Patents Examined by J. Reed Fisher
  • Patent number: 5816152
    Abstract: A reconfigurable web processor, comprising: a first and a second base modules, each of the base modules including an external surface with at least one alignment structure disposed on the external surface; a plurality of pacing rolls, with a different one of the plurality of pacing rolls associated with each of the base modules to adjust the pace of a web moving within the associated base module; a plurality of transducers, with a different one of the plurality of transducers associated with a different one of the base modules and disposed to monitor a characteristic of the web at said associated base module and to generate a transducer signal in accordance therewith; a plurality of pacing servos, with a different one of the plurality of pacing servos associated with each different one of the pacing rolls, each of the pacing servos to adjust the pace of the web in accordance with a different pacing control signal for its associated the pacing roll; and a process head drive disposed to drive a drive roll in a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.
    Inventors: William James Nelgner, Joseph Randall Wiegner, David Allen Langenberg, Stephen George Palmer, William Allen McCroskey, Gary Wilson Teeter, Leonard Ronald Sanker, Martin Alan Ross, Steven Michael Dods
  • Patent number: 5816159
    Abstract: A liquid transfer device for rotary presses includes at least two cylinders which can transfer the liquid, especially ink, and at least one liquid transfer element intended to interact with the two cylinders in order to transfer the ink from one cylinder to the other cylinder. Each liquid transfer element can be displaced in an essentially circular path and come into essentially tangential contact with the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignees: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Heidelberg Harris, S.A.
    Inventor: Jilani Chrigui
  • Patent number: 5813333
    Abstract: An automatic register control system for multi-color rotary presses having adjusting means for adjusting the phase on a plate cylinder of each printing section, comprising a registering error detecting device that reads register marks each printed on a traveling paper web by each printing section with a CCD camera as image data, corrects the image data using inherent correcting means, and detects the characteristic points of the register marks as their coordinates to detect a deviation between the actual coordinates of the detected characteristic points and the desired coordinates thereof, and adjusting signal output means for outputting an adjusting signal to the adjusting means to adjust the phase of the plate cylinder in each printing section on the basis of the deviation detected by the registering error detecting device, thereby automatically adjusting registering errors in the multi-color rotary press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kinichiro Ohno
  • Patent number: 5809887
    Abstract: Ink duct of a rotary printing press, having two side walls between which an ink duct blade is arranged, each of the side walls being formed with an arcuate recess at a front end face thereof for bearing against an ink duct roller of the printing press, includes a deformation device disposed at each of the side walls for modifying a contour thereof defining the respective recess formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignees: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Heidelberg Harris S.A.
    Inventors: Joseph G. Blackwell, Christian Beyne
  • Patent number: 5809882
    Abstract: A multi-color web-fed rotary printing press is usable for job printing. Several printing devices are arranged as several bridge printing units which are supported by frames, at least one of which is shiftable in a horizontal direction. The bridge printing units are arranged on a lower horizontal plane and a printed web dryer is situated on an upper horizontal plane. The resultant printing press has a reduced overall size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer-Albert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Gunter Ruckmann, Martin Heinz Schoeps
  • Patent number: 5809878
    Abstract: A stencil screen printing apparatus for printing rigid sheets comprising an intermittently rotatable cylinder, a reciprocable stencil screen frame, a power drive for the cylinder and stencil screen frame to move them in synchronism with each other, a vertically reciprocable squeegee above the cylinder, infeed belts for feeding rigid sheets along a path toward the cylinder, a variable speed drive for the infeed belts, and controls to slow the drive for an increment of the belt advancement and then stop the drive, sheet pushers and a variable speed servo screw drive operably connected to the sheet pushers, the sheet pushers being forwardly shiftable toward the cylinder to push the rigid sheet front edge beneath the squeegee and the stencil screen frame, and side registry alignment pusher tabs and a variable speed servo screw drive for laterally aligning the rigid sheet relative to the cylinder, whereby the sheet pushers and the side registry tabs simultaneously align the sheet at 90.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: BecMar Corp.
