US2868122A

US2868122A - Automatic roller setting for ink distribution systems

Info

Publication number: US2868122A
Application number: US441418A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry W Faeber
Original assignee: Time Inc
Current assignee: TI Gotham Inc
Priority date: 1954-07-06
Filing date: 1954-07-06
Publication date: 1959-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 1976-01-13

Description

Jan. 13, 1959 H. W. FAEBER AUTOMATIC ROLLER SETTING FOR INK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Filed July 6. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

HARRY W. FAEBER A TTOF/VfVS' Jan. 13, 1959 H. w. FAEBER 2,868,122

AUTOMATIC R LLER SETTING FOR INK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Filed July 6. 1954 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY w. FAEBER United States Patent AUTOMATIC ROLLER SETTING FOR INK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Harry W. Faeber, Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to Time, lyncofi'porated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,418

Claims. (Cl. 101-348) This invention relates to inking mechanisms for printing machines, and more particularly, to inking mechanisms wherein ink is transferred from an ink reservoir to a printing plate by means of a plurality of ink transferring rollers.

The function of an inking system in a printing machine is to apply a fine, even coat of ink to the printing surfaces of a printing plate, and this has been done conventionally by transferring the ink from a supply reservoir by the rolling contact of a plurality of inking rollers, the ink being transferred from one to the other down the line with the last roller or rollers in a sequence being in rolling contact with the printing plate. This conventional type inking system causes the ink particles to be spread out more and more evenly at each stage of transfer, and

insures a constant even supply of ink to the rollers which actually engage the plate.

The proper adjustment of each of the ink transferring roller and the surface to be inked are among the more 3 critical relationships in an inking system. For example, not only is the actual pressure exerted between the various rollers an important consideration, but also the uniformity of the pressure of a particular roller with each of the surfaces which it engages. To obtain uniformity of pres-;

sure, the ink roller must be located with precision between each of the surfaces with which it makes contact.

The present invention provides an inking mechanism wherein the proper adjustment of the inking rollers is facilitated and the human factors greatly reduced. The.

present invention makes possible the precision adjustment of an inking roller to a mean position between the two surfaces which it engages, so that the pressures which exist between each of the contacting surfaces will be substantially equal. In addition, the present invention makes it possible to separate one of the rollers of the inking mechanism, lock it in separated position for an indefinite period of time, for example, to replace a roller that has become unduly worn, and then return it to operative engagement with the inking roller restoring itself to its original balanced position without requiring further adjustment.

of the supporting structure for the inking rollers;

Figure 4 is a side view, partly in cross-section, of the last inking rollers in the inking system, showing them operatively engaged with the plate-carrying cylinder;

Figure 5 is a cross-section view taken along the line 'ice 55 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view of an alternative construction for parts of the mechanism shown in Figure Figure 7 is a cross-section view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 8 is a cross-section view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the inking system to which the present invention applies, a supply of ink is stored in a reservoir (not shown) and transferred from surface to surface by a succession of inking rollers before being applied to the surface to be inked. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a plurality of steel ink distributor rollers 10 are mounted on shafts 12 which are rotatably journalled at both ends in bearings of a frame 11. The steel rollers 10 are spaced side by side in parallel relation on the same horizontal axis H (see Fig. 2). The steel rollers are separated from one another, and the ink is transferred from one distributor roller to the next by rubber-covered rollers 13 between and in tangential engagement with adjacent steel rollers. The steel rollers 10 are spaced closely together so that the axes of rotation of the intermediate rubber rollers 13 are above the horizontal axis H. As shown in Fig. 4, the last steel distributor roller 10 in the line transfers the ink to a pair of rubber form rollers 13a, which form rollers are in direct engagement with the cylinder C when the cylinder C is in the operative position indicated in phantom lines in Fig. 4. The rollers 10 and 13 may be power driven, but the drive mechanism is unimportant to the present invention.

The upper rubber rollers 13 are mounted in clusters of two in a manner which insures the necessary freedom of movement to permit them to be properly adjusted and located between the two lower rollers 10 which they engage. The rollers 13 are provided with shafts 14, which seat at each end in semi-cylindrical hollows of horizontally disposed supporting arms 15. The shafts 14 are locked in place on the arms 15 by pivotal caps 16 attached to the arms. The upper caps also are formed with semicylindrical hollows to accommodate the shafts. The caps may be locked in place by wing nuts 17, which threadably engage the upper ends of eye bolts 18 pivoted to the lower arms 15. As shown in Figure 1, the ends of the caps contain slots 1617 which the eye bolts are free to enter before being locked in place by the nuts 17. Counterbore 16a receives the lower part of the wing nut body, thus providing mechanically positive means to prevent the wing nut and eye bolt from slipping out of the slot 16b.

