ACCESSORY CYLINDER FOR USE IN A PRINTING MACHINE

Abstract: A numbering cylinder (30) for use in a printing machine (10), including a pair of circular end plates (32, 34) and frame means (36) extending between the circular plates (32, 34) to maintain the plates (32, 34) parallel. A shaft (38) is adapted to rotate relative to the circular plates (32, 34). A guide wheel (48, 50) is mounted on the shaft (38) for rotation with the shaft (38). A numbering head (54) is mounted to a ring (52) on the shaft (38) and rotatable with the shaft (38). The numbering cylinder (30) is replaceable for printing cylinder in a printing machine (10).

Description: ACCESSORY CYLINDER FOR USE IN A PRINTING MACHINE Technical Field The present invention relates to printing equipment and more particularly to an printing equip¬ ment which requires print cylinders and an accessory cylinder for such equipment. More specifically the present invention is intended to provide a replaceable cylinder with a num- bering function for use on duplicators that use easily replaceable print cylinders. The accessory cylinder could be also provided with other functions such as perforation and scoring. Background Art There are digital duplicators presently in use that rely on the concept of a single replaceable cylinder for any one operation. For instance the appa¬ ratus has a cylinder opening in which cylinders can easily be substituted. Typically, if a multicolor docu- ment is to be duplicated the copies are passes once through the duplicator utilizing a print cylinder with one color and then the copies are passed through the duplicator in successive passes utilizing a different print cylinder for each color. A typical digital dupli- cator is a so-called GR3750 Manufactured by RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION. Such a duplicator is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Referring to these drawings, the housing 10 includes an opening 12 in which the print cylinder 14 can be inserted. The print cylinder is provided with a drive shaft 16 which is easily coupled to the drive of the duplicator. Typically, a stack of sheets S is pro¬ vided on a feeder 18 and individual sheets P from the stack S are fed by the feed roller 20 onto a first con- veyor 22 pass the print cylinder 14. As the sheet approaches the print cylinder 14 a pressure roller 24 engages the sheet and presses it against the print cylinder. The sheet P then continues onto the exit con¬ veyor 26 which feed the individual sheets P into the delivery area 28. Disclosure Of The Invention The present invention is an accessory cylin¬ der that can be inserted into an opening provided in the housing of a duplicator and be coupled with the drive of the duplicator in place of a print cylinder. For instance, if it is necessary to number the sheets, the accessory cylinder is inserted into the opening and the stack of sheets is fed through the duplicator and numbers would be recorded on the sheets as they pass by the accessory cylinder which would replace the print cylinder. In a more specific embodiment of the present invention the accessory cylinder is a numbering cylin¬ der which includes at least a pair of end plates in the form of circular discs and frame means connecting the end discs in a parallel fixed relation. The so-formed assembly is adapted to fit into the opening of an existing duplicator. The cylinder includes a shaft rotatably mounted to the pair of end plates and adapted to be coupled to the drive of the duplicator. At least a guide disc is fixedly mounted to the shaft for rota¬ tion therewith and this guide disc is adapted to guide the sheet as it passes by the numbering cylinder. At least one ring is fixedly mounted to the shaft in rota¬ tion therewith, and the ring is adapted to mount a num- bering head. The numbering head is of the type whereby numbers can be changed by an actuator arm associated with the numbering head. At least one idler shaft extends between the end plates and is at the periphery of the cylinder, and includes means to be fixedly engaged by the guide roller in order to rotate the idler shaft. At least an inking roller is mounted to the idler shaft and arranged to cooperate with the num- bering head for transferring ink to the numbering head. At least one actuator cam is mounted to the frame extending between the end plates and the actuator cam is functional to engage the actuator arm on the number- ing head for changing the sequential numbers on each pass of a sheet to be numbered. Brief Description Of The Drawings The invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a digital duplicator in accordance with the prior art; Fig. 2 is a schematic view similar to Fig. 1 showing the element thereof in a different operative position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a numbering cylinder in accordance with the present invention; Figs 4a and 4b are radial cross-sections of the numbering cylinder shown in Fig. 3 but in different operative positions. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the numbering cylinder showing certain details in isolation; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a detail of the numbering cylinder shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further detail of the numbering cylinder shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a further detail of the numbering cylinder shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a further detail of the numbering cylinder shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 10 which includes Figs. 10a and 10b shows side views of a detail of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 11 which includes Fig. Ila and lib shows front and side views of another embodiment of the detail shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a detail of the numbering cylinder shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the detail shown in Fig. 12 in combination with the detail shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 14 is a schematic view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the present invention; and Fig. 15 which includes Fig. 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, and 15f shows different embodiments of a detail of the present invention. Mode For Carrying Out The Invention The numbering cylinder 30 shown in Fig. 3 in¬ cludes end plates 32 and 34 spaced apart and mounted by frame members in the form of rods 36. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5 there may be four rods 36 fixed to the end walls 32 and 34. Referring to Figs. 3 and 6 the shaft 38 is illustrated. The shaft 38 is mounted with ball bearing bushings in the plates 32 and 34 as shown in Fig. 6. The shaft 38 extends beyond the end walls 32 and 34 and is adapted to be coupled to the drive of the duplica- tor 10 by means of the socket 40. As shown in Figs. 3 and 7 a plurality of idler shafts 42 are provided, each mounting friction sleeve 44 and ink rollers 46. The shafts 42 are placed near the periphery of the plates 32 and 34 and are mounted in ball bearing bushings to plates 32 and 34. A pair of sheet guide discs 48 and 50 are mounted to the shaft 38 as shown in Figs. 3 and 9. As will be described later, these sheet guide discs 48 and 50 are of a similar diameter to a print cylinder and will act to simulate the print cylinder when the sheet of paper P passes there below. The sheet guide discs 48 and 50 are fixed to the shaft 38 and are therefore rotated by the driven shaft and in turn will rotate the friction sleeves 44 which are adapted to be frictional engaged thereby. Thus, when the shaft 38 is driven, disc 48 will rotate the shaft 42, thereby rotating the ink rollers 46. A mounting ring 52 is fixedly mounted to the shaft 38 as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Any number of mounting rings 52 can be provided as shown in Fig. 15. A numbering head 54 is adjustably mounted to the mount- ing ring 52. Different embodiments of numbering heads are shown in Figs. 11, and 12 and a plurality of combi¬ nations of mounting rings 52 and numbering heads 54 or 55 are shown in Fig. 15. The numbering head 54 includes the digit rings 56 and the actuator arm 58. Pivotally mounted to a rod 36 is an actuator cam 60. This actuator cam 60 is best shown in Figs. 3, 4a, 4b, 8, 12 and 14. A cam lever 62 mounting a cam follower roller 66 is fixedly connected to actuator cam 60. A spring 64 maintains the lever 62 in a disengaged posi¬ tion as shown in Fig. 4a. A cam 68 is mounted and rotates with the shaft 38 and includes a cam projec¬ tion 68a. The cam projection 68a is synchronized with a space between the sheets being fed. Each time the cam projection 68a passes by the cam follower 66, the lever 62 will be forced to rotate counterclockwise relative to the rod 36 and against the spring 64. When there is a sheet present, as shown in Fig. 14, the pressure roller 24 will be moved upwardly towards the cylinder 30 as shown in Fig. 4b. Thus, the pressure roller 34 will engage the lever 72 fixed to the lock mechanism 70 which is piv¬ oted at 71 against spring 76. Thus, on the next pass, when the cam projection 68a causes the lever 62 to move downwardly, the lock mechanism 70 will be pushed into a position such that the lever 62 under the urging of spring 64 will engage the catch 74 in lock mecha¬ nism 70. Thus, the actuator cam 60 will remain in the engaged position as shown in Fig. 4b and as the number- ing head 54 passes the actuator cam 60, the actuator cam 60 will engage the actuator arm 58, thereby causing a sequential change in the numbering head 54. If there is a gap in the paper feed, that is no sheet is being fed, the pressure roller 24 will remain in its lower position, as shown in Fig. 4a, and thus when the cam projection 68 makes an other pass, it will nevertheless engage cam follower 66 and depress lever 62, allowing the locking device 70 to disengage itself and to return home under the urging of spring 76, as shown in Fig. 4a. Thus, the actuator cam 60 will rotate counterclockwise with the lever 62 being depressed by the cam projection 68a but the actuator cam 60 and lever 62 will return to the disengaged position as shown in Fig. 4a because the lever 62 will no longer be retained by the catch 74. Thus the actuator cam 60 will not engage the actuator arm 58 of the numbering head 54 and the number sequence will not be changed. As shown in Fig. 14 the operation of the duplicator will be similar to that described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2 but since the numbering cylin- der 30 occupies the space normally occupied by the printing cylinder, the sheets being fed will be num¬ bered by the numbering head 54 as it passes. The sequential numbering will be activated as described in relation to Fig. 4a and 4b.

