Patent Abstract:
A cutting cylinder pair for cutting a substrate in a folder of a printing press is provided which includes a cutting cylinder, the cutting cylinder including a knife and a binding pin adjacent the knife in a circumferential direction of the cutting cylinder; and an anvil cylinder, the anvil cylinder including a cutting rubber, the cutting rubber engaging the knife and the binding pin as the cutting cylinder and anvil cylinder rotate, the binding pin positioned on the cutting cylinder to impart a dimple to a substrate passing between the cutting cylinder and anvil cylinder.

Full Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/712,119 filed Oct. 10, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to printing press and more particularly to cutting cylinders and binding devices. 
         [0003]    As known in the art, static tackers help hold printed products closed. However, as tacker levels are increased, the delivery shingle quality deteriorates. Corrugating products helps stiffen the product but causes the lead edge to open and dog ear when the open edge aligns with a peak of a corrugation. Products configured with an exterior half page have two open edges which makes alignment with corrugation even more difficult to achieve. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a binding device that applies localized pressure to a page of a printed product. 
         [0005]    In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a cutting cylinder pair for cutting a substrate in a folder of a printing press is provided. The cylinder pair includes a cutting cylinder and an anvil cylinder. The cutting cylinder includes a knife and a binding pin adjacent the knife in a circumferential direction of the cutting cylinder. The anvil cylinder includes a cutting rubber, the cutting rubber engaging the knife and the binding pin as the cutting cylinder and anvil cylinder rotate. The binding pin is positioned on the cutting cylinder to impart a dimple to a substrate passing between the cutting cylinder and anvil cylinder. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another aspect of the first embodiment, the cutting cylinder has a circumferential outer surface, and the knife may extend axially along the circumferential outer surface. One or more additional binding pins may be provided adjacent the knife in the circumferential direction, the one or more additional binding pins extending axially along the circumferential outer surface. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another aspect of the first embodiment, a height of the binding pin may be less than a height of the knife. 
         [0008]    In accordance with another aspect of the first embodiment, a knife box may be removably secured to the cutting cylinder, the cutting cylinder may have an axially extending recess in a circumferential outer surface of the cutting cylinder. The knife box may be removably secured in the recess. The knife box includes the knife and the binding pin. 
         [0009]    In accordance with other aspects of the first embodiment: the knife and/or at least one binding pin may be retractable; the binding pin(s) may be positioned at a height that applies a localized pressure to a lead edge of the substrate; the binding pin(s) may be positioned at a height that dimples the substrate; and/or the binding pin(s) may be positioned to apply a localized pressure to an open edge of the substrate. 
         [0010]    In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a cutting cylinder for cutting a substrate in a folder of a printing press is provided. The cutting cylinder includes: a knife box assembly including a knife or cutting blade and at least one binding device installed in the knife box assembly. The binding device is positioned in the knife box assembly to apply pressure to the substrate as the substrate is cut by the knife. 
         [0011]    In accordance with another aspect of the second embodiment, the binding device includes one or more binding pins. If multiple binding pins are employed, the binding pins may be installed along a length of the knife blade. 
         [0012]    In accordance with another aspect of the second embodiment, wherein the knife and/or at least one binding pin may be retractable. 
         [0013]    In accordance with another aspect of the second embodiment, the binding pin(s) may be positioned at a height that applies a localized pressure to a lead edge of the substrate, the binding pin(s) may be positioned at a height that dimples the substrate, and or the binding pin(s) may be positioned to apply a localized pressure to an open edge of the substrate. 
         [0014]    In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, a folder for a printing press comprising a cutting cylinder pair according to the first embodiment, a former upstream of the cutting cylinder pair, and a pair of nip rolls located between the former and the cutting cylinder pair. 
         [0015]    In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a printing press for printing on a substrate comprising a folder according to the third embodiment and a plurality of printing units upstream of the folder. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be elucidated with reference to the drawings, in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a printing press including a binding device according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2(   a ) shows a cross sectional view of a knife box assembly of a cutting cylinder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2(   b ) illustrates a binding pin positioned at an angle which is different than the angle of the knife blade in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a view of a knife box assembly including two binding pins in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4(   a ) shows a side view of a pair of cutting cylinders with an anvil, knife box, and binding pins in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4(   b ) shows a perspective view of a cutting cylinder with a knife box assembly installed with binding pins in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a product formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Static tackers need to be fine-tuned to a setting that is high enough to hold the lead edge of the product together but low enough to keep the delivery shingle clean. The former has been shifted to different positions in an attempt to find a new alignment that produces a better corrugation on the full and half page sheets. 
         [0025]    The present invention provides a binding device that eliminates the need to increase the static tacker strength and could potentially eliminate the need for a static tacker completely. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a printing press  100  including a printing section  102  and a folder section  120  for printing, cutting and folding printed products, such as newspapers, for example. The printing press  100  may be a perfecting, web offset, four color printing press. Printing press  100  may include four printing units  104  each printing on a web  2  with a different color ink, for example, cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Web  2  travels through press  100  in a direction A from printing section  102  to folder section  120 . Each printing unit  104  may include two printing cylinders  130 ,  132  and two blanket cylinders  134 ,  136 . Each printing cylinder  130 ,  132  carries a printing plate  131 ,  133  mounted thereon. Alternatively, the printing cylinders  130 ,  132  may be etched or imaged directly with a printing image. Each blanket cylinder  134 ,  136  includes a printing blanket  135 ,  137  mounted thereon. The printing blankets  135 ,  137  may be flat blankets mounted into a lockup mechanism or printing blankets  135 ,  137  may be tubular, gapless, sleeve-shaped blankets. The printing plates  131 ,  313  transfer images to printing blankets  135 ,  137  which transfer images to web  2 . 
