Abstract: To permit independent adjustability of the working zones of a doctor blade, without interference of adjustment of one zone (10/1) with respect to adjacent zones (10/2, 10/3), the doctor blade (3) is subdivided by grooves (9) located at the upper surface thereof and positioned in pairs, which extend from the working edge (8) towards the clamping zone (4) of the doctor blade and converging towards each other in V-shaped formation to include an acute angle therebetween and define a transition zone (15) therebetween, the region (14) of the doctor blade beneath the grooves forming fulcrum points permitting hinge-like deflection of adjacent portions or zones of the doctor blade with respect to each other, without mutual interference of adjustment. The deformability of the doctor blade results in exactly defined transfer of ink in each inking zone (11/1, 11/2, 11/3) from the duct roller (2) to the inking transfer rollers of the printing system, without mutual influencing of adjacent inking zones.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a doctor blade device adapted for use in an automatic processor for printing plates, comprising at least one doctor blade made of a flexible material and being detachably mounted in a guide bar, and holding means for attaching the doctor blade to two side plates of the printing plate processor, the improvement comprising means connecting the guide bar with a carrier bar each end of which is adapted to be inserted from above into a channel section having an upwardly pointing opening and having two arms spaced by a web; means securing each channel section by its web to a side plate in such a manner that its two arms extend transversely to the transport direction of a printing plate in the direction of the interior of the printing plate processor; and support means at both ends of the upper surface of the carrier bar whereby the carrier bar together with the connected guide bar and the doctor blade rest upon said channel sections.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for removing particles of foreign matter adhering to the surface of a printing plate mounted on a rotating plate cylinder. The apparatus comprises a pair of parallel, spaced flexible blades which contact the surface of the printing plate. One blade spreads and thins the layer of ink on the surface to expose the adhering particles, and the other blade disturbs and dislodges them from the surface. A method for removing particles in this manner is also provided.

Abstract: This printing press includes improved mechanism for removing excess ink from the printing plate. The press includes a main frame which supports a plate cylinder, a pressure cylinder vertically above the plate cylinder and a scraper blade which engages one side of the plate cylinder and removes most of the excess ink therefrom. A first auxiliary carriage at said one side of the main frame supports an ink supply mechanism and receptacles for receiving surplus ink removed by the scraper blade. A second auxiliary carriage, at the opposite side of the main frame, supports two wiping webs, their supply and take-up reels, and the driving and control mechanism for the webs and their reels. The wiping webs remove any residue of excess ink on the plate. Each auxiliary carriage is lockable in an operating position abutting the main frame, and is movable to a retracted position spaced from the main frame without disturbing the setting of any adjustable element.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a wiping cylinder of a direct plate printing machine, comprising a container for receiving the cleaner liquid, a first scraper in contact with the periphery of the wiping cylinder followed by brushes and further scrapers, at least two rows of nozzles parallel with the axis of the wiping cylinder for ejecting the cleaning liquid such that in the direction of rotation of the cylinder, the area of the wiping cylinder located in front of said scrapers and brushes being wetted by a continuous film of liquid, the level of liquid in the container being kept such that the wiping roller is never immersed in said liquid.

Abstract: A squeegee arrangement has a holder which supports a squeegee member having a squeegee blade. A supporting block on the holder engages and supports the squeegee member. A spring element engages the squeegee blade at or in the vicinity of the longitudinally extending free edge thereof.

Abstract: The framework supporting the ink metering roll for the print cylinder of a printing press also supports an ink applicator doctor blade which terminates inwardly of the opposite ends of the metering roll, the end portions of the doctor blade extending angularly upward from the intermediate portion to form with the metering roll an ink reservoir to one end of which ink is supplied from a main source of supply and from the opposite end of which excess ink is returned to the source. Resilient pressure is applied to the doctor blade to maintain it in sealing engagement with the metering roll.

Abstract: In a pellet marking apparatus of the type comprising, a frame, printing means comprising a design roller and a resilient printing roller mounted on the frame, an ink reservoir mounted on the frame, hopper means into which a multiplicity of pellets or the like are to be loaded, and a conveyor for transporting the pellets from the hopper and presenting them to the printing means for marking the pellets with the desired indicia, the improvement comprising hinge means for moving the printing means between an operative position in which the design roller is immersed in the ink reservoir and the printing roller is in position to contact pellets on the conveyor, and a dwell position in which the design roll is not in contact with the reservoir and the printing roller is spaced from the conveyor in a position so as not to contact pellets thereon.

