Feb. 27, 1968 D. P.

WESTRA ETAL 3,370,533

PROOF PRESS WITH SHORT SHEET GRIPPER RELEASE

Filed Sept. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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INVENTOR?
?AM/ P. M66760

ATTORNEYS
Feb. 27, 1968 D. P. WESTRA ETAL 3,370,533
PROOF PRESS WITH SHORT SHEET GRIPPER RELEASE
Filed Sept. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

ATTORNEYS
 United States Patent 0 " rice 3,37%,533
Patented Feb. 27, 1%68
l 2
means for short sheets is extremely inexpensive and sim~
3,37%,533 ple, yet completely effective. It does not hinder or detract
PRC-0F PRESS WITH SHGRT SHEET in any way from the automatic release feature of normal
GREPPER RELEASE
Dan P. ‘Westra, Grand Haven, and Ned‘ H. Arganbrign , size sheets, and causes no interference with the general
Grand Rapids, Mich, assignors to The Challenge Ma 5 e?iciency and effectiveness of the press.
chinery Company, Grand Haven, Mich, a corporation Another object of this invention is to provide a proof
of lwiehigan press having unique galley hanging means at the tail
Filed Sept. 13, 1955, Ser. No. 486,868 end of the press.
2 Claims. (Cl. 161-269) These and other objects of this invention will become
10 apparent upon studying the following speci?cation in con
junction with the drawings in which:
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLDSURE FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the novel press;
In a printing press, radially shiftable sheet gripping ele FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged, perspective view of
ments in the impression cylinder, shiftable by an axially a portion of the apparatus in FIG. 1, taken from the oppo
shiftable cam shaft having a normally operable pull han site side, and when the carriage is at the far end of the
dle actuator on one end and automatically operable actu bed opposite to that end where it is illustrated in FIG. 1;
ator means on the other end using a lever pivotally mount— FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the impression cylin
ed intermediate its ends to the press carriage, engaging der of the apparatus, shown partly cut away;
the cam shaft on one end, and engageable with cams on FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the impression cylinder
the press bed on the other end. 20 in FIG. 3, taken on plane IV—IV;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective, enlarged view of
the tail end of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;
This invention relates to printing press equipment, and FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, perspective, enlarged view
more particularly to printing presses of the proof press of the apparatus in FIG. 5, shown supporting a galley;
type enabling practical printing of short sheets by having 25 and
the facility to enable selected release of short sheets from FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view of
the impression cylinder grippers as well as automatic re the apparatus in FIG. 6, taken on plane Vll—-Vll.
lease of regular size sheets. Referring now speci?cally to the drawings, the complete
7 The type of printing presses known as proof presses apparatus 10 includes a support and storage framework
conventionally employ a manually advanced carriage 12 supporting the bed subassembly 14 and the carriage
which travels along a form supporting bed. The carriage subassembly 16.
includes form rolls, a distributor roll, and a sheet grip The bed subassembly basically includes a ?at bed 18
ping impression cylinder. The sheet is gripped on one of extending from the head 13 of the press to the tail 15. It
its edges along the axial length of the cylinder periphery supports type forms in conventional fashion. The bed is
so that, as the cylinder is rotated along the bed with straddled by a pair of parallel gear racks 20 and 20' for
advancement of the carriage, the sheet is pulled around movement of the carriage 16 therealong.
the cylinder and impressed against the type form on the The carriage includes a pair of spaced vertical side
bed. As the cylinder reaches the far end of the bed, cam panels 22 and 22.’ between which are mounted a pair of
ming means automatically releases the sheet from the form rollers 26 and 28, and a cooperative ink distributor
grippers so that its protruding edge opposite the gripped roll 3%‘; in conventional fashion, all covered by a plastic
edge may be grasped by the operator or automatically dust guard 31. Also mounted between these vertical panels
dropped to advance the printed sheet from the mech is the impression cylinder subassembly 40 (FIG. 3).
anism. Automatic sheet release enables rapid e?‘icient Impression cylinder subassembly 41} includes a cylin
operation of the press. It therefore is advantageous and drical drum-type body 42 having end closure elements 44
desirable. 45 and 46. Extending through the center of this cylinder, on
Frequently however, it becomes desirable to print small its cylindrical axis, is a gripper operator shaft 50' forming
cards or other “short sheets” on such a proof press. This part of a gripper subassembly. This shaft extends out both
