Automatic ink ductor control for printing presses

Claim 1

IN A PRINTING PRESS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING AN INK FOUNTAIN, AN INK DISTRIBUTING ROLLER, AN INK DUCTOR ROLL MOUNTED FOR INTERMITTENT SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID INK FOUNTAIN AND SAID DISTRIBUTING ROLLER, AN OSCILLATING LEVER CONNECTED TO THE MOUNTING OF SAID DUCTOR ROLL FOR SWINGING THE SAME, CAM MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID LEVER IN SYNCHRONISM WITH PRESS DRIVE CYCLES, PAPER FEED SENSING MEANS, LATCH MEANS NORMALLY URGED TO A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT IT HOLDS SUCH LEVER OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM TO HOLD SAID DUCTOR ROLL OUT OF IN-TRANSFER RELATION TO SAID INK FOUNTAIN, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE OPERATION OF SAID SENSING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LATCH MEANS TO A SECOND POSITION AWAY FROM SAID LEVER TO ALLOW SAID DUCTOR ROLL TO SWING INTO INK-TRANSFER RELATION TO SAID INK FOUNTAIN, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES; (A) A ONE-WAY DRIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID SENSING MEANS AND SAID LATCH MEANS PERMITTING MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH MEANS TOWARDS ITS SECOND POSITION INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OPERATION OF SAID SENSING MEANS, (B) A MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL LEVER MOVABLE THROUGH AN INTERMEDIATE IDLE POSITION BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND EXTREME POSITIONS. (C) SAID CONTROL LEVER HAVING A PORTION WHICH IN ONE OF ITS EXTREME POSITIONS ENGAGES SAID OSCILLATING LEVER TO HOLD THE SAME OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM TO DISCONTINUE THE INK SUPPLY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE POSITION OF SAID LATCH MEANS, (D) SAID CONTROL LEVER HAVING A PORTION WHICH IN THE OTHER OF ITS EXTREME POSITIONS ENGAGES SAID LATCH MEANS TO HOLD THE LATTER IN ITS SAID SECOND POSITION AWAY FROM SAID OSCILLATING LEVER, TO PERMIT INK SUPPLY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE SENSING OF PAPER FEED BY SAID SENSING MEANS, (E) SPRING BIAS MEANS URGING SAID CONTROL LEVER FROM ITS SAID OTHER EXTREME POSITION TOWARDS ITS INTERMEDIATE IDLE POSITION, (F) A LOCKING FORMATION ON SAID LATCH MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID CONTROL LEVER IN ITS SAID OTHER EXTREME POSITION AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING BIAS MEANS, (G) AND MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID SENSING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LOCKING FORMATION AWAY FROM SAID CONTROL LEVER TO ALLOW THE LATTER TO BE RESTORED TO ITS INTERMEDIATE POSITION UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF A PAPER FEED OPERATION.