US3101050A - Flat plate printing apparatus having accurate register - Google Patents

Description

All@ 20, 1963 J. J. scHAEl-ER ETAL 3,101,050

G CCURATE REGIST Allg- 20, 1953 J. J. SCHAEFER ETAL 3,101,050

FLAT PLATE PRINTING APPARATUS HAVING ACCURATE REGISTER Filed Nov. 22, 1960 5 sheets-*sheet z as 23 24 z5 27 I8 19 I I l 7 1Q .2 I l 1 INVENTORS .JOHN J, SCHAEFER HUGH l5. PATRCK ATTRNEY Aug. 20, 1963 J. J. scHAl-:FER ETAL 3,101,050

FLAT PLATE PRINTING APPARATUS HAVING ACCURATE REGISTER Filed Nov. :22, 1960 5 sheets-sheet :s

5\ V'/ /EO /64 l 9 :E w---nfw. o 6 UI I6; 60A im* 62 Iv" l 1 jl.

'l m 'h h INVENTORS JOHN J. SCHAEFER HUGH PAT ATTORNEY;-

J. J. scHAEFER ETAL 3,101,050

ELAT PLATE PRINTING ARPARATUSIRAVING ACCURATE REGISTER Aug. 20, l1963 Filed Nov. 22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS JOHN J. SCHAEFER Aug. 20, 1963 J. J. scHAEFER ETAL FLAT PLATE PRINTING APPARATUS HAVING ACCURATE REGISTER Filed Nov. 22, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 length of theroll.

United States Patent 6) M FLAT PLATE PRENTNG APPARATUS HAVING ACUURATE REGHSTER .lohn l. Schaefer and Hugh B. Patrick, Louisville, Ky., assignors to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation ot Delaware Filed Nov. 22, 196i), Ser. No. 71,002

8 Claims. (Cl. 101--252 This invention relates to printing 'apparatus of the flat plate type and more particularly to such an apparatus having an exceptionally accurate register. Although the invention is in no Way limited to the printing of any one type of article, it is, however, Iespecially well suited to the printing of sample patterns requiring .a plurality of super-imposed impressions and during the `printing of which no smudging occurs, a high fidelity of register is provided, and a uniform pressure is utilized of each impression.

Printed samples of this type may include, for example, wood grain patterns printed on panels, textile designs printed on cloth, or wall paper designs printed on paper. Thus, in contrast to printing practices involving apparatus having a high volume output and in Which speedof printing is an essential factor, the present apparatus is intended for use in printing at a relatively slow rate, but with extreme accuracy. ln this connection it will be understood that the term laccurate register as used herein, connotes a register in the order of about `0.001 inch and which is impossible to achieve with many of the previously proposed forms of flat plate printing apparatus, as for exin the printing ample those forms inwhich the printing roll has gears in mesh with racks and wherein backlash and wear contribu-te to lack of proper register, or` with other forms wherein similar mechanical limitations are present.

An object of the invention is to provide a printing apparatus having an improved register of the printed article with the printing plate.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism for raising and llowering a printing-roll with respect to a printing plate and to an article to be printed. i

Another object is to provide .an improved table fo establishing register between a printingplate and an article to berprinted and `which are disposed on the table.

A further lobject is to provide @an improved carriage for a printing roll in a llat plate printing apparatus.

Other objects yand advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds and when considered in `conjunction with drawings in which:

the accompanying 3,101,050 Patented Aug. 20, 1963 FG. 9 is la detail view of the mounting both of a i port a flat printing plate. `Means are provided for registening and holding each of the article and the plate with Vrespect to the table in -a longitudinal direction so as to provide initial transverse register lines on the article and the plate, andwith ywhich an` initial `register `line on va rotatable printing roll may be brought into correspondence.

