Method and apparatus for making wiping cylinder of steel engraving printing press

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of i. discontinuing the application of said heat and applying to said coated cylinder throughout its length a cooling fluid while rotating said cylinder to reduce the temperature of said cylinder to a selected value.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2, comprising: j. repeating steps (d) to (i) to apply, heat harden, and cool a further thin uniform layer of heat-hardenable plastic composition.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1, in which said blade is progressively retracted micrometrically while said cylinder is rotated to apply to said cylinder a thin spiral layer of said composition in a plurality of convolutions.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 4, in which heat is applied to said cylinder as it rotates to effect only a partial curing of each convolution of said spiral layer before a succeeding convolution is applied.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1, in which said blade comprises a lower blade member and an upper blade member to which latter said plastic composition is supplied, and in which in removing said blade from said cylinder, said upper blade member is first retracted along the upper surface of said lower blade member while said cylinder continues to rotate and said lower blade member is then removed from said cylinder.

Claim 8

Apparatus for coating a wiping cylinder of a steel engraving press with a plastic composition comprising: a. means for mounting a rubber covered metal base cylinder for rotation about it longitudinal axis with said axis horizontal, b. a straight blade extending the full length of said cylinder and having a straight edge presented to said cylinder, c. means mounting said blade horizontal at one side of said cylinder for movement toward and away from said cylinder while maintaining said straight edge parallel to the axis of said cylinder, d. means for moving said blade into engagement with the periphery of said rubber covered cylinder and for then micrometrically retracting said blade to provide a predetermined small uniform space between said blade and said cylinder said space extending the full length of the cylinder, e. means on the upper side of said blade for receiving a supply of heat-hardenable plastic composition and bringing said composition into engagement with the periphery of said cylinder, f. means for rotating said cylinder slowly in a direction to cause its periphery to move downwardly past said blade to thereby apply to said cylinder a thin uniform layer of said composition having a thickness determined by said space between said blade and cylinder, g. means for discontinuing the application of said composition to said cylinder while continuing to rotate said cylinder with said blade in position to smooth said layer without applying additional plastic composition, and h. means for applying radiant heat to said cylinder throughout its length, as said cylinder is rotated to effect predetermined hardening of said layer.

Claim 9

Apparatus for coating a wiping cylinder of a steel engraving press with a plastic composition comprising: a. means for mounting a rubber covered metal base cylinder for rotation about it longitudinal axis with said axis horizontal, b. a straight blade extending the full length of said cylinder and having a straight edge presented to said cylinder, c. means mounting said blade horizontal at one side of said cylinder for movement toward and away from said cylinder while maintaining said straight edge parallel to the axis of said cylinder, d. means for moving said blade into engagement with the periphery of said rubber covered cylinder and for then micrometrically retracting said blade to provide a predetermined small uniform space between said blade and said cylinder said space extending the full length of the cylinder, e. means on the upper side of said blade for receiving a supply of heat-hardenable plastic composition and bringing said composition into engagement with the periphery of said cylinder, f. means for rotating said cylinder slowly in a direction to cause its periphery to move downwardly past said blade to thereby apply to said cylinder a thin uniform layer of said composition having a thickness determined by said space between said blade and cylinder, g. means for discontinuing the application of said composition to said cylinder while continuing to rotate said cylinder with said blade in position to smooth said layer without applying additional plastic composition, and h. means for applying radiant heat to said cylinder throughout its length, as said cylinder is rotated to effect predetermined hardening of said layer.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for applying a cooling fluid to said cylinder throughout its length while said cylinder is rotated to reduce the temperature of said cylinder to a selected value.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said blade comprises a lower blade member, an upper blade member resting on said lower blade member and adapted to receive said composition and means for retracting said upper blade member to discontinue the application of said composition to said cylinder while maintaining said lower blade member in place to smooth the layer of composition already applied, and then retracting said lower blade member.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said means for moving said blade toward and away from said cylinder comprises means for micrometrically moving said blade away from the cylinder while said cylinder is rotated to apply to said cylinder a thin spiral layer of said composition in a plurality of convolutions.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said means for moving said blade toward and away from said cylinder comprises a first power driven means for moving said blade micrometrically at a selected rate and second power driven means for moving said blade more rapidly.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 1, in which said blade comprises a lower blade member which slopes downwardly away from said cylinder and an upper blade member which slopes downwardly toward said cylinder and to which said plastic composition is supplied, said upper blade member being removed from said cylinder when the supply of said composition is discontinued so as to discontinue the application of said composition to the cylinder while retaining said lower blade member in said position to smooth said layer of composition applied to the cylinder.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said blade comprises a lower blade member which slopes downwardly away from said cylinder and an upper blade member which slopes downwardly toward said cylinder and to which said plastic composition is supplied, said upper blade member being movable relative to said lower blade member for removal of said upper blade member from said cylinder when the supply of said composition is discontinued so as to discontinue the application of said composition to the cylinder, while retaining said lower blade member in said position to smooth said layer of composition applied to the cylinder.