US2051858A

US2051858A - Printing cylinder

Info

Publication number: US2051858A
Application number: US758124A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Huck; Irving A Hunting
Original assignee: R Hoe and Co Inc
Current assignee: R Hoe and Co Inc
Priority date: 1934-12-18
Filing date: 1934-12-18
Publication date: 1936-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 1953-08-25

Description

Aug. 25, 1936. w. F. HUCK ET AL PRINTING CYLINDER V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1954 Aug. 25, 1936. w. F. HUCK ET AL ,0 8

PRINTING CYLINDER Filed Dec. 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 25, 1 936 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,051,858 ranv'rnvo CYLINDER.

York

Application December 18,1934, Serial No. 758,124

16 Claims.

This invention relates to printing cylinders, and more particularly to printing cylinders of the type having gaps, and which are constructed and arranged to operably support flexible sheet metal printing plates to be employed in pianographic or intaglio printing.

In cylinders of this type, it is desirable that as much of the peripheral surface of the cylinders as possible be utilized for impression purposes. This is particularly so in offset printing presses employing flexible sheet metal planographic plates. In this type of press,by employing substantially the entire peripheral portion of the plate cylinder for impression production, a larger sheet for a given cylinder size'can-be printed, and continuous designs can also be printed on webs in ofiset web printing-or web perfecting presses.

Furthermore, by closing or reducing the peripheral dimension of the plate cylinder gap inplanographic or offset presses the quality of the printing is greatly improved. In presses of this type ink and water form rollers operably engage the printing surface of the flexible plate supported by the plate cylinder, and by closing or reducing the size of the cylinder gap the continuous operate rotation of these form-rollers is uninterrupted, thus insuring the spreading of-uniforrn films of ink and water on the printing surface of the printing plate. v

In printing cylinders of the type employed in intaglio printing machines for photogravure or rotcgravure printing, it is desirable that the entire peripheral surface of the plate cylinders be employed in the printing operation. Until recently, photogravure or rotogravure printing had been done on a printing machine employing a relatively thick copper cylinder or shell mounted on the peripheral portion of the intaglio plate cylinder on which the subject or design had been produced by the usual intaglio pits or wells. This cylinder rotated in ink which filled the pits or wells of the intaglio design, and the surplus ink was scraped from the face of the plate by the usual stationary doctor plate positioned at a desrable scraping angle relative to the periphery of the cylinder.

This method, while producing satisfactory printing, proved very expensive, especially where a variety of subjects had to be printed. After the required number of prints of a subject had been made, the peripheral surface of the cylinder was ground down, polished, and a fresh subject then produced thereon; or, alternatively, a large number of expensive intaglio printing cylinders had to bekept in store.

-More recently it has been proposed to mount v a flexible printing plate, having a design in intaglio thereon, around the periphery of the cylinder, the terminals of the plate being suitably secured to the cylinder. These flexible plates are capable of ready removal and replacement, and this arrangement has considerably reduced the cost of photogravure or rotogravure printing. However, the existing devices and means for securing the flexible printing plate to the periphery of the cylinder are either very expensive to manufacture, lack sufllcient rigidity, or leave gaps between the plate terminals which interfere with the operation of the doctor blade. As hereinbefore stated, it 'is desirable-ffthat certain types of printing cylinders, which operably support flexible sheet metal printing plates, be constructed and arranged to utilize as much as possible of the periphery of eachprinting cylinder for impression purposes.

V 20 An object of the present invention is to pro- -vide' a printing cylinder having operable components for securelybinding a flexible printing plate around the periphery of the cylinder, the cylinder and the components being constructed and arranged so that the entire circumference or approximately the entire circumferenceof the cylinder is made available for impressionv production.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plate cylinder for receiving a flexible printing plate around the periphery thereof, the cylinder having components operable to securely lock the flexible printing plate-on the cylinder, and co* acting to fill the peripheral portion of the cylinder gap to thereby complete or substantially complete the cylinder periphery.