    Inventor: Arthur E. Proctor
  • Patent number: 5806428
    Abstract: An inking unit for a rotary printing machine, a frame and a plurality of rollers. The plurality of rollers includes two inking rollers fixedly mounted to the frame so as to be spaced from one another, and a transfer roller mounted between the two inking rollers. Bearing levers are pivotably mounted to one of the two inking rollers. The transfer roller is mounted to the bearing levers so as to be pivotable between an operating position between the two inking rollers and a pivoted-out position away from the two inking rollers. Roller holders are provided for adjustably holding the transfer roller on the bearing levers. Finally, an apparatus is provided for compensating for the holding weight of the transfer roller and the bearing levers during pivoting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Gunter Koppelkamm, Steffen Klaus
  • Patent number: 5802978
    Abstract: A method for regulating inking when printing with a printing press, which includes, by means of at least one sensor element directed towards the surface of a recording carrier at a given measurement site, deriving actual-value signals from at least one physical variable representing the inking; comparing the actual value signals with reference-value signals for the physical variable at the same measurement site; deriving, in accordance with a prescribed principle, control signals for control elements for the physical variable from the comparison-value signals obtained, and feeding the derived control signals to a control element; and placing the actual value in a range of reference values by means of the control element and holding it there automatically; further includes acting upon the control elements with defined control signals during a startup phase of the printing press; obtaining actual-value signals from a multiplicity of measurement sites in the entire printed surface of the recording carrier; deter
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Geissler, Harald Bucher, Werner Huber, Bernd Kistler
  • Patent number: 5802977
    Abstract: A metering roll for the application of ink or other liquids and a method of fabricating same wherein the metering roll has a core roll securable to journal bearings and rotatable about the journal bearings, the core roll having a non-porous cylindrical sleeve of heat resistant glass secured about it, the non-porous heat resistant glass sleeve having formed on the periphery thereof, ink capturing cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventors: Ronald Constantino, Sharon Constantino
  • Patent number: 5802973
    Abstract: Register adjustment device in a sheet-fed printing press having adjusting elements for adjusting a printing operation thereof includes a position sensor, a light source for supplying light to the position sensor, and an evaluating unit connected to the position sensor for receiving data therefrom regarding registration of printing material traveling on a path through the printing press, and the evaluating unit being further connected to the adjusting elements of the printing press for adjusting a printing operation thereof in accordance with the data, the position sensor being disposed in the vicinity of the printing-material travel path so as to determine a respective register affecting the printing material, the position sensor having at least two sensor heads disposed at spaced distances from one another; and a method of register-adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Mueller, Anton Rodi, Klaus Mueller, Holger Leonhardt
  • Patent number: 5799579
    Abstract: A method for positioning actuators inside printing machines is described. In particular, the positioning operations of metering elements, which serve to feed ink, moisture or varnish and interact with a rotating cylinder, are improved. To this end, the metering elements are automatically moved from time to time up to the rotating cylinder and the position resulting in the process is stored as a so-called zero position. The method according to the invention is intended in particular to ensure that the metering element is not set with too high a force relative to the cylinder during future positioning operations. This is done by motion commands being fed to the drive allocated to the metering element so that this drive moves the metering element in two areas, in which the metering element is contiguous to the cylinder and furthermore is in contact with the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Christian Schlegel
  • Patent number: 5791251
    Abstract: Method of regulating inking when printing is performed with more than three printing colors, which includes comparing, in a control, actual value color locations derived from a color measuring arrangement with reference value color locations in a given user color space; deriving control signals from the attained comparison values, in accordance with a predetermined relationship, for an inking device containing ink distribution devices which influence the thickness of a layer of printing ink applied zonally in the form of halftone dots or solid full-tone areas to a material to be printed; and further deriving the actual value color locations from measurement locations in the printed image. When printing with n printing colors wherein n is greater than 3, deriving the actual value color locations from measurement locations of at least (n-2) regions, wherein vectors of area coverage of all of the n printing colors involved are, respectively, linearly independent of one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Kistler, Nikolaus Pfeiffer, Manfred Schneider
  • Patent number: 5791245
    Abstract: A pressure roll having a fixed carrier and a rotating elastically deformable roll jacket that cooperates with a counter-roll and that is supported on the carrier via a hydrostatic support arrangement. The roll jacket has an inner surface that is movably guided in the peripheral direction over a concave support surface. The roll jacket is executed with a wall that is flexible in the radial direction and can conform to the counter-roll over a pressure zone whose width dimension in the peripheral direction is adjustable within a range of at least 8 mm to circa 40 mm. Furthermore, the roll jacket consists at least partially of an electrically conductive material in order to prevent an uncontrolled electrostatic charging of the jacket surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: De Pretto-Escher Wyss S.R.L.
