US3177805A

US3177805A - Means for adjusting and treating components of printing apparatus comprising a plurality of printing cylinder units

Info

Publication number: US3177805A
Application number: US301691A
Authority: US
Inventors: Johnson James Reid
Original assignee: JOHNSON OPERATING CORP
Current assignee: JOHNSON OPERATING CORP
Priority date: 1962-11-23
Filing date: 1963-07-12
Publication date: 1965-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-13

Description

J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805 MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF April 13, 1965 PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

J/mua/v April 13, 1965 R. JOHNSON 3,177,805

J MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS ll SheetsSheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 Apnl 13, 1965 J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 m m m A nl 13, 1965 J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 NN R m "O 0" O O ma Q N, 1 o vm 5% m. o o & m 0- h O %\a\ 31 Q m Na -u\ k r H n H. m NQN Q 4 w .n I m. \N N .M s.

Aprll 3., 1965 J. R. JOHNSON MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 25, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 I NV E N 'r o R Jwt: F510 fem/501v Aprll 13, 1965 J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY 0F PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 0 jf 4b flora: fem @WM I J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805 MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF April 13, 1965 PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. J4me: 570 Jo'wvm/v Apnl 13, 1965 J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS or PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY 0F PRINTING CYLINDER uNITs Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 J. R. JOHNSON April 13, 1965 3,177,805 MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 Qww A nl 13, 1965 J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet l0 3 Q nP-fl 3* W l N r s U ,7 I n N Q Q, Q 2 x INVENTOR 7/1/4455 PF/a fimvsa/v A nl 13, 1965 J. R. JOHNSON 3,177,805

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING AND TREATING COMPONENTS OF PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PRINTING CYLINDER UNITS Original Filed Nov. 23, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet l1 6?. 3 I g Q! i \Q N W q Q N Q INVENTOR.

J ws; la /0 JJA/IYJUN United States Patent This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 239,678, filed November 23, 1962.

This invention relates to means for driving print rolls and adjusting the position of print rolls in apparatus in which a plurality, usually a number of print rolls, each print part of a composite pattern on a traveling length of material. It is directed to means which are improvements upon the means disclosed in by US. Patent No. 2,893,310 of July 7, 1959.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for driving the print rolls and for adjusting the position of the print rolls to bring a plurality or a number of print rolls into fit for successively printing parts of a desired pattern within the same area and so that the part of the pattern printed by one roll will be properly located with respect to the part of the pattern printed by another roll.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for adjusting and controlling the position of print rolls in a horizontal plane so that the parts of a pattern printed by a plurality of rolls will be aligned laterally.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for adjusting and controlling the position and level of print rolls so that the axes of a plurality of print rolls will be parallel and the upper and lower edges of parts of a pattern printed by a plurality of rolls will be parallel.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus of the kind described which is simple and practical, and flexible in operation.

The invention will best be understood if the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which? FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation from the viewers left in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the drive means on the viewers right;

FlG. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the assembly shown in FIGS. l-3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view mostly in cross-section through the differential gear mechanism, taken in the line 66 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective View showing one end of the backing roll and one end of a print roll and the inside fiange of a slide templet means mounted on an end of a mandrel of one of the print rolls for facilitating rotary adjustment of the print roll;

FIG. 9 is a cross-section taken on the line 99 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the mandrel end and temple shown in FIG. 8;

4 Claims.

FIG. 11 is a cross-section taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective and partly exploded view of the templet means shown in FIGS. 8-11, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of means for adjusting horizontally and vertically the slides on which the print rolls and their associated color boxes and doctor blades are supported;

FIG. 13a is a view, partly in cross-section, taken on the line 13a13a of FIG. 13;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a front elevation, partly in cross-section, taken on the line 1515 of FIG. 15;

FIG; 16 is a rear elevation of a slide on its support ing nip (in cross-section), taken on the line 16-16 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16a is a view, mostly in cross-section, showing means by which the lateral adjustment of a print roll mandrel is accomplished;

FIG. 17 is .a diagrammatic view of control circuitry for the several power means employed; and

FIG. 18 is a vertical section of a modification of the support means for one end of a mandrel as shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 16a.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein a set or combination of print rolls, usually a number of rolls, carry on their surfaces respectively different parts of a pattern to be printed successively within the same area of a length of cloth 12 (FIG. 3). The print rolls together with an interposed blanket 14 are rotate-d against rotatable backing means 16 and the length of cloth 12 and blanket 14 are lead between the print rolls and the backing means and advanced due to the rotation of the print rolls. Since the length of cloth is moving, the first roll will print its part of a composite pattern within a first area of the cloth and will be printing its part of the pattern on a second and adjoining area of the cloth while the second roll is printing within the first area; and will be printing within a third area while the third roll is printing within the first area and the second roll is printing within the second area, etc.

