Abstract: A printing press is provided including a plate cylinder having an outer perimeter of a first length. A removable flexible continuous tubular plate having an inner perimeter of a second length is disposed about the plate cylinder. The second length is greater than the first length so that the inner perimeter of the removable flexible continuous tubular plate and the outer perimeter of the plate cylinder define a first gap during a printing mode. A method for varying cutoff in a printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A variable cutoff printing press is provided that includes a plate cylinder, a first blanket cylinder including a first circumferential section movable with respect to a second circumferential section, and a second blanket cylinder including a third circumferential section movable with respect to a fourth circumferential section. The first, second, third and fourth circumferential sections contact the plate cylinder during a printing mode and print continuous images having a cutoff length on a web. A method of printing is also provided.

Abstract: A method for controlling the print-to-cut register in a web printing press having at least one print unit printing a web, each print unit having at least one drive driving the print unit independently of the other print units. The method includes presetting a web compensator position so as to set a print-to-cut registration between a print unit and a cross-cutter and controlling the print-to-cut register during printing by controlling the drives of the print units and/or a drive of the cross-cutter. A method for controlling circumferential register, as well as a printing press are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for controlling the print-to-cut register in a web printing press having at least one print unit printing a web, each print unit having at least one drive driving the print unit independently of the other print units. The method includes presetting a web compensator position so as to set a print-to-cut registration between a print unit and a cross-cutter and controlling the print-to-cut register during printing by controlling the drives of the print units and/or a drive of the cross-cutter. A method for controlling circumferential register, as well as a printing press are also disclosed.

Abstract: A broadsheet newspaper printing press has at least one print unit printing at least one web of material and a folder. The folder has a cross-cutter to cut the web of material into broadsheet newspapers, a tucker cylinder having a gripper gripping the broadsheet newspapers at a lead edge and a tucking blade for forming a cross-fold in the broadsheet newspapers, and a jaw cylinder or fold rollers to receive the cross-folded broadsheet newspapers from the tucker cylinder at the cross-fold, the gripper being located with respect to the tucking blade so that the cross-fold is located at between 33% and 45% or 55% and 67% of the height of the newspaper.

Abstract: A method for controlling a print-to-cut register in a shaftless web printing press having a first print unit having a first plate cylinder and first blanket cylinder for printing a web, at least one independent drive for the first print unit, and a folder having a cross cutter for cutting the web. The method includes printing the web using the first plate cylinder and first blanket cylinder so as to form at least one printed section of the web; sensing the print-to-cut register of the at least one printed section; and controlling the print-to-cut register of the first plate cylinder during printing via the first drive as a function of the sensing. The controlling includes pulling the first plate cylinder off impression and phasing the first plate cylinder with respect to the cross cutter using the independent drive. A method for controlling circumferential register and a printing press is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for presetting motor phase in a web printing press includes providing a mark on a printing form, the mark being a function of a desired preset phase for a motor driving the printing form during printing. The mark is read using a sensor, the sensor having a sensor output. The phase of the motor is preset as a function of the sensor output. A printing form and web printing press are also provided.

Abstract: A lithographic newspaper printing press including printing units which are mounted on top of each other, forming a tower arrangement. Each printing unit including a first and a second plate cylinder having a length being substantially four times the width of a newspaper page and having a circumference being substantially equal to the height of a newspaper page. Each printing unit further includes first and a second blanket cylinder associated with said first and second plate cylinders, whereby each of said first and second blanket cylinders has substantially the same diameter as the associated plate cylinder. Each of the blanket cylinders carries a respective continuous sleeve-shaped printing blanket which is axially removable from the respective plate cylinder through an aperture formed in the side wall of the housing of the printing unit, while the respective blanket cylinder is cantilevered in the opposite side wall of the housing.

Abstract: A multiple-image-carrying cylinder has a cylinder section having at least part of a first image to be printed, a shell axially movable with respect to the cylinder section, the shell having at least part of a second image to be printed, and a ring located between the shell and the cylinder section and axially movable with respect to the shell and the cylinder section, the ring capable of having another part of the first image when connected to the cylinder section and capable of having another part of the second image when connected to the shell.

Abstract: A printing cylinder for a web printing press includes an extensible cylindrical sleeve configured for carrying an image to be printed. An extension device is provided for applying a force to the sleeve so as to stretch at least a portion of the sleeve and axially move the image. A method of web fanout compensation is provided.