` `A carriage movable longitudinally of the table includes carriage positioning means for registration with the `table at `one station adjacent the initial register line onfthe plate and at another station adjacent the initial register line on the article.` This carriage in turn `supports the printing roll which is of the shafted type and which may rotate freely in a cradle mounted ion the carriage when disengaged from a roll-indexing means mounted on the cradle, the roll being iixed against such rotation when engaged with that roll-indexing means. -Tlle roll-indexing means serves to establishthe initial register line on the roll. The Iroll is selectively lifted and lowered with respect to the plate and article by a mechanism mounted on the carriage. `In addition the carriage, when its carriagepositioning means is disengaged from the table, may be manually moved along the table by a simple pushing movement.` The conjoint registration, indexing, lifting and lowering, and longitudinal movements of the several parts of the apparatus are yall mutually coordinated to the end ythat a printing of the article with accurate register may be accomplished. i

Referring now to FIG. 1 a stationary table having its upper surface at a convenient Working height may include a iirst upper surface portion 10 adapted to support the inked llat printing plate 11 lfrom which `the impression is to be taken for transfer to the llat article 12 supported upon a `second portion 13` of the table and longitu- FIG. l is a perspective view of the printing table shovv-` showing the roll and carriage in ,mounted position with respect thereto,` and with the roll elevated :from the printj i ring plates, and with` parts shown in dotted lineslandparts omitted in the interest of clarity.

of FIG. 4. and showing approximately one-'half of G. 6 is ads `@1e/ausi; View or ne planung-m11: with parts insectionglb l Y i p EG.- 7fisian eridelevation of the 1roll-,indexing plate-td asnauerfsene.- i i" -llGi' 8f i s^" perspective View toa lsmalle-r sc ."f the. yol're-baclcplateand yoke farms; ,1 g n plate and an articleto-be printed in register dinally spaced from the first table portion. Bymeans of legs 14, 15, 16 and 17 and suitable bracing, the table structure is rigidly assembled `and `as best seen in FIG. 2, in-

cludes an upper framing of parallel` side langle members 18 and 19 joinedat their ends to end anglernembers, one

being shown at 20. The top ll-at surface of ythe table serving as a printing bed, may beforrned of Ia pair of flat steel plates 21 and 22 attached to steel strin- gers 23, 24, and 24,

25 respectively and Aextending ,from one end angle-member to the other and rigidly afxed thereto. Attached to the side angle member 19 and having a lbeveled track portion 26 Vextending upwardly therefrorn and spaced outwardly from the side edge of the table, .is Aan additional angle Inembei-- 2 7 serving asya raiLand which is substantially coterrninous with the angle member 19. i Carri-age stops `28 and 29 also are attached tothe Stringer 25 iadjacent "ing plate`'11,]by engaging in i apertures provided `along the:

`tive carriage wheels 54 and.` 4 i AAn array of conventional plate. indexing pins, two of FIG V5 is a partial `sectional view taken on line S-S which afseen al 30 and 31, Prolet in 'thfeded felation t-he respective ends lof the same and in intersecting rel-a-` tion to the path of theiextreme movement of the respecthrough the bed plates 21 andl22. intherst `surface por?Vv tion of the table and serve las a registering means for print` sidesffitha't plate." The artioleto be printed, however, Vis

"l 1 'prefeiiablvregistered in its position on the second surface i. fr i '.poition` 7o,

the table l 3y. endyvise confinement"betweennelon gated holding plates-.32,r 133 extending transversely `of 'i graved .metallic Plateand the ce between (7)1 and "d0-.45j `inicr`ons inr deptli". As later to be member of about 16 gauge material havingia length greater than the length of the printing roll and with a width of about four inches and sufficient to` provide an antismudge function as later to be described. A pair of longitudinally extending recesses 34 and 35 are provided adjacent the ends of the holding plate and within Awhich adjustable hold-down screws (not shown) are :adapted to pass and to be fastened into threaded corresponding apertures in the upper surfaces of the respective bed plates Z1 and 22.

Referringnow to FIGS. l, 4 `and 5, a pair of identical elongated carriage register bars 4G and 41 having a suitable conformation for nesting against the outer side of the track member 27 are provided and include a pair of elongated Vslots 42 and y4-3'1and a centrally located carriage-positioning `aperture '44 (FIG. 5).

