US3009417A

US3009417A - Fountain structure

Info

Publication number: US3009417A
Application number: US104279A
Authority: US
Inventors: August A Saul
Original assignee: MILLER PRINTING MACHINERY Co
Current assignee: Western Gear Machinery Co
Priority date: 1961-04-20
Filing date: 1961-04-20
Publication date: 1961-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-21

Description

Nov.

A. A; SAUL FOUNTAIN STRUCTURE Filed April 20, 1961 Aug u l t z r zul w w United States Patent 3,009,417 FOUNTAIN STRUCTURE August A. Saul, Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pa., assignor to Miller Printing Machinery Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 104,279 8 Claims. (Cl. 101-148) This invention relates to fountain structure for use in presses and particularly fountain structure especially adapted for the water fountain in presses employing water fountains such as offset lithographic presses.

In presses employing water fountains it is important to keep the water supply as clean as possible and free from particles of ink and other foreign matter. The fountain roll dips into the water in the fountain and is partially disposed above the level of the surface of the body of Water in the fountain and is adapted to be rotated in a predetermined direction whereby to take water from one side of the fountain and deliver it toward the opposite side of the fountain. The water is delivered to a vibrator or other roll which either directly or through an intermediate roll or rolls delivers it to the water form roller or rollers. Particles of ink are picked up by the water form rollers and work their way back to the water fountain roll and contaminate the water in the fountain and tend to create an emulsion which is relatively heavy adjacent the ends of the water fountain roll and relatively light adjacent the center of the Water fountain roll. It is recognized that the creation .of the emulsion cannot be entirely eliminated but it is desirable that it be minimized so far as possible and to the extent that it cannot be eliminated made uniform from end to end of the water fountain roll.

The delivery of water by the water fountain roll from one side of the water fountain causes a tendency of the body of water in the fountain to circulate back from the opposite side mainly around the ends of the water fountain roller. Particles of ink and other foreign matter tend to float atop the body of water in the water fountain. I have discovered that these phenomena can be taken advantage of in a comparatively simple way to trap and substantially segregate foreign particles in the end portions of the fountain to prevent their circulating and be ing delivered with the water.

While my fountain structure is especially adapted for water fountains it is conceivable that on occasions it would have utility in ink fountains, particularly in presses in which the viscosity of the ink is low.

I provide fountain structure comprising a receptacle, a roll dipping into liquid in the receptacle but partially disposed above the level of the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle and adapted to be rotated in a predetermined direction whereby to take liquid from one side of the receptacle and deliver it toward the opposite side of the receptacle causing a tendency of the body of liquid in the receptacle to circulate back from the second mentioned side of the receptacle to the first mentioned side of the receptacle and baflle means in juxtaposition to the ends of the roll inhibiting such circulation back past the ends of the roll at the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle while permitting such circulation back past the ends of the roll substantion below the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle whereby to trap between the respective baffle means in juxtaposition to the ends of the roll and the respective adjacent ends of the receptacle particles of foreign matter floating on the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle.

In my fountain structure the baflle means fit closely to the receptacle Wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle as above referred to and are spaced from the receptacle wall at the second mentioned side of the receptacle. The baffle means normally extend above the level of the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle and at least portions thereof are spaced from the bottom of the receptacle to allow subsurface circulation of liquid thereunder. Sealing means may be provided sealing the baflle means to the inner surface of the receptacle wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle, this provision being important to prevent passage of foreign particles past the baflle means into position to be picked up by the water fountain roll.

The battle means may be provided with slots extending upwardly from the bottom thereof adjacent one end thereof adapted to receive a portion of the receptacle wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle whereby the baffle means are mounted on the receptacle wall. The slots enable the bafile means to be hung over the receptacle wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle, and resilient elements are preferably attached to the baffle means and extend through the slots to seal the bafille means to the inner surface of the wall, the resilient elements also serving to urge the bafiie means toward the roll.

The roll may be covered with a fabric sleeve and the ends of the fabric sleeve at the ends of the roll are preferably in turn covered with members which cooperate with the baffle means similarly to the roll ends when the roll is not covered with a fabric sleeve. The roll is preferably provided with shafts at its ends, the shafts passing through the last mentioned members, and means being provided for maintaining such members in place firmly against the fabric covered roll ends.

Other detail, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of certain present preferred embodiments thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown certain present preferred embodiments of the invention in which FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of water fountain structure which may be used for example in an offset lithographic press;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the fountain structure shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line III-III of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view of a modified construction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a water fountain in the form of a shallow rectangular pan or receptacle 2 in which is disposed a water fountain roll 3. The water fountain roll 3 dips into the body of water 4 in the fountain but is partially disposed above the level of the surface of the body of water in the fountain as shown. The roll 3 has shafts 5 at its ends which are adapted to be mounted in suitable bearings in conventional manner, and the roll is adapted to be rotated in the direction of the arrow A either by contact with another roll or by being driven through one of its shafts 5. The means for mounting and rotating the water fountain roll 3 may be conventional and hence are not shown.

Rotation of the roll 3 in the direction of the arrow A causes water to be taken from one side of the fountain 2 and directed toward the opposite side of the fountain. The first mentioned side of the fountain is designated I and the second mentioned side of the fountain is designated II. It is to be borne in mind that another roll contacts the water fountain roll 3 and takes water therefrom for water at the side II of the fountain. At the same time the taking of water from the side I and the delivery of less water to the side II causes circulation of the water in the fountain. It is found that such circulation is in part as indicated by the arrows B in FIGURE 2, i.e., from the central part of the fountain at the side II longitudinally in both directions to the ends of the fountain and thence toward the side I. But for the baffle means presently to be described the circulation would continue at the side I of the fountain from the ends toward the center thereof.

