Plate clamp

Claim 2

Apparatus to secure a printing plate having apertures formed in flanges on leading and trailing edges thereof to a cylinder having a longitudinally extending gap formed therein comprising: spaced pegs secured adjacent a first edge of the gap formed in the cylinder; a shaft; connector pins on said shaft positionable in apertures in the flange on the trailing edge of the printing plate; means to rotatably secure the shaft adjacent the second edge of the gap formed in the cylinder; and resilient means secured between the shaft and the means to rotatably secure the shaft to the cylinder, said resilient means being adapted to urge the connector pins on the shaft into the gap formed in the cylinder.

Claim 3

The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the means to rotatably secure the shaft to the cylinder comprises: a hinge element having a bore extending therethrough; and means to secure said hinge element to the cylinder, and wherein the shaft has a journal formed on the end thereof; a shoulder adjacent said journal, said journal being positioned in the bore in the hinge element such that the shoulder on the shaft engages said hinge element to limit longitudinal movement on the shaft relative to hinge element.

Claim 4

Apparatus to secure a printing plate to a cylinder having a longitudinally extending gap formed therein comprising: means to secure a first edge of a printing plate adjacent a first edge of the gap formed in the cylinder; a shaft; connector means to secure a second edge of a printing plate to said shaft; a saddle to rotatably secure the shaft adjacent the second edge of the gap formed in the cylinder; means to secure the saddle about a portion of the surface of a cylinder, said saddle having a seat formed in an edge thereof; hinge means to rotatably secure said shaft in said seat; And resilient means secured between the shaft and the saddle, said resilient means being adapted to urge the connector means on the shaft into the gap formed in the cylinder.

Claim 5

Apparatus to secure a printing plate to a cylinder having a longitudinally extending gap formed therein comprising: means to secure a first edge of a printing plate adjacent a first edge of the gap formed in the cylinder; a shaft; connector means to secure a second edge of a printing plate to said shaft; a saddle to rotatably secure the shaft adjacent the second edge of the gap formed in the cylinder; means to secure the saddle about a portion of the surface of a cylinder, said saddle having a seat formed in an edge thereof; hinge means to rotatably secure said shaft in said seat; And resilient means secured between the shaft and the saddle, said resilient means being adapted to urge the connector means on the shaft into the gap formed in the cylinder.

Claim 6

The combination called for in claim 3 wherein the hinge means to rotatably secure said shaft in said seat comprises: a hinge element having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough; a pin on said hinge element extending into a socket formed in said seat in the saddle; and a spring positionable about said shaft, one end of said spring being secured to said hinge element and the other end of said spring being secured to said shaft.

Claim 7

A printing press cylinder comprising: a cylinder; a printing plate having leading and trailing edges; a first flange on said leading edge; a second flange on said trailing edge, each of said flanges having a row of apertures formed therein; spaced pegs secured to said cylinder, said pegs extending through apertures in said first flange on the leading edge of the printing plate; a shaft; hinge means rotatably securing opposite ends of said shaft to said cylinder; torsion spring means about each end of said shaft; means securing first ends of each of said torsion springs to said cylinder; means securing second end of said torsion springs to said shaft; and spaced pins on said shaft positioned through apertures in said second flange on the trailing edge of said printing plate, said torsion springs urging said pins to a position wherein the printing plate is drawn to a controlled tension about said cylinder.

Claim 8

A printing press cylinder comprising: a cylinder; a printing plate having leading and trailing edges; a first flange on said leading edge; a second flange on said trailing edge, each of said flanges having a row of apertures formed therein; spaced pegs secured to said cylinder, said pegs extending through apertures in said first flange on the leading edge of the printing plate; a shaft; hinge means rotatably securing opposite ends of said shaft to said cylinder; torsion spring means about each end of said shaft; means securing first ends of each of said torsion springs to said cylinder; means securing second end of said torsion springs to said shaft; and spaced pins on said shaft positioned through apertures in said second flange on the trailing edge of said printing plate, said torsion springs urging said pins to a position wherein the printing plate is drawn to a controlled tension about said cylinder.

Claim 9

Apparatus to secure a printing plate about the surface of a cylinder comprising: a saddle having first and second edges and a seat formed in a first edge thereof; means to secure the saddle about a portion of the surface of the cylinder; spaced hinge elements; each of said hinge elements having a bore extending therethrough; means securing said hinge elements adjacent said first edge of said saddle; a shaft having opposite ends rotatably secured in said bores in said hinge elements, said shaft extending longitudinally of said seat; a spring positioned about said shaft; means securing one end of said spring to one of said hinge elements; means securing a second end of said spring to said shaft; means to secure a first edge of the printing plate to said shaft; and means to secure a second edge of the printing plate adjacent said second edge of said saddle.

Claim 10

Apparatus to secure a printing plate about the surface of a cylinder comprising: a saddle having first and second edges and a seat formed in a first edge thereof; means to secure the saddle about a portion of the surface of the cylinder; spaced hinge elements; each of said hinge elements having a bore extending therethrough; means securing said hinge elements adjacent said first edge of said saddle; a shaft having opposite ends rotatably secured in said bores in said hinge elements, said shaft extending longitudinally of said seat; a spring positioned about said shaft; means securing one end of said spring to one of said hinge elements; means securing a second end of said spring to said shaft; means to secure a first edge of the printing plate to said shaft; and means to secure a second edge of the printing plate adjacent said second edge of said saddle.