JPH06104360B2 - Blanket cleaner for offset printing press - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for cleaning a printing press, in particular a blanket cylinder in an offset printing press, without interruption or deceleration of the operation of the press.

The offset printing press receives the ink image from the printing plate,
Blanket cylinders, i.e., rubber cylinders or rubber-coated cylinders, are then used to offset the ink image between blanket cylinders or onto paper that is passed through a press cylinder. Continuous printing is enabled by winding one or more printing plates around a plate cylinder designed to rotate in contact with the blanket cylinder. In the pressing operation of a blanket-to-blanket, a paper web passes between two blanket cylinders, one of which is mounted so as to act as a pressing cylinder for the other, whereby the paper web Simultaneous printing on both sides. Offset printing improves the sharpness of the printed image as compared to the letterpress method of printing, and enables printing on a surface that is less smooth than the smoothness required by the letterpress method. The low cost of printing plates used for offset printing has become the predominant printing method in the newsprint printing industry.

However, in continuous offset printing, dust and lint from the paper web tend to accumulate on the blanket cylinder and adversely affect the quality of the printed article. Thus, the accumulation of dust, lint and ink on the blanket cylinder causes serious annoyance and requires undesired downtime for cleaning. This problem is due to the fact that the cost of newsprint materials increases, and when low-grade paper with high lint content is used instead of high-grade paper,
It is particularly serious in the newspaper industry.

The invention disclosed below provides an apparatus for cleaning a blanket cylinder during the progress of a pressing process without interruption of press operation or waste during the process. As a result, clearer printing is possible, downtime can be shortened, and paper having a higher lint content can be used. The frequency of automatic contact and actuation of the blanket cleaner of the present invention can be adjusted by the press operator in response to various anticipated or observed actuation parameters such as the length of the pressing process and the lint content of the paper.

The device is suitable as a device pre-installed in an offset press or as an additional device for adding to an existing press.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for removing dust and lint from a blanket cylinder during the uninterrupted progress of the pressing process.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple mechanically operated economical blanket cleaner suitable for retrofitting to an existing offset press.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blanket cleaner suitable for automatic operation with a contact frequency adjustable by the press operator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an effective blanket cleaner that does not wear the blanket cylinder.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blanket cleaner that contributes to extending the life of the blanket.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a blanket cleaner that can operate without wasting material.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a blanket cleaner that operates to increase plate life.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, generally speaking, an apparatus for cleaning a blanket cylinder of a press during operation of an offset printing press includes a brush and a lint trap that are periodically pressed against the blanket cylinder. An apparatus having is provided. The brush is retractably pressed against the blanket cylinder by the movement of the swing arm and the brush holder that connects the brush with the first fluid cylinder. The action of the brush in combination with the rotation of the blanket cylinder acts to sweep dust and lint in front of the brush on the blanket cylinder. A lint trap is arranged to receive dust and lint when the brush is retracted from the blanket cylinder. In one embodiment of the blanket cleaner, the lint trap includes a door that is opened and closed by the action of a second fluid cylinder. In the open position, the door is placed under the brush and adjacent the blanket cylinder. Therefore, when the brush is retracted, dust and lint are placed on the door. When the door closes, the angle between the plane of the door and the horizontal plane increases, so that dust and lint placed on the door move into the lint trap. A timing mechanism associated with press rotation controls the operation of the first and second fluid cylinders. The operation of the second fluid cylinder is delayed relative to the operation of the first fluid cylinder so that there is sufficient time for dust and lint to rest on the door after the brush is retracted. Preferably, means are provided for removing dust and lint from the lint trap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of the blanket cleaner of the present invention is shown generally at 1. Generally, the blanket cleaner includes a brush assembly 2 and a lint trap 3, as best shown in FIG.

The structural support for the blanket cleaner 1 of the present invention is formed by a support beam 13 mounted parallel to the longitudinal axis 100 of the blanket cylinder 41. Support beam 13
Extend beyond the length of blanket cylinder 41 and are attached to the press frame by any suitable means. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each of the beam ends 42 of the support beam 13 is attached to a portion of the press frame 40 by conventional serrated fasteners. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the mounting arrangement may vary depending on the type of press in which the blanket cleaner 1 is used.

The brush assembly 2 and lint trap 3 are supported by beams 13 as will be described in more detail below.