creates very real practical problems on conventional auto ends of the impression cylinder. t has a bearing 54 on one
matic release units however, because, as the carriage 50 extended end 5th’ through which the shaft extends. It has
reaches the far end where the sheet is released, the un a second bearing 56 on the opposite end 5%" through
clamped edge of the short sheet, instead of protruding which the shaft extends. A special pulling grip handle 58
and being free for removal as the normal sheet is, actu is mounted on this second extended end St?" for purposes
ally is buried down beneath the impression cylinder and to be described hereinafter.
the ink covered form rolls and distributor roll. It is there 55 Secured to the shaft, inside the drum, at spaced inter
fore out of reach of the operator who then has dit?culty vals, is a plurality of gripper release cam members 66a,
getting hold of the short sheet and removing it without 6%, etc. retained in position by suitable set screws. These
smearing the ink, off-setting the print or otherwise ruin cooperate with a plurality of radially oriented gripper
ing the printed short sheet. This drawback frequently pins 62a, 62b, etc. which extend out through the drum and
prevents convenient, practical, short sheet printing on 60 have a plurality of enlarged gripper heads 64a, 64b, etc.
available proof presses having automatic sheet release at the outer ends. These gripper heads are normally biased
features. toward the drum periphery by a plurality of compression
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide springs 66a and 6612, etc. surrounding the lower portion of
a printing press of the proof press type having the facility pins 62a, 6211, etc. The springs abut a portion of the drum
to allow rapid, e?‘icient printing of normal size sheets 65 on their outer ends and are retained by rings 68a, 6812,
with automatic sheet release, and also to enable effective etc. on the inner ends.
convenient printing of short sheets with selective release On the ends of the drum is a pair of ring gears 7 0 and
at a desired location of the carriage where the printed 76’ which cooperatively engage gear racks 2t) and 20’,
short sheet is exposed for convenient removal by the respectively. The drum can be rotated to drive it along
operator.
70 the bed, by use of a radially extending crank 74 and its
Another object of this invention is to provide the print handle 76. The crank is mounted to a collar 78, which
ing apparatus noted above, wherein the selected release is secured to collar '78’ a?ixed to ring gear 7t}.
 3,370,533 4
3 .
Rotation of crank 74 not only rotates and advances the over the tabs 102 and 104, it is retained in a handy posi
impression cylinder but also advances the entire carriage tion for reuse. '
from the head (FIG. 1) to the lower end of the press The simplicity of the improvement is one of the chief
(FIG. 2 ) since the ends of the impression subassembly advantages, in view of the substantially increased useful
extend through support plates 22' and 22’. potential of the apparatus. Various additional advantages
The impression cylinder , also has the conventional to those speci?cally noted may occur to those in the art
tympan mechanism in an axially elongated slot 41 (FIG. upon studying this disclosure. Also, it is conceivable that , .
'4), including a reel bar 43 and ratchet 45. certain minor details of constriuction could be modi?ed
In operation, after a print form (not shown) is clamped without departing from the concept presented. Therefore, ,
into position on bed 13, a sheet to be printed is slid 01f the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope
platform 80 and beneath the elevated heads of grippers of the appended claims and the reasonably equivalent
64a, 64b, etc. then positioned at the upper edge of the structures to those de?ned therein.
impression cylinder. With radial lowering of the grippers, We claim: .
they clamp one edge of the sheet to the cylinder. Then, 1. In a printing press including a form-supporting bed,
by rotation of crank 74, the carriage traverses the press 15 a carriage movable along said bed and having form roll
bed, causing the sheet to be advanced around the impres ers, a distributor roll, and an impression cylinder; said
sion cylinder and pressed against the inked type form. impression cylinder having sheet gripper means axially
As the carriage reaches the lower end of the bed, the
along a peripheral portion thereof; said gripper means be:
ing radially shiftable with respect to said cylinder to re
sheet is automatically released utilizing the apparatus lease the edge of a sheet; axially shiftable camming means
illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. More speci?cally, a cam 20 axially oriented in said cylinder, operably associated with
follower roller 90 then engages the tapered edge of a cam said gripper means to radially shift said gripper means
element 92 mounted to the frame of the press. Since cam with axial shifting of said camming means; pivotal lever
follower 90 is mounted on the lower end of a vertical means on said carriage operably engageable with one end
