Abstract: A printing press having a jaw mode assembly and a rotary mode assembly with a single folding cylinder adapted to feed either the jaw mode assembly or the rotary mode assembly is disclosed. A moving web of material is initially trained about the folding cylinder and cut into a signatures which are then temporarily held on the folding cylinder. A folding blade extends from the folding cylinder to initiate a fold in each signature and direct each signature to either the jaw mode assembly or the rotary mode assembly. The timing of the folding blade is coordinated and adjusted using an indexable spider assembly to feed either the jaw mode assembly or the rotary mode assembly.

Abstract: A sheet discharge unit has a transfer passage 3 for transferring a sheet of printed paper 2 toward a sheet receiving tray 20, and a pair of left and right jump wings 11,11 located at both sides of the transfer passage 3 and moveable between a guide position in which the jump wings protrude upward from a bottom wall of the transfer passage and await position in which the jump wings are retracted below the bottom wall. In one embodiment, each of the jump wings 11,11 comprises divided wing components laterally spaced in a direction S perpendicular to a sheet transfer direction T. In an alternative embodiment, each of the jump wings comprises a unitary body having a plurality of convex segments and a plurality of concave recesses which are alternately located in the direction S.

Abstract: This invention concerns a sheet guide unit which allows sheets of thinner sheets to be conveyed in a stable fashion when the sheet is conveyed in a sheet guide space between the printing cylinder and a sheet guide surface. The sheet guide unit has 1) a first air control means to control the supply air, which is blown from the air supply chamber through air vents provided in the upstream portion of the path, and conveys the sheet through the sheet guide space suspending over the downstream portion of the path; and 2) a second air control means to control the aspiration air, which is drawn into the aspiration chamber via a plurality of first aspiration vents in the downstream portion of the path, and exhausted from an aspiration port provided on one of the walls of the aspiration chamber.

Abstract: A machine for processing planar print carriers having operationally rotating chains, and rails for guiding the chains, includes a damping covering arranged at least in sections along the rails and being clamped between two clamping surfaces, at least a first one of which is formed on the rails.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a sheet guide unit for a sheet-fed press which will prevent the sheet from flapping or fluttering, and allow sheets of thinner paper to be conveyed smoothly even when a skeleton cylinder, which is better suited to thicker papers, for preventing the air streams exiting from both ends of the sheet guide surface from colliding with the frame and causing turbulence. The sheet guide unit according to this invention is provided under an intermediate cylinder or a delivery cylinder, and separated from the cylinders by a small sheet guide space for guiding the sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for slowing down products in the folder of rotary printing machines. A product-directing system is arranged between the jaw cylinder and paddle wheel, and a driven decelerating-roller pair is integrated into the product-directing system. In order to provide an apparatus which can be adjusted in a straightforward manner and ensures that the products are slowed in a functionally reliable manner upstream of the paddle wheel, the circumference of the decelerating rollers is equal to at least one product length, and the decelerating-roller pair is driven at a non-uniform speed.

Abstract: A paper discharge base 10 is applied with a sponge sheet 84 as a damping plate 78 of an impact wall 70 provided at a paper discharge base 10. A protection sheet 16 is pasted on a surface of the sponge sheet 84. When the damping plate 78 is impacted by print sheet P, the impact force is transmitted from the protection sheet 86 to the sponge sheet 84 and is damped by the sponge sheet 84. Further, the sponge sheet 84 is protected by the protection sheet 86 and therefore, the sponge sheet 84 is not destructed by impact of the print sheet P.

Abstract: A media holding apparatus includes a tray having a support surface configured to receive media and a media stop carried by the tray. The media stop is movably supported for continuously adjustable positioning relative to the tray to conform dimensionally with media received in the tray. The apparatus also includes a position-detecting sensor associated with the tray and the media stop which is operative to generate a unique electrical pattern corresponding with a detected position of the media stop relative to the tray. The unique electrical pattern is indicative of the size of the media detected in the tray. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A device for infeeding a material web along an infeed path into a rotary printing machine includes drive stations arranged along the infeed path, and an infeed element partially enclosed by a guide formed with a lateral opening at which a material web is fastenable on an extension piece. The infeed device further includes a profiling provided on the infeed element for stiffening the infeed element in an advancement direction along the infeed path. A rotary printing press is provided with the infeed device; and a newspaper rotary printing press is similarly provided.

