Patent ID: 7021212

Claim:
A printing apparatus comprising: a plate cylinder for holding a printing plate mounted peripherally thereof; image recording means for recording an image on said printing plate mounted peripherally of said plate cylinder; ink feeding means for feeding ink to said printing plate mounted peripherally of the plate cylinder; a squeeze roller movable between a squeeze position adjacent a periphery of said plate cylinder for squeezing said printing plate against the periphery of said plate cylinder, and a standby position spaced away from the periphery of said plate cylinder; a squeeze roller moving mechanism for moving said squeeze roller between said squeeze position and said standby position; a shield movable between a shielding position interposed between said squeeze roller and said plate cylinder, and an open position for opening an area between said squeeze roller and said plate cylinder; and a shield moving mechanism for moving said shield between said shielding position and said open position, wherein said shield moving mechanism is arranged to move said shield between said shielding position and said open position by rotating said shield about a center axis of said squeeze roller.