June 8, 1965 E.

J- JENNINGS ETAL 3,187,670

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-¢R3 INVENTORS
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EDWARD J. JENNINGS 8
ROBERT J. TAGUE

W
J1me 3, 1955 E. J. JENNINGS ETAL 3,187,670
PORTABLE INK-REMOVAL DEVICE FOR INK ‘ROLLS
Filed June 10, 1963
3 Sheets-Sheet 2

INVENTORS
EDWARD J. JENNINGS a
ROBERT J AGUE

Y7
J1me 8, 1955 E. J. JENNINGS ETAL
3,187,670
PORTABLE INK-REMOVAL DEVICE FOR INK ROLLS
Filed June 10. 1963
'3 Sheets-Sheet 3

EDWARD J. JENNINGS 8
ROBERT J. TAGUE
_BY
M4,
United States Patent 0 "ice 3,1816%
Patented June‘ 8, 1965

i. 2 .
further simpli?es the problem of disposal of the resultant
3,187,670 ' ' ink scrapings. v
E’GRTAELE II‘lK-REMUVAL DEVECE FGR The provision of a portable ink-removal device of the
INIQROLLS .
Edward .l'. Jennings, 1024 31st Ave., Beilweod, Ill, and character brie?y outlined above and possessing the stated
Robert .3’. Tague, 4998 E. Lake Shore Drive, Wonder advantages being among the principal objects of the inven
Lake 3, Ill. tion,.further objects are to provide an ink-removal de
Filed June 10, 1953, Ser. No. 286,721 vice which is eXtrernely simple in its construction and may,
3 Claims. ((11. Nib-425) therefore, be manufactured at a low cost; one which is
rugged and durable and, therefore, is unlikely to get out
The present invention relates to a portable ink removal 10 of order; one which may easily be assembled and dis
device for ink rolls and particularly for the ink rolls mantled for purposes of inspection, replacement or re
of rotary printing presses, duplicating machines and the pair of parts; one which is smooth and silent in its opera
like. tion, and one which, otherwise, is well adapted to per
Heretofore, it has been customary to clean the ink rolls form the services required of it.
of a printing press either prior to or directly after a shut Numerous other objects and advantages of the inven
down or for the purpose of changing to a di?erent colored tion, not ‘at this time enumerated, will become readily
ink by applying a solvent to the ink-coated surfaces of the apparent as the following description ensues.
rolls by way of a saturated rag or sponge and'thereafter In the accompanying three sheets of drawings forming
wiping the rolls with clean waste or cloths. In an effort a part of thisrspeci?cation, one illustrative embodiment
to obviate such time-consuming operations, there have of the invention has been shown.
been devised various types of scraper attachments which In these drawings: , _
are capable of installation upon the frameworks of print FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable ink-removal
ing presses. Such devices embody scraper blades which device constructed in accordance with the principles. of
are designed for direct scraping contact with the particu; the present invention and showing the ink trough cover
lar rolls to be cleaned and they must be designed especial plate detached from the device and in exploded fashion;
ly for the presses to which they are applied and hence FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the
they are not interchangeable on presses which vary in their line 2—2 of FIG. 1 and in the direction indicated by the
constructional details. Furthermore, a‘ scraper attach arrows, the device being shown as applied to the left-hand
ment of the aforementioned character is not useable when side of an ink roll which rotates in a clockwise direction
the direction of rotation of the associated ink‘ roll is 30 as seen in this view;
reversed and it cannot be switched from one side of the FIG. 3 is a rear right end perspective View of the de
ink roll to the other due to the constructive reversal of vice, certain parts being shown in section;
rotation of the roll that automatically takes place when ,FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 45-4 of
such switching is attempted. Additionally, since such FIG. 3 and in the direction indicated by the arrows, the
a scraper attachment must be ?xedly attached to the press 35 device being shown as applied to the left-hand sideof an
framework or some other permanent part of the press ink roll which rotates'in a counterclockwise direction as
and, when so attached, it must contact the entire surface Seen in this View; _ , .
of the roll. This means that the scraper, in certain in FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the device, cer
stances, must be extremely long and this is conducive to tain parts being broken away and other parts being shown
ward so-called “rippling.” Still further, it is necessary to 40 in section for illustrative purposes; ‘
shut down the press while the attachment is being ap FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of
plied, as well as While it is being removed. Finally, dis FIG. 5; and FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional View through
posal or" the scraped ink presents a problem as does also one end of the rockshaft for the scraper blade of the
any caking of the ink on the eiiective scraping edge of device. , , . .