The upright side portion of the-track Vmemberfcontains an array of tapped holes 45 therethrough in the ,vicinity ofthe forwardmost positions to be occupied on the table by the plate and the article.

i i i By. means of a register ladjustment knob havingl `a threaded pin attachedl thereto for engagement with the tapped holes 4S, 'one Asuch knob and pin as seen |at 46 and 47 being provided for each of Ithe slots in a register bar,A the register bars may-bepositioned -to bring their roll-positioning apertures into a; xed position bearing a predeterminedrelation to the initial `regist'erlines of the plate and article when those barsiare clamped against the track member.

`As a feature of the invention, a smoothly movable carriage yis provided for supporting fnot konly the printing roll but also the entire mechanism, used for raising and lowering that roll, and this carriage comprises a right side plate 50 land -a left side'fplatejl. Adjacent the lower corners f these side plates, sli-aft apertures are provided for receiving shafts lon which a pair yof guide rollers `are mounted for the left side plate, one being sho-wn at 52, and a pair of'jguide Wheels 53 and S4 are mounted for the right side .i plate. lThe `rollers havela cylindrical periphery and roll in contact'with the flat bed plate Z1 above the Stringer 23, and thewheels have a grooved periphery `and roll in contact with the bevelled ,edge 26 of the rail member v27, Veach of the rollers and wheels having conventional friction-reducing bearings on their shafts. rPhe, grooved Ywheelsfin engagement with the bevelled edge of the track serve'to prevent yany side sway of the carriage as it moves along the track.V Extending between the side plates is a ,pluralityof spacing rods rigidly attached thereto and serving to provide rigidity to the structure, ian end of two such rods being seen at 55 and 56. Rigidly 'attachedto the outerk surface of the right side plate is a bracket57- extending downwardly` in overlapping-relation to the-register bars. AdjacentY its lower endV Ythis bracket supports a carriage-positioning pin 58 engageable inthe carriage-positioning aperture 44 when moved toward thecarriage and serving to lock the carriage to the register bar, andidisengageable from, that aperture when moved away *from-the' carriage `and serving '-to unlock the vrcarriage from itsregister bar.

Passing now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the printing rollprefer- `ably comprises an aluminum, alloy extrusion in the form of'a hollow cylinder ,and includes a shaft having ends 61 and 62 projecting from the Iends of the roll, and serving as yanaxle lfor the roll. Gudgeons" 6,3 and 64 serve-to enclose the e-ndsof thecylinder and provide space forA conventional friction-reducing",bearings `65 vand V66.supporting the shaft Within the'cylinder .and vpermittingease of rotation ofthe cylinder'upon that shaft; rihesebearings 1" .tar lheld in place byrsuitabvle se't collars 67 .and instand adjacent-,theends oftheY shaftjadditional set ycollarsfg and gflalfso are` p vided for aj' purpose later tobe described.,V

Thefperiphera'lsurface ofthe `roll jlzlreferably'is` provided 'with"alayer'121i.tofrubberfgelatine, ortho ylike,'about vf0.75- I i "sin fran!- 'thierriutnarlate the" articlef,12,.g.v Thewpriiitin plate .i s ofthe .same may f descnbealthe weight of the i011v non@ is employed to furnish the pressure during printing and since a substantially frictionless movement ofthe roll 0c'curs,a substantially constant printing pressure is applied at all times.

