Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha

Takeshi Horiguchi

Torao Katabira

Hideaki Miyake

Shingo Nakamura

Narutoshi Hada

Satoru Sasaki

A continuously operative printing machine and a method of operating the same are disclosed. The printing machine has a plurality of switchable printing units to be used selectively by switching. For continuous printing the printing units are switched alternately by coupling and decoupling first coupling/decoupling means while a continuous printing web is held running. Plate change of stationary printing units is done with independent drive means to be ready for the next printing. Then the stationary printing units are restored to the printing state through synchronous control by rotational control means. Thus plate change printing or the like can be carried out continuously without stopping the printing machine. In addition, high quality printing can be obtained efficiently. Further, it is possible to obtain double side printing.

Switching type continuously operative printing machine

An automatic machine-plate change system 20 of the web-offset printing press 10 has new-plate cassettes 30U, 30L provided in a priming press 11 having plate cylinders 13U, 13L to accommodate new-plates 80U, 80L newly wound around the plate cylinders 13U, 13L, and has movement systems 40U, 40L moving the new-plate cassettes 30U, 30L to cause edges 32U, 32L of the new-plate cassettes 30U, 30L to move toward and away from the plate cylinders. Therefore, it is possible to actualize an automatic machine-plate change with a simple structure and a simple operation, to quickly and efficiently change the machine-plates, to reduce the cost of facilities and to actualize the automatic machine-plate change in high certainty and reliability. As for a more concrete structure of the movement systems 40U, 40L, for example, it is possible to provide pendulum systems 41U, 41L causing the new-plate cassettes 30U, 30L to pivot at the fulcrum around the other edges 33U, 33L opposite to the edges 32U, 32L to move the edges 32U, 32L toward and away from the plate cylinders 13U, 13L, and shifting mechanisms 42U, 42L causing the new-plate cassettes 30U, 30L to shift along the axis in the direction of the axis of the plate cylinders 13 U, 13 L.

Method for automatic machine-plate change in rotary printing press and

A printing plate mounting apparatus is disclosed, which comprises a de-mounting and a mounting lever provided on an end of a lock shaft provided in a printing cylinder and printing plate replacement drive means including air cylinders or the like. With the printing cylinder held at a predetermined position, the drive means pushes each lever to rotate the lock shaft. In this way, the rotational driving of the lock shaft and coupling and de-coupling of the driving are effected collectively. A printing plate replacement apparatus is also disclosed, which comprises roller drive means including a roller and a cylinder or the like. When mounting a printing plate, the roller is urged against the printing cylinder via the printing plate. Otherwise, the roller is retreated by the roller drive means.

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Zama, Japan

Takeshi Horiguchi