A specific object of the present invention is the provision of a plate cylinder .for receiving a flexible printing plate around the periphery thereof, the cylinder having a rotatable component operable to securely bind or stretch the flexible print- I ing plate on the cylinder gap, and resilient components constructed and arranged to bias or stress the rotatable-member toward plate-binding or gap-filling position.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of aprinting cylinder incorporating means for securing one tenninal' of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the movable member, and a manually operable member operably connected with the movable member through the intermediation of a leverage mechposition and for filling substantially the peripheral portion of the cylinder gap, and manually operable means for actuating the movable plate securing members and for rigidly supporting it against movement under impression stresses when in plate-securing or gap-filling position.

It is also an object of our present invention to provide a printing cylinder of generally improved construction and arrangement, whereby the de-' vice will be. simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of con-.

struction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the inven tion.

For a complete disclosure of the invention, a detail description of a printing cylinder embodying the invention in preferred forms will now be given in connection 'with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

whereinz- V Figure 1 is a fragmental elevation, parts appearing in section, of one end of a printing cylinder, its components shown in open position;

Figure 2 is a similar view, but depicting the tion;

Figure 3 is a fragmental longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and depicting one end of the improved cylinder and the plate securing components;

components in plate securing or binding 'posi- Figure 4 is a fragmental longitudinal section' taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmental elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 8 of Figure 2, and showing the resilient connecting link and coast-- ing components;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the plate terminal clamps and coacting detent, the clamps being shown in plate securing or binding position; and

Figure 7-15 a similar view, but showing the clamps-arranged to substantially abut the terminals of the flexible printing plate as employed in intaglio printing'v; .3 fig-Referring to the" drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, I. indicates a printing cylinder of the type to be employed in plan'ographic and intaglio printing presses. This'cylinder includes a cylinrings 2| surround the trunnions l3 and aresecmedtotheendwalls l3ofthecylinder ill by means of suitable securing device indicated at 22.

The cylindrical shell I2 is offset, as indicated at 23, and an arcuate gap or recess 24 is formed in the offset portion 23. A filler block 25 is secured to a fiat surface or wall 26 formed at one terminal of the cylindrical shell i2, immediately adjacent the gap or recess 24, by means of a shoulder screw 28 or other securing device. Immediately adjacent the filler block 25 a stop member or block 30 is rigidly secured to a machined surface 32, formed in the oifset 23 of the cylindrical shell l2 immediately adjacent the wall 26 and positioned at an angle relatively thereto. A shoulder screw or other-securing device 34 extends through the stop block 38 and is threaded into the offset portion 23. A portion of the stop block 30 projects into the recess 24 to provide a stop surface or shoulder 36.

A movable member in the form of a filler and plate-securing block 38 is operably positioned in the recess 24, and the inner wall 48 of the filler block 38 is machined to accurately conform to the arcuate wall of the recess. The movable member 38, with a view to rotary or oscillatory motion, is provided with tubular trunnions 42, which are fastened to the said member 38 by screws 43 threadedly engaged in the latter, the said trunnions turning in the bearer rings'2l, thus permitting the filler block 38 to rotate on the axis of the trunnions, but with the arcuate wall 40 of the said block in engagement with the arcuate wall of the recess 24. A triangular recess 44 is formed in the filler block 38, and a stop shoulder or surface 48 is provided at one terminal of therecess 44 and positioned to engage the stop shoulder 36 of the stop member 30 to limit the turning movement of the movable filler member38, as will be hereinafter more fully disclosed. The outer surface 41 of the'filler member 38 is of arcuate contour and is: shaped so as to conform to the peripheral contour of the cylinder 1 8 when the filler member 38 is in gap-filling or plate-securing position.

Although the movable filler member 38 and cooperating components may be assembled in the cylinder for operation in various ways, it is preferred that the arcuate wall of the gap or recess 24 be machined with the filler block 25 in position so that the inner arcuate surface 21 of this block may accurately conform to the arcuate contour of the wall of the recess or gap 24. After the wall of the recess 24 has been machined, the stop member 33 is then secured in position, and the filler member 33, in turn, is operably positioned in, the cylinder and rotated until its stop shoulder 48 engages the stop surface 36 of the stop member 33. The filler member 38 is then secured in this position and the outer surface of the cylinder 18 and filler member 38 accurately machined, thereby causing the arcuate surface 41 of the filler member 33 to accurately conform to the peripheral contour of the printing cylinder l0.

