Abstract: A bridge mandrel for use on a printing press, an example of which includes making an inner tube laid up with a compressible foam layer between wound glass fiber layers, an outer tube wound with carbon fiber, steel end caps, and a pneumatic system for delivering air to the surface of the completed mandrel; assembling these parts into a hollow bridge mandrel assembly; injecting liquid expanding foam into it as an intermediate component; and finishing the surface of the outer tube. The outer tube is made from tube stock laid up over a peel ply wrapped on a forming mandrel, and cut to length. Another example of the invention includes a bridge sleeve comprising a composite layup of glass, compressible foam, glass, and carbon fiber, the ends of which are sealed from chemical exposure by end caps.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting and demounting a materials sheet onto and from a cylindrical surface of a drum (10) has clamps (40) pivotably arranged upon the sheet materials drum. The clamps have a first region (80) and a second region (70) either side of a pivot axis. The second region (70) clamps the materials sheet to the cylindrical surface (20) of the drum. A backbone (120) extends along the length of the drum and is removably attached to the drum. Push rods (90) movably arranged on the backbone are capable of being operated to push against the first region of the clamps to pivot the clamps to move the second region of the clamps. Any existing clasped materials sheet is thereby unclasped from the cylindrical surface.

Abstract: A filling member for filling the concave portion of a blanket face which is generated along the opening portion of a groove of a blanket cylinder comprises a wedge-shaped limb portion and a head portion capable of filling the concave portion. The limb portion is inserted between the surface of the terminal and initial winding end side of the blanket which is approximately parallel with the surface in a condition in which one face of the limb portion is brought into contact with the terminal winding end side of the blanket and is pushed on both surfaces in which one face and another face forming a wedge shape for the one face oppose approximately parallel to at least a site adjacent to the head portion. The head portion can fill the concave portion when the limb portion is inserted between the initial winding end side and the terminal winding end side of the blanket.

Abstract: A printing group of a rotary printing press includes at least one forme cylinder and at least one transfer cylinder. The forme cylinder has at least two printing forme end channels. These two channels are spaced circumferentially. At least one of these forme cylinder end receiving channels rolls off against a channel in the transfer cylinder. One of the forme cylinder end receiving channels is at least partially covered by a printing forme carried by the forme cylinder.

Abstract: To develop a novel gravure printing form, which is simple to produce and is highly suitable with respect to a variation of formats, the invention discloses the use of a steel carrier sleeve in the form of a master sleeve. The initial form of said sleeve is a rectangular plate with a wall thickness of between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm, which is given the desired hollow cylindrical form by bending, the opposing edges of the plate being permanently joined together, in particular by welding. A copper gravure layer is applied to the outer surface of the plate, a basic grid being etched into the copper gravure layer by means of a laser gravure process. The basic grid is then uniformly filled with a liquefiable substance to form the gravure printing form and the filler material is removed from the depressions of the basic grid to produce the required image.

Abstract: In the case of a blanket holding rail for the releasable attachment of a blanket (12) on a printing mechanism roll comprising two holding limbs (13a and 13b) having an elongated configuration, and joined together by way of a back portion (14) and between which the blanket (12) may be clamped and be so fixed by means of additional securing means that the blanket (12) is secured to avoid its being pulled out athwart the longitudinal direction of the rail, the additional securing means are constituted by a claw means (16), which digs into the material of the blanket on clamping the blanket (12) in position.

Abstract: A printing press cylinder having a cylinder base body and a functional layer, which forms an outer surface of the printing press cylinder, is disclosed. The cylinder base body is made of phenolic resin impregnated textile fibers or of hardboard.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing assembly which includes a printing drum such as an impression drum, a pair of eccentric bearings between and on which the drum is mounted for rotation, a pair of self aligning bearings on which the eccentric bearings are supported, and a pair of frameless motors directly connected to the eccentric bearings in order to effect the rotation thereof through closed loop feedback control, in order to facilitate the automatic and accurate control of pressure level and uniformity along the nip of a printing press.

