US2930318A - Printing machine - Google Patents

Description

March 29, 1960 w. F. sTRouD 2,930,318

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM F STROUD A TTOR/VE Y March 29, 1960 w. F. STROUD PRINTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1958 IIIIIl/IIIIl/IIIII/III/A FIG. 3

lNVE/VTOR WILLIAM F. STROUD March 29, 1960 w. F. sTRouD I 2,930,318

PRINTING MACHINE I Filed Sept. 2, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR WILLIAM F. STROUD an 99 X 61W ATTORNEY March 29, 1960 w. F. STROUD 2,930,318

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2, 195a 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 61-

INVENTOR WILLIAM F. S TROUD ATTORNEX States PRINTING MACHINE Application September 2, 1958, Serial No. 758,307

19 Claims. (Cl. 101-223) My invention relates generally to printing machines for carrying out continuous printing operations such as is required for books, booklets, pamphlets and the like which involve the use of multiple printing plates in ordered arrangement. Automatic printing machines of this kind have been proposed in accordance with teachings of the prior art in which printing blocks or plates are applied to endless belts and printing plates are conditioned for a printing operation by a localized printing device whereupon plates successively eflect the printing on a web of paper successively and the web is severed into sheets which are collated in proper order. Owing to certain inherent shortcomings in such prior art machines, they have not become popular, although the principle of operation is basically sound and has many advantages over the common method of printing books, calendar pads and other printed items involving a multiplicity of pages or sheets which require to be collated in consecutive order. One serious disadvantage to the mounting of printing plates on an endless band or belt operating on rollers is that as the belt passes up and down over festooning rollers, the printing plates have undesirable contact with a transport roller when they pass over it face down. Such contact not only results in excessive wear on the printing plates, but also brings about a messy condition from the printers ink.

Hence it is a major object of my invention to produce a practical and eflicient machine for printing and collating in one continuous operation by the use of a succession of printing plates operating on an endless carrier, and one in which other operations can be combined such as slitting, punching and perforating.

Still another distinctive object of the invention is to provide an automatic printing machine of the kind referred to in which the printing plates are carried by two endless link chains operating on sprockets, the arrangement being such that the type or printing faces of the plates only make contact with the ink transfer rollers of the inking device and the web of paper in the impression printing operation.

Another and important feature of the invention is to provide a printing machine of this class in which the printing plates are of a flexible character and in which the sprockets are arranged in pairs each having a chain trained thereover and co-axially arranged in combination with flexing means for the printing plates operative to flex the plates to a curvature substantially conforming to the periphery of the sprockets as the plates are carried around the sprockets. The flexing means is such that it allows the plates to assume their flat condition as they travel away from the sprockets. The flexing means may comprise a spider wheel intermediate of a set of sprockets and having a peripheral portion engageable with the rear surfaces matic printing machine in which the printing plates are mounted on a continuous chain carrier and are adapted 2,9393% Retented Mar. 29, 1,960,

to print in proper sequence on a web of paper which is progressively cut into sheets which are piled in the Se, quence in which they come from the plates and collated in proper order. A machine of my invention further provides for slitting the web of paper longitudinally and severing each strip of the web into sheets and collating the sheets of the respective strips whereby to produce two copies of a book or comparable printed matter with one copy disposed face down and the other copy faced up in order that two copies may be produced simultaneously. With these and-other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as described in the ensuing specification and shown in theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a general perspective view, partly in section of a selected embodiment of my invention in which the web is printed on both sides and cut into sheets which are collated in proper order. The web is also slit to form a complement of sheets each of two books and the collating is carried out with respect to the complement of. sheets for each of the two books;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section in perspective of the link chain carrier depicting the manner in which the printing plates are applied to the chains;

Fig. 3 is a section viewed on the 1ine33 of Fig. 2 showing the detachable connection with the carrier chains; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a, modified form of connection between the printing plates,

and the carrier chains;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an ordinary work-and volved in collating the two sets of sheets after the'same have been printed on both sides.