Abstract: A method and device for combining folios between a first and a second web in a rotary printing press. A first folio is cut from a third web in the rotary press, the first folio is stored on a storage device and then transferred from the storage device to a position between the first and second webs. Also, a web product moveable in a rotary printing press that includes a first web, a second web, a first folio, and a second folio. The first and second folios are stacked relative to one another and sandwiched between the first and second continuous webs.

Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing press (1) for alternatively printing, in a perfecting mode, a single web (10) or, in a non-perfecting mode, first and second webs (6, 8), comprises a first impression cylinder (16) having a plurality of first blanket cylinders (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) and a corresponding plurality of second plate cylinders (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) arranged along a periphery of the first impression cylinder (16). A second impression cylinder (18) located adjacent to the first impression cylinder (16) has a plurality of second blanket cylinders (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d) and a corresponding plurality of second plate cylinders (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d) arranged along a periphery thereof. In the perfecting mode, the single web (10) is passed over first impression cylinder (16) to be printed on a first side (10a) thereof and is afterwards passed through a gap (20) between the first and second impression cylinders (16, 18) to the second impression cylinder (18) to be printed on a second side (10b) thereof.

Abstract: A printing press comprises a cylinder having an outer surface and a plurality of air holes for providing air to the outer surface. A sound-damping material is located on a section of the outer surface and an axially-removable printing sleeve fits over the outer surface. Also disclosed is a method for reducing noise from a printing press comprising the steps of providing air through air holes in a cylinder having a free end to aid in placement or removal of an axially-removable printing sleeve, and providing a sound-damping surface to an outer surface of the cylinder at the free end.

Abstract: A printing cylinder for a web printing press includes an extensible cylindrical sleeve configured for carrying an image to be printed. An extension device is provided for applying a force to the sleeve so as to stretch at least a portion of the sleeve and axially move the image. A method of web fanout compensation is provided.

Abstract: A method and device for combining folios between a first and a second web in a rotary printing press. A first folio is cut from a third web in the rotary press, the first folio is stored on a storage device and then transferred from the storage device to a position between the first and second webs. Also, a web product moveable in a rotary printing press that includes a first web, a second web, a first folio, and a second folio. The first and second folios are stacked relative to one another and sandwiched between the first and second continuous webs.

Abstract: A printing cylinder has a first rotatable section having a central image area on the surface, and a first and second end. A first shell is disposed circumferentially about the first end, and a second shell is disposed circumferentially about the second end, the first and second shells having image areas on the surface and movable axially with respect to the central image area. Also provided is a printing press comprising a first sensor for detecting register marks, a second sensor for detecting fanout, and a rotatable cylinder with a first section axially adjustable with respect to a second section. A method for correcting fanout in a web printing press includes sensing register marks to provide overall circumferential and/or lateral register adjustments of a printing cylinder, sensing a section of the web other than the register marks to provide fanout information, and changing a lateral position of a first part of the printing cylinder with respect to a second part of the printing cylinder.

Abstract: A multi-color printing press comprising a first print form cylinder; second print form cylinder; at least one first inking unit for inking the first and second print form cylinders; third print form cylinder; fourth print from cylinder; at least one second inking unit for inking the third and fourth print form cylinders with an ink color different from the at least one first hiking unit; a common blanket cylinder, the first and third print form cylinders contacting the common blanket cylinder during a first mode of operation and the second and fourth print form cylinders contacting the common blanket cylinder during a second mode of operation.

Abstract: A quarterfold folding device and method forms groupings of signatures in a signature product stream by delaying selected signatures during transport to a chopper mechanism, the chopper mechanism adapted to fold multiple signatures in a single chop, thereby increasing throughput of the quarterfold folding device and reducing the rate of operation of the chopper mechanism.

Abstract: A multiple-image-carrying cylinder has a cylinder section having at least part of a first image to be printed, a shell axially movable with respect to the cylinder section, the shell having at least part of a second image to be printed, and a ring located between the shell and the cylinder section and axially movable with respect to the shell and the cylinder section, the ring capable of having another part of the first image when connected to the cylinder section and capable of having another part of the second image when connected to the shell.

Abstract: A multi-color printing press comprising a first print form cylinder; second print form cylinder; at least one first inking unit for inking the first and second print form cylinders; third print form cylinder; fourth print from cylinder; at least one second inking unit for inking the third and fourth print form cylinders with an ink color different from the at least one first hiking unit; a common blanket cylinder, the first and third print form cylinders contacting the common blanket cylinder during a first mode of operation and the second and fourth print form cylinders contacting the common blanket cylinder during a second mode of operation.