Abstract: An assembly of a first and a second printing or converting apparatus is each at least provided with a number of printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in a main direction, through which in use a substrate web can be guided. The first and the second printing or converting apparatuses are respectively provided with a first and a second rail assembly each extending in a main direction next to or above the associated printing or converting modules and over which at least one processing station is movable. The assembly further includes a transfer assembly which is provided with rail assemblies which are configured to move the at least one processing station from the first rail assembly to the second rail assembly and vice versa and to buffer processing stations.

Abstract: A multicolor offset printing press includes a first blanket cylinder, at least four plate cylinders, a collecting plate cylinder, a collecting blanket cylinder, at least two partial plate cylinders, and a plurality of ink devices. The first blanket cylinder performs printing on a transported target printing product. The four plate cylinders are in contact with the first blanket cylinder. The collecting plate cylinder is in contact with the first blanket cylinder on the downstream side in the rotational direction of the first blanket cylinder with respect to a last plate cylinder positioned on the most downstream side in the rotational direction of the first blanket cylinder among the four plate cylinders, and on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the first blanket cylinder with respect to a printing portion at which the first blanket cylinder performs printing on the target printing product.

Abstract: A printing module for use in an offset printing apparatus, wherein the printing module is provided with an offset plate cylinder provided with an image to be transferred onto a substrate, wherein the printing module is further provided with an ink system for applying ink onto the offset plate cylinder, at least onto the image provided thereon, and with an impression cylinder, wherein the impression cylinder is arranged, at least in use, to hold the substrate passing between the cylinders against the offset plate cylinder to transfer the image from the offset plate cylinder directly onto the substrate. The invention further relates to an offset printing apparatus provided with such a printing module.

Abstract: A method of printing with a rotary printing press having a plurality of printing cylinders that are adapted to be adjusted on and off from a running web, with a length of a printed image being larger than a peripheral length of the largest one of the printing cylinders, the method including the steps of subdividing the printed image into elements, printing these elements with different printing cylinders, and periodically shifting at least one of the printing cylinders off from the web, each time for at least a duration of one turn of the printing cylinder.

Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing press (1) for alternatively printing, in a perfecting mode, a single web (10) or, in a non-perfecting mode, first and second webs (6, 8), comprises a first impression cylinder (16) having a plurality of first blanket cylinders (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) and a corresponding plurality of second plate cylinders (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) arranged along a periphery of the first impression cylinder (16). A second impression cylinder (18) located adjacent to the first impression cylinder (16) has a plurality of second blanket cylinders (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d) and a corresponding plurality of second plate cylinders (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d) arranged along a periphery thereof. In the perfecting mode, the single web (10) is passed over first impression cylinder (16) to be printed on a first side (10a) thereof and is afterwards passed through a gap (20) between the first and second impression cylinders (16, 18) to the second impression cylinder (18) to be printed on a second side (10b) thereof.

Abstract: A novel, inexpensive and compact printing press is provided, having a central plate cylinder (1) including at least two printing plates (5) mounted on the peripheral side, around which are arranged in a satellite configuration at least two blanket cylinders (3) having assigned inking units (7), including a transport device (13), which loops around the blanket cylinder (3) on the outside, in the manner of a closed, continuous belt, having printing sheets, which are pressed for the printing operation by compensating rollers (15) against blanket cylinders (3), and having a control unit (11), which engages the particular inking unit (7) and the blanket cylinder (3) on the corresponding printing plate (5) and lifts it off of the other printing plate(s) (5).

Abstract: A printing unit is provided for a web-fed rotary printing machine, having a plurality of cylinders with associated drive motor, an additional device for printing an at least two guide elements. At least one cylinder is a plate cylinder. At least one guide element corresponds to the plate cylinder and is operably arranged in the printing unit for determining a setting path of the corresponding plate cylinder relative to the other cylinders. This guide element extends as far as the additional device for printing.

Abstract: In a rotary rotogravure printing press for accomplishing the multicolor printing of first and second sides of a material to be printed, first side printing units and second side printing units are arranged in an alternating form. Dryers are located between the alternating first and second material side printing units, which may be configured as tower printing units.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multicolor printing of paper webs. The method provides a means for printing creped paper webs while maintaining precise control of color register in spite of any stretching of the web during the printing process. Apparatus is disclosed which comprises a plurality of rotary printing plates, each inked with an ink of an independent color, and a single blanket cylinder for transferring the colored inks in proper register from the plates to the blanket and from the blanket to the web. The blanket cylinder or the impression cylinder or both may be segmented which permits printing selected portions of the web without ironing out embossments in other areas of the web by the printing rolls.

