Machinery and process for assembling a printing machine belt

Claim 2

Apparatus for assembling a printing-machine belt comprising a base sheet and printing plates each having a printing face and an oppositely facing underside adhesively sensitive with respect to the outer plate-receiving side of said sheet, the apparatus being generally located between two spaced vertical planes and comprising: sheet storage means for supplying a belt base sheet along a transverse plane perpendicular to said two planes; a sheet-advancing cylinder located between said two planes on a fixed axis of rotation perpendicular to said planes with its periphery in tangential relation with said transverse plane, said cylinder and said base sheet being constructed to engage in positive drive relationship; a plate-supporting platform having a planate plate-supporting surface adapted to accurately position one or more plates on said platform, and means for movably supporting the platform, said platform being movable by said supporting means to bring said surface into tangency with said cylinder with an edge of the surface in registry with a fixed index line extending lengthwise of the periphery of the cylinder; pressing means for pressuring said plate into tight conformity with said belt along a rectilinearly continuous portion of said cylinder or a corresponding portion of the base sheet supported thereon in upstream parallel juxtaposition with said index line; adjustable angle-measuring means comprising first indexing means on the cylinder and normally non-moving second indexing means supported adjacent the cylinder and cooperating with said first indexing means to indicate movements of said cylinder through a desired angle of rotation.

Claim 3

Apparatus for assembling a printing machine belt comprising a base sheet having rows of perforations along opposite edge portions adapting the belt to mesh with the teeth of spaced sprocket means and a plate-receiving surface between said rows, and printing plates having a printing face and an oppositely-facing underside adhesively sensitive with respect to the outer plate-receiving side of said sheet, the apparatus being generally located between two spaced vertical planes and comprising: sheet storage means for supplying a belt base sheet along a transVerse plane perpendicular to said two planes; a sheet-advancing cylinder located between said two planes on a fixed axis of rotation perpendicular to said planes with its periphery in tangential relation with said transverse plane, said cylinder having sprocket teeth means at opposite ends spaced within the width of said sheet to mesh with said edge portions; a plate-supporting platform located between said vertical planes and means for pivotally supporting the platform adjacent one edge thereof with respect to an axis perpendicular to said planes, said platform having a planate plate-supporting surface of which a radially outward portion is swingable into tangency with said cylinder along a fixed index line extending lengthwise of its periphery; pressing means for pressuring said plate into tight conformity with said belt along a rectilinearly continuous portion of said cylinder or the portion of the base sheet supported thereon in upstream parallel juxtaposition with said index line; and adjustable angle-measuring means comprising indexing means on the cylinder and normally non-moving indexing means supported adjacent the cylinder for indicating movements of said cylinder through a desired angle of rotation.