Abstract: Several printing units are arranged in a row for printing on as many separate webs traveling in centerline alignment and in phase with one another. At least one preselected web, on issuing from one printing unit, is directed over an angled guide rod thereby to be turned 90 degrees out of phase with the other, unselected webs. Subsequently traveling over a triangular shaped former, the preselected web is folded along a centerline thereof, back into phase with the unselected webs. The preselected web, already formed, and the unselected ones, yet unfolded, are then all superposed one upon another, with the fold of the preselected web in register with the aligned centerline of the unselected webs. The superposed webs are then folded by another former along the aligned centerline of the unselected webs. Subsequently fed into a cutting and folding device, the webs are cut and folded transversely into individual multiple-page signatures each having one center spread in addition to the usual inmost center spread.

Abstract: Printed sheets are fed into a sheet processing machine where they are separated into partial sheets by being cut longitudinally. The partial sheets are separated laterally from each other by gripper components. Each of the partial sheets can have its leading and trailing ends cut. The cut partial sheets can then be inspected and deposited into a selected one of a plurality of partial sheets stacks.

Abstract: A sheet transport system for a rotary printing press, including a sheet transport device having a sheet holder, and a first and a second propulsive drive element for propulsively driving the sheet transport device guidingly in a first and a second guide rail, respectively, the second guide rail extending substantially parallel to the first guide rail, the first and the second propulsive drive elements forming rotors of an electric linear drive, the first and the second guide rails having a plurality of drive stations disposed thereon and forming a stator of the linear drive, and a control device assigned to the drive stations for controlling and regulating movement of the first and the second propulsive drive elements, each of the first and second propulsive drive elements being a structure formed of magnetizable material, at least part of which is movable relative to another part thereof, and the drive stations being spaced from one another, at least in some sections of the sheet transport device, a distance

Abstract: A stencil printer includes a printing drum which is rotated bearing thereon a stencil master, and a press roller which is pressed against the printing drum. A paper supply system supplies a printing paper to between the printing drum and the press roller so that the printing paper is conveyed pinched between the printing drum and the press roller. A paper supply controller controls the paper supply system so that the paper supply system supplies the printing paper to between the printing drum and the press roller at a first predetermined angular position of the printing drum for each rotation of the printing drum. The paper supply controller controls the paper supply system so that the printing paper supplied next by the paper supply system does not collide with the printing paper under printing when the printing paper is overlong.

Abstract: A delivery fan used in a rotary printing press receives signatures from a folding machine and deposits them on a delivery conveyor and includes hub means, a plurality of fingers mounted to the hub means and a plurality of flat springs anchored to the hub means. The delivery fan handles signatures of varying thicknesses and prevents the signatures from jumping out of pockets formed by the fingers.

Abstract: A print media level sensor and method for determining a height of a stack of print media for use in printing devices are disclosed. An embodiment of a print media level sensor includes a print media stack follower configured to contact a top of a stack of print media and remain in contact with the top as a height of the stack changes. The print media stack follower also includes encoded data representative of a plurality of heights of the stack of print media. The print media level sensor additionally includes a decoder configured to read encoded data on the print media stack follower and output a signal representative of the encoded data. The print media stack follower may further include a computing device that receives the signal representative of the encoded data from the computing device and converts the signal representative of the encoded data into a signal representative of the stack height.

Abstract: A support cylinder for guiding freshly processed substrate material between printing units or at the delivery end of a printing press is provided with a low coefficient of friction, semi-conductive covering for supporting and transporting the freshly processed substrate material without smearing the ink or causing indentations on the surface of the substrate. Radially projecting surface portions define electrostatic precipitation points and reduce the surface area available for frictional engagement. The low friction and electrostatically neutral properties of the semi-conductive base covering permit free movement of the freshly processed substrate relative to the support cylinder surface. Electrostatic charges carried by the processed substrate are discharged through the semi-conductive base covering into the support cylinder, thus eliminating electrostatic cling attraction between the freshly processed substrate and the support cylinder.

