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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotary press in which a feeder unit and a
printing unit are vertically arranged, and a feeder unit for such a rotary
press.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art rotary press in which a feeder unit and a printing unit are
vertically arranged has construction shown in, for example, "Handbook of
Printing Engineering", first edition, second impression (Jul. 20, 1983,
published by the Gihodo Publishing Co., Ltd.), page 887, FIGS. 5 and 11,
page 889, FIGS. 5 and 13, and it is known well in, especially, the
newspaper publishing field.
In this rotary press, a feeder unit 51 and a printing unit 52 are arranged
in parallel with each other, i.e., the axes of the paper rolls 55 provided
in the feeder unit 51 and those of the printing cylinders 54 constituting
a printing means 53 in the printing unit 52 extend in parallel with one
another as shown in FIG. 10, and a paper web 56 drawn out from a paper
roll 55 is guided by a guide surface of a web guide 57, the axis of which
extend in parallel with those of the printing cylinders 54, in such a
manner that the paper web 56 reaches the printing means 53.
In order to supply a paper roll 55 to a feeder unit 51, every other space
between two adjacent feeder units 51, 51 is widened enough to admit a
paper roll thereinto, and a paper roll 55 introduced into this widely
secured region is supplied selectively to one of two feeder units 51, 51
disposed on both sides of this region. A regular operation for handling
the paper roll 55 is also carried out in the same region.
In a feeder unit 51, a rotary shaft 59 is provided on two columnar frames
58, 58, and paper rolls 55 are held between arms 60, 60 provided on this
rotary shaft 59 as shown in FIG. 11. The distance between these two
columnar frames 58, 58 is set longer than that between frames 61, 61 of
the printing unit 52 by a distance required by additionally provided arms
60, 60. Another reason for setting the distance between these frames 58,
58 longer than that of the frames 61, 61 of the printing unit 52 resides
in the necessity of providing a means 62 for turning the arms 60 via the
rotary shaft 59, and a means 63 for moving the arms 60, 60 via the rotary
shaft 59 in the axial direction thereof while keeping the distance between
the arms 60, 60 unchanged, so as to adjust a widthwise deviation of the
paper rolls 55 held between the arms 60 and that of the paper webs 56
drawn out therefrom with respect to the printing cylinder 54.
In recent years, a tower type printing unit, in which a plurality of
printing means 53 are stacked up, shown in, for example, "Ifra Newspaper
Techniques", English edition, April 1988 (published by the INCA-FIEJ
Research Association), pages 64-73, has been provided.
In this tower type printing unit 64, the printing can be done on at least
one surface of a single paper web 56 with a plurality of colors of ink by
a plurality of printing means 53 as shown in, for example, FIGS. 8 and 9.
It is known that passing a plurality of paper webs 56, 56, for example,
two paper webs 56, 56 through different printing means 53 in the tower
type printing unit 64 and printing images on at least one surface of each
of the paper webs 56, 56 with not less than one color of ink as shown in
FIG. 8 are possible. It is known that this enables the number of color
printed pages of, for example, newspaper to be increased, and the
variation of color printing techniques and the variation of arrangement of
color printed pages to be increased.
A path along which the paper webs 56 in FIG. 8 reaches a folder unit 65 via
the printing units 52 is substantially identical with that shown in FIG.
10, and an illustration thereof is omitted.
These prior art rotary presses have the following problems to be solved.
(1) Since a regular operation for handling paper rolls in the feeder units
including an operation for supplying paper rolls to the feeder units is
carried out between the feeder units, it is necessary that the distance
between the positions of installation of the feeder units be suitably
secured. Consequently, a arrangement of feeder units becomes longer than
that of printing units, so that the arrangement of feeder units cannot be
included within the space just below that of printing units.
(2) In order to printing images on a plurality of paper webs by a tower
type printing unit, a plurality of feeder units per printing unit are
required. Consequently, a arrangement of feeder units becomes far longer
than that of printing units, and useless spaces occur in the arrangement
of printing units and above the same arrangement in terms of installation
of the rotary press.
(3) In order to adjust a widthwise deviation of a paper web drawn out from
a paper roll held in a feeder unit, with respect to the relative printing
means, it is necessary that the arms on which the paper roll is held be
moved with a rotary shaft which supports the arms. This causes the
dimensions of the feeder unit to increase, and a large driving force to be
required.
