Abstract:
An inking device of a printing press, including an ink ductor roller reciprocating between a receipt position, at which the ink ductor roller contacts an ink fountain roller to receive ink, and a transfer position, at which the ink ductor roller contacts an ink distribution roller or a first intermediate roller located downstream in an ink transfer direction to pass the ink on to the roller, comprises: a pair of split clamping holders supporting the ink ductor roller and supported swingably; and moving means, comprising a shaft, a sleeve, a bearing portion, a worm wheel, a worm shaft, and an operating shaft having a dial-equipped handle, for moving the pair of split clamping holders in the axial direction of the ink ductor roller.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to an inking device of a printing press and, more particularly, to an inking device of a printing press preferred for rainbow printing.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     A rainbow printing press is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-310447. It is a rainbow printing press of a so-called double duct type, in which ink is flowed only on projections of each of upper and lower ink ductor rollers having the projections and depressions on their roller surfaces, and inks flowed on these projections are merged by an ink merger (distribution) roller to carry out rainbow printing.  
         [0005]     Thus, lateral alignment between the upper and lower ink ductor rollers is important, and lateral alignment of the projections of the upper and lower ink ductor rollers with plate cylinders (plate surfaces) is also important.  
         [0006]     In performing adjusting work for this purpose, it has been common practice to loosen split clamping holders, which fix bearings for the ink ductor roller, and move the ink ductor roller in a lateral direction directly and manually within the lateral clearances of the split clamping holders.  
         [0007]     However, the above-mentioned adjusting work for the ink ductor roller has posed the following problems:  
         [0000]     (1) During the adjusting work, the machine has to be stopped. During sampling, the machine has to be driven. Such operations repeated several times result in great losses of the adjusting time and test printing sheets.  
         [0000]     (2) Since the adjusting work for the ink ductor roller is done manually, fine adjustment is difficult and printing accuracy cannot be increased.  
         [0000]     (3) When initially setting the ink ductor roller, it is difficult to know where in the clearances of the split clamping holders the ink ductor roller is located, and it is hard to determine the home position.  
         [0008]     (4) In the case of rainbow printing, the shape of the projections and depressions formed on the surface of the ink ductor roller differs according to the printing product. Thus, whenever printing is changed, the ink ductor roller has to be replaced, requiring frequent adjusting work for the ink ductor roller.  
         [0009]     The present invention has been proposed in light of the above-described circumstances. The present invention provides an inking device of a printing press which can easily set an ink ductor roller at a home position, and can adjust the position of the ink ductor roller during operation of the machine by moving the ink ductor roller laterally.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     A first aspect of the present invention is an inking device of a printing press, including an ink ductor roller reciprocating between a receipt position, at which the ink ductor roller contacts an ink fountain roller to receive ink, and a transfer position, at which the ink ductor roller contacts a roller located downstream in an ink transfer direction to pass the ink on to the roller, the inking device comprising: a pair of swing members supporting the ink ductor roller and supported swingably; and moving means for moving the pair of swing members in an axial direction of the ink ductor roller.  
         [0011]     According to a second aspect of the present invention, the swing members may be fixedly mounted on a shaft extending between a pair of frames to be rotatable and slidable, and the shaft may be slid by the moving means and rotated by swinging means.  
         [0012]     According to a third aspect of the present invention, the moving means may include a sleeve fitted on the shaft to be relatively rotatable and unmovable in an axial direction, and having a thread provided on an outer periphery of the sleeve, a worm wheel fitted to the outer periphery of the sleeve and supported by the frame to be rotatable and unmovable in the axial direction, a worm shaft meshing with the worm wheel, and drive means for rotationally driving the worm shaft.  
         [0013]     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the worm shaft may be built in the frame.  
         [0014]     According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the moving means may include an engaging portion provided on the shaft, a moving member having an engaged portion in engagement with the engaging portion and supported to be movable in an axial direction of the shaft, and drive means for moving the moving member.  
         [0015]     According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the engaging portion may be a board member attached to the shaft, the engaged portion may be a restraint member provided in the moving member for restraining a relative movement of the moving member in the axial direction of the shaft with respect to the board member, and the drive means may be a thread.  
         [0016]     According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the swinging means may include a cam follower journaled by the shaft via a bracket, and a disk-shaped cam supported on a side of the frame to be rotatable for rolling contact with the cam follower.  
         [0017]     According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the cam follower and the cam may always contact each other in a range of movement of the shaft.  
         [0018]     According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the ink ductor roller may have projections and depressions on a circumferential surface thereof.  
         [0019]     According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the ink ductor roller may be supported between the pair of swing members, with no clearance being provided in the axial direction of the ink ductor roller.  