Abstract: A printer having a paper handling mechanism that includes a paper feed roller pair located upstream of a recording head. The paper feed roller pair includes a roller having a roller axis and a follow-up roller having a follow-up roller axis. A line between the roller axis and the follow-up axis is inclined towards the recording head. A paper discharge roller pair located downstream. The paper discharge roller pair includes a discharge roller having a discharge roller axis and a discharge follow-up rolling having discharge follow-up roller axis. A line between the discharge roller axis and the discharge follow-up roller axis is inclined towards the recording head.

Abstract: A printing press having an actuator, includes a chamber partly surrounding the actuator and having a pressure prevailing therein that is greater than the pressure in the outer surroundings of the chamber.

Abstract: There is disclosed a liquid application system for the printing, copying, imaging, converting, and related industries, and more particularly a liquid applicator means for applying moisture and coatings to cut sheets using a system of rolls and controlling surfaces, speeds, pressures, and directions of rotation of same relative to successive sheets passing through the system. In the use of the method and apparatus herein described, the liquid applied to the sheet is supplied from a reservoir or other liquid supply source to the nip between a smooth, resilient surfaced metering roll and a smoothly finished hydrophilic transfer roll. An abundant supply of liquid is supplied at the nip between the rolls which is metered by pressure contact between the resilient surfaced metering roll and the transfer roll to an exactly controlled film which adheres to the surface of the transfer roll, which rotates into contact with a cut sheet to apply the liquid thereto.

Abstract: For regulating the pressure in a pressure chamber, in particular in a pneumatic brake apparatus for a web-type recording medium, an actual pressure is set in the pressure chamber dependent on an actual angle of rotation of a rotary valve. The actual angle of rotation of the rotary valve and the actual pressure in the pressure chamber are acquired. A target pressure and a target angle of rotation allocated to this target pressure are predetermined, and a pressure deviation between the actual pressure and the target pressure are determined, as is a deviation of the angle of rotation between the actual angle of rotation and the target angle of rotation. An adjusting unit sets the angle of rotation at the rotary valve, first dependent on the deviation of the angle of rotation and then dependent on the pressure deviation. Furthermore, a sensor for acquiring the angle of rotation is specified.

Abstract: A sheet guiding device assemblable from at least a first sheet guiding element and a second sheet guiding element, for guiding sheets of printing material in a sheet-fed printing press, includes a guide for guiding at least one of the sheet guiding elements as the sheet guiding elements are being mutually assembled.

Abstract: A stencil printer of the present invention includes at least one ink drum for wrapping a master around its outer periphery. An ink feed device feeds ink to the master wrapped around the ink drum. A pressing member is movable into and out of contact with the ink drum at a position where it faces the ink feed device. An image is printed on a paper fed from a paper feed section at a print section where the ink drum and pressing member face each other. A belt conveyor includes a belt extending between the paper feed section located upstream of the print section in the direction of paper conveyance and a paper discharge section located downstream of the print section in the same direction through the print section. The belt conveys the paper fed from the paper feed section while causing it to electrostatically adhere thereto. The paper is sufficiently electrostatically adhered to the belt before it reaches the print section, so that air suction, an air knife, a separator or the like is not necessary.

Abstract: A transfer cylinder for supporting freshly printed sheet material between printing units or at the delivery unit of a printing press is provided with an ink repellent, flexible jacket covering for supporting and transporting the sheet material without transfer of wet ink from one sheet to a successive sheet and without smearing the ink or causing indentations on the surface of the sheet material. The circumferential support surface of the transfer cylinder is covered with a conductive, fluoropolymer layer secured to the surface of the transfer cylinder beneath the protective, wash-free disposable flexible jacket covering. The low friction properties of the conductive base covering permit free movement of the ink repellent, flexible jacket covering relative to the transfer cylinder surface. Electrostatic charges delivered to the flexible jacket covering by the printed sheet material are drawn away from the flexible jacket covering and are discharged into the transfer cylinder by the conductive base covering.

Abstract: A device and method for synchronizing at least two printing-unit groups (2, 3) which represent a sheet-fed printing machine (1). Between the two printing-unit groups (2, 3) there is provided a transfer unit (10) being operable by means of a separately controllable drive (12). The present invention is used in sheet-fed printing machines assembled in serial arrangement.

