US3163108A - Fire protection system for rotary printing press - Google Patents

Description

1964 c. HORNBERGER ETAL 3,163,103

FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1961 INVENTORS:

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United States Patent 3,163,108 FIRE PRGTEC'HON SYSTEM FOR RGTARY PRINTING PRESS Clarence L. Hornberger and Edward W. Stanley,

Lancaster, Pa, assignors to Armstrong Cork Company,

Lancaster, 132., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation of application Ser. No. 134,712, Aug. 29,

1961. This appiication dune 25, 1963, Ser. No. 290,991 9 Claims. (Cl. 101-154) The present invention relates broadly to rotary printing, and more particularly to a rotary printing press and system having incorporated therein a fire prevention and/ or extinguishing system.

This is a continuation of our prior application entitled Fire Protection System for Rotary Printing Press filed August 29, 1961, and bearing Serial No. 134,712.

More specifically, the present invention relates to an offset gravure printing system incorporating a plurality of cylinders some of which incorporate means to print various colored patterns in sequential operation in a series of printing units, and in each of which a printing ink is used and/or an ink solvent is utilized in a device or mechanism for cleansing a roll or preventing ink drying.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a rotary printing press having the various cooperating printing cylinders confined within a substantially closed housing, and in which the arrangement of cylinders provides for an upward substantially vertical passage of the Web to be printed from the printing area into a drying area prior to movement from one printing press unit to a succeeding one for printing of another color or pattern thereon.

Details of a printing press unit to effect the desired ultimate result are incorporated in a co-pending application, Serial No. 134,606 filed August 29, 1961, titled Rotary Printing Press and System, assigned to a common assignee with the present application, and which gives a detailed description of the entire system into which the present invention is incorporated.

Heretofore in printing presses and with particular reference to gravure types of presses as contemplated by the present invention, a usual method of CO or fire protection consisted of stringing several CO nozzles somewhere in the front, or overhead, or partly both, of the press portion containing the ink fountain. The present press was designed to give full access to the front and top of the press unit in order to eliminate difiiculties in removing and/ or replacing various units of the press, such as an offset or flexographic roll or cylinder. As will appear hereinafter, the present invention incorporates means whereby the various cylinders can be removed vertically from the press unit which negates problems heretofore encountered, such as in removing the cylinders laterally or transversely and placing them on a dolly for removal to an area of storage or repair.

Additionally, in accordance with the basic concepts of the present invention, a very compact and efiicient press unit has been created in which there has been incorporated a very efficient fire prevention system. The present invention insures that in the event of fire, the CO gas will be liberated in a conventional manner and will immediately flood the most hazardous area 'of the press, namely, the fountain area.

In some press construction of a gravure type, the danger area would exist only in the area of the ink fountain. The present invention, however, consists not only in an area wherein an ink fountain exists but also in an ad jacent area wherein a blotter roll or the like, adapted for coaction with the flexographic roll or offset roll, is immersed in an ink solvent in a solvent fountain or pan and which also is subject to the hazard of fires. It is accordingly the primary object of the present invention to incorporate in a rotary press unit or system a means of preventing and/ or extinguishing fires which might occur and even more objectively to place the mechanism in close approximation to the hazard areas.

While the present invention is particularly applicable to the system or arrangement of the present invention, nevertheless it has applicability to a broader field of enclosed printing units wherein either ink or ink solvent pans are incorporated.

Additional advantages and features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and following description.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevational view through a press unit incorporating an associated dryer section in accordance with the present invention and including a unique fire extinguishing system; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlargement of a portion of FIG. 1.

As pointed out hereinbefore, the present press was designed to give full access to the front and top of the cylinders so that it was extremely important to place the CO nozzles in an area where they would not interfere with such access but also would provide a maximum of protection in the event of fire. According to the present invention, in the event of fire, the CO gas will be liberated in a conventional manner and will immediately flood the most hazardous area of the press, namely the ink fountain, and/or an ink solvent fountain as applied to a blotter roll, and as specifically disclosed in the aforementioned co-pending application.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 discloses in cross-section one unit of a multiple unit printing press incorporating an offset gravure printing principle. Each of the units includes, generally speaking, a press section 10 and a dryer section or assembly 12. Rotatably mounted within the press section are the operating cylinders for the printing. These include engraved cylinder 14, offset cylinder 16 which incorporates a rubber cover 18, and an impression cylinder 20. Each of these cylinders, as is well understood in the art, is necessary for offset gravure printing. These cylinders are substantially enclosed in a cover surrounding the unit frame for safety and cleanliness. The cover includes structure such as front wall 22, top wall 24 and rear wall 26. An inner passageway or walkway which is incorporated in the unit is shown at 23, and which is cutoff from the operating units of the press.

