Printing – Cleaning attachments
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-10-30
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Printing
Cleaning attachments
C101S423000, C015S256510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308627
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of removing a cleaning device from a printing machine and of inserting the cleaning device or another cleaning device into the printing machine, the inserted cleaning device being secured in the position thereof in the printing machine by a fixing device, and to a printing machine having a cleaning device that is insertable therein, and a fixing device that secures the cleaning device in position.
Cleaning devices which are used in printing machines serve for cleaning inking-unit rollers, printing-unit cylinders or sheet transfer drums and must be removed from the printing machine from time to time for maintenance purposes.
For example, in the case of a cleaning device having a collecting trough with a doctor blade affixed thereto, it is necessary to withdraw the cleaning device from the printing machine in order to remove from the collecting trough residues of printing ink which accumulate in the collecting trough.
In a cleaning device having a cleaning cloth unwindable from a clean-cloth spool and windable onto a dirty-cloth spool, it is necessary to replace the used cleaning cloth with a fresh cleaning cloth, an operation that can generally be performed only outside the printing machine, for which purpose the cleaning device has to be removed from the printing machine from time to time.
The cleaning devices reinserted into the printing machine following maintenance or servicing have to be fixed in the vicinity of the operating position thereof.
This is effected by a clamping device, in the case of a rubber-blanket washing device as is described in the published German Patent Document DE 37 44 800 A1 and, in the case of a washing device in a printing machine as is described in the published German Patent Document DE 44 22 612 C1, by retaining elements belonging to the washing device and being insertable into slot guides or coulisses on the side frame of the printing machine, the retaining elements being formed by end regions of an actuating shaft, these end regions engaging behind steps on the slot guides due to the turning of the actuating shaft from an angular position assumed by it when it is inserted into the slot guide.
Openable protective coverings are provided on printing machines, for example, in the case of printing-unit towers, for the purpose of covering the interior space of the printing unit between the side-frame walls.
In the event that the devices described in the published German Patent Documents DE 37 44 800 A1 and DE 44 22 612 C1 are to be used in a printing-unit tower having such a protective covering, at least two manipulations are required after the insertion of the device into the printing-unit tower, namely a first manipulation for securing the position of the device and a second manipulation for closing the protective covering behind the device that has been inserted and secured in position.
Large multicolor printing machines may have more than ten printing-unit towers, respectively, having two regularly maintainable devices, for each printing-unit tower, so that the operating outlay or expense adds up, and the sparing of each manipulation represents an easing of the work for the pressman.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved method for an operating-friendly deinstallation and reinstallation of a cleaning device and to provide an improved printing machine with which the method can be implemented.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method for removing a cleaning device from a printing machine and for inserting a device selected from the group consisting of the cleaning device and another cleaning device, respectively, into the printing machine, the inserted cleaning device being secured in position in the printing machine by a fixing device, which comprises opening a protective covering of the printing machine and automatically inactivating the fixing device by the opening of the protective covering, removing the cleaning device from the printing machine through an opening in the printing machine exposed by the protective covering, inserting the respective cleaning device into the printing machine, and closing the protective covering and automatically activating the cleaning device by the closing of the protective covering, so that the inserted cleaning device is secured in the inserted position thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a printing machine having a cleaning device insertable therein, and a fixing device for securing the inserted cleaning device in position, comprising a protective covering belonging to the printing machine and being alternatively adjustable into an open position and a closed position, the protective covering forming an actuating element of the fixing device, the fixing device being formed so as to expose the cleaning device when the protective covering is open and to hold the cleaning device firmly when the protective covering is closed.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the protective covering is equipped with a first guide, and with a second guide constructed for inserting the cleaning device into the printing machine, the first guide being constructed for pushing the cleaning device onto the protective covering and for inserting the cleaning device into the second guide, the first guide and the second guide being aligned in mutually intersecting directions.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the aligned first and second guides substantially perpendicularly abut one another.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the cleaning device is constructed as a carriage slidable on the first guide and rollable on the second guide.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the fixing device is constructed as a linkage formed as a double rocker arm.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the double rocker arm includes a drive rocker arm formed by the protective covering.
In accordance with an alternative feature of the invention, the double rocker arm includes a drive rocker arm swivellably coupled with the protective covering.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the double rocker arm includes a driven rocker arm whereon a first latching element is disposed which, depending upon the swivelling direction of the driven rocker arm, is bringable, due to the swivelling of the driven rocker arm, into and out of engagement, respectively, with a second latching element formed on the cleaning device.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the double rocker arm includes a drive rocker arm formed as an angular rocker.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the printing machine includes a third guide for guiding the cleaning device as the cleaning device is being inserted, the third guide being formed on a side frame of the printing machine, and a first guide pin guidable by the third guide and fastened to the cleaning device, the first guide pin in a dual function also forming the second latching element.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the printing machine includes a second guide pin having a larger diameter than that of the first guide pin, the second guide pin being fastened, in addition to the first guide pin, to the cleaning device, and being disposed downline from the first guide pin in the insertion direction.
Thus, the method of removing a cleaning device from a printing machine and of inserting the cleaning device or another cleaning device into the printing machine, the inserted cleaning device being secured in position in the printing machine by a fixing device, is distinguished by the fact that, in a first method step, a protective covering of the printing machine is opened and the fixing device is automatically inactivated by the opening operation, in a second method step, the cleaning dev
Konig Werner
Kündgen Rolf
Merkel Gerd
Sitzmann Bernd
Greenberg Laurence A.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Hilten John S.
Lerner Herbert L.
Stemer Werner H.
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