Harris Corporation

Harris Graphics Corporation

Wilfred R Gelinas

John Marshall Gaffney

Charles L Krouse

Joel C Hern

An improved printing apparatus and method includes plate and blanket cylinders which are rotated at different surface speeds during printing on material. Since the plate and blanket cylinders are rotated at different surface speeds, the area on a blanket cylinder which engages a given portion of the surface on a plate cylinder is changed on each revolution of the blanket cylinder. Therefore, the area of a blanket cylinder which is engaged by the gap in the plate cylinder changes during a printing operation. In addition, the area where an image is applied to the blanket cylinder is moved relative to the surface of the blanket cylinder is tend to minimize build up of ink on the blanket cylinder during printing. The plate and blanket cylinders are driven at different surface speeds by a drive assembly which includes a harmonic drive unit.

System for continuously rotating plate a blanket cylinders at relatively

The disclosure relates to a printing press which is capable of operating either as a perfecting printing press or as a multicolor press. The press includes a common impression cylinder which is fixed in the frame of the printing press. A pair of blanket cylinders are mounted in eccentrics and are movable along arcuate paths between two printing positions. In one printing position the blanket cylinders are effective to print on opposite sides of a web passed between them, and in the other printing position both blanket cylinders will print on the same side of a web when the web is passed between the blanket cylinders and the common impression cylinder. The disclosure includes a unique linkage mechanism for shifting the blanket cylinder to four distinct positions, the two previously mentioned printing positions, and two throw off positions, one associated with each of the printing positions. The plate cylinders associated with each of the two mentioned blanket cylinders are also mounted in eccentrics, and a form following mechanism is used to maintain the flat between form rollers and plate cylinders when the plate cylinders are moved. The printing press also includes an upper deck having a blanket and plate cylinder located above the common impression cylinder.

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Jewett City, CT, United States of America

Wilfred R Gelinas