lever 94, pivoted in its center to a post S16 secured to plate of said camming means to axially shift said camming
22’, the lower end of this lever is pivoted outwardly while means when pivoted; lever actuating means mounted at
the upper end is pivoted inwardly toward the impression one end of said bed to pivot said lever means for: sheet
cylinder. This movement, guided by elements 98, causes releasing as said carriage reaches said bed end; and man
the upper end of the lever to shift extended end 50' of ual actuating handle means attached to the second end
shaft 50 inwardly of the cylinder. This causesthe gripper of said camming means, projecting from said carriage
release cams 60a, 601‘), etc. to radially shift the gripper means, for manually axially shifting said camming means
post 62a, 62b, etc. against the bias of return springs 66a, for releasing short sheets at selected locations of said,
66b, etc., thereby elevating grippers 64a, 6412, etc. above carriage along said bed.
the cylinder (as illustrated by the phantom line position
of gripper 64c in FIG. 3). Thereby the printed paper 2. In a printing press including a form-supporting bed,
sheet can be removed from the impression cylinder. a carriage movable along said bed and having form roll
The position of cam 92 is speci?cally located so that ers, a distributor roll, and {an impression cylinder; said
a conventional size sheet is released in optimum release impression cylinder having a plurality of radially oriented
and discharge position at the tail end of the press, di?i sheet grippers spaced axially along said cylinder and withv
culty arises when “short sheets” like that illustrated at S 40 sheet gripping portions adjacent the periphery of said
in FIG. 4 are to be printed on this equipment. These short cylinder; means biasing said grippers radially inwardly
sheets can initially be gripped under the edge of the grip of said cylinder for sheet gripping; axial cam shaft means
per elements, e.g. 64d (FIG. 4), so that the impression extending axially in said cylinder, having cam surface
cylinder subassembly 40 is advanced in the normal way. means operably engaging said grippers to shift them radi
However, the cylinder rolls the short sheet past the print ally outwardly with axial movement of said cam shaft
form, if the short sheet is retained until the carriage 45 means for sheet releasing; said cam shaft means being
reaches the usual release position, it is down under the axially shift-able; lever means having one end portion
rolls and not readily accessible. With the novel apparatus, operably engaging one end of said cam shaft means,
however, instead of allowing the sheet to -be retained on pivotally mounted in its central portion to said carriage,
the impression cylinder until the carriage reaches the and having cam follower means on its other end; cam
automatic release position, special manual release handle means mounted to said bed adjacent an end thereof and
58 on extended shaft end 50" enables selective manual positioned to engage said cam follower means when said
release of the short sheet at the optimum desired position. carriage reaches said bed end, to pivot said lever, axially
This release occurs merely with gripping and pulling of push said cam shaft means and radially shift said grippers '
handle 58, thereby shifting the release shaft in the same for sheet release; and manual handle pull means on the
direction that it is shifted from the other end with auto 55 other end of said cam shaft means, extending from said
matic release of the grippers. Return springs 66a, 66b, cylinder, for manual axial pulling of said cam shaft means
etc. then return the grippers to the usual position. and grippers for selected alternate sheet release.
This is a relatively simple addition to the conventional References Cited
machine, but achieves a remarkably increased usefulness 60
for the machine. The press can be employed for conven UNITED STATES PATENTS
tional sheets or variously sized short sheets or cards. 1,567,360 12/1925 Dudley an. ______ __101-269
This manual release does not interfere in any way with 1,664,700 4/1923 Nayer _______ __.____10‘1_409
the effective printing operation, or with the automatic re-. 1,843,254 2/1932 Vandercook et a1. ____ 101-269
lease feature. 65 2,674,943 4/1954 Barney ___________ __101—269
Another novel feature of this press is in the galley sup
port structure shown in FIGS. 5-7. More speci?cally, the FOREIGN PATENTS
metal plate 100 at the end of the bed and normally used 1,028,135 4/1958 Germany.
to slide the print form from a galley onto bed 18, is OTHER REFERENCES
specially formed at its downwardly projecting end flange 70
100' by having two hook tabs 102 and 104 severed and Publication No. 730, The Challenge Machinery 00.,
bent upwardly to form galley support means. The tabs p. 6, 9-1959.
are inclined upwardly at a slight angle. Thus, when a gal ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.
ley 106 which has been emptied of its print form is stored
conveniently by hooking its end ?ange 106' (FIG. 7) 75 H. P. EWELL, F. A. WINANS, Assistant Examiners.