Soak on site and soak on press cleaning system and method of using same

An improved method and system for cleaning a cylinder of a printing press. One method involves soaking a strip of cleaning fabric on a press with a low volatility organic compound solvent. Excess solvent, if any, is removed to place the strip of cleaning fabric in functional equilibrium with the solvent. The cleaning fabric is then used to clean a cylinder. Alternatively, the strip of cleaning fabric is soaked on site by contacting the strip of cleaning fabric with the solvent and wrapping the strip of cleaning fabric into a cleaning fabric supply roll. The cleaning fabric is then brought in engagement with a printing press having a cylinder to be cleaned without disposing a sleeve around the fabric roll and without substantially disturbing the distribution of the solvent in the fabric roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 This invention relates to a cleaning system employing a strip of cleaning
 fabric wrapped around a core or a shaft to form a cleaning fabric supply
 roll. The strip of cleaning fabric is soaked at the site prior to use or
 is soaked on the press.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 A wide variety of blanket cleaning systems and apparatus employing the same
 to clean the cylinders of printing presses are known. Typical blanket
 cleaning systems and apparatus employing the same, including cleaning
 blankets and cleaning solutions, are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No.
 4,135,448 to Moestue which is directed to a mechanism for cleaning a
 cylinder that is provided with a cleaning cloth which is wetted with a
 cleaning fluid or solution prior to its encountering the pressure roller;
 U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,391 to Futch et al. is directed to a composition for
 ink removal that exhibits a low vapor pressure and which is a low vapor
 pressure organic compound; U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,182 to Sawaguchi et al. is
 directed to a cleaning apparatus in which a cleaning cloth is dampened by
 a liquid; U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,716 to Gerson is directed to a wash for
 removing ink comprising a low volatile organic compound; U.S. Pat. No.
 5,012,739 to Loos is directed to a washing device comprising a cleaning
 cloth dampened with a washing medium and U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,128 to Hara
 is directed to a device for cleaning a cylinder of a printing machine
 comprising a cleaning cloth impregnated with a cleaning liquid.
 In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,567 to Staehr is directed to a liquid for
 cleaning ink from printing machines; U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,342 to Hara is
 directed to a method for cleaning the cylinder of a printing machine; and
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,639 to Krawack is directed to a cloth moistened with a
 low vapor pressure cleaning agent for removing ink; whereas U.S. Pat. No.
 5,188,754 to Weltman et al. is directed to a cloth soaked with a cleaning
 formula and U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,173 to Folkard et al. is directed to a
 method for removing ink from printing machines. Still further, U.S. Pat.
 No. 4,344,361 and 4,757,763 to MacPhee et al. is directed to automatic
 blanket cylinder cleaners provided with cleaner fabrics adapted to contact
 the blanket cylinders of printing presses. On the other hand, U.S. Pat.
 No. 5,175,080 to Gasparrini et al. is directed to a cloth supply system
 for the blanket cylinder for use in printing presses.
 While the above-mentioned patents accomplish their purposes to a
 satisfactory extent, they still exhibit a variety of drawbacks. For
 example, they usually require apparatus, such as pumps, spray bars,
 manifold lines, valves, and the like as part of the automatic blanket
 cleaning systems for introducing the cleaning solvents or solutions to the
 cleaning fabric just prior to actual use.
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,157 to Gasparrini et al., the present applicants,
 attempted to overcome these problems. That patent is directed to a
 pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system for use with printing machines or
 the like to clean the cylinders of such machines and which comprises a
 pre-soaked fabric roll saturated to equilibrium with low volatility
 organic compound solvent and which is disposed around an elongated,
 cylindrical core and a sealed or a shrunken and sealed plastic sleeve
 disposed around and in contact with the fabric roll, whereby the
 pre-soaked saturated roll can be transported and stored vertically and/or
 horizontally until use without substantially disturbing the distribution
 of the solvent in the fabric roll arnd detrimentally effecting the
 cleaning ability of the fabric.
 While the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,157 works for its
 intended purpose, improvements have been discovered. When the patented
 product is placed in the vertical position, the solvent would shift
 downward in the evacuated package. When the package is restored to the
 horizontal position, the solvent migrates back towards equilibrium in the
 roll. This migration is caused by air pockets in the fabric of the roll.
 There exists, therefore, a need for providing a blanket cleaning system
 which improves upon the above-mentioned conditions. The present invention
 fulfills such a need.
 OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
 It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved
 system for soaking a strip of cleaning fabric for use in a cylinder
 cleaning system.
 It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved
 system for soaking a strip of cleaning fabric which overcomes the
 drawbacks discussed above.
 Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method in
 which a strip of cleaning fabric is presoaked on the same site as the
 press or in proximity to the press in which it is to be used to allow
 transportation of the presoaked cleaning fabric supply roll to the press
 without substantially disturbing the distribution of the solvent in the
 cleaning fabric supply roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning
 ability of the fabric.
 Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved system in
 which a strip of cleaning fabric is soaked and saturated to functional
 equilibrium with a low volatility, organic compound solvent after it is
 unwound from a bulk roll but before it is wound into a cleaning fabric
 supply roll on a core or shaft.
 Another object of the invention is to provide a new and, improved method of
 soaking a strip of cleaning fabric on a cylinder cleaning apparatus while
 located on a press.
 A yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved
 method of soaking a strip of cleaning fabric on a press while the strip of
 cleaning fabric is still wound in a cleaning fabric supply roll on a core
 or shaft.
 A still further an object of the invention is to provide a new and improved
 method including the use of an adjustable means to remove excess solvent
 from the strip of cleaning fabric to control the amount of solvent
 retained by the strip of cleaning fabric.
 A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved soak on
 press system in which a single roller is used to both soak and saturate
 the strip of cleaning fabric in solvent and to remove excess solvent for
 the strip of cleaning fabric.
 The foregoing specific objects and advantages of the invention are
 illustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention and
 are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages
 which may be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the
 invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned
 from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in
 view of any variations which may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in
 the art, the same being realized and attained by means of parts,
 constructions, instrumentations and combinations pointed out in the
 claims. The present invention resides in the novel parts, constructions,
 arrangements, combinations, methods and improvements herein shown and
 described.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method of cleaning a
 cylinder of a printing press using a soak on press system comprising first
 placing a cleaning fabric supply roll having a strip of cleaning fabric in
 a cylinder cleaning system. Second, the strip of cleaning fabric is
 brought in contact with a low volatility, organic compound solvent or
 cleaning agent which does not evaporate readily at ambient temperature and
 pressure and soaking and saturating the strip of cleaning fabric with the
 solvent, or cleaning agent. The soaking and saturating may occur while the
 strip of cleaning fabric is part of the cleaning fabric supply roll or
 after it has been unwound from the cleaning fabric supply roll. An
 optional third step is removing any excess solvent or cleaning agent from
 the strip of cleaning fabric to obtain a strip of cleaning fabric
 saturated to functional equilibrium. Fourth, the strip of cleaning fabric
 is used to clean a cylinder.
 In a more specific aspect of the method, the used strip of cleaning fabric
 is wound up on a take-up roll.
 In still another more specific aspect of the method, at least a portion of
 the cleaning fabric supply roll is dipped in a container containing the
 solvent. The rotation of the cleaning fabric supply roll preferably causes
 the entire cleaning fabric supply roll to be soaked and saturated with
 solvent.
 In yet another aspect of the method, the strip of cleaning fabric is
 unwound from the cleaning fabric supply roll prior to being brought in
 contact with the solvent. In a preferred method of this aspect, the strip
 of cleaning fabric is brought in contact with the solvent by means of a
 dipping roller.
 In another more specific aspect of the method, the excess solvent is
 removed by squeezing the strip of cleaning fabric, preferably by using a
 squeezing roller or rollers. In a more specific embodiment of the method,
 the roller used for dipping the strip of cleaning fabric is the same
 roller as that used for squeezing the strip of cleaning fabric. In another
 embodiment, the location of the squeezing roller(s) are adjustable to
 control the amount of solvent in the strip of cleaning fabric.
 The invention also includes a soak on press assembly for use in a printing
 press cylinder cleaning system. The assembly comprises a mounting assembly
 affixed to a printing press. A cleaning fabric supply roll including a
 strip of cleaning fabric is rotatably mounted to the mounting assembly.
 Soaking means are used for soaking and saturating at least a portion of
 the strip of cleaning fabric with a low volatility, organic compound
 solvent which does not readily evaporate at ambient temperature and
 pressure and removal means used for removing excess solvent so that the
 strip of cleaning fabric is saturated to functional equilibrium with the
 solvent or cleaning agent. A cylinder cleaning means is used for bringing
 the strip of cleaning fabric into contact with a cylinder to be cleaned to
 clean the cylinder and the used strip of cleaning fabric is collected by a
 take-up means.
 In another more specific embodiment, the soaking means contacts the strip
 of cleaning fabric to the solvent prior to its removal from the cleaning
 fabric supply roll.
 In an alternate embodiment, the soaking means includes a roller means for
 placing the strip of cleaning fabric into said solvent to soak and
 saturate the strip of cleaning fabric. In a further more specific
 embodiment the removal means includes a squeezing means for squeezing
 excess solvent and, in one embodiment, said squeezing means and said
 roller means are a unitary structure.
 The invention also comprises a soak on press assembly including a mounting
 assembly affixed to the printing press to support the soak on press
 assembly. A cleaning fabric supply roll including a strip of cleaning
 fabric is rotatably mounted on the mounting assembly. A low volatility,
 organic compound solvent which does not readily evaporate at ambient
 temperature and pressure is placed in a container in engagement with the
 mounting assembly and at least a portion of the cleaning cloth supply roll
 is placed within the solvent to soak and saturate the strip of cleaning
 fabric. At least one squeezing roller is operatively associated with the
 strip of cleaning fabric to removing excess solvent from the strip of
 cleaning fabric to obtain a strip of cleaning fabric saturated to
 functional equilibrium with solvent. Preferably, at least one roller is
 operatively associated with and in a movedly fixed relationship with a
 surface of the container for removing excess solvent from the strip of
 cleaning fabric by squeezing it between the squeezing roller and the side
 of the container.