It has been stated earlier that the selected embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings discloses a printing machine for printing the pages for two books at one time, slitting the web of paper when the printing has l i been completed and severing the web into sheets and finally collating same in proper order. This embodiment is given by way of illustration but not of limitation as it will be understood that modification may be resorted to without departing from the invention.

The printing machine comprises a suitable frame generally denoted at F which i constructed and arranged in approved design according to dictates of manufacture;

The printing plates are each indicated by the numeral ,7

and a'rethin slab members of a flexible character. Each such plate comprises a printing form denoted at 8 and suitably applied to a backing plate 9. The printing form and the backing plate are flexible in character and each may be made of a suitable pliant material such as rubber, plastic or the like. The type or printing face of the form 8 is denoted at 10 and will conform to requirements} of the printing job for which the printing plate is made. f The printing form will be aflixed to the backing plate in approved manner such as by cement. There are a continuous series of the printing plates and each may carry one or more of the printing forms. In the present instance,.

there are four printing forms to each printing plate but this is entirely arbitrarya Each printing form print a; page and the two printing forms at one side of the printing; plate are arranged one ahead of the other and for'rn part of a row of the printing forms, the total number: of which correspond to the number of pages in thebook to'be' printed. Likewise, the two printing forms at the other side of the printing plate are arranged one in advance of the other and they belong to a row whose total likewise corresponds to the number of pages in the book. From'this it will be understood that two sets of pages are printed simultaneously so that the pages .for two books are turned out at one time. In Figure 2, the printing forms bear the ordinal indicated at A which represent the pages which are'printed by these particular printing forms.

'The'printing plates are detachably mounted on spaced endless chains 11 of the link type for engaging sprockets. The *chains are suitably spaced apart to receive between them and jointly support a continuous series of the printing plates arranged in end to end relation as best shown inFigure 1. The quantity of the plates will depend of course onthe number of pages .in a book for a particular printing job. It will therefore be understood that the chains will have provisions to enable them to be'shortened or lengthened as desired.

Means are provided to enable the printing plates to be readily mounted on the chains and to be removed therefrom as occasion may require. In the preferred form of the invention the printing plates are attached to the chainsby mean of crossbars 12; the crossbars are disposed at intervals throughout the length of the chains and have their end parts integral with or secured to the inner 'side plates of corresponding links. The forward and rear ends of the printing plates are supplied with hoop-shaped clips 13 engaged on crossbars 12 respectively to effect the detachable connection. It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2, in particular, that the clips at the forward-end of a printing plate are spaced a greater distance apart than those on the rear end of an adjoining plate so that the clips at the forward end of one plate may be engaged on a crossbar, along with the clips of the rear end of another plate without interference.

According to this arrangement, the bars 12 provide for .the mounting of the printing plates in succession on the carrier chains 11 and it is only necessary to make provision for shortening the center distance of any two crossbars in order that the plates may be removed which can be readily accomplished by displaceable sprockets and this expedient is well known in the art in one form or another as for instance, a tensioning device for chains.

InFigure 4 there is illustrated a modified form of attachment means for the printing plates in which the rods 12 are replaced by a pair of rods denoted at 14 and having enlarged end parts 15. These loose rod are inserted through pierced lugs 16 on the adjacent ends of printing plates and the enlarged end portions 15 are placed in confronting U-shaped elements 17 supplied on the inner side plate '18 of a link of each of the two chains and are retained as by a side flange 19 which precludes a rod from being pulled endwise out of the Ushaped clip element 17. Accordingly the printing plates can be assembled with the rods prior to the insertion of the rods in the U-shaped clip elements of the chain links. Other waysof detachably mounting the printing plates on the carrier chains may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In order to carry out printing operations the endless arrangement of carrier chains and the printing plates supported thereby are associated with a suitable arrangement o'fsprocket assemblies comprising spaced apart sprockets engaged with the chains respectively. The sprocket assemblies include at the rear of the machine festooning sprocket assemblies indicated at 20 which accommodate carrier chains of any desired length. The festooning of the carrier chains is not .necessary of course when the number of printing plates is not large. By the arrangement of the festooning sprocket assemblies substantial Stretches 'of the carrier chains are formed into a plurality 0! Vertical successive closely spaced loops 21 whereby a very long carrier chain assembly can be arranged in a comparatively short frame as will be well understood in the art.

