Short multi-color web-fed rotary printing press

A short, multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press for job printing utilizes a vertical stack of bridge printing units which are supported by horizontally shiftable frame sections. The rubber blanket cylinder of each printing unit is at least twice as large as its associated printing cylinder but is always a whole number multiple in size. The printing cylinder in each printing unit rests on the upper half of its associated rubber blanket cylinder.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed generally to a short, multi-color web-fed 
rotary printing press. More particularly, the present invention is 
directed to a short, multi-color web-fed rotary printing press for job 
printing. Most specifically, the present invention is directed to a short, 
multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press having several sheet work 
bridge printing units which form a multiple printing system. In each of 
these bridge printing units the blanket cylinders from two cooperating 
printing units are in contact and print a paper web. The paper web is fed 
through several bridge printing couples which are placed vertically atop 
each other. After the paper web, which is fed to the multiple printing 
system from a roll changer, has been printed, it is guided, in the web 
travel direction, to a dryer and then to a folding device. The various 
components are arranged to provide a short, compact printing press. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
A multi-color web-fed rotary printing press which has eight inking units 
and which is usable for job printing is described in a pamphlet from the 
company MAN-Roland Druckmaschinen AG (DE), their pamphlet No. 238 850 
d/4.90.5 pd; Polyman from DRUPA 1990. This printing press includes a roll 
changer; four printing units disposed one after the other in the direction 
of web travel and usable to print in eight colors; a dryer; a cooling 
unit; a turning bar unit; and a folding device. This prior art 
multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press is depicted in FIG. 6 of the 
drawings accompanying the present application. As may be seen in that 
drawing, all of the various elements in this prior art device are aligned, 
in the direction of paper web travel, in a horizontal orientation. Each of 
the four printing units has one printing unit, including its inking unit, 
disposed above the horizontally extending web and one printing unit with 
its inking unit located below the paper web. 
This prior art multi-color web-fed rotary printing press requires a 
significant length of space for its location. This great length results in 
large expenses for construction of the press as well as increased costs 
for the space required to house it. In addition, the paper web being 
printed must travel along a relatively long distance and such an elongated 
travel path between the several printing stations is quite apt to result 
in registration difficulties. A further limitation of this prior art 
device is that the inking units associated with the printing units have 
varying ink flow directions since the ink flow in the upper four of the 
printing units is downwardly directed while the ink flow in the lower four 
of the printing units is upwardly directed. This variation in ink flow 
direction causes the ink to behave in different ways, depending on the ink 
flow direction. The ink flowing from the top to the bottom of a unit will 
act differently from the same ink flowing from the bottom of a unit to the 
top of the unit. These different ink flow characteristics may result in 
print quality variations. 
It will be seen that a need exists for a multi-color web-fed printing press 
which overcomes these limitations of the prior art devices. The short 
multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press in accordance with the present 
invention provides such a device and is a significant improvement in the 
art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a short, multi-color, 
web-fed rotary printing press. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a short, multi-color, 
web-fed rotary printing press usable in job printing. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a short, 
multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press having several sheet work 
bridge printing units forming a multiple print system. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a short, 
multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press having the same structural 
height as prior art units and with a significantly shortened length. 
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a short, 
multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press having a plurality of 1/1 
printing units and with a great paper web width and a printing cylinder of 
small diameter. 
As will be discussed in greater detail in the description of the preferred 
embodiment, which is presented subsequently, the short, multi-color, 
web-fed rotary printing press in accordance with the present invention 
utilizes several sheet work printing units in which the blankets of each 
two cooperating units are in contact and print a paper web that passes 
therebetween. These printing units are thus arranged as bridge printing 
units and four such bridge printing units are arranged one above the other 
in the direction of paper web travel to form a multiple print system. 
After the paper web exits the last of these four bridge printing units, it 
is guided to a dryer and then to a folding unit. These bridge printing 
units can be divided into a left frame section and a right frame section 
or into left, middle and right frame sections. These frame sections may be 
shiftable generally horizontally toward and away from each other. The left 
frame section may receive the left printing units and the right frame 
section may receive the right printing units. Alternatively, the left and 
right sections may receive the left and right printing cylinders with the 
center section receiving the two blanket cylinders for each bridge 
printing unit. In each of these printing units, the blanket cylinder is at 
least twice as large in circumference as its associated printing cylinder 
with this size ratio always being a whole number. Further, in each 
printing unit, the printing cylinder engages the upper half of its 
associated rubber blanket cylinder. 