 An alternate embodiment of the invention may also comprise a mounting
 assembly affixed to said printing press for supporting the soak on press
 assembly. A cleaning fabric supply roll including a strip of cleaning
 fabric is rotatably mounted on the mounting assembly. A low volatility,
 organic compound solvent which does not readily evaporate at ambient
 temperature and pressure located in at least one container engaged with
 the mounting assembly. A dipper is at least partially submersed in the
 solvent. The strip of cleaning fabric is adjacent the dipper so that the
 strip of cleaning fabric is soaked and saturated with the solvent. The
 strip of cleaning fabric is located in a gap between, and in contact with,
 a surface of the container and a squeezer so that the strip of cleaning
 fabric is squeezed and the excess solvent removed and placed in the
 container and the strip of cleaning fabric is placed in functional
 equilibrium. A cylinder cleaning means is used for bringing the saturated
 to functional equilibrium strip of cleaning fabric into contact with a
 cylinder to be cleaned and the cleaning apparatus. A take-up means is used
 for collecting the used strip of cleaning fabric.
 In a more specific embodiment, a single container is used to store the
 solvent. In such an embodiment, the dipper and the squeezer may both be
 the same roller. In a different embodiment, the dipper and/or the squeezer
 are individual rollers.
 The invention also includes a method for presoaking a strip of cleaning
 fabric on site. Broadly, the method includes contacting a strip of
 cleaning fabric with a low volatility, organic compound solvent which does
 not readily evaporate at ambient temperature and pressure and soaking and
 saturating the strip of cleaning fabric with the solvent. The strip of
 cleaning fabric is wrapped on a core or shaft to form a cleaning fabric
 supply roll. The cleaning fabric supply roll is engaged with a printing
 press having a cylinder to be cleaned without disposing a sealed plastic
 sleeve about the fabric roll and without substantially disturbing the
 distribution of the solvent in the cleaning fabric supply roll and
 detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the strip of fabric.
 Preferably, after contacting the strip of cleaning fabric to the solvent,
 the strip of cleaning fabric is saturated to functional equilibrium. The
 preferred method of achieving result is measured absorption of the
 solvent. Alternatively, excess solvent may be removed from the saturated
 strip of cleaning fabric.
 In another embodiment of a method for soaking a strip of cleaning fabric, a
 strip of cleaning fabric is unwound from a bulk roll. A low volatility,
 organic compound solvent which does not readily evaporate at ambient
 pressure and temperature is applied to at least one roller. The unwound
 strip of cleaning fabric is brought in contact with at least one roller to
 soak and saturate the strip of cleaning fabric with solvent. Preferably,
 the strip of cleaning fabric is saturated to functional equilibrium with
 the solvent. The soaked and saturated strip of cleaning fabric is wound on
 a core or directly on a shaft to form a cleaning fabric supply roll.
 It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoing
 summary of the invention and the following detailed description are merely
 exemplary and explanatory of the present invention, but are not intended
 to be restrictive thereof or limiting of the advantages which can be
 achieved by the invention or various combinations thereof. The
 accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting in part hereof,
 illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the
 detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a cleaning fabric supply roll 10 used
 with the present invention is shown. One embodiment, shown in FIG. 1A
 comprises an elongated core 11 made from, for example, relatively heavy
 cardboard of sufficient strength so that it can support thereon a strip of
 cleaning fabric 13. The strip of cleaning fabric 13 is wound around core
 11. Alternatively, if desired, the core 11 can be made from any other
 suitable material including, but not limited to, plastic or metal, such as
 steel, aluminum, and the like. Core 11 preferably has open ends to allow
 installation on an appropriate cylinder cleaning apparatus. Preferably,
 core 11 is completely hollow to allow a shaft, rod, or the like 15 to be
 inserted within core 11 to provide installation in the cylinder cleaning
 apparatus. In such an embodiment, cleaning fabric supply roll 10 comprises
 core 11 and strip of cleaning fabric 13. In an alternate embodiment shown
 in FIG. 1B, cleaning fabric supply roll 10 is formed by winding the strip
 of cleaning fabric 13 directly around shaft 15. Preferably, the core 11
 and/or shaft 15 is cylindrical in shape. However, the core 11 and/or shaft
 15 may be any other appropriate shape, such as having 3, 4, 5, or 6 sides
 or an oval. Such shapes are described in concurrently filed application
 entitled "MOUNTING MECHANISMS FOR CLOTH ROLLS ON PRESS CYLINDER CLEANING
 DEVICES," an application filed by applicant C. Robert Gasparrini and
 commonly assigned, hereby incorporated by reference.
