Abstract: A process for the continuous and automatic presetting of the fountain keys (48) a printing press (10) based on objective data obtained from scanning an image to be printed by means of a light table (70) identifies that family of printing jobs wherein an objective relationship has been established between the objectively obtained ink coverage data obtained from the light table and the key settings actually established for each of those jobs by a pressman. A minimum of four jobs are selected for adaptation, and in the preferred embodiment, as many as ten jobs are included within the group selected for adaptation. If four or more jobs in a row are rejected as being outside the selected family of jobs, then a separate adaptation procedure is used to determine whether these jobs establish an objective relationship, and if so, then they will be used to derive the information necessary for presetting the press.

Abstract: A printing press includes an improved method and apparatus for moving printing cylinders between thrown off positions in which bearers connected with the cylinders are separated and thrown on or printing positions. The printing cylinders are urged to their thrown off positions by springs which, in one embodiment of the invention, apply a biasing force to pivotally mounted support arms for the cylinders. In another embodiment of the invention, the cylinders are mounted on cantilevered leaf springs which urge the cylinders toward their thrown off positions. A motor is provided to apply a force directly to one of the printing cylinders to move it from its thrown off position to its printing position. The other printing cylinders are moved from their thrown off positions to their printing positions under the influence of forces transmitted between bearers connected with the printing cylinders.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for indicating and correcting misregister of plural overlapping images produced by a multicolor press. A register indicia (FIG. 3) is used comprising two overlapping sets of parallel lines (R and C), each set being formed in a known position relative to a corresponding one of the images whereby the positional relationship between the sets of lines varies with the positional relationship of the images. The extent of overlap of the sets of lines is dependent upon displacement of the sets of lines in a direction transverse to the lines, whereby the percentage of nonprint area in the register indicia is dependent upon register of the overlapping images in that transverse direction. The percentage of nonprint area is detected by illuminating the register indicia area and measuring the extent to which the area reflects the light. The resulting signal is used to control the register adjustment mechanisms of the multicolor press.