At the right hand end of the roll an index plate 71 is attached thereto in surrounding relation to the shaft and includes a number of index slots here shown at A, B, C,

and D, concentrically disposed with respect to the axis of the roll. Formed in each of the carriage side plates isa slot vextending normally to the plane ofthe table top and within which a cradle member is adapted to reciprocate with aclose t, the cradle member 72 for the Vright hand i end `ofA ythe roll being seen in FlGS. 4 and 9. These cradle include anupwardly directed open slot 73 into which the Y Y members may lhave shoulders encompassing the edges of the slotted sides ofthe carriage so that all movement ofthe cradle membersl is reciprocatory. These cradle members respective shaft ends and axles are positioned and as will be understood, the roll andV its shaft may be manuallyv Vr'aiseclfrom these cradles when the roll is to be cleaned or replaced and may be placed in thesecradles when a printing operation is to beV conducted. The righthand cradle '72 hasrigidly attached to its bottom a roll index pin housing 74 with a horizontally projecting bushing 75 including a securing pin slotfe on its outer face (FlG.` 5). An aperture extends through both the bushing `and housing for containing a longitudinally movable roll index pin 77 at Y the dista-1 end of which is `a locking member 7 8 engageable with a close it in any chosen one of the several index slots of the roll. A register adjustment knob 79 is attached to the index pin 77 Iat its -outer end and rigidly affixed to the index pin, intermediate its ends isa transversely extending securing pin 80. This securing pin fit-s within the slot 76 ofthe bushing, when the locking member 7 Sis in engagement with the index :slots of the roll and rests against the outer face of that bushing when the roll is free to rotate on its shaft. A compression spring VllZl is interposed between the locking member 78 and the inner surface of the housing 74 and biases the the roll index plate.

The slot in the right hand carriage plateV has an inwardly directed shoulder 81 upon which the lower edge of the cradle 72 bottoms when the roll is fully lowered in the manner later to be explained, and sufficient space is pro- Vvided below this shoulder to accommodate the housing j 74 when the roll is so lowered. In the corresponding leftjhand `carriage;v plate, the bottom of the slot for that 'cradle corresponds to the same'elevation above the table top as the shoulder 81 with the result that as the roll is raised or lowered in its cradles, Vthe axis of such roll remains at yall times parallel to plane of the table top. It

Will Ibeunder'stood that when the respective cradles bottom 1n th'eirrslots, the entire weight ofthe roll and its `shaft is then tnansmitted to the roll covering in contact with the printed place of the article being printed. Each of the cradles has. an inwardly projecting cradle operating pin threaded into the cradle and rigidly secured thereto as by anut engaging-against `the outer surface of the cradle,

kthe -pin having' a iinished cylindrical vhead for engagement with ak pivoted yoke Ynext to be described. vAsseen in FIGS. 5 and 9, the pin S2 forfthe right hand cradle has aj 1 head fand-is secured by a nut 84.

` j "i ihn-or thepurpo'se of raising 'and loweringveach cradle in unison-a double yoke comprisingl a back plate having attached thereto iat its ends a pair ofwyok'e arm's 86 )and 87 Y provided.l lEach of thesejarmskis pivoted intermediate Y v j its ends upon a station'arypin fastened in the respective @side walls' of the carriage and passing through the respec-f e right hand locking member toward center, is la pair Iof spaced brackets 92 and 93 having a yoke elevation bar 94 extending therebetween and resting in engagement yat all times within an open slot 95 of a yoke actuating nut 96. This nut is interiorly threaded and is in threaded engagement at all times with an elongated downwardly projecting yoke actuating screw 97. At the upper end, this screw is rotatably held in place by means of a set collar 9S bearing against the outer surfaceof a heavy suspension member 99 extending across the top of the carriage and attached to the top edges of the respective carriage side Walls near the rearmost portion thereof.

Rigidly affixed to the underside of the suspension member on opposite sides of, and rearwardly of, the yoke screw is a pair of shaft support blocks 100 and 101 having an aperture therethrough receiving bushings 102 and 103 within which extends an elevating shaft 104.

A helical gear 105 .is keyed to the elevating sha-ft between the bushings and is conned by suitable thrust bearings .106 and 107 interposed between that gear and the respective shaft support blocks. In mesh with helical gear 105 =at all times, is a second helical gear 108,keyed to the screw 97 and conlined Iagainst upward movement by a thrust bearing 109. The inner end of the elevating shaft 104 terminates slightly beyond the shaft support block 101 and the other end of that shaft projects thnough a bushing 110 mounted in the r-ight hand side wall 50` of the carriage. A suitable handwheel 111 is affixed to the outer end of the shaft 104 and serves to actuate the entire lifting rand lowering mechanism for the roll.