 The strip of cleaning fabric 11 from which the cleaning fabric supply roll
 10 is made may vary widely. For example, it may be made of paper, cloth,
 film, a mixture of wood pulp and polyester, such as DuPont SONTARA, or any
 other suitable material. In those cases where a cloth fabric is employed,
 it may be a woven or non-woven cloth fabric made of synthetic or natural
 fibers or mixtures of the same. Exemplative, but not limitative, of
 suitable synthetic fibers which may be used in the cloth fabrics are
 polyester fibers, rayon fibers, nylon fibers, and acrylic fibers and the
 like. Exemplative, but not limitative, of the natural fibers which may be
 employed are cotton fibers, wood pulp fiber, hemp fibers and the like.
 In those cases where paper is employed as the fabric material, paper
 fabrics made from wood pulp modified chemically in accordance with paper
 manufacturing technology are suitable.
 On the other hand, no matter what fabric is employed in, carrying out the
 practice of this invention, it is preferred that the materials used
 therein exhibit high acceptability to being soaked or wetted by a solvent
 or cleaning agent. Preferably, this solvent or cleaning agent is a low
 volatility organic compound used to saturate the fabric. In this regard,
 it is preferred that the fabric employed be one which has a caliper
 thickness in a range from about 0.003 inches to about 0.030 inches, and
 preferably in a range from about 0.008 inches to about 0.020 inches, and
 the ability, when saturated with low volatility organic compound solvent,
 to retain from about 0.02 cc to about 0.5 cc of solvent per in.sup.2 of
 fabric determined by routine testing methods.
 In general, woven and non-woven fabrics suitable for use in carrying out
 the practice of the invention have a basic weight in a range of from about
 1.5 ounces per square yard to about 6.0 ounces per square yard, a caliper
 thickness in the range mentioned above, a tensile strength in the
 longitudinal (machine) direction in a range of from about 20 lbs. per inch
 to about 200 lbs. per inch and in a width (cross) direction in a range
 from about 15 lbs. per inch to about 125 lbs. per inch.
 When paper is employed as a cleaning fabric in the system of this
 invention, it preferably has a basis weight in a range of from about 40
 lbs. to about 90 lbs., a caliper thickness in a range of from about 0.003
 inches to about 0.10 inches, a tensile strength in the longitudinal
 (machine) direction in a range of from about 20 lbs. per inch to about 80
 lbs. per inch and in the width (cross) direction in a range of from about
 15 lbs. per inch to about 50 lbs. per inch, a porosity in a range of from
 about 1.0 second to about 10 seconds when subjected to 100 cc of low
 volatility organic compound solvent or water, and a stretch ability in a
 range of from about 1.0 percent to about 6.0 percent all determined by
 routine testing methods.
 The low volatility organic compound solvent 20 employed in carrying out the
 practice of this invention may vary widely and generally it includes at
 least one low vitality organic compound solvent which does not readily
 evaporate, as well as mixtures of the same with similar low volatile
 organic compound solvents or with normally volatile organic compound
 solvents. Exemplative, but not limitative, of suitable solvent materials
 of this type are organic compound solvents selected from vegetable oils
 and citrus oils and the like. Generally, such solvent materials have a
 volatility in a range of from about zero up to about 30.0 percent, and
 preferably a volatility in a range of from about zero percent to about
 20.0 percent, determined by routine testing methods. It is to be
 understood that within the purview of this invention, such suitable
 solvents also include normally volatile organic compound solvents, that
 is, those which readily evaporate and which are selected from mineral
 spirits and aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents and the like. Such solvent
 materials generally have a volatility of from zero up to about 100 percent
 determined by routine testing methods. Preferably, a low volatility
 solvent will be used because the lower the volatility of the solvent, the
 longer the fabric stays wet since less solvent evaporates. The closer the
 volatility is to zero percent, the longer the life of the presoaked fabric
 on the printing press cylinder cleaning apparatus
 It is to be understood that within the context of this invention, the
 terminology "saturated to equilibrium" as it is used in connection with
 the saturation of the fabric and/or fabric roll with solvent means by
 measured absorption or after removing the excess solvent from the fabric
 and/or fabric roll, the fabric and/or fabric roll retains therein
 sufficient solvent or cleaning agent in an amount to wet the fabric to the
 extent that it imparts efficient cleaning ability to the fabric to clean
 cylinders of apparatus, such as printing machinery, and the fabric has
 preferably retained therein by measured absorption or after removal of the
 excess, if any removal is required, from about 0.02 cc to about 0.5 cc of
 solvent per in.sup.2 of fabric.
 The above described cleaning fabric supply roll 10 and low volatility,
 organic compound solvent 20 may be used in either a soak on press assembly
 or a soak on site system.
 A soak on press assembly 1 is shown in FIG. 2. Soak on press assembly 1 is
 a cleaning apparatus mounted on a printing press (not shown) to prepare a
 strip of cleaning fabric to clean a cylinder 100. A mounting assembly 30
 is affixed to the printing press and supports the soak on press assembly
 1. Mounting assembly 30 may be a unitary structure. Alternatively,
 mounting assembly 30 may comprise several discrete pieces which are
 individually used to attach elements of the soak on press assembly 1 to
 the printing press. In yet a third embodiment, the mounting assembly 30
 comprises those elements of a printing press which supports elements of
 the soak on press assembly 1.
