Importance

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Abstract

A plate mounter for mounting flexible printing plates on a printing cylinder used in flexographic and letterpress printing processes includes a frame and a table top having a top flat surface located above the frame for supporting the printing plate. The table top is horizontally slidable on lineal bearings towards and away from an operator of the plate mounter. Two opposing vertical support members are joined by a stabilizing bar with an attached handle. The vertical support members are attached to the frame such that they may be moved radially at the bottom end. In between the vertical support members are a plurality of carriage rods holding a horizontal adjustable cylinder carriage. The carriage slides to the left and right along the rods. Attached to the carriage is a tapered spindle facing the right vertical support member. A matching tapered spindle attaches to the right vertical support member. The spindles hold the printing cylinder. The operator loads the printing cylinder on the spindles, places the printing plate on the table top, aligns it, and lowers the printing cylinder in a forwardly downward arc to the printing plate. The operator then pulls on a handle attached to the front edge of the table top, thus sliding the table top forward as the printing cylinder rotates, thereby accurately mounting the printing plate on the printing cylinder.

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First Claim