US3326123A

US3326123A - Disposable center feed ink fountain

Info

Publication number: US3326123A
Application number: US408180A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harvey D Smalley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-11-02
Filing date: 1964-11-02
Publication date: 1967-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1984-06-20

Description

June 20, 1967 H. D. SMALLEY 3,326,123

DISPOSABLE CENTER FEED INK FOUNTAIN Filed Nov. 2, 1964 United States Patent C 3,326,123 DISPOSABLE CENTER FEED INK FOUNTAIN Harvey D. Smalley, Perham, Minn. 56573 Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 408,181) 1 Claim. (Cl. 101365) This invention relates to a disposable inking mechanism for use with printing presses and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel inking mechanism including an elongate fountain member formed of an inexpensive material such as plastic and being connectible through centrally located quick coupling means to a supply of ink so that ink is uniformly supplied to the fountain member which is operable to distribute ink to the printing press, and which because of its inexpensive construction, the fountain member may be disposed of at the end of. a printing operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disposable auxiliary ink fountain device which is adapted to be mountedin close proximity to the conventional ink reservoir of a printing press for supplying ink thereto so that a relatively small but sufiicient quantity of ink may be maintained in the reservoir structure during a printing operation, and thereby minimize waste of such ink.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an ink fountain mechanism which is of the disposable type and thereby obviates the need of cleaning the inking structure at the end of a printing operation so that a substantial saving in time and labor is effected.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like character references refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic end elevational view of a conventional rotaryprinting press illustrating the inking mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along line 22 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic end view of a rotary printing press apparatus illustrating the auxiliary fountain member in cooperative relation with the fountain structure of the printing press.

Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that one embodiment of my invention is illustrated as the primary ink distributing means for a conventional rotary printing press, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, and which includes side supports 11. An elongate transversely extending pick-up or roll 12 is revolvably mounted on and extends between the side supports 11 for rotation relative thereto. The pick-up roll 12 is in rolling contact with a ductor roller 13 and a vibrating roller 14 which also revolve during the printing operation and which eventually transfer the ink to the printing rollers or cylinder (not shown). The operation of the print ng press is well known in the art and a detailed description thereof is felt to be unnecessary for the instant application.

In the embodiment of the printing press apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the printing press is fed by a novel throw-away type ink fountain mechanism comprised of an elongate tubular fountain member 16 which is formed of a plastic material, preferably transparent, and which has opposite ends thereof closed. The fountain member 16 is provided with a centrally located inlet opening disposed equi-distant with respect to the longitudinal dimension of the fountain member 16. An inlet fitting or nipple element 18 also preferably formed of plastic material is integrally formed with the fountain member 16 and communicates by means of the inlet opening 17 with the interior of the fountain member 16. This inlet fitting 18 is externally threaded as at 19 for ready connection to an internally threaded coupling element 20 which is carried by a conduit section 21, as best seen in FIG. 1.

The conduit section 21 is interconnected in communieating relation by an elbow 22 to an elongate supply conduit 23 which is positioned above and substantially parallel to the fountain member 16. The other end of the supply conduit 23 is supported by a sleeve element 24 which is carried by an L-shaped bracket 25 secured to the upper portion of one of the side supports 11. Thus it will be seen that the center feed fountain member 16 is actually suspended from the supply conduit system and merely requires the disconnection of the single coupling element 20 from the inlet'fitting 18 to permit complete removal of the fountain member from the printing press.

A coupling element 26 interconnects the end portion of the supply conduit 23 to a fitting 27 of an ink receptacle 28 whereby the interior of the ink receptacle is in communicating relation with the supply conduit 23. The ink receptacle 28 is vertically oriented in the uppermost portion of this receptacle and is provided with a fitting 29 which is engaged by a coupling element 30 carried by one end of a conduit 31. A three-way valve 32 is disposed in flow controlling relation with respect to the conduit 31 and includes an actuator handle for actuating the flow of air therethrough. The valve 32 is also disposed in flow controlling relation with respect to a relief conduit 33 whereby air may be discharged therethrough when it is desirable to relieve certain pressures. An air pressure regulator valve mechanism 34 having an indicating gauge 35 is also connected in communicating relation with respect to the valve 32 and the regulator valve mechanism 34 is connected to a source of air under pressure by means of a conduit 36. Thus the air pressure to the ink receptacle is controlled by the air pressure regulator valve mechanism-34 and the valve 32. The ink receptacle 28 is preferably-of the cartridge type in which the cartridge may be formed of a plastic material in the manner of the fountain member 16. Although the interior structure and functional relationship of the partsof the ink receptacle 28 is not shown, it is pointed out that a fiat transversely extending member is positioned adjacent the top of an ink supply so that the transverse member functions in the manner of a piston when the air is introduced through the conduit 31 into the receptacle. With this arrangement, the ink to be discharged passes from the ink receptacle into the supply conduit and thereafter into the fountain member 16 at which point it is distributed uniformly throughout the fountain member and then to the ink distributing roller.

The ink is discharged from the fountain member 16 uniformly and substantially along the entire length of the pick-up roller 12. To this end, it will be seen that the fountain member is provided with a plurality of discharge apertures 37 arranged in a row along the lower surface of the fountain member. Each of these discharge apertures 37 are of tapered construction and define a frustro-conical valve seat 38, as best seen in FIG. 2.

