in the sets.

5. A process according to Claim 1, wherein said characters comprise numbers.

6. A process according to Claim 1, wherein said characters comprise numbers and each said set of characters forms a bingo card or the like.

7. A process according to Claim 6, wherein at least some of said groups include blank spaces.

8. A process according to Claim 6, wherein each said group comprises a selection from consecutive numbers between predetermined limits.

9. A process according to Claim 6, wherein all of said first groups comprise a selection from at least one respective decade of numbers, all of said second groups comprise a selection from at least one other respective decade of numbers, and so on for each further group (if any).

10. A process according to Claim 1, wherein said sets are printed in rows and columns on a printing medium.

11. A printing press adapted to print sets of characters, each set comprising first and second groups of characters, the press comprising first means printing repetitively a first sequence of differing said first groups of characters, second means printing repetitively a second sequence of differing said second groups of characters in such juxtaposition with said first sequence as to make up said sets, said first and second means affording different repetition periods of said sequences to produce different combinations of characters in said sets.

12. A printing press according to Claim 11, comprising further means printing repetitively further sequences of differing further groups of characters in juxtaposition with said first and second groups to make up sets of characters having said first, second and further groups of characters.

13. A printing press according to Claim 11, wherein said means comprise respective printing stations spaced consecutively along a printing medium feed path.

14. A printing press according to Claim 11, including adjustment means permitting intermittent alteration of synchronisation between said first and second means.

1 5. A printing press according to Claim 11, wherein said first and second means comprise respective printing cylinders.

1 6. A printing press according to Claim 15, wherein the groups of characters are arranged on the printing cylinders in columns, different cylinders having different numbers of groups in the columns.

17. A printing press according to Claim 15, wherein the characters on each printing cylinder are interchangeable in position on the cylinder.

1 8. A printing press according to Claim 11 or 12, wherein each said means comprise a respective printing cylinder on which the groups of characters are arranged in rows and columns, the different cylinders having different numbers of rows and the same number of columns, the characters comprising numbers, and said sets of characters forming bingo cards or the like.