It is, of course, essential that thedilierent parts of the pattern be printed in proper position with respect to one another and the pattern as a. whole. For accomplishing this, the print rolls have to be in fit or register rotatively, so that each roll will begin printing along the line on its surface Where its portion of the pattern begins, as well as being in register horizontally and laterally, i.e., with all the rolls exactly parallel and with their'ends aligned in a plane normal to the axes of the rolls.

The print rolls are tubular or annular and have keyways 18 on their inner peripheries respectively and are mounted by first being endwise onto splined mandrels 20 respectively, which extend axially of the rolls and project well beyond their ends. 7 Each roll and mandrel is lowered onto parallel pairs of

slides

24a and 24b supported on spaced, parallel pairs of

hips

26a and 26b which project from horizontally aligned flats 28 provided around the periphery of spaced support means 30, 32 respectively, between which the backing cylinder 16 is rotatably suspended on trunions 34, 36 as best shown in FIG. 2. Different sets of print rolls, for printing different designs, may vary in diameter but they have central openings of standard size and thus one set of man drels may be used with difierent sets of print rolls. The mandrels are slightly tapered and the narrower ends are inserted in the center openings of the print rolls. Ball bearing means Zla'are fixed on the larger end (FIG. 13) of each mandrel and the narrower end 22a (FIG. 16a) is reduced in diameter and provided with teeth '19 which engage with, and are slidingly relatedto, teeth 23a provided on the inner surface of a cap member 23, around which the ball bearing means 21b is supported, and on the outer end of which isfixed a gear 50, disposed in axial alignment with the main body of the mandrel and referred to herein as the mandrel gear. The bearings 21a and 21b are spaced apart to register with, and be received within, the two-part bearing housings 22a and 22b provided on said

slides

24a and 24b respectively, and gear 50 is positioned to register with a gear 48 on the inner end of the gear train by which the print roll is rotated.

Each ball bearing 21a is narrower than its housing 22 and canvmove within its housing about two inches axially of the mandrel and the reduced end 20:: of each mandrel can move axially the same distance withinits cap member 23. Accordingly, each mandrelZii and the print roll it supports may be adjusted axially of the mandrel through a distance of approximately two inches. In practice only very slight movements of a print roll axially are required for adjustment, usually on the order of one inch or less. Such movement is actuated by power means, preferably by a hydraulic motor 85 as shown in FIG. 13, individual to each print roll and controlled by the means shown in FIG. 1'7 which will be described. The outer end of the piston rod 86 of each hydraulic motor 85 is positioned in alignment with a mandrel 20, and its outer end and the opposed end of the mandrel are interengaged so that as the piston rod is moved axially it will move the mandrel axially and therefore also the print roll which is on the mandrel. In FIG. 13a the outer end of piston rod 56 is shown screw-threaded and engaged with a box-like intermediate member 88 which has a forwardly extending, substantially semi-circular projection 90 terminating in an upwardly extending flange 92 adapted to extend into the space 94 between the head 96 at the end of the mandrel and around the reduced end portion 98 of the mandrel, between the head 96 and the bearing 21a carried by the mandrel end. 1

As shown, the nips are square or rectangular in crosssection, and the slides are preferably rectangular so that they extend around all four sides of the nips (FIG. and 16). Means are provided so that one slide, 24a, of each pair of slides may be raised and lowered relative to its supporting nip to control the level of the print rolls and the several elements which are supported between the opposed sides of each pair of slides.

The pairs of slides are actuated to move toward and away from the backing means 16 by fluid cylinder means F (FIG. 14), located on each slide support or nip, adjacent its outer end. The fluid cylinder means shown are actuated by a fluid system of known kind, indicated by the flexible hoses H-1 and H-2 and including valves (not shown) operated by push buttoncontrol switches p-1 and 11-2 on the outer side of slide 24a of each pair of slides (FIGS. 1 and 3).

