Ink fountain in an inking mechanism for printing machines

Claim 2

In an ink fountain the combination comprising a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having a cooperating fountain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having their tips engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller thereby to determine the thickness of ink film, each pin being mounted in the frame for axial movement and presenting an outer end remote from the tip, each pin having a thread at its outer end, a threaded adjusting element having a thread closely fitted to the thread on the pin, retainer means in the frame for holding the threaded adjusting element captive against endwise movemenT while permitting rotation of the threaded element thereby to produce relative endwise movement of the pin, the pin having an axially extending flat formed thereon and a key interposed between the frame and the flat for engaging the flat to prevent rotation of the pin as it is acted upon by the adjusting element, the retainer means being releasable to permit removal of the pin and the threaded element as a unit for cleaning purposes.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the retainer means includes a plate horizontally elongated and having a plurality of openings for registering with the tubular nuts.

Claim 4

In an ink fountain, the combination comprising a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having cooperating fountain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having tips engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller, each pin being mounted in the frame for axial movement and presenting an outer end remote from the tip, the outer end of each pin being threaded, each pin having a tubular nut which is internally threaded for snug engagement with the thread on the pin and having a radially extending flange, bearing means in the frame for engaging the flange to prevent endwise movement of the nut while permitting the nut to be adjustably rotated thereby to adjustably move the pin in opposite directions, the pin having an axially extending flat formed thereon and a key interposed between the frame and the flat for engaging the flat to prevent rotation of the pin as it is acted upon by the nut, and means for disassembling the bearing means to permit removal of the pin and nut assembled thereon as a unit for cleaning purposes.

Claim 5

In an ink fountain, the combination comprising a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having cooperating fountain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having tips engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller, each pin being mounted in the frame for axial movement and presenting an outer end remote from the tip, the outer end of each pin being threaded, each pin having a tubular nut which is internally threaded for snug engagement with the thread on the pin and having a radially extending flange, bearing means in the frame for engaging the flange to prevent endwise movement of the nut while permitting the nut to be adjustably rotated thereby to adjustably move the pin in opposite directions, the pin having an axially extending flat formed thereon and a key interposed between the frame and the flat for engaging the flat to prevent rotation of the pin as it is acted upon by the nut, and means for disassembling the bearing means to permit removal of the pin and nut assembled thereon as a unit for cleaning purposes.

Claim 6

The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which the key is of U configuration straddling the pin and having an interior surface which engages the flat on the pin, separate keys being provided for each of the pins.

Claim 7

In an ink fountain the combination comprising a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having a cooperating fountain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having tips engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller, the frame having a series of parallel bores for snugly receiving the pins for endwise movement, the frame having a longitudinal axially facing groove communicating with all of the bores, the groove having opposed parallel side walls, each pin having a flat positioned thereon in the region of the groove, each pin having a key registered in the groove for engaging the flat to prevent rotation of the pin while permitting endwise movement thereof, each pin being threaded at its outer end, a tubular nut having a thread which snugly engages the thread on the associated pin, the nut having a radially extending flange on its inner end dimensioned for accommodation between the walls of the groove, a retainer means on the frame for holding the flange of the nut captive while providing clearance for adjusting the nuts, a spring in the groove for pressing each nut outwardly against the retainer means, the retainer means being removably secured to permit retraction of the nut, pin, spring and key from the groove as a unit for cleaning purposes.

Claim 8

In an ink fountain the combination comprising a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having a cooperating fountain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having tips engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller, the frame having a series of parallel bores for snugly receiving the pins for endwise movement, the frame having a longitudinal axially facing groove communicating with all of the bores, the groove having opposed parallel side walls, each pin having a flat positioned thereon in the region of the groove, each pin having a key registered in the groove for engaging the flat to prevent rotation of the pin while permitting endwise movement thereof, each pin being threaded at its outer end, a tubular nut having a thread which snugly engages the thread on the associated pin, the nut having a radially extending flange on its inner end dimensioned for accommodation between the walls of the groove, a retainer means on the frame for holding the flange of the nut captive while providing clearance for adjusting the nuts, a spring in the groove for pressing each nut outwardly against the retainer means, the retainer means being removably secured to permit retraction of the nut, pin, spring and key from the groove as a unit for cleaning purposes.