Claim 4

Apparatus for assembling a printing machine belt comprising a base sheet having rows of perforations along opposite edge portions adapting the belt to mesh with the teeth of spaced sprocket means and a plate-receiving surface between said rows, and printing plates having a printing face and an oppositely-facing underside adhesively sensitive with respect to the outer plate-receiving side of said sheet, the apparatus being generally located between two spaced vertical planes and comprising: sheet storage means for supplying a belt base sheet along a transVerse plane perpendicular to said two planes; a sheet-advancing cylinder located between said two planes on a fixed axis of rotation perpendicular to said planes with its periphery in tangential relation with said transverse plane, said cylinder having sprocket teeth means at opposite ends spaced within the width of said sheet to mesh with said edge portions; a plate-supporting platform located between said vertical planes and means for pivotally supporting the platform adjacent one edge thereof with respect to an axis perpendicular to said planes, said platform having a planate plate-supporting surface of which a radially outward portion is swingable into tangency with said cylinder along a fixed index line extending lengthwise of its periphery; pressing means for pressuring said plate into tight conformity with said belt along a rectilinearly continuous portion of said cylinder or the portion of the base sheet supported thereon in upstream parallel juxtaposition with said index line; and adjustable angle-measuring means comprising indexing means on the cylinder and normally non-moving indexing means supported adjacent the cylinder for indicating movements of said cylinder through a desired angle of rotation.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said pressing means comprises a roll having a length at least as long as the width of said plate-receiving cylinder surface, and means for supporting the roll with its axis of rotation perpendicular to said vertical planes, said supporting means being operable to move the roll toward and away from the cylinder.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said roll comprises resilient peripheral material.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said sheet storage comprises coil-supporting, platform, and drag means arranged for unwrapping said sheet as said coil rotates and unwraps about a substantially fixed axis, said platform means defining said transverse plane and enabling said sheet to be passed thereover under a condition of frictional drag.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: said drag means comprises recessed areas of said platform and vacuum means connected with said recessed areas.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 2 comprising: coiling means in downstream spaced relation with said cylinder rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said planes for collecting assembled portions of said belt; and said coiling means comprising a removable cylindrical core, axially-spaced stub shafts of which at least one is in drive relation with the cylinder, and annular end-capping core holders mounted coaxially on said stub shafts and being of a diameter to axially engageably overlap end portions of the core.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 2 comprising: belt hold-down means and means movably supporting the hold-down means for movements into and out of contact with a peripheral portion of the cylinder or a belt portion supported thereon immediately downstream from said index line.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: said hold-down means comprises a plurality of transversely spaced wheels in rolling contact with said cylinder or a belt portion supported thereon.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said pressing means comprises a roll of which its peripheral surface is formed of a resilient material; and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of hold-down wheels mounted for rolling contact with a portion of the cylinder or a belt portion supported thereon in immediate downstream relation with said index line; and separate frame and shaft means for said pressing roll and said hold-down wheels supported in said apparatus on a fixed common pivotal axis located in downstream relation with the hold-down wheels and in radial outward relation with the cylinder axis from said cylinder surface.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said angle-measuring means comprises a stationary endplate in lateral coaxial relation with said cylinder; a first index arm pivotable about the cylinder axis and having a counterclockwise facing radial edge; a second index arm pivotable with respect to the cylinder axis and having a counterclockwise facing radial edge located at the same radius as the first-named radial edge; an arcuate slot on one of said arms with set screw means projecting through the slot attached to the other arm for fixing relative position of the arms; frictional drag means in non-rotatable cooperating relation with the endplate for applying frictional drag to at least one of said index arms; crank means for rotating the cylinder having a detent element reaching axially to engage said radial edges, said element being retractable to pass over said arms.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: said plate has a circular row of equispaced apertures located along a full circle concentric to the cylinder axis, and detent means comprising a pin supported by the crank means in axial traversable relation therewith for entering any of said apertures not covered by said arms.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: the apparatus comprises a shaft to which said cylinder and said crank means are coaxially fixed, and said crank means comprises a crank lever in relatively rotatable relation with the shaft, and a radial arm fixed to the shaft extending into adjacent angularly movable relation with a portion of the lever radially spaced from the shaft, and adjustable means connecting the arm and the lever to change the relative angular positions thereof about the cylinder axis in small increments.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 2 comprising: coiling means in downstream spaced relation with said cylinder rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said plane for collecting assembled portions of said belt; drive means connecting the cylinder and coiling means in drive relationship, said drive means comprising slip clutch means and constructed for driving the coiling means at a higher peripherally linear rate than said cylinder.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: said driving means comprises a sprocket chain drive system wherein the sprockets associated with the cylinder and the coiling means are related in diameter to the diameters of the cylinder and the coiling means to establish said peripheral linear rates.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 2 comprising: coiling means in downstream spaced relation with said cylinder rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said planes for collecting assembled portions of said belt; said coiling means comprising a removable core, axially spaced stub shafts of which one is in drive relation with said cylinder, annular end-capping core holders mounted coaxially on said stub shafts and being of a diameter to axially engageably overlap end portions of the core; the other stub shaft being axially traversable relative to its operative position supporting said core to disengage the core holder mounted thereon from said core; and toggle lever means including bearing means in fixed axial relation with said other stud shaft and connected with said main frame for traversing said other shaft and the associated core holder.

Claim 19

Apparatus for assembling a printing-machine belt comprising a base sheet and printing plates each having a printing face and an oppositely facing underside adhesively sensitive with respect to the outer plate-receiving side of said sheet comprising: a sheet-advancing cylinder located on a generally horizontal fixed axis of rotation; sheet supply means for supplying a belt base sheet to the periphery of said cylinder in the direction of its rotation, said cylinder and said base sheet being constructed to engage in positive drive relationship; a plate-supporting platform having a planate plate-supporting surface adapted to accurately position one or more plates on said platform, and means for movably supporting the platform, said platform being movable by said supporting means to bring said surface into tangency witH said cylinder with an edge of said surface in registry with a fixed index line extending lengthwise of the periphery of the cylinder; manifold means adapted for connection with a vacuum source and terminating in said platform in association with orifice means therein for retaining said plate by vacuum in fixed position on said platform during the movements of said platform effecting tangency of the plate with said cylinder.

Claim 20

Apparatus for assembling a printing-machine belt comprising a base sheet and printing plates each having a printing face and an oppositely facing underside adhesively sensitive with respect to the outer plate-receiving side of said sheet comprising: a sheet-advancing cylinder located on a generally horizontal fixed axis of rotation; sheet supply means for supplying a belt base sheet to the periphery of said cylinder in the direction of its rotation, said cylinder and said base sheet being constructed to engage in positive drive relationship; a plate-supporting platform having a planate plate-supporting surface adapted to accurately position one or more plates on said platform, and means for movably supporting the platform, said platform being movable by said supporting means to bring said surface into tangency witH said cylinder with an edge of said surface in registry with a fixed index line extending lengthwise of the periphery of the cylinder; manifold means adapted for connection with a vacuum source and terminating in said platform in association with orifice means therein for retaining said plate by vacuum in fixed position on said platform during the movements of said platform effecting tangency of the plate with said cylinder.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18 comprising: subjecting the base sheet to a drag force tending to place the sheet in a taut condition as it advances onto said cylinder.

Claim 24

The method of claim 18 comprising: withdrawing the assembled belt from such cylinder in a state of tension tending in cooperation with said drag force to maintain said sheet in positive driving relation with said cylinder.