Each pair of slides supports between them, in addition to a print roll 10, a color box C, a rotatable brush B by which color is transferred from the color box to the print roll, and a doctorblade D (FIGS. 1 and 8), by which color is removed from the non-printing areas of the print roll and returned into the color 'box. Each print roll, and its color box, brush and doctor blade, are movable together toward and away from the backing means. The doctor blade is adjustable toward and away fromits print roll, both vertically and horizontally, as is described in my copending application S.N. 243,175, filed November 23,. 1962, now abandoned, and the color box and transfer brush are adjustable vertically and are also movable towardand away from the print roll, relative to their slide supports 24a and 24b, for adjusting sively overturned as it is moved away from its print roll, and engages an excess color and wash water receptacle R, and is superimposed over it in upside down position, thus not only draining into it but also providing a cover over the receptacle and coacting with it to form a closure while the color box and brush are cleaned and the color supply conduit is cleaned.

The drive for each print roll is from a common or bull gear 38 (FIG. 2) through gears and drive shafts individual to each roll.- The bull gear is driven by hydraulic means including motor 35 (FIG. 2) through gear reduction means including gear 37 and idler gear 39. A drive shaft 4-0 for each print roll (FIG. 3) has at one end a bevel gear 41 which is driven from bull gear 39, and at its other end leads to a differential 42,.which, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 may be supported by bracket b, projecting from the side of the related nip 26. A splined shaft 40:: leads from the diflerential 42 through a gear box 44 to a bearing 47 provided in a bracket 49 which extends from the outer side of the nip 26a which supports the end of the print roll mandrel 20 which carries the cap 23 with the bearing means 21b, and mandrel gear 50. Within gear box 44 a worm wheel 46a on shaft 6 is engaged by worm 4% on shaft 40a. Shaft 46 extends at right angles to

shafts

40 and 40a, and carries a gear 49 which is positioned to mesh with the mandrel gear 50 when the print roll and the mandrel on which it is mounted, together with the mandrel end cap 23, are lowered into the bearing housings 22 on slides 24a and 24!) which receive the bearings 21a and 21b respectively. Each gear box 44 is slidable on splined shaft 40a for movement with its associated print roll and the pair of

slides

24a and 24b. One of the gears 43 of each differential 42 is connected with Worm 53 on shaft 52 of an hydraulic motor 54, actuated by control means shown in FIG. 17, and the rotation of the said shaft and gear by motor 54 can be used to rotate the print roll into position to register rotatively with the other rolls. This adjustment can be made either when bull gear'38 is not rotating, or to modify the rotation imparted to the particular print roll by the main drive means 38 and thus change and adjust the rotary position of a print roll relative to the other print rolls.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 and l3, 14, it will be seen that each nip or slide support 26 is square or rectangular in cross-section and supports a slide or saddle 2411 or 24b which extends over the top of the nip and down on either side of the nip, and may extend entirely around the nip, as shown in FIG. 5, and in FIGS. 13-16, in which case the distance between the upper and lower ends of slide 24a of each pair of slides should be sufficiently greater than the height of the nip to permit the slide to be raised, and moved up and down relative to the nip, to adjust the level one of one pair of slides, and therefore of the means carried by the slides. Each slidesupport or nipv is fastened to a flat 28 of the support means 30 or 32 as by bolts extending through the flange 68 at the inner end of the nip or slide support.

Each of the fluid cylinders F, which, as stated above, are on the nips respectively adjacent their outer ends, comprises the piston rod 70 which extends toward the backing cylinder 16 and has at its outer end a threaded portion onto which is screwed the adjacent end of the clevis 74, which is pivotally attached to the adjacent end of the ilsde, as by cross pin 76 which extends through a lug 78 extending up from the slide. The pistons for the slides of each pair of slides are activated in unison, toward and away from the backing cylinder, by hydraulic fluid in a system of known kind, the valves of which are, as stated above, controlled by electric circuit means including push button switches p-l and p-2 (FIG. 1). The hydraulic cylinder means F, illustrated in FIG. 14, each comprise a tubular body portion 80 closed at the ends by members 82 which are held tightly against the ends of the body portion 8t by the tie rods 8 interconnecting the end members 82.