The sprocket assemblies or units comprise a shaft a at 22 suitably journalled in the frame and provided thereon with spaced sprockets indicated at 23.

One of the sprocket assemblies is associated with a source of power for the driving of the carrier chain assembly at a printing speed. The sourceof power is not indicated as it is conventional in character. The carrier chain'assembly will'be understood to include the two endless carrier chains 11 and the printing plates mounted thereon. in the operation of the carrier chain assembly the lower stretch travels forwardly of the machine as indicated by the directional arrow in Figure l.

A distinctive feature of the sprocket assemblies or units is that each includes means for causing the printing plates to flex on a curvature conforming substantially to the diameter of the sprockets as the carrier chains pass over a sprocket assembly. The flexing means for the printing plates is shown in the form of a flexing wheel 24 which is mounted on the shaft 22 of a sprocket assembly and conforms in diameter substantially to that of the respective sprockets. The flexing wheel is shown as disposed in a mid position with respect to the sprockets on the shaft and its periphery engages the backside of the backing plate 9 of a printing plate as the printing plate rides thereover thereby inducing the printing plate to flex which retains its secure attachment on the crossbars 12 on which it is mounted. A printing plate assumes a flat condition when running along with the chains on a straight stretch between two sprocket assemblies.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be'seen that the lower stretch of the carrier chain assembly travels over spaced apart sprocket assemblies to the first ink cylinder denoted at 25 which backs the printing plates in the transfer of ink thereto. This first ink cylinder is supplied with sprockets at its ends which engage the chains 11 and form a driving connection for the ink cylinder. For the sake of clarity in reading the drawing, the sprockets belonging to the ink cylinder are omitted. This first ink cylinder is associated with an inking device denoted at I and com prising a fountain 26 and ink transfer rollers 27. This inking mechanism is common and needs no further description. carried away from said first inking mechanism and are carried forward by the carrier chains to spaced idler sprocket assemblies and thence upwardly to a first impression cylinder 28 over which the paper web 29 travels as it is drawn from the supply roll 30 which will be dealt with later. Said first impression roller is driven as usual and is associated with a plate cylinder 31, also journalled in the frame and supplied at its ends with flanking sprockets (not shown) which are engaged with the chains 11 by which the plate cylinder is driven. At one end of the plate cylinder there is a spur gear 32 rotatable therewith and in mesh with a similar gear 33 rotatable with the impression cylinder and serving to drive the latter in unison with said plate cylinder. Accordingly the web is printed on one side by the printing plates.

Above the plate cylinder 31 and spaced therefrom is a second inking cylinder 34 by which the printing plates are held in contact with the form rollers 35 belonging to a second inking device generally denoted at I which is of standard construction similar to the inking device I and including a tray or fountain 36. Sprockets (not shown) are mounted on shaft portions of the inking cylinder 34 and engaged with the chains 11 to provide a driving connection for this plate cylinder. According to this arrangement it will be understood that the printingplates are inked again by the inking mechanism 1 Further on, the carrier chain assembly passes over a sprocket un'itto a second printing station for printing the other side of the web after the web passes over turning bars of a conventional turning device generally denoted atT and detailed in Figure 5.

