EP0511496B1 - Rotary printing machine with a detachable cylinder - Google Patents

Abstract

A rotatable printing machine includes a horizontal exchangeable cylinder which is held between two sidewalls of a machine frame by a holding and driving arrangement which enables disengagement. To remove the cylinder, a carriage arrangement is positioned in the frame and can include a movable trolley for receiving the cylinder and sliding it in a horizontal plane onto a hand cart. One embodiment includes a movable table for raising and lowering the cylinder from the path of the trolley to the operating position. Another embodiment positions rails for the trolley immediately underneath the operating position of the cylinder and includes an arrangement for raising and lowering supports for the cylinder relative to the cylinder. A third embodiment includes a fixed track mounted immediately adjacent the cylinder and utilizing position adjustment means for the drives of the cylinder to lower the cylinder onto the track.

Description

The present invention relates to a rotary printing machine comprising a removable cylinder, in particular a screened ink transfer cylinder called "anilox", held between the two side walls of the frame of the machine by means of holding and drive free at will.

To optimize the use of rotary printing machines, it is more and more frequently desirable to be able to change the anilox cylinder.

Indeed, depending on the desired impression: a very intense "flat" requiring a large amount of ink or a fine screen requiring much less ink, we can either play on the characteristics of the ink itself: viscosity, dilution ; either change the anilox cylinder whose volume of the cells on its surface defines the quantity of ink transferred. Given that it is difficult to control the homogeneity and viscosity of the ink, the solution for exchanging this anilox cylinder is increasingly being considered.

Documents FR-2 503 628, WO-87/04665 and EP-315 917 disclose rotary printing machines in which one or more cylinders are installed with their drive means in a "cassette" which can be extracted from the machine by horizontal translation perpendicular to a side wall which it crosses. As can be understood, the weight of the removable assembly includes on the one hand the weight of the cylinder or cylinders which are wishes to change, but also the weight of the structure of the cassette as well as the means for holding and driving the cylinders which are necessarily included therein. The handling of such an assembly then becomes so difficult that this exchange is no longer carried out as much as necessary.

In the rotary printing machine described in document US Pat. No. 4,901,641, the printing cylinder is held by two axes with conical ends and penetrating respectively into conical orifices arranged coaxially in each side face of the cylinder. The axis can be advanced or withdrawn at will on direction of the cylinder to grasp or release it. Furthermore, an ink tank is held under the printing cylinder by an arm which can both turn around and go up or down along a vertical threaded shaft located against a side wall. The connection between the tank and the end of the arm is also movable in rotation. The inside of the bowl is lined with semi-rigid V-shaped supports for the cylinder.

By raising the arm, the tank comes into underlying contact with the cylinder and takes its weight. The cylinder retaining pins are then removed and it is possible, by a double rotation of the tank relative to the arm and of the arm relative to the threaded shaft, to release this printing cylinder by the upstream face then on the side of the machine. We realize that, on the one hand, the arm holding at end point the bowl and the cylinder must be particularly well dimensioned, and, on the other hand, that the movement of release of the cylinder is rather complex for unskilled workers. .

German patent DE-C-697 501 shows a rotary printing machine comprising a removable cylinder held between the two side walls of a frame by releasable holding means at will. In this document, the extraction of the cylinder from its working position is carried out, in two distinct stages, using means allowing, firstly, to lift the cylinder from its working position then, in a second time to use these lifting means to extract the cylinder from the machine. It is understood that before these operations can be carried out, it will have been necessary to decouple the drive means from this cylinder.

Another solution for extracting a cylinder from a printing machine is illustrated in patent US-A-3,789,757. In this document, the cylinder is moved, from its working position in the machine, towards a carriage by means of a pivoting lever device subjecting the cylinder to a circular arc movement. In this embodiment, the drive means of the cylinder must also be uncoupled by dismantling several mechanical elements.

The object of the present invention is a rotary printing machine comprising a device for gripping and releasing a removable cylinder from the machine to load it on a workshop trolley in order to take it to another machine and / or to quickly bring another cylinder in exchange, and this by simple and obvious manipulations. Obviously, such a device must be reliable, in particular must not be able to be the cause of accidents, without implying necessarily oversized heavy and expensive parts.