Means are provided-for rotating or oscillating the filler block 33 to and from gap-closing position. While the mechanism may be varied within limits, 9. preferred arrangement includes a shaft 43, whichextends longitudinally through the cylinder l3, and it is mounted in alined bearings 83 formed in the end walls of the cylinder "I, and alined bearings provided in lugs or bosses 84 forming continuations of the offsets 23. The lugs 34 are spaced in regular intervals axially the cylinder l3, and interposed between the lugs 84, and also between the lugs 84 and th end is walls I8, are a plurality of crank members or screws 88. Spaced cars 82 extend from each' crank head 58, and a bearing lug or block 84 secured at one terminal of'an arcuate resilient link 88 is pivotally mounted therebetween, as indicated at 88. A plurality of lever arms I8 are'secured to the rotatable filler blocks 38 by means of screws or other suitable securing devices, indicated at 12. The outer terminal of each lever arm 12 is bifurcated to provide spaced ears I4, and a hearing block or lug 18 secured to the opposed terminal of'the resilient link 88 is pivotally secured thereto, as indicated at I8.

In order to manually rotate or oscillate the shaft 48, a lever or wrench head 88 is secured to the shaft 48 at one end of the cylinder and outside of a bearer ring 2|, and this head is held.

against rotation relative to the shaft 48 by a key or feather 82. A recess or socket 84 is formed. in the lever head 88, and a suitable operating tool 88 is removably received therein. In order to insure that the operating tool 88 may be inserted and removed from the lever head 88 only at predetermined phases'of the operation of the device, we have employed locking mechanism similar to that disclosed in the copending application of Bali and Lamatsch, Serial No. 712,306,

flied February 21, 1934, and best shown in Figure 4 of these drawings. When the lever head 88 and operating tool 88 are in closed or plate securing position the enlarged head 81 of a plunger 88 is aligned with an aperture formed in the bearer ring 2|, thereby permitting the beveled surfaces. 88 of the operating tool'88 to force the plunger 88 inwardly against the spring-pressed plunger 84 when the said operating tool 88 is inserted or removed, thereby permitting the removal and insertion of the operating tool 88. A second plunger 98 is provided, and this plunger also cooperates with an aperture formed in the bearer ring 2| and having a spring-pressed plunger 81, to prevent the turning of the lever head 88 when the operating tool88 is withdrawn from the socket- 84 of the lever head. This arrangement insures absolute safety in operation of the device, but inasmuch as it has been made the subject matter of another application no further description will curely clamping these plates to the terminals of the flexible printing plate P.

In order to retain a printing plate terminal in position on the cylinder I8, suitable detents are provided in the form of plungers I88 which are slidably mounted in recesses I88 formed in each bearer ring 2i. Each plunger has a stem H8 ex-- tending therefrom I and a helical compression spring III surrounds the stem and serves to projeot the plunger-beyond the inner surfaceof each bearer ring,and' the outward movement of-the extending recess 88 is formed a 3 plunger, responsive to the spring tension, is limited by a head or nut- I I2 secured to the stem I I8.

In order to secure the flexible printing plate P in printing position, the clamping plates I82 are secured to one terminal thereof and are positioned and secured within the recess '88, and,

when in position, the detents I88 snap in'place behind-them to secure the printing plate terminal to the cylinder. The movable filler block 38 is then turned togap filling position, as will be hereinafter disclosed, and the cylinder is thenrevolved to thread the. plate between the printing cylinder I8 and the conventional 00- operating form rollers and impression cylinder, not shown. After one complete revolution of the cylinder, the rotation is stopped and the filler block 381s moved to open position, and, the clamp plates I82, which are secured to the free terminal of the flexible plate P, are positioned in the recess I88. The filler block 38 is then'returned to its gap closing position thus drawing the flexible printing plate tightly around the cylinder and securely binding it thereto.