 Cleaning fabric supply roll 10 is preferably rotatably mounted to mounting
 assembly 1.
 A container 42 is used to store solvent 20 while strip of cleaning fabric
 13 is soaked and saturated in solvent 20. In one embodiment, the container
 42 is in engagement with a mounting assembly 30. In an alternate,
 container 42 is placed in a duct 32 of mounting assembly 30. In another
 embodiment, container 42 is a duct 32 of mounting assembly 30. Preferably,
 container 42 is removably connected to mounting assembly 30 to allow
 container 42 to be easily cleaned and solvent 20 easily replaced.
 Cleaning fabric supply roll 10 needs to be placed in contact with the
 solvent 20 so that strip of cleaning fabric 13 my be soaked and saturated.
 One method of achieving this result is to dip all cleaning fabric supply
 roll 10 into solvent 20 contained in container 42. For purposes of this
 invention, cleaning fabric supply roll 10 includes only the portion of
 strip of fabric 13 wrapped around core 11 and/or shaft 15 and not the
 portion of strip of cleaning fabric 13 threaded through the rest: of the
 soak on press assembly 1. Preferably, cleaning fabric supply roll 10 is
 dipped in solvent 20 and strip of cleaning fabric 13 is soaked and
 saturated with solvent prior to any portion of strip of cleaning fabric 13
 being threaded through the rest of soak on press assembly 1.
 Alternatively, a portion of strip of cleaning fabric 13 may be unwound
 from cleaning fabric supply roll 10 prior to cleaning fabric supply roll
 10 being brought in contact with the solvent 20. After the strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 of cleaning fabric supply roll 10 has been soaked and
 saturated, all of cleaning fabric supply roll 10 may remain in solvent 20,
 a portion of cleaning fabric supply roll 10 may be removed from solvent
 20, or all of cleaning fabric supply roll 10 may be removed from solvent
 20.
 In an alternate embodiment, only a portion, but at least half, of cleaning
 fabric supply roll 10 is brought in contact with solvent 20 and remains in
 contact during operation of the printing press. The unwinding of cleaning
 fabric supply roll 10 causes cleaning fabric supply roll 10 to rotate and
 the strip of cleaning fabric 13 wrapped around core 11 and/or shaft 15
 that was not in contact with the solvent 20 is placed in solvent 20 and
 allowed to soak and saturate.
 In order for maximum efficiency, the strip of cleaning fabric 13 after it
 has been removed from cleaning fabric supply roll 10 should be in
 functional equilibrium with solvent 20. Preferably, this is achieved
 through measured absorption of solvent 20. Alternatively, excess solvent
 strip of cleaning fabric 13 can be removed by any appropriate means to
 obtain a strip of cleaning fabric 13 saturated to functional equilibrium
 with solvent 20.
 One way of removing excess solvent from a strip of cleaning fabric 13 is to
 use a squeezer 50 to squeeze out excess solvent. In one embodiment,
 squeezer SO may comprise at least a pair of rollers with a gap between
 them. The strip of cleaning fabric 13 is placed between the rollers and
 the excess solvent is squeezed from the strip of cleaning fabric 13. By
 controlling the size of the gap between the at least two rollers, the
 amount of excess solvent removed is controlled and regulated. In an
 alternate embodiment, squeezer 50 may comprise a squeezing roller 52,
 which is rotatably mounted, and a squeezing surface 54. Squeezing roller
 52 is disposed so that it is not engaged with squeezing surface 54 and a
 gap is formed between squeezing surface 54 and squeezing roller 52.
 Squeezing roller 52 is preferably in a movedly fixed relationship with
 squeezing surface 54 such that squeezing rollers 52 in its position to
 facilitate the removal of excess solvent yet may be moved to change the
 size of the gap between surface 54 and roller 52 to control and regulate
 the amount of solvent being removed from the strip of cleaning fabric 13.
 If squeezing roller 52 is movably mounted, it may be place adjacent to
 squeezing surface 54.
 As with container 42, container 44 may be engaged with mounting assembly
 30, may be placed within a duct 34 of mounting assembly 30, may be duct 34
 of mounting assembly 30, or any combination of the above. Additionally,
 any other type of container 44 may be used. Preferably, surface 54 is an
 element of container 44. Alternatively, squeezing surface 54 may be a
 surface of mounting assembly 30.
 It is preferred that after the removal of excess solvent, the strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 is saturated to functional equilibrium with solvent. A
 cylinder cleaning means is used to bring the strip of cleaning fabric 13
 in contact with a cylinder to be cleaned and causes the cylinder 100 to be
 cleaned. Examples of cylinder cleaning means can be found in U.S. patent
 application Ser. No. 07/955,694 filed Oct. 2, 1992 by Harold W.
 Gegenheimer et al. entitled "AUTOMATIC CLEANING SYSTEM FOR PRESS ROLLERS
 AND CYLINDERS", U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,064 issued Sep. 19, 1989 to Hara et
 al. entitled "APATUS FOR CLEANING A PRINTING CYLINDER", and U.S. Pat.