These aims are achieved by a rotary printing machine comprising a removable horizontal cylinder held between the two side walls of the frame of the machine by holding and disengageable drive means at will and comprising within its frame means making it possible to move the cylinder, kept horizontal, downwards, to bring it onto a conveyor located at a height allowing this cylinder to exit from the frame of the printing machine by displacement in a horizontal plane and perpendicular to its longitudinal axis to bring it on a workshop trolley so as to exit the cylinder out of the machine frame.

Thus defined, the release of the cylinder from the machine is essentially broken down into two movements: a first movement in the vertical plane of the cylinder making it possible to bring the latter onto the conveyor; and a second movement by the conveyor leaving the cylinder of the machine by the upstream or downstream face. The installation within the machine of the means ensuring the first movement allows better stability and optimization of the space occupied by their simplified design.

Advantageously, the conveyor comprises two rails fixed vis-à-vis either against the opposite internal faces of the side walls of the frame or placed on sleepers of the frame. On these rails roll two identical carriages respectively, furnished at their upper faces with at least one cylinder support and held together at their end on the same side by a rigid connection, a connection thus making it possible to provide a free space in the center of the conveyor. Usefully, one of the rails of the conveyor comprises a rack and the corresponding carriage comprises a cleat device actuated by a handle to engage in one of the notches of the rack and immobilize the conveyor in a precise position.

In other words, the conveyor can be considered as a mobile frame on rails and supporting the cylinder at its two ends, the space in the middle being advantageously used to receive means ensuring the first movement in the vertical direction.

According to a first embodiment, the means for vertical displacement of the cylinder on the supports of the trolleys of the conveyor comprise a table parallel and underlying the cylinder, of length less than the distance between the trolleys and provided on its upper face with supports of cylinder.

This table is moved vertically by lifting means between a high position against the lower part of the cylinder and a low position which is lower than the position of the carriages, this table passing through the space in the center of the conveyor.

The lifting means of the table can essentially consist of two arms arranged in "X", articulated in their center and whose ends are movable in rotation. One of the lower ends on the ground and one of the upper ends under the table at least are more mobile in translation parallel to the table. An actuator controls the position of either the movable ends in upper translation or the movable ends in lower translation. Preferably, only the ends of the arms located on the same side, that is to say an upper and a lower, are movable in translation and the actuator is installed on the ground.

Alternatively, the table lifting means comprise one or more underlying vertical actuators. In this embodiment, the table once retracted is found completely at ground level under the conveyor, and the whole of the cylinder release device cannot in any way interfere with the proper functioning of the printing machine.

Advantageously, a workshop trolley itself comprises conveyor rails located at a level and with a spacing identical to those of the conveyor rails of the machine. This carriage further comprises positioning means making it possible to wedge it relative to the upstream or downstream face of the frame so that these rails are found in the extension of those of the machine. Such a cart can also include a conveyor having a space in the center as defined above.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the conveyor comprises two columns located opposite each close to the opposite internal faces of the side walls of the frame and fixed on crosspieces, each column supporting, close to and under the cylinder, a horizontal bar extending out of the frame and each end of which is completed by a stop plate, the two bars being held relative to each other by at least one horizontal transverse bar. The means for vertical displacement of the cylinder then consist of a device with cylinders going up and down the means for holding and driving the cylinder.

This simplified version is rather intended to be assembled and disassembled occasionally in order to remove a cylinder to be cleaned or repaired. In this case, it is preferable to install the horizontal conveyor immediately close to the cylinder, which makes it possible to get rid of the previous table by using a device going up and down the means for holding and driving the cylinder over a short distance. .

When the removable cylinder is held and driven respectively by two parts with conical ends mounted, movable in rotation, facing each other on the walls and engaging in conical orifices formed coaxially in the lateral faces in correspondence of the cylinder, one of the parts being driven in rotation, the other of the parts being able to be withdrawn at will to release the cylinder, it has been found advantageous that each lateral end of the removable cylinder is in fact extended by a concentric crown whose internal face has a conical part oriented towards the inside of the cylinder and that the removable cylinder holding and driving parts are discs with conical periphery , their largest diameter being greater than the smallest internal diameter of the corresponding crown. Useful then, one of the discs comprises a concentric pusher which can bear against the lateral face in correspondence with the cylinder in order to disengage the end crown from the disc when the opposite disc is in the retracted position.