The short, multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press in accordance with 
the present invention has several advantages over the prior art devices. 
The subject printing press has substantially the same structural height as 
the prior art devices but has a considerably reduced total length. This 
shortened overall length results in substantial savings in building costs. 
Because of the shortened length of the subject printing press that is due 
in part to the positioning of the bridge printing units one above the 
other, it has become possible to drastically shorten a multi-color, 
web-fed rotary printing press for use in job printing. 
In the present invention, the several bridge printing units are all 
arranged with their inking units positioned in the same location in each 
of the left and right side printing units. The ink flow in each of the 
eight printing units is in the same direction. This insures that the same 
ink behavior characteristics will be present in all of the printing units. 
Since the several printing units that make up the four bridge printing 
units are situated at a reduced distance from each other, as compared to 
the prior art devices, the proportion of paper web waste during press 
starting and stopping operations is reduced. Particularly in job printing, 
where printing plate changes are quite common, this reduced paper web 
waste is an important consideration. 
In the printing press of the present invention, it is possible to utilize a 
printing cylinder in each printing unit, which has a diameter of, for 
example, only 175 mm in spite of a large paper web width of, for example, 
1850 mm. The small diameter printing cylinder does not result in any 
deterioration in print quality and there are no printing cylinder bending 
problems occurring in the printing cylinder, even during operation at high 
speeds. It is therefore not necessary to use so-called circumferentially 
double-size printing cylinders which have two so-called section lengths 
around their circumference. The printing cylinders can be of single 
section length. This means that only one printing plate of one section 
length is located on the circumference of the printing cylinder in each 
printing unit of the subject invention. 
The printing system in accordance with the present invention has a 
structural height that is less than printing units of satellite 
construction. Registration accuracy is increased. In addition it is no 
longer required to use so-called "left presses" or "right presses". The 
"fan out" effect in the printed paper web is prevented to a large degree 
because of the short distances of the printing stations or bridge printing 
units from each other. 
The short, multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press in accordance with 
the present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art. It is a 
substantial advance in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 7, there may be seen a schematic side 
elevation view of a short, multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press for 
job printing in accordance with the present invention. Multiple printing 
systems, generally at 6, which consist of left printing units 2 to 5, and 
right printing units 11 to 14, as may be seen more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 
3 are shown as being situated in a first horizontal plane 59 between an 
upper horizontal support 71 and a lower horizontal support 72. These 
supports form the frame for the short, multi-color, web-fed rotary 
printing press for job printing in accordance with the present invention. 
Each of the left printing units 2 to 5 and the right printing units 11 to 
14 respectively have rubber blanket cylinders 16.2 to 16.5 and 16.11 to 
16.14, as may also be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The left and right printing 
units are disposed as four generally vertically stacked bridge printing 
units 2-11; 3-12; 4-13; and 5-14, respectively. In each such bridge 
printing units the blanket cylinder of the left printing unit is in 
contact with the blanket cylinder of the right printing unit when the 
printing press is in its operative position, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 7. 
A printing cylinder 17.2 to 17.5 and 17.11 to 17.14 is associated with each 
blanket cylinder 16.2 to 16.5 and 16.11 to 16.14, respectively. Each of 
the printing cylinders is positioned so that it engages the periphery of 
its associated blanket cylinder in the upper half of the blanket 
cylinder's periphery. Each of the printing cylinders has, in its ready to 
print conditions; i.e. with a printing plate or plates secured to its 
periphery, a first circumferential size. Each of the blanket cylinders has 
in its ready to print condition; i.e. with its surface provided with 
packings, a second circumferential size. The blanket cylinder 
circumferential size is at least twice the printing cylinder 
circumferential size. It may be more that twice the size but is always a 
whole number multiple. 
