INKING DEVICE FOR PRINTING APPARATUS

Abstract: An inking device for a printing apparatus, comprising a form roller disposed in the printing apparatus main unit parallelly to a printing shaft and rotatably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of a printing member mounted on the printing shaft, and an ink feed unit detachably mounted opn the printing apparatus main unit and having a distributor roller rotatably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of the form roller to supply the form roller with ink when the ink feed unit is mounted on the printing apparatus main unit, which can always provide an adequate nip pressure irrespective of movement of the printing shaft or mounting/removal of the ink feed unit.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to an inking device for supplying ink to a numbering device or a relief imprinting cylinder attached, for example, to a sheet-feed offset printing apparatus. Description of the Prior Art Fig.11 is a schematic view showing entire structure of a prior art sheet-feed offset printing apparatus. Referring to Fig.11, numeral 1 indicates a plate cylinder, numeral 3 indicates a blanket cylinder, number 5 indicates an impression cylinder, numeral 7 indicates an inker for plate cylinder, number 9 indicates a sheet feeder, and numeral 11 indicates a delivery station. A line pattern transferred from the plate cylinder 1 to the blanket cylinder is imprinted on a sheet of paper supplied from the sheet feeder 9 into between the blanket cylinder 3 and the impression cylinder 5, and the printed sheet is discharged by the delivery station 11. Further, a number printing unit 17 comprising a numbering device 13 and its ink unit 15 is disposed between the impression cylinder 5 and the delivery station 11, and the sheet discharged from between the blanket cylinder 3 and the impression cylinder 5 is number printed. Heretofore, in most small-size printing apparatus, the number printing unit 17 is detachably mounted on a printing apparatus main unit 19, and the detaching configuration includes the following two types. In a first type, e.g. US-A-2 004 801, US-A 2 128 360, US-A 3 020 841, US-A 2 564 590 or referring to Fig.12, the ink unit is configured as a unit so that a numbering shaft 23 and an ink unit 15 can be independently attached and detached. In a second type, referring to Fig.13, the numbering shaft 23 and the ink unit 15 are integrally configured into a unit so that the numbering shaft 23 and the ink unit 15 can be attached and detached all at once. However, the above-described prior art apparatus has had the following problems. First, when to adjust the nip pressure (contact pressure) of a form roller 18, which is to apply ink to the numbering device 13, to the numbering device 13, since a distributor roller 21 is disposed closely there is only a small working space which considerably deteriorates the workability of adjustment. In particular, in the first type which has the numbering shaft 23 and the ink unit 15 separately disposed, the nip pressure adjustment must be performed at every mounting of the ink unit 15 on the main unit 19, which leads to an increased preparation time for printing. Moreover, when the thickness of sheet to be printed varies, the distance between the centers of the impression cylinder 5 and the numbering shaft (printing shaft) 23 supporting the numbering device 13 must be varied according to the thickness. In such a case, when the center of the numbering shaft 23 is moved, the nip pressure of the form roller 18 to the numbering device 13 is varied, and therefore the nip pressure must be readjusted. Further, if, as a result of test printing, the mounting position of the numbering device 13 relative to the numbering shaft 23 is to be varied, the ink unit must be removed in the case of the first type. In the case of the second type in which the numbering shaft 23 and the ink unit 15 are integrally disposed, the entire unit must be removed. Therefore, various adjustments must be made again after the removed components are replaced. On the other hand, when final printing is completed or when printing operation must be interrupted during final printing, for example, due to a trouble in paper feed, and rollers must be idled, the distance between the centers of the impression cylinder 5 and the numbering shaft 23 must be expanded in order to prevent adherence of ink onto the impression cylinder 5. However, if the numbering shaft 23 is moved in the direction away from the impression cylinder 5, the numbering shaft 23 is consequently brought closer to the form roller 18, which increases the nip pressure of the form roller 18 to the numbering device 13. This can result in a change in