The two rollers 13 in each cluster are mounted on either side of a common assembly. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the various operative parts of the common assembly are all mounted from a fixture or bracket 1?, which bracket seats upon and is screwed to the top of a portion of the frame 11. It is understood that both ends of each of the rollers 13 are similarly mounted so that it has been necessary to show and describe but one side thereof in detail. As best shown in Figure 3, the roller supporting arms 15 for each of the two rollers of the cluster extend in opposite directions, although at their supported ends they overlap and are in abutting engagement. The overlapping abutting ends of the arms 15 each are pivotally attached to one of a pair of parallel downwardly depending pivotal links 20a, 2012. As shown in Figure 3, the rightwardly extending arm 15 is connected to the lower end of the rear link 20a by means of a shouldered stud 21a, and the leftwardly extending arm is connected to the lower end of the link 20b by means of a similar stud 21b. For example, the threaded part 21a of stud 21a is tightly screwed into tapped hole t separated from the lower rollers 10.

15' of the rightwardly extending arm 15, and shoulder 21a" of the same stud pivots freely in the lower hole of link 20a.

The upper ends of the. parallel links 20a andZOb are separated by an upstanding, block 22, and both the links .and block are suspended from a long flanged pin 23,

the end of which is secured to the bracket 19 by means of a taper pin (not shown) driven through a small hole 19a in the top of the bracket into a companion hole 23a of the pin 23. The links 20a, 2% are loosely suspended from the pin 23, but the block 22 is held thereto by a pin 22a which passes through the block and the pin 23. Since the links 20a, 20b are free to move independently of one another, it is clear that each of the upperrollers 13 will be permitted to find its proper position between the two lower rollers 11 which it engages. Ideally, when in the desired position, the axes of the shafts 14 will fall on lines P (see Figure 2), which lines P are perpendicular to the horizontal axis H along which all of the lower distributor rollers are mounted, crossing the horizontal line H at a point midway between adjacent lower rollers; or stated another way, the line P is the line which bisects are angle A formed by the intersection of lines connecting the axis of rotation of the roller 13 with the axes of rotation of each of the rollers 10 which the roller 13 engages. Preferably, but not necessarily, the parts are arranged so that a line F (see Figure 2) drawn through the axis of the pivot of the arm and the axis of the shaft 14 is perpendicular to the line P.

The weight of the roller 13 may provide the necessary contacting pressure with the lower rollers 10, however, small compression springs 25 buttressed between suitable lugs 26 of the arms 15 and opposite sides of the block 22, may provide increased pressure, it necessary, to maintain the rollers 13 in smooth contact with the lower rollers 10. If desired, set screws (not shown) may be set into the housing 22 to provide for regulation of the pressure exerted by the springs. In case the weight of rollers 1.3 would produce a contact pressure between rollers 13 and 10 greater than desired, extension springs may be used in place of compression springs 25 which would then partially counterbalance the weight of the rollers. The tension of these extension springs may be made adjustable to allow any desired variation in contact pressure.

To permit the rollers 13 to "be moved out of operative engagement with the lower rollers 10, a horizontal rack 28 is set into a slide on the top of the frame 11. As shown in Figure l, the rack is engaged by a pinion 27 mounted on a shaft 29. The shaft 23 is provided with a pinion (not shown) at its other end, and the pinion controls the movement of a similar rack. The extreme end of the shaft 29 is provided with a pin wrench hub 30 to permit the adjustment of the rack. The top surface of the rack is formed with two inclined cam surfaces 31, one adapted to engage each of the shafts 14, and each of the inclined surfaces is followed by a slight depression 32. As the hub 30 is turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, the rack will be translated to the left, the inclined surfaces engaging and raising the shafts 14 until the shafts 14 are seated in the depressions 32. In this position, the upper rollers 13 are When the rack is translated to the right, the rollers are automatically returned to the original operative engagement with the lower rollers 10 without any further adjustment being required. The extreme limits of movement of the rack 23 to the right and to the left are determined by screws 33a and 331) set into the top of the frame 11.

