Abstract: Printing plates are mounted onto a cylinder by first establishing a temperature difference between the plate and the cylinder; in particular, the temperature of the plate exceeds the temperature of the cylinder. The plate is then wrapped around the plate cylinder, and the temperature difference causes the plate to shrink against the cylinder.

Abstract: A system for accepting and winding lithographic plate material around a cylinder adapted for rotation about a longitudinal axis includes supply and uptake spools and an alignment tool for use therewith. The cylinder is hollow, having an interior and an axial opening thereto, and includes means within its interior for selectably engaging supply and uptake spools. The engagement means are in fixed alignment with one another and are disposed within the cylinder so as to define an unobstructed winding path extending around the cylinder from the supply spool to the uptake spool. Plate material stored on the supply spool is extended around this path and affixed to the uptake spool. The tool includes means for releasably gripping supply and uptake spools, and alignment components for aligning the gripping means to at least one engagement means within the cylinder when the tool is introduced therein. The tool is removed from the cylinder following release of the spools to the engagement means.

Abstract: A clamp assembly for clamping a lithographic plate to a cylinder includes a base defining a channel and a plate mounted to the base and overlying the channel. An elongated cam member is rotatably positioned in the channel, the member having a cam surface profiled so that when the cam member is in a first angular position, that surface extends relatively close to the plate and when the cam member is in a second position, that surface is further away from the plate. Stops are included for establishing the two positions of the cam member. When the cam member is in its second position and an edge margin of a recording medium is inserted between the cam member and the plate, moving the cam member to its first position causes the clamp assembly to simultaneously grip and pull on the recording medium.