 No. 5,150,653 issued Sep. 29, 1992 to Hara entitled "METHOD OF AND
 APATUS FOR CLEANING A CYLINDER", all of which are hereby, incorporated
 by reference.
 After being used to clean cylinder 100, the used portion of the strip of
 cleaning cloth 13 is taken up by a take-up means 70. Preferably, take-up
 means 70 is a take-up shaft 72 rotatably mounted to mounting assembly 70.
 A take-up roll is formed by winding the used strip of cleaning fabric 13
 around the take-up shaft 72. Examples of take-up shaft 72 can be found in
 concurrently filed application entitled "MOUNTING MECHANISMS FOR CLOTH
 ROLLS ON PRESS CYLINDER CLEANING DEVICES," an application filed by
 applicant C. Robert Gasparrini and commonly assigned, hereby incorporated
 by reference.
 FIG. 3 demonstrates an alternate embodiment of the invention. In this
 embodiment, cleaning cloth supply roll 10 is not soaked and saturated in
 solvent 20. Instead, the strip of cleaning fabric 13 is at least partially
 removed from the cleaning cloth supply roll 10. A soaking means 80 is used
 for soaking and saturating at least a portion of the strip of cleaning
 fabric 13 in solvent 20. In this embodiment, the soaking means 80 includes
 a dipper 82 and a container 42. Container 42 is used to store the solvent
 while dipper 82 is placed at least partially in the solvent 20. Dipper 82
 is used to place the at least a portion of the strip of cleaning fabric 13
 in solvent 20 and to allow the strip of cleaning fabric 13 to soak and
 saturate in the solvent 20. Preferably, dipper 82 is a roller rotatably
 mounted to the mounting assembly; however, any appropriate dipper may be
 used. The remainder of the soak on press assembly 1 functions the same as
 that described for the device shown in FIG. 2.
 An improved embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. In this
 embodiment, instead of having a solvent storage container 42 and a removed
 excess solvent storage container 44, only a single storage container 46 is
 used. Because the removed excess solvent can be used immediately without
 the need to move it from one container 44 to a second container 42, the
 soak on press assembly 1 can be operated for a longer period of time
 before the container needs to be cleaned and/or refilled.
 As with containers 42 and 44, container 46 may be constructed in a variety
 of fashions. For example, container 46 may be fixed, either permanently
 or, preferably, removably, to mounting assembly 30. Container 46 may be
 placed or fixed within a duct 36 of mounting assembly 30. Alternatively,
 duct 36 may be used at the container. On the other hand, any combination
 of the above may be used. For example, container 46 may comprise a
 container placed within a duct and having the duct extend beyond the
 container. Alternatively, any other appropriate construction of container
 46 may be used.
 In another embodiment, multiple containers 46 are used. In each of these
 containers 46, the strip of cleaning fabric 13 is both soaked and
 saturated with solvent 20 and excess solvent is removed from the soaked
 and saturated strip of cleaning fabric 13.
 FIG. 5 an improvement to the single container embodiment described above, a
 single body 90 is used to both dip the strip of cleaning fabric into
 solvent 20 stored in container 46 to allow the strip of cleaning fabric 13
 to soak and saturate in the solvent and to remove the excess solvent by
 squeezing the soaked and saturated strip of cleaning fabric 13 between the
 body 90 and squeezing surface 54. Preferably, body 90 is a roller which is
 rotatably mounted to mounting assembly 30. In this embodiment, body 90 may
 be mounted to allow movement relative to surface 54 to control and
 regulate the amount of excess solvent being removed.
 An alternate approach to achieving the advantages of the invention is to
 presoak the strip of cleaning cloth 13 on site, that is near enough to the
 press that the presoaked cleaning cloth can be brought to or in the
 proximity of the press containing the cylinder to be cleaned without
 disposing a sealed and/or heat-sealed plastic sleeve about the cleaning
 fabric roll 10 and without substantially disturbing the distribution of
 the solvent in the fabric roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning
 ability of the fabric.
 In accordance with a method of this invention, a strip of cleaning fabric
 13 is brought in contact with a low viscosity, organic compound solvent
 which does not readily evaporate at ambient pressure and temperature.
 Contact between the strip of cleaning fabric 13 and the solvent 20 may be
 achieved in a variety of ways. For example, solvent may be applied in
 measured amounts so that the fabric is presoaked to functional
 equilibrium. This preferred method of applying solvent is known as
 measured absorption of a solvent. If desired, instead of measured
 absorption, an excess amount of solvent may be applied to the strip of
 cleaning fabric. This may be done by soaking and saturating the strip of
 cleaning fabric in a vat of solvent. If this is done, the excess solvent
 must be removed to obtain a strip of cleaning fabric saturated to
 functional equilibrium with the solvent. Any appropriate method for
 removing the excess solvent to obtain a strip of cleaning fabric saturated
 to functional equilibrium can be used with any of the above methods of
 contacting, including draining the strip of cleaning fabric or spinning
 the strip of cleaning fabric. The strip of cleaning fabric is presoaked
 and saturated with a low volatility, organic compound solvent before or
 after the strip of cleaning fabric 13 is wound to form a cleaning fabric
 supply roll 10.
