Ink applicator means for downside surface of printing press roll

Claim 1

In a printing press having a supporting frame and a rotatable cylindrical roll having a cylindrical surface to which ink is to be applied, the downwardly movable portion of said cylindrical surface during roll rotation being the downside surface of said roll, ink applicator means for applying ink to said cylindrical surface as said roll rotates, comprising: an elongated hollow ink supply tube mounted on said supporting frame and rotatably adjustable with respect thereto; extension arm means rigidly secured to and extending from said ink supply tube; an elongated hollow ink feed tube mounted on said extension arm means and rotatably adjustable with respect thereto, said ink feed tube being movable to locations adjacent to said roll in longitudinal relation with respect thereto and spaced from said downside surface of said roll, said ink feed tube having an opening in the side thereof facing said downside surface from which ink emerges for application to said cylindrical surface of said roll; and ink guide means for ensuring even application of an unbroken film of ink to the surface of said roll, said ink guide means extending between said ink feed tube from a position adjacent said opening therein to a position adjacent but spaced from said downside surface of said roll, to define an ink reservoir closed at its ends and bounded on one side by a portion of said downside surface of said roll, said ink reservoir being open on its top side to enable air entrained in the ink in said reservoir to bubble up and away from said downside surface of said roll.