Claim 9

The combination as claimed in claim 5 in which the key has a first surface which engages the flat and a second surface which snugly engages the wall of the groove which is opposed to the flat.

Claim 10

The combination as claimed in claim 5 in which each key is formed to straddle the associated pin and in which the spring is in the form of a spring washer interposed between the key and the inner end of the nut for pressing the nut outwardly of the frame and against the retainer means.

Claim 11

In an ink fountain the combination comprising a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having a cooperating founTain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having inner ends engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller and having respective outer ends, the frame having a series of bores for snugly receiving the pins for endwise movement, the frame having a longitudinal axially facing groove communicating with all of the bores, the groove having opposed parallel side walls, each pin having a flat positioned thereon in the region of the groove, each pin having a key registered in the groove the key being of U-shape having an internal surface for engaging the flat to prevent rotation of the pin while permitting endwise movement thereof, each pin being threaded at its inner end and having a tubular nut with a thread which snugly engages the thread on the pin, the nut having an annular flange on its inner end dimensioned for accommodation between the walls of the groove, a flat retainer plate on the frame overlying the groove having springs for accommodating the nuts while holding the flanges of the nuts axially captive, spring washers seated in the groove for pressing the respective nuts outwardly against the retainer plate, the retainer plate being removably secured by screws to permit retraction of the assembled nut, pin, spring washer and key from the groove as a unit for cleaning purposes and for prestressing the springs when the retainer plate is reapplied.

Claim 12

In an ink fountain the combination comprising a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having a cooperating founTain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having inner ends engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller and having respective outer ends, the frame having a series of bores for snugly receiving the pins for endwise movement, the frame having a longitudinal axially facing groove communicating with all of the bores, the groove having opposed parallel side walls, each pin having a flat positioned thereon in the region of the groove, each pin having a key registered in the groove the key being of U-shape having an internal surface for engaging the flat to prevent rotation of the pin while permitting endwise movement thereof, each pin being threaded at its inner end and having a tubular nut with a thread which snugly engages the thread on the pin, the nut having an annular flange on its inner end dimensioned for accommodation between the walls of the groove, a flat retainer plate on the frame overlying the groove having springs for accommodating the nuts while holding the flanges of the nuts axially captive, spring washers seated in the groove for pressing the respective nuts outwardly against the retainer plate, the retainer plate being removably secured by screws to permit retraction of the assembled nut, pin, spring washer and key from the groove as a unit for cleaning purposes and for prestressing the springs when the retainer plate is reapplied.

Claim 13

In an ink fountain the combination comprising, a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having a cooperating fountain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having their tips engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller thereby to determine thickness of ink film, each pin being mounted in the frame for axial movement and presenting an outer end remote from the tip, the pin having a thread at its outer end, a threaded adjusting element having a thread closely fitted to the thread on the pin, means defining an axially facing groove in the frame for accommodating the threaded adjusting element, retaining means for holding the threaded adjusting element in the groove captive against endwise movement while permitting relative rotation thereby to produce endwise movement of the pin, the pin having means for keying to the frame to prevent rotation of the pin as it is acted upon by the adjusting element, the retaining means being releasable to permit removal of the pin and the threaded element as a unit for cleaning purposes.

Claim 14

In an ink fountain the combination comprising, a frame, a fountain roller journaled in the frame and having a cooperating fountain blade presenting its edge to the roller surface, a plurality of spaced adjusting pins having their tips engaging the edge portion of the blade at a shallow angle to adjust the running clearance between the blade and the roller thereby to determine thickness of ink film, each pin being mounted in the frame for axial movement and presenting an outer end remote from the tip, the pin having a thread at its outer end, a threaded adjusting element having a thread closely fitted to the thread on the pin, means defining an axially facing groove in the frame for accommodating the threaded adjusting element, retaining means for holding the threaded adjusting element in the groove captive against endwise movement while permitting relative rotation thereby to produce endwise movement of the pin, the pin having means for keying to the frame to prevent rotation of the pin as it is acted upon by the adjusting element, the retaining means being releasable to permit removal of the pin and the threaded element as a unit for cleaning purposes.