Addressograph Multigraph Corporation

Am International Incorporated

William A Davis

Ronald J Garcowski

There is provided an improved automatic recirculating duplicator adapted for duplicating from a master or plate selectively onto one or both sides of paper sheets. It is characterized by a single printing couple. Sheets are fed from a paper table to a printing nip between a printing cylinder and an impression cylinder for printing on the first side and, through operation of a controlled gripping and stripping apparatus, the sheets are turned about the impression cylinder for collection with the printed sides down on a paper tray. The paper tray is then shifted to the feeding location normally occupied by the paper table, and the gripping and stripping apparatus is reset for feeding the sheets, now printed on both sides, directly to an exterior receiver. When it is desired to print sheets on one side only, the mechanism is set for feeding sheets from the paper table, but manual controls permit resetting the gripping and stripping mechanism to feed sheets directly to the receiver instead of inverting them and sending them to the paper tray.

Automatic recirculating duplicator

A sheet handling means is provided for use with a duplicating machine. A duplicator is provided having first and second printing couples for printing first on one face of a copy sheet and then on the other and whose paper feed paths are arranged substantially normal to each other. The duplicator also includes special sheet handling means for passing the copy sheet from the first to the second printing couple and also inverting the sheet. The copy sheet is advanced in a first path and direction away from the first printing couple and is advanced in a second path substantially normal to the first path in a second direction towards the second printing couple. The sheet handling means comprises a sheet turn-over device positioned to intersect the copy sheet paths for receiving and progressively inverting the copy sheet as it is advanced in the first path and simultaneously directing the sheet from the first to the second path.

Sheet handling apparatus

A duplicator is provided having a printing couple for printing on one face of a copy sheet and a collator for collating the copy sheets as they issue from the printing couple, the paper feed paths of the printing couple and the collator being arranged substantially normal to each other. The duplicator also includes special sheet handling means for passing the copy sheet from the printing couple to the collator and also inverting the sheet. The copy sheet is advanced in a first path and direction away from the printing couple and is advanced in a second path substantially normal to the first path in a second direction towards the collator. The sheet handling means comprises a sheet turn-over device positioned to intersect the copy sheet paths for receiving and progressively inverting the copy sheet as it is advanced in the first path and simultaneously directing the sheet from the first to the second path.

A blanket cleaning apparatus is provided for cleaning ink from a blanket cylinder of a rotary offset duplicating machine. The apparatus comprises a cleaning roller for contact with the blanket cylinder, a wiper roller and a metering roller in contact with each other and with the cleaning roller, and a wringer roller in interfering relation with the wiper roller at the zone of contact to effect deformation of the peripheral surface of the wiper roller. A cleaning fluid is supplied to the wringer roller which transfers the fluid to the wiper roller and meters the amount of fluid carried by the wiper roller to the cleaning roller for cleaning the blanket cylinder. The cleaning and the wiper rollers are driven at surface speeds differing from the surface speeds of the blanket cylinder and the cleaning roller respectively, such that the cleaning roller cleans the blanket cylinder with a scrubbing action in a minimum number of revolutions of the blanket cylinder, and the wringer roller maintains the wiper roller clean of ink and contaminated cleaning fluid for long periods without requiring cleaning maintenance of the apparatus.

Blanket cleaner for duplicating machines

An improved paper handling system includes a pair of work units which sequentially work on opposite sides of a sheet with the same edge of the sheet leading. An inverter between the two work units is effective to invert the sheet in such a manner that the edge of the sheet which leads during passage of the sheet through the first work unit will also lead as the sheet passes through the second work unit. A sheet which has been worked on, first side up, by the first work unit will also lead as the sheet passes through the second work unit. A sheet which has been worked on, first side up, by the first work unit with a head edge of the sheet leading is moved by a first conveyor along a first path into engagement with a stop member which engages the head edge of the sheet to arrest it at a first readiness position. A pusher then engages a side edge of the sheet and pushes it sidewardly. The turnover mechanism is effective to move the sheet sidewardly along a generally U-shaped path into engagement with a stop to register the sheet at a second readiness position relative to the second work unit. A second conveyor is then effective to move the sheet into the second work unit with the head edge of the sheet leading and a second side of the sheet facing upwardly.

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Wickliffe, OH, United States of America

William A Davis