The printing plates as they are inked are accepts I This second printing station is made up of a printing mechanism similar to that previously described and comprising the second plate cylinder 37 journalled in the frame and driven by sprockets 38 in mesh with the chain 11. The co-acting impression cylinder. 39 is likewise journalled in the frame and has a spur gear connection 40 with plate cylinder 37 by which it is driven in unison therewith. Having performed the second printing of the web the printing plates travel toward the festooning arrangement for a recurrent cycle of operations under the influence of the carrier chains. From this it will be understood that the printing of the web on both sides thereof for the complete set of pages for two books has been accomplished by the cycle of operations herein set forth. In the continued operation of the machine paper is withdrawn from the supply roll and a further sequence of operations are carried out for the printing of further pages of another two books and so on.

Now, having described the inking and printing mechanism and the associated carrier chain mechanism, the web 29 and the mechanism therefore will now be dealt with at greater length. The supply roll 30 is supported as usual on a bar 41 perched on pillow blocks or other supporting elements indicated at 42 in Fig. 1 as is conventional. The web 29 is led downwardly by co-acting feed-in rolls 43 which are simultaneously driven by spur gearing indicated at 44 having a connection with a source of power. The web as is drawn off the roll 30 comes to rest on an endless conveyor 45 which is driven at a speed somewhat less than the peripheral speed of the feed-in rolls 43 so that it will pile in folds as-indicated at 46 in Fig. 1. The endless conveyor 45 forms a part of the tray which has the inclined end walls 47 which are stationary. The folds provide desirable slack for eflicient operation. The web passes over steel tensioning bars 48 as it travels from the tray to the first impression cylinder 28. The web in passing over one tensioning bar to another has its course changed which produces a slight drag with an attendant tension. Several of these tension bars are provided so that the required tension can be achieved depending on the kind of stock that is being run.

The hold down rollers 49 operate to hold the web firmly against the impression cylinders so that as these cylinders rotate the web is drawn with them.

As has been related earlier the web as printed on one side is led from the first impression cylinder 28 to the turner device T which turns the paper web for the printing of the other side by the second printing mechanism of which the impression cylinder 39 is a part. It will be recognized that the distance the web travels between theimpression cylinders 28 and 39 should correspond with the distance the printing plates travel in passing from the plate cylinder 31 to the plate cylinder 37 and to enable adjustment to be made to this end'the roller 50 should be mounted in a manner to enable it to be moved to and away from the diagonal rollers 51 and 52 of the turner. The turner is clearly shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. and it will be recognized that it is a standard device and will therefore be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The web 7 printed on both sides leaves the second printing mechanism and is led downwardly over a guide roller 53 which rotates freely, and against which the web is held by small rubber-tired wheels 54 mounted on a shaft 55 as clearly shown in Figure 1. A perforator could be mounted on shaft 55 for performing a perforating operation on the web if so desired.

The web is led downwardly to a slitter generally indicated at S which comprises a roller 56 freely rotatable and engaged with a side of the web. 'Rubber-tired wheels 57 hold the web against this roller and are mounted on a shaft 58 which carries a slitter wheel 59. The slitter wheel slits the web longitudinally into two equalstrips as it is led downwardly therefrom to a rotary cutoff deviceC having a fixed cutter blade 60 and a rotary cutter blade 61, the latter being suitably driven for severing each web strip into sheets of equal length,

the sheets cut from one web strip being denoted at 62 and those out from the other web strip being denoted at 63.