In moving the movable filler block 38 from open to gap-closing position, the operating tool 88 is manually moved clock-wise, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, thus rotating the shaft 48 which, in turn, rotates the crank heads 58 to cause the resilient links 88 to move toward the left, thereby moving the outer terminals of the lever arms I8 to the left, thus oscillating the filler block on its tubular trunnions to closed positioh. As each crank head 88 moves toward its closing position, it produces a toggle movement thus imparting maximum operating stress to its resilient link 88, and the opposed terminal of, the link 88 is also moving the outer terminal,

of its lever arm I8 through an are located to insure maximum leverage stress being imparted to the free terminal of the flexible printing plate P. The closing movement of the operating tool 88 and head 88 forces the stop shoulder 48 of the rotatable filler block 38 to engage the stop surface 38 of the stop member 38, as shown in Figure 2, and, in this position, the outer arcuate surface 41 of the fliler block 38 accurately conforms to the peripheralcontour of the printing cylinder I8. By interposing the flexible links 88 between the crank heads 58 and the lever arms I8, accurate positioning of the flller block 38 is insured, because after the stop shoulder 48 engages the stop surface 38 a slight over motion. of the operating tool 88' causes the stop shoulder 48 tobe stressed or biased toward its closing position in engagement with the stop surface 38.

In order to open the flller block 38 to thereby permit. the removal of the flexible printing plate P, the operating tool 88,is moved'counter clock-wise, thus moving the components to the position indicated in Figure 1. The wall of the recess 44 engages the stop member 38 thus limit ing the opening movement of the filler block 38.

When the cylinder is to be employed in piano graphic or offset printing, the beveled faces II4 of the outer clamp plates I82 abut, as indicated i in Figure 6, thereby leaving a small space or gap between the terminals of the flexible printing plate P. However, if the arrangement is to be employed in intaglio or rotogravure'printing, as indicated in Figure 7, the outer clamp plates I82a are madesomewhat thinner, and in their abut-, ting position, the terminals of the printing plate P also abut. To insure a smooth or uninterrupted printing plate surface for engagement with the conventional doctor blade, not shown, a

at the plate terminals to completely close the crevice formed by the rounded corners of the abutting terminals of the printing plate P.

Having thus described our invention, what is claimed is: a

1. In a printing cylinder having a gap, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing "plate to the cylinder, a movable member supfor attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member operably supported in the gap and operable to open and close the gap, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the said movable member, a manually operable member, and a resilient member operably connecting the movable member and manually operable member to move and bias the movable member toward gap-closing position by the movement of the manually operable member to thereby securely bind the flexible printing plate around the periphery oi the cylinder.

3. In a printing cylinder having'a gap; means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member supported in .the cylinder and operable to open and close the gap, means iorattaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the said movable member, a manually operable member, and a resilient member operably connecting the movable member and manually operable member to move and bias the movable member toward gap-closing position by the movement of the manually operable member to thereby securely bind the flexible printing plate around the periphery of the cylinder, a surface of the movable member conforming to the peripheral-contour of the cylinder when the movable member is in gapclosing position to thereby support a portion of the flexible printing plate.

4.'In a printing cylinder having a gap and substantially the entire wall of the gap being arcuate, means-for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, an arcuate movable member pivotally supported within the arcuate gap and operable to 'open' and close the gap, means iorattaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the said movable member, manually operable means for moving the movable member to gap-closing position to thereby bind the flexible printing plate around the periphery of the cylinder, substantially the entire surface of the movable member which is within the gap engaging the arcuate wall of the gap when in gap closing position to thereby impart substantially all the printing impression stresses to the cylinder.

5. In a printing cylinder having an arcuate gap, meansior attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, an arcuate movable member operable to open and close the gap.

means for .pivotally mounting the arcuate mov able member in the gap. means for attaching the suitable composition, indicated at H6, is placed opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the movable member, manually operable means for moving the arcuate movable member to gapclosing position to thereby bind the flexible plate around the periphery of the cylinder, the arcuate surface of the movable member engaging the arcuate wall of the gap when in gap-closing position to impart the printing and impression stresses directly to the cylinder independent of the means for pivotally mounting the movable member.

