Abstract:
An apparatus for positioning further or auxiliary processing devices, such as folders, cross cutting devices, sheet stackers or roll winding-up systems, on printing presses, includes a first positioning device which interacts with a further positioning device fixed to the floor in such a manner that the further or auxiliary processing device can be positioned in relation to the printing press in a reproducible manner.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
   This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/EP03/03423, filed on 2 Apr. 2003. Priority is claimed on that application and on the following application(s): Country: Germany, Application No.: 102 15 611.5, Filed: 9 Apr. 2002. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to an apparatus for positioning further or auxiliary processing devices on printing presses. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   In printing presses, it is generally known to provide devices with which the printed products can be processed further. Devices of this type are arranged after the printing line and can, for example, fold a printed web longitudinally and/or transversely, cut it and/or stack the products. Likewise, devices are also known which wind the printed web up again into a roll. Usually, however, printing presses are equipped only with one device of this type and it is only possible to exchange one for another after the printing press has been installed by rebuilding it, which is associated with great installation complexity. As lengthy rebuilding work of this type is not possible between two print jobs, the further processing of the printed products is restricted to the possibilities of the installed devices. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
   An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which makes it possible to exchange further or auxiliary processing devices on printing presses. 
   According to the invention, this object is achieved by a first positioning device fixed to a further or auxiliary processing device for interacting with a further positioning device fixed to a floor relative to the printing press. 
   The apparatus according to the invention makes it possible, in an advantageously simple manner, to exchange various further processing devices on a printing press, for example a sheet stacker, folder or roll winding-up means. For this purpose, the invention provides a fixed positioning device on the floor and a further corresponding positioning device on the further processing device, which positioning devices can be brought into engagement with one another and also detached from one another simply. As a result, simple and rapid exchanging is possible, which permits flexible further processing of the printed paper web or other printed products. 
   It is advantageous to provide a movable frame for each further processing device, using which they can be moved to the printing press simply and the positioning devices can be brought into engagement with one another or detached from one another by a raising/lowering mechanism. 
   It can be advantageous to provide additional means for fixing the further processing devices on the floor. 
   Further features and advantages emerge from the subclaims in conjunction with the description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     In the drawings:  FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a web-fed printing press having a roll winding-up device positioned in accordance with the invention, 
       FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b , and  2   c  are side views of the area II from  FIG. 1  as a further processing device is being positioned on a movable frame, 
       FIG. 2   d  is an enlarged sectional side view of the area IId from  FIG. 2   c , and 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the positioning apparatus from view III in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     FIG. 1  shows, by way of example, a web-fed printing press, comprising an unwinding device  1 , threading unit  2 , a plurality of printing units  3 ,  4  and a dryer  5  for drying the printing material web  6  on which the ink is still wet. In this example, the printing material web  6  is wound onto a roll by a roll winding-up system  7 . All the modules are arranged on a preferably flat floor  8 . The roll winding-up system  7  is equipped with positioning apparatuses according to the invention and can be exchanged, for example, for a cross cutter having a sheet stacker, or for a folder. In this exemplary embodiment, the further processing devices are arranged on movable frames which can be raised and lowered. 
   Instead of using a movable frame, the further processing devices may be moved using other lifting gear, such as a machine-house crane, and to position them on the printing press using the positioning apparatus according to the invention. 
   The details of the positioning apparatus can be seen in  FIG. 2   a  which shows the detail II on an enlarged scale. 