         [0020]     According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, two of the ink fountain rollers and two of the ink ductor rollers may be provided, and the ink transferred to each ink ductor roller may be transferred to an ink merger roller provided downstream, in the ink transfer direction, of each ink ductor roller.  
         [0021]     According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the ink transferred to one of the ink ductor rollers may be directly transferred to the ink merger roller, and the ink transferred to the other of the ink ductor rollers may be transferred to the ink merger roller via one or more intermediate rollers.  
         [0022]     According to the inking device of the printing press concerned with the present invention, the ink ductor roller is supported between a pair of the swing members with no lateral clearance being provided, and the swing members are moved in the axial direction of the ink ductor roller by the moving means. By so doing, the ink ductor roller can be easily set at the home position, and the ink ductor roller is laterally moved even during operation of the machine to achieve its position adjustment. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a support configuration drawing of an ink ductor roller, showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a four-color perfecting offset press;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit, showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a configuration drawing of a motor drive portion;  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit, showing Embodiment 3 of the present invention; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit, showing Embodiment 4 of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     An inking device of a printing press according to the present invention will now be described in detail by embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       Embodiment 1  
       [0032]      FIG. 1  is a support configuration drawing of an ink ductor roller, showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit.  FIG. 3  is a side view of a four-color perfecting offset press.  
         [0033]     In a printing unit  1  of the present printing press, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a blanketed impression cylinder  2  equipped with a sheet gripper device and a blanket cylinder  3  without a sheet gripper device are supported nearly horizontally, and their circumferential surfaces are in contact with each other.  
         [0034]     Four plate cylinders  4  are arranged on the circumferential surface of the blanketed impression cylinder  2 , and four plate cylinders  5  are arranged on the circumferential surface of the blanket cylinder  3 . Inking units  6 ,  7  are movably provided to be movable toward and away from these plate cylinders  4 ,  5 , and can supply ink and water while contacting the plate cylinders  4 ,  5 .  
         [0035]     A delivery cylinder  9  of a delivery unit  8  is disposed below the blanketed impression cylinder  2 , and a delivery chain  10  does not cross a space below the position of contact between the circumferential surfaces of the blanketed impression cylinder  2  and the blanket cylinder  3 , but is disposed leftwardly of the delivery cylinder  9  in the drawing.  
         [0036]     Transfer cylinders  12  to  15 , which have sheet gripper devices and transfer a sheet from a register  11  to the blanketed impression cylinder  2 , are provided. Similarly, a transfer cylinder  16 , which has a sheet gripper device and transfers the sheet from the blanketed impression cylinder  2  to the delivery cylinder  9 , is provided. In  FIG. 3 , reference numeral  17  denotes a feeder.  
         [0037]     Thus, the sheet, which has been fed from the feeder  17  and positioned by the register  11 , is transported along a path shown by arrows in the drawing, namely, along the circumferential surfaces of the transfer cylinders  12  to  15 , the blanketed impression cylinder  2 , the transfer cylinder  16 , and the delivery cylinder  9  in this order. The sheet thus transported has its opposite surfaces simultaneously printed when passing the point of contact between the blanketed impression cylinder  2  and the blanket cylinder  3  from above toward below.  
         [0038]     In the inking units  6 ,  7 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , two ink fountain rollers and two ink ductor rollers are provided in the vertical direction, i.e., ink fountain rollers  21   a,    21   b  which are provided and rotatably supported in ink fountain devices  20   a,    20   b,  and ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  which are provided rotatably in proximity to the ink fountain rollers  21   a,    21   b  and are supported to be swingable about swing fulcrums  29   a,    29   b.  The surfaces of the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  are formed with projections and depressions, and inks are flowed only on the projections.  
         [0039]     On the part of the upper ink fountain device  20   a,  ink which the ink ductor roller  22   a  receives upon contact with the ink fountain roller  21   a  is directly transferred (passed on) to an ink merger (distribution) roller  23 . On the part of the lower ink fountain device  20   b,  on the other hand, ink which the ink ductor roller  22   b  receives upon contact with the ink fountain roller  21   b  is once transferred (passed on) to a first intermediate roller  27  formed from a metal roller, then to a second intermediate roller  28  formed from a rubber roller, and then transferred to the ink merger (distribution) roller  23 . From the ink merger (distribution) roller  23 , the distributed inks are transferred to an ink form roller via a group of ink rollers such as an ink distribution roller  24  and an ink oscillating roller (not shown).  
         [0040]     Thus, when printing, called rainbow printing, is performed with boundaries between respective colors being blurred, inks of different colors are placed in the two ink fountain devices  20   a  and  20   b.  By so doing, color mixing in the ink fountains is not likely to occur, the quality of the printing product is improved, and the volumes of inks stored in the ink fountains are increased, resulting in increased productivity.  
