Abstract This is a handling device for placing and removing individual printing plates on letterpress rotaries in exact position on the printing or plate cylinder. There is an arcuate transparent shell of the size of the individual plate or a little greater. This shell has spaced apart passageways in the inner concave face that have connecting outlets in the face. The passageways are connected to pipe fittings that are in turn connectable to a vacuum source. At each side of the arcuate shell at points midway the ends of the shell, there is fixedly mounted a retractable spring biased punch which when released forces the punch outward from the inner face of the shell. Also mounted along one side and along one end of the shell are two spaced apart abutments that are slidably mounted in T-shaped grooves in the inner face of the shell. Each abutment is threadedly connected to a knurled end adjusting screw that is threadedly received in a nut fixed to the shell. The threads are slightly different in pitch in the nut and the abutment and therefore a differential screw is provided that affords micro adjustment of the abutments that position a printing plate. The vacuum shell has positioned on its inner face a transparent proof and holes are bored in the proof in alignment with the vacuum holes in this concave inner face of the shell. The shell with proof secured thereto as with double face tape is placed so the transparent proof aligns with its individual printing plate to be removed. The vacuum holes in the proof and shell abut the face of the printing plate. The vacuum is lightly applied at first so that the shell and proof while clinging to the printing plate may be moved into exact registry with the printing plate to be removed. The vacuum is fully applied and the spring pressed punches are released so that a keyhole is formed extending into the printing plate carrier shim mounted on the printing cylinder. This provides for exact remounting and registry of the same or other plates.
A method for remounting an individual printing plate in exact registry on a plate cylinder comprising the steps of attaching a proof plate corresponding to the printing plate mounted on carrier shims on a plate cylinder to the arcuate inner face portion of a suction carrier having suction holes in its arcuate inner face portion, making holes in the proof plate in alignment with the suction holes in the suction carrier, applying the suction carrier and attached proof plate to the printing plate and applying suction to the carrier and the printing plate while aligning the proof plate to the printing plate, marking the carrier shim on the plate cylinder with index marks aligned with indices on the suction carrier, removing the printing plate from the carrier shim relieving the suction on the suction carrier to detach said removed proof plate, removing the proof plate from the suction carrier, installing a new proof plate on the suction carrier and making suction holes therein in alignment with the suction holes in the suction carrier, installing a new corresponding printing plate on the new proof plate by applying suction to same while it is being aligned with its proof plate, increasing the suction on the new printing plate after exact alignment with its proof plate, applying a two-sided adhesive foil to the back of the newly installed printing plate, applying the new printing plate to the carrier shim on the plate cylinder while aligning the indices on the suction carrier with the index markings previously made on the carrier shim, pressing the new printing plate into aligned position, and relieving the suction on the suction carrier to separate it and the new proof plate from the new printing plate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
287 words
A method for remounting an individual printing plate in exact registry on a plate cylinder comprising the steps of attaching a proof plate corresponding to the printing plate mounted on carrier shims on a plate cylinder to the arcuate inner face portion of a suction carrier having suction holes in its arcuate inner face portion, making holes in the proof plate in alignment with the suction holes in the suction carrier, applying the suction carrier and attached proof plate to the printing plate and applying suction to the carrier and the printing plate while aligning the proof plate to the printing plate, marking the carrier shim on the plate cylinder with index marks aligned with indices on the suction carrier, removing the printing plate from the carrier shim relieving the suction on the suction carrier to detach said removed proof plate, removing the proof plate from the suction carrier, installing a new proof plate on the suction carrier and making suction holes therein in alignment with the suction holes in the suction carrier, installing a new corresponding printing plate on the new proof plate by applying suction to same while it is being aligned with its proof plate, increasing the suction on the new printing plate after exact alignment with its proof plate, applying a two-sided adhesive foil to the back of the newly installed printing plate, applying the new printing plate to the carrier shim on the plate cylinder while aligning the indices on the suction carrier with the index markings previously made on the carrier shim, pressing the new printing plate into aligned position, and relieving the suction on the suction carrier to separate it and the new proof plate from the new printing plate.