Abstract:
A roller or a cylinder of a rotary printing press is cleaned using a liquid. A carriage is movable back and forth along the roller or cylinder. A supply container carries a clean liquid in a specified amount. A dirty liquid is returned to a receptacle. The clean and dirty liquids are supplied to, and removed from, the carriage when it is in a parked position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to devices for cleaning a roller by using a cleaning fluid. The fluid is located in a reservoir which can be displaced in the axial direction of the roller. A catch basin for the fluid may also be provided. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     A washing device for printing press cylinders is known from EP 0 591 634 A1. After having been serviced, a so-called washing crosspiece is brought into a position close to the cylinder and is automatically coupled there with supply lines. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,746 A describes an axially displaceable device for cleaning a printing plate. 
     An apparatus for cleaning rollers is known from EP 0 693 378 B1. A bristle brush is guided along the roller to be cleaned, and cleaning fluid is simultaneously introduced into the inlet gap of both rollers. The apparatus contains a reservoir for cleaning fluid and a catch basin for dirt particles to be removed. 
     DE 25 22 7453 A discloses a device for cleaning a cylinder. A reservoir for cleaning fluid and a catch basin can be displaced along the cylinder. A supply station, which is fixed to the frame, is provided for filling the reservoir. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is directed to providing devices for cleaning a roller. 
     In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by using a cleaning fluid that is carried in a reservoir. The reservoir can be moved in the axial direction of the roller. The reservoir can be connected with a stationary supply unit when it is in its parked position. A catch basin for used cleaning fluid may also be provided. 
     The advantages to be obtained by the present invention reside, in particular, in that dirty cleaning fluid can be automatically removed from a cleaning device which, in the operational state, can be displaced axis-parallel and which, in its parked position, lies outside of the paper web width, and can be filled with fresh cleaning fluid or with a liquid stripping agent. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in the drawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows. 
     Shown are in: 
     FIG. 1, a partial schematic view from above of a paper guide roller with a cleaning device arranged in front of it in a parked position, and which can be displaced in an axis-parallel direction, 
     FIG. 2, a basic fluid circuit diagram of the stationary portion of the supply arrangements for the displaceable cleaning device in accordance with FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An arrangement for supplying a cleaning device for rollers, cylinders or the like with fluid, for example in a rotary printing press, consists of a cleaning device  01  located in the immediate vicinity of a roller, as well as of an associated stationary supply unit  02 , which is connected with a central station  03 , also arranged to be stationary all as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     The displaceable cleaning device  01  is arranged in the immediate vicinity of a roller, for example a paper guide roller  06 , which is seated between lateral frames, only one lateral frame  04  being represented in FIG.  1 . The cleaning device  01  consists of a cross arm-like carriage guidance  08 , extending axis-parallel with the axis of rotation  07  of the paper guide roller  06 . The carriage guidance  08  is fixed in place in the lateral frame, and receives a carriage  09 , which can be moved back-and-forth in the above-mentioned axis-parallel direction A. The carriage  09  is displaced, for example by a linear drive, which is generally conventional and thus is not specifically represented, and supports at least one reservoir  11  for fluid and one or more spray nozzles  12  that are aimed in the direction of the paper guide roller  06 . The reservoir  11  is connected with the spray nozzles  12  via pipelines and a pump unit, not specifically represented. 
     The carriage  09  further includes a catch basin  13  for used fluid, which also contains cleaning residue. The catch basin  13 , as well as the reservoir  11 , are each connected via a pipeline with a respective check valve  14 ,  16 , which check valves  14 ,  16  are arranged on a portion of the carriage housing near the lateral frame and can be unblocked. The carriage  09  furthermore can have rotatable brush arrangements, also not specifically represented. The carriage  09  can be displaced during production, i.e. while a paper web  17  is being guided, or also without the presence of a paper web  17 , from a first parked position that is represented in FIG. 1, on the right next to the paper web  17 , into a second parked position, that is not represented, located on the left on the other side of the paper web width next to the paper web  17 . This is accomplished, for example, by means of a belt drive, not specifically represented, fixed in place on the carriage, and an associated electric motor. The carriage  09  is stopped in the respective right or left parked position by use of suitable limit sensors. 
     The lateral frame  04  includes two connecting lines  18 ,  19 , which have two check valves  21 ,  22 , which can be unblocked, on the side facing the carriage  09 . In the case of a first parked position, the check valve  16  located on the carriage  09  constitutes, together with the check valve  21  fixed in place on the lateral frame, a self-locking line connection for the connecting line  18 . The same applies for the cooperation between the check valves  14  and  22 , which can be unblocked, for a connecting line  19 , as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The reservoir  11  of the carriage  09  is also not connected with the stationary supply unit  02  or  23  during the cleaning operation. 