    Inventors: Eugen Schnyder, Guenter Machguth, Egon Gasser
  • Patent number: 5784960
    Abstract: An undershot inking unit for a printing machine and a method for regulating ink distribution in a printing machine are disclosed. The undershot inking unit comprises an ink fountain roller communicating with an ink fountain, an inking roller, and an intermittent ductor roller for transferring ink from the ink fountain roller to the inking roller. In accordance with the present invention, the ductor roller is thrown onto the ink fountain roller at a rate that is independent of the printing speed of the printing machine, preferably, at a rate that is constant for all printing speeds. The disclosed apparatus and method alleviate the problem of ink fall-off in printing machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Valentin Gensheimer, Achim Stoffler, Peter Hummel, Robert Ortner
  • Patent number: 5782182
    Abstract: A printing system for a multi-color web-fed rotary printing press utilizes a plurality of printing system units that are arranged in a vertical array. Each printing system unit includes a left printing unit and a right printing unit. The left or the right units are supported in a frame which is shiftable horizontally with the respect to the frame that supports the other units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer-Albert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Gunter Ruckmann, Martin Heinz Schoeps
  • Patent number: 5782180
    Abstract: A spray dampening device for a printing press utilizes a plurality of magazines, each of which is assigned to cover a spray area on a dampening cylinder. Each magazine includes at least one active dampening fluid spray nozzle and one reserve, freshly prepared spray nozzle. The active nozzle can be moved out of its active position and can be replaced by the reserve nozzle if a reduction in the print quality of the press is noted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Koenig Bauer-Albert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Schneider, Martin Heinz Schoeps
  • Patent number: 5778778
    Abstract: The exit cylinder of a first unit is connected to the entrance cylinder of a second unit for making a deformable parallelogram, and at least the exit and entrance cylinders of each unit are respectively connected to displacement mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Societe d'Etude de Machines pour les Arts Graphiques
    Inventor: Serge Chiloff
  • Patent number: 5778784
    Abstract: An imprinter apparatus selectively raises and lowers a print roll (100 or 102) over a print bed (12) for receiving a station plate and conventional credit card to produce a receipt for a credit transaction. The print rolls are freely suspended from a cross member (60) of the carriage (14) for independent pendulous movement that is restricted in one direction to provide pressure for printing and less restricted in the return direction to avoid ghosting. The trolley for the carriage includes a nylon slipper (130) which has on one surface axles for wheels (50-52) that run on the lower side of the print bed (12) and a slider (144) on the upper print bed side; on the other side of slipper (130), pins (140, 142) are provided that protrude through the steel carriage wall (62 or 64) for preventing relative movement between the trolley and the carriage (12). The various parts are designed to fit together with a minimum of secondary operations to reduce manufacturing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Newbold Corporation
    Inventor: William P. Barbour
  • Patent number: 5778777
    Abstract: A wiper 14 is arranged at a position so as to press to both a side surface 2M of a water fountain roller 2 and a side surface 3M of a metering roller 3. The dampening solution 10 adhered on the side surface 2M and 3M can be scraped off from the side surfaces by the wiper 14. Further, surplus dampening solution 10 stored in a groove 5 formed between the rollers is guided into a water fountain 4. The wiper 14 is made of an elastic body having water retention. So that, lubrication is expected when the dampening solution 10 is absorbed in the wiper 14. Other grooves are formed on the wiper 14 along with edges of a bracket 27 and a bracket 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Ryobi Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Shibata, Naoki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5778782
    Abstract: In a web-fed rotary press for processing web-shaped materials, the latter run between two working rollers (3, 4) that are arranged in side bearing housings (8, 9). The working rollers (3, 4) that are connected via the bearing housings (8, 9) to a machine column (14) are prestressed in the operating position by a lifting mechanism (15) and are lifted away from each other as well as installed and removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventors: Richard Behringer, Juergen Rudiger