Patent ID: 6405649
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: B41F,B41P

Abstract:
An ink fountain assembly for use with a printing machine, said ink fountain assembly comprising:an ink fountain roller, a blade-shaped bottom having an edge contacting the ink fountain roller; two side walls contacting said blade-shaped bottom, each side wall comprising at least two spaced-apart plates and an intermediate plate having a front edge in the shape of an arc of a circle which contacts said ink fountain roller; said intermediate plate of each side wall being mounted between said at least two spaced apart plates, each said intermediate plate being movable and tiltable with respect to said at least two spaced-apart plates, said front edge of said intermediate plate being biaised into contact with the outer circumferencial surface of said ink fountain roller by means of spring elements acting on said intermediate plate, each of said two side walls comprising a slideway in which said at least two spaced-apart plates and said intermediate plates are mounted on the bottom of said ink fountain; and each said slideway having a reinforcement member contacting the circumferencial surface of said ink fountain roller, each said reinforcement member comprising a small plate of hard material; said ink fountain assembly further comprising a blade at the bottom of said ink fountain, said blade having an edge which maintains a desired thickness of ink on said ink fountain roller, said blade comprising multiple adjacent sectors which are shiftable towards and away from said ink fountain roller to vary the distance between said edge of said blade and said ink fountain roller, wherein said sectors are shiftable in the plane of said blade, parallel to each other.