Abstract: A sheet transfer assembly for use above an ultraviolet curing unit in a flexographic printing press used for printing corrugated sheets includes a vacuum plate with heat sinks. The vacuum plate includes openings for rollers that extend through the vacuum plate to drive printed sheets across the bottom of the transfer assembly. Heat sinks are formed on the top surface of the vacuum plate between rollers to remove heat from the vacuum plate. Heat from the UV curing unit is effectively dissipated from the vacuum plate into the air used to hold printed substrates against the rollers in the transfer assembly.

Abstract: A multipart printing press cylinder. A pair of hubs have an inner bore for mounting on a press shaft. Each hub is made in two parts which may be positioned about the press shaft and attached to each other by, e.g. screws. Each hub has a profile section. A pair of partial shells each include a pair of cylinder frames having a profile matching a hub profile. Manually releasable latches are provided for holding each partial shell on the hubs when the partial shell profiles are mated with the hub profiles. The outer perimeter of each cylinder frame has a radius and contour defining the outer size and shape of a printing press cylinder. A surface material, e.g. sheet aluminum, is formed to fit the frame perimeters and are preferably attached under tension to the frames.

Abstract: A zoned UV curing system for drying UV inks and coatings in printing presses. A plurality of linear UV lamps are spaced apart laterally across the travel path of substrates in a press. The axis of each lamp is aligned generally with the travel path, but may be slanted slightly so that every point on the travel path passes directly under at least one lamp. Power supply and control means allow selection of which lamps are powered, so that unneeded lamps may be turned off to save power. The power level of each lamp is variable. One transverse UV lamp may be placed upstream to initiate curing before substrates pass the zoned system. An IR heater may be placed upstream to preheat UV ink and coatings to enhance curing and to smooth coatings.

Abstract: A zoned UV curing system for drying UV inks and coatings in printing presses. A plurality of linear UV lamps are spaced apart laterally across the travel path of substrates in a press. The axis of each lamp is aligned generally with the travel path, but may be slanted slightly so that every point on the travel path passes directly under at least one lamp. Power supply and control means allow selection of which lamps are powered, so that unneeded lamps may be turned off to save power. The power level of each lamp is variable. One transverse UV lamp may be placed upstream to initiate curing before substrates pass the zoned system. An IR heater may be placed upstream to preheat UV ink and coatings to enhance curing and to smooth coatings.

Abstract: A zoned UV curing system for drying UV inks and coatings in printing presses. A plurality of linear UV lamps are spaced apart laterally across the travel path of substrates in a press. The axis of each lamp is aligned generally with the travel path, but may be slanted slightly so that every point on the travel path passes directly under at least one lamp. Power supply and control means allow selection of which lamps are powered, so that unneeded lamps may be turned off to save power. The power level of each lamp is variable. One transverse UV lamp may be placed upstream to initiate curing before substrates pass the zoned system. An IR heater may be placed upstream to preheat UV ink and coatings to enhance curing and to smooth coatings.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted sheet transfer assembly has an array of support bars which support the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet along a sheet transfer path. The support bars overlie the airflow inlet of a manifold housing, with the longitudinal axis of each support bar extending across the sheet transfer path. The support bars provide smooth surfaces for engaging and supporting the unprinted side of the sheet material as it is pulled along the transfer path while simultaneously limiting the flow of inlet air through elongated inlet apertures. As air is drawn through the inlet apertures, the unprinted side of the sheet is sucked into engagement with the support bars as it moves along the sheet transfer path. The sheet transfer assembly eliminates the need for conventional skeleton wheels and the like. Marking, smearing and smudging are prevented since the printed side of the sheet is not handled or contacted in any way as the sheet is conveyed along the sheet transfer path.

Abstract: A printing unit is disclosed which incorporates an applicator roller (66) such as anilox roller with bearer surfaces (206) at the ends thereof for positively positioning the applicator roller relative a cylinder, such as a plate cylinder (32) or a blanket cylinder (34). The bearer surfaces (206) on the applicator roller are engaged with the bearer surfaces (202, 204) of the plate or impression cylinder to precisely and consistently position the applicator roller (66) relative the cylinder.

Abstract: A roller assembly (10) is provided which includes an anilox roller (12) mounted with a head (14) for applying a liquid (18) to another surface, such as a delivery, printing plate blanket, or impression cylinder. An end dam (42) is provided at each end of the head (14), which defines a curved seal surface (46) which bears against the bearer surface (58) at each end of the anilox roller (12). The curved seal surface (46) and bearer surface (58) form an end seal for the roller assembly. If desired, lubrication can be provided between the curved seal surface (46) and the bearer surface (58).

Abstract: A dryer (10, 200) is provided for use in drying freshly printed substrates such as corrugated sheets (14). A plurality of infrared heating lamps (28) are positioned below the travel path (16) of the corrugated sheets (14) and the heat lamps are physically separated from the corrugated sheets by glass panels (108, 110). Provisions are made for cooling the heat lamps by air flow. A plurality of air bars (40) are also provided with pressurized air to discharge air through ports (42) in the upper surfaces thereof for discharge against the corrugated sheet. Air discharged against the corrugated sheet and used to cool the heat lamps is collected and removed by a vacuum pump (48). This pump (48) is also used to remove moisture laden air which has been dislodged from the sheets by the combination of infrared heat and high pressure air.