45
the scraper blade. ' ' Referring now to the drawings in detail, an ink-removal
The present invention is designed to overcome the device embodying the principles of the present invention
above-noted limitations that are attendant upon prior hand has been shown’ in its entirety in FIGS. 1 and 3 and des
methods of swabbing the ink rolls of a printing press or ignated by the reference numerallh. In FIG. 2 the de
the like for ink-removing purposes, or upon the use‘ of vice is shown as being operatively applied to the left
conventional scraper attachments on the printing press. hand side of a printing press inkroll R which may be
Accordingly,'the invention contemplates the provision of assumed to rotate in a clockwise direction as shown by the
a novel portable ink-removal device which may he manug arrow in FIG. 2. In FIG. 4, the device is shown in
ally applied to either side of a rotating ink roll for ink the position which it‘ assumes when applied to the roll
removal purposes; which, ‘without modi?cation or altera 55 R when the latter is rotated in the; opposite direction as
tion, will accommodate the roll regardless of its actual indicated by the arrow. . _ V
or constructive direction of rotation; which embodies a For environmental purposes ‘and for an understanding
scraper blade that makes no direct contact whatsoever of the operation of the device it}, it is deemed necessary
with the particular ink roll to which the device is applied to show only the particular ink roll R of the printing
but instead makes scraping contact with an associated 60 press to which the device is actually applied, together,
ink transfer roll, thus protecting the ink roll from possible with portions of adjacent ‘contacting rolls R1, R2, R3
damage; which is not necessarily as long as the longi and R4. The device 10 may be applied to any one of
tudinal extent or” the roll undergoing ink-removing or several ink rolls which are associated with and form
parts of the press and, by application of the device to
cleaning so that “rippling” of its scraper blade is avoided; the one roll R, cleaning of the ‘entire system of rolls
which requires no stopping of the press preparatory to ap 65
leading from the ink fountain of the press will beat
plication of the device to the ink roll; which affords an tained because it is ‘a’ characteristic of printing ink that
easy and immediate solution to the problem of any ink itgwiil spread and distribute’ itself uniformly through
caking that may occur during use thereof; and which out an entire series of rolls. The roll R may be assumed
 f 3,187,670
3 4
to ‘be an intermediate roll and, by application of the ing edge 70 of the. scraper blade 62 engages the transfer
device 10 to this roll, if-the ink supply from the fountain roller 24 with the plane of the blade lying tangent to the
has been interrupted, it will be only a few minutes before cylindrical surface of the roller 24.
all of the rolls in the series will become clean. If a Small angle pieces 72 (see FIG. 1) are secured by
different ink has been introduced as the founta-inin place screws 74 to the end portions of the angle backing strip
of that originally supplied to the rolls, within a very 64 and these angle pieces in turn support side pieces
short time all of the rolls will be free of the original ink 76 which are secured thereto to screws 78.‘ An elon
and ready for coating with the substituted ink. gated removable plate 80 having a laterally turned ?ange
Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink 82 completes the ink troughpart of the assembly 50, this
removal device Iii-involves in its general. organization 10 plate being positioned and-secured in place by way of
a framework including a’ pair of side plates 12 and 14 wing nuts 84 which are .threadedly received on studs 86
which are of substantially identical C-shape design and which project rearwardly from the angle backing strip
are ‘maintained in spaced apart parallelism by means‘ 64 and project through slots 88 in the ?ange 62 of the
of four longitudinally extending cylindrical rods 16, 18, plate 80.
