Patent GB-735477-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to a method of manufacturing printed matter and to sheet transferring apparatus
IPC: B41F21/10
Filed: 1953-03-10
Abstract: 735,477. Printing machines. MILLER PRINTING MACHINERY CO. March 10, 1953 [March 18, 1952], No. 6554/53. Classes 100 (1) and 100 (2). Sheet-transferring arrangements.-A sheet-fed rotary printing machine comprises a first printing unit 10, Fig. 2, for printing a first impression on a sheet S, a second printing unit 11 for printing a second impression on the sheet, and a series of three co-operating transfer cylinders T1, T2, T3 connecting the printing units 10, 11 and having cam-actuated grippers adapted to carry a sheet from the first unit 10 where it is printed on one side and selectively to transfer it to the second unit 11 with either the same side or the reverse side presented for printing. The machine operates as a " twocolour machine when the sheet is printed twice on the same side and as a " perfecting " machine when the sheet is printed on opposite sides. Fig. 2 shows the machine operating as a two-colour machine. The sheet S is fed to a feed table 13 from which it is taken by a forwarding cylinder 14, the gripper G1 of which grips the leading end a of the sheet and transfers it to the gripper G2 of the impression cylinder I1. The sheet is printed (at 30) as it passes round the impression cylinder by an offset cylinder 18 co-operating with a forme cylinder 17 inked by rolls 16. From the impression cylinder I1, the sheet is taken by the gripper G3 of the first transfer cylinder T1 and transferred at the common tangent point t2 to the gripper G5 or G4 of the second transfer cylinder T2. For " two-colour " operation, the leading edge a is transferred by gripper G5 (or G4) to gripper G6 of the third transfer cylinder T3 whence it is taken by the gripper G8 of the impression cylinder I2 of the second unit 11. The second unit which comprises an offset cylinder 24, a forme cylinder 25 and inking rolls 28 prints the sheet at 31 on the same side as the impression 30 of the unit 10. The printed sheet is delivered by a delivery cylinder 32. The second transfer cylinder has a diameter twice that of the associated cylinders so that two sheets may be carried by it at the same time, which provision is necessitated by-the arrangements for " perfecting " now to be described with reference to Fig. 3. The sheet S printed at 30 is passed from the transfer cylinder T1 to the gripper G4 or G5 of transfer cylinder T2 as described for two-colour operation, but instead of the leading edge a being transferred to the gripper G6, the trailing edge b of the sheet is transferred to the gripper G7 of the transfer cylinder T3, the leading edge being carried past the tangent point t3 by the gripper G5 or G4 which opens when the trailing edge is taken to allow the sheet to be fed backwards to the gripper G8 of the impression cylinder I2 for printing on the reverse side at 31. The gripper mechanism on the transfer cylinders which allows the different functions for two-colour and perfector printing will now be described. Gripper mechanism: first transfer cylinder.- As shown in Fig. 5, the first transfer cylinder T1 comprises a shaft 100 mounted between journals in side frames 40, 41 and a series of discs 106, the peripheries of which support the sheet as it is carried by the cylinder. End discs 103 and centre disc 104 support bearings 105 for a gripper operating spindle 108. Each gripper 109, Fig. 10 (collectively forming gripper G3) comprises a bracket 110, split and clamped to the spindle 108 by screw 112, a gripper arm 113 having spaced pivot parts embracing the bracket 110 and freely mounted on the spindle 108 and a gripping finger 125 co-operating with a pad 126 fixed to the disc 106. A spring 127 biases the gripper arm to gripping position. Rotation of spindle 108 in a clockwise direction causes bracket 110 to engage and displace gripper arm 113 so as to release the gripper. Spindle 108 is rotated to and from releasing position by an arm 114, Figs. 5, 6, attached to the end thereof and carrying a roller 115 cooperating with a cam 116 attached to a boss 117, Fig. 5, fixed to the side frame 41. The cam 116 is so shaped that the grippers 109 close on to a sheet at the tangent point t1, Fig. 2, and open to transfer the sheet at tangent point t2. The transfer cylinder T1 is driven by a gear 531 as described later. Second or main transfer cylinder.