Abstract: This invention provides a structure and method of forming a seamless imprint roller. The method includes providing a translucent cylindrical core. At least one uniform seamless layer of material is deposited about the cylindrical core. This uniform seamless layer of material is then processed to define a translucent three dimensional imprint pattern seamlessly disposed about the core. The pattern includes at least one structure extending from the core and having one or more elevations. The pattern and more specifically the structures are inherently aligned to one another and the cylindrical core.

Abstract: A printing blanket assembly for a blanket cylinder of a rotary printing press includes a dimensionally stable support plate, and a printing blanket fastened to the outside of the support plate. A leading end of the support plate and a trailing end of the support plate are fastened to the blanket cylinder by the provision of an angled or beveled, printing blanket free end. A filler is provided between the beveled end of the support plate and the inner edge of the leading and trailing ends of the printing blanket.

Abstract: A method for coating a printing press cylinder, namely a plate cylinder or a transfer cylinder, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes providing a printing press cylinder with a metallic cylinder basic body, which has an outer surface area and at least one lockup slot, and applying a coating containing nickel to the cylinder basic body in the region of the outer surface area as well as in the region of the, or each, lockup slot by autocatalytic and/or chemical deposition.

Abstract: Provided is a offset web press, particularly a variable cutoff type web press, which can reduce costs of replacement of a sleeve for a printing cylinder, which is deteriorated through printing operation. The sleeve for a printing cylinder, which is cylindrical and which is fitted on the outer periphery of a base shaft roll provided on the body side of the printing machine, is composed of an inner peripheral layer having a plurality of layers at least one of which is expandable or contractible with respect to a radial load, and an outer peripheral cylinder closely fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral layer, the inner peripheral layer and the outer peripheral layer being formed separate from each other so as to be separatable from each other.

Abstract: A hollow cylindrical printing element, comprising a hollow cylindrical core material (A) and a resin layer (B) or a resin layer (C). The hollow cylindrical core material (A) further comprises a photosensitive resin hardened layer (1) of 0.05 to 50 mm in thickness having a fiber-like, cloth-like, or film-like reinforcement material and the shore hardness D of 30 to 100°. The resin layer (B) is laminated on the hollow cylindrical core material (A), has a thickness of 0.1 to 100 mm, and allows a pattern to be formed on the surface thereof. The resin layer (C) has a pattern formed on the surface thereof.

Abstract: A cylindrically-shaped tube fitting over a cylindrically-shaped base body rotatable around an axis of rotation. The tube has a cylindrically-shaped inner surface defining a hollow region, a cylindrically-shaped outer surface, a first end, and a second end. The base body is arranged to fit either a sleeve or the tube. The outer surface includes vacuum grooves or a plate clamping system or both, and arranged to secure a flexible sheet of material around the outer surface of the tube.

Abstract: A printing plate for a printing machine, more preferably for a reel-fed rotary printing machine, is disclosed. The plate has a plate-like main body serving as a subject carrier, with a leading end which is angled-off relative to the main body, and with a trailing end which is angled-off relative to the main body where the printing plate can be mounted or placed on a form cylinder of a printing machine via the leading end and the trailing end, and where the leading end and the trailing end are symmetrically angled-off relative to the main body such that the leading end and the trailing end enclose an approximately identical angle with one side of the main body. The leading end and the trailing end each enclose an angle between 85° and 90° with the side of the main body.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plate cylinder having a relief plate mounted on at least a part of an outer periphery of the plate cylinder and being operable to be rotationally driven about a shaft center, and an impression cylinder having a rigid outer periphery and being operable to be rotationally driven about a shaft center parallel to the shaft center of the plate cylinder. The impression cylinder is adapted to be brought into pressure contact with the relief plate via a sheet-like print object fed between the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder. A cushioning sheet is attachable to and detachable from the outer periphery of the impression cylinder. The cushioning sheet is elastically deformable when being brought into pressure contact with the relief plate on the plate cylinder via the print object. The cushioning sheet is restorable when being separated from the relief plate on the plate cylinder.

Abstract: A direct drive for a printing press with lateral register adjustment includes a rotor and a stator, and a connection for mechanically connecting the drive with a stationary support bearing, wherein the rotor is connectable with shaft of a printing press cylinder with the connection being a torsionally stiff spacer installed directly or indirectly on the outer jacket of drive, which is designed to be elastic in the direction of the motor axis to compensate axial motions of the attachable printing press cylinder shaft.