With the foregoing description of lone suitable arrangement for carrying out the invention in mind, the several objects and advantages of that invention will now become kapparent when considered in connection with the following described operation.

Having an inked printing plate 11 in proper `register with respect to the firstV :carriage register bar 41 and ian article 12 in properregister with respect to the second carriage register bar 40, it will be apparent that when the carriage is engaged by means of its carriage positioning pin with either `of those register bars and when` the roll is brought into .contact with either the plate or the article, a predetermined line lengthwise of that roll serving as its initial register line will then coincide with a predetermined transverse line on either of the plate or the article and serving las initial register lines therefor.` Each of the` structural features tof the apparatus is directed toward this useful end result land the manufacturing toler-` ances `and functioning of the movable parts is such that accnracyof register of those initial linesmay be in the order of about 0.001 inch. i M

With the roll surface '120 in clean condition, the carriage-positioning pin 58 engaged with register bar 41, the roll in elevated position, and the roll index pin 77 in engagement with an index slot, `rfor, exa1vnple slot A; the operator then turns "hand whl`ee1"111 and the yoke assembly pivots upon its stationary pins 'and lowers the pins :attached ,togthe respective cradle members within whichrthe axles `61 and 62 of the roll Vare resting. Each of these cradle members arecontined to movement in a predetermined plane and the angularity of the pivoted yoke in no wayinlluences the movement of those cradles. However, `since, the index` pin 77 itself 'is carried by the extension `74 of` the cradle 72, no rotational movement f of the roll on its own taxis can occur while it is so locked by that index .pin Accordingly, the roll cornes to rest in` contact with the upper surface of plate 11 with a coin# ciding of the respective initial registerlines of these two elements. The pressure exerted bylthe roll upon that platejmxoreover is that afforded solelybythewwei'ght of the routeur'. t 1

Having thus brought the roll into accurlatelyrgistered position to take up `ari impressiomthe `operator then moves i `the roll indexV pin outwardly to its second position, treeingg *the roll to rotate, and `thenwith'draws the carriage-posi` i tioning pin 58. After, this, the carriage is moved forward 6 by means of its rollers and wheels until the desired impression has been taken from plate` `11, the roll meanwhile rotating freely upon rthe bearings 65 Iand 66 thereof and the axles remaining stationary in the respective cradles. The set collars 69 rand 70 which engage against the outer surface of the carriage side walls serve to prevent any accidental axial shifting of the roll [at any time during use. At the conclusion of the carriage movement, the line of contact of the roll with plate 11 may be for example adjacent the index slot D of that roll. At this time the carriage is stopped and handwheel `111 is actuated to lift the cradles and to raise the roll. Having lifted the roll from contact with plate r11, the operator then manually turns the roll to bring index slot A again into position to be engaged by the index pin 77, `and when this pin is` article 12, moves the roll index pin 77 :outwardly to its second position, and withdraws the carriage-positioning pin 58. Since the thicknesses of 'both the plate and the article will be equal, shims being employed whenever necessary to Aaccomplish this condition, the roll accordingly will rest upon article 12 with the same pressure with which -it rested on plate 11. 'Ihe operator then moves the carriage forward and the inked impression which Ithe roll took lfrom the plate is then transferred with fidelity of reproduction tothe article.

Following this transfer of the impression, the roll again is raised from the table surface rand is detached from the carriage. This detachment is readily conducted by merely lifting the .axles of the roll from the slots in the `cradle members.` Various procedures may now be followed after the described rst printing impression has been finished. Forlexample, a second printing plate .11 having `one initial register 'line corresponding to the same initial register line of` the previously used plate may now be placed in position and covered with ink. of a different color ,as when multi-color inks are to be used on the finished article, or may be `a differently engraved plate `using the same color of ink as before. A clean roll is then .disposed in the carriage cradles tand is `registered with the carriage, the carriage in turn being registered with the `first register bar `41, after which the same sequence of steps above described are carried out tosuperimpose the `second printing impression upon the first such impression, and witha stand-ard printing pressure being used in both printings. As many such `impressions as desired may be employed in the production of the printed 'article with iassurancethat accurate register will be present and` that la uniform printing pressure will `always be used.