Claims: WE CLAIM : 1. A replaceable accessory cylinder for use in a printing machine, including a pair of end plates and frame means extending between the plates to maintain the plates parallel, a shaft adapted to rotate relative to the circular plates, at least a guide wheel mounted on the shaft for rotation with the shaft, at least an accessory mounting ring on the shaft and rotatable with the shaft. 2. A replaceable cylinder as defined in claim 1, wherein a numbering head is mounted to the mounting ring and means are associated with the frame to actuate the numbering means. 3. A replaceable accessory cylinder as defined in claim 1, wherein the replaceable cylinder is interchangeable with a printing cylinder and with other accessory cylinders having different accessories. 4. A replaceable accessory cylinder as defined in claim 3, wherein the guide wheels are sheet guide discs and have a diameter equivalent to the diameter of the printing cylinder. 5. A replaceable accessory cylinder as defined in claim 2, wherein the actuating means for the numbering head include an actuator cam mounted on the frame for changing the numbers on the numbering head and linkage means for determining the presence of a sheet to be printed whereby when the sheet to be printed is absent, the linking means will cause the actuator cam to avoid engagement with the numbering head. 6. A replaceable accessory cylinder as defined in claim 3, wherein the printing machine is provided with an opening for receiving a print cylinder and said accessory cylinder can be interchangeable with the print cylinder in the opening in the printing machine. 7. A replaceable accessory cylinder as defined in claim 2, wherein the cylinder includes a shaft rotatably mounted to the pair of circular end plates and is adapted to be coupled to the drive of the printing machine, at least two paper guide discs are fixedly mounted to the shaft for rotation therewith and adapted to guide the sheet as it passes by the accessory cylinder at least one idler shaft extending between the end plates at the periphery of the cylinder, and including means to be fixedly engaged by the guide roller in order to rotate the idler shaft at least an inking roller mounted on the idler shaft and arranged to cooperate with the numbering head for transfering ink to the numbering head and at least one actuator cam mounted to the frame, the numbering head including an actuator arm in the actuating cam functional to engage the actuator arm and the numbering head for changing the sequential numbers on each pass of a sheet to be numbered.

Inventors: CHARBONNEAU MARTIN, DOUCET PIERRE, CHARBONNEAU, MARTIN, DOUCET, PIERRE
Applicants: CHARBONNEAU MARTIN, DOUCET PIERRE, EQUIP PRECIBEC INC, CHARBONNEAU, MARTIN, DOUCET, PIERRE, EQUIPEMENT PRECIBEC INC.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B41F13
IPC codes: B41F13