US3726994A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic routing system
Assignee: WORLD COLOR PRESS
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Filing: 1970-10-02
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Granted: 1973-04-10
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Expires: 1990-10-02
Abstract
Abstract A system for effecting the automatic routing of metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate comprising preparing the art work negative to accord the portions thereof corresponding to the non-printing areas of the plate to have a discrete density, or a specific reversed dot percentage, subjecting the negative to a light source, causing a photocell head sensitive to the said discrete density to scan the negative, and providing a router controlled by said head being moved correspondingly with respect to the printing plate.
Inventors
- 👤 D Ross
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:31
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41N; B41N3/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T409/00; Y10T409/30; Y10T409/303416; Y10T409/303472; Y10T409/303528; Y10T409/303584
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
240 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the nonprinting areas of a printing press plate comprising a routing tool for normal disposition above the printing plate to be routed, means for lowering said routing tool into operative, metal-removing disposition upon, and for raising same into inoperative position above, said printing press plate, a negative having a design of like arrangement and size as said printing press plate being in direct correspondence therewith, said negative having portions corresponding to the non-printing areas of said plate, said corresponding portions having a predetermined optical density, means for illuminating said negative, a lightsensitive detector head responsive to the predetermined optical density of the non-printing areas of said negative, means for causing said detector head and said routing tool to traverse simultaneously corresponding paths along said negative and said printing press plate, respectively, and means interconnecting said detector head and said routing tool for causing the latter to effect removal of metal from the non-printing areas of the printing press plate upon detection by said head of the said predetermined optical density, said detector head comprising a multiplicity of photocells unitarily movable with said head, each of said photocells being responsive to the predetermined optical density of the portions of said negative corresponding to the non-printing areas of said printing plate, and means for effecting operation of said interconnecting means when all of the photocells of said head are responsive to said predetermined optical density.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
240 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the nonprinting areas of a printing press plate comprising a routing tool for normal disposition above the printing plate to be routed, means for lowering said routing tool into operative, metal-removing disposition upon, and for raising same into inoperative position above, said printing press plate, a negative having a design of like arrangement and size as said printing press plate being in direct correspondence therewith, said negative having portions corresponding to the non-printing areas of said plate, said corresponding portions having a predetermined optical density, means for illuminating said negative, a lightsensitive detector head responsive to the predetermined optical density of the non-printing areas of said negative, means for causing said detector head and said routing tool to traverse simultaneously corresponding paths along said negative and said printing press plate, respectively, and means interconnecting said detector head and said routing tool for causing the latter to effect removal of metal from the non-printing areas of the printing press plate upon detection by said head of the said predetermined optical density, said detector head comprising a multiplicity of photocells unitarily movable with said head, each of said photocells being responsive to the predetermined optical density of the portions of said negative corresponding to the non-printing areas of said printing plate, and means for effecting operation of said interconnecting means when all of the photocells of said head are responsive to said predetermined optical density.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
159 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said means interconnecting said detector head and said routing tool comprising a logic circuit corresponding to each photocell in said detector head, each logic circuit having an amplifier with level selecting circuits for ''''unity'''' output when the input voltage from the related photocell is between two preset reference voltages, an ''''and'''' amplifier connected to each of said logic circuits, providing a ''''unity'''' output only when the input from each of the associated amplifiers is unity, a motor, said ''''and'''' amplifier being connected to said motor, and means engaging said motor and said routing tool whereby said latter is maintained in operative condition while the output of said ''''and'''' amplifier is unity whereby said routing tool will be operatively disposed only during periods when all of the photocells within said detector head have a ''''unity'''' output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by the optical density of the non-printing areas of the negative being within the range of 75 percent to 99 percent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate as defined in claim 1 and further characterized wherein the optical density of the non-printing areas of the negative is between 5 percent and 15 percent of the reverse dot character.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
