Patent ID: 6647875
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: B41F

Abstract:
A roller structure in a printing press, comprising:a roller supported rotatably and adapted to come into contact with two rotary members, having different peripheral surface speeds, at outer surfaces thereof; a transmission path for transmitting rotation of one of said rotary members to said roller, wherein said transmission path includes a gear mechanism including a driving gear which rotates together with one of said rotary members, and wherein said gear mechanism has a gear member rotatably supported to be coaxial with said roller and meshing with said driving gear; a roller shaft rotatable together with said roller and adapted to rotatably support said gear member; driving source switching means for connecting/disconnecting said transmission path, wherein said driving source switching means is formed of a clutch mechanism for connecting/disconnecting transmission of rotation between one of said rotary members and said roller through said gear mechanism, and wherein said clutch mechanism has a cylindrical clutch member supported by said roller shaft to be rotatable and axially moveable and adapted to move close to/away from said gear member when connected to said roller, thereby disconnecting/connecting transmission of rotation from said gear member to said roller; wherein said gear member has a first engaging portion on a side surface thereof, and said clutch member has a second engaging portion, on a side surface thereof, to engage with said first engaging portion, said first and second engaging portions being set in engaged and disengaged states with each other as said clutch member moves; wherein an outer surface of said clutch member threadably engages with an inner surface of said roller at an end thereof when said first and second engaging portions are in the engaged and disengaged states; and wherein when said transmission path is connected by said driving source switching means, said roller, by a transmission of rotation from one of said rotary members through said transmission path, rotates at the peripheral surface speed which is different from the other of said rotary members, and when said transmission path is disconnected by said driving source switching means, said roller rotates at a peripheral surface speed, which is approximately the same as the other of said rotary members according to the frictional force between the circumferential surfaces.