I provide baffle means in juxtaposition to the ends of the water fountain roll 3 inhibiting complete circulation of water as just described although permitting subsurface circulation of water from the side II to the side I of the fountain. I provide two bafiles which are alike although of opposite hand at the respective ends of the water fountain roll 3. Description of one baffle will suflice for both. The baffle at the nearer end of the water fountain roll 3 viewing FIGURE 1 is designated generally by reference numeral 6 and that at the more remote end is designated generally by reference numeral 7. The battle 6 is shown in FIGURE 3. It consists of a shape stamped out of sheet material having a generally horizontal upper edge 8 interrupted at its central portion by an arcuate cut away portion 9 to insure that the battle does not contact the shaft 5. At its bottom the baffle has feet 10 resting on the bot tom of the fountain with a raised portion 11 between the feet 10 providing for subsurface circulation of water past the battle. The baffle has a slot 12 extending upwardly from the bottom thereof adjacent the right hand and thereof viewing FIGURE 3, which slot is adapted to receive a portion of the fountain wall at the side I of the fountain whereby the battle is mounted on the fountain wall. A sealing member 13 is fastened to the baffle by any suitable fastening means 14 at the face of the bafile nearer the roll and extends through the slot '12 whereby to seal the battle to the inner surface of the wall of the fountain at the side I thereof. The sealing member 13 is made of resilient material such as rubber. In addition to ac complishing its scaling function it also acts somewhat as a spring to urge the baffle toward the adjacent end of the water fountain roll 3. Each of the baffles 6 and 7 is thus urged and lies against the flat end surface of the water fountain roll 3.

As the water fountain roll 3 turns in the direction of the arrow A any ink particles or other foreign matter which the water fountain roll may receive from the roll in contact therewith will normally be deposited on the surface of the water at the side II of the fountain. The particles float on the surface. The baffles inhibit surface circulation of Water to the side I of the fountain in between the bafiies whereby the particles are trapped on the surface of the water at the ends of the fountain adjacent the side I between the respective baffies and the adjacent end walls of the fountain in the areas indicated by the letters C in FIGURE 2 where the particles may easily be skimmed off.

FIGURE 4 shows a modified construction in which the water fountain roll 3' is covered with a fabric sleeve 15 whose ends are disposed at the ends of the roll 3 as shown at one end of that roll at 16. A cover member 17 is applied to each end of the roll and is held in place firmly against the fabric covered roll end by a collar 18 fastened to the shaft 5' by a set screw 19. The baflle 6 cooperates with the cover member 17 in the same manner as the bafi le 6 cooperates with the end surface of the water fountain roll 3, the control of circulation of the water in the form of FIGURE 4 being the same as in the form of FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

My fountain structure not only traps the particles of ink and other foreign matter on the surface of the water in the areas C as above described where they may easily be skimmed ofi but also results in maintaining substantially uniform along the water fountain roll 3 the reduced but unavoidable emulsification of the water in the fountain with ink carried back to the water fountain roll by the rolls cooperating therewith to deliver the Water to the water form roller or rollers. Thus I obtain an unprecedcntcdly uniform Water application While at the same time providing for trapping and removing of particles of ink and other foreign matter as above described.

While I have shown and described certain present preferred embodiments of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Fountain structure comprising a receptacle, a roll dipping into liquid in the receptacle but partially disposed above the level of the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle and adapted to be rotated in a predetermined direction whereby to take liquid from one side of the receptacle and deliver it toward the opposite side of the receptacle causing a tendency of the body of liquid in the receptacle to circulate back from the second mentioned side of the receptacle to the first mentioned side of the receptacle and baffle means in juxtaposition to the ends of the roll inhibiting such circulation back past the ends of the roll at the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle while permitting such circulation back past the ends of the roll substantially below the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle whereby to trap between the respective bathe means in juxtaposition to the ends of the roll and the respective adjacent ends of the receptacle particles of foreign matter floating on the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle.

2. Fountain structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the battle means fit closely to the receptacle wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle and are spaced from the receptacle wall at the second mentioned side of the receptacle.

3. Fountain structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the bafile means extend above the level of the surface of the body of liquid in the receptacle and at at least portions thereof are spaced from the bottom of the receptacle to allow subsurface circulation of liquid thereunder.

4. Fountain structures as claimed in claim 1 in which sealing means are provided sealing the baffle means to the inner surface of the receptacle wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle.

5. Fountain structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the bafile means are provided with slots extending upwardly from the bottom thereof adjacent one end thereof adapted to receive a portion of the receptacle wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle whereby the baffle means are mounted on the receptacle wall.

6. Fountain structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the baffle means are provided with slots enabling them to be hung over the receptacle wall at the first mentioned side of the receptacle and resilient elements are attached to the bafiie means and extend through the slots to seal the baffle means to the inner surface of the wall, the resilient elements also serving to urge the baffle means toward the roll.

7. Fountain structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the roll is covered with a fabric sleeve and the ends of the fabric sleeve at the ends of the roll are in turn covered with members which cooperate with the baffle means similarly to the roll ends when the roll is not covered with a fabric sleeve.

8. Fountain structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the roll has shafts at its ends and is covered with a fabric sleeve and the ends of the fabric sleeve at the ends of the roll are in turn covered with members which cooperate with the baffle means similarly to the roll ends when the roll is not covered with a fabric sleeve, the shafts passing through said members and means being provided for maintaining said members in place firmly against the fabric covered roll ends.

No references cited.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Noa 3,00%417 November 21, 1961 August A. Saul It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected'below.

Column 1, lines 62 and 63 for "substantion" read substantially Signed and sealed this 17th da y of April 1962.

(SEAL) Attest: ESTON G, JOHNSON DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents