Abstract:
A dressing is guided onto a cylinder of a printing machine. At least one roller element is used to accomplish this dressing guidance. A support, which includes spaced first and second ends, is provided. The first end of the support is connected to a cross-piece that is running along parallel to an axis of rotation of the cylinder. The at least one roller element is situated on the second end of this support. The support is an elastically flexible body. An actuator is arranged between the cross-piece and the support. The actuator is operable to move the roller toward or away from the cylinder by flexing the elastic support.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This U.S. patent application is the U.S. national phase, under 35 USC 371, of PCT/DE2003/002653, filed Aug. 7, 2003; published as WO 2004/020199 A2 on Mar. 11, 2004, and claiming priority to DE 102 38 179.8 filed Aug. 21, 2002, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed a device for guiding a dressing on a cylinder of a printing press. At least one roller is used to guide the dressing. The roller is situated at one end of a support and can be moved toward and away from a cylinder which will receive the dressing. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A device for mounting flexible printing plates is known from DE 197 19 559 A1. A pressure roller is arranged on a holder that is embodied, for example, as a leaf spring. The holder is connected with an insertion slider. The insertion slider can be placed against a forme cylinder by linear movement and, in the process, introduces an end of the printing plate into a fastening slit which is cut into the forme cylinder. 
   A device for use in pressing a dressing against a cylinder of a printing press with the aid of several rolling elements, in particular with the aid of several rollers, which rollers are arranged along the cylinder, is known from EP 0 712 725 A2. 
   WO 01/87613 A1 describes a method and several embodiments of a device for pressing a dressing against a cylinder of a printing press. Several rollers are pressed against the cylinder by an actuating device during mounting and dismounting of a dressing. The actuating device can be configured as a reversibly deformable hollow body, such as, for example, a tube, which deformable hollow body can be charged with a pressure medium. By charging the hollow body with the pressure medium, a rigid  roller support, which is substantially embodied in the form of a die, is pressed against the cylinder in opposition to the force exerted by a spring. In one embodiment of this prior device, the roller support is embodied as a rocker or as a one-armed lever. In addition to the first rollers, which are spaced apart from each other and which can be placed against the cylinder for mounting fresh dressings, another embodiment of this prior device provides a plurality of second rollers, which can be placed against the cylinder for use during the dismounting of dressings. Two actuating devices, which can be operated independently of each other, can be provided for placing the first and second rollers against the cylinder. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is directed to providing a device for guiding a dressing on a cylinder of a printing press. 
   In accordance with the invention, this object is attained by the provision of at least one rolling element or roller that is engageable with a dressing to be applied to a printing press. The roller is situated at a first end of a support whose second end is secured to a holder that is spaced from the cylinder. An actuating device is positioned between the support and the holder intermediate its ends. That actuating device can be operated to move the roller toward and away from the surface of the cylinder. A plurality of supports, each with one roller, can be positioned side-by-side along the holder. Each such support has its own actuating device and can be moved independently of other such supports. 
   The advantages to be gained by the present invention consist, in particular, in that an embodiment of the support of the rolling element as an elastically bendable body results in it being able to structure the device as being very flat, and therefore space-saving. Such a flat, space-saving structure is very advantageous in connection with the installation conditions in a printing press. The device in accordance with the present invention is resistant to dirt and is more rugged than an arrangement with a support which is attached to a hinge, for example. Such a hinge, at the intended installation location, must be protected against soiling, such as, for example, by ink splatters or by dust, for interference-free functioning, which soil protection entails an additional outlay. Moreover, in the course of interaction of the support with the actuating device, which is acting on the support, no separate spring element is required for returning the support into its initial position after an operation of the actuating device. Because of its configuration as an elastically bendable body, the support has an inherent spring-back property. In comparison with a device in accordance with the prior art, the device for guiding dressings on a cylinder of a printing machine, in accordance with the present invention, clearly requires fewer components for mounting a dressing on a cylinder. In particular, the present device requires no insertion sliders, which introduce an end of the dressing into a fastening slit cut into the forme cylinder. 

   
     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 side elevation view of a device for pressing a dressing against a cylinder in accordance with the present invention in a state where the device is removed from, or is moved away from the cylinder, in 
       FIG. 2 , a side elevation view of the device for pressing a dressing against a cylinder in a state where the device is placed against the cylinder, and in 
       FIG. 3  a perspective view of the device for pressing a dressing against a cylinder and showing several individual supports and rolling elements arranged side-by-side in the axial direction of the cross arm. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A forme cylinder  02 , on which at least one dressing  01 , for example at least one preferably flexible printing forme  01 , can be placed, rolls off against a counter-pressure cylinder  03 , which may be, for example, a transfer cylinder  03 , in a printing press, such as, for example, a web-fed rotary offset printing press. On its surface area  04 , the forme cylinder  02  preferably has at least one slit-shaped opening  06  that extends longitudinally with respect to the cylinder  01 , and in which opening  06  a beveled edge  07 , that is placed on one end of the dressing  01 , can be suspended, preferably in a positively connected manner. 
   A holder  08  for at least one support  11 , typically for a plurality of supports  11 , is provided, and is spaced apart from the cylinder  02 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a cross arm  08  which can be, for example, a rigid hollow profile of square cross section and which extends along in the axial directions of these cylinders  02 ,  03 , is preferably located in an area or space in front of, and between the forme cylinder  02  and the counter-pressure cylinder  03 . Holder  08  is thus situated in the gap or in the space delimited by the surface areas of the cylinders  02 ,  03 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . At least one support  11  is attached, either directly, or by the inclusion of a connecting piece  09  which connecting piece  09  can be, for example, an L-shaped strip, to this holder  08 , that is preferably configured as a cross arm  08 . Support  11  has a first end  12 , with which the support  11  is connected to the cross arm  08  or to the connecting piece  09  that is secured to the cross arm  08 . The connection of the first end  12  of the support  11  to the holder  08  or to the connecting piece  09  is preferably accomplished by the use of a connecting element  13 , which can be a screw  13  or a rivet  13 . In this way, the first end  12  of the support  11  is not connected hingedly, but instead is connected rigidly with the holder  08 , and, in particular, is clamped to the holder  08 . The support  11  has a face  22 , and the holder  08  has a face  23 , wherein both faces  22 ,  23  are facing each other, as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The two opposing faces  22 ,  23  are arranged spaced apart at a spacing “a” from each other. 
   A rotatably supported rolling element  17  or roller  17  is positioned on a second end  16  of support  11 , which support second end  16  is located opposite the first end  12  of the support  11 . When the rolling element  17  is placed against the forme cylinder  02 , it can roll off on the surface area  04  of the forme cylinder  02 , or on a dressing  01  resting on the surface area  04  of the forme cylinder  02 , as seen in  FIG. 2 , because of which rolling contact, a beveled edge  07 , that is placed on one end of the dressing  01 , is pressed into an opening  06  in the surface area  04  of the cylinder  02 . A dressing  01  is accordingly pressed against the surface area  04  of the forme cylinder  02 . Thus, a rotating shaft  18  of the rolling element  17  extends along the forme cylinder  02  in an axial direction of the cylinder  02 . Preferably, the rolling element  17  is configured as a roller  17  and, in the preferred embodiment, is suitable for introducing a beveled edge  07  at one end of the dressing  01  into an opening  06  in the cylinder  02 . 
   The support  11  itself is an elastically bendable, and thus is a reversibly deformable body, which body is preferably embodied in the shape of a blade. Thus, the support  11  can be a resilient sheet metal piece  11 , which is fixedly clamped at its first end  12 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   An actuating device  19  is also provided, as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , between holder  08  and support  11 , wherein the actuating device  19  is preferably embodied as a reversibly deformable hollow body  19 , for example as a tube  19 , which can be charged with a pressure medium. When operated, such as, for example, when being charged with a pressure medium, the actuating device  19  acts on its one side on the support  11  and on its other on the holder  18 . This is because the actuating means  19  is supported by, and between, the facing surfaces  22 ,  23  of the holder  08  and the support  11  respectively, as seen in  FIG. 2 . By operating or inflating the actuating device  19 , the second end  16  of the support  11  is deflected in the direction toward the forme cylinder  02  because of the elastic bending of the support  11 , and the rolling element  17  or roller  17  is placed against the cylinder  02 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . The holder  08  remains stationary, at rest, in relation to the cylinder  02 , while the second end  16  of the support  11  performs a pivoting movement directed toward the cylinder  02 , because of which pivoting movement of support  11  second end  16  toward cylinder  02  the spacing “a” between the faces  22 ,  23  is increased. At the termination of the operation or inflation of the actuating device  19 , the support  11  returns into its original position because of its elasticity, i.e. because of its resilient properties. As a result, the rolling element  17  is again moved away from the surface area  04  of the forme cylinder  02 , or from the surface of a dressing  01  resting on the surface area  04  of the forme cylinder  02 . Rolling element on roller  17  is thus moved out of contact with the forme cylinder  02  or dressing  01 . 
   If, as represented in  FIG. 1 , the actuating device  19  is installed between the support  11  and the cross arm  08 , it is advantageous, for example, to form or to attach a strip  21  on the support  11 , which strip  21  protects the actuating device  19  from inadvertently slipping out of, or from being removed from, its place of installation between cross arm  08  and support  11 . 
   Thus,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show, by way of example, the arrangement of a device for guiding, and in particular, for pressing, a dressing  01  on a cylinder  02  of a printing press, in accordance with the present invention, in two different states of operation. In  FIG. 1  the device is shown in the operating state with a rolling element  17  moved away, and in  FIG. 2  the device is shown in the operating state with a rolling element  17  brought into contact. The device, in accordance with the present invention can be used, for example, for mounting a dressing  01  on a cylinder  02 . 
   For some applications, for example in connection with an arrangement of several printing formes arranged side-by-side in the axial direction on the surface area  04  of the forme cylinder  02 , it is advantageous to arrange several individual supports  11  side-by-side in the axial direction on the cross arm  08  as seen in  FIG. 3 . Each individual support  08  is provided with at least one rolling element  17 . The several individual supports  11  can each be put into, and taken out of contact with the cylinder  02  independently of each other, either individually or in groups of supports  11  by the appropriate operation of the separate actuating devices  19  assigned to the individual supports  11 . Thus, it is possible to respectively use a single rolling element  11 , or to use a group of rolling elements  11  selectively for pressing a defined printing forme or dressing  01 , selected from a plurality of axially spaced printing formes or dressings  01  on the face of a forme cylinder  02 . 
   While a preferred embodiment of a device for guiding a dressing on a cylinder of a printing machine, in accordance with the present invention has been set forth fully and completely above, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in, for example, the overall sizes of the cylinders, the source of supply for the fluid under pressure, 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.