Abstract:
A printing machine includes at least one printing group, one folder and at least one turn-and-mix stage that supplies the printed web output from the printing group to the folder. A web path from the printing group to the folder, when projected into a horizontal plane, is bent or deviates in the area of the turn-and-mix stage. The turn-and-mix stage or superstructure, includes a horizontal cutting device at an input side, for use in cutting the web into at least two partial webs. At least two horizontally displaceable turning bars are provided, and the partial webs pass around these turning bars.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This patent application is the U.S. national phase, under 35 USC 371, of PCT/DE 2003/004192, filed Dec. 19, 2003; published as WO 2004/069708 A1 on Aug. 19, 2004, and claiming priority to DE 103 04 295, filed Feb. 4, 2003, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a printing press with at least one printing group, one folding apparatus and at least one turning and mixing stage. The turning and mixing stage conducts the web from the printing group to the folding apparatus. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Single- and double-width printing groups are generally known, and are typically printing groups whose cylinder width is of such dimensions that the cylinders are capable of supporting two or four printing plates side-by-side. If a printing press, with a single-width printing stage, is employed for imprinting a broadsheet product, the imprinted continuous web is then longitudinally folded in the former of the folding apparatus and is subsequently cut into signatures. It is also possible to imprint tabloid products, if a longitudinal cutting device, which severs the imprinted web linearly in the center, is provided between the printing stage and the folding apparatus. In this case, two partial webs are placed on top of each other in the former, are then cut into sections, and a signature is formed only in the course of subsequent transverse folding of the cut-off sections. The change between tabloid and broadsheet production is comparatively simple, even if webs of different widths are being used in both productions. If the webs are conducted through the printing press, and are centered in relation to a center line, the longitudinal cutting device and the nose of the former are always correctly positioned with respect to each other. 
   Double-width printing stages are capable of imprinting four printed pages positioned side-by-side, which four printed pages are distributed over the width of a web. Before such a double-width web passes through a turning and mixing stage, it must be cut longitudinally at least once, at the center of the web, for forming two partial webs, each of which has a width of two pages. After mixing and, if required, turning, these partial webs are then conducted to formers of a folding apparatus. If such a press is to be capable of processing webs of different widths, it is either necessary to be able to match the position of the formers to the width of the web or, if the former is fixed, the turning and mixing stage must be capable of laterally offsetting the two partial webs by a fraction of their width in such a way that they arrive correctly centered at the formers and the longitudinal fold is thus formed in the right position. If broadsheet products with inserts, or tabloid products, are formed, the partial webs, provided by the first longitudinal cutting device, must be cut again by two longitudinal cutting devices. With changes in the width of the webs, this longitudinal cutting is only correctly possible if at least the second longitudinal cutting devices can be shifted transversely in relation to the web. 
   Initially, these problems make it appear that it would be sensible to employ printing presses of single width for printing jobs requiring the use of webs of different widths. However, this has the disadvantage that a number of single-width printing groups, which would be required for producing a signature of a given amount of pages, is twice as large as a number of double-width printing groups which would be needed for the same purpose. Two single-width printing groups are clearly more expensive to construct and are therefore also greater in price than a double-width printing group. Added to this is the fact that commercially available double-width printing groups are often constructed for higher web speeds than are single-width printing groups. To construct a single-width printing press of large output capabilities, it is not possible to utilize existing components. Instead, it is necessary to construct such printing groups from scratch. 
   DE 197 28 207 A1 discloses a printing press with two turning towers which are arranged between two printing towers, which two turning towers redirect the webs, which run transversely, with respect to the cylinder axes of the printing groups, longitudinally in respect to the cylinder axes. The turning towers conduct the webs to a folding apparatus, in which the formers are arranged transversely, with respect to the cylinder axes. 
   DE 44 19 217 A1 shows a printing press with a longitudinal former. The width of the longitudinal former is approximately that of the width of the printing groups. 
   It has become known, for example from an article by Engelbert Muth in Polygraph 1965, pages 508 to 512, and entitled “Falzvorrichtungen an Rollentiefdruckmaschinen” [Folding Devices in Web-Fed Rotogravure Printing Presses], to laterally adjust paper webs by shifting turning bars. 
