Method and apparatus for mounting printing sleeves

Claim 1

THE COMBINATION OF A MANDREL FOR SUPPORTING IN A PRINTING PRESS, A CYLINDRICAL BASE SLEEVE HAVING INHERENT CIRCUMFERENTIAL RESILIENCE BEARING PRINTING PLATES, SAID MANDREL COMPRISING A BODY HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL WHOSE EXTERNAL DIAMETER IS APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF THE BASE SLEEVE AND TWO END WALLS PROVIDING A CLOSED CHAMBER, SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH FROM SAID CLOSED CHAMBER THAT ARE SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CYLINDRICAL WALL AND CERTAIN OF WHICH ARE DISPOSED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ONE END WALL, AND A TRUNNION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM EACH END WALL COAXIALLY WITH SAID CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL, THERE BEING MEANS FOR ADMITTING AIR UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID CHAMBER, AND A STAND SUPPORTING SAID MANDREL WITH ITS AXIS IN VERTICAL POSITION COMPRISING A BASE PLATE HAVING AN UPWARDLY OPENING RECESS IN THE UPPER SIDE THEREOF OF A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THAT OF ONE OF THE TRUNNIONS AND INTO WHICH THE TRUNNION OPPOSITE SAID ONE END WALL IS REMOVABLY AND COAXIALLY FITTED, SO THAT THE MANDREL IS HELD IN UPRIGHT POSITION TO PERMIT A CYLINDRICAL BASE SLEEVE TO BE MANUALLY PUSHED ONTO THE MANDREL OVER THE UPPER END THEREOF, WHEN AIR UNDER PRESSURE IS ADMITTED TO SAID MANDREL.