Abstract: A printing blanket assembly for a blanket cylinder of a rotary printing press includes a dimensionally stable support plate with a printing blanket secured to an outer surface of the support plate. A filler material is arranged on at least one end of the printing blanket. This filler material extends radially at least to an outside surface of the printing blanket. It also extends on the outside of the printing blanket in a longitudinal direction of the printing blanket.

Abstract: The invention describes a printing plate cylinder (1), which during the set up of the print machine is made up of at least the following elements (2,3): A cylinder core (3) which is placed in the print machine as rotary and a sleeve (2) which can be pulled over the cylinder core (3) at least partly. In this angular position both of these elements (2,3) are alignable to each other through the following means: A male register element (6,10,11) which is fixed on one of the two elements to be aligned, a female register element (7) which is part of the corresponding other element to be aligned, whereby both the register elements mentioned before stay in working connection with each other if the elements to be aligned (2, 3) are in the set position relative to each other. At least one of the two register elements (6, 10, 11) is controlled by the other element (2, 3) to be aligned through movement.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compressible printing blanket in which voids are formed in the compressible layer by using microballoons, comprising at least two fabric layers, an adhesive layer interposed between adjacent fabric layers, a surface rubber layer, and a compressible layer arranged between the at least two fabric layers and the surface rubber layer and containing spherical voids and voids having a shape other than a sphere in a ratio defined in formula given below: S1:S2=20:80 to 95:5 ??(1) where, S1 denotes the number of spherical voids per unit area in a cross section of the compressible layer, and S2 denotes the number of voids having a shape other than a sphere per unit area in a cross section of the compressible layer.

Abstract: A filling member for filling the concave portion of a blanket face which is generated along the opening portion of a groove of a blanket cylinder comprises a wedge-shaped limb portion and a head portion capable of filling the concave portion. The limb portion is inserted between the surface of the terminal and initial winding end side of the blanket which is approximately parallel with the surface in a condition in which one face of the limb portion is brought in contact with the terminal winding end side of the blanket and is pushed on both surfaces in which one face and another face forming a wedge shape for the one face oppose approximately parallel to at least a site adjacent to the head portion. The head portion can fill the concave portion when the limb portion is inserted between the initial winding end side and the terminal winding end side of the blanket.

Abstract: Obtained is an image generating apparatus capable of suppressing increase in the number of components and inhibiting a rotating member from slipping off an apparatus body by an abrupt external impact or vibration in a nonprinting state including a state in transportation. This sublimating printer (image generating apparatus) includes a printer body including a chassis having an engaging portion and a rotating member, provided inside the chassis, integrally including rotating shafts on both ends thereof while also integrally including a protrusion engaging with the engaging portion of the chassis in a printing standby state (nonprinting state).

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing a polymer sleeve including a polymer sleeve for use with an image cylinder or a blanket cylinder in an electrophotographic process so that the sleeve has a stretched length as mounted on the mandrel equal to a length of the mandrel.

Abstract: A packing sleeve including an outer lateral surface for a printing unit cylinder of an offset printing press is disclosed, wherein the outer lateral surface has at least one region with an area containing a number of incisions, which increase the elasticity of the packing sleeve in the peripheral direction. The packing sleeve according to the invention can advantageously be used to enlarge the effective outer diameter of a printing unit cylinder in an offset printing press by drawing the packing sleeve over the printing unit cylinder in the offset printing press.

Abstract: In order to make handling easier, an apparatus for pulling a sleeve onto and off a printing-press cylinder has a head piece (8) having a positioning device (13) for defining the position of the head piece (8) with respect to the cylinder (1), a connecting device (14, 15) for fixing the head piece (8) to the cylinder (1), and a centering device (12) for defining the position of the sleeve (2) with respect to the head piece (8) and a deposition bar (9) for the sleeve (2), which deposition bar (9) is attached to the head piece (8).