   The article by Wolfgang Walenski “Der Falzaufbau (Überbau)”, or [Folding Structure (Superstructure], in “Der Rollenoffsetdruck”, or [Web-Fed Offset Printing], 1st. ed., Fellbach Fachschriften, publishers, 1995, pages 186 to 197, discloses different methods of web guidance to formers by the use of turning bars. For example, on page 194 of the article it is shown to cut a web into two partial webs, to place these partial webs on top of each other and to conduct them centered to a former. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,487 discloses displaceable turning bars. 
   DE 101 31 976 A1 discloses printing presses for variable web widths with a straight path of the webs and with several formers side-by-side. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is directed to providing a printing press with at least one printing group, one folding apparatus and at least one turning and mixing stage. 
   In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by the provision of at least one printing group, one folding apparatus with a former and at least one turning and mixing stage. A web is conducted from the printing group to the folding apparatus in a path that has a bend or turn, in a horizontal plane projection, at the turning and mixing stage. A longitudinal cutting device is provided at the input to the turning and mixing stage and cuts the web longitudinally into at least two partial webs. Each of the partial webs then is directed to its own one of at least two turning bars which can be shifted horizontally. 
   Among the advantages of the printing press in accordance with the present invention is its simple, compact construction, which makes it possible to divide an imprinted web into two partial webs, and to place these two partial webs exactly on top of each other in a simple manner, and regardless of their width. 
   This advantage is achieved essentially because the turning and mixing stage of the printing press laterally bends the path of the web, as projected into a horizontal plane, from the printing group to the folding apparatus with the aid of two turning or deflection bars, around each of which turning or deflection bar a partial web can be looped. The turning and mixing stage has a longitudinal cutting device for use in forming the at least two partial webs from an imprinted web fed to the turning and mixing stage. These two turning or deflection bars can each be horizontally shifted. 
   In principle, these two deflection bars can be displaced in any arbitrary direction, which direction is not parallel in relation to their axes, in order to fix the position at which the partial webs exit from the turning and mixing stage. However, a displaceability which is parallel, in relation to the path of the web between the printing group and the turning and mixing stage, is preferred. With such an arrangement, the area of a turning or a deflection bar, around which the partial web loops, is not changed if the bar is shifted. A range of the displaceability of the webs or partial webs running from the turning and mixing stage to the folding apparatus is only limited by the freedom of movement of the turning or deflection bars. 
   If it is assumed that each web, which is processed in the printing press, is longitudinally cut and that the resulting partial webs are placed on top of each other prior to entering the folding apparatus, or if it is assumed that webs which exceed a fixed width limit are always cut, while webs of a greater width can also remain uncut, it is possible to save space and expense if the folding apparatus is constructed to be narrower than the printing stage. More exactly stated, space and expense can be saved if an inlet of the folding apparatus, which is not required to process webs of the full width which can be processed by the printing press, is narrower than an outlet of the printing group. 
   The printing group preferably is double-wide, and the folding apparatus is only configured for processing single-width webs. 
   To reroute a web, or to reroute the partial webs cut from that web, the turning and mixing stage has two or three turning or deflection bars. Since it is not necessary to be able to shift one of the turning or deflection bars over the other, all of the turning or deflection bars can be conducted along a common guide rail. At least one turning or deflection bar has the necessary length required for rerouting a web of maximal width. Every other turning or deflection bar can then be shorter than the one bar with the maximal length. 
   Because of the displaceability of the turning bars, every web fed to the folding apparatus has considerable freedom of movement in the transverse direction. Accordingly, movement of the former is not necessary to achieve a correct alignment of the web or of the partial webs on the former. 
   A second longitudinal cutting device, for use in longitudinally cutting a partial web, is preferably arranged in such a way at the turning and mixing stage on the conveying track of the web downstream of a turning or deflection bar that it acts on a partial web which was rerouted by the turning or deflection bar. This second cutting device is usefully centered on the former, so that its cutting line coincides with the nose of the folding cylinder. Since the web fed to the second longitudinal cutting device can be transversely shifted with the aid of the turning or deflection bar and can therefore always be fed to this second longitudinal cutting device exactly centered, regardless of its width, a displaceability of this second longitudinal cutting device is also unnecessary. 