20 and 22 (see .also FIG. 5). As will be pointed out As‘shown in FIG. 4, the above described trough part
in greater detail hereafter, the rod 16 is of greater di~ of the assembly 50 is generally in the form of a rela
ameter than the threeother rods and serves, in addis tively ?at box-like structure having‘a forward open gen
tion to its spacing function, as a rockshaft for movably erally rectangular mouth 90. The removable plate 80
supporting the hereinafter described ink trough and. constitutes one side wall of the trough part and the scraper
scraper blade. The rod 18 serves solely as a combined blade 62 constitutes the other side wall. One ?ange of
connector and spacer rod. The rods 20 and 22, in' ad the right angle backing strip 64 constitutes the bottom
dition to their side plate spacing function, constitute wall of the trough part, while the side pieces 76 con
?xed axially extending supports for a pair of hollow or stitute the‘ end walls of the trough part. In the posi
tubular rollers 24 and 26. The roller 24 constitutes ‘a tion in which the trough part of the assembly 50 is shown
.transfer roller inasmuch as when operatively positioned in FIGS. 1 and 2, the axis of the trough part extends on
against'an ink roll to be cleaned it effects transfer of ink a slight incline as indicated by the dotted line x-x
‘from such. roll to the scraper blade which is associated with the trough part lying nearly horizontally so that
‘with the device 19 and the nature of which will be made the plate 80 overlies the scraper blade 62. The springs
clear presently. The roller 26 constitutes. an idler or 56 bias the trough and scraper blade assembly as a whole
stabilizing roller inasmuch as when positioned against 30 so that the scraping edge 70 bears against the upper side
the ink roll it serves to stabilize the device 10 against of the transfer roller 24 in such a manner that ink scrap
tilting on the surface of the ink roll.‘ It-will also be ings issuing from the transfer roller will collect on the
described presently. ‘ . a upper face of the scraper blade 62 and ‘flow down
Each side plate'12 and 14 includes a main body part wardly in the inclined trough part and establish a pool
28 (see FIGS. 1 and ‘3) from which there projects ‘for of the ink on the scraper blade 62.. In the position in
wardly a pair of vertically spaced arms 30 and 32, the which the trough and scraper blade assembly 50 is shown
arm. 30 serving to support the adjacent end of the rod 7 in FIGS.'3 and 4, the axis of the trough part also. extends
20 and the arm 32 serving to support the adjacent end on a slight incline as indicated by the dotted line y—y
of the rod 22. Allen head-type anchoring screws 34 with the trough part lying nearly horizontally so that the
(see FIG. 5) secure the ends of the rods 20 and 22 in 40 scraper blade 62 ‘overlies the plate 80. The springs 56
position in their respective holes in the arms 30 and 32 bias the assembly 50 as a whole so that the scraping’
of the side plates. Arhand hole 36 separates the main edge 70 of the. scraper blade 62 bears against the under
body portion 28 of each side plate from a rearward 7 neath side of the transfer roller 24. The ink scrapings
extension 38, the extension being sandwiched between a from the roller 26 will thus collect by‘gravity and form
pair of strips 40 which are formed of wood-or other 45 a pool on the plate 80.‘ '
suitable material and are held in position by rivets 42.
The extensions 38 and the strips 40 constitute composite Operation‘
handles 44 for the ink-removal device as a whole. The two series of ink rolls which are associated with
a The rollers 24 and 26 are rotatable upon their respec a large printing press or duplicating machine are in
tive supporting rods 20 and 22 by means of internal 50 variablynsymmetrical in their disposition with respect to
ball bearing assemblies 46 (see FIG. 5) within the ends each other so that there is a constructive reversal of rota
of‘the rollers. The two. rollers are substantially iden tion when the ink-removal device 10 of the present inven
tical in their construction‘and have limited end play on tion is applied to corresponding rolls of the two series on
the respective rods on which they are mounted, their opposite sides of a printing press. ' Under certain circum
axial sliding movement being limited by the side plates 55 stances, there may be an actual reversal‘of rotation in
12 and 14. volving the same .roll. in either event, whether the re
As best'shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a combined ink versal of rotation be actual 'or'construotive, the present
trough and scraper blade assembly 50 is supported on inkaremoval device. will accommodate both directions of
the rod .16. The ends of the 'rod 16 are rotatable in rotation of the particular roll to which it is applied.
holes 52 in the side plates 12 and: 14 of the framework ,In use,’ the .device510 is :manually supported by the
(see. also FIG. 7). Cup-shaped collars 54 extend around handles '44 and the tworollers 24 and ‘26 are simply
the end regions of the rod 16. They: arefsecured in pushed or pressed against the cylindrical surface of the
place on the ends of'the rod 16' by set screws>55 and roll R undergoing cleaning with the axes of the rollers
serve the dual function of preventing axial shifting of 24 and 26 extending parallel to the axis of the roll to be
said rod 16 and of enclosing biasing springs 56 which 65 cleaned. Becausethe two rollers 24 and 26 are spaced
encircle theend regions of the :rod 16. These springs apart an appreciable distance, forward thrust of the device
have ends secured to anchor posts 58 on the framework against the roll R will serve to stabilize the device on the
' side plates and their outer ends secured to anchor posts roll and maintain an equality of pressure that cannot be
60 on the collars. A relatively thin spring steel scraper attained when applying a single roller to a rotary roll.
