Patent ID: 7540239

Claim:
A web fed rotary printing unit comprising a plurality of cylinders including a first cylinder assigned a first adjustable drive motor and a second cylinder assigned a second adjustable drive motor, the first and second cylinders of the printing unit each consisting of a cylinder from the group consisting of a form cylinder, a transfer cylinder, a counter pressure cylinder, an inking mechanism roller or a dampening mechanism roller, a mechanical drive connection between the first and second cylinders that is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein when the mechanical drive connection is in the engaged position the first drive motor is operable as a master drive and the second drive motor is controllable as a slave drive that depends on the first drive motor and when the mechanical drive connection is in the disengaged position the first drive motor drives the first cylinder and the second drive motor drives the second cylinder and the first and second drive motors are controllable independently.