6. In a. printing cylinder having a gap, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member supported in the cylinder and operable to open and close the gap, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the said movable member, a stop member supported in the cylinder, means for moving the movable mem- 7. In a printing cylinder having a gap, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a rotatable member supported in the cylinder and operable to open and close the gap, the rotatable member conforming I to the peripheral contour of the cylinder when in ible printing plate to the cylinder, an arcuate rotatable member supported in the gap and conforming substantially to the contour of the gap and operable to open and close the gap, the rotatable member conforming to the peripheral portion of the cylinder when in gap-closing posi t on to thereby support a portion of the flexible printing plate, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the rotatable member, a stop member sup- 1 ported by'the, cylinder and projecting intothe 'arcuate gap, means for moving the rotatable member to open and close the gap, the gap.- closing movement of the rotatable member acting to securely bind the flexible print ng plate around the periphery of the cylinder. the closing movement of the rotatable member being limited ible printing plate to the'cylinder, a-movable member supported in the cylinder and operable to open and close the gap, the opposed terminal of the'flexible printing plate being attached to the movable member, means for moving the movable member to command close the gap. the. gapclosing movement'oi the movable member acting by the stop member, and resilient means for to securely bind the flexible printing plate around the cylinder.

10. In a printing cylinder having a gap, a yieldable detent movable relative to and engaging one terminal of a flexible printing plate for attaching the terminal of the flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member supported in, the cylinder and operable to open and close the gap. the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate being attached to the movable member, means for moving the movable member to open and close the gap, the gap-closing movement of the movable member acting to securely bind the flexible printing plate around the periphery .of the cylinder.

11. In a printing cylinder having a gap, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member supported in the gap and operable to open and close the gap, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the said movable member, amanually operable member,

, a variable-leverage mechanism operably connecting the movable member and the manually operable member, the leverage mechanism being oonstructed and arranged to provide maximum leverage ratio when the movement of the-manually operable member moves the movable member to gap-closing position to thereby securely bind the flexible printing plate around the cylinder.

12. In a printing cylinder having a gap, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member supported in the gap and operable to open and close the gap, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the said movable member, a manually operable member, a leverage mechanism operably connecting the movable member and the manually operable member, the leverage mechanism being constructed and arranged to provide maximum leverage ratio when the movement of the manually operable member moves the movable member to gap-closing position to thereby securely bind the flexible printing plate around the cylinder, and means for locking the manually operable member in closed position. v

13. In a printing cylinder having a gap, a stop member projecting into the gap, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member operably supported in the gap and operable to open and close the gap, the stop member limiting the gap-closing movement of the movable member, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the movable member, a manually operable member, and leverage mechanism operably connecting the movable member and the manually operable member, the leverage mach-1* anism being constructed and arranged to present maximum leverage ratio when the movement of the manually operable member moves the movable member to gap-closing position against the stop member to securely bind the flexible printing plate around the cylinder.

14. In a printingcylinder having a gap, a stop member projecting into the gap, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member operably supported in the gap and operable to open and close the gap, the stop member limiting the gapclosing movement 01 the movable member, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the movable member, a manually operable member, and leverage mechanism operably connecting the movable member and the manually operable member, the leverage mechanism being constructed and arranged to present maximum leverage ratio when the movement of the manually operable member moves the movable member to gap-closing position against the stop member to securely bind the flexible printing platearound the cylinder, and means for locking the manually operable member in closed position.

15. In a printing cylinder having a gap, a stop member, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member pivotally supported in the gap and operable to open and close the gap, the stop member limiting the gap-closing movement of the movable member, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the'flexible printing plate to the movable member, a'shaft, a manually operable lever for rotating the shaft, leverage mechanism operably connecting the movable member and the shaft to move the movable member to open and close the gap as the shaft is rotated, the gap closing movement of the movable member acting to securely bind the flexible printing plate around the cylinder.

16. In a printing cylinder having a gap, a stop member, means for attaching one terminal of a flexible printing plate to the cylinder, a movable member pivotally supported in the gap and operable to open and close the gap, the stop member limiting the gap closing movement of the movable member, means for attaching the opposed terminal of the flexible printing plate to the movable member, a shaft, a manually operable lever for WILLIAM F. Huck. mvnzo A. HUNTING.