     The supply unit  02  can be arranged in the immediate vicinity of a parked position of the carriage  09  or, together with a further supply unit  23  assigned to another roller, can be stationary arranged in a central position. 
     Each supply unit  02 ,  23 , as seen in FIG. 2, has a metering cylinder  24  for cleaning fluid  32 , and a metering cylinder  26  for a liquid stripping agent  33 . A metering valve  27 ,  28  is placed upstream of each metering cylinder  24 ,  26 , through which the metering cylinder  24 ,  26  receives cleaning fluid  32 , or stripping agent  33 , from a pressure line  29 ,  31 . The filling pressure of the liquid  32 ,  33  is greater than that of a compression spring  34  arranged in the metering cylinder  24 ,  26  and acting on the piston bottom, so that the filling amount of each metering cylinder  24 ,  26  can be set. 
     It is possible to selectively remove cleaning fluid  32  out of a first line  37  from the metering cylinder  24 , or liquid stripping agent  33  out of a second line  38  from the metering cylinder  26  by operation of an electrically operable reversing switch  36 , and to supply it via the line  39  to the connecting line  19 , as shown in FIG.  1 . In addition to the actuation of the check valve  14 ,  22 , or  16 ,  21 , for example by moving the carriage  09  into the right parked position, the metering valve  27 , or  28 , must also be opened. This is accomplished by use of a pneumatic pulse, which is passed on from a compressed air connector  41  via a pneumatically actuable limit switch  42 , as well as via a compressed air line  43 , to the metering valves  27 ,  28 . The limit switch  42  has a switching cam  46 , which can be actuated against the force of a spring  44  and which can be actuated, for example, by the carriage  09  moving into the parked position. 
     The check valve  21  is connected via a connecting line  18  with a suction or vacuum line  47 , as may be seen in FIG.  2 . 
     All depicted supply units  02 ,  23 , as well as other possible supply units, that are not specifically depicted, are connected with the compressed air connector  41 , as well as with a suction line  47  for used cleaning fluid, as well as cleaning residue contained in the used cleaning fluid, and respectively a pressure line  31  for stripping agent  33 . 
     All of the individual supply units  02 ,  23  are connected with the central station  03  via the lines  29 ,  31 ,  47 . The central station  03 , together with the supply units  02 ,  23 , can also be arranged in a central location. Central Station  03  contains a reservoir  48  for liquid stripping agent  33 , which is supplied via a fresh agent connector  49  and is conducted to the pressure line  31  via a charge pump unit  51 . 
     A vacuum is generated in the vacuum or suction line  47  by a removal pump unit  52 , so that the used liquid, also containing cleaning residue, is conducted via a return line  53  to a return tank  54 . Mud or a grainy residue are pumped out of the return tank  54  via a removal connector  56 . Filtered cleaning fluid  32  reaches a mixing tank  59  through an overflow line  57  and a filter  58  arranged inbetween. The mixing tank  59  receives cleaning fluid  32  from a storage tank  62  via a mixing pump unit  61 , which cleaning fluid  32  is supplied to the storage tank  62  via a damping agent connector  63 . A charge pump unit  64  pushes the cleaning fluid  32  into the pressure line  29 . 
     The arrangement for supplying a cleaning device with cleaning fluid in accordance with the present invention operates as follows: the carriage  09  takes up cleaning or stripping fluid in the first or right parked position depicted in FIG.  1 . In the course of this action, the metering cylinder  24 ,  26  can receive up to 120% of the filling volume of the reservoir  11  located on the carriage  09 , depending on the filling pressure acting against the compression spring  34 . The result of this is that the excess liquid delivered to the reservoir  11  from the metering cylinders  24 ,  26  runs directly from the reservoir  11  into the catch basin  13  and a sump, which is formed in the catch basin  13  from ink residue and the like, remains capable of being aspirated off. 
     The liquid received in the reservoir  11  is sufficient for completely spraying the paper guide roller  06  with cleaning fluid  32  or with stripping agent  33  during the passage of the carriage  09  in the axis parallel direction A along the guide roller  06  and into the left parked position. Used up cleaning fluid, i.e. cleaning fluid containing fiber and ink particles, is caught in the catch basin  13  and is aspirated off through the lines  18 ,  47  during the next stop of the carriage  09  in the right parked position. This used cleaning fluid is conducted to the central station  03  for being reconstituted. 
     in this way, paper guide rollers  06 , or the like, can be sprayed with preselectable liquid in preselectable amounts during, prior to, or after production. 
     while a preferred embodiment for devices for cleaning a roller 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 particular kind of cleaning fluid use, the type of printing press used to print the paper web, 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.