Cylinder controlling and interrupter structure for printing presses

Claim 2

In a printing press, a pair of outer cylinders and an intermediate cylinder situated at least in part between said outer cylinders, all said cylinders being mounted on respective shafts coaxial therewith having parallel axes, respectively, and an assembly operatively connected to the shaft of said intermediate cylinder to support the latter for rotary movement and for movement toward and away from an operative position with respect to said outer cylinders, a pair of thrust-absorbing means located adjacent each end of the shaft of said intermediate cylinder, surface means on each end of the shaft of said intermediate cylinder in play-free engagement with a respective pair of said thrust-absorbing means, one means of said pairs of thrust-absorbing means respectively extending through a plane which includes the axis of said intermediate cylinder and the axis of one of said outer cylinders and the other means of said pairs of thrust-absorbing means respectively extending through a plane which includes the axis of said intermediate cylinder and the axis of the other of said outer cylinders, and a thrustproducing means located at each end of the shaft of said intermediate cylinder in play-free engagement with said surface means for urging the axis of said intermediate cylinder toward a space defined between said pair of thrust-absorbing means, and said thrust-producing means providing at least part of the thrust which is absorbed by said pair of thrust-absorbing means, all of said thrust-absorbing means and said thrust-producing means being in continuous engagement with said surface means, respectively.

Claim 3

In a press as recited in claim 1, adjusting means connected to said pair of thrust-absorbing means and movable so as to transmit a force through the latter to said surface means for displacing the same to adjust the location of said axis of said intermediate cylinder.

Claim 4

In a press as recited in claim 1, said surface means comprising at each end of said intermediate cylinder a bearing ring in which said iNtermediate cylinder shaft is journaled, and said adjusting means including at said respective intermediate cylinder end a linkage operatively connected to said ring and movable so as to transmit a force to said bearing ring for adjusting the angular position thereof, said bearing ring being in continuous peripheral engagement with a respective pair of said thrust-absorbing means, said bearing ring having peripheral regions of varying diameter whereby the location of said axis of said intermediate cylinder is altered when the angular position of said ring with respect to said axis is altered.

Claim 5

In a press recited in claim 1, said one thrust-absorbing means including a roller engaging said surface means and situated at that side of the axis of said intermediate cylinder which is opposite from the axis of said one outer cylinder, and the other of said thrust-absorbing means including a roller engaging said surface means and situated at that side of the axis of said intermediate cylinder which is opposite the axis of said other outer cylinder.

Claim 6

In a press as recited in claim 1, said one thrust-absorbing means including a roller engaging said surface means and situated on the same side of said axis of said intermediate cylinder as said one outer cylinder and the other of said thrust-absorbing means including a roller engaging said surface means and situated on the same side of said axis of said intermediate cylinder as said other outer cylinder.

Claim 7

In a press recited in claim 1, said pair of thrust-absorbing means including a pair of rollers engaging said surface means and situated at each end of said intermediate cylinder on one side of the axis thereof.

Claim 8

In a press as recited in claim 6, said thrust-producing means including a roller in engagement with said surface means and a spring structure urging said roller toward the axis of said intermediate cylinder.

Claim 9

In a press as recited in claim 6, said thrust-producing means including a slide block engaging with and slidable on said surface means and a spring structure urging said slide block toward the axis of said intermediate cylinder.

Claim 10

In a press as recited in claim 1, each of said thrust-absorbing means being in the form of a thrust-absorbing member which remains stationary during operation of the press.

Claim 11

In a press as recited in claim 9, each of said thrust-absorbing members being a wedge.

Claim 12

In a press as recited in claim 9, each of said thrust-absorbing members being a cam.

Claim 13

In a press as recited in claim 1, said assembly including a bearing ring of eccentric configuration in which an end of said intermediate cylinder is journaled and said eccentric bearing ring carrying at its outer periphery a pair of thrust-absorbing cams which form said pair of thrust-absorbing means, respectively.

Claim 14

In a press as recited in claim 1, said surface means comprising a bearing at each end of the shaft of said intermediate member wherein the respective shaft end is journaled.

Claim 15

In a press as recited in claim 13, said bearing being a plain bearing.

Claim 16

In a press as recited in claim 13, said bearing being a roller bearing.

Claim 17

In a printing press, a pair of outer cylinders and an intermediate cylinder situated at least in part between said pair of outer cylinders, all of said cylinders having parallel axes and said intermediate cylinder having a journal at each of its ends, a bearing ring surrounding and engaging said journal at each end of said intermediate cylinder, said bearing ring having at its outer periphery a pair of flat surfaces respectively situated diametrically opposite to said pair of outer cylinders and a third flat surface situated at the side of the axis of said intermediate cylinder which is opposite from the side thereof where said pair of flat surfaces are situated, and a pair of elongated wedge members respectively slidably engaging said pair of flat surfaces and being longitudinally shiftable, one of said wedge members when longitudinally shifted providing for moVement of said intermediate cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder which is situated opposite the other of said wedge members and said other wedge member when longitudinally shifted providing for movement of said intermediate cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder which is situated opposite said one wedge member, and a spring engaging said third flat surface and urging said ring against said wedge members.

