Abstract: A pregripper for transferring sheets from a sheet feeder to a feed drum or impression cylinder of a printing machine is provided. The pregripper is disposed below the sheet feeder and includes a hollow tube which has a substantially pear-shaped cross-section. The pear-shaped cross-section is defined by a first apex having a greater curvature and a second apex having a lesser curvature relative to the first apex. The hollow tube also has an exterior wall having a thickness that increases as the wall extends from the first apex to the second apex. A web which supports a conventional gripper bridge is attached to the hollow tube adjacent the first apex. The hollow tube is rotatably supported on each end by a journal such that the axis of rotation of the hollow tube is substantially concentric with the center of curvature of the second apex.

Abstract: A suction apparatus for a printing press includes a plurality of suction ports and air shutter devices. The suction ports suck and hold an object used for a printing operation. The air shutter devices are provided to the suction ports on at least one end portion side not used for a suction operation of a small-size object. Each of the air shutter devices is constituted by a passage block having an air passage through which air for sucking an object passes, a magnetic member arranged around an air passage opening portion of the passage block, and a shutter member consisting of a magnetic material and movable between a closed position where the air passage opening portion of the passage block including the magnetic member is closed and an open position where the air passage is open, one of the magnetic member and the shutter member being magnetized.

Abstract: Disclosed is a corrugated board sheet transporting system in a printing line, in which a plurality of printers, each provided with an ascendable printing cylinder having a printing die mounted thereon and a press roll opposing to the printing cylinder, are aligned in a corrugated board sheet forwarding direction. This system consists of a first feed belt unit and a second feed belt unit for holding the corrugated board sheet with the first feed belt unit, which are disposed between every adjacent two printers; the first feed belt unit consisting of a first conveyor belt which is fixed with respect to the sheet forwarding direction and a second conveyor belt which can be shifted forward and backward with respect to the sheet forwarding direction; wherein the second conveyor belt is designed to be shifted, when the printing cylinder is ascended or descended to be spaced from the press roll, to advance to a position closer to the printing cylinder in the printer.

Abstract: An adjusting device has a pneumatically operating piston-cylinder unit pressurizable in an operating function thereof for actuating adjusting elements in a printing press. The piston-cylinder unit includes a cylinder housing formed with a cylinder chamber, a piston displaceable in the cylinder chamber, and an electromagnet for applying an activated holding force to the piston, the piston being subjectible pneumatically to a prepressurizing force in the cylinder chamber opposite to and less than the activated holding force.

Abstract: A printing device for printing plastic cards utilizes a printing and inking unit which is supported in a pivotable frame, in cooperation with a counter-pressure cylinder to print individual cards in one or more streams of cards. The printing and inking unit includes an ink duct, a screen cylinder, an ink transfer cylinder, a printing forme support cylinder and a rubber blanket support cylinder. The pivot frame can be pivoted to separate the rubber blanket support cylinder from the counter-pressure cylinder so that the rubber blankets on both cylinders can be accessed.

Abstract: A desktop page printer, such as suitable for printing MICR images, includes a slitter for cutting page-size prints into check-size documents as the page prints are emitted from the printing machine. The slitter can be bypassed by the installation of a side output tray which causes the paper path to be diverted from the slitter.

Abstract: A guide device for moving sheet material in printing presses, which by means of blown air, presses the sheet material flat against the cylindrical surface of a transporting drum or a cylinder, essentially without any contact between the sheet material and the guide device. The guide device can have a guide plate which generates a stream of blown air in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the moving sheet material.

Abstract: An image transfer apparatus comprises a platen (8) to which an image-forming material is to be attached and a transfer cylinder (1) to which an image receptor is to be attached. An image formed in a photosensitive layer of the image-forming material is transferred to image receptor by the introduction of the image-forming material and the image receptor into a nip formed by the platen and the transfer cylinder by the rotation of the platen and the transfer cylinder. The image transfer apparatus has an image receptor attaching device that includes holders (3,5) and holder seats (4,6) for holding the entire length of a top end side of the image receptor to a surface of the transfer cylinder and the entire length of a bottom end side of the image receptor to a surface of the transfer cylinder.

