Mechanism for axially reciprocating a distributing cylinder in a printing machine

Claim 1

IN A PRINTING MACHINE HAVING A STATIONARY SUPPORT, A DISTRIBUTING CYLINDER MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR AXIALLY RECIPROCATING THE CYLINDER DURING SAID ROTATION, THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE RECIPROCATING MEANS COMPRISING: (A) COOPERATING RING MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT AND ON SAID CYLINDER, SAID RING MEANS INCLUDING (1) A CAM MEMBER FORMED WITH AN ANNULAR GROOVE ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID GROOVE HAVING TWO SIDE WALLS ANGULARLY CONVERGING INWARD OF SAID GROOVE, (2) A RING MEMBER HAVING AN AXIALLY PROJECTING ANNULAR FACE ABOUT SAID AXIS AND THUS BEING IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID GROOVE, AND TERMINATING AT A PLANE FRONT FACE AXIALLY FACING SAID GROOVE, SAID ANNULAR FACE CONVERGING TOWARD SAID FRONT FACE, (3) A BALL MEMBER HAVING A PORTION RECEIVED WITHIN SAID GROOVE IN SIMULTANEOUS THREE-POINT CONTACT WITH SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID FRONT FACE, (4) SAID CAM MEMBER AND SAID RING MEMBER BEING FIXEDLY FASTENED TO SAID SUPPORT AND SAID CYLINDER, RESPECTIVELY, AND (B) YIELDABLY RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID CAM AND RING MEMBERS AXIALLY TOWARD EACH OTHER FOR ROLLING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID BALL MEMBER BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID FRONT FACE IN SAID THREE-POINT CONTACT.