Flanges 25 extend up from the sides of each nip adjacent its outer end, and each cylinder F adjacent its inner end, is pivotally mounted on the nip between these flanges by cross pivot pins 27 extending from the flanges into recesses provided in the outer surface of the side walls of the end members'SZ. The pivot mounting makes it possible for the cylinder to swing in a vertical plane to compensate for adjustments of the level of a print roll accomplished by adjustment of one slide of each pair-i.e., slide 24avertically relative to its supporting nip.

In order to adjust the level of a print roll, the slide 241: of each pair of

slides

24a and 24b is raised or lowered on its supporting nip. The means for adjusting the elevation of the slide, and therefore also the bearing housing 22a (FIGS. 15, 16) which is disposed on that slide, comprises the pairs of racks lit and 111 disposed vertically on the respective sides of a nip and extending either below or above the nip. The racks comprising each pair of racks are engaged simultaneously by an elongated pinion 112, or 113, disposed transversely of the nip and mounted on a

shaft

114 or 115 which is carried by the slide and extends through the opposed side flanges of the slide, and carries a

segmental gear

116 or 117 which meshes with the worm 18 or 119 on shaft 12%), which is supported in brackets 121 on the outer flange of the slide and is driven from the hydraulic motor 122 through th eworm 123 on the motor shaft which engages the worm gear 124 on shaft 129. Motor 122 is activated by control means included in the control circuit illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 17.

For enabling the operator to initially position the print rolls in their support bearings so that they will be in fit with one another, and also for providing a simple and easy way for the operator to know when all of the rolls are aligned laterally, a templet 13ti'is employed which is placed between one end of a print roll and one of the slides between which the mandrel and the print roll thereon are rotatably supported. The upper edge of the inside flange of each slide 24a and 241) has a number of level positions L, disposed in alignment with the hearings in which the ends of the print roll mandrels are rotatably mounted. The level portions L are spaced apart by a curved portion of the upper edge of the inside flange of the slide. The position of the level portions L with respect to the bearings for the mandrel ends respectively,

is the same in each instance and they coact with the gauge feet 134 of the templet means to position the templet means rotatively in'exactly the same way for each print roll and its mandrel end.

As illustrated herein, the templet 130 comprises an elongated sideway 132 having at one end the foot 134, with the abutment flange 135, adjusted to rest on any one of the level portions L on the upper edge of the inner slide or flange of a

slide

24a or 24b and provide a gauge automatically positioning the templet assembly, and a slide 136 adjustable longitudinally Within the slideway 132, and having, at its ends adjacent the end of the print roll, a

support arm 138 which curves downwardly and acts as a support for a small slideway 144 which is disposed radially with respect to the print roll. Within the small slideway 144 is a slide 142 supporting a pin 14-4 which is parallel with the axis of the print roll and in use serves as an indexing means coacting with a mark 146 which is a point or line of reference on the roll surface. When the mark 146 and the pin 144- are in alignment the print roll is in the proper rotative position to print its part of: the composite pattern.

I As shown herein the assembly of the slide 136 and slideway 132 is adapted to rest on an end portion of a mandrel of a print roll which is being placed into fit. Yoke members 148 are provided and supported by the slideway, and extend at right angles to it. The yoke members rest upon the mandrel end and are suitably curved for this purpose, and on opposite sides of each yoke member resilient strap members 150 are provided which extend beyond the yoke ends. The extended lower end portions of the strap members 150 are curved inwardly and constitute spring arms which lightly contact opposite sides of the mandrel and thus help to position and balance the templet on the roll. They may be readily sprung apart to permit the templet to be lifted from the mandrel.

The slideway 132 comprises the base portion 132a and the retainer plates 134a and 1254b which are attached to the base portion along its lateral margins, as by screws 136, and extend inwardly from the top of the raised margins over the lower intermediate portion of 132a and over the lateral margins of a slide 136 disposed on said portion 132a.

It will be understood from the description that the templet 130 may be. shortened or extended in length by moving slide 136 within slideway 132. In use the gauge foot carried by the slideway is positioned upon a level portion L of the upper edge of the inner depending side or flange of the supporting

slide

24a or 24b, and slide 136 is pulled longitudinally out of the slideway 130 until the indexing pin 144 overlaps the end of the roll. When the rotary position of the print roll is positioned angularly such that the mark of reference 146 thereon is raidally aligned with pin 144 the mark 146 will be in a plane passing through the center of the bearing means which support the mandrel end, and removed from contact with the surface of a length of material disposed between the print roll and its bacldng means, and so will be in position to be seen. When the other print rolls are similarly positioned they will be in rotary fit and ready to print.

