GB925101A - Improvements in or relating to printing machine cylinders - Google Patents

Abstract

925,101. Printing cylinders. CARL ALLERS ETABLISSEMENT A. S. May 20 1960 [May 22, 1959], No. 17628/59. Class 100 (2). A printing cylinder incorporates means to secure a flexible printing plate about its periphery and means operable by fluid under pressure for actuating the said securing means. As shown; a curved flexible printing plate 13, Fig. 2, having end flanges 14, 15, is mounted on a cylinder 1 such that the flanges are accommodated in a peripheral longitudinal slot lined with members 2, 3 and 4. Within the space bounded by the latter members are housed longitudinally extending components 5, 7 and 6, 5, 7 of which are rockably mounted relative to the members 2, 4 and the component 6 such that on the outward movement of the inner or lower extremities 23 the outer or upper extremities of the components 5, 7 move towards one another to clamp the flanged ends of the plate 13 therebetween. Such outward movement of the extremities 23 is effected by passing fluid under pressure to a flexible tube 8 which extends longitudinally within the slot between the member 3, the components 6 and the extremities 23. Inflation of the tube 8 initially expands the tube such that the component 6 is moved into a clamping position against the plate flanges 15 which are disposed between a recess 16 in the component and abutments protruding from the components 5, 7. In a further plate clamping mechanism the component 6 comprises sections 6, 6a, the former of which have cross-sections as shown in Fig. 5 whilst each of the latter comprise a spring- loaded plate 20, Fig. 4, mounted in a U-shaped member. This plate carries a rib 22 which when the section is moved outwardly enters between the flanges 14 to rock the components 5, 7 causing the gap between the plate junctions 18 to be closed. The components 5, 7 are acted upon by spring-loaded plungers 25 which promote the return of the components 5, 7 to their original position when the tube 8 is deflated. A rubber strip 19 is located between the flanges 14. In another mechanism the components 5, 7, Fig. 8, are in sections assembled end-to-end, paired sections being pivotally connected by pivots 27 disposed between their upper plate-engaging ends and downward extensions 28 between which the inflatable tube 8 is disposed. Each component section is also formed with an extension 29 having a beak 30 to engage below a flange 31 at the inner end of the associated flange 14. In operation, with the ends 14 of the plate 13 having been placed in position with the flanges 31 below the beaks 30, the tube 8 is inflated with the result that the components 5, 7 rock to the position of Fig. 8. In moving to this position, the components 5, 7 have a compound rocking action which causes the beaks to pass over the flanges 31 and the upper ends of the components to trap the flanges 14, 31 as well as to pull the plate 13 around the cylinder.