Printing group cylinder of a web-fed rotary printing machine

A printing group cylinder of a web-fed rotary printing machine is mounted by its journals on opposed side walls of the machine. A sleeve positioned on or about the cylinder may be slipped on or off of the cylinder through an opening in the side wall. During operation, the opening in the side wall is closed by placing a pair of sliding gates in their closed position. When it is desired to change the sleeve, the opening in the side wall is uncovered by displacing the sliding gates. In order to obtain good prim quality, the bearing is formed of multiple interengaging rings, of which at least one is eccentrically shaped. The eccentric shape of the ring causes the axis of the priming group cylinder to move into either a prim engagement or disengagement setting when the ring is slidably rotated. The eccentric ring is secured against turning when the sliding gates are opened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a printing group cylinder of a web-fed 
rotary printing machine and, more particularly, to the mounting of form 
cylinders and transfer cylinders in a printing machine so as to obtain 
good print quality. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
In web-fed rotary printing machines, there must be a constant line force 
between the cylinders printing the web to attain good print quality. 
Constant adjustment forces are also necessary between the form cylinder 
and the transfer cylinder. In order to fulfill this condition, the axial 
distance between the cylinders positioned against one another must always 
be the same. German Patent No. DE-OS 2614792 describes a printing machine 
in which the cylinders are equipped with bearer rings to provide constant 
adjustment forces between the form and transfer cylinders. In printing 
group cylinders which use printing-form sleeves or transfer-form sleeves, 
bearer rings cannot be located on the side of the cylinder on which the 
sleeve is either removed or slidably inserted. In order to obtain good 
printing results with cylinders of this type, great demands are placed on 
the cylinder bearings, particularly with respect to eliminating play of 
the cylinders. This is also true for the wall bushings which hold the 
cylinder bearings. However, these wall bushings are usually mounted on a 
side wall of the machine and have some degree of play. This is because it 
must be possible to turn the bushings in certain circumstances, as for 
example to enter either a print engagement or disengagement setting. It 
may also be necessary for the wall bushings to be movable. 
It would therefore be desirable to provide a web-fed rotary printing 
machine which is able to obtain a good print quality while eliminating 
play on the part of the cylinders and allowing the bushings to be movable. 
It would also be desirable to provide such a web-fed rotary printing 
machine wherein a sleeve of the cylinder may be replaced while the 
cylinder maintains its position. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is based on the object of creating priming group 
cylinders with which good print quality can be obtained. 
This object is attained in generic printing group cylinders by providing 
multiple interengaging rings within a bearing of the cylinder. At least 
one of the interengaging rings has an eccentric shape. Due to this 
eccentric shape, when the printing machine is in an operating mode and the 
rings are turned, the axis of the cylinder is caused to move between a 
print engaging and a print disengaging setting. The rings are prevented 
from turning when the printing machine is in a non-operating mode. The 
printing group cylinders may be mounted in or on the side walls of the 
printing unit so as to have little or no play. Furthermore, the printing 
group cylinders of the present invention do not have bushings which must 
be mounted to the side wall in a pivoting or movable fashion; these 
bushings can therefore be mounted or even clamped to the wall so as to 
have no degree of play. As a whole, this arrangement enables the 
attainment of good print quality. 
When a sleeve on the printing cylinder is to be changed or replaced, the 
bearing of the printing group cylinder is uncovered. During such a sleeve 
change, the printing machine is in its non-operating mode and the 
eccentric ring is therefore unable to change its rotational position, so 
that the printing group cylinder also maintains its position. 
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent 
from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings 
are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition 
of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the 
appended claims. It should further be understood that the drawings are not 
necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are 
intended to be merely conceptual in nature.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows, in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, a 
transfer cylinder 1 mounted by first and second journals 2, 3 to 
respective side walls 4, 5 of a priming group. The first journal 2 is 
indirectly mounted in the side wall 4, in an area in which the side wall 4 
has an opening 6 that may be either closed or uncovered. Positioned 
adjacent to side wall 4, on a side opposite the transfer cylinder 1, are 
first and second sliding gates 7, 8. Based upon the position of the first 
and second sliding gates 7, 8, the opening 6 is either closed or 
uncovered. The sliding gates 7, 8 are movable at a right angle to the 
journal 2 in the direction indicated by the arrows shown respectively 
above first sliding gate 7 and below second sliding gate 8. A guide 9 for 
the first sliding gate 7 is positioned along a side thereof; a like guide 
for the second sliding gate 8 is not shown in FIG. 1. 