VVarious useful-'features of the apparatus will be apparent to those skilled in the art, among which is the ease of avoiding a smudging of the article as the roll starts-to` move thereover. This may be accomplished' by providing the holding` plate 32 with suicient width so Ithat thel initial register line of the roll may coincide with an initial register line on such a holding plate rather than on` .the article itself, AIn this event, lthe roll is `in motion lbefore its `surface 1touches'the edge of such article and any tendency to squeeze ink when the roll reaches its lowermostiposition, takes place onl the holding plate rather than on the article` itself,l When` so employed the holding plateitself is cleaned aftereach printing impres- `spect to slot` A constituting an initialrjeg'ister line` region, it

y `will vbe obvious` that any of the other index Yslots may bev j soemployedl and` in factit is desirable to use'such slots nce'to compensate for anywear ofthe rolltor' in L seque Vsetting, of the roll'` covering.

The actuation of the yoke mechanism also contributes to the quality or" the printing since each yokearm lowers and raises the axles of the rol-l in unison and thus both extremities of the roll touch the plate and article uniformly. In addition, since the =body of the roll rotates freely upon Ithe-bearings in the gudgeons, no frictional factors which might be'present if the axles themselves were Yattached xedly to the roll body, need vbe compensated for. Having then described the invention and having shown a preferred form of structure for carrying out the operation of the saine, it will be apparent that various changes and modiiications may be made inthe apparatus without departing from the invention. It therefore, is intended in the-appended clairns Ito cover all such changes land modifications as may fall `within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Whatis claimed is: Y l. A printing apparatus comprising Vin combination, a fiat'table having a first portion "adapted to 'support a flat inked' plate and a second por-tion adapted to support a carriage register means, la shafted printing roll removably mounted upon'said carriage and having an axle projecting from each end thereof, vmeans for selectively lifting and lowering said rol-l with respect to said Itable and including cnadlesV mounted in said carriage kvand supporting the respective axle portions ofsaid rOl'LrOII-indexing means carried by one Vof said cradles and adapted to connect said roll rigidly to said carriage while in a first position and to permit said roll to; rotate with respect to said V,carriage while in a secon-d and disconnecting position, said rollindening `means while in -said iirstpcsition serving to establishan initial regi-ster line lengthwise of said rol-l and inl correlation'to'the initial register Ylines of said plate to connect .said roll rigidly to said carriage while in a iirst position and to permit said roll to rotate with respect to said carriage `while in a second and disconnecting position, said 4roll-indexing means while in said lirst position serving to establish an initial register line lengthwise of said roll and in correlation to the initial register `lines with respect to said plate and said article; the improvementcomprising a track atlixed to said table along one side thereof, a rst carriage register member attached toV said track adjacent one end of said pla-te, a second carriage register member attached to'said track adjacent a corresponding end of said article, said carriage having side walls spaced transversely of said table, means attached to one Vof said side walls for supporting said carriage for movement along said table, wheel means attached to the other of said side walls and movable along said trackfor supporting said carriage for movement Valong said table, and carriage-positioning means selectively engageable with either of said carriage register' members.

' movable along said table, andashafted printing roll supand said article, and means for movin-g said 'roll-indexing t means Vto said disconnecting position thereof, thereby to permit said roll to rotate with respect -to said carriage during theprinting movement of-said carriage -along said plate and said article.