The sheets severed from the two web strips are delivered by pull-out wheels 64 to the collator generally indicated at D. Collators are generally well known in the art, however, the specific collating device D is novel and forms separate subject matter of invention to the printing machine herein disclosed, and is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 6, and the collating steps carried. out are diagrammatically shown in Figs. 6a-6f. This collating device comprises the guides 65 and 67, and the rear roller 68 which cooperates with the pull-out wheels 64. Additionally, the collator includes the end less conveyor belt 69 operating over the rollers 70, and on top of the belt there are the feed rollers 71, two in number, which cooperate with the guide 65 and the' feed rollers 72 which cooperate with the guide 67. The conveyor belt 69 runs at a slower speed than the peripheral speed of the pull-out wheels 64 and the feed wheels 71 and 72 press the sheets against the belt to assure of the uniform feeding of the sheets onto the belt. The forward edge of the guide 65 is positioned in advance of the for,; ward edge of the guide 67 and since belt 69 moves more slowly than the paper delivered to it by the pull-out wheels 64, an overlap of the sheets is brought about in which there is either head-over-tail or a head-under lap dependent upon the position of the forward edges of the guides 65 and 67. The advance position of the forward edge of the guide 65 brings about a head-under tail lap" as diagramatically illustrated'in Figs. 6e and 6 leading edge of. a sheet 62 strikes the guide 65'and is guided towards the feed wheels 71 as a sheet 62 is severed by the cut-off device. The succeeding sheet, on striking the guide 65 is deflected under the immediately preceding sheet because of the slower speed of belt 69. Accordingly sheets 62, are properly collated as they are delivered. Now, referring to Figs. 6a6d, it will be seen that as a sheet 63 is cut from the web strip and fed downwardly by the pull-out wheels 64, it will be deflected toward the'feed wheels 72 by the guide 67 and carried alongby the belt and the trailing edge of the sheet will drop from the slide 67 before the leading edge of the next sheet reaches itsee Fig. 6b. This, will cause the leading edge of the next sheet to overlap the trailing edge of the preceding sheet so that the work in this case is delivered headover tailsee Fig. 60. Thus the sheets 63 are properly collated according to delivery. It will be understood that the invention of the present application is not limited in any way to the specific collating mechanism as recounted.

From the preceding description it will be manifest that nay-invention provides a highly serviceable and efficient printing machine. While the machine has been disclosed in this application for printing on both sides of a web, it is equally applicable for printing on one side only of a web in which case the second printer device would not be used, neither would the second inking mechanism and the seond printing mechanism. The. web would be fed to a conveyor belt which in' turn would deliver it to the cutolf device and this conveyor belt may be supplied with a perforator, slitter or other similar. devices. These and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is: v 1. In a printing machine, a frame, I sembly including a pair of spaced endless link chains, flexible printing plates successively extending between said chains and having end parts, and transverse connecting members attached to said end parts and detachably sup- The r a carrier chain as-i'.

assume assemblies journaled on said frame, each sprocket assembly includin spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains and means intervening said sprockets for outwardly flexing said printing plates as said transverse connecting members pass around said sprockets.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, in which said transverse connecting members are crossbars which are connccted to corresponding links of the chains, and in which said printing plates each include a backing plate and at least one printing form having a printing face, said structure characterized in that said flexing means displaced to one side of the printing face of each printing form so that when the respective printing plate is caused to pass.

over the spaced sprockets with said printing face adjacent thereto the said flexing means will not damage said printing face.

3. A structureasdefined in claim 1, in which theprinting plates are disposed in end to end relation, and in which said end parts thereof are provided with attachment hooks having hook-on engagement with said transverse connecting members.

4. A structure as defined in claim 1, in which the printing plates are disposed in end to end relation and said end parts thereof are pierced, and in which said transverse connecting members are engaged in said pierced end parts and detachably secured in U-snaped elements provided on said respective corresponding links of the chains.

5. In a printingmachine, a frame, a carrier chain assembly including a pair of spacedendless link chains and tienible printing plates disposed between said link chains and having end parts supplied with hook-shaped elements, transverse connecting members secured to respeetive'corresponding links of the chains and engaged by said hookshapcd elements, a plurality of distributed sprocket as semblics journalled on said frame, each sprocket assembly including spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains, and a flexing wheel co-axially disposed between said spaced sprockets and having a peripheral surface for engaging the printing plates to outwardly flex them as said transverse connecting members pass around said sprockets.

