Ink web cassette for rotary printing system

Claim 1

A cassette for use in printing apparatus adapted to effect the inking of a press plate housed therein and the transfer of an ink impression thereof to printing material, such apparatus having inking pressure means configured to extend within a cassette housing for support of an ink web retained therein, said cassette comprising: a generally enclosed housing configured to be releasably mounted in such printing apparatus, said housing including a pair of opposed sidewalls joined together by at least one end wall, said housing including a first and a second storage area and a passageway interposed between said storage areas, said passageway extending between said sidewalls and terminating in an opening in each of said sidewalls; an ink web including an elongated strip carrying printing ink of a consistency suitable for application to such press plate, said web disposed within said housing and initially substantially entirely located in said first storage area thereof with a portion of said web extending within said housing across said passageway to said second storage area such that an incremental section of one side of said web may be presented at the opening of one of said sidewalls and the opposite side of said web may be presented at the opening in the other of said sidewalls, and said passageway configured for receiving such pressure means such that such inking pressure means may be extended through either of said openings and within said passageway so as to support an incremental section of said web at the other of said openings; and means configured for cooperating with drive means of such apparatus for progressively advancing said ink web from said first to said second storage area and across said passageway thereby progressively presenting incremental sections of a given side of said ink web at said other opening for inking of such press plate.