Abstract: To attach a printng plate (2) to a plate cylinder (1) having a groove therein, the groove has converging inner walls (10, 11) and a two-part attachment clamping wedge (5, 6) is provided, the clamping wedge being spring loaded to clamp an end portion (A) of the plate (2) between one part (6) of the wedge and an adjacent side wall (10), the other end portion (E) of the plate (2) being clamped between the two parts (5, 6). The parts have, in cross section, approximate trapezoidal shape. The two-part clamping element permits release of the plate by pressure (P) from the outer face of the cylinder (1) counter the force of a spring (8) which presses the clamping wedge parts (5, 6) towards the outside via a support plate (4). Preferably, the arrangement is symmetrical about a centerline (M) so that slight canting or tilting of the clamping wedges is possible for easy release of the plate (2) after installation.

Abstract: To provide for change of direction of rotation of the impression cylinders in a 10-cylinder printing system, and selective operation of blanket-impression cylinder or blanket-blanket printing, at least some of the gears driving the cylinders are axially shiftable, and rotation-reversal gears can be selectively switched in position with respect to drive power to drive, directly, from a main shaft (11), the one impression cylinder (2) with further drive (22) of the second impression cylinder (1), directly or via a second rotation-reversal gear (19); or, for blanket-to-blanket operation, disengagement of the rubber blankets from the impression cylinders by shifting-away of the centers of rotation thereof, and drive from the main drive shaft of the respective rubber cylinders through plate cylinders (9, 10) closest to the main drive train, and subsequent drive of rubber cylinders (5, 6; 3, 4) and the associated plate cylinders (7, 8) through the rubber cylinder--rubber cylinder plate cylinder system.

Abstract: To permit clamping of a flexible printing plate (2) around a circumference of a printing cylinder (1) in either direction, a clamping groove (3) is formed with two inclined side walls (4, 5) which converge towards the open side of the groove, and are positioned in mirror-image relation with respect to a central plane (10) passing through the midpoint of the groove. A leaf spring element (11, 12; 11', 11"; 12') having two clamping portions (13, 14), shaped and positioned to fit against opposite walls (4, 5) of the groove, clamps the end portions (8, 9) of the plate against one of the side walls, the clamping portions being pressed into position by a clamping wedge body (16) having matching outwardly shaped surfaces and fitting against the clamping portions of the spring, the clamping wedge body being pressed outwardly to wedge the clamping wedge body (16) by a compression spring (15) bearing against the bottom (6) of the groove.