Flexible plate clamping assembly including inwardly bowed spring and movable jaw

Claim 2

A clamp assembly for holding a printing element against an outer surface of a printing cylinder, said clamp assembly comprising means for defining first and second longitudinally extending clamp surfaces located along opposite sides of a longitudinally extending gap which extends transversely from the outer surface of the printing cylinder in an inward direction toward the center portion of the printing cylinder, inwardly bowed spring means located intermediate said first and second clamp surfaces for cooperating therewith to clampingly engage opposite end portions of the printing element, said inwardly bowed spring means including first and second clamp portions for cooperating with said first and second clamp surfaces to grip end portions of a printing element and an arcuate bight portion interconnecting said first and second clamp portions, said first and second clamp portions having outermost ends disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the printing cylinder and innermost ends spaced further from the outer surface of the printing cylinder than said outermost ends, said arcuate bight portion being located between said clamp surfaces and extending between said outermost ends of said first and second clamp portions to form a continuous spring which is bowed with said clamp portions extending in the inward direction from said arcuate bight portion, and means for operating said clamp assembly from a released condition to an engaged condition in which one end portion of the printing element is clamped between said first clamp surface and said first clamp portion of said inwardly bowed spring means and in which another end portion of the printing element is clamped between said second clamp surface and said second clamp portion of said inwardly bowed spring means to thereby securely connect the printing element to the printing cylinder.

Claim 3

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a movable jaw element extending longitudinally along one side of said gap adjacent to said first clamp portion of said inwardly bowed spring means, said first clamp surface being formed on said movable jaw element, said means for operating said clamp assembly from a released condition to an engaged condition including longitudinally extending spring means for urging said jaw element toward said first clamp portion of said inwardly bowed spring means to grip said one end portion of said printing element therebetween and for urging said second clamp portion toward said second clamp surface under the influence of forces transmitted from said first clamp portion to said second clamp portion by said arcuate bight portion to grip said other end portion of said printing element between said second clamp portion and said second clamp surface.

Claim 4

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said innermost end of at least one of said clamp portions is fixedly connected with said printing cylinder.

Claim 5

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for defining said first and second longitudinally extending clamp surfaces includes a movable jaw element with one of said clamp surfaces disposed thereon, said clamp assembly further including cam means located inwardly of said arcuate bight portion for engaging said movable jaw element and moving said movable jaw element in a direction away from said first and second clamp portions to operate said clamp assembly from said engaged condition to said released condition.

Claim 6

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cam means includes a longitudinally extending shaft disposed intermediate opposite side portions of said inwardly bowed spring means.

Claim 7

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cam means is disposed intermediate said movable jaw element and said inwardly bowed spring means.

Claim 8

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clamp assembly further includes means for skewing the printing element relative to the printing cylinder by varying a longitudinal angular relationship between said first and second clamp surfaces.

Claim 9

A clamp assembly for securing a printing element to a printing cylinder, said clamp assembly comprising means for defining a plurality of longitudinally extending clamp surfaces disposEd along opposite sides of a longitudinally extending gap in the printing cylinder, said means including a movable jaw element defining one of said clamp surfaces, first and second resiliently deflectable spring arms operatively connected with the printing cylinder and located intermediate said clamp surfaces, means interconnecting said spring arms for transmitting force from said first spring arm to said second spring arm, spring means for urging said movable jaw element toward said first spring arm to clamp one end portion of the printing element between said one clamp surface on said movable jaw element and said first spring arm and for urging said second resiliently deflectable spring arm toward said other clamp surface with a predetermined force transmitted from said first spring arm to said second spring arm by said means interconnecting said spring arms to clamp another end portion of the printing element between said second spring arm and said other clamp surface, and actuator means disposed in the gap in the cylinder for moving said jaw element away from said first spring arm to operate said clamp assembly to a release condition in which at least one of the end portions of the printing element is free to move relative to said clamp surfaces.

Claim 10

A clamp assembly for securing a printing element to a printing cylinder, said clamp assembly comprising means for defining a plurality of longitudinally extending clamp surfaces disposEd along opposite sides of a longitudinally extending gap in the printing cylinder, said means including a movable jaw element defining one of said clamp surfaces, first and second resiliently deflectable spring arms operatively connected with the printing cylinder and located intermediate said clamp surfaces, means interconnecting said spring arms for transmitting force from said first spring arm to said second spring arm, spring means for urging said movable jaw element toward said first spring arm to clamp one end portion of the printing element between said one clamp surface on said movable jaw element and said first spring arm and for urging said second resiliently deflectable spring arm toward said other clamp surface with a predetermined force transmitted from said first spring arm to said second spring arm by said means interconnecting said spring arms to clamp another end portion of the printing element between said second spring arm and said other clamp surface, and actuator means disposed in the gap in the cylinder for moving said jaw element away from said first spring arm to operate said clamp assembly to a release condition in which at least one of the end portions of the printing element is free to move relative to said clamp surfaces.

