Am International Incorporated

Harris Graphics Corporation

Harris Corporation

Richard A Gaspar

Dinesh G Punater

Mark F Duchesne

Vincent T Kubert

Robert A Dessert

Donald G Bastian

John L Trentman

Donald C Stackhouse

Robert C Cole

Timothy L Denlinger

Robert Baxter Tarburton

Richard T Laubach

Ralph E Barrera

A dryer-fuser apparatus and method are provided to evaporate volatile, flammable carrier liquid from and to fuse solids color-imparting particles to a travelling web of paper in a high speed electrophotographic printing process. Volatiles from the dryer are vented to a catalytic converter, with heat recovered from the catalytic converter being recycled to supply heat to the dryer-fuser. An electric resistance heater may be used to supply heat during system start up and during such times when auxiliary heat is required. Regulation of the amount of venting is provided and is dependent upon the concentration of flammable volatiles present in the dryer.

Dryer-fuser apparatus and method for high speed electrophotographic

A press, and a process of printing a combination of fixed and variable data on such press, wherein printed images being manufactured are created by direct digital driving of an imaging device at normal press speed, optionally followed by one or more processing operations in the case of business forms or the like, as required for a particular job. The content of the printed images can be changed without stopping the press. The press and process uses novel electrostatic printing engines having a direct digital imaging system which can create latent electrostatic images at normal press speeds, including the ability to accommodate substantial speed variations. Together with these printing engines, an electronic imaging system is provided in which fixed (or base) image data and variable image data are combined electronically to drive a single exposure system. Repetitive latent images are formed and developed using a high resolution liquid toner, and the resultant visible image is transferred and fixed to a wide variety of materials, usually in a continuous web. The photoreceptor surface on the drum, on which the images are formed and developed, is also cleaned and thoroughly dried each revolution. The press also has a novel fuser/dryer in which the developer carrier liquid is vaporized from the drum and treated through a catalytic converter to control emissions from the press. Heat from the catalytic treatment of the volatile carrier liquid is utilized as a heat source for air used in the fuser/dryer, thus providing a recuperative system.

Printing press and method

A press, and a process of printing a combination of fixed and variable data on such press, wherein printed images are created by direct digital driving of an imaging device at normal press speed, optionally followed by one or more processing operations in the case of business forms. The content or arrangement of the printed images can be changed without stopping the press. The press and process use one or more novel electrostatic printing engines having a direct digital imaging system which can create latent electrostatic images at normal press speeds, including the ability to accommodate substantial speed variations. Together with these printing engines, an electronic imaging system is provided in which fixed (or base) image data and variable image data are combined electronically to drive a single exposure system. Repetitive latent images are formed and developed using a liquid toner, and the resultant visible image is transferred and fixed to a variety of materials, in a continuous web. The photoreceptor surface on the drum, on which the images are formed and developed, is also cleaned and thoroughly dried each revolution. Make ready time between successive printing jobs can be significantly reduced. The press also has a novel fuser/dryer in which the developer carrier liquid is vaporized from the drum and treated through a catalytic converter to control emissions from the press. Heat from the catalytic treatment of the volatile carrier liquid is utilized as a heat source for air used in the fuser/dryer, thus providing a recuperative system.

A collating apparatus having a collating unit, a perforating unit and a fan-folding unit, all gear driven by a single main drive gear, and having a gear assembly driven by the drive gear which includes a gear having an adjustable rotational eccentricity and an adjustable phase of eccentricity relative to the other gears. In a preferred embodiment, the adjustable gear includes an inner hub mounted on a rotatable shaft, an intermediate hub having an eccentric bore rotatably receiving the inner hub, a gear ring having an eccentric bore rotatably receiving the intermediate hub and a clamp bar attached to the gear ring and to the shaft. The bar includes an adjustment mechanism for varying the orientation of the gear ring, intermediate hub and inner hub relative to each other. By adjusting the rotational eccentricity of the gear ring and the phase of the eccentricity, the adjustable gear can compensate for eccentricities inherent in other gears of the apparatus so that the collating, perforating and folding units operate synchronously.

Collating apparatus with adjustable gear

A holder mounting a plurality of crimp blades for crimping of a moving web includes a cylindrical body having a curved outer surface, and eight slots defined in the outer surface. A crimp blade is secured within each of the slots such that rotation of the body causes the blades to crimp a web moving therepast. The diameter of the body and the positions of the blade mounting slots on the surface thereof are selected so that with the blades mounted to the body, rotation thereof causes crimps to be applied to the moving web with spacings thereon between successive crimps defining a repetitive pattern of substantially 2.0, 2.0, 2.0, 2.0, 2.0, 2.0, 2.0 and 3.0 inches (5.08, 5.08, 5.08, 5.08, 5.08, 5.08, 5.08 and 7.62 cm).

Crimp blade holder

Process and apparatus for manufacturing multi-part forms uses web presses having printing stations and processing stations at which operations are performed on webs in registry with a series of printed images, and uses a collator to assemble related webs from said presses, and to perform additional operations on assembled webs in registry with images thereon. A digital job description of a form is created, including location of printed images on several parts of the form and location of process items, e.g. perforations, holes, or cuts on parts of the form. This job description is stored in the memory of a computer [PR-2] with a job identifying code. Also, a digital description is created of images to be printed on the form, and stored in memory with the job identifying number. The image descriptions are recalled from memory and used to create printing plates for the presses and to pre-set printing and processing sections of a press for each part of the form. The parts of the form are then produced on the presses and supplied to the collator. The job description is recalled from memory and used to pre-set stations of the collator to assemble and complete processing of the multi-part forms. The computer also gathers and stores management data as the presses and collator operate, keeps a record of supplies/tools needed for each job and makes this information available to operators through terminals, and maintains records of jobs entered, work in process, and jobs shipped.

Control system for pre-setting and operation of a printing press and

An improved glue application system is used in combination with a collating apparatus of the type in which a plurality of rolls are mounted on spaced spindles and webs unwound from the spindles are to be collected in overlapping relation. The improved glue application system includes at least one flexible tapered nozzle having a tubular body and a tip having an end which contacts a supported surface of a selected web at an angle normal to the supported surface, the nozzle being mounted on the collating apparatus such that the tubular body flexes in response to variations in distance from the supported surface to the tubular body so that the end remains in contact with the supported web during operation of the apparatus. The nozzle communicates with a source of glue by a conduit which carries a valve which can be remotely controlled to start or stop the flow of glue through the nozzle.

Glue application system for a collating machine

The tucker blade of a high speed cylinder folder for zig-zag folding a flexible web is retracted into the cylinder immediately after inserting the web into its opposed gripper. As the tucker blade is retracted a brush is extended to push the web gently away from the cylinder and to press the folded edge of the web toward the zig-zag stack.

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Centerville, OH, United States of America

Richard A Gaspar