Printing machine with sheet-transfer arrangement

Claim 1

In a printing machine, a combination comprising a first printing station having a first printing roller for printing one side of a sheet which travels with the same; a second printing station having a second printing roller for printing the other side of the same sheet; a sheet transfer roller located between and cooperating with said first and second printing rollers; suction gripper means on said transfer roller for lifting a trailing edge portion of the sheet off said first printing roller; means for temporarily advancing said suction gripper means relative to said transfer roller circumferentially of the same and in the direction of rotation thereof along a arcuate path, so as to cause the trailing edge region of the sheet to bulge away from said first printing roller, said advancing means comprising a rocker linkage including a first link member having a free end and another end pivoted at a first location inwardly of the periphery of said transfer roller, a larger second link member also having a free end and another end which is pivoted at a second location inwardly of the periphery of said transfer roller and radially and circumferentially offset from said first location, and a third link member having spaced ends each of which is pivoted to one of said free ends of said first and second link members, said suction gripper means being mounted on said third link member, cam means turnable with said transfer roller and having respective portions which are spaced radially and circumferentially of said transfer roller, and cam follower means operatively associated with said first and second link members and cooperating with the respective cam portions for imparting to each of said first and second link members a part-circular pivoting movement about the respective location, so that said suction gripper means on said third link member moves with said second and third link means relative to said transfer roller in a first curved path in the direction of rotation of the same and also moves relative to said second and third link means in a second curved path, and mechanical gripper means on said transfer roller and operative for receiving said trailing edge portion of said sheet from said suction gripper means prior to disengagement of the latter from said trailing edge portion, and for pulling the sheet after such disengagement off the first printing roller, turning it and presenting it to said second printing roller during continued rotation of said transfer roller.