Abstract: A roller for distributing a coating material such as ink in a press is mounted on a shaft for sliding axially on and rotating on the shaft. First and second internally threaded sleeves are fixed internally of the roller coaxially with each other and concentric to the shaft. One of the threads has a left hand twist and the other has a right hand twist. Two follower plungers, one having left hand thread segments and the other having right hand thread segments are meshed alternately with the left and right hand twist square threads. A link spans between double armed levers which connect to the follower plungers, respectively. When one plunger is automatically forced out of engagement with its cooperating thread in the one sleeve, a force is transmitted through the link to the other lever which causes the other follower plunger and its thread segments to mesh with the internal threads on the other sleeve so the roller changes the direction of its axial movement.

Abstract: An axially oscillating ink or other coating material distributing rotationally driven roller has axially spaced apart internal left and right hand threads journaled for rotating and sliding axially on a shaft. A unitary rocker-follower lever is mounted for rocking relative to the shaft about the axis of a pin or a spherical element mounted to the shaft. Opposite ends of the lever has segments of external threads formed integrally with it. The external thread segments act as internal thread followers and are caused to engage and disengage the internal threads alternately to drive the roller in opposite axial directions. The lever is made long to minimize the angle through which it rocks in which case there is only a tiny amount of movement between possible wearing surfaces on the rocker and the pin or spherical element on which the lever rocks so wear is reduced to a minimum.

Abstract: A cylindrical ink roller rotates as a result of being in tangential line contact with an adjacent roller that is driven rotationally. The roller is suspended for rotation and axial oscillation on bearing cages including bushing for turning and sliding on the shaft. A plurality of springy curved steel wire ribs have corresponding one ends fastened to the bushing and the ribs extend axially for their corresponding opposite ends to fasten to a ring member which fits inside of the roller. The ribs flex or bend slightly to allow the roller to be forced into perfect parallelism with the adjacent roller. The open ribbed roller suspension cages afford free flow of air axially through the roller for cooling it. One or more fans can be installed in the roller. A mechanism for oscillating the roller axially is confined inside of the roller and so designed that cooling air can flow past it.

Abstract: A cylindrical ink roller sleeve is mounted on a fixed shaft for sliding axially on and rotating on the fixed shaft. Left and right hand twist helical grooves or internal threads are formed in a driver cylinder concentric with the inside of the roller sleeve. A control shaft is mounted on said fixed shaft for sliding axially in opposite directions to right and left limits. Prongs on opposite ends of the control shaft are displaced 90.degree. about its axis so prongs at one end engage a helical groove of one twist while the prongs on the other end are turned out of engagement with the helical groove of opposite twist. Engagement will cause the roller to drive in one axial direction or the other until strikers disengage one and engage the other at the limit of axial travel. Then one or two idle revolutions occur and the roller dwells in its axial movement until the control shaft shifts to a limit stop in which case the roller beings to shift in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An ink agitator element is mounted to a carriage and translated reciprocally lengthwise of a roller in the ink fountain. The carriage is driven by means of a cable connected to the piston of a pneumatic actuating cylinder. A 2-way control valve alternately pressurizes and exhausts opposite sides of the piston. Adjustable stop members set anywhere along the carriage path determine carriage travel distance in both directions by operating the valve to effect carriage reversal. Various ink agitating or stirring elements are disclosed. One such agitator element caused to swing at the end of its travel to thereby sweep ink toward the ends of the fountain roller besides urging ink into the roller nip as the agitator element translates.

Abstract: A cylindrical ink roller sleeve is mounted on a fixed shaft for sliding axially on and rotating on the shaft. First and second helical elements are fixed internally of the sleeve coaxially with each other and concentric to the shaft. The convolutions of the helixes have different pitches and twist in opposite directions. A device having helix followers at opposite ends is supported from the shaft. Rotation of the sleeve while one helix is engaged by a follower drives the sleeve axially in one direction at one speed until a limit is reached whereupon the one follower is disengaged from one helix and the other follower is engaged with the other helix to drive the ink roller sleeve in the opposite direction at a different axial speed.