Ln FIG. 1 extensions 1% from the inner sides of the

slides

24a and 24b provide support means in which the color box and brush are adjustable at right angles to the supporting slide or nip in slideways 192, on

screws

194a, 194a and 194b, 19%. The extensions 1% also provide support means 1% in which are mounted the screw rods 1% on which the color box and brush are adjustable in a plane parallel tothe supporting slide and movable between the associated print roll 14) and receptacle R.

Extensions Ziltla, Ztltib from the inner sides of the slides 24a and 24!), comprising a pair of slides, provide support means in which the doctor blade is mounted and is adjustable toward and away from an associated print roll (FIG. 8), both in a plane parallel to the plane of the supporting sides and in a plane normal to the plane of the slides, as is described in my copending application S.N. 243,175, filed November 23, 1962, now abandoned.

The control circuit shown diagrammatically in FIG. 17 illustrates a circuit for control of actuating any one of the print rolls, both forwardly and in reverse, and for adjusting its rotary angle relative to the other print rolls, its level, and its alignment axially, relative to other print rolls in the plane of its supporting bearings.

It will be understood from the drawings and the description above that in the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein, the means for adjusting each doctor blade toward and away from its associated print roll, both in a plane parallel to the plane of the supporting nip, and in a plane normal to the plane roll'sub-assemblies, i.e., print roll, doctor blade, color box a and brush, are moved on their pairs of supporting nips which may respectively by hydraulic means of known kind including cylinders F located on the'pairs of nips, with their valves means actuated by solenoids in electric circuits of known kind controlled by push button switch means p-1 and p-2 located on the riips.

The means for adjusting each print roll to bring it into register with the other print rolls, rotatively; and, axially, so that the ends of the print rolls will be aligned, and as to its level, so that the axes ofall the print rolls will be parallel, comprise a number of sets of push button controls 164, 166, and 170a, 17012, and a plurality of sources of

power

154 and 156, and a plurality of interconnected electric circuits A and B (FIG. 17), which coact to first condition circuitry to open and close valves in an hydraulic system to transmit hydraulic energy only to effect one of the three kinds of movement of a particular print roll to accomplish an indicated one of the above stated three adjustments, and then to actuate the particular means by which the adjustment is accomplished. The conditioning circuits, corresponding in number to tr e number of print rolls, are selectively connected to the low D.C. currentsupply 154 by push button switches numbered 112, and when one of these switches is closed a lamp 178 in the selected circuit lights up and is held lightedby the associated solenoid 180. Power from a source indicated by cable 156 is transmitted through circuit A, to the selected B circuit in accordance with the setting of the three position dial switches 166, to accom plish the desired movement when the switch for forward movement 170a, or the switch for reverse movement 170b, is closed. The circuits A, and B, are independent of the source of energy indicated by leads 152a and 1521) in FIG. 17, which is'the main drive for the print rolls, identified as in FIG. 2. Thus the three indicated kinds of adjustment can be made while the print rolls are otherwise stationary or while they are rotating.

FIG. 17 illustrates a portable control member 160, which may be substantially the size indicated, and may be readily carried by the operator, as by handle 162. The a panel comprises four sets of control switches-the push button switches indicated generally by the numeral 164, and numbered 1-12, which are included respectively in conditioning circuits B, such as the circuits #4 and #5 shown at the right hand side of FIG. 17, and which provide individual control for twelve print rolls; the threeway switch 166, the rotatable member 168 of which may be turned to close a switch in circuit A to set the apparatus for any one of the three adjustments of the print roll, indicated by the captions Vert. (vertical or level adjustment), Diff. (differential or rotative adjustment) and Horiz. (horizontal or axial adjustment); the pair of push button hold down switches 170a and 170b, captioned FWD and REV, which determine whether a print roll selected by closing one of the switches 164 will be moved in one direction or the opposite direction to accomplish the adjustment selected by the setting of member 168 or switch 166, and which complete a circuit from a power source indicated by cable 156 through circuitry A and' the selected B circuit; and also the pair of switches 152a and 152i), captioned RUN and OFF respectively, for starting and stopping the main drive and which are, as stated above, connected to a main power source indicated as 35 in FIG. 2, through leads 152a and 1521). With the portable control member 160 in his hand, the operator can move freely around the machine and can stand in front of the machine and see the corrections he is making and can adjust the print rolls individually, rotationally, axially, and as to level, either while they are or'are not connected to the main drive.