Abstract: A printing device has a support roll and a sleeve having at least one sleeve element and detachably mounted on the support roll, wherein the sleeve, when mounted on the support roll, surrounds at least partially the support roll. At least one printing plate is adapted to be detachably mounted on the sleeve. A securing device for securing the at least one printing plate on the sleeve is provided, wherein the securing device has at least one magnetic element and a ferromagnetic material interacting with the at least one magnetic element.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a transfer foil for transferring a transfer layer onto a printing material in a transfer unit. In order to avoid the adhesion, and simultaneously retain the flexibility of the transfer cylinder, it is proposed that the transfer unit has at least one material application device for applying friction-reducing material onto the transfer cylinder and/or the carrier foil reverse side. Furthermore, a transfer foil is proposed, the carrier foil of which has a rear-side coating of friction-reducing material. The friction-reducing material may be a fluid or powder.

Abstract: A printing member such as a printing cylinder includes an at least partly metal cylinder, or a sleeve to be mounted on a mandrel rotating about its axis. The printing member comprises a body having a thickness. With the printing member there is associated an activatable signaling device that is connectable to a recording device that is arranged to store data related to at least one characteristic of the printing member or to the use of the printing member. The activatable signaling device can include a transponder such as an RFID.

Abstract: A printing blanket comprising a rigid carrier plate on which an elastic layer is arranged is provided. The elastic covering layer has a surface that can be inked and by which a printing image can be transferred onto a printing material. An end of the carrier plate is not covered by the elastic covering layer, and an end of the elastic covering layer is covered by a sealant. The sealant covered end of the elastic covering layer has a sealing geometry that provides a greater surface area to which the sealant can adhere than a smooth flat surface at the end of the elastic covering layer.

Abstract: An intermediate sleeve is provided which is adapted to be mounted on a print cylinder. The intermediate sleeve includes a base layer, a reinforcing layer, a barrier layer, and a surface layer. The sleeve further includes at least one air channel extending longitudinally, circumferentially, or spirally along the interior of the sleeve, at least one air passageway extending from an inner surface of the sleeve into the air channel, and a plurality of orifices extending radially outward from the air channel to an outer surface of the sleeve. The air channel, air passageway, and orifices are in communication such that pressurized air can be supplied from the interior of the print cylinder to the outer surface of the sleeve for mounting a printing sleeve on the intermediate sleeve.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for the mounting and/or demounting of at least two printing sleeves outside a printing unit of a printing machine. The printing sleeves include an outer printing sleeve forming a printing surface and an inner printing sleeve providing diameter compensation between the outer printing sleeve and an impression cylinder of the printing machine. The apparatus having a reception device onto which an inner printing sleeve can be pushed for mounting the two printing sleeves. The apparatus having at least one compressed-air device for facilitating the fixing of the inner printing sleeve on the reception device and for conducting compressed air through orifices assigned to the inner printing sleeve in order thereby to make it possible for an outer printing sleeve to be pushed more easily onto the inner printing sleeve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cylinder, which is in contact with a material web. Said cylinder flexes in or against the direction of travel of the material web, in accordance with at least one pixel that is located on said web.

Abstract: In an apparatus for pulling off sleeves (11, 14) which are applied to cylinders (10, 15) of a printing press, a force for pulling off the sleeve is applied in a gentle manner, in that a retaining rod (5), having a retaining head (1) which can be fixed to the sleeve (11, 14), and a hammer weight which can be moved along the rod (5) between stops (7, 9) are provided.

Abstract: A printing blanket is designed to have less sink-down, less variation in thickness along with time, less susceptible to temperature or moisture, and which employs woven fabric having excellent measurement stability, thereby having a sufficient durability against variation in thickness in high-speed printing. The printing rubber blanket includes a surface rubber layer, and at least two fabric layers, in which at least one of the fabric layers other than that located adjacent to the surface rubber layer is woven fabric made of a yarn of No. 10 count or less but No. 6 count or more used for warps of the woven fabric, and a yarn of No. 30 count or less but No. 20 count or more used for wefts of the woven fabric, and the woven fabric is subjected to a stretching process in which the woven fabric is expanded in the warp direction.

