Abstract: In a printing press having a transfer cylinder for transferring a freshly printed substrate, a method of preparing the printing press for printing. The method comprises placing a first edge of an assembly of flexible jackets over a hook type attachment structure coupled to a first edge of the transfer cylinder and pressing the assembly of flexible jackets into contact with the hook type attachment structure, wherein the pressing is performed by rolling surface contact between the assembly of flexible jackets and an attachment tool comprising a handle and a cylinder coupled to the handle, wherein the outer surface of the cylinder is irregular in texture.

Abstract: A retractable in-line inking/coating apparatus selectively applies either spot or overall ink/coating to a blanket or flexographic plate on a blanket cylinder or spot coating or overall ink/coating to a flexographic printing plate on a plate cylinder in a rotary offset printing press. The inking/coating apparatus is pivotally mounted on the tower of a printing unit or dedicated coating unit, and is extended into and retracted out of inking/coating engagement by a carriage assembly which is pivotally coupled to the printing unit tower. Because of the pivotal support provided by a cantilevered support arm, the inking/coating apparatus can be raised and lowered through a Ferris wheel arc movement between adjacent printing units. The aqueous component of the printing ink or coating is evaporated by a high velocity, hot air interstation dryer and a high performance heat and moisture extractor so that the ink on a freshly printed sheet is dry before the sheet is printed on the next printing unit.

Abstract: A retractable in-line inking/coating apparatus can apply either spot or overall inking/coating material to a plate and/or a blanket on the first printing unit or on any consecutive printing unit of any rotary offset printing press. The inking/coating apparatus is pivotally mounted within the conventional dampener space of any lithographic printing unit. The aqueous component of the flexographic printing ink or aqueous coating material is evaporated and dried by high velocity, hot air dryers and high performance heat and moisture extractors so that the aqueous or flexographic ink or coating material on a freshly printed or coated sheet is dry and can be dry-trapped on the next printing unit.

Abstract: A retractable in-line inking/coating apparatus can apply either spot or overall inking/coating material to a plate and/or a blanket on the first printing unit or on any consecutive printing unit of any rotary offset printing press. The inking/coating apparatus is pivotally mounted within the conventional dampener space of any lithographic printing unit. The aqueous component of the flexographic printing ink or aqueous coating material is evaporated and dried by high velocity, hot air dryers and high performance heat and moisture extractors so that the aqueous or flexographic ink or coating material on a freshly printed or coated sheet is dry and can be dry-trapped on the next printing unit.

Abstract: A retractable in-line inking/coating apparatus can apply either spot or overall inking/coating material to a plate and/or a blanket on the first printing unit or on any consecutive printing unit of any rotary offset printing press. The inking/coating apparatus is pivotally mounted within the conventional dampener space of any lithographic printing unit. The aqueous component of the flexographic printing ink or aqueous coating material is evaporated and dried by high velocity, hot air dryers and high performance heat and moisture extractors so that the aqueous or flexographic ink or coating material on a freshly printed or coated sheet is dry and can be dry-trapped on the next printing unit.

Abstract: An infra-red dryer utilizes high velocity air jets which scrub and break up the moist air layer which clings to the surface of a freshly printed and/or coated sheet. The high velocity air jets are directed through multiple air flow apertures across an array of infra-red lamps onto the freshly printed and/or coated sheets. An extractor exhausts the moisture-laden air from an exposure zone while short wave infra-red radiation heats the ink and/or protective coating. The effective exposure to pressurized air is increased by the air jets which produce a balanced pressure air blanket along the sheet travel path. The moist air layer is displaced from the printed and/or coated sheet and is extracted from the press as the sheet moves through the exposure zone.