   A turning bar is preferably arranged at a side of the turning and mixing stage which is facing away from the folding apparatus. Since, with a web which is guided around only one turning or deflection bar, the top and undersides are exchanged, in the course of passing through the turning and mixing stage, it is possible, by also looping the web around the turning bar, to conduct the web through the turning and mixing stage without exchanging the top and undersides. 
   If several turning and mixing stages are simultaneously arranged on top of each other for processing several webs, such a turning bar can also be used for exchanging webs between the turning and mixing stages. 
   The second longitudinal cutting device can be arranged along the path of travel of a web from one turning and mixing stage to another turning and mixing stage. The two partial webs, formed by this longitudinal cutting device, can be conducted to respectively different turning and mixing stages. It is also possible to place the second longitudinal cutting device directly at the outlet of the turning and mixing stage. This is particularly useful for printing tabloid products. 
   If the printing press contains more than two printing groups, the turning and mixing stage is preferably arranged between the two. Webs can be fed to the turning and mixing stage selectively from both sides. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented in the drawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows. 
     Shown are in: 
       FIG. 1 , a schematic side elevation view of a printing press in accordance with the present invention, in 
       FIG. 2 , a top plan view of the printing press in accordance with  FIG. 1 , in 
       FIG. 3 , a schematic representation of two turning and mixing stages of the printing press, in 
       FIGS. 4 to 6 , examples of paths of web guidance in the turning and mixing stages, and in 
       FIGS. 7 to 9 , schematic depictions of different ways of cutting and of folding a paper web in the press in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A schematic side elevation view of a printing press in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . Two roll changers  01  are arranged for use with a printing tower  02  includes five printing groups  03  which are adapted for imprinting both sides of a web  04  or  06  passed through them. The webs  04  and  06 , which are wound off two the roll changers  01 , can be conducted to the printing tower  02  on different paths, as seen in  FIG. 1 . A configuration is shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the web  04  passes through the lower four printing groups  03  and is imprinted in color. The web  06  is imprinted in black and white in the upper printing group  03 . It is, of course, possible to provide configurations wherein one of the webs  04 ,  06  passes through two printing groups and the other web passes through three printing groups, etc. 
   The webs  04 ,  06 , which are imprinted in the printing tower  02 , are each respectively conducted to one of two turning and mixing stages  07 , which are arranged on top of each other, as seen in  FIG. 1 . As shown in the view from above in  FIG. 2 , these two stages  07  are arranged in a straight line with the roll changers  01  and the printing tower  02 . 
   In the extension of this straight line, it is possible to arrange a further printing tower  02 ′ and further roll changers  01 ′, which are represented in dashed lines in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , for its supply. Webs  04 ′,  06 ′ imprinted in this further printing tower  02 ′ are also conducted to turning and mixing stages, which constitute a stack with the stages  07 . 
   A longitudinal cutting device  08 , such as, for example, in the form of two traction rollers which rotate in contact with each other, between which respective webs  04 ,  06  are passed and on one of which there is situated a rotating blade, is located between the printing tower  02  and the turning and mixing stage  07 . If required, the longitudinal cutting device  08  can be moved away from the webs  04 ,  06 , so that it lets the webs  04 ,  06  to pass through the longitudinal cutting device  08  uncut. 
   Each turning and mixing stage  07  contains three turning or deflection bars  09 ,  11 , which are arranged at an angle of 45° with respect to the transport direction of the web  04 ,  06 . The length of the center turning or deflection bar  11  is of such dimensions that it is able to reroute a web  04 ,  06 , of a maximum web width which can be processed in the printing tower  02  by 90°. The two outer turning or deflection bars  09  each have a lesser width, which is selected for rerouting a partial web  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  which is formed at the longitudinal cutting device  08 . The turning or deflection bars  09 ,  11  can be shifted independently of each other in horizontal rails  12 , which are aligned with the straight line connecting the roll changers  01 , printing tower  92  and turning and mixing stage  07 . The web  04  or  06  leaves the turning and mixing stage  07  after having been turned by 90°. The two short turning or deflection bars  09  are each placed in such a way that partial webs  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22 , which were formed at the longitudinal cuffing device  08 , come to rest exactly on top of each other at the outlet of the turning and mixing stage  07 . This is possible independently of the width of the supplied web  04 ,  06 , since the turning or deflection bars  09  can be shifted with respect to each other. It is also possible, by shifting the turning or deflection bars  09  or  11  to align the web  04 ,  06  or the partial webs  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  exiting the turning and mixing stage  07  exactly with respect to the former  17  of a folding apparatus  16  and to fold the webs or partial webs linearly in the center of the webs or the partial webs in this way. 