- The push button switches indicated generally by the numeral 164 are connected to individual circuits equal in number to the number of print rolls employed, illustrated by circuits #4 and #5, each comprising a lamp 178, a solenoid 180 to control the lamp, and three pairs of contacts connected respectively to the low current supply 154, and the switches 182, 184, and 186 comprising the bearing housings.

in member 202' adapted to be engaged by the spring-i nected) and NO (normally open). It will be noted that the normally closed contacts of the circuits controlled by push button switches 1-12, as illustrated by two of these circuits, #4 and #5, are connected in series to transfer energy from source 154 to the particular circuit selected 'by the closing ofone of said push button switches, and that closing of the said switch closes the circuit through the contact marked NO, conditioning that particular circuit only to transmit power from source 156 to the

solenoid

188 or 1% associated with the switch 132 or 184 or 186, when the FWD or REV button 172a or 17212 is held down, and for as long as it is held closed. As soon as one of the push button switches 164 (#1-12) is pressed the lamp 178 comprised in the circuit controlled by that'switchwill be lighted indicating that that circuit is conditioned to transmit power from source 156 for effecting the adjustment indicated by the setting of switch 166, and to move the adjusting means inthe di-, rection indicated when switch button a or 17% is closed, and for as long as'said button 170a or 17% is held down by the operator.

In FIG. 18 is shown an alternate way of making .a driving connection with a print roll mandrel which permits axial movement of the mandrel. In FIG. 18 a bearing 21b is fixed. on the end 20a of the mandrel. The mandrel is not reduced in diameter. The bearing housing 22b in which the bearing 21b is received is extended in alignment with the mandrel by a tubular projection 200 supported by bracket 25a in alignment with the gear box 44a which, as shown in FIG. 15, has therein a Worm wheel 46a driven by worm 50b on shaft 40a. Instead of the driven shaft 46, however, a driven shaft 202 is provided which extends through the gear box 44a and has at one end the gear 204 adapted to enter the adjacent end of the mandrel which is tubular and is provided on its inner surface with'teeth thus providing on the inner surface of the mandrel a gear 50a which is equivalent to the mandrel gear 50 shown in FIG. '15. Around member 202 a spring 206 is provided urging gear 204 to move into the endof the mandrel and engage the gear 50a. A handle 208 is provided'at the other end of member 202 to facilitate moving 202 axially to disengage gear 204 from gear 50a, as, for example, when it is desired to remove a print roll and its mandrel and bearings from A cross groove 210 is provided pressed finger 212when member 202 has been retracted to hold the gear 204 disengaged from gear 50a.

The constructionshown in FIG. 18 has the advantage of strength; The teeth of gears 294 and 50::

are subjected to less strain when a print roll is being.

backing cylinder is mounted for rotation, horizontally aligned pairs of hips projecting radially from said supports, pairs of slides mounted on the pairs of nips respectively, the slides of each pair having opposed parallel flange portions extending over and beyond the inner and outer surfaces of the supporting nipsrespectively, a color, box and brush, and means for supporting them between the opposed inner face portions of each pair of nips, bearings carried by said slides, a number of print rolls keyed onmandrels respectively, and each rotatably mounted on the bearings of an opposed pair of slides, each nip having rack means normal to the nip, and means for raising and lowering a slide and print roll and color box and brush combination carried by the slide including a first shaft journalled between opposed flanges of the slide, a pinion on the first shaft and disposed between said opposed fiange in position to mesh with said rack means, a second shaft, means for driving the second shaft, and intermeshing gear means carried by the first and second shaft.

2. In printing apparatus the combination of, a backing cylinder, spaced support members between which the backing cylinder is mounted for rotation, horizontally aligned pairs of nips projecting radially from said supports, one nip comprising a pair having on its inner and outer sides rack means normal to the nip, slides mounted on the nips respectively, each slide comprising opposed flange portions extending over and beyond the inner and outer faces of its supporting nip, a first shaft extending transversely of the nip and through opposed flange por tions of the slide beyond the nip, a pinion carried on the first shaft for engagement with the rack means, a segmental gear on the first shaft, a second shaft carried by the slide and extending longitudinally of the slide, means for rotating the second shaft, and a worm gear carried by the second shaft in mesh with the segmental gear.

