Multicolour offset press

Claim 1

A multicolor offset press including at least two printing units, each of the printing units comprising two sets of plate cylinders and blanket cylinders as well as a common impression cylinder which bears against the both blanket cylinders, said impression cylinder having a diameter which is equal to 3 times that of the blanket cylinders, said blanket cylinders of a printing unit being spaced apart from each other by a distance along the circumference of the impression cylinder which is greater than the length of the transfer surface of the blanket cylinders, the press further including a transfer cylinder interposed between the printing units, said transfer cylinder bearing against the respective impression cylinder of the printing units and having a diameter which is equal to that of the impression cylinder, impression cylinder and transfer cylinder each including means located at positions on the peripheral surface thereof which divide the circumference of the cylinders into three equal lengths whereby three sheets can be printed for each revolution of the impression and transfer cylinder, said transfer cylinder being located below a plane on which the impression cylinders of the printing unit are located, the blanket cylinders of the printing unit being disposed in a single plane with an equal spacing between adjacent blanket cylinders.