Abstract: A paperboard processing machine is disclosed for printing and otherwise processing sheets of paperboard, such as corrugated container blanks, and in which the sheets are conveyed from one section of the machine to another section by one or more vacuum transfer systems. Each vacuum transfer system comprises an enclosure which is closed by a closure plate for creating a subatmospheric pressure, which pressure forces the sheets into frictional engagement with the reaches of a plurality of conveyor belts whereby the sheets are transported without contact of the opposite side of the sheet not contacted by the conveyor reach.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel power lifter for a paper deck of an offset printing press. A paper deck power lifter for an offset printing press comprising: (a) a reversible electric motor connected to a paper deck elevation crankshaft of an offset printing press; (b) an electrically activated solenoid connected to a paper deck catch release of an offset printing press; (c) a manually operated polarity reversing switch connected to the electric motor for determining the direction of electrical current to be delivered to the electrical motor, thereby selecting the direction of rotation of the electric motor; (d) a manually activated electrical variable speed switch electrically connected to the electric motor to enable manual control of the speed of rotation of the electric motor.

Abstract: An automatic sheet printing and alignment system includes a holding table; a transport system for moving the table through a plurality of stations; a first station for positioning a sheet on the table; a second station for printing features on the sheet positioned on the table; a third station for receiving the printed sheet from its position on the table to compile a stack of sheets with their printed features in predetermined alignment; and a control system for sequentially moving the table through the stations for repeatedly printing and stacking each sheet aligned with prior printed and stacked sheets received, transported and printed by the same table.

Abstract: Device for guiding a sheet having a leading edge which follows an imaginary conducting surface along a sheet-transport direction perpendicular to the leading edge, the sheet-guiding device being formed with a sheet-guiding surface spaced from the imaginary conducting surface, and having equipment for generating a plurality of air jets for applying an air flow to the sheet between a surface of the sheet and the sheet-guiding surface, the generating equipment being formed of respective flow channels for the air jets disposed at an angle to and merging with the sheet-guiding surface, includes an integral guide plate having a surface constituting a predominant part of the sheet-guiding surface, the integral guide plate being formed with perforations, the air-jet generating equipment being formed of blast-air nozzles having blast-air nozzle end faces constituting a remaining part of the sheet-guiding surface complementing the predominant part of the sheet-guiding surface to form the entire sheet-guiding surface, t

Abstract: A vacuum-type sheet transfer apparatus for a rotary printing press includes an air dam device formed by an elongated plate which is supported on the transfer apparatus housing and extends toward the surface of a transfer cylinder or impression cylinder of the press. Spaced apart openings are formed in the plate and have deflectable elastomeric flaps disposed in the openings to allow the cylinder gripper fingers to pass by the plate. An air dam or seal is formed by the plate to redirect the flow of air to urge sheets, including lightweight and heavy weight stock, to follow a preferred transfer path between the impression cylinder and the vacuum transfer apparatus.

Abstract: A device for actuating lateral sheet guides in accordance with respective sheet format widths to be processed includes an actuator disposed on an operating side of a rotary printing press for displacing a side stop transversely to the longitudinal direction of a sheet, the actuator being disposed so as to be visible and freely accessible on an operating side of a sheet pile, adjustable lateral sheet guides disposed in a feed region and a delivery region of the printing press, mutually cooperating tensioning devices form-lockingly connected to the actuator and to the lateral sheet guides and being simultaneously adjustable by the actuator in the feed region and in the delivery region symmetrically to a center of a printing unit of the printing press.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for conveying the size of a media to a printing system. The apparatus is constructed from a tray that has several receiving positions, one position for each size of media. A plurality of conductive strips are attached to the top of the tray. Additionally, the conductive strips are arranged to be in contact with the printing system when the tray is inserted in the printing system. An insulating label is placed over the conductive strips. The insulating label has a unique pattern of holes for each of the receiving positions in the tray. Finally there is a back-stop attached to the tray in one of the receiving positions. The back-stop attaches over the label and has connections on the bottom of the back-stop arranged to make electrical contact through the unique pattern of holes with the conductive strips.