Accordingly, a space-saving rotary press in which a arrangement of feeder
units does not become longer than that of printing units has been
demanded. Regarding, especially, a rotary press provided with tower type
printing units, a space-saving rotary press capable of supplying a
plurality of paper webs to the tower type printing units has been
demanded. In connection with the matter, devising a space-saving method
for the feeder units in a rotary press has been demanded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary press which meets
the demands of the prior art rotary presses by solving these problems at
once, and a feeder unit for such a rotary press.
The rotary press according to the present invention has feeder units
provided with paper roll support frames, and printing units provided with
printing means, and the feeder units are disposed in a non-parallel and
vertical relation with respect to the printing units, the rotary press
being further provided with a means for turning a paper web, which is fed
from a paper roll supported on a feeder unit, and sent to a printing
means, in such a manner that the surface of the paper web is opposed to
the printing means. The web turning means is provided so that the guide
surface thereof can be moved in the direction in which the position of a
paper web is changed with respect to the widthwise direction of the
printing means.
Each feeder unit may be provided with a plurality of paper roll support
frames so that paper webs can be drawn out at once from at least two paper
rolls out of the paper rolls set on these paper roll support frames.
Each printing unit may be a regular printing unit or a tower type printing
unit in which a plurality of printing means are stacked.
Since a feeder unit is provided in a non-parallel relation with respect to
the corresponding printing unit, a regular paper web handling operation
including the supplying of paper rolls to a feeder unit can be carried out
from one side of the feeder unit, i.e., it becomes unnecessary to carry
out such an operation in a space between feeder units. Accordingly, the
installation intervals of the feeder units can be reduced, so that the
length of a arrangement of feeder units decreases. This enables all of the
feeder units to be arranged within a space just below the printing units.
Since a plurality of paper rolls are set on each feeder unit provided in a
non-parallel relation with respect to the relative printing unit, in such
a manner that paper webs are drawn out at once from at least two paper
rolls out of these paper rolls, the number of the feeder units in a rotary
press can be decreased, and the feeder units can be arranged in a much
wider space, so that the space for installing a rotary press is saved.
In the case where a feeder unit capable of paying out paper webs from at
least two paper rolls is provided in a rotary press with tower type
printing unit, the printing of images is done on each of a plurality of
paper webs. Consequently, the number of the feeder units decreases, and
the sizes in plan of a space in which the feeder units are arranged become
not larger than those of the space in which the printing units are
arranged.
In any of these cases, the feeder units are not parallel to the printing
units, so that the surface of a paper web fed from a paper roll supported
on a feeder unit is not opposed to the relative printing means. However,
the surface of such a paper web can be turned so as to be opposed to the
relative printing means by using, for example, a web turning means having
a guide surface inclined in the paper web guiding direction.
The web turning means is also formed so that the guide surface thereof is
moved, for example, in the direction parallel to the longitudinal
direction of a paper web advancing toward the guide surface, or in the
direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of a paper web leaving
the guide surface. Therefore, the travelling position of a paper web
leaving the guide surface is shifted in the widthwise direction, so that
the position of the paper web with respect to the widthwise direction of
the printing means is changed.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from reading of the following description
which has been made in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is illustrated in the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevation of a first embodiment of the rotary
press according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the first embodiment of the rotary
press according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the condition of a paper web
passed from a feeder unit on which paper rolls are supported to a printing
means in the first embodiment of the rotary press according to the present
invention
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a position regulating means
consisting of a web turning means in the first embodiment of the rotary
press according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic front elevation of a second embodiment of the rotary
press according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic side elevation of the second embodiment of the rotary
press according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the condition of a paper web
passed from a feeder unit on which paper rolls are supported to a printing
means in the second embodiment of the rotary press according to the
present invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic front elevation of a prior art rotary press with
tower type printing unit.
FIG. 9 is a schematic side elevation of the rotary press of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a schematic front elevation of a prior art rotary press with
regular printing unit.
FIG. 11 is a schematic side elevation of the rotary press of FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A rotary press and a feeder unit embodying the present invention will now
be described with reference to the drawings.
In the first embodiment of the rotary press shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a
feeder unit 1 and a tower type printing unit 2 are arranged vertically so
that the feeder unit 1 extend at right angles to the tower type printing
unit 2, i.e., the axes of paper rolls 5 supported on the feeder unit 1
extend at right angles to those of printing cylinders 4 in a printing
means 3 in the tower type printing unit 2. The feeder unit 1 is capable of
supporting thereon a plurality of paper rolls 5 (six paper rolls in the
illustrated embodiment), and feeding paper webs 6 can be drawn out from a
plurality of paper rolls 5 (two paper rolls in the illustrated embodiment)
out of the paper rolls 5 held on the feeder unit 1.