When one of the rollers 13 is to be adjusted in operative engagement with the two lower rollers 10, the roller '13 is first permitted to find its proper mean position in contact with the lower rollers. The angular relationship between theappropriate pivotal link a or 2011 and the respective pivotal arm 15 permit the roller to find a position of substantially uniform contact with the two lower rollers 10.

Once the upper rollers 13 are in place, they may be locked, if desired, by clamp screws 35 to prevent them from bouncing up and down while in operation. As best shown in Figure 3, the clamp screws pass through oversized holes 36 formed in the bracket 19 and through washers 37, 33, one on each sideof the hole 36, and threadably engage holes 39 formed in the arms 15. When the clamps 35 are loose, the oversized holes 36 permit limited movement of the arms 15 so that they have sufficient freedom to permit the rollers 13 to find their mean positions between the two lower rollers. The articulated linkage by means of which the ink roller is supported permits limited translational movement of the axis of rotation to either side of a line P (defined below) when the clamps 35 are loosened. When the position has been found, the clamp 35 may be tightened thereby locking the roller 13 in place. When loosened, clamp screws 35 and oversize hole 36 also serve to prevent excessive horizontal shifting of the rollers while the throw-off cam bar 28 is being translated to lift or lower rollers 13.

The form rollers 13a which transfer the ink from the last steel distributor roller 10 in a line to the printing plate carried by the cylinder C are mounted individually, rather than in clusters of two like the rollers 13.

As shown in Figure 4, the last roller 11) in the sequence operatively engages two form rollers 13a, one above and the other below the horizontal axis H. The roller 13a located below the horizontal axis H is mounted in similar fashion to the roller 13a located above the horizontal axis H, so that it is necessary to show and describe but one in detail. The shafts 14a of the upper roller 13a are accommodated at each end in a semicylindrical hollow formed at the end of a pivotal arm 4-6. It will be seen that the arm 40 is similar to the arms 15 described above. The shaft 14:: is retained within the hollow of the arm by an outer cap 41 pivotally mounted at the lower end of the arm 40 and locked in place by a nut and eye bolt assembly 42. The other end of the arm 41) is pivotally connected by a stud 46 to an upright link 43, and the link 43, in turn, is pivotally attached to the frame 11 by a small shaft 44. It is evident that this construction, like the supporting construction for the rollers 13 just described, permits the roller 13a to find a balanced position between the roller 10 and the cylinder C when the cylinder C is in the operative position represented in Figure 4 by phantom lines. If the roller 13a is to have substantially uniform contact with both the roller 10 and the cylinder C, the axis of the shaft 14a ideally will be located on the line L, which line L, like the lines P, is the line which bisects the angle B formed by the intersection of lines connecting the axis of rotation of the roller 13a with the axes of rotation of the roller 10 and the cylinder C, when the cylinder is in the operative position.

When the roller 13a has been properly positioned with respect to the roller 10 and the cylinder C, the link 43 may be locked in the set position. Accordingly, the upper end of the link 43 is provided with a flat projection 43a which extends between the two oppositely disposed set screws mounted to the machine frame 11. The set screws 45, 4511 may be adjusted to engage opposite sides of the projection 43a to maintain the link in the desired position.

The weight of the upper roller 13a is supplemented by a compression spring 47 to produce the necessary pressure of the roller 13a against the roller 10 and the cylinder C. Obviously, in the case of the roller 13a located below the horizontal axis H, the spring pressure would have to be much greater to overcome the efiect of gravity. The spring 47 is housed within a small balance the weight of the roller 13a.

housing 'or cartridge 48 mounted to the machine frame The top surface of the arm 40 is provided with "a recess (see Figure 5) which receives the lower end of the compression spring 47. The upper end of the spring acts against a disc 50 mounted at the lower end of adjustable set screw 51 which is threaded through the upper end of the cartridge 48. The pressure exerted by the spring 47 on the arm 40 may thus be adjusted by adjusting the position of the set screw 51. In case the weight of roller 13a exerts a contact pressure greater than desired between rollers 13a and on one hand and roller 13a and plate cylinder C on the other hand, an extension spring may be used in place of compression spring 47 with suitable adjustment to partially counter- The same counterbalancing may also be accomplished by locating a compression spring assembly similar to that shown in connection with spring 47 below arm 40 rather than above it.

