US3376813A

US3376813A - Porous printing-ink-containing roller for inking printing plates

Info

Publication number: US3376813A
Application number: US483170A
Authority: US
Inventors: Heil Friedrich; Muller Wilhelm
Original assignee: Telefonbau und Normalzeit GmbH
Current assignee: Tenovis GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1964-11-21
Filing date: 1965-08-27
Publication date: 1968-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1985-04-09
Also published as: DE1260488B; FR1450894A

Description

Apnl 9, 1968 F. HEIL. ETAL 3,376,813

POROUS PRINTING-INK-CONTAINING ROLLER FOR INKING PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 27, 1965 W Va lawn/r2795 WM m Patented Apr. 9, 1968 3,376,813 POROUS PRINTING-INK-CONTAINING ROLLER FOR INKING PRINTING PLATES Friedrich Heil and Wilhelm Muller, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, assignors t Telefonbau und Normalzeit GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,170 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 21, 1964, T 27,460 2 Claims. (Cl. 101-348) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Described below is a roller mechanism for inking printing plates which includes a roller body of a spongy material for storing printing ink therein. The roller body has zones intended to engage printing plate means, and additional zones intended to stay out of engagement with the printing plate means. The structure further includes means for moving the roller body to a printing-platemeans-engaging position, and out of that position to another position out of engagement with the printing plate means. The structure further includes means for constricting the aforementioned additional zones of the roller body to cause the flow of printing ink from said additional zones to the zones intended to engage the printing plate means. These constricting means are under the control of means allowing these constricting means to be effective only when the roller body is in the aforementioned other position out of engagement with the printing plate means.

This invention relates to porous printing ink containing rollers for inking printing plates, and more particularly to a novel mechanism including such rollers.

This invention is particularly concerned with printing mechanisms of the kind generally used in postage meters including a plurality of printing plates, or the equivalent thereof, for making simultaneously a plurality of impressions.

Printing mechanisms of this kind are provided with roller bodies made of a spongy material, namely a spongy elastomer, which is impregnated with printing ink forming an integral part of the roller body. Such roller bodies do not need to be re-inked. The useful life thereof is as long as their ink supply lasts. Therefore the useful life of such roller bodies increases as the size thereof is increased. The

v larger the size of such roller bodies, the less frequent the need for replacement thereof. The space available inside of postage meters, and similar printing machines is, however, relatively limited, and does not allow the provision of ink-carrying roller bodies of the aforementioned description as large as desirable for minimizing the frequency of replacement.

In many instances a common roller body is used for simultaneously inking several separate areas, each transmitting, a different message. In the case of postage meters there are generally three such areas, namely one indicating the payment of the required postage, another indicating the mailing date, and still another filled with some advertising matt'er. These three imprints are generally made by three separate printing plates, or the equivalent of three such plates. Therefore the inking roller includes zones where its surface engages the printing plates and transmits ink to the surfaces thereof, and zones where the inking roller does not engage the printing plates, and does not transmit ink. As the ink supply in a roller body is gradually being used up, the ink-depletion at the zones where its surface engages the surface of the printing plates is much more rapid than at the zones where such an engagement does not occur. This is due to the fact that the ink is retained by capillary action in the zones of the roller body which do not engage the printing plates. As a result, the printing ink which is stored, or absorbed, in the zones of the roller body which do not engage the printing plates is lost for all practical purposes, thus greatly reducing the useful life of the roller body and the efficiency thereof.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide roller mechanisms for inking printing plates which are not subject to the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations.

It is another more specific object of this invention to provide roller mechanisms for inking printing plates the bulk of which is relatively small and the useful life of which is relativ'ely long.

Another more specific object of the invention is to provide roller mechanisms for inking printing plates wherein a larger portion of the total amount of printing ink contained in the spongy roller body thereof is used for inking printing plates than in comparable prior art devices of the aforementioned description, and wherein the residue of unused printing ink at the end of the useful life of the roller body is minimized.

Still another object of the invention is to provide roller mechanisms for inking printing plates wherein the depletion of printing ink occurs more uniformly along the length of the roller body than in the aforementioned prior art devices, and occurs substantially uniformly along the entire length of the roller body in spite of the fact that the release of ink from the roller body to the printing plates is limited to certain zones of the roller body, and occurs only at these zones.

