Abstract: An ink fountain having doctor blades clamped on the upstream and downstream sides to engage a rotary cylinder and an overflow ink barrier at one end of the ink fountain providing an overflow wall for the discharge of ink from the ink fountain into a drain chamber. Longitudinal channels beneath the doctor blades communicate with the drain chamber for the discharge of ink into the drain chamber.

Abstract: A plate lockup for locking a plate on a rotary cylinder of a printing press in which a pair of deflectable springs carried by the rotary cylinder are deflectable by an actuator interposed between them. The actuator deflects one spring to facilitate lockup of a trailing end of a printing plate and then deflects the other spring to clamp a lead end of a printing plate against a lead end register carried by the printing press.

Abstract: A cylinder construction in which a flexing force can be exerted on the interior surface of a hollow cylinder intermediate the ends thereof. The hollow cylinder is mounted for rotation about a shaft having an eccentric bearing intermediate the ends thereof. An eccentric bearing at each end of the shaft is adjustable to neutralize the effect of the intermediate bearing or to adjust the flexing force on the cylinder.

Abstract: An ink sealing assembly for a printing press in which ink is circulated from a reservoir into an ink chamber where it is retained under pressure in engagement with a rotating cylinder and in which the ink sealing assembly includes a pressure barrier communicating with the ink chamber, at least one ink seal spaced apart from the pressure barrier on the side remote from the ink chamber, said pressure barrier and ink seal being formed of relatively stiff but flexible, polymeric material with their sealing edges engaging the doctor blade and the cylinder and a return conduit connecting the space between the pressure barrier and the ink seal with the reservoir.

Abstract: A sheet diverter system in which a stream of sheets is fed by a pair of tapes to a gripping zone between a pair of separating cylinders. The tapes on opposite sides of the sheet diverge downstream of the gripping zone and wrap around a part of the outer periphery of the adjacent separating cylinder so that they travel at the same velocity as the outer periphery of the cylinder. The sheets advance toward the gripping zone at a velocity controlled by the separating cylinder and successive sheets are presented to the grippers carried by the cylinders so that alternate sheets are carried along different paths to different delivery stations.

Abstract: A fountain for applying a foam ink to an engraved cylinder of a rotogravure printing press includes an open ink pan into which the ink is introduced and a rotary brush for applying ink from the ink pan to the cylinder. A pre-doctor blade permits a predetermined amount of ink to pass thereby and is followed by a doctor blade for scraping excess ink from the cylinder.

Abstract: A gripper mechanism for printing press folding machines or other sheet handling equipment comprises a rigid holder mounted on a pivot shaft and a resilient gripper finger, fixed to the holder, which pivots into engagement with an angled clamping surface. The geometry of the gripper finger relative to the holder is such that the rigid holder and resilient finger act as a linkage which, upon application of counterforce by the clamping surface, imparts a radial component of force to the gripper tip equal and opposite to the radial component of counterforce, thereby producing non-sliding engagement of a sheet of paper positioned between the clamping surface and said tip.

Abstract: An inking fountain for a printing press, preferably for a high speed flexographic press, includes an ink applicator and a pre-inking applicator. In the pre-inking applicator, the roller is partially immersed in ink, and thereafter encounters a pre-wiper element, which is closely spaced from the roller and has a leading surface arranged at an angle for forcing ink against the roller surface. A knife is arranged at the leading edge of the ink applicator, for interrupting the boundary layer of air on the roller prior to the roller surface entering the fountain cavity. Within the cavity, which preferably includes baffles, ink is fed and applied to the roller surface. Excess ink is scraped from the roller surface, by a reverse angle doctor blade, as the roller leaves the cavity. In such manner, the press can be operated at high speed without starvation or foaming of the ink, as in conventional systems. Also, a cleaning system is provided for readily washing the press at the end of each run.

Abstract: Apparatus for threading a web through a printing press includes a single cable extending through the press along the web path on one side of the web. The leading edge of the web is connected to the cable by a leader, so that the web is pulled through the printing press when the cable is driven. The cable is supported by sheaves that are mounted coaxially with the lead rollers that guide the web through the press.

Abstract: A drive for the doctor blade of a gravure type printing press oscillates the doctor blade in a non-repeating motion. A doctor slide is coupled to the doctor blade, and oscillated on the frame by a first piston-cylinder unit. A pneumatic valve slide is driven back and forth on the frame by a second piston cylinder unit, between a first pair of end stops mounted on the doctor slide and between a second pair of end stops mounted on the frame. Upon engagement of the end stops on the doctor slide, the valve slide provides a pressure signal to reverse the direction of motion of the doctor slide. Upon engagement of the end stops on the frame, the valve slide provides a pressure signal to reverse its own direction of motion on the frame.

Abstract: A folder collect cylinder comprises at least five gripper mechanisms and an equal number of tucking mechanisms controlled by non-rotating cams that are selectively masked by masking cams that rotate about an axis coincident with the cylinder axis. The masking cams are driven from the main collect cylinder drive through a transmission that can be adjusted to change the speed ratio of the masking cams to the collect cylinder and the phase of the masking cams to the gripper mechanisms to provide non-collect, two-collect, three-collect and partial-collect without ever masking the taking surface of the non-rotating gripper cam during a taking phase of any gripper mechanism.

Abstract: A sheet diverter in the path of a stream of cut sheets to be diverted in predetermined sequence in different directions in which a pair of rotary diverters having cam surfaces thereon divert and guide the sheets in the predetermined sequence relative to a pair of guiding surfaces.

Abstract: A new printing surface is produced from an etched printing surface after previous printing use by applying insulative material into the etched wells of the printing surface, deplating metal from the printing surface while simultaneously scrubbing the excess insulative material even with the deplating surface, further deplating below the level of etching until a smooth surface is produced, and then replating metal back on to the desired thickness.

Abstract: A system for forming and collating printed signatures is disclosed in which a plurality of web supply rolls feed a plurality of continuously operating presses. A rewinding mechanism is provided to form printed web rolls which may be stored until printing has been completed for the entire publication. Slitting apparatus is provided longitudinally to cut each printed web into a plurality of printed ribbons which are thereafter collated to form one or more composite signature ribbons. Folding apparatus continuously folds each signature ribbon longitudinally and the folded ribbons are cross associated to form a compound ribbon moving substantially parallel to the gathering conveyor. The compound ribbon is cut into individual signature sets which are conveyed to the gathering conveyor.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a method for printing and collating individual signatures to be assembled into a magazine or book, or the like.