As may be seen in FIG. 1, a conventional dampening unit 17 and a 
conventional inking unit 19 can be associated with each printing cylinder 
17. It is also possible to utilize spray dampening units 21 as well as 
anilox short inking units 22, with the printing cylinders 17.2 to 17.5 and 
17.11 to 17.14, as is depicted schematically in FIG. 5. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, each of the bridge printing units 2-11; 3-12; 4-13 
and 5-14 can be vertically divided symmetrically and can be separated into 
left printing units 2 to 5 and right printing units 11 to 14. It order to 
facilitate the performance of maintenance work on the printing units, 
either the left or the right printing units can be supported on a 
displaceable frame. As depicted in FIG. 2, the left frame section 1, which 
supports the left printing units 2 to 5, can be fixed between the 
vertically spaced supports 71 and 72. The right printing units 11 to 14 
may be supported on a shiftable right frame section 9 that can be disposed 
on rollers so that it is shiftable through a distance "a" with respect to 
the fixed, left frame section 1. This distance "a" will be sufficient to 
provide access to the left and right printing units 2 to 5 and 11 to 14, 
respectively so that necessary maintenance work can be performed. The two 
frame sections 1 and 9 can both be shiftable if desired. Suitable locking 
devices (not shown) are used to lock the frames in place. 
In an alternative arrangement, as depicted in FIG. 3, all of the rubber 
blanket cylinders 16.2 to 16.5 and 16.11 to 16.14 for the left and right 
printing units 2 to 5 and 11 to 4, respectively, can be supported on a 
stationary center section 73 which is fixed in place between the two 
supports 71 and 72. In this arrangement, the rubber blanket cylinders 16.2 
to 16.5 and 16.11 to 16.14 of the four vertically stacked bridge printing 
units stay in contact with each other, leaving only sufficient spacing for 
the passing of a paper web 58 which will be printed by the subject press 
assembly. The left printing cylinders 17.2 to 17.5 of the left printing 
units 2 to 5, together with their associated spray dampening units 21 and 
short anilox inking units 22 are disposed on a left shiftable frame 
section 7. In the same manner, the right printing cylinders 17.11 to 17.14 
of the right printing units 11 to 14, together with their associated spray 
dampening units 21 and anilox short inking units 22 are disposed on a 
horizontally shiftable right frame section 8. The shiftable frame sections 
7, 8 or 9 can each be supported by lower support 72 on suitable rollers, 
not depicted in detail, and can be moved by suitable double acting working 
cylinders that are not specifically shown in the drawings. The top of each 
of the left and right shiftable frame sections 7 and 8 or of the sole 
shiftable frame sections 9 can be guided in the upper horizontal support 
71. In each of the two variations of the shiftable and fixed frame 
sections, the inking and dampening units 18 and 19 can be of conventional 
construction or can be an anilox short inking unit 22 or a spray dampening 
unit 21, as was previously discussed. In the position of rest depicted in 
FIG. 3, the left and right shiftable frame section 7 and 8 are each 
shifted with respect to the central fixed frame section 73 through a 
distance "b". It will be understood that this distance "b" is sufficient 
to allow a person access to the left and right printing unit components. 
A conventional inking unit 19 that can be utilized to supply ink to any one 
of the printing cylinders 17.2 to 17.5 or 17.11 to 17.14 is shown in 
detail in FIG. 4. This conventional inking unit 19 consists of three ink 
application rollers 26, 27 and 28 resting against the printing cylinder 
17.4 with the uppermost ink application roller 28 of these, in turn, being 
in contact through three ink transfer rollers 30, 31, 32 as well as 
through two ink distributing cylinders 33, 34 with the lower ink 
application roller 26 resting against the printing cylinder 17.4. The 
lower ink distribution roller 33 is connected by an ink transfer roller 
36, together with an ink distribution cylinder 37 and a lifting roller 38 
with the ink ductor 39 of an ink duct 40. A dampening application roller 
42 of the dampening unit 18, which is resting against the printing 
cylinder 17.4, is connected through a dampening transfer roller 43 with a 
dampening ductor 44 of a dampening water duct 45. 