         [0027]    From the printing section  102 , web  2  then enters folder section  120 . Folder section  120  includes a triangular shaped former  40  for folding web  2 . Web  2  may also be combined with other web ribbons for simultaneous folding. Additional ribbons may be printed by another printing section or by another printing press, for example web  4 . In this embodiment, web  4  is a half sheet size web and thus is narrower than than full sheet size web  2 . Web  4  is combined with web  2  so web  4  is centered and overlaid on top of web  2 . Former  40  folds web  2  and web  4  together and in half as webs  2 ,  4  run down a surface of former  40 . Webs  2 ,  4  are folded in half longitudinally, in the direction of travel A. Webs  2 ,  4  may pass through a pair of nip rolls  42 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a printed product or book  10  is made from the two webs, full size web  2  which forms inner signature  12  and half sheet size web  4  which forms outer signature  14 . 
         [0028]    Webs  2 ,  4  are then cut together by a cutting cylinder pair  50 . Cutting cylinder pair  50  includes an anvil cylinder  18  and knife cylinder  16 . In the embodiment shown, knife cylinder  16  is a two around knife cylinder and includes two knife box assemblies  20 . Anvil cylinder  18  is a two around anvil cylinder and includes two cutting rubber assemblies  24 . Each knife box assembly  20  includes a binding device  30  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention as well as a knife  22 . Any number of knife boxes  20 /cutting rubber assemblies  24  may be provided as desired on cylinders  16 / 18 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 2 to 4  show binding device  30  in accordance with the present invention. Binding device  30  is installed along a length of knife  22  on the lead edge side (with respect to the direction of travel A), inside knife box assembly  20 . As cutting cylinder  16  rotates and webs  2 ,  4  are cut, a binding pin  32  of binding device  30  dimples a lead edge  11  ( FIGS. 1 ,  5 ) of webs  2 ,  4  against a cutting rubber  24 . The localized pressure dimples  36  and binds pages of newly cut product  10  together, holding a lead edge  11  of product  10  closed as product  10  travels through folder  120 , thereby reducing dog earring and other printing defects. Product  10  includes a signature  14  cut from web  4  and a signature  12  cut from web  2 . Multiple binding pins  32  may be located along knife  22  for dimpling across a product  10  to bind any size product, including half page sized signatures  14 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 2(   a ) shows a cross sectional view of a knife box assembly  20  of cutting cylinder  16 . Binding device  30  includes binding pin  32  that is installed in the knife box assembly  20  adjacent to knife  22 . Multiple binding pins may be provided. Binding pin  32  may be mechanically set at a desired height. The height of binding pin  32  is adjustable and may be equal to, greater than or less than a height of knife blade  22 . The angle of the binding pin can be the same or different than the knife blade angle.  FIG. 2(   b ) illustrates a binding pin  32  positioned at an angle which is different than the angle of the knife blade  22 . 
         [0031]    In a preferred embodiment, binding pin  32  is set to a height less than a height of knife blade  22 . The thickness of the printed product or book being cut is considered when determining the set height for binding pin  32 . The height of each binding pin may be set individually. For example, when viewing  FIG. 5 , a binding pin dimpling signatures  14  and  12  together may be set to a lower height than a binding pin setup to dimple only signature  12 . 
         [0032]    If the binding pin  32  is instead set to a height greater than the knife  22 , a recess may be provided in the cutting rubber so that the presence of the binding pin does not interfere with the cutting action of the knife  22 . 
         [0033]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, binding pins  32  apply dimpling to signatures  12 ,  14  without causing commercially unacceptable damage to signatures  12 ,  14 . Binding pins  32  may be made out of, for example, steel. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows a view of knife box assembly  20  including two binding pins  32 ,  34  in accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the present invention. Additional pins and/or additional pin positions may be installed along a length of knife blade  22  to achieve the desired binding effect. Binding pins  32 ,  34  may be arranged to bind open edges of a half page product (signature  14 ), full page product (signature  12 ) and any combination thereof Binding pins and knife blades may be fixed. Binding pins and knife blades may also be adjustably set at a plurality heights as desired. Binding pins and/or knife blades may also be retractable and/or controlled via a cam mechanism. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4(   a ) shows a side view of a pair of cutting cylinders. Cutting cylinder  16  includes two knife box assemblies  20  having two binding devices  30  with binding pins  32  installed. Each knife box assembly  20  includes a binding device  30  and associated binding pins  32 . Anvil cylinder  18  includes two cutting rubbers  24  which are used to counteract knife blades  22  and binding pins  32 . Cutting cylinder  16  may be retrofitted with a knife box assembly  20  which includes binding pins  32  to replace previous knife box assemblies.  FIG. 4(   b ) shows a perspective view of a cutting cylinder  16  with a knife box assembly  20  installed with knife blade  22  and binding pins  32 ,  34 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  shows a half page size signature  14  wrapped folded around a full page size signature  12  to form a book or printed product  10 . Open edges are indicated as is the “spine” or former folded edge of the product  10  and the lead edge  11  of product  10  is shown. The spine of the product is formed by the longitudinal fold imparted by former  40 . Dimples  36  made on signatures  12 ,  14  in accordance with the present invention are shown. Binding pins  32 ,  34  may impart dimples on any number of pages as desired. 
         [0037]    In the preceding specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments and examples thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative manner rather than a restrictive sense.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8