Ink fountain and supply system for a printing press

Claim 2

In a printing press including a housing having generally parallel spaced sidewalls supporting a rotary horizontal print cylinder, an improved system for precisely applying ink to a printing plate mounted on said print cylinder, comprising a generally horizontally disposed support member, a set of spaced brackets depending from sAid support member, a horizontal ink applying roll supported by a set of bearings retained by said brackets and positioned to engage the printing plate on said print cylinder, a horizontal ink distributing roll positioned to form a nip with said ink applying roll, means for supplying ink to said ink distributing roll, a set of plates mounted on said brackets and supporting said ink distributing roll, first adjustment means on said support member for moving said plates and said ink distributing roll relative to said ink applying roll for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink distributing roll to said ink applying roll, said support member including means forming a cover for said ink applying and distributing rolls, a container connected to said support member and extending under said ink applying and distributing rolls, said support member, said brackets and plates, said ink applying and distributing rolls and said container forming an ink applying unit positioned between said sidewalls of said housing, and second adjustment means for moving said ink applying unit generally vertically between said sidewalls for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink applying roll to the printing plate.

Claim 3

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 1 wherein said ink applying unit is removable as a sub-assembly from said housing of said printing press.

Claim 4

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 1 wherein said support member and said container cooperate to define a generally rectangular opening adjacent said print cylinder, and said ink applying roll projects through said opening for engaging the printing plate.

Claim 5

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 1 including a set of gears secured to corresponding ends of said ink distributing and applying rolls, a set of transfer gears supported for rotation by one of said plates and connecting said gear on said ink applying roll to said gear on said ink distributing roll, and said transfer gears are movable with said plates.

Claim 6

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 1 wherein said plates and said ink distributing roll are supported by said brackets for movement in a slightly inclined linear direction relative to a vertical plane extending through the axis of said ink applying roll.

Claim 7

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 1 wherein said first adjustment means comprise a set of screws threadably connected to said brackets and engaging said support member, and said screws are accessible for adjustment from above said support member.

Claim 8

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 1 wherein said second adjustment means comprise a set of generally vertical adjustment screws connecting said support member to said side walls of said housing, and said screws are accessible for adjustment from above said support member.

Claim 9

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for supplying ink to said ink distributing roll, include an ink supply tube projecting downwardly from said support member and having a lower end adjacent said nip.

Claim 10

In a printing press including a housing having generally parallel spaced sidewalls supporting a rotary horizontal print cylinder. an improved system for precisely applying ink to a printing plate mounted on said print cylinder, comprising a generally horizontally disposed support member, a set of spaced brackets depending from said support member, a horizontal ink applying roll supported by a set of bearings retained by said brackets and positioned to engage the printing plate on said print cylinder, a horizontal ink distributing roll positioned generally below said ink applying roll and forming a nip therewith, means for supplying ink to said ink distributing roll, a set of plates mounted on said brackets and supporting said ink distributing roll, first adjustment means connected to said support member and accessible from the top thereof for moving said plateS and said ink distributing roll generally vertically relative to said ink applying roll for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink distributing roll to said ink applying roll, said support member including means forming a cover for said ink applying and distributing rolls, a container connected to said support member and extending under said ink applying and distributing rolls, said support member, said brackets and plates, said ink applying and distributing rolls and said container forming an ink applying unit positioned between said sidewalls of said housing, and second adjustment means also acccessible from the top of said support member for moving said ink applying unit generally vertically between said sidewalls for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink applying roll to the printing plate.

Claim 11

In a printing press including a housing having generally parallel spaced sidewalls supporting a rotary horizontal print cylinder. an improved system for precisely applying ink to a printing plate mounted on said print cylinder, comprising a generally horizontally disposed support member, a set of spaced brackets depending from said support member, a horizontal ink applying roll supported by a set of bearings retained by said brackets and positioned to engage the printing plate on said print cylinder, a horizontal ink distributing roll positioned generally below said ink applying roll and forming a nip therewith, means for supplying ink to said ink distributing roll, a set of plates mounted on said brackets and supporting said ink distributing roll, first adjustment means connected to said support member and accessible from the top thereof for moving said plateS and said ink distributing roll generally vertically relative to said ink applying roll for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink distributing roll to said ink applying roll, said support member including means forming a cover for said ink applying and distributing rolls, a container connected to said support member and extending under said ink applying and distributing rolls, said support member, said brackets and plates, said ink applying and distributing rolls and said container forming an ink applying unit positioned between said sidewalls of said housing, and second adjustment means also acccessible from the top of said support member for moving said ink applying unit generally vertically between said sidewalls for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink applying roll to the printing plate.