Abstract: A printing machine of offset type for compact discs comprises at least one printing cylinder for at least one color driven with uniform rotary motion and a chain conveyor driven with intermittent motion for feeding the objects to be printed.

Abstract: A gripper bar conveyor mechanism for transferring sheets to be printed from one rotating impression cylinder to another in a multiple color rotary offset printer of the type having sets of impression cylinders and corresponding blanket cylinders for rolling contact with the sheets to be printed therebetween. The gripper bar conveyor mechanism includes a transferrable gripper bar activatable for releasably securing sheets to be printed in a fixed orientation with respect to the transferrable gripper bar. The registration projection is affixed to the transferrable gripper bar. A registration pocket is adjustably affixed to each of the impression cylinders for temporarily receiving the registration projection of the gripper bar and thereby holding the gripper bar in a desired position with respect to the impression cylinder. A conveyor band is attached to the gripper bar and is operably connected to the rotary offset press for moving the gripper bar from one impression cylinder to the next.

Abstract: A printing press for printing an image on sheets of printing stock can generally have a sheet feeder for separating and at least initiating start of transport of the separated sheet into the printing press. Such a sheet feeder can have a device for controlling feeder blowing air and feeder suction air, wherein the control device can have respective valves for accurately controlling the amount of blowing air and suction air. In addition, the amount of blowing air can be essentially exactly adjustable via the control console of the machine.

Abstract: The device has a sheet-transfer cylinder (2) with a movable setting plate (3) which bears the sheet grippers (4) and whose lateral ends are individually adjustable during each revolution of the transfer cylinder (2) with the aid in each case of a roller lever (9) in the circumferential direction in such a way that the sheet transferred to the impression cylinder is in a position which corresponds to the precise printing register. For this purpose, each roller lever (9) mounted movably on the transfer cylinder (2) is guided in a guide path (15c), surrounding the cylinder axis (1) in an annular manner, of an actuator (15, 16) which is suspended pivotably above the cylinder axis (1). Said actuator is provided with individually adjustable stops (19a, 19b) which, by interaction with peripheral cams (24a to 24d) pivot the relevant actuator (15, 16) by a predeterminable amount during each revolution of the transfer cylinder (2) and thus displace the relevant end of the setting plate (3).

Abstract: A printing machine in which a perforation pressure drum is disposed downstream of a paper feeding section, and a longitudinal perforation blade and a lateral perforation blade may be brought into contact with the perforation drum. A delivery drum is in contact with the perforation drum, and a numbering pressure drum is in contact with the delivery drum. A numbering box may be brought into contact with the numbering pressure drum. With such an arrangement, it is possible to enhance printing position precision and operational property.

Abstract: An interior drum type printer includes a paper feed mechanism permitting quick and simple paper advance to a printing position. This is attained in that a print head is connected to a paper feed means which is mounted for controlled rotation together with the print head about a shaft arranged within the printing drum.

Abstract: Gripper control for a cyclically swingably driven pregripper for transporting single sheets in a sheet-fed printing press, the pregripper having at least one sheet gripper mounted on a free end of a swivel lever motorizingly pivotable about a frame-fixed swivel shaft, the gripper control including cams for forcibly moving the sheet gripper about an articulated shaft oriented parallel to the swivel shaft so as to close and open the sheet gripper upon sheet acceptance and sheet transfer, one of the cams being revolvable in a single revolution for cyclically shifting the other of the cams in the position thereof, the other of the cams being secured to a roller lever supported pivotally at a fixed location and having a cam roller resting on the one cam, relative positions of the cams being adjustable for determining the instants of closing and opening of the gripper, the other of the cams being a cam segment having two successive circular cam regions with radii of curvature of different length and a common center