The brush device 5 is attached to a brush holder 6, and the brush holder 6 is attached to a rod 7. Rod 7
Is rotatably guided along a plurality of supports 8.
The support 8 is attached to the support beam 13 by any conventional method. Welding, for example, is a good attachment method. In either case, the support 8 supports the rod 7 and at least
The first position in which the brush device 5 is separated from the blanket cylinder 41 and the brush device 5 is in the blanket cylinder 41.
Allowing rotation of the rod 7 between a second position in contact with the rod. The brush holder 6 comprises replaceable elements 9. The replaceable element 9 is removably attached to the brush holder 6 to allow replacement of a pair of brushes as needed. The inventors have found that the brush pair 4 has a relatively long life. However, continuous operation requires replacement of brush pairs. Blanket cylinder
To prevent damage to the cover of 41, various devices
Can be used for. The inventor has found that the pair of brushes works efficiently in the operation of the device according to the invention. However, a single brush may also be used. Brush pair 4 is hereinafter simply referred to as "brush 4".

The support 8 includes a plurality of collars 10 including set screws 11 utilized to position the rod 7 longitudinally with respect to the blanket cylinder 41. Other means for maintaining the position of the rod 7 with respect to the cylinder may be used in the broad aspect of the invention.

A fluid actuator 15 is attached to the support beam 13 along with a mount 16. The actuator 15 is an air cylinder in the illustrated embodiment and is connected to a fluid pressure source (not shown). The piston of the actuator 15 has a shaft 17 extending therefrom. A clevis 18 is attached to shaft 17 in the usual manner. Again, the screw connection is a good attachment. The clevis 18 has an arm 19 fixed to it. The arm 19 is connected to the clevis 18 by the pin 20. The arm 19 is attached to the rod 7. As will be explained later, the movement of the piston of the actuator 15 causes a linear movement of the shaft 17, which is converted into a rotational movement of the brush assembly 2 by the connection of the arm 19 and the rod 7.

Mount 16 is conventional and includes first and second shoulders 22 and 23 for receiving mounting block portion 24 of actuator 15, respectively.

The lint trap assembly 3 includes a housing 50 which may be of various different designs. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the housing 50 includes a top wall 51, a back wall 52, a front or door 53, a bottom 54 and a pair of end walls 55 (only one shown in FIG. 2). Not included). Housing 50
For purposes of more detail below, it has a longitudinal dimension that is slightly larger than the length of the brush assembly 2.

The housing 50 is attached to the support beam 13. The attachment can be realized in various ways. The inventor has found it convenient to use multiple mounting structures 60. The number of mounting structures 60 used is related to the longitudinal length of the lint trap assembly 3. In the illustrated embodiment, four mounting structures 60 are used. Each of the mounting structures 60 includes a top arm 61 and a bottom arm 62 attached to the support beam 13. Each of the arms 61 and 62 has an opening sized to receive the member 63. Member 63 has threaded portions along its ends. Alternatively, the entire member 63 may be threaded. The openings in arms 61 and 62 receive member 63, and the threaded portion of member 63 allows adjustment of the axial height of housing 50 relative to blanket cylinder 41 (see FIG. 2). The member 63 is attached to the top 51 of the housing 50 immediately or via a suitable support.

The front of the housing 50 or the door 53 is bottomed by the hinge 70.
Installed on 54. The hinge 70 is normal
Any of a number of well-known hinges may be used in the device according to the invention. The hinge 70 may extend the entire length of the housing 50, or multiple hinges spaced apart from each other may be used. The front 53 preferably has a resilient lip 71 attached to it. The lip 71 may be replaceable if desired. In either case, the elastic lip 71 serves to prevent damage to the blanket cylinder 41 during operation of the lint trap assembly 3.

At least one actuating mechanism 80 for actuating the door 53 is mounted on the housing 50. Actuation mechanism depending on the application
The number and position of the 80 are determined by the length of the blanket cylinder 41 in the longitudinal direction. In the illustrated embodiment, two actuation mechanisms 80 are utilized in combination with the lint trap assembly 3. Actuating mechanism 80 includes a fluid actuator 81 mounted to housing 50 along mount 82. Actuator 81 is an axis linked to arm 84
Contains 83. The arm 84 is attached to the door 53. Actuation of the actuator 81 causes the door 53 to move along the hinge 70 at least at a first position and a second position shown in solid lines in FIG.
Rotate to and from the second position shown in broken lines in the figure. In both the first and second positions of the front 53, the angle between the front 53 and the bottom wall 54 is such that the dust and lint particles are below the back wall 52 of the housing 50 under the influence of gravity. It is an angle that allows you to move backwards. As described above, the vertical position of the housing 50 is the actuator 81.
The operation of the lint trap can be precisely controlled for a particular press installation because it can be adjusted according to the stroke of the.