     FIG. 2   a  shows a base region of the frame  10 , on which the further processing device is arranged, for example a winding-up system, a sheet stacker or a folder. The frame  10  preferably has four contact points which can be lifted by means of lifting apparatuses  11 , with the result that the frame  10 , together with the further processing device, can be moved on rollers  12 .  FIG. 2   a  illustrates the raised position of a contact point while the frame  10  is moved to the printing press (not shown), preferably on steerable rollers  12 . U-shaped receptacles  16  can be provided on the frame  10  for prepositioning the further processing device roughly, which receptacles  16  are pushed onto cylindrical bolts  15  fastened to the floor  8  when the frame  10  is moved closer. As can be seen from  FIG. 2   b , the frame  10  is prepositioned as a result of the receptacles  16  being pushed onto the bolts  15  completely, in such a way that a first positioning device  13  arranged on the frame  10  is situated approximately above a further positioning device  14  which is fixed to the floor  8 . The first positioning device  13  preferably has a conical outer contour which, when the frame  10  is lowered, is lowered into the other positioning device  14 , which is formed as a conical recess on the floor  8 , and therefore positions the frame  10  with the further processing device by means of the form-fitting connection between the inner and outer cone. It is of course also possible to provide other suitable shapes on the positioning devices  13 ,  14 . The bolt  15  and the associated positioning device  14  are preferably arranged on a common plate  23  ( FIG. 2   d ) which is fixed to the floor  8 . 
   The completely lowered frame  10  is shown in  FIG. 2   c . In this position, the raising/lowering device  11  is completely relieved of load. A hydraulic cylinder is actuated to raise the frame  10 , as a result of which the pivotably attached wheel  12  is tensioned against the floor  8  and as a result lifts up the frame  10 . A plurality of raising/lowering apparatuses  11  are preferably provided for one frame  10 , the former being actuated simultaneously in order that the further processing device is raised or lowered perpendicularly. In accordance with the detail IId from  FIG. 2   c , the interaction of the positioning devices  13 ,  14  is shown in  FIG. 2   d  on an enlarged scale. 
   A plate  23  can be seen in  FIG. 2   d , the former being fixed to the floor  8  by means of screws  24 , having a conical recess  14  and bearing a bolt  15 . The conical outer contour  13  is accommodated in the conical recess  14  and therefore defines the position of the contact point in the plane of the floor (in the x-y direction). In order for it to be possible to bring the positioning devices  13  and  14  simply into engagement with one another, the height of the bolt  15  is such that it can be moved to by the receptacle  16  in the raised position and the receptacle  16  can be guided on it during lowering. There can be some play here between the receptacle  16  and bolt  15 , because the position of the conical fit of the positioning devices  13 ,  14  is self-centering. 
   In order to set a plurality of further processing devices on different frames  10  to a positioning device  14  anchored on the floor  8 , the positioning device  13  on the frame  10  can be arranged so as to be adjustable in the horizontal plane (x-y direction). In order for it to be possible to predefine the height (z direction) of the frame  10  and the further processing device, the positioning device  13  can be height-adjustable. For this purpose, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the positioning device  13  is arranged on a threaded bolt  20  which is screwed into an internal screw thread on the frame  10  in accordance with the desired height and is secured with a further nut  22 . 
   A base piece  21  which absorbs the weight of the frame  10  can additionally be provided on the positioning device  13 . The base piece  21  has to be arranged in such a way that it absorbs the force as soon as the positioning devices  13 ,  14  are joined to one another without play. The base piece  21 , the positioning device  13  and the threaded bolt  20  can be produced as a single piece or be assembled from a plurality of parts. 
     FIG. 3  is a plan view, with the view A from  FIG. 1 , of a frame  10 . It is advantageous to provide in each case two positioning devices  13 ,  14 , in order, in addition to the position, to also define the angular orientation of the further processing device in relation to the dryer  5  of the printing press. It can be seen how two receptacles  16  are prepositioned on bolts  15  and how, during lowering, the position and angular orientation of the frame  10  are defined unambiguously by two positioning devices  13 ,  14  arranged at a distance from one another. 
   In general, the weight of the further processing device and of the frame  10  ensures reliable stability which is sufficient for operation. However, additional tensioning means can be provided, such as brackets, using which the frame  10  is tensioned against the floor  8  at the contact points. 
   The essential core of the invention is to be seen in the fact that one or more fixed positioning devices are arranged in relation to a printing press, which positioning devices interact with further positioning devices attached to mobile further processing devices, in such a way that their relative position with respect to the printing press is defined in a reproducible manner. It is possible to provide as many and varied further processing devices as desired with the corresponding positioning devices and to align them with their fixed counterparts, with the result that said further processing devices are positioned on the printing press rapidly and are ready for use in a very short time, without further adjusting effort and other adaptation work.