Abstract: To permit versatile operation of a multi-station printing machine installation or system having a first printing machine subsystem for printing on a first substrate web which includes a plurality of printing stations (2-5) and accessory apparatus, such as dryers, coolers, folders and the like, and a second printing machine subsystem (11) likewise having a plurality of printing stations (12-15), dryers, coolers and folders, and wherein the first subsystem, additionally, includes auxiliary apparatus such as a lacquering unit (6), an adhesive application unit (21), and further paper handling units (22, 23, 24) which may be useful for certain printing jobs carried out by the further printing machine subsystem (11) but are not always used for printing jobs in the first subsystem (1), substrate web guide means (47-50, 53, 54) are provided in each one of the subsystems to guide the web from, for example, the further subsystem (11) to the auxiliary apparatus (6; 21-24) of the first subsystem and then, if desired, bac

Abstract: A printing machine for printing a continuous slip includes an angularly-movable lifter shaft disposed below a path of feed of the printing sheet, and a lifter fixedly mounted on the lifter shaft for angular movement therewith toward and away from the underside of the printing sheet. An urging device normally urges the lifter away from the printing sheet. A first tension applying device is operatively connected to the lifter shaft and is operable to angularly move the lifter shaft together with the lifter against the bias of the urging device so as to bring the lifter into engagement with the underside of the printing sheet to apply tension to the printing sheet when impression and blanket cylinders are spaced from each other, thereby preventing a slack developing on the printing sheet.

Abstract: According to the machine and method, one of the paper sides is printed with a collect print image with juxtaposed colors by means of a typographic plate cylinder inked by a collecting cylinder inked in turn by selective color inking cylinders of which the number corresponds to the number of colors, and on the other side an image with superposed colors and designs by means of offset plate cylinders contacting an offset blanket cylinder and of which the number corresponds to the number of colors and designs of the image. For this purpose the machine comprises another blanket cylinder contacting the typographic plate cylinder and pressed against the offset blanket cylinder, the paper passes between this cylinder and the other blanket cylinder. The multicolor collect print side may be completed by at least one monochrome wet offset print. In additional embodiments, the geometrical arrangement of the blanket cylinders is changed to enable additional printing units to contact the other blanket cylinder.

Abstract: The printing machine has two interacting blanket cylinders (1,2) which are each inked by several offset plate cylinders (5,12) and between which the paper (P) to be printed on both sides runs through. One of the blanket cylinders (2) is also in contact with a plate cylinder (8) carrying a collect printing plate which is inked in a multicolor manner by a further blanket cylinder (9). This blanket cylinder (9) receives the inks from several appropriately inked selective color inking cylinders (10). Also arranged between the two blanket cylinders (2,9), which are in contact with the plate cylinder (8) carrying the collect printing plate, is an adjustable and convertible plate cylinder (16) which, in a first working position, carries an offset plate and rests against the blanket cylinder (2) inked by the offset plate cylinders (12), whilst in a second working position it carries a selective color inking plate and rests against the blanket cylinder (9) inked by the selective color inking cylinders (10).

Abstract: A method for recording a variant information and a steady information onto a recording medium, wherein the variant information and an identification information for designating the steady information which is to be recorded later are first recorded, and the identification information is then read to select a desired steady information from a plurality of pieces of stored steady information in accordance with the read identification information, and finally, the selected steady information is recorded on the recording medium. An apparatus for effecting the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Web letterpress equipment is converted to offset lithographic equipment by modification of a driven letterpress impression cylinder to receive an offset blanket, thereby producing an offset blanket cylinder. A letterpress plate cylinder is modified to become an offset plate cylinder with accompanying offset inking and dampening equipment. In one embodiment a drive letterpress plate cylinder of a color hump is packed to become an offset impression cylinder cooperating with the offset blanket cylinder. In a second embodiment the letterpress plate cylinder of the color hump is modified to an offset color plate cylinder and a driven offset impression cylinder is added to cooperate with the offset blanket cylinder. In this manner at least two colors may be offset printed on one side of a web.

Abstract: A new machine for printing different colors simultaneously by the offset method, includes a single sectored cylinder which acts upon a single rubber printing cylinder and which bears several sectors mounted upon its surface. The sectors are fixed to it by conventional centering and adjusting means, the machine being at the same time provided with individual fountains and rollers for ink and water, one for each of the sectors. Each of the sectors is a receiver of a single color. The fountains and rollers of ink and water are provided with retractable means, in such a manner that each of the fountain and roller arrangements dedicated to a given color operates at a determined time on one and only one sector, the sector involved corresponding to the given color.