Abstract: Some conventional printing cylinders include therein a damping system having springs which receive oscillation forces transmitted from the cylinder wall, for example by cross bars, disks, or the like, to dampen oscillations occurring upon roll-off of an axial clamping groove formed in the cylinder against an engagement cylinder. To reduce not only bending and torsional oscillations, but also the effect of the impact shock when the groove rolls off against the engagement cylinder, impact positions are defined within the cylinder against which either the damping springs or elements coupled to the damping springs can engage the cylinder upon deflection thereof due to the impact shock so that the resulting elastic shock or impact is likewise transferred to the damping springs of the damping system. The damping system includes oscillation transferring rods, bars, or the like which may be embedded or at least in part contacted by elastic materials, such as foam or the like.

Abstract: To provide double-infolded printed copy substrates for short copies, a collection and assembly apparatus assembles copy of a first type, for example representative of an advertisement for ladies' fashions, with folded copy of a second type, for example representative of men's fashions. The apparatus forms a first cross fold in a first transverse folding stage (5, 7), typically a folding blade-folding cylinder unit, and forms a longitudinal fold by a longitudinal folding stage (13, 14), typically a folding blade (14) pushing printed copy between gripping rollers (13).

Abstract: A rotary offset printing press which can be operated either for prime and verso printing or for printing on one side only, with flying plate change in the latter case, is organized so that the common counterpressure roller used with either of the two pairs of printing rollers (plate roller and rubber cloth roller) is used only as a paper feed-out guide during prime and verso printing. The counterpressure cylinder can be shifted to let it assume its normal function in single-side printing. A small shift of the drive gearing makes it possible to use the counterpressure cylinder for one or the other pair of printing rollers selectively while a plate change is performed for the idle pair.

Abstract: To compensate for oscillations and bending of a blanket cylinder, and particularly oscillatory behavior under specific operating speeds, underlays between the rubber blanket and the cylinder surface are provided which are of differential thickness, so that, at any given operating speed where the blanket cylinder tends to move away from an associated impression cylinder, the underlay is thickened to thereby maintain essentially uniform printing pressure against the printing substrate (5) under all conditions. The system is equally applicable for plate cylinder - blanket cylinder systems of uniform diameter, as well as for plate cylinder - blanket cylinders of different diameter, and, in the latter case, preferably utilize an underlay blanket which tapers uniformly from a thinner portion to a thicker portion beneath the printed subject matter transferred to the blanket cylinder upon the second revolution of the plate cylinder.

Abstract: For accepting folded products (5) and transporting them further, a revolving belt or chain system (7) on which drivers (8) are provided is used following the transfer point between a folding blade cylinder (1) and a folding gripper cylinder (2). After the folded spine (6) has been grasped by the folding grippers (4) of the folding gripper cylinder (2), drivers (8) are laterally inserted into the wedge-shaped region A, after which the folding grippers open. Then the drivers (8) accept the folded products (5) from the folding gripper cylinder (2) or the folding blade cylinder (1) and guide them further, preferably in a suspended condition, for further handling.

Abstract: To pick up folded paper sheets, being folded, for example, by a standard folding apparatus (1, 2, 4-6), an endless transport belt or chain (71; 7, 7, 7', 18) retains thereon carrier elements (9) made of highly elastic flat spring steel, being guided by the endless transport means in a path which places the flat spring steel strips edgewise between the folding products at the folding zone, then transport the folded products along the path and then decelerates the folded products while spreading them apart. The latter combined effect is obtained by guiding the transport means over a deflection wheel (11, 16) at the region of attachment of the carrier elements to the transport chain or belt, while retaining the flat strip free end portions, forming hangers, at or close to the center of rotation of the deflection wheel, so that, effectively, the folded paper products will be spread while, at the same time, will be slowed, or have a linear speed of, or close to 0.

Abstract: To provide a belt transport path in which the belts cyclically decelerate and accelerate, to feed paper subject matter, for example from a "first longitudinal folding apparatus" to a "second longitudinal folding apparatus" at reduced speed, two eccenter pulleys are located in respectively different planes, for example parallel to each other, rotating on a common shaft, and having the same eccentricity (x). A first run of the belt is guided from the paper transport path to loop, in part, about a first eccenter pulley, then guiding a second run of the belt from the first eccenter pulley into the plane of the second eccenter pulley, and a second guide pulley guides a third run of the belt from the second eccenter pulley back to the transport path. Two belt system may be used, located in mirror-image relationship, or a single belt can be guided adjacent the run which contacts the transported subject matter (E) from an eccenter located outside the plane of the printed subject matter.