concentration of ink or, in an extreme case, the rubber-made form roller 18 may be damaged. Although the above description is for the case of number printing, the conditions are same in the case of imprinting. When a relief printing cylinder in place of the numbering device 13 is attached to a printing shaft which corresponds to the numbering shaft 23, imprinting operation can be performed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With a view to solve all of the problems of prior art printing apparatus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an inking device for use in a printing apparatus, which allows an adequate nip pressure of the form roller to be always obtained irrespective of movement of the printing shaft associated with, for example, adjustment to the thickness of print paper. In accordance with the present invention which attains the above object, there is provided an inking device for use in a printing apparatus according to claim 1. In the inking device for a printing apparatus according to the present invention, when the ink feed unit is mounted on the main unit of the printing apparatus, the distributor roller of the ink feed unit comes into contact with the form roller of the main unit of the printing apparatus, and ink is supplied from the distributor roller to the form roller. Ink is then coated by the form roller onto the printing member to perform printing. The form roller, irrespective of attachment or detachment of the ink feed unit, is always maintained at a position relative to the printing member, and therefore the nip pressure of the form roller is not affected by movement of the printing shaft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig.1 is a schematic view showing part of a printing apparatus using an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.2 is an enlarged view of part of the printing apparatus in Fig.1. Fig.3 is a vertical sectional view of a numbering shaft. Fig.4 is an enlarged sectional view of a supporting part of the numbering shaft. Fig.5 is a side view of a numbering device. Fig.6 is an enlarged sectional view of a supporting section of a form roller. Fig.7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of the form roller. Fig.8 is a partly broken enlarged perspective view of an end of a lever. Fig.9 is a perspective view showing relative positions of the numbering shaft, the form roller, an ink retention roller and other components. Fig.10 is a perspective view of ends of the levers. Fig.11 is a schematic view showing structure of a prior art sheet-feed offset printing apparatus. Figs.12 and 13 are schematic views explaining removal of a prior art ink unit. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig.1 is a schematic view showing part of a printing apparatus according to the present invention, Fig.2 is an enlarged view of part of the printing apparatus according to the present invention, and Fig.3 is a vertical sectional view of a numbering shaft of the printing apparatus. In a main unit 19 of the printing apparatus, a numbering shaft 23, which is a printing shaft to perform number printing, is disposed in the vicinity of an impression cylinder 5. Referring to Fig.3, the numbering shaft 23 is supported on both sides by eccentric bushings 27 through bearing metals 25, and each of the eccentric bushings 27 is supported by one of main unit frames 29. A driving gear 31 is fixed at one end of the number shaft 23, and the numbering shaft 23 is driven by a drive source (not shown) through the driving gear 31 to rotate synchronized with the impression cylinder 5. The eccentric bushings 27 are rotatably supported by the main unit frames 29 and, as shown in Fig.4 which is an enlarged view of a supporting part of the numbering shaft 23, and have an eccentricity e between the center of the inner peripheral surface of the bushings 27 contacting with the bearing metals 25 and the center of the circular art of the outer peripheral surfaces contacting with the main unit frames 29, thereby allowing movement of the axial center of the numbering shaft 23 by changing the phase angle of the eccentric bushings 27 through rods 33 mounted on the eccentric bushings 27. Thus, by turning the eccentric bushings 27, the numbering shaft 23 is moved and the distance between axial centers of the numbering shaft 23 and the impression cylinder 5 is adjusted for adapting for the thickness of paper to be printed and withdrawal of the numbering shaft 23 in the event of a malfunction. On the numbering shaft 23 is mounted a numbering device 13 which is a printing member for number printing. The numbering device 13, as shown in Fig.5 showing its side view, is mounted on a mount 35 so that the position of the numbering