Abstract: A printing group of a rotary printing press includes at least one forme cylinder and at least one transfer cylinder. The forme cylinder has at least two printing forme end receiving channels. These two channels are spaced circumferentially. At least one of these forme cylinder end receiving channels rolls off against a channel in the transfer cylinder. One of the forme cylinder end receiving channels is at least partially covered by a printing forme carried by the forme cylinder.

Abstract: A flexographic printing cylinder (10, 40) includes a cylinder body (20) made of a carbon fiber composite material and carrying a printing pattern on its peripheral surface (34), the printing pattern being formed by a polymer jacket layer (36) that is formed integrally with the cylinder body (20).

Abstract: An easy to manufacture and install sound dampening pad for a printing blanket sleeve is provided. The pad effectively attenuates noise emanating from the sleeve during air pressurized mounting and dismounting of the blanket sleeve to an underlying cylinder. The sound dampening pad is fabricated from a flexible polymeric material and in one embodiment has a generally J-shaped configuration with inner and outer surfaces. At least a portion of the inner surface of the J-shaped configuration includes a pressure sensitive adhesive thereon to secure the pad to the inner surface of the sleeve.

Abstract: A method for influencing lateral web spreading in a printing unit in a rotary printing press, the printing unit having first and second transfer cylinders contacting each other along a contact zone for receiving a web to be printed on therebetween and undergoing a deflection during operation, and at least one plate cylinder which is respectively settable against one of the first and second transfer cylinders for printing on at least one side of the web receivable in the contact zone.

Abstract: A method for making a printing blanket resulting from assembling a plurality of layers employs elastomer layers which do not contain thermal cross-linking agents and are of the thermoplastic type. Such a printing blanket is useful in the field of printing machines.

Abstract: The bearings of a printing roller of a printing machine, preferably of a flexoprinting machine, with at least one counter-pressure cylinder and with at least one printing roller, which on one end is taper bore mounted in the frame, are conveyable in guideways relative to the counter-pressure cylinder. A bearing is provided for underpropping the shaft extension of the free end of the printing roller. In order to be able to slide the enveloping sleeve off and/or the adapter sleeve off of the printing roller in a simple manner, two shafts are mounted to be longitudinally displaceable and rotatable in the bearing block in which the printing roller is taper bore mounted, parallel to the center line of the printing roller, said shafts carrying on their inner ends, which are oriented toward the printing roller, radial arms with end face thrust pieces. The shafts are rotatably mounted on their outer ends in a carrier bracket and are provided with a rotary drive.

Abstract: The transfer blanket (10), in particular a rubber blanket, for a printing press, has a carrier layer (11), a covering layer (12) and at least one intermediate layer (13, 14, 15) which is positioned between the carrier layer and the covering layer, the carrier layer protruding, compared with at least one intermediate layer, at at least one end of the transfer blanket (10), using which end the said transfer blanket (10) can be fastened at a clamping point (17) of a printing press, and ends of the or each intermediate layer, which are of shortened configuration compared with the carrier layer (11), being sealed with the aid of a sealing layer (16). The sealing layer (16) extends over the carrier layer (11) in such a way that the transfer blanket can be fastened at the clamping point of the printing press at least via the carrier layer and the sealing layer.

Abstract: A cylinder of a printing unit of a rotary offset printing machine has a periphery and an axial length. The peripheral surface of the cylinder is divided, in the axial length, into at least three sections that are positional next to one another. The peripheral surface has, in at least three sections, at least one slot-shaped opening. At least two of the sections each have two openings which are arranged offset with respect to each other about the periphery of the cylinder. The cylinder is intended for use in a cylinder pair including a 6/2 printing cylinder and an associated transfer cylinder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for the manipulation of a sleeve onto and off of a cylinder. A sleeve mounted on a handling shaft is equipped with a substantially airtight slideable end cap at its distal end. During mounting, axial alignment is provided when the handling shaft is engaged with the free end of the cylinder. A plurality of apertures on the cylinder's exterior surface conduct pressurized air, which expands the sleeve by exerting radial fluid pressure on its inside surface. A vacuum source actively evacuates the air from the sleeve's interior drawing the sleeve onto the cylinder. To remove the sleeve fluid pressure is reasserted exerting an axial force against the substantially airtight end cap. An auxiliary air supply is selectively activated to aid in sleeve removal.

