JP4656662B2 - Cylinder cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a cylinder of a printing press.

  One of the most difficult and time consuming tasks in cleaning a cylinder used in a printing press is the need to periodically remove and replace the cleaning cloth used to clean the cylinder. As an apparatus for cleaning such a cylinder using a cleaning cloth, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.

  In the cylinder cleaning device in which the supply of the cleaning cloth is given to the cleaning cloth winding roll, the cleaning cloth is pulled out from the supply roll and fixed to the winding shaft by a plurality of claws or screws. The supply shaft containing the cleaning cloth is then mounted on two support members bolted to the main frame of the printing press.

In order to mount or remove the supply roll and take-up roll on the support member, the operator first cleans by inserting the supply roll into the support member and then physically driving or screwing the cleaning cloth into the take-up roll. Attach the cloth to the take-up roll. By pulling some cleaning cloth out of the supply roll, attaching the cleaning cloth to the take-up roll, then winding up the extra cleaning cloth on the take-up roll and then connecting the take-up roll to the support member This is achieved. Alternatively, the cleaning cloth is attached to the take-up shaft before the supply roll is attached to the support member.
JP-A-10-000762

  In such a cylinder cleaning device, there is a demand for an efficient method for fixing the supply roll to the printing machine frame. This is because it is necessary to pause the printing press while inserting or removing the supply roll.

  As will be apparent from the following description, an object of the present invention is to make it easy for an operator of a printing press to insert and remove a cleaning cloth supply roll from a cylinder cleaning device.

The present invention relates to a cylinder cleaning device that cleans a cylinder of a printing press using a cleaning cloth. The cylinder cleaning device
The cleaning cloth supply roll is attached and detached, and has a supply shaft that is rotatably supported by the cylinder cleaning device,
The supply shaft has a plurality of wheels while being inserted by inserting a cleaning cloth supply roll in the axial direction on the outer periphery thereof,
The plurality of wheels are aligned in a line along the axial direction of the supply shaft, are rotatably provided in the axial direction, have a rotation center provided on the inner side of the outer peripheral surface of the supply shaft, and the outer peripheral surface of the supply shaft When the cleaning cloth supply roll rotates on the cardboard core of the cleaning cloth supply roll and attaches the cleaning cloth supply roll to the supply shaft. The cardboard core of the cleaning cloth supply roll is deformed, and the cardboard core is engaged in the rotational direction of the cleaning cloth supply roll and the supply shaft .

According to the present invention, the plurality of wheels provided on the supply shaft rotate in the axial direction of the shaft when the shaft is inserted into or removed from the cleaning cloth supply roll in the axial direction. And the insertion and removal can be facilitated. Further, the plurality of wheels can also play a role of rotating the supply shaft together with the cleaning cloth supply roll by engaging with the core of the cleaning cloth supply roll in the rotation direction of the roll and the shaft.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Referring first to FIG. 1, a cylinder cleaning device 100 is shown. Generally, the cleaning device 100 has a frame 10 that holds a cleaning cloth take-up shaft 20, a cleaning cloth supply shaft 30, and an inflatable bag assembly 40 for pressing the cleaning cloth against a cylinder to be cleaned. It will be appreciated that any mechanism other than the inflatable bag 40, such as a blade, can be used to bring the cleaning cloth into contact with the cylinder to be cleaned.

  In particular, the frame 10 can be detachably attached to a printing press frame (not shown). The frame 10 defines a rigid cartridge housing that includes a cleaning cloth take-up shaft 20 and a cleaning cloth supply shaft 30. The rigid cartridge housing has two side members 16 and strut members 18. The side member 16 has a first pair of sockets 12 for receiving the take-up shaft 20 and a second pair of sockets 14 for receiving the supply shaft 30. The strut members 18 connect to the two side members 16 and allow the cleaning cloth take-up shaft 20 and the cleaning cloth supply shaft 30 to be attached to the frame 10 prior to insertion into the press frame. A rigid cartridge housing also supports the inflatable bag assembly 40. In this manner, the frame 10 that supports the cleaning cloth winding shaft 20, the cleaning cloth supply shaft 30, and the inflatable bag assembly 40 is inserted into and removed from the printing machine frame as a complete unit. The frame 10 is configured using a sheet material such as aluminum or steel. However, in alternative embodiments, the frame 10 is comprised of another metal, alloy or composite, molded plastic, etc. generally known in the art.