As can easily be understood, the contact surface between the drive part and the lateral face of the cylinder is found on a circumference of a larger radius. This contact surface can then be reduced, making the clearance even easier.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective schématique d'une machine d'impression contenant une première forme d'exécution du dispositif de dégagement d'un cylindre amovible,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective schématique d'un chariot d'atelier utilisé de préférence avec la machine selon la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'une machine d'impression munie d'une seconde forme d'exécution de dispositif de dégagement pour un cylindre amovible enlevé occasionnellement puis installé sur un chariot d'atelier conventionnel.

The invention is described below in more detail with the aid of non-limiting exemplary embodiments and illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a printing machine containing a first embodiment of the device for releasing a removable cylinder,
• FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a workshop trolley preferably used with the machine according to FIG. 1,
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a printing machine provided with a second embodiment of the release device for a removable cylinder removed occasionally and then installed on a conventional workshop trolley.

For a better understanding of FIG. 1, the frame 10 of the rotary printing machine is represented here only by its volume delimited by the broken lines, and the cylinders situated above the anilox cylinder 15, such as door cylinders - plates and pressure rollers, have also not been shown. Similarly, the anilox cylinder 15 to be exchanged is shown here shorter than reality in order to better show the holding and driving means. In this printing machine, the inking device essentially consists of a longitudinal chamber 11 applied against the anilox cylinder 15 and inside of which flows ink which is scraped off when it is deposited on the cylinder by two blades , a superior and a inferior.

Each side face of the anilox cylinder 15 is extended by a crown 17, in this case of diameter identical to that of the cylinder, and the internal surface of which has a conical part 19 oriented towards the interior of the cylinder. This conical part 19 can, for example, be produced in the form of a chamfer on the internal circular edge. This anilox 15 cylinder is held between two discs 40 and 41 whose periphery 43 is also conical oriented towards the cylinder. These discs 40 and 41 are mounted, mobile in rotation, on each lateral face of the frame 10 with, if necessary, a device with jacks 42 for slightly raising or lowering the cylinder 15 against the printing cylinder not shown. The installation of the disc 40 also includes a device 44 with hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders making it possible to advance or retract the disc 40 as desired with respect to the cylinder 15. Thus, by actuating the device 44, it is possible to engage the conical edges at will. 43 of the discs 40 and 41 in the equally conical parts 19 of the lateral faces of the cylinder 15, which simultaneously grips it, centers it and makes it possible to drive it in rotation thanks to the large friction forces appearing at this conical junction . The disc 41 comprises in its center a pusher 45, that is to say a coaxial internal piston whose external face visible in FIG. 1 can be advanced by an internal actuator, not shown, in the direction of the corresponding lateral face of the removable cylinder 15.

The anilox cylinder release device 15 comprises on the one hand an ascending and descending table 30 and on the other hand a horizontal conveyor 20. As illustrated, the table 30 furnished on its upper face with several cylinder supports 37 is supported by two arms arranged in "X" and articulated in rotation in their center. The upper end of the arm 32, forward in FIG. 1, is fixed under the table 30 movable in rotation. Similarly, the lower end of the arm 31, forward in FIG. 1, is fixed mobile in rotation but on the ground. By cons, the upper end of the arm 31 is both movable in rotation and in translation under the table 30 by means of rollers 34. Similarly, the lower end of the arm 32, behind in FIG. 1, is movable simultaneously in rotation and translation along the ground by means of rollers 35. A actuator 38 imposes the position of the lower end of the arm 32 forcing, by the kinematics of the cross arms, the height position of the table 30. This actuator 38 can indifferently be a hydraulic, pneumatic cylinder or even a threaded rod, movable in rotation, driven by an electric motor and passing through a threaded orifice formed in the lower part of the arm 32. As illustrated in this FIG. 1, this table 30 comes, in the retracted position, to be positioned between two cross members 12 of the frame 10.

The conveyor 20 comprises two rails 21 and 21 'fixed close to the ground vis-à-vis against the side walls of the frame 10 and preferably also supported by the crosspieces 12 on the ground. Along each of these rails 21, 21 'rolls an identical carriage 22, 22' lined in its upper face with two cylinder supports 24. These two carriages 22, 22 'in front and back in FIG. 1, are maintained rigidly together at their end on the downstream side by a rod 26 maintaining a rigorous correspondence between the cylinder supports 24 vis-à-vis. As can best be observed on the rear rail 21, the latter is provided with a rack 27 whose notches can be engaged by a cleat belonging to a blocking device 29 actuated by the handle 28.