Abstract: Feeding table assembly of a sheet-fed printing machine with conveyor belts for conveying paper sheets from a feed pile, via a region for lateral alignment of the sheets, to downline printing units includes a rigid frame; a member having a sheet-conveying surface extending in a conveying direction over the lateral alignment region and formed with at least one through-opening for receiving the rigid frame therein; deflection rollers journaled in the rigid frame; at least one conveyor belt looped about the deflection rollers and having a strand for conveying the paper sheets from a location at a beginning of the sheet-conveying surface to a location beyond the lateral alignment region; a holder fixed to the printing machine; and a device for removably fastening the rigid frame to the holder so that a strand of the conveyor belt provided for conveying is in a conveying position; and method of assembling the conveyor belt with the feeding table.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a sheet between a plurality of printing units is disclosed. A transfer cylinder is provided between the adjacent units and is rotated by a motor. A drive gear mechanically connected to the motor and a driven gear mechanically connected to the transfer cylinder mate with each other. The press on a single surface and on both surfaces of the sheet are selectively performed, and a phase between the gears is adjusted by a phase adjusting mechanism. Stoppers are formed with the drive gear and driven gear respectively, for stopping relative rotation between the gears.

Abstract: A guide roller for a printing press is designed to prevent foreign matters, such as ink or so forth from adhering on the peripheral surface thereof and to sweep up the peripheral surface by a traveling web. The guide roller comprises a roller body having a peripheral surface to contact with a traveling web. The roller body incorporates a first peripheral surface for converting the traveling speed of the web into a first rotational speed and a second peripheral surface having a different geometry to the first peripheral surface for converting the traveling speed of the web into a second rotational speed, the second peripheral surface being cooperative with the first peripheral surface for interacting the second rotational speed with the first rotational speed for determining a rotational speed of the guide roller so that the peripheral speed of the guide roller is differentiated from the traveling speed of the web.

Abstract: A reciprocator sleeve for use in a printing machine having an envelope feeder is disclosed which enables the feeder to convey windowed envelopes from a stack and into a pair of pinch rollers without marking the windows of the envelopes. The sleeve is adapted for use with the feeder reciprocator upon which the bottommost envelope in the stack is retained for its conveyance therefrom and into a pair of pinch rollers. The reciprocator has a cylindrical head which is reciprocatingly rotated about its longitudinal axis to provide a generally arcuate feed and return stroke between the stack and the pinch rollers, and a shaft extending from an end of the head to a drive assembly. The head is in fluid communication with a vacuum source and has at least one vacuum port for applying a negative pressure differential to the front face of the bottommost envelope in the stack to retain that envelope for its conveyance on the feed stroke from the envelope stack and into the pinch rollers.

Abstract: A tax stamp machine for printing tax stamps on documents. The tax stamp machine includes: a housing; a registration point marked on the housing; a feed deck for receiving documents; a device for printing a tax stamp on a portion of the documents; a pair of drive rollers for feeding the documents to the printing device; and a device for indexing the drive rollers to thereby register the documents with the registration point prior to printing the tax stamp.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a novel wagon which holds a stack of printing paper. More particularly, this invention relates to a paper stack holding truck (pre-loader) which assists in efficiently loading paper into a offset printing press, and thereby reduces press down time. A paper pre-loader for an offset printing press compressing: (a) a wagon frame; (b) at least three wheels rotatably mounted to the underside of the wagon frame; (c) a pair of adjustable width paper guides extending vertically upwardly from the wagon frame; and (d) a paper board for enabling a stack of paper to be readily moved from the top of the wagon frame onto a paper deck of an offset printing press.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides a method and apparatus for counteracting the effects of a localized drag on a sheet medium as it is being moved by a drive system, for example, in a printer or plotter to prevent misregistration of the sheet medium with the X-axis drive system as the sheet medium is moved past the print or plot head which creates a drag thereon. The sheet medium is stiffened in the region thereof which is contacted by the print or plot head by bending the sheet medium in a direction normal to the direction of movement of the sheet medium. The bend may be provided by a curved guide located between the print or plot head and the X-axis drive system. Friction is reduced between the sheet medium and the curved guide by mounting the curved guide, e.g., one or more rollers, to rotate freely under the action of the sheet medium moving thereover, or by pneumatically supporting the sheet medium above the curved guide as the sheet medium is moved thereover.