Abstract: To draw off electrostatic charges which build up on rubber blanket cylinders having a coating of insulating or semiconductive material thereon, the pad or underlay (4) beneath the rubber blanket (5) has an electrically conductive layer (6), for example by sprayed-on aluminum, applied thereon. The end portion (B) of the pad is drawn into the groove (2) of the cylinder (C) in a region which does not have an insulating coating (3) thereon, so that the electrically conductive layer (6) is electrically connected with the cylinder (C) in the region (A) of the cylinder groove. The cylinder, typically of steel, is connected to ground or chassis through its holding structure, frame and gearing.

Abstract: To secure a thin, flexible printing plate (4) on the circumference of a plate cylinder (2, 20) by inserting the ends of the printing plate into two narrow parallel slits, the printing cylinder has a groove (3, 21) cut therein in which an insert strip (5, 23) is located which has an inner guide portion (6, 24) fitting within the groove, and a projecting engagement or separating wall portion (9, 25) which is narrower than the guide portion, the walls of the engagement or separating wall portion defining, together with the walls of the groove, the respective slits (18, 30) in which the ends of the printing plate can be inserted. The strip can be irremovably adhered to the cylinder in the groove, or can be made axially slidable, for example under control of a worm (27) engaging in the teeth, so that the lateral register of the printing plate wrapped about the circumference of the cylinder can be adjusted, the printing plate engaging suitable abutment strips or pins (13, 31) formed on the insert strip.

Abstract: To re-orient the position of a sheet, or package of sheets (3), for example after having been folded in a folding former, cut, and transversely folded in a folding knife cylinder, a pair of vertically aligned dish-like plates, or disks (4,5) are moved in an endless transport path. The plurality of such pairs of plates or disks may be provided, each pair being moved in a path by a gear belt (16, 29) driven by a gear or sprocket wheel (20, 30). The plates or disks receive a sheet, or package of sheets (3) therebetween, then are moved towards each other to clamp the sheet therebetween, for example under cam control (25) and a spring (24), and, when the sheets are clamped, additional rotation is supplied to one (4) of the plates or disks, the other (5) being freely rotatable, for example by a stepping motor (37) coupled thereto via a gear transmission and a bushing or sleeve concentric with the shaft driving the sprocket wheel.

Abstract: In order to eliminate the contaminant particles collecting between the inking roller in the inking system of a rotary printing machine and the doctor blade, a strip or wiper element of elastic material extending in the axial direction and projecting from the surface of the inking roller is glued onto the surface of the ink roller or inserted into grooves thereon to pick up and transport small contaminants from the trough into the ink path where they are harmless.

Abstract: To match the speed of incoming sheets, typically folded sheets, form a first high-speed transport system (3, 4) to a receiving speed of a second, lower speed transport system (5, 6), a decelerating path is formed by a third transport system (1, 2) which includes moving belts which are looped about looping rollers (17, 18) in S-configuration to further define a third path between opposed rollers (19, 20), the looping rollers being reciprocatably connected to a slide unit by an eccenter-and-crank arrangement (22, 23) so that the belts (14, 14') of the third unit will have undulating variable speed between maximum and minimum. The rotation of the eccenter-and-crank arrangement (22, 23) is synchronized with the transport of sheets such that, when the belts are at their maximum speed, they are about to grip the leading edge of a sheet being fed thereto, and then decelerate to their minimum speed when the sheets are about to leave the third transport system.

Abstract: To eliminate the necessity for stapling together web portions which are derived, for example, from a rotary printing machine, and superimposed, and which should be joined together, one of the web portions is deflected in a separate path and has a strip of adhesive applied transversely to the direction of movement, for example by passing the web portion between a pair of rollers, one of which has adhesive applied thereto. The web is passed free from contact with the two rollers of the pair, and the uncoated roller, at least, is formed with a projecting strip providing an impression or counter strip to press the web portion against the adhesive coating on the other roller to thereby apply an adhesive strip thereon. The two web portions are then guided into contact with each other and folded in the folding apparatus transversely to the movement at a fold line (19). The projecting strip need not be continuous, but may be a row of projecting bumps or teeth (FIGS.

Abstract: Printed goods (8,8") are aligned and positioned in predetermined staggered or shingled or imbricated arrangement on a transport conveyor (7,15) by placing, between distribution wheels (1,1') located axially spaced on a shaft (2,2'), a group of abutment wheels (4,4') which rotate with the distribution wheels but at a slower speed, for example by having an internal gearing matching a gear wheel (5) located on the shaft (2), the abutment wheels (4,4') being eccentrically positioned with respect to the shaft (2) by being guided in their movement by a disc (3,3') eccentrically positioned with respect to the shaft (2), and held in position by a suitable bracket or the like. These discs (3,3') form cams.