In Figure 2 is illustrated a workshop trolley 16 provided for transporting one or more anilox cylinders 15 from one printing machine to another. More in particular, the upper face of this carriage is furnished with a conveyor 20 identical to that described above rolling on two rails 121. In addition, the longitudinal faces of the carriage 16 have two holes 14 which, in relation to the pins 13 fixed on the cross 12 of the frame 10 of the machine illustrated in Figure 1, allow to position the carriage 16 along the upstream face of the frame 10 so that the rails 121 of the carriage are found in the extension of the rails 21, 21 'of the machine. Then, the conveyor 20 of the machine can be rolled on the carriage 16 or vice versa.

At the end of the rails 21, 21 ′ of the frame 10 are provided safety devices stopping the trolleys of the transporter 20 at the outlet of the frame 10 if a workshop trolley 16 is not in place, that is to say if the positioning means 13 and 14 are not engaged in one another.

As previously described, the machine operates as follows. The anilox cylinder 15 being initially held between the two discs 40 and 41, the operator orders the withdrawal of the actuator 38, which has the effect of raising the table 30 until the supports 37 bear against the part bottom of the cylinder 15. The device 44 is then engaged, which removes the disc 40 from the crown 17 at the end of the cylinder 15. In the majority of cases, the cylinder 15 does not disengage from the disc 41 and it is necessary to control the advance of the pusher 45 in order to slightly move this cylinder in longitudinal translation until the conical periphery 43 comes out of the crown 17.

Once the cylinder 15 is released from its holding and driving means 40 and 41, the operator can now order the extension of the actuator 38, which causes the table 30 to descend until it passes through the middle of the conveyor 20. At this time, the ends of the cylinder 15 are taken up by the supports 24 of the carriages 22 and 22 'while the table 30 continues its race in the fully retracted position, that is to say between the crosspieces 12. The anilox cylinder 15, now resting on the conveyor 20, can be moved in translation orthogonal to its horizontal longitudinal axis along the rails 21, 21 '.

In a first possibility, the conveyor 20 comprises on its upper face at least two pairs of supports 24, the second pair of supports already carrying the desired second anilox cylinder 15. In this case, the simple movement of the conveyor 20 makes it possible to bring the second desired cylinder above the table 30, which is always in the retracted position, and the conveyor is locked in position by means of the cleat device 29. It suffices then to order a new lifting of the table 30 so that it takes the new cylinder 15 into position vis-à-vis the holding and driving discs 40 and 41 which are then tightened to grip this cylinder.

In a second possibility, an empty workshop carriage 16 has been previously placed and wedged along the upstream face of the frame 10. The conveyor 20 carrying the cylinder 15 of the rails 21, 21 ′ is then rolled from the frame 10 to the rails 121 of the carriage 16 allowing this cylinder to be taken out of the machine for subsequent operation. Then brought with another carriage 16 a new cylinder 15 on a new conveyor 20 which is transferred in reverse to the lower part of the printing machine.

In Figure 3 is illustrated a conveyor 50 composed of two columns 55 fixed on either side of the frame at their base on the crosspieces 12 by bolts 59. Each column supports at its close upper end and under the cylinder 15 a bar horizontal 56 fitted on its upper face with a rubberized coating 58 and terminated at each end by a stop plate 54. One of the ends of each of these horizontal bars emerges from the downstream face of the frame 10. The two bars horizontal are preferably held relative to each other by a median crossbar 52.

An empty workshop trolley 116 comprises on its upper face cylinder supports 37 mounted on threaded shafts engaged in threaded rings which can be rotated by means of a handle to raise or lower these supports at will. This carriage is brought beforehand under the ends of the horizontal bars 56 emerging from the frame. We operate then the actuator device 42 for lowering the holding discs 40 and 41 until the cylinder 15 comes to rest on the horizontal bars 56 and the device 44 for removing the disc 40 is actuated to release the cylinder. The cylinder 15 can then be rolled slowly along the bars 56 until it comes into abutment against the plates 54. It then suffices to raise the supports 37 to come and take the cylinder with the carriage which can be released. The installation of a new cylinder is done in reverse. If desired, the carrier 50 can be removed when not in use.