Abstract: A printing press feeder capable of sheet feeding from the rear, sheet feeding from the front, or stream feeding from the rear, using tracks above a stock support for the feeder, the sheet feeder head being movably mounted on these tracks, and a movable drive connection from a power source to the sheet feeder head for driving of the sheet pickup advancers in the different head positions. The sheet feeder has first and second alternate drive mechanisms, on opposite ends of the transverse drive shaft, the first drive mechanism having a variable speed drive for sheet feeding individual sheets and slowing feed of each sheet as the sheet approaches the print cylinder, and the second drive mechanism having a constant speed drive for stream feeding overlapping sheets to the print cylinder. The press has nonprint lift cylinders engaging the squeegee mount and actuable to lift the squeegee out of print position, but still within the stencil screen frame, to allow the stencil screen frame to cycle without printing.

Abstract: A modular feeder printing system is provided herein. It includes at least one, e.g., four, printing unit(s) and at least one, e.g., six, feeder module(s). An alignment means is incorporated at an end of each of the printing unit(s), such alignment means being adapted to be connected to an associated feeder module, preferably by means of a complementary alignment means which is incorporated at an end of each of the feeder module(s). The complementary alignment means is alignable and engageable with the alignment means. Latch means are cooperatively associated with the alignment means, in order to secure a selected printing unit to a selected feeder module. Finally, coupling means couple and synchronize drive power from the printing unit to the connected feeder module. By this module printing press, there is a substantial reduction in set-up time.

Abstract: A hardcopy device has various page processing steps in a printer, fax machine or the like which are actuated by a single motor which connects through a gear mechanism to drive a main drive roller, a pick roller, and automatically move a pressure plate in a feeder slot to and fro between a position of engagement holding a stack of pages against the pick roller and a position of disengagement. A reverse action of the pick roller kicks out partially picked pages into the feeder slot after the pressure plate is moved to a position of disengagement.

Abstract: A mailing machine comprising, structure for feeding a sheet in a path of travel, a fence for defining a direction of the path of travel and against which an edge of a sheet is normally registered for alignment thereof in the path of travel, structure for printing postage indicia on a sheet in the path of travel, the printing structure including a rotary postage indicia printing drum, the printing structure including structure for driving the drum, structure for controlling the sheet feeding and drum driving structure, the controlling structure including a microprocessor, the controlling structure including structure for sensing a sheet in the path of travel and providing a signal to the microprocessor when a sheet is fed into and out of blocking relationship with the sensing structure, the signal having a first magnitude when a sheet is not disposed in blocking relationship with the sensing structure, the signal having a second magnitude when a sheet is disposed in blocking relationship with the sensing struc

Abstract: A sheet-supporting mechanism for supporting sheets above a side guide recess in the feed table of a sheet-fed rotary printing press includes a plurality of guide bridges disposed in the recess parallel to the direction of sheet travel and slidably mounted on tie-bars in the recess for movement transverse to the direction of sheet travel. A plurality of compression springs are interposed between the lateral faces of the guide bridges to bias the bridges apart and permit the sheet side guide to move in the recess transverse to the direction of sheet travel in order to accommodate sheet formats of varying widths. The springs are preferably leaf springs and are disposed below the upper surface of the bridges which lie in the plane of the surface of the feed table.

Abstract: A preset state display apparatus includes a position detector, a memory, and a display. The position detector detects a set state of an adjustment portion adjusted in a change in printed matter or the like in a printing press. The memory stores a current set state of the adjustment portion which is detected by the position detector in correspondence with a key number represented by a storage command generated upon designation of the key number. The display calls, as a preset state, the set state of the adjustment portion which is stored in correspondence with the designated key number, in accordance with a call command generated upon designation of the key number, to display the preset state near an operation member corresponding to the adjustment portion.

Abstract: A device (14) for delivering signatures (S) in a printing press (10) having a fly (18) having a plurality of open pockets (26) to receive the signatures (S), a device (20) for rotating the fly (18), a device (36) for stripping the signatures (S) from the fly (18) in an exit portion (34) of the fly (18), and a device (32 and 30) for driving the stripping device (36) at a speed relative to the speed of the fly (18) in a manner reducing their relative velocity less than the relative velocity between the fly (18) and a stationary condition of the stripping device (36).