Preferably, the actuators used are pneumatic actuators, but electrical or hydraulic actuators can also be used if desired. Compressed air is usually obtained in the press chamber, but no electrical or hydraulic source is available. The operation of the blanket cleaner of the present invention can be controlled by the operation of the press or conventional timing mechanisms associated with operator command. In each case, the actuation of the various actuators is controlled such that actuator 81 actuates to move front 53 to the position of the dashed lines shown in FIG. 2 when cleaning of the blanket is desired. . After that, the actuator 15 is connected to the brush device 5.
Is brought into contact with the blanket cylinder 41 from the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. The brush 4 is used to wipe the blanket cylinder 41, and after a predetermined number of rotations the actuator 15 operates to cause the brush device 5 to occupy the dashed position in FIG. With the front 53 in its dashed position, the material trapped on the brush 4 is allowed to enter the housing 50 of the lint trap 3, after which the actuator 81 actuates to move the front 53 to its solid position. To do. The lint then falls under the influence of gravity or through a pressure source towards the bottom 54. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additional fluid or vacuum devices may be utilized to automatically remove lint and debris from the housing 50.

The particular embodiment described above is preferred for ease of installation and adjustment. For example, various working parts are located on or in front of the blanket cylinder 41 and are thus easily accessible for both installation and maintenance. Other arrangements may be used with the broad aspects of the invention. However, the inventor has recognized that the brush assembly may be utilized in some embodiments of the present invention, i.e., the under arch embodiment of the brush eliminates the need for a lint trap assembly. . That is, debris and lint swept in front of the brush in such an embodiment would fall under the influence of gravity to some other form of lint trap. For example, the trap may be a hinge plate. Although the trap is simplified, the embodiment described herein is preferred for ease of installation compared to the underarch embodiment.

Many modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the above description and the accompanying drawings within the scope of the invention as claimed. As mentioned above, other sources of fluid actuation or other timing mechanisms may be utilized to modify the actuation of the actuators disclosed herein. The sequence of actuation mechanisms can be changed if desired. The shape or morphology of the dust trap can vary. A vacuum system similar to that utilized in conventional xerography devices may be utilized in combination with the operation of the brush device 5 instead of or in addition to the lint trap assembly 3. Some form of electrostatic collector may also be utilized if desired. These variations are merely exemplary.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the blanket cleaner which is the subject of the present invention, as seen from above. 2 is a side view of the blanket cleaner of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 ... Blanket cleaner, 2 ... Brush assembly, 3
...... Lint trap, 4 ... brush pair, 5 ... brush device, 6 ... brush holder, 7 ... rod, 8 ... support,
9 ... Interchangeable elements, 10 ... Collar, 11 ... Set screw, 13 ... Support beam, 15 ... Actuator, 16 ... Mount, 17 ... Axis, 18 ... U-link, 19 ... Arm , 22, 23 ...
… Shoulder, 41 …… Blanket cylinder, 40 …… Press frame, 42 …… Beam end, 50 …… Housing, 51 …… Top wall,
52 …… back wall, 53 …… front or door, 54 …… bottom, 55…
… End wall, 60 …… Mounting structure, 61 …… Top arm, 62 …… Bottom arm, 63
...... Member, 70 ...... Hinge, 71 ...... Elastic lip, 80 ...... Actuating mechanism, 81 ...... Actuator, 82 ...... Mount, 83 ...
… Axis, 84… arms

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Norman Day Light Cardinal Drive, Bellville, Illinois, USA 101 (72) Inventor Gary Sea Grandsner St. Louis, Missouri, USA 5083 ( 72) Inventor Jiyoung A. Signorelli, E. Inlet Ritzi, Maryland Heights, Missouri, USA 12334 (56) References JP-A-49-110406 (JP, A) Practical application Sho-59-171943 (JP, U) )

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A blanket cleaner that removes dust and lint adhering to the cylindrical outer surface of a blanket cylinder from the cylindrical outer surface during rotation of the blanket cylinder, with bristles substantially relative to the cylindrical outer surface of the blanket cylinder. And the bristles of the blanket cylinder are arranged radially vertically and the bristles of the blanket cylinder are radially outward and the bristles are cylindrical. A brush pivotally mounted so as to be movable between a second position in a state of being swung from the first position toward the downstream side as seen in the movement direction of the outer surface, and the blanket cylinder. The dust trapped by the bristles of the brush in the first position arranged downstream of the brush as seen along the direction of movement of the cylindrical outer surface of Means for receiving the dust and lint when released from the bristles of the brush by moving the bristles of the brush from the first position to the second position during rotational movement of the blanket cylinder. A blanket cleaner that is characterized. 2. A blanket cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the means for receiving the dust and lint is a box having an inlet opening open towards the brush. 3. A blanket cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said box is provided with a flapper-like door which selectively closes said inlet opening, said door being at a rear end farther from said brush. Is pivotally mounted by a hinge, and when the front end of the door opposite to the rear end moves toward the cylindrical outer surface of the blanket cylinder,
A blanket cleaner, wherein the door is adapted to scoop dust and lint detached from the bristles of the brush at the same time when the entrance opening is opened. 4. A blanket cleaner according to claim 3 wherein the front end of the door is provided with a resilient lip.