Patent ID: 6457410
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: B41F

Abstract:
A method of clamping a printing plate to a support surface comprising the steps of:providing a plate support with a magnetic surface defining the support surface; laying a printing plate having opposite edges on said surface; depositing a first elongated ferromagnetic blade clamp on the plate so that the blade clamp is adjacent and parallel to one edge of the plate; depositing a second elongated ferromagnetic blade clamp on the plate so that the second blade clamp is adjacent and parallel to the other edge of the plate whereby a magnetic attraction of the support surface for the blade clamps releasably clamps the plate to the support surface wherein each depositing step is accomplished by paying out each blade clamp from a roll of blade clamp while a radially outer end of the roll is fixed to the plate support and the roll is moved in one direction along the support surface; and removing the blade clamps from the support surface with sufficient force to overcome the magnetic attraction holding the blade clamps to the support surface thereby unclamping the printing plate from the support surface.