Saddle clamping device

Claim 1

A saddle clamping device for clamping semicylindrical saddles on a plate cylinder of a printing machine where said saddles are adapted to each support a thin wraparound printing plate, said device comprising in combination, longitudinally extending cutouts on the surface of said plate cylinder spaced 180* apart with each said cutout adapted to receive plate clamping means movable longitudinally therein to clamp the edges of thick cast metal printing plates, two saddles each having a longitudinally extending groove on the undersurface and near one peripheral end thereof and a plurality of L-shaped cutouts on the opposite peripheral end thereof with one leG of each L-shaped cutout extending circumferentially of the saddle and the other leg of each L-shaped cutout extending axially of the saddle, and interchangeable blocks in each cutout of the cylinder with each said block comprising a hook means on one side thereon extending beyond the surface of the cylinder for engaging the groove of one saddle and tensioning means on the opposite side thereon and extending beyond the surface of the cylinder for engaging the Lshaped cutouts of another saddle, and means on each said block for holding one end of a thin flexible wraparound printing plate.

Claim 7

A device for adapting a printing cylinder originally designed and used for supporting thick cast metal printing plates to use for supporting thin etched flexible wraparound printing plates comprising the combination with a semicylindrical saddle for supporting said thin flexible plates, a longitudinally cut groove on the underside of said saddle located adjacent one of its ends, a plurality of L-shaped cutouts along the longitudinally extending edge of the other end of said saddle wherein one leg of said L-shaped cutouts extends circumferentially of said cylinder and the other leg of said L-shaped cutouts extends axially of said cylinder, a pair of blocks for securely holding said saddle on said cylinder, said blocks removably located in a pair of grooves longitudinally extending along the surface of said cylinder, said cylinder grooves spaced 180* apart, said blocks being interchangeable with compression lockup means for holding the thick cast metal plates on said cylinder, means comprising a hook mounted in each one of said blocks protruding above the cylinder surface for engaging said groove on the underside of said saddle, tensioning means mounted on the other of said pair of blocks for engaging said cutouts on said cylinder so as to tension and securely hold said saddle on said cylinder, means for holding said thin etched flexible wraparound printing plate on said saddle, each of said blocks comprising both said hook means and tensioning means wherein the hook means of one of said blocks engages said groove on said undersurface of one saddle and wherein said tensioning means of the same block engages the cutouts on a different saddle whereby the grooved end of a first saddle and said cutout end of a second saddle are supported by one of said pair of blocks and said cutout end of said first saddle and grooved end and said second saddle are supported by the other block of said pair of blocks spaced 180* apart such that said pair of blocks supports a pair of saddles about said cylinder and whereby said tensioning means is enabled to be inserted in one leg of an L-shaped cutout for locating said saddle on said cylinder and to enable said saddle to be axially shifted along the surface of said cylinder whereby said tensioning means engages the other leg of an L-shaped cutout for locking said saddle on said cylinder.

Claim 8

A device for adapting a printing cylinder originally designed and used for supporting thick cast metal printing plates to use for supporting thin etched flexible wraparound printing plates comprising the combination with a semicylindrical saddle for supporting said thin flexible plates, a longitudinally cut groove on the underside of said saddle located adjacent one of its ends, a plurality of L-shaped cutouts along the longitudinally extending edge of the other end of said saddle wherein one leg of said L-shaped cutouts extends circumferentially of said cylinder and the other leg of said L-shaped cutouts extends axially of said cylinder, a pair of blocks for securely holding said saddle on said cylinder, said blocks removably located in a pair of grooves longitudinally extending along the surface of said cylinder, said cylinder grooves spaced 180* apart, said blocks being interchangeable with compression lockup means for holding the thick cast metal plates on said cylinder, means comprising a hook mounted in each one of said blocks protruding above the cylinder surface for engaging said groove on the underside of said saddle, tensioning means mounted on the other of said pair of blocks for engaging said cutouts on said cylinder so as to tension and securely hold said saddle on said cylinder, means for holding said thin etched flexible wraparound printing plate on said saddle, each of said blocks comprising both said hook means and tensioning means wherein the hook means of one of said blocks engages said groove on said undersurface of one saddle and wherein said tensioning means of the same block engages the cutouts on a different saddle whereby the grooved end of a first saddle and said cutout end of a second saddle are supported by one of said pair of blocks and said cutout end of said first saddle and grooved end and said second saddle are supported by the other block of said pair of blocks spaced 180* apart such that said pair of blocks supports a pair of saddles about said cylinder and whereby said tensioning means is enabled to be inserted in one leg of an L-shaped cutout for locating said saddle on said cylinder and to enable said saddle to be axially shifted along the surface of said cylinder whereby said tensioning means engages the other leg of an L-shaped cutout for locking said saddle on said cylinder.