6. A printing machine comprising a frame, a carrier chain assembly including endless link chains and flexible printing plates having aligned printing surfaces of a less width than said plates extending between said chains and having end parts, transverse connecting members secured to said end parts and detachably secured to the respective corresponding links of said link chains, a plurality of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains and an interposed printing plate flexing device for outwardly flexing the printing plates as the link chains pass around said spaced sprockets, said flexing device having a narrow peripheral surface relative to the Width of said plates such as to make contact with said plates sidewise of said printing faces.

7. The structure set forth in claim 6, in which the printing plate flexing device includes an element presenting a curved surface in the path of travel of the printing plates for successively engaging the adjacent surfaces thereof in order to flex the printing plates as they pass alongside of said spaced sprockets.

8. The structure set forth in claim 6, in which the printing plate flexing device has an annular peripheral surface for engaging the printing plates with a flexing action.

9. A printing machine comprising a frame, a carrier chain assembly including endless link chains and printing plates extending between said chains and having end parts, a plurality 'of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains, and means on said end parts detachably'connecting said printing plates to corresponding links respectively of said chains.

'10. A printing machine comprising a frame, a carrier chain assemblyincluding endless link chains and printing plates extending between said chains and supported thereby, a plurality of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains and an interposed printing plate flexing device for flexing the printing plates'as the link chains pass around said spaced sprockets, a first and a second inking mechanism supported on said frame, each including an inking cylinder having drive sprockets en gaged with said chains and form rollers for transferring ink to the printing plates as the printing plates pass over inking cylinder; a first and a second printing mechanism mounted on said frame, each including a journalled plate cylinder and an impression cylinder, the plate cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and the impression cylinder having a gear-drive connection with the plate cylinder; said first printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station intermediate said first and second inking mechanisms and said second printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station beyond said second inking mechanism; a web suitably guided on said frame from a source of supply and trained over said impression cylinders of said first and second printing mechanisms, feed-in rolls for said web, and a tumor device for the web disposed intermediate said first and second printing mechanisms.

11. A printing machine comprising a frame, a carrier chain assembly including endless link chains and flexible printing plates extending between said chains and sup ported thereby, a plurality of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains and an interposed printing plate iexing device for flexing the printing plates as the link chains pass around said spaced sprockets, an inking .rnechanism supported on said frame including an inking cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and form rollers for transferring ink to the printing plates as the printingplates pass over said inking cylinder, printing mechanismmounted on said frame including a ,journalled plate cylinder and an impression cylinder, the plate cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and the impression cylinder having a geardrive connection with said plate cylinder, a web suitably guided'on-said frame from a source of supply and trained over said impression cylinder, and feeding means for said web.

l2. Acprinting machine comprising a frame, a plurality of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets and an interposed coaxial flexing wheel for engaging the back surfaces of printing plates passing thereover; a carrier chain assembly including endless link chains engaged on said sprockets and printing plates extending between said chains and supported thereby; a first and a second inking mechanism supported on said frame, each including an inking cylinder having 'drive sprockets engaged with said chains and form rollers for transferring ink to the printing plates as the printing .plates pass over said inking cylinder; a first and a second printing mechanism mounted on said frame, each including a journalled plate cylinder and an impression cylinder, .the plate cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and the impression cylinder having a gear-drive connection with the plate cylinder; said first printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station intermediate said first and second inking mechanisms and said second printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station beyond said second inking mechanism; a web suitably guided on said frame from a source of supply and trained over said impression cylinders of said first and second printing mechanisms, feed-in .rolls for said web, a turner device for the web disposed intermediate said first and second printing mechanisms, a slitter for longitudinally parting the printed web into web strips, a cutter device for severing both web strips into sheets simultaneously, and a collator for 9 concurrently collating the sheets from the separate webstrips.

13. A printing machine as defined in claim 12, in which a tray is provided to receive web material from the feed-in rolls, and in which the tray comprises stationary end walls and an endless conveyor driven at a somewhat less speed than the peripheral speed of the feed-in rolls whereby to cause the web material to lay in folds on the endless conveyor.