         [0041]     The ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b,  as shown in  FIG. 1 , are supported between a pair of (i.e., right and left) split clamping holders (swing members)  31   a  and  31   b,  with no lateral clearance being provided, via bearings  30   a  and  30   b  mounted on the shaft ends of the ink ductor rollers  22   a  and  22   b.    
         [0042]     The paired split clamping holders  31   a,    31   b  are fixedly mounted by pins  34   a,    34   b  on a shaft  33  extending between a pair of (i.e., right and left) frames  32   a  and  32   b  to be rotatable and slidable.  
         [0043]     An end (left end) of the shaft  33  is formed as a small-diameter portion  33   a.  A sleeve  35  is fitted on the small-diameter portion  33   a  to be relatively rotatable, and the sleeve  35  is positioned between a stepped portion of the shaft  33  and a bracket  36  which is split-clamped at the shaft end of the small-diameter portion  33   a,  whereby the sleeve  35  is rendered unmovable in the axial direction.  
         [0044]     An external thread  37  is provided in a part of the outer periphery of the sleeve  35 . An internal thread  38  screwed to the external thread  37  is provided in an inner peripheral surface of a bearing portion  42   a  formed integrally with a worm wheel  42 . The bearing portion  42   a  is supported by the frame  32   a  to be rotatable and axially unmovable. Reference numeral  40  denotes a stopper fixed to the frame  32   a  for preventing the worm wheel  42  (bearing portion  42   a ) from slipping off. Reference numeral  41  denotes a key similarly fixed to the frame  32   a,  and has a front end fitted into a groove  35   a  of the sleeve  35  for performing whirl-stopping.  
         [0045]     A worm shaft  43 , which meshes with the worm wheel  42  in contact with the stopper  40  for preventing slip-off, is integrally connected to an operating shaft  45  (see  FIG. 2 ) provided with a dial-equipped handle  44 . Thus, the shaft  33 , the sleeve  35 , the worm wheel  42  (bearing portion  42   a ), the worm shaft  43 , and the operating shaft  45  provided with the dial-equipped handle  44  constitute a moving means for moving the split clamping holders  31   a,    31   b,  as swing members, in the axial direction of the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b.  In  FIG. 1 , the symbol h denotes a clearance for permitting the axial movement of the split clamping holder  31   b  (i.e., ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b ) on the side of the frame  32   b.    
         [0046]     A cam follower  46  for rotating the shaft  33  is journaled to the front end of the bracket  36 , and a disk-shaped cam  47  which the cam follower  46  makes a rolling contact is supported by the frame  32   a  to be rotatable in a manner interlocked to the machine. Thus, the shaft  33 , the bracket  36 , the cam follower  46 , and the cam  47  constitute a swinging means for swinging the split clamping holders  31   a,    31   b  as the swing members. The cam follower  46  is formed to be larger in width than the cam  47  in consideration of the axial movement of the shaft  33 .  
         [0047]     Because of the above-described configuration, the shaft  33  is periodically reversibly rotated via the cam follower  46  and the bracket  36  by the cam  47  rotating in a manner interlocked to the machine. As a result, the split clamping holders  31   a,    31   b  fixedly mounted on the shaft  33  are swung.  
         [0048]     Thus, the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  supported by the split clamping holders  31   a,    31   b  are swung about the swing fulcrums  29   a,    29   b.  Accordingly, on the part of the upper ink fountain device  20   a,  ink received from the ink fountain roller  21   a  is directly transferred to the ink merger (distribution) roller  23 , whereas on the part of the lower ink fountain device  20   b,  ink received from the ink fountain roller  21   b  is once transferred to the first intermediate roller  27 , and then to the second intermediate roller  28 , and is then transferred to the ink merger (distribution) roller  23 .  
         [0049]     According to the present embodiment, the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  are supported between the pair of split clamping holders  31   a  and  31   b,  with a lateral clearance being absent. Thus, when the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  are initially set, they are certainly set at a fixed position (home position) in the lateral direction.  
         [0050]     Thus, the lateral alignment of the projections of the upper and lower ink ductor rollers  22   a  and  22   b  with each other, or the lateral alignment of the projections of the upper and lower ink ductor rollers  22   a  and  22   b  with the plate cylinders (plate surfaces)  4 , 5  is carried out by turning the operating shaft  45  from the outside of the machine via the dial-equipped handle  44 .  
         [0051]     That is, upon rotation of the operating shaft  45 , the shaft  33  is slid by a rotation transmission mechanism composed of the worm shaft  43  and worm wheel  42  rotating integrally with the operating shaft  45 , and by a feed screw mechanism composed of the internal thread  38  of the bearing portion  42   a  and the external thread  37  of the sleeve  35 . In accordance with this slide, the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  are moved in the lateral direction via the split clamping holders  31   a,    31   b  fixedly mounted on the shaft  33 , whereby their position is adjusted.  
