Abstract: A bridge mandrel for use on a printing press, an example of which includes making an inner tube laid up with a compressible foam layer between wound glass fiber layers, an outer tube wound with carbon fiber, steel end caps, and a pneumatic system for delivering air to the surface of the completed mandrel; assembling these parts into a hollow bridge mandrel assembly; injecting liquid expanding foam into it as an intermediate component; and finishing the surface of the outer tube. The outer tube is made from tube stock laid up over a peel ply wrapped on a forming mandrel, and cut to length. Another example of the invention includes a bridge sleeve comprising a composite layup of glass, compressible foam, glass, and carbon fiber, the ends of which are sealed from chemical exposure by end caps.

Abstract: An expandable airlock shaft with surface mounted roller bearings provides differential core speed slipping capability for adjacent core segments on a common shaft. The shaft may be used with an expandable collet system consisting of a set of relatively short, expandable collets, which are used with spacers where needed to accommodate multiple core segments in any desired arrangement. Alternatively, the roller bearings may be incorporated into the expandable collets, and the shaft configured with an expandable bearing support surface.