Valve means are also provided for controlling the flow of ink through the discharge apertures 37 and to this end, the fountain member is provided with a plurality of threaded openings '39 which are longitudinally spacedapart and which are disposed in longitudinal alignment with respect to each other throughout substantially the entire length of the fountain member. It is pointed out that each of the threaded openings 39 is disposed in diametrically opposed relation with respect to one of the discharge apertures 37 and these apertures 37 are also disposed above the discharge apertures. A plurality of elongate threaded valve elements 40 are provided, each threadedly engaging one of the threaded apertures 39 and each having a tapered end 41 corresponding in shape to the shape of the tapered valve seat 38. The tapered end of the valve elements 40 actually defines a valve surface which may be moved into obstructing relation with respect to the apertures 37 so the discharge apertures may be readily closed or so that the opening defined between the valve seat and the tapered end 'of the valve elements may be varied. It will be seen that the valve elements 40 project exteriorly above the upper end of the fountain member 16 and each is provided with an enlarged head portion 4-2 to facilitate turning of each valve element.

It will be seen that the fountain member 16 may be adjusted so that the amount of ink discharged therefrom to the pick-up roller 12 may be variously adjusted and controlled as to volume of ink to be applied to various annular surface areas of the pick-up roller. It will also be seen that the fountain member 16 is connected to the printing press by means of a single coupling element which also serves to support or suspend the fountain member above the pick-up roller. Thus the fountain member may be very easily and quickly removed at the end of a printing operation by merely adjusting the single coupling element 20.

It is further pointed out that the center feed arrangement of the fountain member permits the ink regardless of its viscosity to be evenly distributed throughout the interior of the fountain member so that none of the portions of the fountain member, especially the end portions, will be underfed.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the fountain mechanism is illustrated as an auxiliary fountain means for the conventional inking fountain of a rotary press structure. To this end it will be seen that the printing press illustrated therein includes an elongate cylindrically shaped fountain roller 12a which is mounted for revolving movement and is in rolling contact with the ductor roller 13a which is in turn engaged by the vibrator roller 14a which serves to condition and transfer the ink to the printing roller or cylinder (not shown). The printing press also includes the conventional ink fountain reservoir structure 15a which is adapted to contain a predetermined amount of ink in normal operation and together with the fountain roller 12a constitutes the fountain of the printing press.

During the printing operation, lint and other foreign particles from the paper sometimes work back throu h the various transfer rollers and find their Way into the fountain structure 15a so that when a large amount of ink is used therein during a printing operation, the ink becomes contaminated. In order to provide a control means 'for uniformly supplying ink to the reservoir structure 15a and to permit a minimum volume of ink to be maintained therein for the printing operation, the fountain member 16 is arranged in close cooperative relation with respect to the reservoir structure 15a. Thus the inlet fitting 18 is connected by the fountain member 16 to the coupling element 20a which is carried by a conduit section 21a secured to an elbow 22a. Thus it will be seen that the fountain member 16 is suspended by a single coupling element to deliver ink uniformly to the reservoir structure so that a minimum volume may be evenly and uniformly supplied to the reservoir structure. Again it is pointed out that the unique center feed arrangement of the disposable fountain member 16 not only permits effective uniform feeding throughout the interior of the fountain member but also permits the fountain member to be supported by a single coupling member whereby the fountain member may be quickly detached as for example at the end of a printing operation.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a novel center feed ink fountain member which may constitute the sole source of ink for a printing press or which may serve as an auxiliary fountain member to permit a more efficient operation of the conventional reservoir structure printing presses.

It will be noted from the preceding paragraphs that my novel fountain member has a single coupling connection with the printing press which permits the fountain member to be readily removed at the end of a printing operation. The centrally located coupling connection for the fountain member also permits uniform distribution of the ink throughout the interior of the tubular fountain member so that uniform inking of the distribution roller is accomplished.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel ink fountain member of the throw-away type which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction but one which functions in a more efiicient manner than any heretofore known comparable device.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

A printing press having in combination an ink fountain reservoir structure adapted to contain a supply of ink therein,

a fountain roller receiving ink from said reservoir structure,

an auxiliarly ink distributing mechanism comprising an elongate tubular disposable ink fountain member formed of substantially rigid plastic material and being detachably mounted on said printing press for ready detachment therefrom,

said ink fountain member being disposed in close proximity to the reservoir structure and being operable to supply ink thereto, said ink fountain having opposite ends thereof closed and having a plurality of longitudinally aligned apertures therein arranged in a pair of longitudinally extending rows, the apertures of one row comprising discharge openings each defining an outwardly tapered valve seat, the apertures of the other of said rows being threaded and each being disposed in diametrically opposed relation with one of said discharge openings,

said fountain member having an inlet fitting thereon located substantially centrally of the longitudinal axis thereof and adapted to be connected to coupling means on the printing press and forming the sole support for said fountain member,

an ink receptacle having a supply of ink therein and having a quick coupling connection for connection of the receptacle in fluid conducting relation with said coupling means on said fountain member to permit ready detachment of the latter therefrom, and a plurality of elongate threaded valve elements each being disposed in threaded engagement with one of said threaded apertures for radial shifting movement relative to said fountain member and each of said valve elements having a terminal portion shaped to fit in one of said valve seats in fluid controlling relation therewith and each of said valve elements being independently 'shiftable with respect to its associated valve seat for variously controlling the flow of ink through each of said discharge openings whereby the amount and distribution of the ink flowing from said fountain member directly from said reservoir structure may be readily and variously controlled.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,130,659 9/1938 Wedeneyer 101-366 5 2,747,541 5/1956 Chew 1l8259 X 2,898,618 8/ 1959 Whitfield et a1. 118259 X 3,065,886 11/1962 Smalley 101366 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

10 J. R. FISHER, Assistant Examiner.