In the closed position, shown in FIG. 1, the sliding gates 7, 8 retain or 
maintain a bearing 10 of the journal 2 in a stable position. The bearing 
10 contains three interengaging rings 11, 12, 13 which are mounted to one 
another. The inner ring 11 is positioned on the journal 2 and is mourned 
within the middle ring 12 using a two-row cylindrical roller bearing 14. 
The middle ring 12 is, in turn, mounted to the outer ring 13 by a two-row 
needle bearing 15 that is positioned within the outer ring 13. Other types 
of roller bearings, or even slide bearings, may also be used to mount the 
inner, middle and outer rings 11, 12, 13, respectively, within one 
another. However, roller bearings are particularly well suited for 
defining a bearing having little or no play, as is desired in accordance 
with the present invention. The middle ring 12 is eccentrically shaped and 
can therefore, when turned, shift or move the axis of the transfer 
cylinder 1 connected thereto, so as to place the transfer cylinder 1 into 
either or between a print engagement setting and a print disengagement 
setting. To do this, the middle ring 12 has a boring 16 that is eccentric 
to the outer mantle, and within which the cylindrical roller bearing 14 is 
accommodated. Positioned between the cylindrical roller bearing 14 and the 
middle ring 12 is an eccentric ring 17 which provides the basis for 
selectively setting the position of the transfer cylinder 1. The eccentric 
ring 17 is mounted using a pressure fit engagement in a boring 16 defined 
within the middle ring 12. To adjust the eccentric ring 17, this pressure 
fit is offset with a hydraulic press connection (not shown). The 
adjustment itself may, for example, be carried out using a threaded 
spindle drive; adjustments of this type are well known in the art. The 
eccentric ring 17 can also be positioned within the middle ring 12 in a 
roller-mounted fashion. 
The middle ring 12 is implemented as a bushing 18, to the base of which a 
rod 19 is attached. The rod 19 is also pivotally mounted at one end to the 
journal 2. At its opposite end, the rod 19 is pivotally mounted, using two 
deep-groove ball bearings 20, 21, in a boring of the journal 2. Other 
bearings which are similarly capable of absorbing an axial force may also 
be used in place of the deep-groove ball bearings 20, 21, for pivotally 
mounting the rod 19. In addition, a clutch 23, formed of a first clutch 
member 22 and a second clutch member 26, is disposed within the bushing 
18. Positioned between the first clutch member 22 and the base of the 
bushing 18 are springs 24; the first clutch member 22 is variably movable 
against the force of the springs 24. These springs 24 may be in the form 
of disk springs. The first clutch member 22 is secured against rotation by 
an adjusting spring 25 positioned on a radially outer side thereof. 
The first clutch member 22 works in conjunction with the second clutch 
member 26 which is attached, through the inner ring 11, to a face side of 
the journal 2. The first clutch member 22 includes a circumferential 
groove 27 within which a selector fork 28 engages with sliders 29. The 
selector fork 28 is mounted in the bushing 18 and extends through the 
first clutch member 22. In addition, a lever 30, which is activated by the 
sliding gate 7, is also attached to the selector fork 28. 
When the transfer cylinder 1 is in its operating state, the sliding gates 
7, 8 are located in the positions shown in FIG. 1 in which the gates clamp 
the bearing 10 on the outer ring 13 so as not to allow any play on the 
part of the cylinder in the closed operating position. In order to permit 
a rubber-blanket sleeve 31 to be either removed from or slid onto the 
transfer cylinder 1 through the opening 6 in the side wall 4, the journal 
2 must be uncovered in the area of the opening 6. For this purpose, the 
sliding gates 7, 8 are operatively moved into their uncovered 
non-operating position remote or spread from the journal 2. The sliding 
gate 7 thereby releases the lever 30, together with the selector fork 28 
attached thereto, causing the disk springs 24 to force the first clutch 
member 22 against the second clutch member 26 to thereby engage the clutch 
23. The clutch 23 is thus implemented as a friction clutch, i.e. such that 
the confrontingly opposed or facing sides of the first and second clutch 
members 22, 26 carry or include friction coverings. The clutch 23 may also 
alternatively be implemented, by way of example, as a claw clutch or 
geared coupling. 