Interiorly of the press unit there are rotatably mounted a blotter roll 31) adapted for engagement with an offset cylinder, or flexographic cylinder which might be substituted therefor, and which is rotatable within an ink solvent bath 32 operative to clean the blotter roll, which preferably is rubber covered, and/ or to insure cleaning of the offset or flexographic roll or cylinder to prevent drying in.

An ink fountain assembly generally designated 34 is incorporated in the apparatus and includes a primary ink' pan 35 and a secondary ink pan 38 which, as is apparent from the drawings, is curved :to substantially mate with the exterior curved surface of the engraved cylinder 14' to insure an adequate ink supply thereto, and from which an excess of ink flows over into primary ink pan 36 from which it is exhausted through conduit 4-0 to an appropriate ink supply system.

Blotter roll ink solvent pan 42 which incorporates the solvent bath 32, has an upstanding front wall 44. This spaced from one another in such a manner that the two 3 fountains are separated by a hollow partition 46 formed between the Walls, and a wall member 48 closes the bottom area between the wall 36 and 4 and in effect forms a plenum chamber as at 50 which extends transversely across the width of the unit. A plurality of (D nozzles 52 open into the plenum chamber and are connected through a conduit 54 to a source of CO gas under pressure. A bafile or deflector 56 having the shape of an inverted L-angle, and a base therefor, is positioned above the open top of the hollow partition with the base inserted between the wall members and the legs forming the deflector in spaced relation with the upper edges of the walls. Actuation of the CO system can be efiected by means, for example, of heat sensing elements, not shown, or manual control means, not shown, or preferably both in the event of fire.

It will be understood that .a plurality of nozzles 52 extend across the width of the machine and upon actuation, the CO will first ilood the plenum chamber 5% and then pass up through the partition, striking the deflector and thus spreading the gas over the liquid in both fountains. It is to be understood that in presses wherein an ink solvent pan is not utilized, the principle of the present invention in presenting to the hazardous area, a C gas flow, within an enclosure for the cylinders is most elfective in preventing and/ or extin uishing tires which might otherwise occur. It has been found that this system is extremely effective since it is directly in the zone of potential fire hazard and furthermore, as regards the present press assembly, is completely removed from the access areas.

in the upper portion of the front of the unit there is a transversely-extending heat-accumulator hood A conduit 6% connected to a. suitable source of CO gas under pressure extends across the interior of this hood and has a plurality of CO nozzles 62 connected thereinto. Heat-responsive control means and/or manual means (not shown) can be used to actuate this portion of the CO system for flowing of gas over and down the front portion of this machine.

In order to prevent damage and/ or fire hazard within the press unit, an additional fire protection CO system is incorporated in the walkway 28 intermediate the press section ill and the dryer section 12. This includes a C0 conduit 64 positioned in the top of the walkway 28 and from which extends a plurality of CO nozzles 66 which open into the area above the walkway, and wherein an upper idler roll 68 is positioned over which the web VJ passes after having passed through the press section, and is descending downwardly through the dryer section wherein a plunality of tubes 7th project drying heated air against the web from a source, not shown, to dry the ink which has been placed on the web in the press section.

It will accordingly be seen that the present invention teaches a construction for rotary printing presses and particularly those having offset rotary gr-avure type wherein all hazardous areas of the press have incorporated therein efiicient and eflective fire extinguishing mechanisms. While of particular importance to a press as shown and described in the present application and the aforesaid co-pending application, the present invention is applicable to many closed or other types of press units.

Manifestly minor changes in details of construction will be apparent to those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

'1. In a printing press including an enclosed press section, a'plurality of cylinders mounted in said press section, at least two reservoirs for liquid in said press section below said cylinders, each saidreservoir having an upstanding wall portion, the said wall portions defining therebetween a plenum chamber, a gas fire extinguishing system in said press section including at least one CO nozzle in operative communication with said plenum Cal l chamber operable to discharge gas upwardly through said chamber and means at the upper end of said chamber to deflect CO gas over the liquid in said reservoirs.

