Printing machines

Claim 1

ROTARY PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A ROTATABLE PLATE CYLINDER ADAPTED TO CARRY A PRINTING PLATE, SAID PLATE CYLINDER BEING DISPOSED OPPOSITE A SUPPORT MEMBER FOR A SHEET OR THE LIKE TO PRINTED, A ROTATABLE INTERMEDIATE FORM ROLLER ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PRINTING PLATE TO ROLL INK ON TO THE PRINTING PLATE, A FRAME SUPPORTING SAID FORM ROLLER AND BEING ADJUSTABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE PLATE CYLINDER TO VARY THE PRESSURE CONTACT BETWEEN THE FORM ROLLER AND THE PLATE ON THE PLATE CYLINDER, AN INTERMEDIATE OSCILLATING ROLLER ENGAGED WITH THE FORM ROLLER, ANOTHER FRAME SUPPORTING THE OSCILLATING ROLLER AND BEING ADJUSTABLY SHIFTABLE TO VARY THE DEGREE OF PRESSURE CONTACT BETWEEN SAID ROLLERS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN THE FORM ROLLER AND THE PLATE CYLINDER, SAID INTERMEDIATE ROLLERS BEING GEARED ONE TO ANOTHER TO ROTATE IN UNISON, AND A FREELY ROTATABLE FOUNTAIN CYLINDER OF HOLLOW CONSTRUCTION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OSCILLATING ROLLER FOR RELAYING INK CONTAINED WITHIN THE INTERIOR THEREOF TO SAID OSCILLATING ROLLER, MEANS FOR IMPARTING A POSITIVE DIRVE TO ONE OF SAID INTERMEDIATE ROLLERS WHEREBY THE PLATE CYLINDER AND THE FOUNTAIN CYLINDER ARE DRIVEN THEREBY, SAID FOUNTAIN CYLINDER COMPRISING AN INNER SLEEVE FORMED WITH A PREDETERMINED PATTERN OF OPENINGS WHICH COMMUNICATE WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID FOUNTAIN CYLINDER, A SEPARATE OUTER SLEEVE TELESCOPED OVER SAID INNER SLEEVE AND FORMED WITH A PATTERN OF OPENINGS ARRANGED TO REGISTER SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THE FIRST-NAMED OPENINGS, MEANS AFFORDING AN INK ABSORPTIVE POROUS MEMBER ON SAID OUTER SLEEVE, SAID SLEEVES BEING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ADJUSTABLE ONE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER TO VARY THE EXTENT TO WHICH SAID OPENINGS ARE IN REGISTRY AND THEREBY THE RATE OF FEEDING INK TO SAID POROUS MEMBER, VARIANTLY SETTABLE VENT MEANS CARRIED ENTIRELY BY SAID FOUNTAIN CYLINDER INCLUDING AN ANGLED PASSAGEWAY FOR DISCLOSING TO A VARIABLE EXTENT THE INTERIOR OF SAID FOUNTAIN CYLINDER TO THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, SAID FOUNTAIN CYLINDER BEING CARRIED BY A PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FRAME, AND MEANS TO VARY SAID FRAME ON ITS SUPPORT TO THEREBY VARY THE DEGREE OF PRESSURE CONTACT BETWEEN THE FOUNTAIN CYLINDER AND THE OSCILLATING ROLLER.