device 13 can be circumferentially adjusted. The mount 35 can be mounted at any axial position on the numbering shaft 23 so that the numbering shaft 23 is placed between the mount 35 and a mounting cap 37. Further, the numbering shaft 23 has gear 41 mounted detachably by a taper pin 39 so that when an ink feed unit which will be described herein later is mounted on the main unit 19 of the printing apparatus, the gear 41 engages with a drive gear (not shown) of the ink feed unit 81 to drive the ink feed unit 81. On the eccentric bushings 27 at both ends of the numbering shaft 23 bosses of levers 43 are rotatably mounted. Rotational centers of the levers 43 are aligned with the centers of inner peripheral arcs of the eccentric bushings 27, that is the rotational center of the numbering shaft 23. A form roller 45 is detachably mounted between the ends of the levers 43 so that the form roller 45 extends in parallel to the numbering shaft 23 and is in rotatable contact with the outer peripheral surface of the numbering device 13. Referring to Fig.6 which is an enlarged sectional view of the supporting part of the form roller 45 and Fig.7 which is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII, on the levers 43 at their ends holders 47 are mounted so that the rotational positions of the holders 47 are adjustable, a rotary shaft 51 of the form roller 45 is placed in grooves 49 formed in the holders 47, collars 55 are urged by springs 53 to prevent the rotary shaft 51 from coming out of the grooves 49, and thus the form roller 45 is supported by the levers 43. Positions of the bottoms of the grooves 49 of the holders 47 are shifted from rotational centers of the holders relative to the levers 43, and the mounting position of the form roller 45 relative to the levers 45 can be adjusted by changing the phase angle of the holders 47, and thereby the nip pressure of the form roller 45 to the numbering device 13 can be adjusted As shown in Fig.3 and Fig.8 which is an enlarged broken perspective view of part of Fig.3, the levers 43 are provided at their ends with U-shaped grooves 57 on which ends of an ink retention roller 59 are detachably mounted. The ink retention roller 59, when mounted on the grooves 57, is placed parallel to and on the form roller 45, and a nip pressure of the ink retention roller 59 to the form roller 45 is obtained from the weight of the ink retention roller 59 itself. The ink retention roller 59 is also provided at its both ends with knurled knobs 61 to facilitate manual rotation. Fig.9 is a schematic perspective view showing relative positions of the numbering shaft 23, the ink retention roller 59, and other components. Fig.9 shows an example in which a relief imprinting cylinder 63 in place of the numbering device 13 is mounted on the numbering shaft 23 as a printing shaft. The bosses of the levers 43 are provided with projecting mounting pieces 65, and springs 67 are provided between the mounting pieces 65 and the main unit frames 29, and the levers 43 are urged counter-clockwise in Fig.1 by the force of the springs so that the form roller 45 is pressed towards the ink feed unit 81. As shown in Fig.10 which is a perspective view of the ends of the levers 43, a connecting plate 69 is mounted between the levers 43 on both sides, and the connecting plate 69 has a pair of claws 71 which are urged by torsion springs 73 so that the ends of claws 71 are directed upward. On a supporting rod 75 mounted between the main unit frames 29 in the vicinity of the claws 71, stopping pieces 77 which are engageable with the claws 71 are provided, and the rotation of the levers 43 urged by the springs 67 is limited when the claws 71 come into engagement with the stopping pieces 77. The claws 71 have operating pins 79 which can be rotated to turn the claws 71 against the force of the torsion springs 73 and release engagement of the claws 71 with the stopping pieces 77. In Fig.1 and Fig.2, numeral 81 indicates the ink feed unit, which is provided separately from the main unit 19 of the printing apparatus and is detachably mounted on the main unit 19 of the printing apparatus using a conventional method known in the art. The ink unit 81 has an ink bottle 83, a fountain roller 85, an ink ductor roller 87, an intermediate distributor roller 89, a distributor roller 91 which is to rotatably contact with the form roller 45, and a drive gear mechanism (not shown) to drive these components. The ink unit 81 is detachably mounted on an opening of the main unit 19 of the printing apparatus provided opposing the form roller 45. With the ink unit 81 mounted, the distributor roller 91 contacts with the form roller 45, and the rollers 45 and 91 are pressed against each other with an adequate