Abstract: A magnetic cylinder for holding printing plates, embossing plates, die-cutting plates or the like has a plurality of pockets or recesses formed on its outer surface, each of the pockets or recesses containing magnetic elements of permanent bar magnets and interposed pole pieces with the pockets offset circumferentially from one another so that the magnetic holding field will armature with the plate placed on the cylinder at least in part over the entire width and length or breadth of the plate to ensure that the entire plate including the leading and trailing edges are held securely in place while the cylinder rotates.

Abstract: A printing plate or decorator cylinder has a tapered bore for engaging the tapered outer surface of a sleeve member which is mounted on an untapered rotatable cantilevered printing press or decorator drive shaft and the sleeve is adjustably coupled to the shaft to permit axial and circumferential adjustment of the sleeve and the cylinder as needed.

Abstract: A magnetic cylinder for printing plates and the like has a core of low-cost magnetically permeable material with an outer shell of higher cost low magnetic permeability material with magnetic elements resting in cavities or channels formed in the shell.

Abstract: A magnetic cylinder for printing plates and the like has an air manifold within the body of the cylinder for applying the force of pressurized air against the plate when mounting the plate onto the cylinder to enable the plate to be accurately registered on the cylinder before it is magnetically latched onto the cylinder.

Abstract: In a magnetic cylinder for holding printing plates and the like in which magnetic elements are located and held in place in recesses formed on the outer surface of the cylinder, a thin substantially non-magnetic foraminate layer is located at the bottom of the recesses and the magnetic elements rest against the foraminate layer.

Abstract: A magnetic cylinder for holding printing plates and the like having a drum of non-magnetic material with recesses on the drum surface containing a series of uninterrupted elongated permanent ceramic magnets extending substantially the length of the cylinder in an axial direction with pole pieces between adjacent magnets.

Abstract: A magnetic cylinder for use in printing or die cutting has annular spaced-apart pole pieces with flexible or pliable annular magnets in the spaces between the pole pieces, a protective covering over the magnets and supports alongside the magnets for structurally supporting the protective covering.