 An alternative embodiment of a method of presoaking a strip of cleaning
 fabric on site is shown in FIG. 6. A strip of cleaning fabric 13 is
 initially wound around a shaft or core 11S to form bulk roll 110. Bulk
 roll 110 is rotatably mounted to a roll forming assembly. The amount of
 fabric on bulk roll 110 may be sufficient to form multiple cleaning fabric
 rolls 10. A portion of the strip of cleaning fabric 13 is unwound from
 bulk roll 110. If desired, at least a pair of calendering rollers 150 may
 be used to calender the strip of cleaning fabric 13. The at least a pair
 of calendering rollers 150 compress the strip of cleaning fabric 13.
 Preferably, but not necessarily, the temperature of the at least a pair of
 rollers 150 is hotter than room temperature. Alternatively, the
 temperature of the at least a pair of rollers 150 is at about ambient
 temperature or less than ambient temperature. It has been found that the
 wettability and the distribution of the solvent is very good in the
 calenderized fabric.
 A surprising and unexpected result of the calendaring process is that the
 length of fabric is increased while not increasing the diameter of the
 cleaning fabric supply roll 10. This provides an important advantage
 because cleaners are designed to accept fabric rolls of up to a certain
 diameter. For example, one of the assignor's automatic blanket cleaners
 will only accept a cleaning fabric roll having a diameter of about 2.75
 inches. Because of this extra length, a fabric roll of calenderized cloth
 will be usable for more washes than a regular fabric roll of the same
 fabric having the same diameter. This has two advantages. First, the cost
 per wash will be reduced. Second, the pressmen need not change a roll of
 cleaning fabric as often since there are more washes per roll of cloth.
 This will allow for the press to be run more often. These advantages can
 be realized regardless of whether the fabric is pre-soaked and/or
 pre-packaged.
 The amount of increase in the length of cloth due to calendaring is
 dependent on the fabric used and the amount of calendaring. For example
 when DuPont SONTARA cloth having a thickness of about 0.012 inches and a
 length of about 12 yards is placed about a core, having a diameter of
 about 1.5 inches, the fabric roll has a diameter of 2.75 inches. After
 being calendered the cloth has a thickness of about 0.0085 inches and a
 length of about 16 yards and still has a diameter of about 2.75 inches
 when placed on the same core. Thus, in this situation, calendering results
 in an about 25% to about 30% increase in the length of the fabric without
 increasing the diameter of cleaning fabric supply roll 10. Depending on
 the type of fabric and amount of calendering, results may range from about
 a 10% increase to about a 50% increase.
 Calendaring fabric and its advantages are discussed in more detail in the
 U.S. Patent Application by C. Robert Gasparrini and Walter H. Cano
 entitled "CLEANING SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR MAKING SAME EMPLOYING REDUCED
 AIR CLEANING FABRIC" filed concurrently herewith and hereby incorporated
 by reference.
 A solvent application system 120 is used to apply a measured amount of
 solvent 20 to the strip of cleaning fabric 13. A container 122 is used to
 store solvent 20. A solvent supply roller 124, which is rotatably mounted,
 is partially submerged in solvent 20. A rotatably mounted application
 roller 125 is positioned adjacent to and in contact with the solvent
 supply roller 124 at a portion of the solvent supply roller 124 which is
 not submerged in the solvent 20. Solvent supply roller 124 and application
 roller 126 are rotatably mounted such that they rotate in the opposite
 direction. The rotation of solvent supply roller 124 and application
 roller 126 cause solvent 20 to transfer from solvent supply roller 124 to
 application roller 126 via nip 125. If desired, a plurality of solvent
 supply rollers 126 may be used to transport solvent 20 from container 122
 to the application roller 126. In such an embodiment, the plurality of
 solvent supply rollers 124 are adjacent to and in contact with each other
 to form a chain of rollers such that one solvent supply roller 124 is
 submerged in solvent 20 and another solvent supply roller 124 is in
 contact and adjacent to application roller 126. The strip of cleaning
 fabric 13 is placed between and adjacent to a rotating roller 128 and
 application roller 126 The rotation application roller 126 causes a
 measured amount of solvent 20 to be placed in contact with the strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 and allowing the fabric 13 to be soaked and saturated
 with the solvent 20. Preferably, the strip of cleaning fabric 13 is soaked
 and saturated to functional equilibrium with the solvent 20.