Abstract: A printing press cylinder and a method of manufacturing the same. The printing press cylinder includes a rigid base member having a reduced radius section and a polymer layer formed about the rigid base member generally within the reduced radius section. The polymer layer is operable to absorb forces and dissipate energy that degrades print quality. A gear portion is operably coupled to the rigid base member for rotation therewith. The printing press cylinder is manufactured by turning a rigid base member to produce a reduced radius section and subsequently molding a polymer layer generally within the reduced radius section of the rigid base member. The polymer layer is cured and then turned to reduce the circumference thereof and produce a smooth surface.

Abstract: Roll-forming apparatus is provided together with a conveyor system utilized to transport raw dough rolls. A stop gate is movably positioned in the path of the rolls and, when placed in an interfering position, temporarily stops the rolls while the rolls maintain sliding contact with the conveyor. An imprinter is positioned above the conveyor and adjacent the stop gate. The stop gate is subsequently moved to a noninterfering position to permit the rolls to pass to the imprinting drums where the rolls are formed into a desired shape.

Abstract: A printing press includes a frame that supports one or more printing units. Each printing unit includes a retractable inker module cantileverly supported by the frame, an ink injection system having a pump, a sidelay registration mechanism for one or more plate cylinders of the printing unit, an extension sleeve extending a length of a plate cylinder sleeve, and an expandable layer for each blanket cylinder and plate cylinder that provides changing the inner diameter of the blanket cylinder and the plate cylinder.

Abstract: The rubber-blanket plate comprising a carrier plate (2) on which functional layers (3) are arranged. The functional layers (3) include a covering layer (4), a woven-fabric layer (5) and a compressible layer (6). At the two ends of the rubber-blanket plate (FIG. 4a), only the ends of the covering layer (13) extend to the carrier plate (2), whereas the functional layers end before that. As a result, effective protection of the functional layers (3) is attained, and it is possible to use a relatively narrow channel (FIG. 4a) in the printing press cylinder upon which the rubber-blanket plate is mounted. Alternatively, all of the functional layers can extend to the end of the carrier plate.

Abstract: A printing unit for influencing lateral web spreading in particular in rotary presses, which makes constant contact conditions possible across the width in the rubber-rubber nip and improves the lateral-register quality and the web run without using concave or convex blanket cylinders, has a blanket cylinder and plate cylinders which can be set against the former for printing on one or both sides of a web. The web passes through between the blanket cylinders in a contact zone, it either being possible to skew at least one of the blanket cylinders with respect to the respective plate cylinder or it being possible to skew at least one of the plate cylinders with respect to the respective blanket cylinder, for producing a concave velocity profile on the web.

Abstract: A print cylinder having a first header, a second header and a hollow cylinder body is internally piped. The first header includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet is sealingly connected to a central conduit which is sealingly attached to a disk, the disk being sealed about its perimeter to the cylinder body. The second header includes an air inlet and at least one air outlet, the air outlet being connected to a perimeter groove defined about the outer surface of the second header. Apertures are defined within the print cylinder immediately above the perimeter groove whereby an air flow continuum is created from the air inlet of the first header, through the central conduit, through the second header inlet and outlet, through the perimeter groove and through the cylinder apertures. Secondary apertures are defined within the cylinder body, each connected in an air flow continuum to the central conduit by means of secondary conduits.

Abstract: A rolling marker assembly enables a user to mark serially-presented, repeating patterns upon a marking surface. The marker assembly comprises an outer casing and a marking caster assembly. The marking caster assembly comprises at least one compressible medium-dispensing pad and at least one pad mask. The pad mask comprises at least one patterned aperture. The medium-dispensing pad is impregnated with a compression-releasable marking medium. The caster assembly is rotatable about an axis of rotation and the medium-dispensing pad is compressible against the pad mask thus forming at least one pattern-exposed pad portion adjacent the patterned aperture. The marker assembly is manually traceable adjacent a marking surface and the pattern-exposed pad portion is compressible upon the marking surface for dispensing the marking medium therefrom for marking a pattern upon the marking surface. The casing enables the user to more effectively guide and compress the caster assembly for marking the pattern(s).