Printing unit with short inking device

Claim 1

Convertible printing unit having impression, blanket and plate cylinders of like diameter, and an inking unit, having an applicator roller for feeding both dampening medium and ink, the applicator roller having a diameter equal to that of the impression, blanket and plate cylinders comprising an inking cylinder engageable with the applicator roller; said inking cylinder having a diameter equal to that of the impression, plate and blanket cylinders and the applicator roller; depending on the position of said blanket cylinder the plate cylinder and said inking cylinder being disposed relative to one another and to the blanket cylinder so that the blanket cylinder is selectively engageable with either the plate cylinder or said inking cylinder depending on the position of said blanket cylinder; the blanket cylinder being selectively coverable by a blanket or a rubber block; the applicator roller being separated from said inking cylinder in a given condition of the printing unit wherein the blanket cylinder is covered by the rubber block and is in direct cooperative engagement with said inking cylinder, the applicator roller and the blanket cylinder, in said given condition, being out of engagement with the plate cylinder.