During a change of the rubber-blanket sleeve 31, i. e, when the opening 6 
in the side wall 4 is uncovered through outward displacement of the gates 
7, 8, the engaged clutch 23 prevents the eccentrically-configured middle 
ring 12 from moving relative to the transfer cylinder 1. The transfer 
cylinder 1 itself is secured against rotation by a drive (not shown) to 
which the journal 3 is connected. Furthermore, when the opening 6 in the 
side wall 4 is uncovered, a device (not shown) acts on the journal 3 and 
holds the transfer cylinder 1 in floating suspension. The rubber-blanket 
sleeve 31, which is replaceable through the uncovered opening 6 in the 
side wall 4 of the journal 2, is depicted in FIG. 1 by dot-dash lines. 
After the sleeve 31 is replaced or changed, the sliding gates 7, 8 are 
again returned inward to the closed, operating position shown in FIG. 1. 
The transfer cylinder 1 is secured in position during this process as the 
position of the eccentrically-configured middle ring 12 is maintained by 
the sliding gates 7, 8. 
An adjusting drive 32 of the middle ring 12 may also be coupled to the 
middle ring 12 when the sliding gate 8 is in its closed, FIG. 1, position. 
As noted above, adjustment of the middle ring 12 serves to set the print 
engagement and disengagement settings. In order to adjust the middle ring 
12 in this manner, a pinion 33 is retracted to engage a toothed segment 34 
of the bushing 18 and thereby define the adjusting drive 32. The rod 19 
also helps to secure the bushing 18 against movement. Furthermore, the 
outer ring 13 includes or carries a metal piece or projection 35 that 
extends rearwardly inwardly from a side thereof. The metal piece 35 
engages a slot 36 on the middle ring 12 to secure the outer ring 13 
against movement relative to the middle ring 12 when the sliding gates 7, 
8 are in the open position. Movement of the outer ring 13 can also be 
prevented in numerous other ways, such as through the use of a needle 
bearing 15 having axial fixation. 
FIG. 2 depicts a second embodiment of the invention in which a form 
cylinder 37 forms the printing group cylinder. The cylinder 37 is mounted 
by its journals 38, 39 to respective side walls 40, 41 of a printing 
group. The bearing 42 of the journal 38 is held in position by the sliding 
gates 43, 44. The sliding gates 43, 44 are positioned in a movable fashion 
on and relative to the side wall 40 and are movable at right angles to the 
journal 38 in the directions indicated by the arrows shown respectively 
above and below the sliding gates 43, 44. In the position shown in FIG. 2, 
the sliding gates 43, 44 close an opening 45 defined in the side wall 40. 
The bearing 42 contains an inner ring 46 and an outer ring 47. These rings 
46, 47 are interengaging and axially movable with relation to one another, 
and sandwich a two-row cylindrical roller bearing 48 therebetween. 
However, other roller bearings without axial fixation may also be 
employed, as for example needle bearings, slide-mounted rings, etc. The 
use of roller bearings is nevertheless preferred due to their ability for 
adjustment while not allowing play on the part of the bushing 49. This may 
be accomplished by shaping the boring of the inner ring 46, as well as the 
associated seat of the journal 38, in a conical fashion and axially 
adjusting the inner ring 46. The outer ring 47 is fixedly positioned 
within the bushing 49. Within the base of the bushing 49, centered with 
respect to the mantle of the bushing 49, is a boring 50. A rod 51 extends 
in a movable fashion through the boring 50. Located on both sides of the 
base of the bushing 49 are pressure springs 52, 53, each positioned 
between a side of the bushing 49 and a respective stop 54, 55 on the rod 
51. One stop 54, 55 is positioned on each respective side of the bushing 
49. Each of the pressure springs 52, 53 bears against the base of the 
bushing 49 and a respective one of the stops 54, 55 of the rod 51. In 
addition, the rod 51 carries, at or proximate its end opposite its 
attachment to the bushing 49, two deep-groove ball bearings 56, 57 which 
are positioned within a boring of the .journal 38. The deep-groove ball 
bearings 56, 67 act in the same manner as the deep-groove ball bearings 
20, 21 of the embodiment of FIG. 1. 