Abstract: An infra-red dryer utilizes high velocity air jets which scrub and break up the moist air layer which clings to the surface of a freshly printed and/or coated sheet. The high velocity air jets are directed through multiple air flow apertures across an array of infra-red lamps onto the freshly printed and/or coated sheets. An extractor exhausts the moisture-laden air from an exposure zone while short wave infra-red radiation heats the ink and/or protective coating. The effective exposure to pressurized air is increased by the air jets which produce a balanced pressure air blanket along the sheet travel path. The moist air layer is displaced from the printed and/or coated sheet and is extracted from the press as the sheet moves through the exposure zone.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted sheet transfer assembly has an array of support bars which support the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet along a sheet transfer path. The support bars overlie the airflow inlet of a manifold housing, with the longitudinal axis of each support bar extending across the sheet transfer path. The support bars provide smooth surfaces for engaging and supporting the unprinted side of the sheet material as it is pulled along the transfer path while simultaneously limiting the flow of inlet air through elongated inlet apertures. As air is drawn through the inlet apertures, the unprinted side of the sheet is sucked into engagement with the support bars as it moves along the sheet transfer path. The sheet transfer assembly eliminates the need for conventional skeleton wheels and the like. Marking, smearing and smudging are prevented since the printed side of the sheet is not handled or contacted in any way as the sheet is conveyed along the sheet transfer path.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted sheet transfer assembly has an array of support bars which support the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet along a sheet transfer path. The support bars overlie the airflow inlet of a manifold housing, with the longitudinal axis of each support bar extending across the sheet transfer path. The support bars provide smooth surfaces for engaging and supporting the unprinted side of the sheet material as it is pulled along the transfer path while simultaneously limiting the flow of inlet air through elongated inlet apertures. As air is drawn through the inlet apertures, the unprinted side of the sheet is sucked into engagement with the support bars as it moves along the sheet transfer path. The sheet transfer assembly eliminates the need for conventional skeleton wheels and the like. Marking, smearing and smudging are prevented since the printed side of the sheet is not handled or contacted in any way as the sheet is conveyed along the sheet transfer path.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted sheet transfer assembly has an array of support bars which support the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet along a sheet transfer path. The support bars overlie the airflow inlet of a manifold housing, with the longitudinal axis of each support bar extending across the sheet transfer path. The support bars provide smooth surfaces for engaging and supporting the unprinted side of the sheet material as it is pulled along the transfer path while simultaneously limiting the flow of inlet air through elongated inlet apertures. As air is drawn through the inlet apertures, the unprinted side of the sheet is sucked into engagement with the support bars as it moves along the sheet transfer path. The sheet transfer assembly eliminates the need for conventional skeleton wheels and the like. Marking, smearing and smudging are prevented since the printed side of the sheet is not handled or contacted in any way as the sheet is conveyed along the sheet transfer path.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted sheet transfer assembly has an array of support bars which support the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet along a sheet transfer path. The support bars overlie the airflow inlet of a manifold housing, with the longitudinal axis of each support bar extending across the sheet transfer path. The support bars provide smooth surfaces for engaging and supporting the unprinted side of the sheet material as it is pulled along the transfer path while simultaneously limiting the flow of inlet air through elongated inlet apertures. As air is drawn through the inlet apertures, the unprinted side of the sheet is sucked into engagement with the support bars as it moves along the sheet transfer path. The sheet transfer assembly eliminates the need for conventional skeleton wheels and the like. Marking, smearing and smudging are prevented since the printed side of the sheet is not handled or contacted in any way as the sheet is conveyed along the sheet transfer path.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted sheet transfer assembly has an array of support sections which support the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet along a sheet transfer path. The support sections overlie the airflow inlet of a manifold housing, with the longitudinal axis of each support section extending across the sheet transfer path. The support sections provide smooth surfaces for engaging and supporting the unprinted side of the sheet material as it is pulled along the transfer path while simultaneously limitting the flow of inlet air through elongated inlet apertures. As air is drawn through the inlet apertures, the unprinted side of the sheet is sucked into engagement with the support sections as it moves along the sheet transfer path. The sheet transfer assembly eliminates the need for conventional skelton wheels and the like. Marking, smearing and smudging are prevented since the printed side of the sheet is not handled or contacted in any way as the sheet is conveyed along the sheet transfer path.

Abstract: A vacuum transfer apparatus for use in a sheet fed rotary printing press for supporting the unprinted side of a freshly printed sheet as it is moved from the press impression cylinder along a transfer path to a further processing station of the press, the apparatus including a vacuum chamber supporting a plurality of rotatable elongated rollers arrayed in spaced side-by-side parallel relationship laterally across the transfer path, and a vacuum pump connected to the chamber for producing a pressure differential across the freshly printed sheet to draw the unprinted side of the sheet into engagement with the support rollers by drawing air into the vacuum chamber through the spaces between the rollers as the sheet is pulled along the transfer path so that the printed side of the sheet can not be marked or marred.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use with a grooved perfecting cylinder in a sheet-fed rotary printing press of the type capable of one sided or two sided sheet printing, the apparatus including a substantially rigid covering having a friction reducing coating thereon and which can be quickly and easily installed and removed over the sheet supporting surface of the perfecting cylinder when the press is operated in the one sided printing mode to permit an anti-marking fabric net to be installed and used over the sheet supporting surface of the perfecting cylinder.