   The turning bars  09 ,  11  can be pivoted around a vertical axis by 90°, and can be turned around a horizontal axis, which is parallel, in relation to the web transport direction, by 180°, in order to initially guide a web  04 ,  06  or partial webs  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22 , which are looped around them, to a second turning bar  18 , where they are turned by 180° and are finally conducted to the former  17 . A longitudinal axis of the inlet of the former  17  is arranged at 90° with respect to the longitudinal axis of a cylinder of the printing group  03 . 
   The second turning bars  18  are also used for interchanging partial webs  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  between different turning and mixing stages  07 , as will become clear from a review of  FIGS. 3 to 6 .  FIG. 3  shows a schematic side elevation view of two turning and mixing stages  07 , which are located one above the other, and each of which is provided with two short turning or deflection bars  09  and one long turning or deflection bar  11 , which bars  09 ,  11  are maintained in frame elements  19 . Two triangles, shown in  FIG. 3 , symbolize two formers  17 , which two formers  17  are located one above the other, and are part of the folding apparatus  16 . Located opposite these former  17 , several groups of second turning bars  18  are arranged, three such second turning bars  18  are assigned to each turning or deflection bar  09 ,  11 . Dashed lines symbolize possible web paths. 
   Concrete examples for web paths, in accordance with the present invention, are represented in  FIGS. 4 to 6 .  FIG. 4  shows a simple example, wherein two partial webs  13 ,  14 , which are formed from the web  06 , are rerouted in the upper turning and mixing stage  07 , and two partial webs  21 ,  22 , which are formed from the web  04 , are rerouted in the lower turning and mixing stage  07 , and are conducted directly to the upper former  17  while maintaining their sequence. It is, of course, also possible to conduct one or several lower of the partial webs  21 ,  22 , or all of the partial webs  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  to the lower former  17 . 
   With the configuration shown in  FIG. 5 , the partial web  21  is conducted over the second turning bars  18  into the upper turning and mixing stage  07 , and is conducted from there as the uppermost web  21  to the former  17 . A printed product is obtained in this way, whose outermost and innermost page each are of a different color than those of the two pages lying between them. It would, of course, also be possible to feed the partial web  21  to the former  17  between the partial webs  13  and  14 . In the same way, it would be possible to exchange each other partial web  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  between the turning and mixing stages  07 . Alternatively, several partial webs  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  could be simultaneously exchanged. 
   A longitudinal cutting device  23 , which is, as seen in  FIG. 6 , arranged at the second turning bars  18 , allows the separation of a partial web  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  along the partial web center, and in the case shown in  FIG. 6 , the partial web  21 , into two half-width partial webs  21   a ,  21   b . In the configuration represented here, each of the two half-width partial webs  21   a ,  21   b  results in a single inner page in the continuous webs fed to the two formers  17 . The longitudinal cutting device  23 , shown in  FIG. 6 , is arranged at a location in which it can act on a partial web  21  which is exchanged between the turning and mixing stages  07 . It would also be within the scope of the present invention to assign a longitudinal cutting device  23  to each such partial web  13 ,  14   21 ,  22 , and in the case of the partial web  21  at, for example, the spot indicated by  24 . With this, the possibility would be provided of conducting one of the two partial webs  21   a ,  21   b  to the former  17  along the path indicated by  26 . The placement of a longitudinal cutting device  23  would also be conceivable respectively on a direct path between a turning bar  09  and the formers  17 , in the case of the partial web  21 , perhaps at the location identified by  27  in  FIG. 4 , in order to conduct the resulting partial webs respectively to one or to different formers  17 . 