2. In a rotary printing press an enclosed press section, an engraved cylinder, an oilset cylinder and an impression cylinder in coacting operative engagement and mounted in said enclosed press section, an ink fountain positioned below said engraved cylinder with the engrared cylinder partially immersed in ink therein, a blotter roll in said enclosed press section below said offset roll and adjacent said ink fountain, an ink solvent pan disposed below said blotter roll with said blotter roll being partially immersed in the solvent therein, said ink fountain including an ink pan having a vertically extended wall between said fountain and said ink solvent pan, said ink solvent pan having an extended wall spaced from said wall of said pan and forming therebetween a hollow partition, means closing the bottom opening between said walls and forming therein a plenum chamber, a CO gas fire extinguishing system in said enclosed press section including a plurality of CO nozzles spaced transversely across the width of the press below said ink fountain and said cylinders and opening into said plenum chamber whereby upon actuation of said C0 system gas will iloy' into said plenum chamber upwardly through said hollow partition and thereby spreading the gas over the liquid in said ink and ink solvent pan".

3. In a rotary printing press as claimed in claim 2 an inverted angular deflector positioned above the open top or" hollow partition in slightly spaced relation to the upper ends of said walls and adapted to direct flow of the gas toward said ink and ink solvent pans.

4. In a rotary printing press as claimed in claim 3 and including a web drying section positioned above said press section, a plurality of CO gas nozzles in proximity to the top of said dryer section spaced transversely across the front of the press and adapted to fiow CO gas downwardly across the front of said dryer section and said press.

5. in a rotary printing press as claimed in claim 4 a transversely extending heat-accumulator hood partially surrounding and enclosing heat sensing elements disposed therein.

6. In a rotary printing press as claimed in claim 5 said press section having a walkway therethrough and a plurality of CO gas nozzles transversely disposed therethrough and opening into said dryer section and adapted to flow CO gas to said dryer section, said dryer section being substantially closed.

7. In a printing press including a press section, a plurality of cylinders in the press section, at least one of which is an engraved cylinder, the cylinders being generally horizontally arranged to provide free access thereto for removal through the top of the press section, at least one reservoir for liquid in said press section below said engraved cylinder, said reservoir having a wall portion defining one wall of a plenum chamber adjacent said reservoir, a C0 gas fire extinguishing system in said press section including at least one C0 nozzle in communication with the plenum chamber operable to discharge CO gas therethrough over said reservoir and liquid therein, the position of said nozzle and system providing free access to said cylinders for selective re moval thereof from the top of the press section.

8. In a printing press as claimed in claim '7 wherein said CO nozzle is disposed below said reservoir and including deflector means disposed above said reservoir to deflect CO gas over the liquid in said reservoir.

9. In a rotary printing press, a press section, an engraved cylinder, an offset cylinder and an impression cylinder in coacting operative engagement and mounted in said press section, said cylinders being generally horizontally arranged to provide a free access thereto for removal through the top of the press section, an ink fountain positioned below said engraved cylinder with 5 6 the engraved cylinder partially immersed in ink therein, said cylinders for selective removal thereof from the top said ink fountain having a wall portion defining one Wall Of the Press Sectionof a plenum chamber adjacent said reservoir, a C0 gas fire extinguishing system in said press section including References Clted m the file of thls Patent at least one CO nozzle in operative communication with 5 UNITED T TE TENT he plenum chamber operable to discharge gas there- 1,749,31 Catlin Man 5 1930 through over said ink fountain and ink therein, the posi- 2,664,955 Winkler J an. 5, 1954 tion of said nozzle and system providing free access to 2,676,538 Bamford Apr. 27, 1954

Claims (1)

1. IN A PRINTING PRESS INCLUDING AN ENCLOSED PRESS SECTION, A PLURALITY OF CYLINDERS MOUNTED IN SAID PRESS SECTION, AT LEAST TWO RESERVOIRS FOR LIQUID IN SAID PRESS SECTION BELOW SAID CYLINDERS, EACH SAID RESERVOIR HAVING AN UPSTANDING WALL PORTION, THE SAID WALL PORTIONS DEFINING THEREBETWEEN A PLENUM CHAMBER, A CO2 GAS FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM IN SAID PRESS SECTION INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE CO2 NOZZLE IN OPERATIVE COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PLENUM CHAMBER OPERABLE TO DISCHARGE GAS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID CHAMBER AND MEANS AT THE UPPER END OF SAID CHAMBER TO DEFLECT CO2 GAS OVER THE LIQUID IN SAID RESERVOIRS.

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