Abstract: A low cost, variable, modular, web-fed offset lithographic printing unit or tower is disclosed which allows significant economies in production and maintenance, and can be easily and quickly modified in the field using interchangeable modules so as to vary printing characteristics. The printing tower, in the straight-through variable perfector form thereof, is preferably provided with a printer module having upper and lower web-printing blanket rollers; in addition, the tower has corresponding upper and lower inker modules for the respective blanket rollers. The upper inker module is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis so that it can be shifted between a normal inking position over the printer module to a retracted, printer module-clearing position allowing removal and/or replacement of the printer module by essentially vertical shifting of the printer module.

Abstract: Continuous printing collator apparatus for printing, handling, collating and final processing of multiple-page printed items such as business forms, booklets, small newspapers, and magazine is provided which includes structure for storate-in-process and/or drying of elongated, printed webs, and aligns a plurality of such webs in a continuous, in-line non-interrupted operation. The apparatus preferably includes a plurality of elongated, individual, shiftable web-supporting bars oriented for receiving and supporting printed webs in a draped fashion thereon; the bars are mounted on a continuous, track (which may be serpentine, closed loop, or open loop) such that individual webs can be received seriatim and, after all webs have been received and aligned on the bars, the complete set thereof can be further processed. The bars may include respective pins for insertion into corresponding web apertures or other means of holding the webs in position so as to facilitate initial and continuing alignment of the webs.

Abstract: A planetary inker for an offset printing press which uses only a single ink form roller but is substantially ghost free. A unique arrangement of distributor rollers operably associated with the form roller are present in sufficient number and of relative diameters with respect to each other and to the form roller to assure complete smoothing out of ink supplied to the form roller in conjunction with total elimination of all plate-derived latent images on the surface of the form roller before recontacting the plate on the plate cylinder. Especially efficient transfer of ink from the supply fountain to a drum roller in rolling contact with the form roller ahead of the distributor rollers is obtained in a preferred embodiment by the use of a pair of ink transfer ductors which are alternately intermittently shifted into engagement with the fountain ink ball and then the form roller vibrator. The relative time of engagement of the ductors with the ball and the vibrator may be selectively varied by the operator.

Abstract: An improved spiral-type zigzag web folding unit is provided which includes an inexpensive, replaceable, constant tension recoil spring coupled to the shiftable web feeder chute of the folding unit for individually and successively supporting relatively long web sections as they are fed, in order to prevent excessive gravity-induced sagging thereof and consequent failure of the spirals to engage and receive the fed sections. Use of an oscillating recoil spring permits high-speed folding operations with automatically timed support for the web sections, notwithstanding the fact that the spring requires no adjustment in use and can be easily installed and replaced using readily available materials and tools. Furthermore, coupling of the spring to the feeding chute ensures that the spring does not impede web feeding but rather moves in timed relationship therewith for support purposes.

Abstract: A highly efficient, shear-cutting, multiple die apparatus and method for interlocking elongated, multiple-sheet glued webs such as business forms or computer print out paper during fabrication thereof is provided which positively locks the web sheets against relative shifting as can occur when the web is zigzag folded, in order to prevent "tenting", or permanent, glue-set misalignment between respective web plies at the fold lines thereof. The preferred apparatus includes individual, mated pairs of rotatably mounted, transversely oriented, multiple-blade, pointed, web-shearing and deforming dies which are rotated to cooperatively engage, shear-penetrate and deform a moving web to produce a series of transversely extending, side-by-side, marginal, alternately displaced interlocking strips which effectively prevent significant relative longitudinal shifting between the web plies.

Abstract: A low-cost, completely self-contained numbering unit for in-line web collators is provided which includes fully mechanical throw-off apparatus for selectively activating and deactivating the unit in a manner ensuring proper sequential numbering of forms or the like, notwithstanding intermittent temporary interruptions of web flow through the unit. The numbering unit hereof preferably includes a plurality of rotatable numbering machines each having an indexing arm, a pivotal cam engageable with the respective arms and shiftable between indexing and non-indexing positions, and control means for allowing such cam shifting only under circumstances ensuring maintenance of proper numbered sequence between forms or the like as they are produced.

Abstract: A simplified, relatively low cost web-cutting cylinder and assembly adapted to be mounted on a web collator and having a vacuum-type, through-the-cylinder slug removal feature is provided which permits easy, clean, high-speed removal of successively cut web slugs produced when standard English-sized equipment is used to produce metric-sized business forms or the like. The cutting cylinder is adapted to be mounted adjacent a conventional, unmodified anvil cylinder and preferably includes an inwardly and axially extending, tapered bottom, slug-receiving slot or groove and a pair of slug-cutting peripheral knives mounted on opposite sides of the slot; a vacuum slug-removal system is coupled in communication with the slot for removing cut slugs without the necessity of any moving parts which can limit collator output and substantially increase equipment costs.

Abstract: A simplified press mounted, web-driven paper tinting unit especially useful for high speed presses and having low pressure, substantially clog-free, infinitely manually adjustable tinting fluid dispensing heads positioned proximal to underlying, freely rotatable tinting fluid-receiving rolls forming a part of the unit. The heads are preferably rotatable members having radially offset fluid delivery tubes and selectively movable betwen positions where all of the fluid from the latter directly impinges on the receiving rolls, to positions where at least a part of such fluid flows past the rolls for cyclic re-collection and reuse. In this manner, delivery of the tinting fluid to the web can be easily varied during tinting operations as desired without the need of flow-restricting metering valves or the like which are prone to clogging.