Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first cylinder, second cylinder, third cylinder, first driving device, second driving device, third driving device, gap amount input device, and controller. The first cylinder receives a sheet from an upstream transport cylinder and holds the sheet. The second cylinder is disposed to oppose the first cylinder and prints/coats the sheet held by the first cylinder. The third cylinder is disposed to oppose the first cylinder and supplies ink/varnish to a circumferential surface of the first cylinder. The first driving device adjusts a gap amount between the first cylinder and upstream transport cylinder. The second driving device adjusts the position of the second cylinder with respect to the first cylinder. The third driving device adjusts the position of the third cylinder with respect to the first cylinder. The gap amount input device inputs the gap amount between the first cylinder and upstream transport cylinder.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first cylinder, second cylinder, third cylinder, first driving device, second driving device, third driving device, thickness input device, and controller. The first cylinder receives a sheet from an upstream transport cylinder and holds the sheet. The second cylinder is disposed to oppose the first cylinder and prints/coats the sheet held by the first cylinder. The third cylinder is disposed to oppose the first cylinder and supplies ink/varnish to a circumferential surface of the first cylinder. The first driving device adjusts a gap amount between the first cylinder and the upstream transport cylinder. The second driving device adjusts the position of the second cylinder with respect to the first cylinder. The third driving device adjusts the position of the third cylinder with respect to the first cylinder. The thickness input device inputs the thickness of the sheet.

Abstract: An offset print unit includes a plate cylinder having an end, a rotatable plate cylinder support supporting the end and having a first bearing surface, a blanket cylinder having a blanket cylinder end, a rotatable blanket cylinder support supporting the end and having a second bearing surface and an actuating device for rotating the plate cylinder support and the blanket cylinder support, the first and second bearing surfaces contacting during a part of the rotation of the supports. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing press is structured having two end-surface defining side frames. At least one printing unit, with at least two cooperating printing unit cylinders, is supported between these side frames. At least one of the at least two cooperating cylinders is pre-assembled as a cylinder unit that has side frames and face engaging bearing unit. The at least one printing unit can be placed between the side frames as the one-piece cylinder unit comprising the structural cylinder.

Abstract: Printing units are supported between side frames of a web-fed rotary printing press. Each such printing unit includes at least one transfer cylinder and at least one cooperating printing cylinder, which is embodied as a form cylinder. These cylinders are rotatably mounted between the spaced side frames. The printing unit is provided with an inking unit that includes a roller.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member is disengaged from an impression drum. Color layers are applied to the intermediate transfer member. A sheet media is transported between the intermediate transfer member and the impression drum while the intermediate transfer member and the impression drum are disengaged. The intermediate transfer member is engaged with the impression drum. Another sheet media is transported between the intermediate transfer member and the impression drum. The color layers are transferred from the intermediate transfer member onto the sheet media.

Abstract: A printing press performs offset color printing. A blanket cylinder having four image segments selectively contacts a plate cylinder having four image segments and an impression cylinder having five image segments for carrying print media. A pair of eccentric bushings for independently controlling the impression cylinder engages same to blanket cylinder. A print media feed system and a delivery system are located on the same side of the press and cooperate with each other via a means for moving feed and delivery trays in a generally vertical direction. Print media are gripped only once and travel in the same direction until let go by the impression cylinder. An image forming system forms four images on a plate cylinder to be inked by four respective inking units oriented therearound. All four plate image sections can be inked during one rotation of the plate cylinder. Four inking units including a minimal number of rollers for inking the plate image sections.

Abstract: An adjusting device for adjusting a sheet transport cylinder in a sheet-fed rotary printing machine, depending upon various printing-material thicknesses, includes a mounting support for mounting the sheet transport cylinder so that a rotational axis of the sheet transport cylinder is adjustable from a first axial position, which corresponds to a given printing-material thickness, to a second axial position, which corresponds to another printing-material thickness and is axially parallel to the first axial position.

Abstract: At printing time, a blanket cylinder gear is meshed with a plate cylinder gear, whereby a first plate cylinder is rotatable by a drive motor. At image-recording time, the blanket cylinder gear is separated from the plate cylinder gear. In this state, a different motor drives the plate cylinder gear to rotate the first plate cylinder at low speed.