Abstract: A device for delivering signatures (S) for a printing press (10) having a delivery device (50) having a plurality of sets (60a and 60b) of flies (58a, 58b, 58c, and 58d), with the flies (58a-d) each having a plurality of open pockets (26) disposed around the flies (58a-d), a device (62a and 62b) for stripping signatures (S) from the pockets (26) disposed between a pair of adjacent flies (58a and b, and 58c and d) in each set (60a and b) of the flies (58a-d), a device (76, 78, and 80) for adjusting the sets (60a and b) of flies (58a-d) and stripping devices (62a and b) in unison laterally across the delivery device (50), and a device (64 and 84) for modifying the lateral distance between adjacent sets (60a and b) of the flies (58a-d) and respective stripping devices (62a and b).

Abstract: A device for transporting sheets within a printing machine in which the sheets are conveyed by gripper carriages which are articulated on endless chains driven by chain wheels. A transfer of the sheets between the gripper carriages and a sheet-guiding cylinder takes place in the region of the chain wheels. The chain wheels, around which the chains are guided do not have a continuous shaft, but are attached to the opposing ends of short stub shafts which are mounted rotatably in the frame side walls of the printing machine. Attached to the other ends of the stub shafts stubs are gear wheels which mesh with gear wheels attached to the two journals of the sheet-guiding cylinder in order to synchronize the chain wheels with the sheet-guiding cylinder. A feed and take-off transport device of this type operates in such a way that a freshly printed sheet or a sheet provided with varnish coating can be transferred to and/or removed from the sheet-guiding cylinder in a smear-free manner.

Abstract: Gripper apparatus on a sheet-processing machine includes a pair of cooperative gripper members, a control device including a computer for controlling the pair of gripper members, at least one data transmitter connected to the computer for inputting data therein, and at least one mechanism for performing at least one function selected from a group thereof consisting of opening and closing the pair of gripper members in response to an output of the computer, the function-performing mechanism being operatable at predetermined positions of the sheet-processing machine.

Abstract: A printed sheet monitoring assembly utilizes a suction box with a planar lower suction surface to hold a printed sheet to be monitored in a crease-free manner. An area array image sensor is positioned beneath the suction box and is actuated by a trigger device to scan the printed sheet. The sheet grippers on an endless conveying chain are arranged on the chain to be in vertical alignment during scanning of the printed sheet.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for aligning the lateral edge of sheets fed to a printing press. The lateral position of a sheet is detected. A slidable suction device beneath the sheet is operated to pull the sheet toward a lateral abutment at a constant speed, the suction being applied at an individual time for each sheet in accordance with the detected position. Suction pressure is released when the sheet reaches the side lay, such that suction pressure is only applied for the time necessary to place the sheet in proper registration.

Abstract: A rotary sheet-printing press includes a register bar; a plurality of front lay marks mounted on the register bar in a series extending perpendicularly to a sheet-feeding direction; a plurality of setting motors, each connected to a separate front lay mark for shifting each front lay mark parallel to the sheet-feeding direction; a control panel; manually operable controls mounted on the control panel in a field of vision of the front lay marks and connected to the setting motors for energizing the setting motors of a desired number of arbitrarily selected front lay marks and for adjusting the selected front lay marks parallel to the sheet-feeding direction; and a visual indicator mounted on the control panel and operatively connected to the front lay marks for displaying actual positions thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlled indexing of an article to a printing station. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises an endless printing blanket carried by rollers positioned within the blanket and a translatable carriage assembly operatively associated with the blanket. The assembly includes an expandable clamping member which, upon selected expansion, contacts the blanket to secure the assembly thereto. The assembly follows the blanket as it (and the article it supports) are indexed to the printing station. An encoder monitors the distance traveled by the blanket during indexing and corrects for variation between the distance traveled and a preset distance. Upon arrival of the article at the printing station, the clamping member contracts, concomitantly releasing the blanket. A cylinder then returns the assembly a selected distance in position for another indexing movement, and so forth.