Abstract: A chain delivery assembly for withdrawing sheets from a rotating cylinder of a sheet-fed offset printing press includes first and second spaced apart sprockets independently mounted for rotation about a common axis which is parallel to the axis of the rotating cylinder, first and second gears being coaxially affixed adjacent to the first and second sprockets, respectively. A pair of chains, carried by the sprockets, have grippers for engaging leading edges of sheets to carry them away from the cylinder. A rotatable shaft, mounted away from the chains and whose axis is parallel to the axis of the rotating cylinder has third and fourth gears affixed to opposite ends thereof. The first gear is operatively connected to the third gear for rotation of the rotatable shaft and the fourth gear. The fourth gear is operatively connected to the second gear to drive the second sprocket in coordinated rotation with the first sprocket.

Abstract: A transfer drum in a sheet-fed printing press having a support surface formed at least segmentally of individual punctiform support elements disposed on the circumference of the transfer drum includes another support surface disposed at least segmentally on the circumference of the transfer drum, the other support surface being continuous, both of the support surfaces being mutually interchangeable.

Abstract: A transfer cylinder for supporting freshly printed sheet material between printing units or at the delivery unit of a printing press is provided with an ink repellent, flexible jacket covering for supporting and transporting the sheet material without transfer of wet ink from one sheet to a successive sheet and without smearing the ink or causing indentations on the surface of the sheet material. The circumferential support surface of the transfer cylinder is covered with a conductive, fluoropolymer layer secured to the surface of the transfer cylinder beneath the protective, wash-free disposable flexible jacket covering. The low friction properties of the conductive base covering permit free movement of the ink repellent, flexible jacket covering relative to the transfer cylinder surface. Electrostatic charges delivered to the flexible jacket covering by the printed sheet material are drawn away from the flexible jacket covering and are discharged into the transfer cylinder by the conductive base covering.

Abstract: For changing demands in terms of the support of printed sheets as they are deflected in a sheet-fed printing press, the sheet-fed printing press is equipped with a retrofittable sheet guide drum. The drum includes segments on its face end and which in a first setup state has skeleton-shaped sheet supports separably connected to the segments and in a second setup state has a flexible drum jacket separably connected to the segments.

Abstract: A process and arrangement are disclosed for controlling or regulating operations carried out by a printing machine.

Abstract: A device including a receiving device for a stack formed by sheets of stock material that move by gravity along the receiving device toward a marker and which includes positioning elements for positioning a sheet to be marked with respect to the marker, and which also includes an ejector for the marked sheets. The marker is arranged under the receiving device and it is used to mark the underside of each bottom sheet of the stack.

Abstract: A reversing device for a sheet-fed rotary printing press, having a sheet transport device for accepting a sheet, that has been printed on one side thereof, at a leading edge thereof from an upline sheet-guiding cylinder, reversing the sheet by turning it about a longitudinal axis thereof in a sheet transport direction, and then transferring the sheet, in the reversed condition thereof with a leading edge thereof leading, to a downline sheet-guiding cylinder, and having a cam path extending substantially like that of a Mobius strip for guiding the sheet transport device, includes an electric linear drive for advancing the sheet transport device.

Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing machine having a plurality of directly adjacent printing units. Each of the printing units has only one side wall, in which the printing group cylinders are float mounted. The printing units are arranged in-line with no working space between them.

Abstract: A suction-air control device for controlling suction air applied to suction openings of a printing-press cylinder, having controllable valves by which the suction openings are connectable to a suction-air source, and a first pneumatic control device for timed or cyclically feeding the suction air, includes a second pneumatic control device for controlling the suction air in a manner dependent upon the format of the printing substrate, the valves being pneumatically controllable and being disposed on the cylinder.

Abstract: A gripper deceleration cross folder device having a rotatably mounted jaw cylinder including a plurality of jaw devices, a rotatably mounted gripper decelerator drum forming a nip with the jaw cylinder, and a plurality of gripper decelerator devices mounted on the gripper decelerator drum, each gripper decelerator for gripping and decelerating one of a plurality of signatures at a time. A respective tucking device corresponding to each of the plurality of gripper decelerator devices for tucking each one of the signatures into a corresponding one of the plurality of jaw devices after the decelerating of the signature so as to fold the signature.