   Depending on the width of webs  04 ,  06  being used, a large diversity of production options results.  FIG. 7  shows a newspaper production in broadsheet format. The plate cylinders of the double-width printing groups  03  shown in  FIG. 1  each support four plates side-by-side, and each prints a web  04  with four pages  28 , each with horizontal lines, located side-by-side, as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   The imprinted web  04  is separated into two partial webs  13 ,  14  in the longitudinal cutting device  08 . The longitudinal cutting device  08  need not be displaceable transversely, in relation to the web  04 , because even if various webs  04  of different widths are employed, they are always conducted through the printing group  03  centered, so that the boundary line between the second and third pages formed on the web  04  always exactly meets the cutter of the longitudinal cutting device  08 . By displacing the turning or deflection bars  09 , in the feed direction of the web  04 , or in the vertical direction as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  of the drawing figure, the partial webs  13 ,  14  which are rerouted at the turning or deflection bars  09  can be exactly aligned in such a way that the boundary line  31  between the two sides of each of the partial webs  13 ,  14  exactly meets the nose  32  of the former  17 , so that a longitudinal fold is created in this boundary line  31 . A signature  33 , which is obtained by separating the folded partial webs  13 ,  14 , contains eight pages on two sheets lying inside each other. Different numbers of pages can, of course, be achieved by admixing additional partial webs  21 ,  22  in the former  17 . By shifting the turning or deflection bars  09 , it is always possible to align the boundary lines  31  of the partial webs  13 , 14  with the former nose  32 , regardless of the width of the partial webs  13 ,  14 . No lateral displaceability is required either for the former  17 . Therefore, webs  04 ,  06  of different widths can be easily processed. 
     FIG. 8  shows the processing of a web  04  which has been imprinted in tabloid format. As shown in  FIG. 8 , respectively four double pages  34 , each with a vertical orientation of the lines, are imprinted side-by-side. In the same way as described with respect to  FIG. 7 , the web  04  is cut along the boundary line  29  by the longitudinal cutting device  08 , and the resulting partial webs  13 ,  14  are placed on top of each other with the aid of the turning or deflection bars  09 . A further longitudinal cutting device  23  separates each of the several partial webs  13 ,  14  along the boundary line  31 , so that the four resulting partial webs are simply placed on top of each other in the former  17 . Separating, and transverse folding now results in the finished signature  36 , which finished signature  36  here has sixteen pages on four sheets, but whose number of pages could be doubled by the initiation of a collecting operation during transverse folding, or which could be increased by admixing additional partial webs. 
     FIG. 9  represents the operation of the press in accordance with the present invention during its use for job printing. The web  37  used for this job printing is narrower than the web  04  which is typically used for newspaper printing and which is considered in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , and whose edges are represented by dotted lines in  FIG. 9 . The longitudinal cutting device  08  has been moved away from the web  37 , and the web  37  is deflected, without having been cut, at the long turning or deflection roller  11 , is now directed toward the former  17 , and is folded in the latter. 
   Processing operations, with longitudinal cutting as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , would, of course, also be possible in connection with job printing, again depending on the width of the web  37  and the page format of the finished product. 
   In connection with printing presses with at least one double-width printing group  03  and with a former  17 , the former  17 , which is employed, is wider than half the width of the printing group  03 , or is wider than the effective printing surface of the cylinders. Double-width means that the printing group  03  has at least a width of four newspaper pages. 
   In another embodiment, in one mode of operation a web  04 ,  06 , which is more than of single width, such as, for example a web  04 ,  06  of a width of more than two newspaper pages, but which is narrower than a double-width web  04 ,  06 , is arranged centered in the printing group  03 . In this case, the printing group  03  imprints the web  04 ,  06  with two newspaper pages. In another mode of operation, a longitudinal cutting device  08  has been arranged in such a way that it halves a double-wide web  04 ,  06 , such as a web  04 ,  06  having four newspaper pages, and the two partial webs  13 ,  14 ,  21 ,  22  being formed are arranged on the former  17 . 
   While preferred embodiments of a printing machine comprising at least one printing group, one folder and at least one turn-and-mix stage, in accordance with the present invention, are set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in, for example, the specific structure of the printing groups, the types of roll changers used to support the webs, 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 appended claims.