Clamp for flexible printing plate

Claim 1

A CLAMP FOR MOUNTING A FLEXIBLE PRINTING PLATE ON A PRINTING CLYINDER HAVING STEPPED ENDS, SAID CLAMP BEING A SEMICIRCULAR RING OF HEAVY SECTION FITTING IN THE STEPPED END OF THE CYLINDER AND HAVING A THIN SEMICYLINDRICAL LIP DIMENSIONED TO BE RECEIVED OVER ONE END OF THE PRINTING PLATE, RETAINERS TO LIMIT SLIDING MOVEMENT OF THE CLAMP IN AXIAL DIRECTION TO AN AMOUNT WHICH BRINGS THE LIP OFF THE PLATE IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE PLATE, A CLAMPING SCREW DISPOSED RADIALLY WITH ITS HEAD WITHIN THE BODY OF THE RING, SAID RING HAVING AN OPENING AFFORDING ACCESS TO THE HEAD OF THE CLAMPING SCREW, SAID RING HAVING A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THAT OF THE CYLINDER AND PLATE SO THAT THE ENDS OF THE RING EXERT A RADIAL PRESSURE WHEN USING ONLY A SINGLE RADIAL CLAMP SCREW AT THE MIDDLE OF THE CLAMP, AND SAID RING HAVING AN INWARD RADIAL BEAD NEAR ITS OUTER EDGE SUCH THAT THE AFORESAID CLAMP SCREW CAUSES THE ENDS OF THE CLAMP TO MOVE AXIALLY OUTWARD TO STRETCH THE AXIALLY DIRECTED EDGES OF THE PRINTING PLATE, THERE BEING FOUR SUCH CLAMPS FOR A PRINTING CYLINDER INTENDED TO RECEIVE TWO PRINTING PLATES.