14. A printing mechanism as defined in claim 12, in which tension-producing bars are mounted in the frame and are engaged with the web to produce drag so as to tension the web in advance of the first printing mechanism.

15. The printing machine defined in claim 12, in which power means are supplied for motivating the carrier chain assembly, and in which certain of the sprocket assemblies are arranged to festoon a portion of the carrier chain assembly.

16. The printing machine defined in claim 12, in which the slitter is a rotary device arranged in advance of the cutter device; and in which said cutter device comprises a fixed cutting blade and a rotary cutting blade co-acting therewith.

17. A printing machine comprising a frame, a plurality of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets and a printing plate flexing device having an element presenting a curved surface in the path of travel of printing plates for successively engaging the back surfaces thereof in order to flex the printing plates as they pass alongside said spaced sprockets; a carrier chain assembly including endless link chains engaged on said sprockets and printa ing plates extending between said chains and supported thereby; a first and a second inking mechanism supported on said frame, each including an inking cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and form rollers for transferring ink to the printing plates as the printing plates pass over said inking cylinder; a first and a second printing mechanism mounted on said frame, each including a journalled plate cylinder and an impression cylinder, the plate cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and the impression cylinder having a gear-drive connection with the plate cylinder; said first printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station intermediate said first and second inking mechanisms and said second printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station beyond said second inking mechanism; a web suitably guided on said frame from a source of supply and trained over said impression cylinders of said first and second printing mechanisms, feedin rolls for said web, a turner device for the web disposed intermediate said first and second printing mechanisms, a slitter for longitudinally parting the printed web into web strips, a cutter device for severing both web strips into sheets simultaneously, and a collator for concurrently collating the sheets from the separate web-strips.

18. A printing machine comprising a frame, a carrier chain assembly including endless link chains and printing plates extending between said chains and supported thereby, a plurality of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains and an interposed flexing member having a curved surface disposed to engage the back surfaces of printing plates with a flexing action as the link chains pass around said spaced sprockets; a first and a second inking mechanism supported on said frame, each including an inking cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and form rollers for transferring ink to the printing plates as the printing plates pass over said inking cylinder; a first and a second printing mechanism mounted on said frame, each including a journalled plate cylinder and an impression cylinder, the plate cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and the impression cylinder having a gear drive connection with the plate cylinder; said first printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station intermediate said first and second inking mechanisms and said second printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station beyond said second inking mechanism; a web suitably guided on said frame from a source of supply and trained over said impression cylinders of said first and second printing mechanisms, feed-in rolls for said web, a turner device for the web disposed intermediate said first and second printing mechanisms, a slitter for longitudinally parting the printed web into web strips, a cutter device for severing both web strips into sheets simultaneously, and a collator for concurrently collating the sheets from the separate web-strips.

19. A printing machine comprising a frame, a carrier chain assembly including endless link chains and printing plates extending between said chains and supported thereby, a plurality of distributed sprocket assemblies journalled in said frame, each including spaced sprockets engaged with said link chains and an interposed printing plate flexing device for flexing the printing plates as the link chains pass around said spaced sprockets; a first and second inking mechanism supported on said frame, each including an inking cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and form rollers for transferring ink to the printing plates as the printing plates pass over said inking cylinder; a first and a secondprinting mechanism mounted on said frame, each including a journalled plate cylinder and an impression cylinder, the plate cylinder having drive sprockets engaged with said chains and the impression cylinder having a gear-drive connection with the plate cylinder; said first printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station intermediate said first and second inking mechanisms and said second printing mechanism being disposed to provide a printing station beyond said second inkingv mechanism; a web suitably guided on said frame from a source of supply and trained over said impression cylinders of said first and second printing mechanisms, feed-in rolls for said web, a turner device for the web disposed intermediate said first and second printing mechanisms, a slitter for longitudinally parting the printed web into web strips, a cutter device for severing both web strips into. sheets simultaneously, and a collator for concurrently collating the sheets from the separate web-strips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sevigne July 15, 1924

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