Abstract: An automatic washing apparatus for an inking arrangement is provided. The apparatus comprises a washing vessel which contains a brush device, a washing pipe and a doctor blade. The washing vessel is openable and the doctor blade is moved toward and away from a roller of the inking arrangement. Ink and foreign matter adhered to the roller are removed by the doctor blade. The doctor blade is reciprocated either linearly or circularly so that same is scraped by the brush device, whereby the ink and foreign matter adhered to the doctor blade are washed out.

Abstract: A doctor blade for wiping excess ink from a printing surface of a printing form is disclosed herein, along with a method for making such a doctor blade, and printing equipment and methods using such doctor blade. The disclosed doctor blade comprises a doctor blade body having a constant blade thickness between parallel blade surfaces, and a marginal blade tip portion adjacent the doctor blade body having a shaped blade bevel essentially identical to the run-in blade bevel of a wedge-shaped conventional blade at optimum tonal quality size. Throughout a useful depth of its blade tip portion, the disclosed doctor blade has a constant blade tip thickness equal to the height of the shaped blade bevel measured essentially perpendicularly to the mentioned useful depth, which is equal to several times the shaped blade bevel height.

Abstract: In an inking device of a printing machine including an inking roller, there are provided a plurality of cam levers disposed side by side and in direct contact with each other along the longitudinal direction of the surface of the inking roller and supported pivotably by a stationary member of the inking device. The cam levers are driven by adjusting means so as to adjust the gap between the surface of the inking roller and the surface of the cam levers.

Abstract: A baffle for use in rotary newspaper printing press ink reservoirs. In such ink reservoirs the inking cylinder, while rotating at high speed contacts ink within the reservoir. Conventionally, the high speed rotation of the inking cylinder creates vibrations and turbulence in the ink, such that air is forced between the rotating surface of the inking cylinder and the printing ink, causing bubbles and non-uniform inking of the ink cylinder. The present system includes a series of baffles positioned within the ink reservoir so as to inhibit turbulence and enhance the flow of ink onto the surface of the rotating cylinder.

Abstract: Doctor blade apparatus having a mounting plate rigidly holding the blade. The doctor blade mounting plate is independently slidably and pivotably mounted by a ball-bearing on each of a plurality of spaced support ports and resiliently supported thereon by compression springs. The apparatus allows movement of the mounting plate and the blade carried thereby in several degrees of freedom with adjustment means providing independent adjustment at each of the supporting posts.

Abstract: An improved fountain blade for use in printing presses is disclosed herein. The fountain blade is supported adjacent a fountain roller, such that an edge of the blade is in a substantially tangent relation to the roller. A plurality of fountain keys is supported below the fountain blade and are used to adjust the position of the edge of the blade with respect to the roller. A plate is secured to the top surface of the fountain blade in order to prevent the torquing or deflection of the fountain blade. A distance measuring instrument is slideably supported upon the fountain roller. The instrument measures the relative gap or spacing between the fountain blade and the fountain roller at any location along the fountain blade.

Abstract: Inking unit for a printing machine includes an ink duct, a ductor roller having a surface engageable with ink received in the ink duct, an ink transfer roller for transferring ink from the ductor roller to other rollers, a ductor knife engageable along the length thereof with the surface of the ductor roller and adjustable in position relative to the surface of the ductor roller in zones extending along the length of the ductor knife for controlling the amount of ink to be transferred, and means for adjusting the zones of the ductor knife pulse-like into engagement with and disengagement from the surface of the ductor roller with strokes of equal length and with a stepwise variable stroke time.

Abstract: A device for applying ink to a printing surface is described. The device includes two resilient ink flow control blades. The blades are deflected by contact with said surface to allow ink to flow onto the latter. The blades close to cut off the flow of ink as the device is lifted off the surface.

Abstract: A water fountain control wiper unit of resilient material having a tubular portion on one edge that is slit for fitting over the edge of the fountain tray. The wiper has sufficient width so that a relatively flat surface tangentially adjacent the water fountain roller is biased against the water fountain roller to remove water upon rotation of the water fountain roller. The wiper unit has a length substantially shorter than the length of the water fountain roller so that one or more of the wiper units can be positioned along the length of the fountain roller to provide selective water removal, and the connector on the wiper blade unit allows the wiper blade to be quickly and easily mounted on or removed from the connected position on the edge of the water fountain tray.