  The winding shaft 20 is used for winding the cleaning cloth after being used for cleaning the cylinder. The shaft 20 includes a rod 22 and a shaft groove 24 that are mounted to be hinged. As shown, the rod 22 is aligned with the groove 24 so that the rod 22 can be inserted into the groove 24. Preferably, a magnet is inserted into the groove 24 to secure the rod 22 in place. However, other fixing means such as a latch or an adhesive may be used. The winding shaft 20 also includes a rectangular extension 26 that preferably includes an extension of the groove 24. The extension part 26 can be engaged with a cleaning cloth advance mechanism 28 having a function of rotating the winding shaft 20. In general, the cleaning cloth advancing mechanism 28 has a one-way clutch and an advancing arm that can be operated by a number of means such as a hydraulic piston and a motor. Cleaning cloth advancement mechanism 28 may be any known advancement mechanism, such as US Pat. No. 5,176,080, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and US Pat. No. 5,450,792, which is hereby incorporated by reference. It may be.

  In an alternative embodiment, the winding shaft 90 is used to wind the cleaning cloth after it has been used to clean the cylinder. As shown in FIG. 7, the shaft 90 has a support member 92 and two pointed members 94. Two pointed members 94 project from the support member 92 and extend parallel to each other. The winding shaft 90 also includes a fixing mechanism 80. The fixing mechanism 80 for the winding shaft will be described in detail later.

  The supply shaft 30 includes one or more protrusions 32 protruding from the periphery (outer peripheral surface) thereof. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 32 has the shape of three wheels spaced along the axis of the supply shaft 30. The circumference (circumferential surface) of each wheel 32 extends beyond the outer peripheral surface of the supply shaft 30. Although the wheels 32 are axially aligned in this embodiment, it will be understood that the wheels 32 can be separated at different positions in the circumferential direction of the supply shaft 30. Also, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, fewer than three or more than three wheels 32 can be used. In yet another alternative embodiment, the protrusion includes one or more ridges that extend a portion or the entire length of the shaft 30.

Cooperating with the supply shaft 30 is a spring loaded locking mechanism 36,38. This mechanism is described in detail with reference to FIG. Cooperating with the supply shaft 30 is a screw 34 with a series of nylon attached to the tip. The supply shaft 30 is inserted into the opening 14 of the frame 10, and a screw 34 with nylon attached to the tip is fixed around the shaft 30, thereby supplying a braking force. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, such a braking force prevents the cleaning cloth from being bundled.

  The assembled device 100 is shown in FIGS. As illustrated, the cleaning cloth supply roll 50 can be inserted into the supply shaft 30. In general, the supply roll 50 has a cleaning cloth 52 wound around a cardboard core 54. The procedure for inserting the supply roll 50 into the supply shaft 30 will be described in detail below.

  In an alternative embodiment, the core of the supply shaft 30 and the supply roll 50 mesh with each other in a key arrangement. For example, in one embodiment, shaft 30 includes a ridge and the core includes a mating groove.

  Hereinafter, the close-up of the socket 14 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown, the securing mechanisms 36, 38 are secured together to a mechanism 38 that extends through the socket 14. Further, the securing member 38 includes a cup-shaped or hollow surface that receives one end of the supply shaft 30. Further, since the U-shaped support member 60 is fixed to the inner surface of the frame 10, when the fixing mechanism 36 is pulled away from the frame 10, the mechanism 38 is partially pulled out from the socket 14. As described in detail below, when the mechanism 36 is released, a spring (not shown) pulls the mechanism 38 back into the socket 14 and the mechanism 36 back into the frame 10.

