Patent GB-401790-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to inking mechanism for printing presses
IPC: B41F31/08
Filed: 1932-06-23
Abstract: 401,790. Printing. GOSS PRINTING PRESS CO. OF ENGLAND, Ltd. and SMITH, E. J., 18, Whitefriars Street, Fleet Street, London. June 23, 1932, No. 17767. [Class 100 (ii).] Inking-mechanism.-In a printing-machine an auxiliary ink fountain is provided having a controlled drip feed from which ink of a different nature or colour from that normally employed in the machine is supplied to an inking or distributing- roll or rolls. In one form the auxiliary ink fountain, having a forced drip feed by the provision of a spring-actuated plunger, is mounted in a readily detachable manner on a bracket or bar, and has a needle-controlled petcock adapted to be opened and closed automatically upon starting and stopping of the printing-machine, by means of a centrifugal governor device adapted to act on the cock through levers. The ink fountain, pet-cock, and governor are made as an attachment to be applied to any particular part of the machine. In the form shown in Fig. 2 the auxiliary fountain 15 has an outlet controlled by an adjustable needle valve 17 which is screwed into a sleeve 19 connected by a yoke 20 to the armature 21 of a solenoid 22. The solenoid is adapted to be energised to withdraw the needle valve 17 to a predetermined extent to allow ink to drip on to the distributing-rolls 23 when the push-button starter on the printing-machine is operated to start the machine, and is de-energised when the machine is stopped to allow the outlet in the fountain to be closed by the valve 17 under the action of the spring 24. The fountain is supported for sliding movement on a transverse bar 25 by a hook 26. In a further form ink from an auxiliary fountain is fed by a pump, driven either by a separate electric motor in circuit with the main motor of the machine or by a member driven therefrom, to a needle valve device wherein the needle valve is lifted to allow ink to drip on to the inking-rolls when the ink supplied by the pump reaches a certain pressure. In another construction, shown in Fig. 4, an elongated ink-supply conduit 34 is arranged to extend along the whole or part of the length of the distributing or inking-rolls 44 of the machine, and is provided with a number of manually-operated needle-controlled valves 35. Ink is supplied from the auxiliary fountain 37 to the conduit 34 by a pump 36, the supply being controlled by a relief valve 38 of the spring-controlled plunger type. The pump 36 is driven by an electric motor 39, either arranged in circuit with the prime mover of the machine and started and stopped with the latter or provided with a separate starting and stopping device, through reduction gearing 40 having a dog-clutch element 41 which co-operates with a similar element 42 on the shaft of the pump. The conduit 34 is supported on the fountain 37 by two arms 43. The fountain 37 together with the conduit pump, relief valve, and dog-clutch element 42 are mounted by means of pins on a bracket 45 slidably mounted on a transverse shaft 46. Where the conduit extends for only a part of the main inking-mechanism the bracket 45 carrying the auxiliary inking- mechanism and the motor may be moved along the shaft 46, after unscrewing the screw 48, to the desired position. When it is desired to substitute another auxiliary ink fountain, the one in use is lifted from the pins in the bracket 45 and removed together with the attached pump, element 42, relief valve 38, and conduit 34, and replaced by another similar combination. The pump 36 may be actuated direct from the machine. If desired, a bracket may be provided for holding an auxiliary inkdistributing roll to which ink from the valves 35 is fed. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 382,621.