Abstract: A sheet guide apparatus for use in a rotary printing press which is adapted for the smear and mark free transfer of sheets between two sheet holding and transfer systems, such as a pair of sheet-carrying cylinders or a sheet-carrying cylinder and circulating sheet conveyor. The sheet guide apparatus includes a sheet guide having a guide surface disposed beneath the transfer area, and a pneumatic system for blowing a positive pressure air stream in the direction of a transfer area or tangent point between the sheet holding and transfer systems. A further pneumatic system optionally may be provided for drawing or blowing air through apertures in the guide surface.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine includes a first gearwheel, a second gearwheel, and a setting device for selectively adjusting the second gearwheel into a first position, in which the gearwheels are coupled to one another, and into a second position, in which the gearwheels are uncoupled from one another. The printing machine includes a traction mechanism for securing a staggered-teeth rotary-angle position of the second gearwheel relative to the first gearwheel when the second gearwheel is adjusted into the second position, and a first tension element for tensioning a rotatably arranged traction means of the traction mechanism. The first tension element is loaded by a spring. The traction means is assigned a second tension element, and in the second tension element is mounted so to be a selectively adjustable into a first switching position and a second switching position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for more simply and efficiently coupling and decoupling a cylinder in a printing machine. The coupling and decoupling apparatus includes a bearing bushing (11) in a fixed bushing (28). The bearing bushing (11) carries an axial force loaded spindle (10) that is axially displaceable within the bushing (11) between a coupling position in a centering portion (9) of the cylinder and a decoupling position in which a braking system (24, 25) is engaged.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and device for coupling/decoupling a cylinder in a printing machine. The problem of the invention is to provide a method and device that can simplify the coupling process. The problem is solved by placing a bearing bushing 11 in a fixed bearing 28, which presents the spindle sleeve 10, which can be axially displaced in a longitudinal guide 27, and which can be coupled to the end 8 of the cylinder 3.

Abstract: A stencil printing machine and a method carrying out a printing operation are disclosed wherein a print sheet is transferred through between an upstream printing drum and a press roller in a pressured state to transfer ink onto an upper surface of the print sheet and is then transferred through between a downstream printing drum and a press roller in a pressured state to transfer ink onto the other surface of the print sheet to perform a both sides printing operation. A printing-drum drive escape mechanism is located to shift the downstream printing drum to a drive escape position to interrupt rotation of the printing drum while retaining the press roller in a separated position away from the shifted printing drum in such a manner that the printing operation under such a condition in a one side printing mode is executed.

Abstract: In order to provide a rotary printing machine for direct printing, in which the printing-assembly cylinders are guided in a stable manner by means of a cost-effective device, the forme cylinder and the impression cylinder of a printing assembly are mounted, adjustably in terms of their mutual spacing, in side walls. At least one of the two cylinders is mounted on both sides in slides movable on straight guide elements which are arranged in each case on at least one of two opposite panels of an aperture in the side walls.

Abstract: A central impression printing press (20) utilizes a plurality of quick change print stations (100, 200, 300) to increase safety and print quality. The print stations (100, 200, 300) include movable carriages (102, 202, 302) which mount anilox rolls (40) and meter rolls (38). The carriages (102, 202, 302) roll on guide track assemblies (104, 204, 304) and are locked in operative positions by lock mechanisms (106, 206, 306) utilizing lock arms (1100, 316) with progressive engagement surfaces (1106, 318). The carriages (102, 202, 203) have anilox roll mounts (132) and mounting slots (134) which allow the anilox rolls (40) and meter rolls (38), respectively, to be simply lifted off the carriages (102, 202, 203). The anilox rolls (40) are driven by engagement of a shear pin (160) which shears off if foreign matter becomes caught in the rolls. The press (20) also uses an upstream doctor blade (1126) used on the upstream print station (102).

Abstract: A printing unit in a lithographic web fed rotary printing press has a plate cylinder and an associated blanket cylinder mechanically coupled via a gear train. A first drive motor drives both the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder. An impression cylinder is associated with the blanket cylinder, the impression cylinder being in rolling contact with the blanket cylinder and being driven by a second drive motor. The web passes through a nip formed between the impression cylinder and the blanket cylinder for printing. A clutch is provided for interrupting a drive connection between the first drive motor and the blanket cylinder, as is a throw-off mechanism for separating the plate cylinder from the blanket cylinder. With the printing unit, the blanket cylinder can remain in rolling contact with the impression cylinder and be friction-driven by the web after the drive connection has been interrupted.

Abstract: A device for engaging and disengaging or throwing-off printing unit cylinders in a printing entity of a rotary printing press for printing a web of material, the printing entity including a lower and an upper printing unit, and one of the printing unit cylinders having a stationary mounting support in one of the printing units of the rotary printing press, includes a first adjusting unit for adjusting printing unit cylinders of the printing entity which are formed as printing form cylinders, and a second and eccentric adjusting unit for adjusting one of two of the printing unit cylinders of the printing entity which are formed as transfer cylinders, so that the printing unit cylinders of each of the lower and the upper printing units, respectively, are in mutual engagement, while the transfer cylinders of the respective lower and upper printing units are disengaged from one another.