Abstract: A sheet-fed printing press having a plurality of stations arranged in a row and including at least one feeder, at least one digital printing unit and at least one delivery, and a common sheet transport path, over which all sheets pass, extending between the at least one printing unit and the at least one delivery, includes a postprocessing unit for the printing press, having a plurality of postprocessing stations arranged in a row, the row of postprocessing stations being disposed parallel to and offset with respect to the row of stations of the printing press, a sheet deflector disposed on the common sheet transport path for feeding the sheets selectively to the at least one delivery and to a collecting container for receiving a batch of sheets, and a displacement device for pushing a batch of sheets, which have been collected in the collecting container, transversely to the general sheet transport direction in the printing press, into an input station of the postprocessing unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing printed products to a gatherer, including a product supplier for feeding printed products, a product separator positioned to receive printed products from the product supplier and to separate the printed products into a separated stream, a printer positioned adjacent to the separated stream and positioned to print on the separated printed products, and a gripper conveyor positioned to receive the separated printed products from the printer and to form a shingled stream.

Abstract: A device for controlling vacuum applied to suction openings formed in a cylinder, the suction openings being connectable to a vacuum source via valves arranged in rows and assigned to the suction openings, includes a rotatable adjusting shaft carrying adjusting elements assigned to the valves, the adjusting elements serving to actuate the valves in a defined sequence when the adjusting shaft is rotated, the valves having adjusting bodies therein movable by the adjusting elements out of a first switching position of the adjusting bodies into a second switching position thereof, the vacuum applied to the suction openings being of different magnitudes in the first and the second switching positions; and a method for incrementally actuating the vacuum-controlling device.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a print switch, the remaining paper detection apparatus, and a controller and a remaining paper detection controller. The print switch sets a printing press to a printing operation mode. The remaining paper detection apparatus detects remaining paper sheets on a convey board. The controller and remaining paper detection controller inhibit the print switch from setting the printing operation mode when a remaining paper sheet is detected by the remaining paper detection apparatus.

Abstract: A method for smear-free guidance of a printed sheet on a given sheet-guiding cylinder of a printing press includes taking over a leading edge of the sheet by a gripper device of the given sheet-guiding cylinder from a preceding or up-line sheet-guiding cylinder and, after the take-over of the leading edge of the sheet by the gripper device, fixing a first section of the underside of the sheet to the circumferential surface of the preceding or up-line sheet-guiding cylinder in a manner that the sheet, which has been pushed onwardly by the preceding or up-line sheet-guiding cylinder, is kept spaced from the circumferential surface of the given sheet-guiding cylinder, and the circumferential surface of the given sheet-guiding cylinder is located, as viewed in radial direction, within a circular path described by the gripper device during the rotation of the given cylinder.

Abstract: A printing machine comprising a sheet feeding station for feeding sheets into a printing station and capable of being detachably attached into a sheet inlet, a sheet discharging station for discharging printed sheets from the printing station and positioned near a sheet outlet, and a cover disposed near at least the sheet inlet or the sheet outlet and shielding either the sheet inlet or sheet outlet except for at a sheet passing area thereof.

Abstract: Recording units including a printer for printing information data on at least one surface of a recording medium card are arranged vertically one over another in an information card producing device. Card turning portions are disposed confronting the respective recording units, so that the card can be transferred between the card turning portions and the recording units and turned over, thereby recording the desired information data on one or both of the surface of the card. The recording unit includes a magnetic encoder and/or IC memory reader/writer and has a function of verifying the information data written to the card so as to send out the card to a card discharge port when adequately recorded or to a card reject port when a write error is found.

Abstract: A printing-material conveyor between two printing units of a printing machine. The conveyor has a displaceable section displaceable to one position for enabling access to the first printing unit or displaceable to another position for receiving printing material from the first printing unit. A transport device includes the displaceable section which is followed by a stationary section. An endless conveyor with push members extends over both sections. The displaceable section being swingable. A cover plate swingable along with the displaceable section moves to block access to the displaceable section when the latter is displaced to enable access to the first printing unit.