Claim 12

In a printing press including a housing having generally parallel spaced sidewalls supporting a rotary horizontal print cylinder, an improved system for precisely applying ink to printing plate mounted on said print cylinder, comprising a generally horizontally disposed support member, a set of spaced brackets depending from said support member, a horizontal ink applying roll supported by a set of bearings retained by said brackets and positioned to engage the printing plate on said print cylinder, a horizontal ink distributing roll positioned to form a nip with said ink applying roll, means for supplying ink to said ink distributing roll, a set of plates mounted on said brackets and supporting said ink distributing roll, first adjustment means on said support member for moving said plates and said ink distributing roll relative to said ink applying roll for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink distributing roll to said ink applying roll, said support member including means forming a cover for said ink applying and distributing rolls, a container connected to said support member and extending under said ink applying and distributing rolls, said support member, said brackets and plates, said ink applying and distributing rolls and said container forming an ink applying unit positioned between said sidewalls of said housing, second adjustment means for moving said ink applying unit generally vertically between said sidewalls for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink applying roll to the printing plate, and said ink supplying means include a set of elongated inner and outer tubes adapted to depend into an ink supply, and said tubes define an axially extending passage therebetween.

Claim 13

In a printing press including a housing having generally parallel spaced sidewalls supporting a rotary horizontal print cylinder, an improved system for precisely applying ink to printing plate mounted on said print cylinder, comprising a generally horizontally disposed support member, a set of spaced brackets depending from said support member, a horizontal ink applying roll supported by a set of bearings retained by said brackets and positioned to engage the printing plate on said print cylinder, a horizontal ink distributing roll positioned to form a nip with said ink applying roll, means for supplying ink to said ink distributing roll, a set of plates mounted on said brackets and supporting said ink distributing roll, first adjustment means on said support member for moving said plates and said ink distributing roll relative to said ink applying roll for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink distributing roll to said ink applying roll, said support member including means forming a cover for said ink applying and distributing rolls, a container connected to said support member and extending under said ink applying and distributing rolls, said support member, said brackets and plates, said ink applying and distributing rolls and said container forming an ink applying unit positioned between said sidewalls of said housing, second adjustment means for moving said ink applying unit generally vertically between said sidewalls for precisely controlling the transfer of ink from said ink applying roll to the printing plate, and said ink supplying means include a set of elongated inner and outer tubes adapted to depend into an ink supply, and said tubes define an axially extending passage therebetween.

Claim 14

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 10 wherein said inner and outer tubes form part of an ink recirculating pump and are supported for relative reciprocating movement, a set of check valves connected to the lower end portions of said tubes, the ink being pumped from the supply through one of said tubes in response to said reciprocating movement of said tubes and said check valves, the excess ink being returned from said unit to the supply through the other of said tubes, and means for producing said relative reciprocating movement of said tubes.

Claim 15

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for supporting said concentric tubes comprise a manifold having a passage for receiving the ink returned from said ink distributing roll, a cap member connected to said manifold, and a container releasably connected to said cap member for supporting the ink supply.

Claim 16

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 12 wherein said container comprises a bottle of molded plastics material and includes a threaded neck portion for engaging said cap member.

Claim 17

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 11 wherein the inner said tube is supported for reciprocating movement within the outer said tube, a pivotal lever connected to reciprocate the inner said tube, and drive means connected to pivot said lever and to rotate said ink distributing and applying rOlls.

Claim 18

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 11 wherein at least one of said tubes has a recess within its outer surface, and the corresponding said check valve includes a valve body having a portion which snap-fits into said recess.

Claim 19

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 11 wherein the inner said tube reciprocates within the outer said tube, means for directing the returning ink into said passage, and the outer said tube includes means defining an opening for directing the returning ink from said passage to the ink supply.

Claim 20

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 16 wherein the outer said tube further includes means defining an air vent opening positioned above the ink supply, and an enclosed container for receiving the ink supply.

Claim 21

A printing press and inking system as defined in claim 11 including a knife cutting unit adapted to cut a continuous strip of articles being printed by the printing member, and said means for producing said relative reciprocating movement of said tubes comprise a drive mechanism which is also connected to drive said ink applying roll and said knife cutting unit.