Abstract: A gripper assembly is provided for use within a printing press having an impression cylinder and one or more printing stations. The gripper assembly includes a main shaft, gripper clamp arms mounted to the shaft, and gripper blocks mounted to the shaft in alternating sequence with the gripper clamp arms. Each of the gripper blocks includes a projection overlying a portion of the adjoining gripper clamp arm. A spring is positioned between each projection and adjoining gripper clamp arm for urging the gripper blocks about the axis of the shaft. A gripper is mounted to each of the gripper blocks. Each gripper has a generally flat, Z-shaped body, one end of which is adapted for engaging a sheet of paper. The main shaft is coupled to a cam follower for causing rotation of the main shaft, thereby opening or closing the set of grippers.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for indexing the position of a plate cylinder. The assembly includes a drive assembly which is coupled to the plate cylinder, an indexing mechanism which is engageable with the drive assembly, and a shaft which supports the indexing mechanism and rotates it about the axis of the shaft. The drive assembly includes a support and a detent plate which is rotatably and slidably mounted to the support. The detent plate includes tapered or frustoconical openings arranged in a circle upon the plate. The indexing mechanism includes a pin having a tapered head which is insertable into the openings. The detent plate may be moved axially away from the indexing mechanism in order to disengage it from the pin. Once disengaged, the drive assembly and plate cylinder may be rotated with respect to the indexing mechanism and blanket cylinder to allow a different image on the surface of the plate cylinder to be transferred to the blanket cylinder.

Abstract: A sheet type printing press is disclosed which includes a transmission assembly that prevents misregistration of plate and blanket cylinders upon their separation. The assembly also permits the press to be advanced or retarded while running to either correct misregistration or to start a new job using the same plate cylinders. A double harmonic drive is used to advance or retard the press. The harmonic drive is mounted to a hub which causes one of the circular splines and flexsplines thereof to be maintained under constant load. Such loading prevents misregistration when the plate cylinder drive gear is disengaged.

Abstract: Paper gripper improvement in a printing press of the type having a frame, a large paper carrying impression cylinder drum mounted on the frame and a plurality of retractable printing stations mounted on the frame and spaced around the drum. Each gripper has a stationary finger and a second finger reciprocatable with respect to the stationary finger. A cam is connected to operate the reciprocatable finger to grip the paper as it is fed onto the drum. To detect a missing paper, an electrical circuit is completed by contact between the stationary finger and the reciprocatable finger in the absence of a paper between them insulating them from each other, whereby the need for photo-cells or other detectors to detect missing papers is eliminated. The inking rollers are driven separately from the drum to facilitate retracting the printing stations in the event of a missing paper.

Abstract: High speed document processing and sorting apparatus. A stream of documents is guided along a path at high speed. A detector is mounted along said path to detect identifiable documents. A magazine is mounted to receive the detected documents. A vacuum wheel is mounted to remove the detected documents from said path to said magazine. The vacuum picker comprises a vacuum wheel mounted a predetermined spacing over said path, the vacuum wheel having a surface speed equal to the high speed document speed. A solid wheel is movably mounted below said vacuum wheel and below said path. A detector control moves the solid wheel and document up into contact with the vacuum wheel when it is desired to remove a document moving at high speed.

Abstract: Document conveying apparatus without roller contact on the documents. An upper chain is mounted on upper sprockets and a lower chain is mounted on lower sprockets. A plurality of equally spaced friction grip members are mounted on the chains so that the upper and lower grip members contact each other in the absence of a document. The leading edges of the documents are gripped by the upper and lower sets of grip members and the documents are conveyed by the chains without roller contact on the documents.

Abstract: A feeder hopper for documents. A pair of guide rods are slidably mounted in a base member. A rear plate is mounted on the guide rods. A second plate pivotally and slidably mounted on one side of the guide rods. The plates are adapted to nest together. Means are provided to push back the rear plate back from the second plate when it is desired to add a new supply of documents to the hopper. The second plate holds the stack in position. After the new sheets are added the second plate is rotated out of the stack.