The center of the arm 40 is provided with a slightly curved slot 52. The slot 52 accommodates a locking screw 54 which, as shown in Fig 5, is threaded into a hole formed in the frame 11. The slot 52 is wider than the diameter of the screw 53, so that when the screw is loosened, the link 43 may have sufficient freedom of movement, due to the articulated linkage 40 43 to effect the adjustment of the position of the roller 13a.

.The-lock screw 54 performs a function similar to the clamps 35 in Figure 3, that is to say, when tightened, it locks the arm 40 in the desired position to prevent the roller from bouncing up and down while in operation.

To set the roller 13 in proper position relative to the distributor roller 10 and the cylinder C, the roller 13a will first be permitted to find its position between the steel distributor roller 10 and the plate cylinder C when the cylinder is in the operative position, represented by the'phantom lines in Figure 4. When in proper position, the form roller 13a will develop substantially uniform contact with both the plate cylinder and the distributor roller 10 with a pressure which may be determined by the adjustable spring 47. When the roller' 13a has found its proper position between the roller 10 and the cylinder C, and the pressure of the spring adjusted, the clamp screw 54 may be tightened to lock the roller in place and the

set screws

45, 45a adjusted against the opposite sides of the projection 43a to prevent accidental movement or displacement of the link 43.

With the arrangement above described, it is evident that, even with the cylinder in the inoperative position represented by the solid lines in Fig. 4, the upper roller 13a may be lifted out of operative position and then returned so as to 'be in proper pressure engagement with the cylinder C when it is moved back to working position, provided that the link 43 has been first locked in proper set position by the

screws

45, 45a. For example, with the

set screws

45, 45a engaging opposite sides of extension 43a of the link 43 and the cylinder C in the retracted position, the clamp screw 54 may be loosened and the cylinder 13a raised for inspection, cleaning or replacement. In the event a new roller is to be substituted, the old roller can easily be removed by loosening the nut and screw assemblies 42. The roller may then be permitted to swing back into contact with the distributor roller 10 in accordance with the preadjusted pressure of the spring 47. The screw 54 may be tightened to lock the roller 13a in place, and when the cylinder C moves back into working position, the roller will automatically have the proper contact with the cylinder C.

An alternative arrangement of mounting the pivotal arm 40 is represented in Figures 6 and 7. Instead of connecting the end of the arm 40 to the pivotal link 43, it may be pivotally connected to a stud 60 which has an eccentric stem 61. The stem 61, which has a threaded portion 61a, passes through a hole formed in the frame 11 and is held therein by a nut 62 at the other side of the frame. The stud 60 about which the arm 40 pivots permits the axis of the shaft 14a to be adjusted to insure that it falls squarely on the line L. This is accomplished by loosening nut 62 and turning the eccentric stud by means of a screwdriver inserted in slot 60a, and then retightening the nut 62. This adjustment would be made initially at the erection of the machine, and it would not necessarily have to be made subsequently thereto. The set position of the eccentric stud 60 determines the location of the pivot of the arm 40 precisely in the same manner as do the

adjustable set screws

45, 45a in the embodiment shown in Figure 4. When the angular position of the eccentric stud 60 is set and the locking screw 54 released, the arm 40 is still free to pivot about the stud 60 to permit the roller 13a to be raised to inoperative position. As in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the roller may be returned to its original operative position by the pre-adjusted spring 47, and the roller locked in that position by tightening the screw 54, whether or not the cylinder C is in the operative position.

In the above description the automatic roller adjustment was described for substantially equal contact pressure between roller 13a and distributor roller 10 on one hand and roller 13a and plate cylinder C on the other hand. It is conceivable that different degrees of contact pressure may be required for the distributor roller and the plate cylinder. Adjusting

screws

45 and 45a or eccentric stud 60 allow adjustment for any desired pressure ratio. For example, if it is desiredto exert a greater pressure on the distributor roller than on the plate cylinde, the

pivot point

46 or 60 would be adjusted slightly to the left from its equal pressure position. If the pivot point is then locked in this adjusted position, the roller 13a, and any other roller slightly dilferent in diameter replacing it, will automatically assume the same contact pressure relationship.

The present invention has been shown in a single preferred form and by way of example only, and obviously many modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. It in to be understood, therefore, that the present invenion is not to be limited to any specified form or embodiment unless such limitations are set forth in the appended claims.