Structures embodying this invention include a roller body of a spongy material storing printing ink, and means compressing the circumference of the roller body and thereby establishing localized constrictions of the roller body. These compressing and constriction-establishing means may be of a variable or a non-variable nature, as desired, to either vary the degree of constriction established by them, or to permanently maintain a predetermined degree of constriction. The roller body releases printing ink from any point, or points, of constriction in a direction substantially longitudinally thereof to the zones engaging the printing plates where ink-depletion is largest, thus equalizing the degree of ink depletion along the length of the entire length of the roller body.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the imprints made by a postage meter of the kind used in the Federal Republic of Germany;

FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically the printing plates and the inking roller used for making the imprint shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the same structure as FIG. 1, however, modified according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows another structure for making an imprint according to FIG. 1 and embodying this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the structure of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the imprints made by the postage meter comprise a first imprint 1 indicating the postage, a second imprint 2 indicating the mailing date, and a third imprint 3 referring to some advertising matter. Imprints 1, 2 and 3 must be spaced relatively widely apart.

In FIG. 2 reference numerals 4, 5 and 6 have been applied to indicate three printing plates for making the imprints 1, 2 and 3 of FIG. 1, and

reference numerals

7, 8 and 9 have been applied to indicate the printing surfaces of printing plates 4, 5 and 6. Printing plates 4, 5 and 6 may be inked by the porous printing-ink-containing roller body made of a spongy elastomer. Roller body 10 is rotatable about shaft 11 supported by the U-shaped bracket 12. Bracket 12 supports roller body 10 and readily allows replacement of an exhausted roller body by another. Bracket 12 is provided with means (not shown) for pivoting roller body 10 and its supporting shaft 11 in forward and backward directions at right angles to the plane of the paper on which FIG. 2 is drawn, thus imparting printing ink to the

printing surfaces

7, 8, 9 of printing plates 4, 5, 6.

Upon a given relatively limited number of inking operations roller body 10 is no longer capable of performing its inking duty and must be replaced by another roller body. At the time when the replacement of roller body 19 becomes necessary, the portions or zones thereof which are situated between the printing plates 4, 5, 6, and do not come into engagement with the printing plates 4, 5, 6, still contain most of the printing link originally stored therein since but a small portion of the printing ink originally present in these zones is allowed to flow to the zones of roller 10 which come into engagement with printing plates 4, 5, 6. Most of the ink originally contained in the zones of roller body It} not engaging printing plates 10 is permanently retained in these zones by capillary action, and thus entirely wasted.

The arrangement of parts shown in FIG. 3 makes it possible to better utilize the printing ink present in the zones of the roller body 10 which do not come into engagement with the printing plates 4, 5, 6, and to lengthen the periods of time at the ends of which a replacement of roller body 10 is required. As shown in FIG. 3 exactly the same roller body 10 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided with means for compressing the circumference thereof and thereby establishing localized constrictions at the

points

13, 14, 15 and 16 of roller body 10 not engaging the printing surfaces '7', 8, 9 of printing plates 4, 5, 6. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 the means for applying pressure to the circumference of roller body 10 at selected points thereof and thereby constricting roller body 10 at such points are windings 17 made of ribbons. The ribbons are preferably of an appropriate synthetic resin and are coated with an adhesive which makes them pressure sensitive. This minimizes the amount of labor involved in providing roller body 10 at appropriate points thereof with windings exerting pressure, constricting the roller body 10 and controlling the transfer of printing ink inside of roller body 10 in such a way as to greatly increase the transfer of printing ink in directions substantially longitudinally of the roller body 10 from zones thereof not engaged by printing plates 4, 5, 6 to zones thereof engaged by printing plate 4, 5, 6. It has been found that due to the presence of the aforementioned windings 17 of adhesive tape, or of a like material, printing ink is being squeezed from the zones of roller body 10 not engaged by the printing plates 4, 5, 6 to the zones of the roller body 10 engaged by the printing plates 4, 5, 6, resulting in an almost complete utilization of'the printing ink originally contained in the first mentioned zones. This, in turn, results in a much greater economy of printing ink, and in a much longer useful life of roller body 10.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 allows a more refined or sophisticated control of the release of printing ink from roller body 10 than the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3. The basic structure shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the same reference characters have been applied to all these figures to indicate like parts. The structure of FIGS. 4 and 5 differs from that of FIG. 3 only in regard to the means for squeezing and constricting roller body 10. The structure of FIGS. 4 and 5 includes a plurality of pairs of

levers

19, 20. Each of this pair of levers is arranged at a Zone of the roller body 10 not engaged by printing plates 4, 5, 6 and intended to be squeezed and constricted to better release the printing ink contained therein. Each pair of

levers

19, 20 is pivotable about a common fulcrum or pin 21. Each

lever

19, 20 has

arcuate surfaces

24, 18 conforming to the diameter of roller body 10 and engageable with the surface of roller body 10. Each pair of

levers

19, 20 is under the control of means for varying the angular relation thereof to selectively constrict roller body 10 at each point of engagement thereof by the

arcuate surfaces

24, 18 one of the pairs of

levers

19, 20. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 each lever 19 and each lever 20 comprises a pair of arms each situated to opposite sides of fulcrum 21. The arms of

levers

19, 20 to the left of fulcrum or pin 21as seen in FIG. 5-are, or may be, engaged by an abutment 23 circular in cross-section.

