Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Goss International Americas, Inc.

Manroland Goss Web Systems Gmbh

Lev Zlatin

Michael Robert Lemelin

Mark Bernard Dumais

Charles Henry Dufour

William Albert Charette

Glenn Alan Guaraldi

Ronald Henry Boucher

John James Sposato, Jr

Jared Paul Eaton

Kenneth Waldo Brown

Andrew Work Kelsall

Eric Matthew Wallace

Eric M Wallace

Michael Robert Lamelin

Michael Lemelin

A plate cylinder includes a plate cylinder body having a longitudinally-extending first hole and a longitudinally extending plate-receiving gap connected to the first hole, the plate cylinder body having a longitudinally-extending second hole parallel to the first hole; and a lock-up mechanism including: a torsion bar extending in the longitudinally extending hole and having a surface for contacting an end of a plate located in the gap; a swing bar extending longitudinally in the second hole and being movable perpendicular to a longitudinal direction due to the second hole being oversized compared to dimensions of the swing bar within the second hole; a lever connecting the swing bar and the torsion bar, the torsion bar being rotatable as the swing bar moves within the second hole; and an activator for rotating the torsion bar. A printing press and methods are also provided.

Plate cylinder with plate lockup mechanism and related printing press and method

A variable cutoff cylinder alignment apparatus is provided. The variable cutoff cylinder alignment apparatus includes a plate cylinder support box for supporting an exchangeable variable cutoff plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder support box for supporting an exchangeable variable cutoff blanket cylinder and an alignment stop adapted to align the blanket cylinder support box and the plate cylinder support box. The plate cylinder support box supports an exchangeable plate cam and the blanket cylinder support box includes a blanket cam. The exchangeable plate cam is capable of contacting the stop and the exchangeable blanket cam is capable of contacting the plate support box to align the blanket cylinder support box and the plate cylinder support box. The plate cylinder support box and the blanket cylinder support box are capable of aligning cylinders of different sized cutoffs. A variable cutoff offset printing press and a method of aligning printing cylinders during a cutoff change are also provided.

Variable cutoff alignment apparatus and method of aligning printing cylinders during a cutoff change

A variable cutoff printing unit is provided that includes a plate cylinder, a plate cylinder support removably supporting the plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, a blanket cylinder support removably supporting the blanket cylinder, a frame, the plate cylinder support and the blanket cylinder support being coupled to the frame, a sliding element coupled to the blanket cylinder support for moving the blanket cylinder support toward and away from the plate cylinder support, and a stopping device for stopping movement of the sliding element to limit the movement of the blanket cylinder toward and away from the plate cylinder to a defined range. A method of operating a variable cutoff printing unit is also provided.

Impression mechanism for a variable cutoff printing unit

A variable-diameter printing press cylinder is provided. The variable-diameter printing press cylinder includes a cylinder body, a first shell segment having a first circumferential end portion and a second shell segment having a second circumferential end portion. The first and second shell segments are mounted on the cylinder body via the first and second circumferential end portions. A method of varying a circumference of a cylinder in a printing press and a printing press are also provided.

Printing press with replaceable sleeve shell segments for a cylinder

A tucking device for tucking a printing plate into a gap of a plate cylinder includes a tucker bar having a tucking surface and at least one magnet for creating a repulsive magnetic force at the tucking surface. An actuator connected to the tucker bar is used for moving the tucker bar to tuck the printing plate into the gap.

Magnetic tucker bar for a printing press

A web infeed device for rotary printing presses includes a pointed nose piece having concave side portions. The flexible infeed element is received in a guide, and driving elements are provided for driving the infeed element along the guide.

Web infeed device for rotary printing presses

A counterpoise device for cantilevering at least one cylinder of a printing press has a movable counterpoise element for selectively contacting the cylinder and a stationary mount. A guide link rotatably attaches to the stationary mount plate and rotatably attaches to movable counterpoise element. An actuating device is connected to the movable counterpoise device at a different location than the guide link for moving the counterpoise device with respect to the cylinder.

Counterpoise device and method for cantilevered printing press cylinders

A register device for insertion into a channel of a printing unit cylinder. The device includes a rod defining an axial direction and a pin support movable in the axial direction by the rod, the rod being movable with respect to the pin support in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. A register pin is attached to the pin support. Also provided is a register device with a pin support, a register pin and shims for altering the position of the register pin on the pin support.

Plate cylinder with register pin adjustment device and method of axially adjusting printing plate

A plate cylinder has a cylinder body having a cylinder body outer surface for a first image to be printed and a first end, and a shell having an inner surface circumferentially disposed about the first end and having a gap for holding a printing plate, the shell being axially and circumferentially moveable with respect to the first end and having a shell outer surface for a second image to be printed, the inner surface having at least one projection directed inwardly, the gap extending into the projection.

Plate cylinder with splined shell

Method for magnetically tucking a printing plate into a plate cylinder

A printing press comprising a multi-plate plate cylinder for carrying at least a first printing plate and a second printing plate, the plate cylinder having a cylinder body with an outer surface and a lock-up bar having a retracted position and an extended position, the lock-up bar for fastening both of the first and second plates about the outer surface in the retracted position. A tucker bar is located adjacent the lock-up bar, the tucker bar including at least a first segment for tucking and holding the first printing plate on the plate cylinder and a second segment for tucking and holding the second printing plate on the plate cylinder, the first segment being independently movable with respect to the second segment. Also disclosed is a method including the steps of contacting the first printing plate with an associated first segment of a tucker bar when the common lock-up bar is in an extended position and while the second printing plate is not contacted by an associated second segment of the tucker bar, moving the common lock-up bar to the retracted position so that the first printing plate is fastened and so that an end of the second printing plate is free, and removing the second printing plate from the plate cylinder.

Printing press with multi-plate plate cylinder

A plate cylinder comprising a cylinder body having at least one external slot extending axially with respect to the cylinder body, and at least one register pin slidable by an external registration device within the slot. Also provided is an external registration device comprising a base for attaching to a periphery of a plate cylinder, and a pin pusher interacting with a register pin in a slot of the plate cylinder, the pin pusher being axially movable relative to the base. A method is provided for registering plates on a plate cylinder comprising the steps of placing an external registration device on a plate cylinder having at least one register pin, and moving the register pin axially with the external registration device.

Plate cylinder, external plate register tool, and method of registering plates

An offset printing press for printing a web, the press comprising a frame, a first plate cylinder movably mounted in the frame, and a first blanket cylinder in selective contact with the first plate cylinder. A second blanket cylinder for forming a nip with the first blanket cylinder is in contact with a second plate cylinder. The press has a first operative condition wherein the first plate cylinder and the first blanket cylinder are in direct contact to permit double-sided printing on the web, and a second operative condition wherein the first plate cylinder and the first blanket cylinder are separated to permit a plate change on the first plate cylinder while the web is printed by the second blanket cylinder.

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Portsmouth, NH, United States of America

Lev Zlatin