Abstract: Protective system of a pile lifting device for sheet piles in a sheet-fed printing machine, wherein a pile support board is liftable and lowerable in guides of a frame by a motorized drive of a lifting unit having a fast-speed and a slower speed operating condition for both the lifting and lowering, the pile support board and a sheet pile supported thereby, respectively, being drivable by the motorized drive to a position switch and into a collision region wherein it can collide with another machine part, including a control member operative between the pile support board or the sheet pile supported thereby, on one hand, and a machine part present in the collision region, on the other hand, the control member being articulatingly fastened in vicinity of the position switch or to the machine part in the collision region, and having switch elements arranged in at least two switching stages for controlling the lifting unit drive and being switchable via contact surfaces on the pile support board, a first plurali

Abstract: The intaglio printing machine has three machine stands (I, II, III). Essentially, the impression cylinder (1) and the plate cylinder (2) are mounted in the first stand (I), the stencil rollers (10) and the inking unit (11) are mounted in the second stand (II), and the color-collect cylinder (8) is mounted in the third stand (III). The third stand (III) is adjustable in such a way that it can be removed from the space between the first and second stands and brought into an inoperative position, so that it is possible to bring the second stand (II) up against the first stand (I) to form an intaglio printing machine with direct inking. This results in a convertible intaglio printing machine by means of which a collect intaglio print can be made in a first operating position, in which all three stands assume their working position, and a direct intaglio print can be made in a second operating position, with the use of only the first and second stands.

Abstract: An imaging system comprising a source of light movable with respect to a writing element and projectable thereon to generate an image, a focusing system is provided for focusing a light source which generates a first beam of light of a wavelength selected to be actinic with respect to the writing element. At least a portion of the first beam of light is absorbed by the writing element. The apparatus includes a supply of donor sheets and receiver sheets which are independently fed to a writing drum. The sheets are selectively wound in supply rolls so that the "active" surfaces are oriented properly at the imaging station and have a "set" which matches the curve of the drum.

Abstract: In order to spread and flatten a signature for printing, and to hold the signature to prevent it from shifting, a binding line mail table includes a plate for supporting the signature in a flat orientation as the signature moves along the signature supporting plate. It also includes a first pair of drive belts disposed on the signature supporting plate in spaced apart relation and a second pair of drive belts disposed on the respective ones of the first pair of drive belts on the sides thereof opposite the signature supporting plate and, further, the drive belts are all then driven at substantially the same speed. With this unique arrangement, and to ensure that the signature is in a flat orientation as it moves along the signature supporting plate for printing thereon, at least one of the drive belts of one of the pairs diverges relative to the respective one of the drive belts of the other of the pairs.

Abstract: In a delivery section of a sheet-fed printing press convertible between single-sided sheet printing and first-form and perfector printing, a sheet guide is provided formed with a sheet guide surface alterable between conditions wherein the surface is formed with throughholes and the surface is continuous and smooth, and a device for altering the sheet guide surface so that it is formed with throughholes when converting the press from first-form and perfector printing to single-sided sheet printing, and for altering the sheet guide surface so that it is continuous and smooth when converting the press from single-sided sheet printing to first-form and perfector printing.

Abstract: An adjustable sheet guide assembly utilizes a plurality of individually shiftable sheet guide elements. Each of these sheet guide elements is carried by a sleeve which is concentric about a hollow profile body that carries a rotatable, helically fluted shaft. Guide pins on the sleeves are received in the shaft's flutes so that rotation of the shaft or movement of one sheet guide element causes movement of all of the sheet guide elements in the adjustable sheet guide assembly.

Abstract: Printing machine with rotating belt for textile products and the like, including a supporting structure which extends vertically, a plurality of motorized and mutually synchronized traction rollers arranged in superimposed pairs, and a belt which is closed in a loop, is guided on the rollers of each pair without tension in the axial direction and which has such an extension as to form, between the pairs of rollers, at least one wide loop essentially shaped like a U which has a horizontal axis and extends in depth so as to create, between the lower pair of rollers and the upper adjacent one, a portion of horizontal belt in order to allow printing by at least one printing head.