Abstract: A printing machine comprising a plurality of printing units (3) arranged in line one behind the other and an endless transport belt (4) for substrates to be printed, said transport belt running around, at least, two spaced-apart rollers (5, 6) and past said printing units. At least, two rollers (5, 6) are mounted on a coherent belt-carrying unit (9) from which, when being in a slack condition, said transport belt (4) may be stripped off. Furthermore, the printing machine features a drawer (24) which may be pulled out laterally and which is provided below said belt-carrying unit (9) as well as a holding device (11, 12, 13, 15, 16) holding said belt-carrying unit (9) and being switchable between, at least, two different conditions, in a first condition said holding device holding said belt-carrying unit in an operating position, and in a second condition said belt-carrying unit (9) resting loosely on said drawer (24). This permits a simple and quick belt changing.

Abstract: A box blank forming apparatus includes at least one printing assembly, a slotting assembly, and a feeding and conveying mechanism for feeding blanks through the apparatus. The printing assembly includes a rotatable printing cylinder, and the slotting assembly includes a rotatable blade. The feeding and conveying mechanism brings the blanks into contact with the printing cylinder and the slotter blade to complete printing and slotting operations on the blanks in the formation of boxes. An interrupter is provided in association with the printing assembly for removing the blanks from contact with the printing cylinder, and similar structure can also be provided with the slotting assembly for removing the blanks from contact with the slotter blade. A controller is provided for controlling operation of the interrupter of the printing assembly.

Abstract: A printing machine including multiple interactively arranged printing cylinders, at least some of which are directly-driven by induction motors. The induction motors have rotors that are connected to the cylinder mantle of the printing cylinder, and stators directly or indirectly connected to the side walls of a printing unit along substantially rigid axes, so that the respective rotors and stators associated with each printing unit are radially displaced from each other relative to the axes to define a gap between adjacent printing cylinders. The relative radial position of the printing cylinders is determined not by any mechanical mounting but, rather, by way of magnetic lateral forces of the induction motors.

Abstract: In a rotary printing press, there is provided a device for bringing a rubber-covered cylinder into and out of engagement with at least one of a pair of cylinders consisting of an impression cylinder and a plate cylinder, the rubber-covered cylinder being mounted on a shaft, which includes a substantially circular ring turnably disposed on the shaft of the rubber-covered cylinder, the ring being spring biased in a direction towards a middle location between two circumferentially rounded bracing stops and being formed with an indentation at a section of the circumference thereof, the ring being turnable on the shaft so as to move the indented section of the circumference thereof into a position opposite one of the bracing stops for bringing the rubber-covered cylinder out of engagement with the impression cylinder, the indented section being formed as an insert channel for accommodating therein the circumferentially rounded one bracing stop, the other of the pair of bracing stops being in continual engagement w

Abstract: A double-sided printing machine in which two sides of fed sheets are printed by two adjacent impression cylinders, each with their own plate and blanket cylinders. Thereby, the first impression cylinder acts as a sheet feed cylinder for the second impression cylinder.

Abstract: Multi-color offset printing presses for variable formats for continuous web printing with or without `Caroll` type perforations. This pressure exerted on the blanket bearing cylinder is released at the end of format and at least one printing cycle out of two by the action of a hydraulic cylinder. This enables the continuous web to be positioned correctly before the following printing cycle.

Abstract: In a control device for a cyclically operating printing machine, operative for generating time pulses or signals for activating functional units of the printing machine and comprising a pulse generating device, the pulse generating device is formed by an angular encoder connected to a cycle shaft of the machine, and the pulse processing circuit includes a circuit for generating binary addresses corresponding to a rotary speed of the cycle shaft storing predetermined time signals and having addressing inputs, and a PROM memory connected to the circuit for generating binary addresses.

Abstract: A central timing device for controlling a plurality of working functions of a printing machine, includes a reference pulse generator, assembled to encoder discs connected to a cycle shaft of the printing machine to produce a sequence of angular increment pulses and at least one single synchronizing pulse. The reference pulse generator is connected to a pulse processing circuit which includes a first address coding device for producing binary coded addresses pertaining to angles of rotation of the machine. A second address coding device is coupled to the encoder for angular increments via a timing circuit including an AND-gate and a monostable multivibrator to produce binary coded addresses pertaining to the angle of rotation/rotary speed of the printing machine. The outputs of the first and second address generating devices are connected to addressing inputs of separate PROMs preprogrammed with desired timing signals.

Abstract: A central timing device for a printing machine includes an address generator in the form of a series of encoder disks arranged on a common shaft connected to the machine. The disks are provided with fixed coding indicative of angular increments relative to a reference point. The resulting binary words are applied as angular position addresses to addressing inputs of a programmable read only memory. Another device for generating addresses pertaining to momentary rotary speeds of the machine is selectively connectable to the addressing inputs of the PROM to read out at the output of the latter timing signals modified according to the rotary speeds.