2; A printing apparatus lcomprising vin combination -a flat table having la first portion adapted to support a flat inked plate and a second portionadapted to support a lia-t article to-'be printed, the -rupper surface of each of said plate and Vsaid article being at equal elevation above s aid table, 'a plate registering means and an article registering means for establishing initial register lines transversely of saidvplate and of 'saidarticle'respectively, first and second 'carriage register v means supportednupon said table andfcooperating with said plate registering means and fjsaid article registering `mean-s respectively, a carriage mounted upon said table for movement therea-long, car- `v riage-positioning means for releasably connecting said carriage to a `selected one of said lirst and said second Vcarriage register means, fa shaftedp'rinting roll removably mounted upon said'carriage tand hav-ing anaxle projecting from said end thereof, vmeans .for selectivelylifting and lowering said Irolliwith respect to Vsaid table and including 5 cradles mounted in said carriage and supporting-therespectiveaxle portions of said roll, said cradles being mov--V vable downwardly-,sufficiently to' permit the roll Vvtn ,rest its entireweight' upon said platev and said article-respec- Y tivelyl andA o 'providefa constantprinting pressure, roll-f indexing means .arr'ied by one ofsaid cradles and adaptedv 4. Apparatus as defined in claim kIl wherein said carriage side walls include slots extending in a generally vertical direction, and said means for raising and lowering said roll includes cradle members positioned in said slots and supporting the respective ends ofthe roll shaft,

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said cradle members while in their lowermost positions in said slots permit the entire lweight: of said roll and shaft to be supportedby said printing plate and saidl article respectively. 6. in a printing apparatus having a'stationary table, a' fiat printing plate supported on said table, a carriage ported upon said carriage; thek improvement comprising means mounted upon said carriage for raising and lowering said roll with respect to said plate and including spaced cradle-members slidably mounted on 4said Vcarriage and supporting the respective shaftrends of saidfroll, spaced yoke arms pivotably mounted upon said carriage and movably attached adjacent one end to therespectivecradle members, andyoke-actuating means mounted upon said carriage for simultaneously actuating lsaid yoke Varms thereby to raise each end of said roll uniformly away from said plate as said yoke-actuating means is moved in the direction to raise; said cradles and to lower each end of said roll uniformly/ toward [said plate as said yoke-actuating meansis moved in the ,directionl to lower said cradle members.V "i v 7. Apparatus as defined in'clair'n 6 whereinfsaid yokeactuating means includes a single rotatable screw, means connecting said screw to said yoke arms; and means for rotating said screw.

`8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said-screw v s'mOunted in a generally'vertical position` and spacedf Y at approximately equaldistances from the ends vof said T0115, Y 'f :References Cited in thele ofthis patent UNrrEn STATES :PATENTS 51,866,910 schmidt .et a1. Yande'rcook et al.

Nev, 29,1955

Claims (1)

1. A PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A FLAT TABLE HAVING A FIRST PORTION ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A FLAT INKED PLATE AND A SECOND PORTION ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A FLAT ARTICLE TO BE PRINTED, A PLATE REGISTERING MEANS AND AN ARTICLE REGISTERING MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING INITIAL REGISTER LINES TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PLATE AND OF SAID ARTICLE RESPECTIVELY, FIRST AND SECOND CARRIAGE REGISTER MEANS SUPPORTED UPON SAID TABLE AND COOPERATING WITH SAID PLATE REGISTERING MEANS AND SAID ARTICLE REGISTERING MEANS RESPECTIVELY, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED UPON SAID TABLE FOR MOVEMENT THEREALONG, CARRIAGE-POSITIONING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY CONNECTING SAID CARRIAGE TO A SELECTED ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CARRIAGE REGISTER MEANS, A SHAFTED PRINTING ROLL REMOVABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID CARRIAGE AND HAVING AN AXLE PROJECTING FROM EACH END THEREOF, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY LIFTING AND LOWERING SAID ROLL WITH RESPECT TO SAID TABLE AND INCLUDING CRADLES MOUNTED IN SAID CARRIAGE AND SUPPORTING THE RESPECTIVE AXLE PORTIONS OF SAID ROLL, ROLL-INDEXING MEANS

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