In the operating state of the form cylinder 37, the sliding gates 43, 44 
assume the position shown in FIG. 2 and clamp the bushing 49 in a secure 
position so as to restrict play. When there is axial movement of the form 
cylinder 37, the inner ring 46 shifts relative to the outer ring 47 
without shifting the bushing 49 which is securely positioned within the 
boring 58 created by the closing of the sliding gates 43, 44. At the same 
time, during such axial movement of the form cylinder 37 the rod 51 
extending through the base of the bushing 49 is pushed and a respective 
one of the stops 54, 55 compresses a respective one of the pressure 
springs 52, 53; the particular pressure spring tat is compressed is 
dependent upon the sliding direction of the inner ring 46. To change the 
rubber-blanket sleeve 63, the sliding gates 43, 44 are moved to their 
uncovered position away or remote from the journal 38 and the bushing 49. 
This movement of the sliding gates 43, 44 uncovers both the opening 45 in 
the side wall 40 and the bushing 49, which is freed and thus deplaced or 
returned by the compressed spring 52 or 53 into its zero or unloaded 
position, thereby relaxing the compressed spring 52 or 53. The 
rubber-blanket sleeve 63 may then be changed by removing it and placing a 
new one through the opening 45. The change of the printing-form sleeve 63, 
which is depicted in FIG. 2 by a dot-sash line, is accomplished by 
slipping the sleeve off of or onto the form cylinder 37 through the 
uncovered opening 45 in the side wall 40 and along the uncovered journal 
38. The form cylinder 37, uncovered at its journal 38, is held in floating 
suspension by a device (not shown) carried on or secured to the side wall 
41. 
When the form cylinder 37 is again returned to operation by closing the 
sliding gates 46, 47, movement of both the inner ring 46 relative to the 
outer ring 47 and the form cylinder 37 along the entire shift path of each 
is once more possible. This is due to the use of a play-free and, 
optionally clamped, bearing for the bushing 49 in the side wall 40. 
The arrangement shown in FIG. 2, which includes the axially movement rings 
46, 47 that are returned to their equilibrium or zero position by pressure 
springs 52, 53 can also be used with the printing group cylinder of FIG. 
1. Such an arrangement, with respect to FIG. 1, is illustrated in FIG. 3 
which shows the lower sliding gate 8, bushing 18 and outer ring 13. The 
bushing 18 may also be provided with stops 59, 60 which support the 
pressure springs 61, 62. The outer ring 13 is positioned between the 
pressure springs 61, 62. During a sleeve change, i.e. when the sliding 
gate 8 is moved away or shifted into the uncovered position, the springs 
61, 62 move the ring 13 into a zero or unloaded position relative to the 
bushing 18; the outer ring 13 had been moved out of this position when the 
bushing 18 was moved, i.e. upon the movement of a printing group cylinder. 
It is also possible for the outer ring 13 to be moved indirectly, i.e. via 
an adjacent ring, into a zero position relative to the journal, as for 
example by mounting the outer ring 13 on the adjacent ring without any 
degree of sliding freedom. The device will then act on both the outer ring 
13 and the adjacent ring for the zero or equilibrium setting. 
Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental 
novel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodiments, 
thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions 
and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in 
their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing 
from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended 
that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform 
substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve 
the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover it should 
be recognized that structure and/or elements and/or method steps shown 
and/or described in connection with any embodiment of the invention may be 
incorporated in any other disclosed form or embodiment as a general matter 
of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as 
indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.