Abstract: A doctor blade for wiping excess printing ink off the surface of a printing form (10) has a front section in the form of a leaf (3) which interacts with the surface of the printing form (10). In order to avoid wear or damage to the printing form surface as a result of the contact pressure exerted by the leaf (3) on the printing form surface, the leaf (3) is provided with a coating (5) over the entire doctor blade length. The coating (5) consists of lubricant or contains lubricant particles (8). As a result of the significant reduction in friction between the leaf (3) and the printing form surface, not only is the wear on the printing form surface reduced, but the wear on the doctor blade is also reduced, and its service life is extended.

Abstract: A highly dynamic piezo-electric drive mechanism for use wherever stringent requirements are placed on resonant frequency, positioning time, actuation speed or acceleration, is provided and in which at least two piezo-electric double stack drives are rigidly mounted on their first base surfaces and act against a toggle lever on their second base surface on opposite sides of and equidistant from the pivot axis of the toggle lever, and a control applies a phased electrical voltage to the piezo-electric stacks in such manner that the double stack drives operate in a push-pull mode.

Abstract: A method and a device for particularly rapidly producing wells (18) in the surface of a rotating rotogravure cylinder (2) by a pulsed laser beam (13), which is deflected and directed via an optical lens (7) onto the surface of the rotogravure cylinder (2) to be processed. The power of a single laser beam pulse is adjusted in such a way that it is sufficient for removing the maximum volume needed for a well (18). Furthermore, the laser beam (13) is deflected by an optoacoustic modulator (8) by diffraction onto the optical axis of the lens (7), and the individual laser beam pulses are controlled in their pulse power by the same modulator (8) in accordance with the volumes of the wells to be formed.

Abstract: A device for engraving intaglio cylinders and similar printing forms having an engraving tool which, together with a sensing member sensing the surface of the printing form to be engraved, is mounted in a holder movable relative to the surface of the printing form. The sensing member is a distance measuring member which contactlessly measures the distance from the surface of the printing form. On the basis of the distance measured from the distance-measuring member, the holder is adjusted relative to the surface of the printing form by an adjusting element, for maintaining a predetermined tool distance between the engraving tool and the surface to be engraved.

Abstract: A shaft bearing for mounting the shaft ends of a rotating workpiece to be machined, especially an intaglio printing cylinder, has a rotatably mounted clamping chuck clamping the shaft end and having a hollow clamping head. The clamping head has gripping parts mounted so as to be radially adjustable relative to the longitudinal axis of the clamping head. Each gripping part is mounted rotatably about a pivot axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, and is guided, in a region distant from the pivot axis, along an arcuate guide track extending around the longitudinal axis. Each gripping part is configured so as to extend at a decreasing distance from the longitudinal axis and being movable relative to the guide track for the purpose of clamping the shaft end.

Abstract: A device for engraving intaglio printing cylinders is provided having the engraving needle cutting the small screen cups in the intaglio printing cylinder and the scanning element applied to the cylinder jointly supported in a holding device. The scanning element is engaged by a damping element having a piston supported on a pressure spring and guided in a cylindrical casing. A tappet is connected to the piston and engages the scanning element or a handwheel mounted on such element. Motions of the scanning element in the direction of its longitudinal axis are damped by the damping element thereby eliminating undesirable vibrations of the holding device and thus of the engraving needle.

Abstract: In an engraving head for apparatus for engraving printing cylinders, a drivable engraving tool and a sensing organ contacting any printing cylinder being engraved by the drivable engraving tool are mounted on a common fixture. A damping element is located between the sensing organ and the engraving tool for at least substantially barring transmission of oscillations from the sensing organ to the engraving stylus, while preserving a firm and accurate guidance of the drivable engraving tool by the sensing organ contacting the printing cylinder. Damped sleeve structures and collets for mounting a sensing stylus include such damping elements.

Abstract: During electrolytical treatment, a printing cylinder is held between center points, of which one is provided adjustably with a centering sleeve in a tail spindle. A belt connects the tail spindle in force transmitting relationship to a drive. The tail spindle is axially displaceable together with the inner housing of the apparatus, so that an electric contact ring at the end of the tail spindle is engageable with the front surface of a printing cylinder. The current conduction to the contact ring takes place via cooled carbon brushes located between the tail spindle bearings and the contact ring. A current conducting sleeve encompassing the end region of the tail spindle and being contacted by the carbon brushes, prevents the tail spindle carrying the printing cylinder from being exposed to electric current.

Abstract: A flexible wrap-on printing plate structure has a flexible printing plate body extending between opposite first and second edges at which the printing plate structure is attached to a rotary printing form cylinder. A thickening of the printing plate body or other means extend along a third edge of the printing plate body between the mentioned first and second edges for mechanically stiffening the printing plate body along that third edge, so that no warping of the printing plate structure and no printout of printing plate margins can occur.