Claims (10)

1. Rotary printing machine comprising an exchangeable horizontal cylinder (15) held between the two side walls of the frame (10) of the machine by holding and driving means (40, 41) disengageable as required, as well as, within its frame (10), means (30, 31, 32, 38, 42) allowing to shift the cylinder (15) being horizontally hold, characterized by the fact that said means (30, 31, 32, 38, 42) allow the vertical shifting of the cylinder (15) in order to move it onto a carriage (20, 50) itself located at an appropriate height allowing to withdraw the said cylinder (15) from the frame (10) of the printing machine by a shifting onto the horizontal plane and perpendicularly to its lengthwise axle in order to move it onto a workshop trolley (16, 116) so as to withdraw this cylinder (15) from the frame (10) of the printing machine.
2. Rotary printing machine according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the carriage (20) comprises two rails (21, 21') fitted opposite one another against the inner opposite side of the side walls of the frame (10), or else arranged on the crossbars (12) of the frame, on said rails roll two identical trolleys (22, 22') provided on their upper sides with at least one cylinder support (24), whereas the said trolleys are held together at a common end by a rigid connection (26) thus providing a free space within the centre of the carriage (20).
3. Rotary printing machine according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that at least one of the rails (21, 21') of the carriage (20) includes a rack (27) and that the corresponding trolley (22, 22') includes a dog (29) to be actuated by means of a handle (28) with the purpose of being engaged in one of the teeth of the rack (27) and to interlock the carriage (20) in position.
4. Rotary printing machine according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the means for the vertical shifting of the cylinder (15), on the supports (24) of the trolley (22, 22'), are situated on a vertical plane crossing the cylinder and that they include a parallel table (30) underneath the cylinder (15) and with a length being less than the distance between the trolleys (22, 22') and provided on its upper side with cylinder supports (37), the said table (30) being raised by the lifting means (31, 32, 38) between an upper position against the lower part of the cylinder (15), and a lower position which will be lower than the position of the trolleys (22, 22'), and passing through the space available in the centre of the carriage (20).
5. Rotary printing machine according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the means for raising the table (30) consist essentially of two brackets (31, 32) arranged X-wise and jointed in their centre, and with rotary ends, one of the lower ends (35) on the ground and one of the upper ends (34) underneath the table at least being additionally movable crosswise in parallelism with the table, and that a sensor (38) checks the position of the crosswise movable upper or lower ends.
6. Rotary printing machine according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that only the two ends of the brackets (31, 32) on the same side, ie an upper (34) and a lower end (35), are movable crosswise, and that the sensor (38) is fitted on the ground.
7. Rotary printing machine according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the carriage (50) includes two stays (55), situated each facing and close to the inner opposite sides of the side walls of the frame (10) and fitted on the crossbars (12), each stay supporting close to, and under, the cylinder (15) a horizontal bar (56) protruding from the frame and having at each end a stopping plate (54), both bars being held, if so desired, one with regard to the other by at least a horizontal crosswise bar (52), and that the means for the vertical shifting of the cylinder (15) consists of a jack-type device (42) acting on the holding and driving means (40, 41) of the cylinder (15).
8. Rotary printing machine according to claim 1, comprising an exchangeable cylinder held and driven by two freely rotating pieces with tapered ends, fitted opposite one another on the walls and engaged in the tapered orifices in the corresponding sides of the cylinder (15), one of the pieces being rotated, the other allowing to be withdrawn as required in order to disengage the cylinder, characterized by the fact that every side of the exchangeable cylinder (15) is extended by a concentric rim (17) whose inner side has a tapered part (19) directed towards the inner cylinder space ; that the holding and driving pieces of the exchangeable cylinder (15) are disks with tapered circumferences (40, 41), their largest diameter exceeding the smallest inner diameter of the corresponding rim (17), and that one of the disks (41) includes a concentric pusher (45) designed for being held against the corresponding side of the cylinder (15) in order to disengage the end rim (17) from the disk (41) with the opposite disk (40) being in retracted position.
9. Rotary printing machine according to claim 2, comprising a workshop trolley (16) designed for carrying exchangeable cylinders (15), characterized by the fact that it includes rails (121) used for the carriage, situated abreast of and with a gauge similar to the one of the rails (21, 21') of the machine, and that it includes positioning means (14) allowing to interlock this workshop trolley (16) with regard to the upstream or downstream side of the machine's frame (10) in such a way that these rails (121) are aligned in the extension of the machine's rails (21, 21').
10. Rotary printing machine according to claims 1 and 9, characterized by the fact that the workshop trolley (16) is provided with a carriage (20).

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