In the printing unit depicted in FIG. 5, there is provided an anilox short 
inking unit 22 and a spray dampening unit 21 in contact with the printing 
cylinder 17.5 of the right printing unit 5. This anilox short inking unit 
22 consists of one or two ink application rollers 47, 48 resting against 
the printing cylinder 17.5 and which are, in turn, connected by an ink 
roller 49 with an ink trough 50. It is also possible to employ a known 
chamber doctor blade as well as an ink catching trough in place of an ink 
trough 50. The dampening unit 21, embodied as a spray dampening unit, if 
desired, can consist of a dampening agent application roller 52, resting 
against the printing cylinder 17.5, and of a known spray device 53. 
Referring again primarily to FIG. 1, in the short multi-color web-fed 
rotary printing unit of the present invention, a paper web 58 to be 
printed, is supplied from a roll changer 56 through a draw-in unit 57. The 
paper web 58 is fed to the bottom of the multiple printing system 6 which 
consists of the four bridge printing units 2-11, 3-12, 4-13 and 5-14, 
which are positioned vertically stacked above each other. The roll changer 
56 and the draw-in unit 57 are generally conventional in construction and 
are located on the same horizontally extending first plane 59. After the 
paper web 58, which has been, for example, 4/4 printed, has left the top 
of the multiple printing system 6, traveling in the vertical direction, it 
is turned, for example in a contact free manner by a paper guide roller 61 
and is fed into an inlet end of a hot air dryer 62. The hot air dryer 62 
is located on a second horizontal plane 63 by the supports 71 and 72. As 
may be seen in FIG. 1, this second horizontal plane 63 is located above 
the first horizontal plane 59. The hot air dryer 62 extends over the roll 
changer 56 and the draw-in unit 57 and also extends partially over the 
multiple printing systems 6. At the least, the hot air dryer 62 extends 
over the roll changer 56. As viewed in the direction of travel of the 
printed paper web 58, the hot air dryer 62 is followed by a generally 
known cooling cylinder unit 64 which is also located on the second, upper 
horizontal plane 63. A turning bar superstructure 66 is situated beneath 
the cooling cylinder unit 64 and is used to direct the printed paper web 
58 to an inlet funnel or former unit 67 and then to a folding device 68 
with a suitable folded product delivery assembly. As may be seen in FIG. 
1, the folding device 68 is located on the first, lower horizontal plane 
59 and on the opposite side of the roll changer 56 from the draw-in unit 
57. 
As may be seen by comparing the prior art structure shown in FIG. 6 with 
the present invention, depicted in FIG. 7, the present invention provides 
a substantially shorter structural length printing press while maintaining 
the same structural height. The multi-color, web-fed rotary printing press 
for job printing in accordance with the present invention makes possible 
the accomplishment of 4/4 printing. It is also possible to operate the 
subject printing press in the "imprinter" mode. The rubber blankets and 
the printing cylinders are rendered easily accessible by the use of at 
least one horizontally shiftable frame component so that necessary 
maintenance work, as well as manual changing of rubber blanket packings or 
of printing plates can be made. It is also possible to accomplish the 
automatic changing of printing plates by use of known printing plate 
changing devices. It is also possible to change a printing forme by means 
of an exposure and blanketing unit without having to take the printing 
forme out of the press. It is also possible to employ printing cylinders 
or rubber blanket cylinders whose diameter has changed. In this case, as 
shown in FIG. 3, the bearing units for the journals of the cylinders must 
be embodied as being exchangeable. When using a generally known device, as 
is shown in German Patent Publication DE 3500319 A1, it is also possible 
to clamp the cylinders on one side so that the cylinders still present in 
the printing press can be provided with endless packings, such as rubber 
blanket or print packing. In accordance with the present invention, it 
will be understood that in a bridge printing arrangement, the rubber 
blanket cylinders of a printing station are located next to each other 
whereas in a non-bridge arrangement they are located above and below each 
other. 
While a preferred embodiment of a short, multi-color, web-fed rotary 
printing press in accordance with the present invention has been set forth 
fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in 
the art that a number of changes in, for example, the lengths of the 
cylinders, the type of paper web being printed, the types of printing 
plates used and the like could be made without departing from the true 
spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly to be 
limited only by the following claims.