 Alternatively, an excess amount of solvent may be used to soak and
 saturate the strip of cleaning fabric 13. Such excess solvent can be
 removed by any appropriate means including, but not limited to, running
 the strip of fabric 13 through at least a pair of rollers 160. The soaked
 and saturated strip of cleaning fabric 13 is then wound around a core,
 shaft or any other appropriate body to form a cleaning fabric supply roll
 10. The excess solvent, if any is applied to the fabric, may be removed
 either before or after the cleaning fabric supply roll 10 is formed. When
 a cleaning fabric supply roll 10 of an appropriate diameter is formed, the
 strip of cleaning fabric 13 is cut or torn, cleaning fabric supply roll 10
 is removed, and a new shaft or core is used to form another cleaning
 fabric supply roll.
 In the above described system, the winding of the strip of cleaning fabric
 13 into a cleaning fabric supply roll 10 may cause the strip of cleaning
 fabric 13 to move through the solvent application system 120, the at least
 a pair of calendering rollers 150 (if used) and the pair of rollers 160
 (if used).
 The solvent application system 120 including all its elements, calendaring
 rollers 150, pair of rollers 160, and cleaning fabric supply roll 10 may
 all be attached to a roll forming assembly.
 A soak on site system using an alternate solvent application system 170 is
 shown in FIG. 7. At least one placement device 174, preferably a roller,
 is used to place the strip of cleaning fabric 13 above a container 172
 storing a low volatility, organic compound solvent 20 which does not
 readily evaporate at ambient pressure and temperature. A dipper 176,
 preferably a rotatably mounted roller, is used to dip the strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 into the solvent 20. This allows the strip of cleaning
 fabric 13 to soak and saturate in the solvent 20. Preferably, the strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 is soaked and saturated to functional equilibrium with
 solvent when it is removed from solvent 20. If not, the excess solvent
 must be removed. Any appropriate method for removing excess solvent may be
 used. Preferably, the excess solvent is removed by squeezing the strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 between a pair of rollers 160.
 Yet another possible embodiment is shown in FIG. 7A. In this embodiment,
 the solvent application system 180 includes a container 182 a dipping
 roller 184 and a squeezing roller 186. Solvent or cleaning agent 20 is
 stored in container 182. The dipping roller 184 is used to dip the strip
 of cleaning fabric 13 into the solvent or cleaning agent 20. The strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 is soaked and saturated in the solvent or cleaning
 agent 20. The strip of cleaning fabric 13 is then removed from the solvent
 and the excess solvent is removed form the strip of cleaning fabric 13 so
 that it is saturated to functional equilibrium with the solvent 20. This
 removal may be accomplished by squeezing the strip of cleaning fabric 13
 between dipping roller 184 and squeezing roller 184 at a point above
 solvent 20. An advantage of such a system is that the removed excess
 solvent will drop into container 182 and thus a separate container for the
 removed excess solvent will not be required.
 Also shown in FIG. 7A is a positioner 190. Positioner 190 is preferably a
 roller. Positioner 190 may be used to properly position the strip of
 cleaning fabric 13 is presoaked. Although positioner 190 is only shown in
 FIG. 7A, a positioner may be used in any embodiment of the invention.
 Positioners may also be used in the soak on press systems described
 earlier.
 It should be noted that the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 7A do not
 need to have rolls 150 installed. If rolls 150 are not installed, standard
 uncalendered fabric is used and less solvent stability is obtained.
 After being presoaked on site, the cleaning fabric supply roll 10 having a
 strip of cleaning fabric 13 is then placed on a printing press having a
 cylinder 100 to be cleaned.
 The printing press further includes a means for properly positioning the
 cleaning fabric to allow cleaning of the cylinder 100. Several ways exist
 for this result to be achieved. For example, the cleaning fabric 13 may be
 positioned so that it is adjacent the cylinder 100 to be cleaned. In
 another example, the cleaning fabric 13 may be adjacent to and operatively
 associated with the cylinder 100 to be cleaned. In yet another possible
 embodiment, the cleaning fabric 13 is operatively associated with the
 cylinder 100 to allow cleaning the cylinder 100 as the fabric 13 is fed
 past the cylinder 100. One possible arrangement is shown in FIG. 8. The
 person of ordinary skill in the art will be aware of many other
 configurations that will work for the invention's intended purpose without
 undue experimentation. These examples are merely exemplary and are not
 meant to limit how the invention may be used.
 A distinct advantage of the cleaning system of this invention is that it
 eliminates the need for complex apparatus, such as pumps, spray bars,
 manifold lines, valves and the like, especially as part of the automatic
 blanket cleaning systems used on printing machinery to introduce cleansing
 solvents or solutions to the cleaning fabric just prior to use.
 In addition, the cleaning system of this invention provides numerous other
 advantages. For example, it is relatively simple in construction, employs
 readily available materials, and can be made in a relatively simple and
 forward manner without resort to highly complex and expensive procedures
 which necessitate the use of elaborate machinery. Additionally, the
 invention is preferable to the invention discussed in U.S. Pat. No.
 5,368,157 to Gasparrini et al. in that it provides for less solvent
 displacement during storage and thus less of a change in the fabric roll's
 center of gravity. Numerous other advantages of this invention will be
 readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
 It will remain understood by those skilled in the art that the present
 invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particular
 embodiments shown and described herein, and that variations may be made
 which are within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing
 from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief
 advantages.