         [0052]     On this occasion, the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  are moved by a predetermined amount based on a dial reading, so that their position can be adjusted with high accuracy by a visual check. Moreover, unlike conventional procedure, the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  are not directly moved, but are operated from the outside of the machine via the shaft  33 , etc. Thus, the position of the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  can be adjusted during operation, without stopping the machine.  
       Embodiment 2  
       [0053]      FIG. 4  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit, showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is a configuration drawing of a motor drive portion.  
         [0054]     This is an embodiment in which the worm shaft  43  in Embodiment 1 is rotationally driven by a motor  53  instead of by the operating shaft  45  having the dial-equipped handle  44 , and the amount of rotation of the bearing portion  42   a  integral with the worm wheel  42  (i.e., the amount of movement of the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b ) is detected by a potentiometer  52  via gears  50 ,  51 . Other features are the same as those in Embodiment 1, and thus duplicate explanations are omitted, with the same members as those in  FIG. 1  being assigned the same numerals as those in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0055]     According to the above-described configuration, the advantage that the position adjustment of the ink ductor rollers  22   a,    22   b  can be made automatically and by remote control is obtained, in addition to the same actions and effects as those in Embodiment 1.  
       Embodiment 3  
       [0056]      FIG. 6  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit, showing Embodiment 3 of the present invention.  
         [0057]     This is an embodiment in which the worm shaft  43  in Embodiments 1 and 2 is built in the frame  32   a  to achieve the compact configuration of the machine. Other features are the same as those in Embodiment 1, and thus duplicate explanations are omitted, with the same members as those in  FIGS. 1 and 4  being assigned the same numerals as those in  FIGS. 1 and 4 .  
       Embodiment 4  
       [0058]      FIG. 7  is an essential configuration drawing of an inking unit, showing Embodiment 4 of the present invention.  
         [0059]     This is an embodiment in which opposite end portions of the shaft  33  in Embodiment 1 are formed as small-diameter portions  33   a,    33   b;  the small-diameter portions  33   a,    33   b  are supported by the frames  32   a,    32   b  via needle bearings  60   a,    60   b  and bearings  39   a,    39   b  to be rotatable and movable (slidable) in the axial direction of the needle bearings  60   a,    60   b;  and a disk  63 , as an engagement portion and a board member, is attached to the small-diameter portion  33   b  on the side of the frame  32   b  of the shaft  33 .  
         [0060]     An operating shaft  45 , as a drive means, having a dial-equipped handle  44  is supported parallel to the shaft  33  and rotatably by the frame  32   b  via a support member  64 , which is assembled in an L-shape and concurrently serves as a guide for a bracket  61  (to be described later) as a moving member. A pair of (i.e., right and left) rollers  62   a  and  62   b,  as engaged portions and restraint members, are rotatably planted in the bracket  61  which is screwed to a threaded portion  45   a  of the operating shaft  45  and slidably fitted on a guide rod portion  64   a  of the support member  64 . The aforementioned disk  63  is located between, and in rolling contact with, the paired right and left rollers  62   a  and  62   b.    
         [0061]     Thus, the operating shaft  45  is turned via the dial-equipped handle  44 , whereby the bracket  61  is moved laterally by a feed screw mechanism, and the shaft  33  is slid via the disk  63  interposed between the right and left paired rollers  62   a  and  62   b  moving integrally with the bracket  61 . Other features are the same as those in Embodiment 1, and thus duplicate explanations are omitted, with the same members as those in  FIG. 1  being assigned the same numerals as those in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0062]     According to the above-described configuration, in which only the shaft  33  is moved, the advantage that the moving means for the shaft  33  (split clamping holders  31   a,    31   b ) can be simplified is obtained, in addition to the same actions and effects as those in Embodiment 1.  
         [0063]     The invention thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. For example, gears or chain belts may be used instead of the worm shaft  43  and the worm wheel  42  in Embodiments 1 to 3. Alternatively, a grooved pulley may be used to move the shaft  33  axially. In the above respective embodiments, the ink transferred to the upper ink ductor roller is directly transferred to the ink merger roller, while the ink transferred to the lower ink ductor roller is transferred to the ink merger roller via the two intermediate rollers. However, the ink transferred to the lower ink ductor roller may be directly transferred to the ink merger roller, or the ink from the upper ink ductor roller may be transferred to the ink merger roller via one or more intermediate rollers as is the ink from the lower ink ductor roller. The above embodiments disclose examples in which a pair of the ink fountain rollers and a pair of the ink ductor rollers are provided in the vertical direction, but may be provided in the lateral direction. In the respective embodiments, examples of applying the present invention to rainbow printing are disclosed, but the present invention can be applied to a printing press which does not carry out rainbow printing. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.