Patent US1015799A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3691948A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3691948A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Disconnect arrangement for multi-unit printing press
Assignee: Harris Graphics Corp
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Filing: 1971-04-01
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Granted: 1972-09-19
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Expires: 1991-04-01
Abstract
Abstract A disconnect arrangement for a multi-unit sheet fed press in which one of the transfer cylinder gears is shifted axially out of mesh with the gear on an adjacent cylinder while remaining in mesh with the gear on another adjacent cylinder thereby interrupting the press drive train and permitting individual operation of the units. The cylinders associated with the gears which have been disengaged are so dimensioned and arranged that they may be individually rotated without the grippers on either cylinder interfering with the other cylinder.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald L Southam
- 👤 William Weigl
- 👤 Thomas J Kacmarcik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 02:09
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41F; B41F13/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
218 words
In a sheet fed multi-unit printing press having a plurality of individual printing units and including a pair of spaced vertical side frames, a train of drive gears for said press, a sheet transfer cylinder journaled on a horizontal axis in said side frames and having a gear at one end thereof constituting a portion of said gear train, a pair of adjacent cylinders angularly spaced around said transfer cylinder each having a gear in mesh with the transfer cylinder gear, all of said cylinders having sets of interdigitating sheet grippers thereon for successively transferring sheets by means of said grippers from one cylinder to the next, each of said set of grippers being supported on its associated cylinder for pivoting movement between a radially outward position and a radially inward position, and means for moving the transfer cylinder gear axially out of mesh with the gear on one of said adjacent cylinders while maintaining the mesh with the gear on the other of said adjacent cylinders for disconnecting the printing units from each other, said transfer cylinder and said one adjacent cylinder being so dimensioned and arranged that the radially outer position of the grippers on each of these cylinders clears the periphery of the other cylinder whereby the cylinders may be rotated relative to each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
218 words
In a sheet fed multi-unit printing press having a plurality of individual printing units and including a pair of spaced vertical side frames, a train of drive gears for said press, a sheet transfer cylinder journaled on a horizontal axis in said side frames and having a gear at one end thereof constituting a portion of said gear train, a pair of adjacent cylinders angularly spaced around said transfer cylinder each having a gear in mesh with the transfer cylinder gear, all of said cylinders having sets of interdigitating sheet grippers thereon for successively transferring sheets by means of said grippers from one cylinder to the next, each of said set of grippers being supported on its associated cylinder for pivoting movement between a radially outward position and a radially inward position, and means for moving the transfer cylinder gear axially out of mesh with the gear on one of said adjacent cylinders while maintaining the mesh with the gear on the other of said adjacent cylinders for disconnecting the printing units from each other, said transfer cylinder and said one adjacent cylinder being so dimensioned and arranged that the radially outer position of the grippers on each of these cylinders clears the periphery of the other cylinder whereby the cylinders may be rotated relative to each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The press of claim 1 wherein the teeth on the gear on the other of said adjacent cylinders have an axial dimension greater than the teeth of the gear on said transfer cylinder whereby said transfer cylinder gear remains in mesh with said gear on said other adjacent cylinder when shifted axially out of mesh with the gear on said one adjacent cylinder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The press of claim 1 wherein said transfer cylinder, its gear and grippers are all mounted for axial movement as a unitary assembly, the spacing of the grippers in each of said sets of grippers being such that the grippers on said transfer cylinder are interdigitated without interference with the grippers on said other cylinders both before and after axial shifting movement of said transfer cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The press of claim 1 and further including means operatively associated with said transfer cylinder gear enabling shifting movement of that gear in only one rotated position thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The press of claim 2 wherein the axial dimension of said gear teeth on said adjacent cylinder is greater by an amount approximately equal to the distance through which said transfer cylinder gear is shifted.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
231 words
A method of disconnecting and individually operating the printing units of a multi-unit printing press of the type having a plurality of individual printing units supported between a pair of spaced side frames, at least one sheet transfer cylinder journaled on a horizontal axis between said side frames for transferring printing stock from one printing unit to the next and a pair of adjacent cylinders angularly spaced around said transfer cylinder, a train of drive gears for said press with eAch of said cylinders having a gear at one end thereof constituting a portion of the drive train, all of said cylinders having sets of interdigitating sheet grippers thereon for successively transferring sheets by means of said grippers from one printing unit to the next, motor means for operating said drive train to drive all of the units of said press during the printing operation and auxiliary motor means associated with individual printing units to drive each unit individually, said method comprising the steps of: shifting the transfer gear axially out of mesh with the gear on one of said adjacent cylinders while maintaining the transfer cylinder gear operatively connected to the gear on the other of said adjacent cylinders thereby to interrupt the drive train from one printing unit to the next, and selectively actuating the auxiliary motor means for individual printing units to drive the individual units as desired.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
231 words
A method of disconnecting and individually operating the printing units of a multi-unit printing press of the type having a plurality of individual printing units supported between a pair of spaced side frames, at least one sheet transfer cylinder journaled on a horizontal axis between said side frames for transferring printing stock from one printing unit to the next and a pair of adjacent cylinders angularly spaced around said transfer cylinder, a train of drive gears for said press with eAch of said cylinders having a gear at one end thereof constituting a portion of the drive train, all of said cylinders having sets of interdigitating sheet grippers thereon for successively transferring sheets by means of said grippers from one printing unit to the next, motor means for operating said drive train to drive all of the units of said press during the printing operation and auxiliary motor means associated with individual printing units to drive each unit individually, said method comprising the steps of: shifting the transfer gear axially out of mesh with the gear on one of said adjacent cylinders while maintaining the transfer cylinder gear operatively connected to the gear on the other of said adjacent cylinders thereby to interrupt the drive train from one printing unit to the next, and selectively actuating the auxiliary motor means for individual printing units to drive the individual units as desired.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of shifting the transfer cylinder gear includes shifting the transfer cylinder axially, said method further including the steps of: prior to shifting the transfer cylinder, positioning the sets of grippers such that said transfer cylinder may be shifted axially without interference between the grippers on that cylinder and the adjacent cylinders, and shifting the transfer cylinder axially a distance such that the grippers thereon may be interdigitated with the grippers on the adjacent cylinders.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of positioning the grippers comprises rotating the cylinders to a position where the grippers are displaced from a sheet transfer position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-19 | 1976-03-20 | 1976-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-19 | 1980-03-20 | 1980-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-19 | 1984-03-20 | 1984-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |