Abstract: This invention is an improved apparatus and method for distributing ink in a printing press. In preferred embodiments, ink on an anilox roll is uniformly distributed on the roll by the scraping action of doctor blades against the roll surface. The blades are held in continuous engagement against the anilox roll by an adjustment mechanism which exerts a constant force against the doctor blades. The preferred adjustment mechanism is a cam or cams under the control of an actuator. The actuator causes each cam to rotate against a moveable support on which the doctor blades are mounted urging the doctor blades against the anilox roll. The actuator provides a constant force to each cam thereby causing the blades to be constantly urged against the anilox roll surface even as the blades are worn away by operation of the printing press.

Abstract: Flexographic web printing apparatus constructed for continuous web feed and for change-over from printing one impression on the web to printing a succeeding impression on the fly without interrupting the web feed.

Abstract: A coater includes an impression cylinder and a gravure cylinder rotatably mounted. A first pivot arm unit is pivoted on the impression cylinder shaft and supports a pivot shaft. Depending pivot arms on the shaft support an offset cylinder to one side of the impression cylinder and above the gravure cylinder. Nip adjustment units for the pivot arm unit and the depending pivot arms each include a pre-loaded ball bearing lead screw coupled to a slide housing and a separate power cylinder connected to the pivot unit and pivot arms respectively. The power cylinder unit forces the pivot structure into engagement with the lead screw follower which acts as a stop. A stepping motor rotates the lead screw and accurately positions the stop and thereby the pivot structure as a result of the power cylinder units. The lead screws separately control the nip setting of the off-set cylinder relative to the impression cylinder and the gravure cylinders.

Abstract: In a rotary press wherein ink nozzles apply different colored inks to different sections of an inking cylinder along the length thereof, and wherein excess inks run off of the inking cylinder into a compartmented inking pan, an anilox cylinder, by which ink is transferred from the inking cylinder to a plate cylinder, rotates on an axis that is fixed relative to a stationary frame for the press. The ink pan and its dividers are also stationarily secured to said frame. The plate cylinder and an impression cylinder that cooperates with it for imprinting a web are rotatably supported on sliders that carry those cylinders for bodily motion towards and from the anilox cylinder and one another.

Abstract: Packs of product move along a defined path, compressed in the grip of carrier jaws. A pair of webs of thermoplastic sheet material move towards said path from opposite sides thereof and are joined at a heat-fused seam to form an effective continuous strip across said path and into which a pair of carrier jaws moves with its pack. Pressure jaws converge just behind the carrier jaws to form the strip into a loop around the carrier jaws and produce two parallel, slightly spaced heat-fused seams between which the webs are severed and one of which connects the ends of said loop to form a band around the carrier jaws while the other connects the webs into a strip for formation of the next band. Until the band-completing seam has cooled, the carrier jaws keep the pack compressed enough to prevent seam rupturing tension on the band, then diverge enough to tension the band slightly, whereupon band and pack, in unison, are slid endwise out of engagement with the carrier jaws.

Abstract: In web rewinding apparatus for producing hard-wound individual rolls, a knife for cutting through the web is carried for substantially radial extension and retraction by a cutoff roll which cooperates with a bed roll around which the web has substantial wrap. When extended, the knife enters a longitudinal slot in the bed roll, in which there is a row of fixed pins. A web impalement pusher bar, extended from the cutoff roll along with the knife, impales the web onto the pins. Transfer pads carried by the bed roll extend, to detach the web from the pins and clamp it against a new core. Cores onto which web is wound are supported by six mandrels spaced circumferentially around a turret that carries them, in turn, to each of six fixed stations. Coaxial with each mandrel on the turret is a rotatable driver and a normally disengaged clutch which, when engaged, transmits rotation of its driver to its mandrel. Alternate drivers around the turret are driven from one motor, the remaining drivers by a second motor.

Abstract: In an automatic web rewinding machine having core supporting mandrels carried by an indexingly rotated turret, the chuck arm for supporting the free end of each mandrel is swung between a closed mandrel engaging position and an open position by a reversible pneumatic rotary actuator controlled by a two-position valve. Each actuator and its valve are constrained to rotate with the turret, and they receive pressure air through a hollow turret shaft. A cam follower plunger of the valve is biased to an extended condition at which the actuator tends to hold the chuck arm closed. When a mandrel is established at the unloading station at which wound cores are removed from it, a signal from a turret position sensor causes extension of a first movable cam segment at said station, retracting the plunger and thus opening the chuck arm.

Abstract: A printing press ink fountain has means for applying different colored inks to different sections of a circumferentially grooved fountain roll for subsequent transfer to an anilox roll, printing cylinder, and moving web. Ink dams or dividers, each having a hole through which the fountain roll extends, divide the ink fountain into separate ink compartments and cooperate with the fountain and anilox rolls to prevent ink transfer between adjacent sections on each roll. Each divider has a circumferential edge around its hole which extends into a fountain roll groove. Each divider also has a grooved edge which rides against the anilox roll. Air ports are provided along these edges and compressed air is expelled therethrough to provide air seals to prevent ink transfer along the rolls.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying a continuous embossing pattern to webs of material such as paper or the like and a method for producing an embossing surface. The apparatus includes rollers which receive a web or webs of such material therebetween and removable embossing plates secured to the surface of the rollers and having an embossing surface for embossing the webs. The rollers are constructed such that they have magnetic properties whereby the embossing plates which are comprised of magnetically attracted material can be held against the roller surface. The plates are positioned in closely adjacent relationship with respect to each other such that they provide a continuous embossing pattern around the surface of the roller. The plates and the rollers also include mutually engaging registering means which permit the plates to be accurately aligned with respect to the roller surface.