Patent ID: 6189452
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: B41B,B41F,H04N

Abstract:
Apparatus for recording an image on a flexible plate, the plate having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the apparatus comprising:a rotatable drum, having an outer cylindrical surface for attaching the plate thereto;a plurality of circumferential grooves cut into said cylindrical surface;a plate loading assembly and a plate unloading assembly, both positioned in the vicinity of said drum; anda plurality of clamps, each movable along a respective one of said grooves, said clamps arranged as at least one pair of sets of clamps, each set including at least two of said clamps, all clamps in a first set of each of said at least one pair being operative to clamp the plate at its leading edge onto said cylindrical surface and all clamps in the second set of each of said at least one pair being operative to clamp the plate at its trailing edge onto said cylindrical surface;and the apparatus being operative to load the plate, leading edge first, from said loading assembly onto said cylindrical surface while said drum rotates in a first direction, and to unload the plate, leading edge first, from said cylindrical surface onto said unloading assembly while said drum rotates in said first direction.