A coater assembly includes a feed pump and a return pump for circulating a liquid coating material through a doctor reservoir for applying protective or decorative coating material to freshly printed sheets in an offset rotary printing press. A portable console control unit includes circulation and wash-up components for operating the coater in a PURGE/replenishment mode, a COAT mode, a WASH mode and a DRAIN mode. The components for pumping and valving the coating liquid and cleaning liquid are integrated within the portable console unit, which may be remotely located with respect to the press. Cleaning liquid and waste materials are stored internally within the portable console unit. The various operating modes are coordinated by two position, three-port flow control valves which are actuated from one position to the other by electrical solenoids under the control of ON-OFF switches. The ON--OFF switches may be actuated manually, or automatically by a cyclic controller for providing PURGE, COAT, WASH and DRAIN modes. The system may be cleaned without removing the coater or coater parts from the press, and without exposing press personnel to potentially toxic waste materials. The coater assembly may be operated in combination with the plate, blanket or delivery/transfer cylinder.

Automatic coating circulation and wash-up system for printing presses

An improved dual-stage pump system is provided for the accurate pumping and filtering of viscous fluids. Two hydraulically activated pumps are provided in series with a filter and reservoir disposed in-line between the two pumps. The reservoir acts as a source bottle for the second pump and allows the first pump to pump the viscous fluid through the filter at a rate independent of the dispensing rate of the second pump. By operating the first pump at a rate independent of the second pump, back pressure at the filter is avoided. Each hydraulically activated diaphragm pump is equipped with an improved diaphragm that is pre-formed to the geometries of the process fluid cavity thereby eliminating any inaccuracies in the operation of the pumps due to expansion of retraction of the diaphragm during pump operation.

Dual stage pump system with pre-stressed diaphragms and reservoir

A combined lithographic/flexographic printing process having a plurality of successive printing stations for printing color images on a substrate in a continuous in-line process. One of the stations prints a first color image using the flexographic process and at least one of the successive printing stations prints a second color image over the first color image using an offset lithographic process in the continuous in-line process.

Combined lithographic/flexographic printing apparatus and process

Apparatus for applying a liquid coating to the surface of a sheet workpiece and adapted for operation on-line with the last unit of a lithographic sheet printing press. The apparatus comprises: (1) a textured metering roller in a mount which is linearly movably attached to a support platform fixed adjacent the press unit, and extending between the last press unit and a remote point. The support platform allows movement of the metering roller and the mount between a first position in which the mount is continuously adjustably biased against the last press unit, and a second position, away from the last press unit to allow use of the last press unit as a lithographic press. The platform comprising longitudinal supports arranged generally perpendicular to a vertical plane through the axis of said metering roller, and the metering roller mount is movably supported and guided along the supports. In the first position, the metering roller continuously delivers a smooth, uniform, metered amount of liquid material to the blanket roller of the printing press. The apparatus also includes a latch that allows the mount, with its attached metering roller, liquid coating supply, and metering roller rotation device, to be readily detached from and moved out of the way of the press unit, so that the press unit can be used as a lithographic press unit. A biasing latch and an adjustable stop allow the metering roller and mount to be readily and reliably returned, locked and biased in the first position.

Coating printed sheets

A liquid pumping and filtering system for use in dispensing materials such as photoresist used to make semiconductors. A positive displacement diaphragm pump is used to draw source liquid from a source bottle. A pump valve is activated to direct fluid from the pump to a main dispensing line which includes a filter. A suckback line bridges the dispense line. The suckback line and the dispense line are each connected to a final dispense line, and the flow of liquid is controlled by a filter valve, which alternative causes fluid to flow through the suckback line or the dispense line, depending upon the mode of operation of the system. The use of an independent suckback line allows the quick withdrawal of fluid away from the dispense nozzle in the final dispense line. As a result, liquid in the dispensing line on opposite sides of the filter is generally maintained at constant pressure. Air bubbles trapped in the filter, which are generally unavoidable because of the construction thereof, are not allowed to expand and therefore do not distort measurements of liquid being dispensed.

Filtering and dispensing system

A method and apparatus for continuously using ink and dampening fluid in a printing system includes removing ink and dampening fluid from a form roller after the form roller engages the printing plate. Mixing of the removed ink and dampening fluid to form a substantially homogeneous printing liquid is accomplished by circulating the removed ink and dampening fluid to a reservoir where it is mixed with ink in the reservoir by an auxillary blender. The homogeneous mixture is further circulated to the center of a metering nip between two rollers and flows longitudinally of the rollers at a rate to prevent separation of the dampening fluid from the ink. Unused printing ink and dampening fluid is returned to the reservoir with the ink and dampening fluid removed from the form roller.

Ink removal, circulating and distributing system

An object of the invention is to provide a method of metering to a printing plate (P). An applicator roller (312), which receives ink from a pick-up roller (310), is positioned in pressure indented relation with a metering roller (12). The surface speed of metering roller (12) is varied to the meter the ink to roller apparatus which supplies the ink to printing plate (P).

Portable ink fountain

A method and apparatus to ink and dampen a lithographic printing plate including a dampening fluid removal device comprising a doctor blade positioned in pressure indented relation with a resilient inking roller to remove dampening fluid of low viscosity from the roller while leaving more viscous ink on the roller surface. The blade, therefore, is efficient to doctor dampening fluid while insufficient for printing ink.

Dampening fluid removal device

A method and apparatus to ink and dampen a lithographic printing plate wherein one or more of four disclosed embodiments of a dampening fluid evaporator device directs a continuous stream of air or other drying fluid along the length of a single resilient inking form roller (22) to remove dampening fluid from the roller (22) while leaving substantially dry ink on the roller surface.

Dampening fluid evaporator and method

A blade surfacing machine for precisely honing a pair of intersecting surfaces on an extruder blade. The working surface of a rotating honing stone is maintained in spring-biased contact with a precisely leveled guide surface to achieve linear uniformity of the blade. A workholder table is pivotable about a horizontal axis and may be pin locked at selectable angles to produce blades having a selective angle of intersection between the two honed surfaces.

James E. Taylor

Papers

Ink removal, circulating and distributing system

Portable ink fountain

Dampening fluid removal device

Dampening fluid evaporator and method

Variable angle extruder blade surfacing machine