Abstract: In order to permit automated setting of operating parameters while also facilitating the removal of paper jams, a device for adjusting the gap size between folding rollers of a rotary press folding machine includes a pair of counter-rotating folding rollers which define a folding nip or gap therebetween. Each folding roller is mounted to one end of a pivoting support arm, and a link arm is slidably and pivotably mounted to the other end. An extensible member connects the link arms to each other, which enables the distance between the rollers to be quickly and easily adjusted. An inflatable bag is disposed between the support arms which forces the rollers towards each other to resist spreading of the rollers when a paper passes through the gap between the rollers. The bag can be quickly deflated from a remote location to allow removal of jammed papers, and can be quickly re-inflated to the desired setting to minimize down time.

Abstract: A device for guiding a sheet as it is conveyed through a deliverer or between printing units of a sheet-fed printing machine is provided. The sheet guiding device includes a guide surface which has a plurality of openings therein and a housing which is arranged below the guide surface and which together with the guide surface defines a flow duct. The guiding device also includes a air system which is in fluid communication with the flow duct. At least one flexible hollow seal member is arranged in the flow duct and is adapted such that it can be selectively filled with a fluid medium which expands the seal member into a sealing position wherein it seals off a predetermined portion of the openings in the guide surface from the air system.

Abstract: A sheet-fed offset printing press with a convertible press mechanism includes a convertible cylinder, an impression cylinder, converting grippers and suckers, and grooves. The convertible cylinder conveys a paper sheet downstream with respect to a paper convey direction in a converted state. The impression cylinder is in contact with the convertible cylinder on an upstream side with respect to the paper convey direction, and conveys the paper sheet to the convertible cylinder. The converting grippers and suckers are provided to the convertible cylinder and separate the paper sheet wound on a circumferential surface of the impression cylinder and convert the separated paper sheet. The grooves are formed in an outermost circumferential surface of the impression cylinder including a circumferential surface of the impression cylinder. The outermost circumferential surface of the impression cylinder comes into direct contact with the paper sheet which is conveyed to the convertible cylinder.

Abstract: An adjusting device for a gripper opening cam in a chain delivery of a sheet-fed printing press, the gripper opening cam being pivotally guided in a bearing and being connected by a linkage to one of a pair of threaded nuts of a combination of a lefthand and righthand thread of an adjusting shaft screwable into a fixedly supported other threaded nut of the combination, includes an adjusting motor with an electrical program controller programmable for adapting to parameters which vary as the printing press rpm runs up to and runs down from operating speed for automatically tracking the gripper opening cam, and a coupling operative in the adjusting device, the coupling being disposed between the adjusting motor and the gripper opening cam.

Abstract: A roller assembly is provided with openings in its outer surface for selective communication with a source of vacuum or a positive pressure. The openings may be angled along the roller rotational axis to impart a component of velocity to the paper perpendicular to the tangential roller surface velocity. Additionally, by selectively connecting the openings with sources of pressure and vacuum, enhanced paper alignment is achieved, multiple paper feeds eliminated, transitions between different velocities of rollers completed, or paper reverted so that printing can be achieved on first and second sides thereof.

Abstract: A sheet-fed offset rotary printing machine is used for multicolor printing. A plate cylinder and a rubber blanket cylinder are utilized, as are first and second impression cylinders. Either of these two impression cylinders is operable with the blanket cylinder. Sheets to be printed can have a length corresponding to a nominal diameter, or to twice a nominal diameter. The first impression cylinder has a plurality of controllable gripper systems while the second impression cylinder has at least one controllable gripper system.

Abstract: Freshly printed sheets are transferred from one printing unit to another by transfer cylinders each having an ink repellent, electrically conductive, striped flexible jacket covering that is movable relative to the sheet support surface of the transfer cylinder. The jacket covering is made of a flexible fabric material that is pre-stretched, pressed flat, cut to size and treated with an ink repellent compound and is also treated with an anti-static ionic compound or is otherwise rendered electrically conductive by one or more conductive strands. Electrostatic charges carried by the freshly printed sheets are discharged through the ink repellent, electrically conductive, flexible jacket covering into the grounded transfer cylinder. A low friction, electrically conductive cylinder base covering that includes center alignment marks is secured to the transfer cylinder for engaging the flexible jacket covering.

Abstract: The sheet presenter includes an elongated platform adapted to engage a printer. A pair of spaced apart walls extend upwardly from the platform to support pivotably an arm at one and thereof. A motor disposed at another end of the arm is operatively connected to a drive roller wherein the mass of the motor urges the corresponding end of the arm downwardly to engage a sheet received on the platform.