In a paper web threading path along which a paper web 6 drawn out from a
paper roll 5 advances up to a printing means 3 in the tower type printing
unit 2, a means 7 for turning the surface of a paper web 6 so as to be
opposed to the circumferential surfaces of the printing cylinders 4 in the
printing means 3 is provided.
According to this structure, the paper webs 6a, 6b drawn out from two paper
rolls 5a, 5b out of the paper rolls 5 supported on the feeder unit 1 are
turned by the respective web turning means 7 and guided toward the tower
type printing unit 2.
Each web turning means 7 consists of a turning bar 8 as shown in, for
example, FIG. 3, and is adapted to guide a paper web 6 to the printing
means 3 by the auxiliary actions of some guide rollers 9. Referring to
FIG. 3, a paper web 6a drawn out from a paper roll 5a is guided to a
printing means 3 via a guide roller 9a1, a turning bar 8a, a guide roller
9a2 and a guide roller 9a3, while a paper web 6b drawn out from a paper
roll 5b passes a guide roller 9b1, a turning bar 8b and a guide roller
9b2, advances so as to shunt the printing means 3, and is guided to
another printing means (not shown).
Referring to FIG. 1, the paper webs 6 which have passed two printing means
3 are printed on their both surfaces with images by using two kinds of
ink, guided to a folder unit 10 and folded therein.
Since the feeder units 1 are provided at right angles to the tower type
printing units 2, a regular paper web handling operation including an
operation for supplying paper rolls 5 to the feeder units 1 can be carried
out from one side of a feeder unit 1 shown in FIG. 2; i.e., unlike the
prior art rotary press shown in FIG. 8, the rotary press according to the
present invention does not need to have this operation carried out in a
space between feeder units.
Therefore, in the rotary press in the first embodiment, six paper webs 6
are supplied to three tower type printing units 2, each of which has two
printing means, and each feeder unit 1 may be operated for one relative
tower type printing unit 2, so that all feeder units 1 can be arranged in
the space just under the arrangement of the tower type printing units 2.
Accordingly, the inconvenience that the total length of the arrangement of
the feeder units 51 in the prior art rotary press of FIG. 8 becomes much
larger than that of the arrangement of the tower type printing units 64 is
eliminated.
In the structure of this embodiment, the position A of a paper web 6 to be
guided in the widthwise direction of the printing means 3 can be changed
by moving the web guide surface of the web turning means 7. Namely, as
shown in, for example FIG. 4, a turning bar 8 is provided between a lead
screw 11 and a guide bar 12, which extend in parallel with the lead screw
11, via a female screw bracket 13 and a slide bracket 14. The lead screw
11 is turned by a driving means 15, and the turning bar 8 is moved in the
axial direction of the lead screw 11, so that the position of the paper
web 6 to be guided can be changed to B or C shown in the drawing.
This enables the means in a prior art rotary press for changing the
position of a paper web to be guided to be rendered unnecessary, i.e., a
means 63 shown in FIG. 9, for moving a rotary shaft 59 in the axial
direction thereof so as to move a paper roll 55, which is supported
between arms 60, 60, in the axial direction thereof becomes unnecessary.
The path for each paper web 6 in the first embodiment described above,
which extends toward the folder unit 10 via the tower type printing unit 2
is substantially identical with that in a second embodiment of FIG. 6 to
be described later. Since this path does not have direct relation with the
present invention, an illustration thereof is omitted in FIG. 1.
In the rotary press in a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, five
feeder units 21 and five regular printing units 22 are vertically arranged
so that the feeder units 21 become at right angles to the printing units
22, i.e., the axes of paper rolls 25 set on the feeder units 21 become at
right angles to those of printing cylinders 24 in the printing means 23 in
the printing units 22. In a threading path for paper web along which a
paper web 26 drawn out from a paper roll 25 advances up to a printing
means 23 in a printing unit 22, a web turning means 27 for turning the
surface of the paper web 26 so as to be opposed to the circumferential
surfaces of printing cylinders 24 in the printing means 23 is provided.
According to this structure, the direction of advance of the paper web 26
drawn out from the paper roll 25 supported on the feeder unit 21 is
changed by the web turning means 27, and the paper web 26 is thus guided
toward the printing unit 22.