  FIG. 5 shows a mechanism for fixing the winding shaft in place according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the extension 70 formed here as a wedge is rotatably fixed to the end of the winding shaft 20 by screws 72 or rivets. The locking mechanism also has a rod 74 that includes a groove 76 cut into it. The rod 74 is secured to either the frame end or the printing press frame (not shown) in such a position that the wedge 70 rotates to engage the groove 76 when the winding shaft 20 is inserted into the frame 10. Is done. The engagement between the wedge 70 and the groove 76 prevents the shaft 20 from retracting in the axial direction via the frame 10.

  An alternative mechanism for securing the winding shaft in place is described below with reference to FIGS. 6a and 6b. The winding shaft fixing mechanism 80 has a rotatable sleeve 82 attached to one end of the winding shaft 20. As shown, the sleeve has a larger diameter than the socket 12. Further, the sleeve 82 includes a thread portion on its inner surface that is engageable with the external thread of the socket 12. The extension of the winding shaft 20 is narrower than the shaft 20 itself, but extends through a hole in the center of the sleeve 82.

  The securing mechanism 80 further includes a knob 88 that is adjustably secured to an extension of the take-up shaft that extends through the sleeve. Thus, the knob 88 secures the sleeve 82 to the winding shaft 20 and allows the sleeve 82 to rotate on the extension.

  In operation, the cleaning cloth supply roll 50 is mounted on the outer periphery of the supply shaft 30 so that the supply shaft 30 is inserted in the axial direction. When the supply roll 50 is consumed and the used cleaning cloth 52 is completely wound around the take-up shaft 20, only the cardboard core 54 remains on the supply shaft 30, and the cardboard core 54 is removed. Such insertion and removal is relatively easy because the wheel 32 rotates axially relative to the cardboard core 54 of the supply roll 50 and produces a relatively low frictional force. It has also been observed that the wheels 32 deform the relatively soft cardboard core 54.

  Once the cleaning cloth supply roll 50 is attached to the supply shaft 30, the supply shaft 30 is inserted into the frame 10. This is done by inserting one end into the socket 14 without the locking mechanism 36,38. The other end of the supply shaft 30 is fixed at a predetermined position by first pulling the fixing mechanisms 36 and 38 away from the supply shaft 30 and the frame 10. The supply shaft 30 is then placed on the U-shaped support member 60. When the supply shaft 30 is in place, the locking mechanisms 36, 38 are then released and pulled back toward the supply shaft 30 by a spring. The hollow cup-shaped end of the mechanism 38 thus engages the end of the supply shaft 30 and thereby secures it in place. It should be noted that the U-shaped support member 60 provides the further benefit of limiting the axial movement of the supply roll 50 by being adjacent to the cardboard core 54.

  The winding shaft 20 must also be fixed to the frame 10. To secure the shaft to the frame 10, the winding shaft 20 is inserted through the socket 12 until the sleeve 82 is adjacent to the socket 12. By rotating the sleeve 82, the thread 84 of the sleeve engages the thread of the socket 86, thereby pulling the winding shaft through the socket 12 to the operating position. Note that the engagement between the sleeve 82 and the socket 12 secures the take-up shaft 20 in place and allows rotation of the shaft 20 either through actuation of the advance mechanism 28 or manual rotation of the knob 88. There must be. When the take-up shaft is fixed at a predetermined position, the cleaning cloth 52 can be taken up via the apparatus 100 and is fixed to the take-up shaft 20.

  In order to wind the cleaning cloth 52 through the device 100, it is pulled away from the supply roll 50, hung around the pad 40 and secured to the winding shaft 20. It should be noted that when the cleaning cloth 52 is pulled out of the roll 50, the roll 50 and the supply shaft 30 rotate together. The wheel 32 has almost no frictional force in the axial direction, but has a relatively large radial or angular direction with an end portion that engages the cardboard core 54 in the rotational direction of the supply roll 50 and the supply shaft 30. Give the frictional force. Accordingly, the cardboard core 54 (that is, the roll 50) cannot rotate without rotating with the supply shaft 30.