blade 62, which is coextensive with the span along the 70 If the device is applied to the left-hand side of a roll
rod.16 and between the’ two collars 54, is secured, to which rotates in a clockwise direction as illustrated in
gether with an elongated, right angle backing strip 64 FIG. 2, or if it is applied .to the right-hand side of a roll
therefor, by means of screws 66 to the rod‘16'. The which rotates in a counterclockwise direction, application
springs 56 serve to bias the rod 16 in a clockwise direc- - of the device will be made with the transfer roller 24 gen
tion as viewed in FIG. 2 in order that the distal scrap 75 erally overlying the stabilizing roller ‘26 and with the
 3,187,670
5 6
trough part of the assembly 56 assuming an elevated posi The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrange
tion above the level of the handles 44. On the other ment of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or
hand, if the device is applied to the left-hand side of a described in this speci?cation as various changes in-the
roll which rotates in a counterclockwise direction as illus details of construction may be resorted to without depart
trated in FIG. 4, or if it is applied to the right-hand side ing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore,
of a roll which rotates in a clockwise direction, applica only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed
tion of the device will be made with the stabilizing roller out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.
26 generally overlying the transfer roller 24 and with the Having thus described the invention, what we claim as
trough part of the assembly 56 assuming a lower position new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:_ ,
below the level of the handles 44. 10 1. A portable manually applicable reversible self-con
Regardless of which of the two ways the ink-removal tained ink-removal device for cleaning ink from a printing
device 10 may be applied to a given ink roll, the roller press roll or the like and comprising a framework in
24 functions in manner of an ink transfer roller to gather cluding a pair of spaced apart parallel side plates pro
ink by molecular adhesion from the ink roll of the print viding handles for the device, an ink transfer roller and
ing press and transfer the same to the scraper blade 62. 15 a stabilizing roller having their opposite ends rotatably
This phenomenon of ink transfer is enhanced by the pre supported upon the side plates and extending thereacross
viously, described characteristic of printing ink which in spaced parallel'relationship, said device being manually
enables .the ink freely to spread and distribute itself uni and selectively positionable against one side of a rotat
formly throughout an entire series of contacting or tan ing ink roll with either the transfer roller overlying or
gentially disposed rolls. The roller 26 is essentially a 20 underlying the stabilizing roll, and with both rollers in
stabilizing roller and this roller, in combination with the driven contact with the rotating press roll to be cleaned
ink transfer roL-ler 24, insures stability of the device 10 under the in?uence of manual pressure, a scraper blade
as a whole when applied to a given ink roll. carried by the framework and having a free edge in per
Considering now a left-hand application of the ink manently positioned substantially tangential yielding scrap
removal device 15) to a roll, such as the roll R as shown 25 ing contact with the transfer roller, and an ink trough
in FIG. 2 and which may have either an actual or a con having an open ink-receiving mouth in the vicinity of
structive clockwise direction of rotation, the application said transfer roller for receiving the ink scrapings from
is made with the ink transfer roller 24 overlying the said free edge of the scraper blade, said scraper blade
stabilizing roller 26 and with the ink trough part of the’ constituting one side wall of the ink trough, said ink
assembly 54} assuming an uppermost position in the de 30 trough including a removable plate opposite to and spaced
vice. The ink scrapings from the roll R which enter the from the scraper blade and constituting the opposite side
trough part of the assembly 50 through the open mouth wall of the ink trough, said scraper blade underlying the
or rim 90 collect on the scraper blade 62'and ?ow rear removable plate and being adapted to receive and sup
wardly and downwardly in the trough part and establish port ink scrapings on one side thereof when the device
a pool of ink therein. 'For convenience, when applying is positioned with the transfer roller overlying the sta
the device in this manner, the plate St} may be removed bilizing roller, said removable plate underlying the scraper
but such removal is not actually essential. From time to blade when the device is positioned with the transfer