-The second transfer cylinder T2, Fig. 13, comprises a shaft 200 mounted in journals 201 in side frame 40 and 202 in an aligning plate 237 secured to the frame side 41. Sheet supporting discs 204 mounted on the shaft 200 each comprise a hub 205, Fig. 18, and spokes carrying rims 206a, 206b on which sheets are adapted to be supported when their leading edges are held by grippers G4, G5 located in gaps between the rims. Gripper operating spindles 207a, 207b are mounted in end and central bearings 208a, 208b and rotated to open and close the grippers by arms 220a, 220b carrying cam follower rollers 221a, 221b in most respects similar to the gripper operating mechanism described above. The rollers 221a, 221b co-operate with cams 222, 223 and 224, Fig. 17. Cam 222 is fixedly carried on pillars 225 attached to plate 237 and is adapted to cause the gripper G4, G5 to close, at tangent point t2, on to the leading edge of a sheet presented by the first transfer cylinder T1. Cam 223 is pivotally mounted about a pin 225X for movement into and out of an operative position where its rise-part 223f lies in the path of the rollers of the gripper operating arms 220a, 220b. This cam is displaced to and from operative position by a pin 229 engaged in a slot 228 and eccentrically mounted on a shaft rotatable by a manually operable lever 236, Fig. 13, exposed on the outer side of the plate 237. Cam 223 is arranged, when in the operative position, to cause the grippers G4, G5 to open as they pass the tangent point t3 between transfer cylinder T2 and T3. This is only necessary in the case of two-colour printing since for perfecting the leading edge a of the sheet is carried past the point t3, the trailing edge being transferred at this point. The third cam 224 is movably mounted on an arcuate rail 226 to accommodate for different lengths of sheet and is adapted to open the grippers G4, G5 to release the leading edge a of the sheet when the trailing edge b has been taken by the grippers G7 of the third transfer cylinder as described for the perfecting operation (see Fig. 3). The trailing portion of each sheet is maintained in close contact with the surface of the cylinder T2 by suction nozzles SBa, SBb, Fig. 19, mounted in pairs so as to be angularly adjustable in the cylinder (to accommodate for different lengths of sheet). Split hubs 242, adapted to be closed by screws 243 to grip the shaft 200, carry radial spokes 244a, 244b having arcuate sheet supporting faces 245a, 245b and hollow suction heads having formaminous sheet contacting faces 246a, 246b. The suction heads are connected by bores 247a, 247b to feeder pipes 252 clamped in transverse bores in the spokes. Taps 249a, 249b are provided in the bores 247a, 247b. Each feeder pipe 252 is connected by a flexible tube 261, Fig. 13, and an elbow joint 262, to a bracket member 263 surrounding the shaft 200 and having clamping sockets receiving the ends of the feeder pipes 252. Also as shown in Fig. 15, a valve part 265 formed on the bracket 263 rotates within a sleeve 266 through which are passed pipes 271, 270 connecting to sources of vacuum and air pressure respectively. Elbow joints 262 connect to the spaces 268 formed in the valve part 265. As the cylinder T2 rotates, therefore, the suction heads SBa, SBb connect alternately to suction and to air pressure. The purpose of the air pressure is seen in Fig. 3 when the machine is arranged for perfecting. When the sheet is released by the gripper G4, G5 the trailing portion is blown away from the cylinder to facilitate transfer to cylinder T3. When the machine is arranged for two-colour printing, the air blasts from the suction heads are merely vented to atmosphere if air pressure is applied. Arcuate slots 253, Fig. 18, in discs 204 through which the feeder pipes 252 pass allow angular adjustment of the suction units to position the suction heads adjacent the trailing portion of the sheets (see Figs. 2 and 3). The second transfer cylinder T2 is driven by a gear 530 as described below. Third transfer cylinder.-The third transfer cylinder comprises a shaft 300, Fig. 31, mounted in journals in side frames 40, 41 and carrying a series of discs, end discs 303, 304, centre disc 305 and sheet supporting discs 306. A pair of shafts 310, 311, Fig. 46, are mounted for oscillation in bearings 314, Fig. 31, on the discs 303, 304, 305. Brackets 320, Fig. 46, clamped on shafts 310, 311 provide bearings for gripperoperating spindles 350 on which are clamped gripper arms 352, Fig. 43, having fingers 357 engaging, under the action of springs 356 with pads 344 secured to brackets 340 clamped on shafts 310, 311. By this means the gripping elements are arranged to swing about shafts 310 or 311, the mechanisms of the two sides being offset somewhat to avoid interference. Toothed quadrants 360, 380, Figs. 46, 50 are clamped to the ends of shafts 310, 311 to effect the swinging movement. Toothed sectors 362, 382 engaging with the quadrants 360, 380 are mounted on arms 363, 383 pivoted to end disc 303 by pins 364, 384. A lever 365, 385 mounted on each pin 364, 384, bears downwardly against an adjustable stop 367, 387 on the arm 363, 383 and upwardly through a spring 374, 394, against a bracket 368, 388, attached to the arm 363, 383. A rod 369, 389, pivoted to the bracket at one end and slidable at the other in a guide 370, 390, fixed to the end disc 303 locates a compression spring 371, 391 tending to rotate the arm towards the shaft 300. Rollers 366, 386 on levers 365, 385 co-operate with a cam to displace the arms 363, 383, through springs 374, 394, and cause the gripper units G6, G7 to swing inwardly about