Abstract: An improved flexographic printer having a separate ink trough and doctor blade assembly, the ink trough providing an ink film to an ink roll and the doctor blade assembly metering the ink on the cylindrical surface of the ink roll. The improved flexographic printer includes a frame, an ink roll rotatably mounted on said frame, and an ink trough supported by said frame adjacent a cylindrical surface of the ink roll. A pair of pivotably mounted members are supported by said frame, each member having a first arm, the pair of first arms supporting a reverse angle doctor blade assembly. The reverse angle doctor blade assembly is adapted to be advanced by said pivotably mounted members into an operative position adjacent the cylindrical surface of the ink roll at a location on the cylindrical surface intermediate a location of the ink trough and a further location where the ink roll is adapted to engage a printing roll, in a direction of rotation of the ink roll.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for applying fluid to an intaglio roll for subsequent transfer to a soft, absorbent fibrous web passing in contact with the intaglio roll. The fluid is flowed upwardly through a small unpressurized reservoir extending across the width of the intaglio roll, which forms a confining member of the reservoir, and overflows a second confining member of the reservoir spaced from the intaglio roll. The fluid is flowed into the reservoir with uniform flow velocity profile across the width of the reservoir, created preferably by flowing the fluid against an impingement member prior to entering the reservoir. The intaglio roll is rotated upwardly through the reservoir to establish a first layer of fluid adhering to the roll above the reservoir, and the intaglio roll is rotated past a unique pre-wipe member positioned adjacent the intaglio roll above the reservoir.

Abstract: A device for removing the solvent wash liquid that is applied to a lithographic blanket for the purpose of removing the residual ink image constructed of a pair of flat plates, separated from one another by a narrow height in the range of 0.005 inches to 0.06 inches, and which provides a capillary channel between the two plates for collecting liquid. The front edge of the lower plate is formed into a wiping edge which makes contact with the full width of the blanket and acts as a wiper blade for accumulating liquid at the entryway of the channel. Any liquid presented to the capillary channel immediately fills the channel and excess liquid flows out the back end of the channel by force of gravity into a collecting vessel. Optionally, a negative pressure pulse of short duration may be applied to the channel in order to assist in the rapid removal of any accumulated liquid within.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus for stripping printing ink from a rotating printing roll in rotogravure presses with the help of a doctor knife which is removably attached to a holder adapted to hold the stripping edge of the knife in engagement with the printing roll with a predetermined engagement pressure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the relative position between a doctor blade and a printing cylinder in a rotogravure printing process in which the thickness of the layer of residual ink which is allowed to pass by the doctor blade is used as a control valve. The thickness of the residual ink is determined by determining the amount of the attenuation caused by the residual ink to a beam of light. In one embodiment a laser beam is impinged upon the residual ink on the printing cylinder and the portion of the laser beam which is reflected, absorbed, and scattered by the residual ink and the printing cylinder is detected. The thus detected light can be compared to a reference value for determining the attenuation due to the residual ink layer and hence determining the thickness of the ink layer. The thickness of the ink layer can in turn be used as a control value for adjusting the position of the doctor blade with respect to the printing cylinder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing surplus ink from the surface of rotogravure printing cylinders by providing a doctor blade apparatus having an edge adjacent to but spaced from the surface of a rotating printing cylinder. The printing cylinder carries surplus ink and the doctor blade apparatus is disposed at some angle .alpha. with respect to a tangent to the printing cylinder and functions to remove all but a residual portion of the ink on the printing cylinder. To achieve this, the doctor blade is oscillated at a frequency sufficient to create a hydrodynamic barrier in the ink layer. This hydrodynamic barrier or turbulence in the ink layer at the doctor blade apparatus serves as a barrier for blocking passage of all but a predetermined desired residual portion of the ink layer past the oscillating edge of the doctor blade apparatus. The doctor blade apparatus can take many forms and can be oscillated in any desired manner.

Abstract: A squeegee assembly for use on a screen printing machine which includes a squeegee holder and associated squeegee blade having a liquid filled tubular member for exerting a liquid or hydraulic pressure on the squeegee blade in a manner whereby the pressure exerted by the squeegee blade is equalized along the entire length thereof and to provide the squeegee blade with the flexibility necessary to conform to a printing surface. The assembly may also include a piston and cylinder assembly to vary the liquid pressure exerted on the squeegee blade and/or a contour bar through which the liquid pressure is transmitted to the squeegee blade.