3. In printing apparatus the combination of, a backing cylinder, spaced support members between which the backing cylinder is mounted for rotation, horizontally aligned pairs of nips projecting radially from said supports, one nip comprising a pair having on its inner and outer sides rack means normal to the nip, slides mounted on the nips respectively, each slide comprising opposed flange portions extending over and beyond the inner and outer faces of its supporting nip, a first shaft extending transversely of the nip and through opposed flange portions of the slide beyond the nip, a pinion carried on the first shaft for engagement with the rack means, a segmental gear on the first shaft, a second shaft carried by the slide and extending longitudinally of the slide, means for rotating the second shaft, and a worm gear carried by the second shaft in mesh with the segmental gear, means for moving each slide longitudinally of its supporting nip, said means being connected at one end to one end of the slide, and means for mounting the slide moving means for swinging movement in the plane of the nip to compensate for adjustment of a slide relative to its nip in the plane of the nip.

4. In printing apparatus the combination of, a backing cylinder, spaced support members between which the backing cylinder is mounted for rotation, a plurality of horizontally aligned pairs of nips projecting radially from said supports, a plurality of pairs of slides mounted on the pairs of nips respectively, the slides of each pair having opposed parallel flange portions extending over and beyond the inner and outer surfaces of the supporting nips respectively, a color box and brush, and means for supporting them between the opposed inner face portions of each pair of nips, bearings carried by said slides, a number of print rolls keyed on mandrels respectively, and each rotatably mounted on the bearings of an opposed pair of slides, one nip of each pair having rack means normal to the nip, and means for raising and lowering a slide and print roll and color box and brush combination carried by the slide including, a first shaft journalled between opposed flanges of the slide and a pinion carried by the first shaft and disposed between said opposed flanges in position to mesh with said rack means, a second shaft, and intermeshing gear means carried by the first and second shafts, means for rotating each second shaft individually, and electric circuitry including panel control means with push button switches for each shaft rotating means and a single switch means for conditioning the circuitry to selectively raise and lower one or" the slides relative to its nip in response to the closing of one of said push button switches.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 637,582 11/99 Hett 10l138 2,263,323 11/41 Wickwire 10l-182 2,542,229 2/51 Boianower et a1 101-182 2,821,913 2/58 Johnson 101l78 2,893,310 7/59 Johnson l01182 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Frimary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN PRINTING APPARATUS THE COMBINATION OF, A BACKING CYLINDER, SPACED SUPORT MEMBERS BETWEEN WHICH THE BACKING CYLINDERS IS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION, HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED PAIRS OF NIPS PROJECTING RADIALLY FROM SAID SUPPORTS, PAIRS OF SLIDES MOUNTED ON THE PAIRS OF NIPS RESPECTIVELY, THE SLIDES OF EACH PAIR HAVING OPPOSED PARALLEL FLANGE PORTIONS EXTENDING OVER AND BEYOND THE INNER AND OUTER SURFACES OF THE SUPPORTING NIPS RESPECTIVELY, A COLOR BOX AND BRUSH, AND MEANS FOR SUPORTING THEM BETWEEN THE OPPOSED INNER FACE PORTIONS OF EACH PAIR OF NIPS, BEARINGS CARRIED BY SAID SLIDES, A NUMBER OF PRINT ROLLS KEYED ON MANDRELS RESPECTIVELY, AND EACH ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE BEARINGS OF AN OPPOSED PAIR OF SLIDES , EACH NIP HAVING RACK MEANS NORMAL TO THE NIP, AND MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING A SLIDE AND PRINT ROLL AND COLOR BOX AND BRUSH COMBINATION CARRIED BY THE SLIDE INCLUDING A FIRST SHAFT JOURNALLED BETWEEN OPPOSED FLANGES OF THE SLIDE, A PINION ON THE FIRST SHAFT AND DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED FLANGE IN POSITION TO MESH WITH SAID RACK MEANS, A SECOND SHAFT, MEANS FOR DRIVING THE SECOND SHAFT, AND INTERMESHING GEAR MEANS CARRIED BY THE FIRST AND SECOND SHAFT.