time, when the level of ink in the pool rises and ap roller underlying the scraper blade and being adapted to
proaches the lowermost level of the open mouth 90 of the receive and support ink scrapings which ?ow by gravity
trough part, the operator may remove the device 10 from 40 from the scraper blade. ' e
the rotating roll R undergoing cleaning, if the same has 2. 'A portable manually applicable reversible'self-con
not previously been removed, and cause the assembly St) tained ink-removal device for cleaning ink from a print
to be inverted so that the ink contents of the trough part ing press roll or the like and comprising a framework
thereof will pour from the open mouth and be received including a pair of spaced apart parallel side plates pro
in a suitable waste ink bucket or other receptacle. For 45 viding handles for the device,‘ an ink transferroller' and
a more thorough emptying or cleaning of the assembly a stabilizing roller having their opposite ends rotatably
50, the thumb screws 84, 86 may be loosened and the supported upon the side plates and extending thereacross
plate 80 removed before the pouring operation. If the in spaced parallel relationship, said device being manu
longitudinal extent of a given roll undergoing cleaning is ally and selectively positionable against one side of a
greater than the longitudinal extent of the transfer roller rotating ink roll with'either the transfer roller overlying
24, the operator will shift the, device 1!} longitudinally or underlying the stabilizing roller, and with both rollers
of the roll from side to side so as to insure coextensive in driven contact with the rotating press roll to be cleaned
cleaning of the surface of the roll. under the in?uence of manual pressure, a rockshaft ex
Considering now a left-hand application of the ink tending between tl e side plates and having its opposite '
rernoval device 10 to a roll such as the roll R as shown in 55 ends rotatably journalled therein, an ink trough secured’
FIG. 4 and which may have either an actual or a con to the rockshaft and including opposed side walls, op
structive clockwise direction of rotation, the application posed end walls and a bottom wall, one of said side walls
is, made with the stabilizing roller 26 overlying the ink being in the form of a relatively thin scraper blade hav
transfer roller 24 and with the assembly 50. assuming a ing a scraper edge designed for coextensive scraping con
lowermost position within the device’ It). The ink scrap tact with the surface of the transfer roller on the side
ings from the roll R which enter the trough part of the
assembly 50 through the open mouth 90 thereof will, de thereof remote from the‘ stabilizing roller and with the
pending upon the viscosity or tenacity thereof, drip from blade extending substantially tangentially of the trans
the scraper blade 62 and collect on the removable plate fer roller, spring means yieldingly biasing the rockshaft,
89 therebeneath, thus establishing a pool of ink, or these 65 and consequently the ink trough bodily as a whole, in a
scrapings will adhere to the inclined scraper blade by direction to effect yielding pressure of the scraper blade
molecular attraction and flow in a circuitous path across against the transfer roller, said trough lying on a slight
the underneath side of the blade and down the bottom incline with respect to the horizontal in either selected
Wall of the trough as established by the nearly vertical position of the device so that in one position of the
?ange 82 of the removable plate 80 into the pool of ink. device the scraper blade constitutes a tray-like support 7
Emptying of the trough part of the assembly 50 of ink for ink scrapings issuing directly from the scraper edge,
from time to time as required may be e?eeted in the man and in the other position thereof the side wall opposite
ner previously described in connection with either an to the scraper blade underlies the scraper blade and con
actual or constructive clockwise rotation of the roll R stitutes a tray-like support for ink scrapings falling there-,
undergoing cleaning. on from said scraper edge.
 3,187,670
1, 7 r 4 ' ' ' 8 V

r 3. ,A portable ink-removal device as setlforth in elaim 2,691,344 10/ 54 ' McMullen __________ .__ 101—-425
2 and wherein the side wall ‘opposite to' said scraper 2,832,289 4/58 Mitchell et a1 ________ __ 101-425
blade ‘is removable vfrom the ink though.v , v2,970,541 2/61 Gegenheimer ; ______ __ 101-425
References Cited by the Examiner 5 ‘ ‘ FOREIGN PATENTS
UNITED STATES PATENTS ' I 522,747 _ 9/53 Belgium.
' 1,058,040 4/13 Orump ____________ __ 101---425 ' _. .
2,199,469 5/40 Seal et a1 ____________ __ 101425 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Pnmary Exammer.
2,341,020 2/44 Curtis _____________ __ ,101__4z5 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Examiner,