Claim 11

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said actuator means includes a first cam element for engaging said jaw element to move said jaw element away from said first spring arm and a second cam element for engaging said second spring arm to move said second spring arm toward said other clamp surface to clamp the other end portion of the printing element between said other clamp surface and said other spring arm when said jaw element is moved away from said first spring arm by said first cam element to thereby enable the other end portion of the printing element to be clamped while the one end portion of the printing element is free to move.

Claim 12

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for urging said movable jaw element toward said first spring arm includes a wave spring extending longitudinally of the printing cylinder.

Claim 13

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means interconnecting said first and second springs arms comprises an arcuate bight portion which extends between and forms a continuation of said first and second spring arms.

Claim 14

A clamp assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said arcuate bight portion is disposed intermediate said clamp surfaces adjacent to an outer surface of the printing cylinder.

Claim 15

A clamp assembly for holding a printing element against an outer surface of a printing cylinder, said clamp assembly comprising means for defining first and second longitudinally extending clamp surfaces disposed along opposite sides of a longitudinally extending gap which extends transversely from the outer surface of the printing cylinder in an inward direction toward the center portion of the printing cylinder, said means including a movable jaw element defining said first clamp surface, inwardly bowed spring means located intermediate said first and second clamp surfaces for cooperating therewith to clampingly engage opposite end portions of the printing element, said inwardly bowed spring means including first and second resiliently deflectable spring arms located intermediate said first and second clamp surfaces and and arcuate bight portion extending between and forming a continuation of said spring arms, said arcuate bight portion being located between said first and second clamp surfaces and extending between outermost ends of said first and second spring arms adjacent to the outer surface of the cylinder to form a continuous spring which is bowed with said spring arms extending in the inward direction from said arcuate bight portion, at least one of said spring arms having an innermost end portion fixedly connected to the printing cylinder, spring means for urging said movable jaw element toward said first spring arm to clamp one end portion of the prinTing element between said first clamp surface on said movable jaw element and said first spring arm and for urging said second resiliently deflectable spring arm toward said second clamp surface with a predetermined biasing force transmitted from said first spring arm to said second spring arm by said arcuate bight portion to clamp another end portion of the printing element between said second spring arm and said second clamp surface, and cam means disposed in the gap in the cylinder inwardly of said arcuate bight portion and operable to move said jaw element away from said first spring arm to thereby operate said clamp assembly to a release condition in which at least one of the end portions of the printing element is free to move relative to said clamp surfaces.

Claim 16

A clamp assembly for holding a printing element against an outer surface of a printing cylinder, said clamp assembly comprising means for defining first and second longitudinally extending clamp surfaces disposed along opposite sides of a longitudinally extending gap which extends transversely from the outer surface of the printing cylinder in an inward direction toward the center portion of the printing cylinder, said means including a movable jaw element defining said first clamp surface, inwardly bowed spring means located intermediate said first and second clamp surfaces for cooperating therewith to clampingly engage opposite end portions of the printing element, said inwardly bowed spring means including first and second resiliently deflectable spring arms located intermediate said first and second clamp surfaces and and arcuate bight portion extending between and forming a continuation of said spring arms, said arcuate bight portion being located between said first and second clamp surfaces and extending between outermost ends of said first and second spring arms adjacent to the outer surface of the cylinder to form a continuous spring which is bowed with said spring arms extending in the inward direction from said arcuate bight portion, at least one of said spring arms having an innermost end portion fixedly connected to the printing cylinder, spring means for urging said movable jaw element toward said first spring arm to clamp one end portion of the prinTing element between said first clamp surface on said movable jaw element and said first spring arm and for urging said second resiliently deflectable spring arm toward said second clamp surface with a predetermined biasing force transmitted from said first spring arm to said second spring arm by said arcuate bight portion to clamp another end portion of the printing element between said second spring arm and said second clamp surface, and cam means disposed in the gap in the cylinder inwardly of said arcuate bight portion and operable to move said jaw element away from said first spring arm to thereby operate said clamp assembly to a release condition in which at least one of the end portions of the printing element is free to move relative to said clamp surfaces.