nip pressure provided by the springs 67. With the above-described arrangement, printing operation is performed with the ink feed unit 81 mounted on the main unit 19 of the printing apparatus. Ink is supplied from the distributor roller 91 through the form roller 45 to the numbering device 13. In this case, when the axial center of the numbering shaft 23 is moved, for example, for adjustment to paper thickness, relative positions of the numbering device 13 and the distributor roller 91 are varied, but the variation is absorbed by rotation of the levers 43. The nip pressure of the form roller 45 to the numbering device 13 is previously adjusted by turning the holders 47, and the lever 43 turn concentrically with the numbering shaft 23, thus the nip pressure is not affected by turning of the levers 43. Test printing can be carried out with the ink feed unit 81 removed from the main unit 19 of the printing apparatus. With the ink feed unit 81 removed, ink is applied onto the ink retention roller 59 or the form roller 45, the ink retention roller 59 is rotated to form the ink, and test printing is performed using the ink. Therefore, as a result of test printing, when the position of the numbering device 13 is to be changed, the change can be performed with a good workability since the ink feed unit is not mounted. The ink retention roller 59 is removed after the test printing is completed. When to clean the impression cylinder 5 or other components, with the ink feed unit 81 remove, the springs 67 are removed and the claws 71 are disengaged from the stopping pieces 77, then the levers 43 can be turned in a large way as indicated in Fig.2 by imaginary lines. This can provide an open space above the numbering device 13, thereby enabling easy cleaning work.

Claims: An inking device for use in a printing apparatus having a printing shaft (23) disposed in the vicinity of an impression cylinder (5) in a main unit (19) of the printing apparatus and driven to rotate synchronized with said impression cylinder (5) for printing by a printing member (13, 63) mounted on said printing shaft (23) an object inserted between said impression cylinder (5) and said printing member (13, 63), having an ink feed unit (81) detachably mounted on said main unit (19) of the printing apparatus, having a form roller (45) extending in parallel to said printing shaft (23) and rotatably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of said printing member (13, 63) and having a distributor roller (91) rotatably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of said form roller (45) to supply said form roller (45) with ink when said ink feed unit (81) is mounted on said main unit (19) of the printing apparatus, characterized in that said form roller (45) is rotatably supported by levers (43) having the same center of rotation as said printing shaft (23) in said main unit (19) of the printing apparatus. An inking device as claimed in claim 1 wherein springs (67) are provided for urging said levers (43) in a direction to press said form roller (45) against said distributor roller (91) when said ink feed unit (81) is mounted on said main unit (19) of the printing apparatus. An inking device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein an ink retention roller (59) is detachably disposed in parallel to said form roller (45) and rotatably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of said form roller (45) to supply said form roller (45) with ink. An inking device according to claim 1 wherein said form roller (45) is rotatably supported by levers (43) having the same center of rotation as said printing shaft (23) in said main unit (19) of the printing apparatus, wherein springs (67) are provided for urging said levers (43) in a direction to press said form roller (45) against said distributor roller (91) when said ink feed unit (81) is mounted on said main unit (19) of the printing apparatus and wherein an ink retention roller (59) rotatably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of said form roller (45) for supplying said form roller (45) with ink is detachably supported by said levers (43) and is arranged in parallel to said form roller (45). An inking device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said printing member is a numbering device (13) for number printing. An inking device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said printing member is a relief imprinting cylinder (63) for imprinting.

Inventors: KOMORI, TATSUO KOMORI PRINTING MACH. CO. LTD., SUGIYAMA, HIROYUKI KOMORI PRINTING MACH. CO. LTD., TAKAMATSU, HIROSHI KOMORI PRINTING MACH. CO. LTD.
Applicants: KOMORI CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B41F31
IPC codes: B41F31