246 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate comprising a routing tool for normal disposition above the printing plate to be routed, means for lowering said routing tool into operative, metal-removing disposition upon, and for raising same into inoperative position above, said printing press plate, a negative having a design of like arrangement and size as said printing press plate being in direct correspondence therewith, said negative having portions corresponding to the non-printing areas of said plate, said corresponding portions having a predetermined light identifiable character, means for illuminating said negative, a light sensitive detector head responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the non-printing areas of said negative, means for causing said detector head and said routing tool to traverse simultaneously corresponding paths along said negative and said printing press plate, respectively, and means interconnecting said detector head and said routing tool for causing the latter to effect removal of metal from the non-printing areas of the printing press plate upon detection by said head of the said predetermined light identifiable character, said detector head comprising a multiplicity of photocells unitarily movable with said head, each of said photocells being responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the portions of said negative corresponding to the non-printing areas of said printing plate, and means for effecting operation of said interconnecting means when all of the photocells of said head are responsive to said predetermined light identifiable character.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
246 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate comprising a routing tool for normal disposition above the printing plate to be routed, means for lowering said routing tool into operative, metal-removing disposition upon, and for raising same into inoperative position above, said printing press plate, a negative having a design of like arrangement and size as said printing press plate being in direct correspondence therewith, said negative having portions corresponding to the non-printing areas of said plate, said corresponding portions having a predetermined light identifiable character, means for illuminating said negative, a light sensitive detector head responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the non-printing areas of said negative, means for causing said detector head and said routing tool to traverse simultaneously corresponding paths along said negative and said printing press plate, respectively, and means interconnecting said detector head and said routing tool for causing the latter to effect removal of metal from the non-printing areas of the printing press plate upon detection by said head of the said predetermined light identifiable character, said detector head comprising a multiplicity of photocells unitarily movable with said head, each of said photocells being responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the portions of said negative corresponding to the non-printing areas of said printing plate, and means for effecting operation of said interconnecting means when all of the photocells of said head are responsive to said predetermined light identifiable character.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
258 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate comprising a routing tool for normal disposition above the printing plate to be routed, means for lowering said routing tool into operative, metal-removing disposition upon, and for raising same into inoperative position above, said printing press plate, a negative having a design of like arrangement and size as said printing press plate being in direct correspondence therewith, said negative having portions corresponding to the non-printing areas of said plate, said corresponding portions having a predetermined light identifiable character, means for illuminating said negative, a detector head of fiber optic character responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the non-printing areas of said negative, means for causing said detector head and said routing tool to traverse simultaneously corresponding paths along said negative and said printing press plate, respectively, a light sensitive member, means connecting said light sensitive member and said detector head, means interconnecting said light sensitive member and said routing tool for causing the latter to effect removal of metal from the non-printing areas of the printing press plate upon detection by said head of the said predetermined light identifiable character, said light sensitive member comprising a multiplicity of photocells, each of said photocells being responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the portions of said negative corresponding to the non-printing areas of said printing plate, and means for effecting operation of said interconnecting means when all of the photocells of said head are responsive to said predetermined light identifiable character.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
258 words
A system for automatically routing metal from the non-printing areas of a printing press plate comprising a routing tool for normal disposition above the printing plate to be routed, means for lowering said routing tool into operative, metal-removing disposition upon, and for raising same into inoperative position above, said printing press plate, a negative having a design of like arrangement and size as said printing press plate being in direct correspondence therewith, said negative having portions corresponding to the non-printing areas of said plate, said corresponding portions having a predetermined light identifiable character, means for illuminating said negative, a detector head of fiber optic character responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the non-printing areas of said negative, means for causing said detector head and said routing tool to traverse simultaneously corresponding paths along said negative and said printing press plate, respectively, a light sensitive member, means connecting said light sensitive member and said detector head, means interconnecting said light sensitive member and said routing tool for causing the latter to effect removal of metal from the non-printing areas of the printing press plate upon detection by said head of the said predetermined light identifiable character, said light sensitive member comprising a multiplicity of photocells, each of said photocells being responsive to the predetermined light identifiable character of the portions of said negative corresponding to the non-printing areas of said printing plate, and means for effecting operation of said interconnecting means when all of the photocells of said head are responsive to said predetermined light identifiable character.
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) | 1976-04-09 | 1976-10-09 | 1977-04-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-09 | 1980-10-09 | 1981-04-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-09 | 1984-10-09 | 1985-04-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |