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US006612234B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,612,234 B2
Hess (45) Date of Patent: Sep. 2,2003
(54) LIGHTWEIGHT PORTABLE COMPACT UNIVERSAL PRINTER COATER
(75) Inventor: Max W. Hess, Trophy Club, TX (US)
(73) Assignee: Howard W. DeMoore, Dallas, TX (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 143 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/846,663
(22) Filed: May 1, 2001
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2002/0178944 Al Dec. 5, 2002
(51) Int. CI.7 B41F 5/00; B05C 11/00
(52) U.S. CI 101/216; 101/364; 101/479;
101/350.1; 118/46; 118/258
(58) Field of Search 101/216, 479,
101/232, 364, 350.1, 367, 152, 363, 181, 408, 177; 118/46, 126, 258
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
A lightweight portable compact flexographic universal printer coater adaptable to printing units on the same press or other presses of the same nominal printing width. The printer coater has a frame which comprises an anilox roller, a means to rotate the anilox roller at or near the surface speed of the rotating printing surface, a liquid film supply for replenishing the liquid film on the surface of the anilox roller, and a positioner device to place the printer coater between the on and off-impression positions. The printer coater apparatus is placed onto at least one pair of fixed supports mounted on the printing press frame so that the positioner apparatus can place the printer coater between an on and off-impression position. Spacers of selected widths may be mounted between the fixed supports and the interior surfaces of the press frame to compensate for slightly varying press frame widths associated with different press manufacturers. In the alternative, fixed supports may be manufactured in different widths and mounted on the interior surface of the press frame to avoid the use of spacers. The printer coater is portably liftable into and out of position from the printing press frame and easily transportable to any printing unit of a multiple unit rotary offset lithographic printing press or other rotary offset lithographic presses of the same nominal printing width.
63 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