' p I claim: p

1. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of a rotatable ink transfer roller which receives ink from one surface and transfers it to another, the ink transfer roller being disposed above and in engagement with the said surfaces, pivotal arms supporting the ends of the roller, a fixed mounting shaft, a pivotal link connecting the pivotal arms with the mounting shaft, the arrangement affording a pivot between the link and the pivotal arms, which pivot is movable in space, whereby the roller is capable of finding its position automatically by gravity relative to and intermediate the surfaces which it engages, an adjustable clamp for locking said pivotal arm in a desired adjusted position, said clamp having a shank portion, and means defining an oversized hole surrounding the shank portion of the clamp, said hole permitting limited translational movement of the axis of the ink roller when the clamp is released.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 including means for locking the connecting link in different angular positions.

3. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of a pair of ink transfer rollers, each adapted to operatively engage two ink rollers and to transfer ink from one to the other, one end of each of the rollers being mounted to an arm, a shaft mounted between the ink rollers, means for supporting the shaft, a spring retaining member supported by said shaft, spring means between the spring retaining member and each of said arms, a pair of links, each pivoted at one end to the shaft and at the other end to one of the arms, the

linkages permitting each of the rollers to finda meanposition of substantialy uniform. contact with. the two rollers which it operatively engages, and locking means accommodated by said means. for supporting. the shaft for locking the arms in adjusted position.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3 including a slide having a pair of cam surfaces thereon, said cam surfaces serving to move both of the rollers out of contact with the rollers which they normally operatively engage. v

5. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of a frame, a rotatable. ink roller which receives ink from one rotating surface and transfers it to another, an articulated linkage comprising aisupporting arm for the ink roller, a member freely pivoted to the frame and means pivotally connecting the supporting arm to the pivotal member, said articulatedlinkage permitting translational movement of the axis of rotation of the ink roller on opposite sides of a line bisecting the angle formed by the intersection of lines connecting the .axis of rotation of the roller with the axes of rotation .of each of the rotating surfaces with which the roller is engaged, permitting the roller to find its position automatically relative to the surfaces which it engages, and means for locking the supporting arm in a desired adjusted position relative to the frame.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 including means for limiting the extent of the displacement of the axis of rotation of the ink roller on both sides of said line bisecting said angle when the locking means is released.

7. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of a frame, a rotatable ink roller which receives ink from one rotating surface and transfers it to another, a first arm for rotatably supporting the ink roller, a second arm freely pivoted to the frame, means pivotally connecting the first and second arms, said first and second arms forming an articulated linkage which affords translational movement to the axis of rotation of the ink roller which extends to either side of a line bisecting the angle formed by the intersection of lines connecting the axis of rotation of the roller with the axes of rotation of each of the rotating surfaces with which the roller is engaged, spring means for urging the inking roller into engagement with both of said surfaces with which the roller is engaged, permitting the inking roller to find its position automatically relative to the surfaces which it engages, and means forlocking the first arm in the adjusted position.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein the means for locking the first arm in adjusted position includes a threaded clamp which, when tightened, frictionally locks the first arm to the frame, means defining a threaded opening to receive said clamp, and means defining an enlarged hole surrounding the threaded clamp to permit limited translational movement to the axis of rotation of the ink roller when the locking clamp is loosened.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 7 including a sliding cam element, ways for guiding the slidable cam element,.and a cam surface formed on said cam element which serves to move the inking roller out of contact with both of said surfaces against the action of said spring means when the first arm is unlocked.

10. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of a frame, a rotatable ink transfer roller which receives ink from one surface and transfers it to another, a supporting arm for the roller, a shaft having a fixed axis supported by the frame, a pivotal link connecting the fixed shaft and the supporting arm, an extension formed at the free end of said pivotal link, a pair of oppositely disposed adjustable set screws between which the extension projects to permit the link to be locked in a set position, a spring acting against said supporting arm to urge the ink roller into pressure engagement with the surfaces which it engages, a clamp having a threaded shank which, when tightened, frictionally locks the supporting arm to the frame, means defining a threaded opening to receive the threaded shank of said clamp, and means defining an enlarged hole surrounding the threaded shank of the clamp to permit limited translational movement to the axis of rotation of the ink roller when the threaded clamp is loosened and the set screws are spaced apart from said extension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 20, 1937