Claim 18

In a printing press, a pair of outer cylinders and an intermediate cylinder situated at least in part between said pair of outer cylinders, all of said cylinders having parallel axes and said intermediate cylinder having a journal at each of its ends, a bearing ring surrounding and engaging said journal at each end of said intermediate cylinder, said bearing ring having at its outer periphery a pair of flat surfaces respectively situated diametrically opposite to said pair of outer cylinders and a third flat surface situated at the side of the axis of said intermediate cylinder which is opposite from the side thereof where said pair of flat surfaces are situated, and a pair of elongated wedge members respectively slidably engaging said pair of flat surfaces and being longitudinally shiftable, one of said wedge members when longitudinally shifted providing for moVement of said intermediate cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder which is situated opposite the other of said wedge members and said other wedge member when longitudinally shifted providing for movement of said intermediate cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder which is situated opposite said one wedge member, and a spring engaging said third flat surface and urging said ring against said wedge members.

Claim 19

In a printing press, a pair of outer cylinders and an intermediate cylinder situated at least in part between said pair of outer cylinders, all of said cylinders having parallel axes, and said intermediate cylinder having a journal at each of its ends, a bearing ring surrounding and engaging said journal at each end of said intermediate cylinder, said bearing ring having at its outer periphery a maximum radius portion, a first circumferentially extending surface portion of a smaller radius than said maximum radius portion, and, angularly spaced from said first circumferentially extending surface portion, a second circumferentially extending surface portion which is also of a smaller radius than said maximum radius portion and which extends through an angular distance less than that through which said first surface portion extends, and a pair of counterrollers engaging the outer periphery of said bearing bearing ring at each end of said intermediate cylinder, said counterrollers engaging the exterior surface of said bearing ring which is of maximum radius during normal operation of the press, and turning means operatively connected to said bearing ring for turning the latter through a first increment placing said first surface portion in engagement with one of said counterrollers and then through a second increment placing said second surface portion in engagement with the other of said counterrollers while maintaining said first surface in engagement with said one counterroller, said counterrollers respectively having axes situated in planes which include the axis of said intermediate cylinder and which respectively include the axes of said outer cylinders, so that during the first increment of the turning of said bearing ring said intermediate cylinder will be tangentially displaced with respect to one of said outer cylinders while during the second increment of turning of said bearing ring said intermediate cylinder will be tangentially displaced with respect to the other of said outer cylinders, both of said counterrollers being situated on the same side of the axis of said intermediate cylinder, and means situated on the other side of said axis and engaging said bearing ring for urging the latter against said counterrollers.

Claim 20

In a printing press, a pair of outer cylinders and an intermediate cylinder situated at least in part between said pair of outer cylinders, all of said cylinders having parallel axes, and said intermediate cylinder having a journal at each of its ends, a bearing ring surrounding and engaging said journal at each end of said intermediate cylinder, said bearing ring having at its outer periphery a maximum radius portion, a first circumferentially extending surface portion of a smaller radius than said maximum radius portion, and, angularly spaced from said first circumferentially extending surface portion, a second circumferentially extending surface portion which is also of a smaller radius than said maximum radius portion and which extends through an angular distance less than that through which said first surface portion extends, and a pair of counterrollers engaging the outer periphery of said bearing bearing ring at each end of said intermediate cylinder, said counterrollers engaging the exterior surface of said bearing ring which is of maximum radius during normal operation of the press, and turning means operatively connected to said bearing ring for turning the latter through a first increment placing said first surface portion in engagement with one of said counterrollers and then through a second increment placing said second surface portion in engagement with the other of said counterrollers while maintaining said first surface in engagement with said one counterroller, said counterrollers respectively having axes situated in planes which include the axis of said intermediate cylinder and which respectively include the axes of said outer cylinders, so that during the first increment of the turning of said bearing ring said intermediate cylinder will be tangentially displaced with respect to one of said outer cylinders while during the second increment of turning of said bearing ring said intermediate cylinder will be tangentially displaced with respect to the other of said outer cylinders, both of said counterrollers being situated on the same side of the axis of said intermediate cylinder, and means situated on the other side of said axis and engaging said bearing ring for urging the latter against said counterrollers.

Claim 21

In a press as recited in claim 17, a pair of eccentric means respectively connected operatively with said pair of counterrollers for adjusting the latter.