  In order to fix the cleaning cloth 52 to the winding shaft 20, the rod 22 is first lifted from the groove 24. The cleaning cloth 52 is then inserted under the rod 22 between the rod 22 and the winding shaft 20. The rod 22 is then reinserted into the groove 24, thereby securing the cleaning cloth 52 between the rod 22 and the winding shaft 20. The magnet assists in holding the rod 22 in the groove. Next, the cleaning cloth 52 is prevented from being pulled out of the groove 24 by rotating the winding shaft 20 substantially once. Such rotation can be performed manually by either grabbing the winding shaft 20 or rotating the knob 88.

  When the supply roll 50 is consumed and the used cleaning cloth 52 is completely wound on the take-up shaft 20, the present invention allows the used cloth 52 to be easily removed. First, the winding shaft 20 is unlocked from the device. This is accomplished by either rotating the wedge 70 shown in FIG. 5 with the rod 74 disengaged or rotating or releasing the screwing of the sleeve 82 shown in FIG. 6a from the threaded socket 12. The Second, the take-up shaft 20 is simply pulled out of the socket 12 by a few inches. By pulling the winding shaft 20 out of the frame 10, the used fabric 52 is automatically separated from the winding shaft 20 by the application of force on the fabric 52 by the frame 10 and / or socket 12. When the take-up shaft 20 is pulled out of the frame a few inches, the used fabric 52 is released from the end of the take-up shaft 20 opposite the securing mechanism. Third, the printing press operator simply pulls the consumed fabric 52 from the winding shaft 20 in the axial direction. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that removal of the used cleaning cloth 52 represents an improvement over the prior art since it does not take time to unwind the used cleaning cloth.

  In an alternative embodiment using the winding shaft 90, the cleaning cloth pulled away from the supply roll 30 is inserted between two pointed members 94 protruding from the support member 92 of the winding shaft 90. . The two pointed members 94 hold the cleaning cloth by mechanically locking or pinching the cleaning cloth between the members 94. In order to prevent the cleaning cloth from being pulled out of the space between the pointed members 94, the winding shaft is then rotated approximately one revolution. Such rotation can be performed manually by either grabbing the winding roll 90 or rotating the knob 88. The winding shaft 90 is fixed to the frame in the same manner as described above for the winding shaft 20.

  Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations of the invention can be made without altering its spirit. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described. Rather, the scope of the invention is intended to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

It is an expanded view of one Example by this invention. FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the assembled embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is another side perspective view and partial cross-sectional view of the assembled embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3. It is an expanded view of the winding shaft holding mechanism by one Example. 6a and 6b are a top cross-sectional view and a side perspective view, respectively, of a take-up shaft retention mechanism according to an alternative embodiment. It is a perspective view of the winding shaft in which two ends were separated.

Explanation of symbols

20 Winding shaft 30 Cleaning cloth supply shaft 32 Protrusion (wheel)
50 Cleaning cloth supply roll 52 Cleaning cloth 54 Cardboard core 100 Cylinder cleaning device

Claims (2)

A cylinder cleaning device for cleaning a cylinder of a printing press using a cleaning cloth,
A cleaning cloth supply roll (50) is attached and detached, and a supply shaft (30) rotatably supported by the cylinder cleaning device is provided.
The supply shaft (30) has a plurality of wheels (32) inserted and mounted on the outer periphery thereof by inserting the cleaning cloth supply roll (50) in the axial direction.
The plurality of wheels (32) are aligned in a line along the axial direction of the supply shaft (30), are rotatably provided in the axial direction, and are provided on the inner side of the outer peripheral surface of the supply shaft (30). When the cleaning cloth supply roll (50) is attached to and detached from the supply shaft (30), and has a peripheral surface partially protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the supply shaft (30). When the cleaning cloth supply roll (50) is mounted on the supply shaft (30), the cardboard core (54) of the cleaning cloth supply roll is rotated with respect to the cardboard core (54) of the cleaning cloth supply roll. A cylinder cleaning device that is deformed to engage the cardboard core (54) in the rotational direction of the cleaning cloth supply roll (50) and the supply shaft (30) .   A cylinder cleaning device according to claim 1;
  A printing machine comprising a cylinder to be cleaned by the cleaning cloth.