Design-cylinder-loading mechanism

Claim 1

In a rotogravure printing press unit, a means for loading and unloading a design cylinder therein comprising a pair of side frames to form the frame of the press unit, bearing means mounted in each of said side frames for supporting therebetween in its operating position the design cylinder, said bearing means comprising a pair of bearing rollers spaced apart having their longitudinal axes aligned parallel to each other so that each of the end shafts of said design cylinder rests in the cusp between the bearing rollers, means for pivotally mounting said bearing means in said side frames so that the axes of said bearing rollers remain aligned with the axes of said design cylinder shaft at the point of contact with the rollers, a pair of support arms pivotally mounted for swinging movement on a pivot point connected adjacent the inside surface of each of said side frames, a bifurcated support head attached to the upper end of each of said support arms for supporting therein the end shafts of said design cylinder so that said design cylinder is supported between said support arms, means for moving said support heads into and out of engagement with the end shafts of said design cylinder, means attached to said support arms for causing said arms to swing in unison about said pivot point toward and away from said bearing means and remote control means for operating the means for causing said swinging movement of said support arms, whereby said design cylinder is lifted by the support arms off the bearing rollers and carried away from said bearing means so as to be unloaded from its operating position in the press unit when said means for causing said swinging movement is operated in one direction, and whereby said design cylinder is carried toward said bearing means and lowered onto said bearing rollers so as to be loaded into its operating position in the press unit when said means for causing said swinging movement is operated in the opposite direction.