Abstract: To prevent jamming of a threading roller chain being pushed against the teeth of a sprocket wheel which, in advance of being driven, is still stationary, a portion of the guide rail guiding the roller chain (11) and opposite the sprocket wheel (24) is formed to be resiliently deflectable, for example by including a rocker element (36) or a resilient track portion (51, 52), the rocker element or the resilient track portion being maintained by a spring (46, 55) in normal, undeflected position, but permitting deflection, the spring means returning the resiliently deflectable portion to aligned, undeflected position upon proper feeding and threading of the roller chain.

Abstract: To permit ready access of operators to printing cylinders located above each other, in which the paper web is introduced laterally towards the cylinders in an upwardly directed path, a guide roller (6) is provided which is held at the end of pivot arms (8) and movable from a position remote from the printing cylinders, so that the upwardly directed path (A) will provide access to an operator standing beneath the then horizontally extending portion of the path, and a position close to the printing cylinders, so that the upwardly extending path (A') will be close to the printing cylinders and permit an operator standing on a movable platform (10) to reach the upper printing cylinders (right side of the figure). The movable platform (10) preferably is hinged upwardly of a platform on which the operator can stand if access to the lower cylinders is desired.

Abstract: To permit independent adjustability of the working zones of a doctor blade, without interference of adjustment of one zone (10/1) with respect to adjacent zones (10/2, 10/3), the doctor blade (3) is subdivided by grooves (9) located at the upper surface thereof and positioned in pairs, which extend from the working edge (8) towards the clamping zone (4) of the doctor blade and converging towards each other in V-shaped formation to include an acute angle therebetween and define a transition zone (15) therebetween, the region (14) of the doctor blade beneath the grooves forming fulcrum points permitting hinge-like deflection of adjacent portions or zones of the doctor blade with respect to each other, without mutual interference of adjustment. The deformability of the doctor blade results in exactly defined transfer of ink in each inking zone (11/1, 11/2, 11/3) from the duct roller (2) to the inking transfer rollers of the printing system, without mutual influencing of adjacent inking zones.

Abstract: To permit removal of an ink trough holding ink from an inking structure, the structure is formed with separable upper (2) and lower (3) portions, the upper portion being formed with an outlet (4) which, in cross section, is essentially funnel-shaped; a closure element (9), for example in form of a ball or a cylinder (4') fitting into the funnel-shaped opening (4) is positioned in the upper portion which has a lower inclined surface (13) leading, essentially tangentially, towards an ink transfer or ductor roller (6). A doctor blade (5) is positioned between the upper and lower portions adjacent the outlet (4) from the trough so that, upon moving the closure element (4') into the funnel-shaped opening, and separating the portions, for example by loosening of a bolt (7), the upper portion can be removed for cleaning or exchange of ink without disturbing the doctor blade and its adjustment.

Abstract: To provide for axial guidance of cooling fluid, typically water, through a double-jacketed cooling roller which has an outer jacket (5) rotatably positioned over an inner stationary displacement body (6), in which the inner displacement body is smaller than the inner surface of the outer jacket to define a space (19) for flow of cooling fluid therethrough, the inner surface of the outer rotating jacket (5) is formed with spirally extending surface deformations (16), such as grooves or ridges or ribs or vanes, to transport water being centrifugally pressed against the inner walls of the rotating jacket (5) in axial direction. The axial end of the chamber (19) preferably is formed by an enlarged radially extending chamber (21) in which guide vanes (22) are located to return water flow to a hollow central shaft (9) for removal of cooling fluid axially therethrough.

Abstract: Ink is picked up by an ink roller which has a surface characterized as consisting of a foamed plastic with pores open at the outer circumference but not interconnected. The ink roller dips into ink within an ink trough. The ink being applied to the ink roller is controlled by stripping elements formed as rollers which are pressed with controllable force against the surface of the ink pick-up roller; the force can be controlled, for example, by pneumatic or hydraulic fluid means, such as pressure piston-cylinder arrangements, blow-up pillows, or fluid pressure being applied against the roller mechanism directly; or by mechanical means, such as by a spring suspension in which the attachment points of the springs are selectively positionable. Preferably, the stripping rollers are about 1/15 or less of the diameter of the ink pick-up roller, and driven at a circumferential speed which is slow with respect to that of the ink pick-up roller.