Levers

19, 20 are under the action of a helical spring 21 biasing the arcuate portions or surfaces 24, 18 of

levers

19, 20 out of engagement with roller body It In the position of the constituent parts of the structure of FIGS. 4 and 5 which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 bracket 12 supporting roller body 10 by means of shaft 11 is in one of its limit positions in which position the

arcuate surfaces

24, 18 of

levers

19, 20 engage and constrict the cylindrical surface of roller body 10 and, therefore, cause a transfer of printing ink from the constricted zones of roller body 10 to the non-constricted zones thereof, from 'where the printing ink is ultimately transferred to the printing surfaces 7, 8, 9 of printing plates 4, 5, 6. Bracket 12 and roller body 10 are being moved (by means not shown) in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 5 for the purpose of transferring printing ink from roller body 10 to printing plates 4, 5, 6. Pin or fulcrum 21 moves likewise in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 5 when bracket 12 is being moved in that direction. Such a movement of pin or fulcrum 21 may be achieved either by providing an appropriate mechanism (not shown) for moving pin or fulcrum 21, or by supporting pin or fulcrum 21 by bracket 12. As a result of the relative movement between

levers

19 and 20 and abutment or dog 23

levers

19, 20 are moved out of engagement with abutment or dog 23. Consequently the spacing between the

arcuate surfaces

24, 18 of

levers

19 and 20 may be increased under the action of biasing spring 22.

Upon inking of printing plates 4, 5, 6 by roller body 10 bracket 12 and roller body 10 are returned to the initial position thereof which is shown in FIG. 5. In that position abutment or dog 23 engages

arms

19 and 20, thus reducing the spacing between the arcuate portions or

jaws

24, 18 of

levers

19 and 20, and consequently caused localized constriction of roller body 10.

It will be understood that by adjusting abutment 23, Le. slightly varying the position thereof relative to

levers

19 and 20, the squeezing action performed by the latter can be controlled to suit the requirements of any particular printing plates and of any particular printing inks. Such an adjustment is also desirable when the impressions made by the printing plates begin to get paler, or less saturated, due to progressive depletion of the supply of printing ink stored in roller body 10, in which case the pressure of

arcuate portions

24, 18 of levers 19, 29 ought to be increased to supply the zones of the roller body 10 engaging the printing plates with the reserve of printing ink stored in the zones of roller body 10 not engaging printing plates 4, 5, 6.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention which have been illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A roller mechanism for inking printing plates comprising, in combination: a roller body of a spongy material storing printing ink, said roller body having zones intended to engage printing plate means and additional zones intended to stay out of engagement with printing plate means; means for moving said roller body to a printing-plate-means-engaging position and for moving said roller body to another position out of engagement with printing plate means; means for constricting said additional zones of said roller body to cause the flow of printin-g ink from said additional zones to said zones of said roller body intended to engage the printing plate means; and means allowing said constricting means to be effective and to constrict said roller body only when said roller body is in said other position thereof.

2. A roller mechanism as specified in claim 1 for inking printing plates comprising, in combination: a plurality of printing plate means; a common ink-dispensing roller body for said plurality of printing plate means consisting of a spongy material storing printing ink, said roller body having a plurality of zones each intended to engage one of said plurality of printing plate means and said roller body further having a plurality of additional zones intended to stay out of engagement with said plurality of printing plate means; a plurality of constricting means for constricting said plurality of additional zones to cause a transfer of printing ink from said plurality of additional zones to said plurality of zones, each of said plurality of constricting means including a pair of levers having a common fulcrum, and each of said pair of levers having a first pair of arms of arcuate shape arranged to engage one of said plurality of additional zones, and each of said pair of levers having a second pair of arms under the action of biasing spring means tending to pivot said pair of levers about said common fulcrum thereof and to thereby increase the spacing between said first pair of arms of arcuate shape; and abutment means for engaging said second pair of arms of said pair of levers when said roller body is in said other position thereof to overcome the bias of said biasing spring means and to decrease the spacing between said first pair of arms of arcuate shape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 793,934 7/1905 Hunter 101-348 XR 1,086,142 2/1914 Davids 101348 2,006,364 7/1935 Morse 101-348 XR ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. I. R. FISHER, Assistant Examiner.