Abstract: A timing device for controlling the operation of printing machines comprises: an encoder disc for generating pulses correspnding to angular increments during one rotation of the machine; at least one encoder disc for generating a singular synchronizing or reference signal; address generating means including a counter reset by the singular synchronizing pulse and counting the angular increments to continuously produce a bindary coded address at its outputs; a second counter coupled to the encoder of angular increments via an AND-gate controlled by a monostable multivibrator to produce at its outputs a binary coded address corresponding to the rotary speed of the printing machine. The addresses from respective counters are fed via corresponding data buses to address inputs of a programmable read only memory. From the outputs of the PROM timing output signals are read out as a function of the angular position of the machine or the function of the angular position and of the rotary speed of the machine.

Abstract: In response to a stop command such as a printing disturbance signal, the transfer of varnish to the varnish applicator roller is shut off but the feeding of sheets through the varnishing unit is not immediately shut off; rather, a few remaining sheets are thereafter fed through the varnishing unit before the varnish applicator roller is thrown off from the cooperating cylinder and the machine drive is shut off. The few remaining sheets remove the residual varnish from the varnish applicator roller so that when printing is resumed the newly printed sheets do not stick to the varnish applicator roller or the cooperating cylinder. In a preferred embodiment a preselection counter, clocked by sheet feed cycles, determines the number of remaining sheets.

Abstract: To permit double inking of the blanket cylinder (6, 7; 44, 45) of an offset printing machine, in which all the cylinders are the same, and further to permit retrofitting of an existing printing machine, a control unit (C) is connected to the blanket cylinders which are located in movable bearings to engage or disengage the blanket cylinders, in intermittent movement, from a cooperating impression cylinder (8, 9; 46) when a sheet supply apparatus (3, 41) is commanded to feed a sheet only for every other revolution of the printing system, thereby permitting double inking of the blanket cylinder and preventing contact of the inked blanket cylinder with the impression cylinder when no sheet is being fed thereto.

Abstract: To permit, selectively, multi color prime printing or prime-and-verso printing, two rubber blanket cylinders (5, 6) each in engagement with a respective cylinder (3, 4) cooperate with a single printing or impression cylinder (7), and an engagement element (23, 24, 28) such as a roller (23, 24) or a compressed air supply (28); the rubber cylinder can be engaged with the impression cylinder or, respectively, separated therefrom.

Abstract: To permit, selectively, multi-color prime printing or prime and verso printing on printing machines having plate blanket, and printing cylinders of the same diameter, the printing cylinders (8,9;51,52,53;77) have a rubber blanket thereon to receive printing information from the blanket cylinders (6,7;48,49,50;75,76) during one phase of operation and transferring this information to the sheet by engagement with the sheet supply or transport cylinders (12,60,78) which are formed with surfaces permitting them to operate as impression or printing cylinders, sheet supply being arranged to provide sheets in this mode of operation for every two revolutions of the cylinders only, to permit information transfer during the intervening idle, or non-printing phase or revolution.

Abstract: A tandem dual-head lithographic duplicator is equipped for operation in alternative modes, i.e., either for duplexing by printing on opposite faces of the copy sheets in sequence, or for simplexing. In the simplexing mode the printing of the copy sheets is carried out on one head simultaneously with the cleanup and preparation operations on the other head, with a sequence of printing jobs being performed alternately on one printing head and then on the other while, in each case, the non-printing head is being prepared. Accordingly, substantially continuous simplexing operation can be achieved except in the case of very short printing runs.

Abstract: In a mechanism for selectively obtaining two extreme positions of printing cylinders, i.e. a contact of four cylinders except an impression cylinder and a contact of five cylinders including the impression cylinder, through effecting angular displacements of eccentric sleeves attached to respective printing cylinders simultaneously by a common link mechanism, an angle increase shifting mechanism is interposed between the starting end of the link mechanism and the end of an actuator. Whereby, the pair of printing cylinders can be directly shifted from one to the other extreme positions by a single stroke of the actuator.A member attached to a main shaft of the angle increase shifting mechanism is divided into three pieces of a front piece, center piece and a rear piece, and the center piece is adapted to be selected engaged by and disengaged from the front and rear pieces by means of a pin clutch mechanism.

Abstract: A printing machine operates at a variable speed, and includes a rotary reference component. Activation and deactivation of positioning units for printing cylinders and other functional units for the printing machine is performed in synchronization with the rotation of the rotary reference component. The positioning units exhibit dead times in their response to applied activating or deactivating signals. The duration of each such dead time expressed in terms of the extent of angular movement of the rotary reference component varies in dependence upon printing machine operating speed, tending to produce improper synchronization between activation and deactivation of positioning units, on the one hand, and machine operation, on the other hand.