Sheet handling apparatus

Claim 2

A skeleton wheel for supporting and transferring a printed sheet having wet ink on one side between successive processing stations, and engaging said one side during the transfer operation without marring the ink thereon, said skeleton wheel having: a generally cylindrical peripheral surface of an axial width within the range of about one inch up to about the width of said press for contacting said sheet, said surface having an opening extending the axial width of said wheel so that said surface extends circumferentially less than 360*; and ink-repellent coating means on said surface comprising a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene for engaging said one side and the wet ink thereon and supporting said sheet without marring the ink.

Claim 3

A skeleton wheel as defined in claim 1 in which a plurality of said wheels each having an axial width less than one half the width of the press are secured to an axial shaft and spaced therealong to support said sheet along its length during transfer.

Claim 4

A skeleton wheel as defined in claim 1 in which said surface has an axial width substantially equal to the length of said sheet.

Claim 5

A skeleton wheel for use in supporting and transferring a printed sheet having wet ink on one side between successive processing stations, and engaging said one side during the transfer operation without marring the ink thereon, said skeleton wheel having: a generally cylindrical peripheral surface of substantial axial width on the order of one to four inches for contacting said sheet, said surface having an opening extending the axial width of said wheel so that said surface extends circumferentially less than 360*; and ink-repellent coating means on said surface comprising a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene for engaging said one side and the wet ink thereon and supporting said sheet without marring the ink.

Claim 6

A skeleton wheel for use in supporting and transferring a printed sheet having wet ink on one side between successive processing stations, and engaging said one side during the transfer operation without marring the ink thereon, said skeleton wheel having: a generally cylindrical peripheral surface of substantial axial width on the order of one to four inches for contacting said sheet, said surface having an opening extending the axial width of said wheel so that said surface extends circumferentially less than 360*; and ink-repellent coating means on said surface comprising a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene for engaging said one side and the wet ink thereon and supporting said sheet without marring the ink.

Claim 7

A skeleton wheel for use in supporting and transferring a printed sheet having wet ink on one side between successive processing stations in a printing press, and engaging said one side during the transfer operation without marring the ink thereon, said wheel having: a generally cylindrical peripheral surface of an axial width on the order of four inches for contacting said sheet, said surface having an opening extending the axial width of said wheel so that said surface extends circumferentially less than 360*; and ink-repellent coating means on said surface comprising a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene for engaging said one side and the wet ink thereon and supporting said sheet without marring the ink.

Claim 8

A skeleton wheel for use in supporting and transferring a printed sheet having wet ink on one side between successive processing stations in a printing press, and engaging said one side during the transfer operation without marring the ink thereon, said wheel having: a generally cylindrical peripheral surface of an axial width on the order of four inches for contacting said sheet, said surface having an opening extending the axial width of said wheel so that said surface extends circumferentially less than 360*; and ink-repellent coating means on said surface comprising a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene for engaging said one side and the wet ink thereon and supporting said sheet without marring the ink.

Claim 9

A skeleton wheel as defined in claim 5 in which a plurality of said wheels are secured to an axial shaft and spaced therealong to support said sheet along its length during transfer.

Claim 10

A skeleton wheel for use In supporting and transferring a printed sheet having wet ink on one side between successive processing stations in a printing press, and engaging said one side during the transfer operation without marring the ink thereon, said wheel having: a generally cylindrical peripheral surface of an axial width substantially equal to the width of said press for contacting said sheet over a substantial portion of said one side, said surface having an opening extending the axial width of said wheel so that said surface extends circumferentially less than 360*; and an ink-repellent coating on said surface comprising a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene for engaging said one side and the wet ink thereon and supporting said sheet without marring the ink.

Claim 11

A skeleton wheel for use In supporting and transferring a printed sheet having wet ink on one side between successive processing stations in a printing press, and engaging said one side during the transfer operation without marring the ink thereon, said wheel having: a generally cylindrical peripheral surface of an axial width substantially equal to the width of said press for contacting said sheet over a substantial portion of said one side, said surface having an opening extending the axial width of said wheel so that said surface extends circumferentially less than 360*; and an ink-repellent coating on said surface comprising a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene for engaging said one side and the wet ink thereon and supporting said sheet without marring the ink.