The web turning means 27 consists of a turning bar 28 as shown in, for
example, FIG. 7, and is adapted to guide a paper web 26 to the printing
means 23 by the auxiliary actions of some guide rollers 29. In the example
of FIG. 7, the paper web 26 drawn out from the paper roll 25 is guided to
the printing means 23 via a guide roller 29a, the turning bar 28, a guide
roller 29b and a guide roller 29c.
Referring to FIG. 5, the paper web 26 which has passed the printing means
23, and which has been printed thereby, is guided to a folder unit 30 and
folded.
Since the feeder units 21 are provided at right angles to the printing
units 22, a regular paper web handling operation including an operation
for supplying paper rolls 25 to the feeder units 21 can be carried out
from one side of the feeder unit shown in FIG. 6, and therefore, unlike
the prior art rotary press shown in FIG. 10, the rotary press in the
second embodiment does not need to have this operation carried out in a
space between feeder units.
Therefore, in the second embodiment, five feeder units 21 for supplying
paper webs 26 to five printing units 22 can be arranged within the space
just under the printing units 22. Accordingly, the inconvenience with the
prior art rotary press of FIG. 10 that the total length of the arrangement
of the feeder units 51 becomes larger than that of the arrangement of the
printing units is eliminated.
In addition, in the structure of this embodiment, the position of the paper
web 26 to be guided, with respect to the widthwise direction of the
printing means 23 can also be changed by a movement of the guide surface
of the web turning means 27, in completely the same manner as in the first
embodiment (refer to FIG. 3).
In the case (not shown) where the same feeder units as used in the first
embodiment (refer to FIGS. 1 and 2), i.e. the feeder units capable of
supporting a plurality of paper rolls thereon respectively and feeding
paper webs from a plurality of paper rolls out of these paper rolls are
provided in a rotary press having the same printing units as shown in FIG.
5, for example, only one feeder unit per two printing units is required,
so that the number of the feeder units can be reduced. Accordingly, the
feeder units in this case can be arranged more freely than those shown in
FIG. 5.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments,
and it includes modifications not departing the scope of the claims
thereof. For example, the angle of installation of the feeder units with
respect to that of the printing units may be set to a suitable level (for
example, 45.degree.).
With regard to the rotary press and feeder unit according to the present
invention, the feeder units are provided in a non-parallel relation with
respect to the printing units, so that a regular paper web handling
operation including an operation for supplying paper rolls to the feeder
units can be carried out from one side of the feeder units, i.e., it is
not necessary to carry out this operation in a space between feeder units.
Therefore, the installation intervals of the feeders can be reduced, so
that the total length of the arrangement of the feeder units decreases.
This enables all of the feeder units to be arranged within the space just
below the arrangement of the printing units, and the space for installing
the equipment to be thereby saved.
In a structure having a plurality of paper rolls on each of the feeder
units provided in a non-parallel relation with respect to printing units,
and capable of feeding paper webs from at least two paper rolls out of
these paper rolls, the number of the feeder units in the rotary press is
smaller than that of the printing units therein. Consequently, the feeder
units can be arranged more freely, and the space for installing equipment
therein could be saved.
Therefore, in order to print images on a plurality of paper webs by
threading the same through a tower type printing unit, a feeder unit
capable of feeding paper webs from at least two paper rolls is provided
for each tower type printing unit in a rotary press with tower type
printing unit. This enables the sizes in plan of the arrangement of the
feeder units to be kept not larger than those of the arrangement of the
relative tower type printing units.
The problem that the surfaces of the paper webs drawn out from paper rolls
are not opposed to the printing means due to the non-parallel arrangement
of the feeder unit and the relative printing unit is solved by the
provision of the web turning means having a guide surface inclined with
respect to the direction in which a paper web is to be guided. Moreover,
since the guide surface of the web turning means can be displaced in
parallel with the longitudinal direction of a paper web, a travelling
position of the paper web leaving the guide surface passes is shifted in
the widthwise direction thereof. Thus, a position of a paper web with
respect to the widthwise direction of the printing means can be changed by
such a simply constructed means. Accordingly, the web position regulating
device can be miniaturized and simplified, and a driving force can be
reduced.
While the present invention has been described above with respect to
typical preferred embodiments thereof, it should of course be understood
that it should not be limited only to them but various changes or
modifications may be made without departure from the scope of the
invention defined by the appended claims.
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