An oscillating roller system for a beverage can decorator is driven back and forth by a cam follower. A cam body having a cam is mounted to a frame of the inker system. Three oscillating cam roller assemblies are positioned about the cam body. Rotation of the cam oscillates the cam followers for each one of the oscillating rollers. Bearings of the oscillating roller assemblies includes an inlet gallery and outlet gallery for a closed loop lubrication system. The rollers are water cooled.

An inking system of a printing press includes an impression cylinder for guiding a printing substrate, and at least one ink-transfer roller. The ink-transfer roller includes a cylinder mandrel, on which at least one cylinder sleeve is concentrically displaceable, and bearing blocks, in which ends of the ink-transfer roller are mounted and which are independently displaceable in the radial direction of the impression cylinder. The ink-transfer roller can be set against the impression cylinder or any other ink-transfer roller, with a bearing block being detachable from one end of the ink-transfer roller and displaceable relative to the ink-transfer roller so that the cylinder sleeve can be removed via this one end. A stop device, with which the cylinder sleeve can be brought into contact, has components that are movable in the axial direction of the print roller. The movable stop device components can be decelerated via a force-providing element.

A print station includes a chamber in which a cardboard sheet transits, two first support elements for an inking roller on internal faces of two opposite and facing walls of the chamber, at least two second support elements for the inking roller on the internal faces of the two walls, and a carriage positionable inside the chamber for restingly receiving the inking roller. The print station also includes an automatic system for moving and positioning the inking roller whether in a raised operating position, below a print roller; in a first lowered position at the first pair of support elements, for releasing or collecting the inking roller; in a second lowered position at the second pair of support elements for releasing or collecting the inking roller; or in a third lowered position at the carriage for releasing or collecting the inking roller.

An ink station assembly is for a can decorator machine structured to decorate a plurality of cans. The ink station assembly includes a first oscillator roll and a second oscillator roll each having a longitudinal axis and being structured to oscillate back and forth along the longitudinal axis, a printing plate cylinder including a printing plate, and only one single form roll cooperating with the printing plate cylinder to apply a supply of ink to the printing plate, the single form roll cooperating with the first oscillator roll and the second oscillator roll.

An ink station assembly is for a can decorator machine structured to decorate a plurality of cans. The ink station assembly includes a first oscillator roll and a second oscillator roll each having a longitudinal axis and being structured to oscillate back and forth along the longitudinal axis, a printing plate cylinder including a printing plate, and only one single form roll cooperating with the printing plate cylinder to apply a supply of ink to the printing plate, the single form roll cooperating with the first oscillator roll and the second oscillator roll.

An inking unit of a printing unit and a device for printing on hollow bodies each have a cylindrical lateral surface. The device comprises the inking unit. The inking unit has an anilox roller which receives a printing ink from an ink reservoir and has an inking roller placed against a printing cylinder of the printing unit. A rider roller is arranged axially parallel to the anilox roller in a region between the ink reservoir and the inking roller, that region being located subsequent to the ink reservoir in a direction of rotation of the anilox roller. The ink reservoir interacts with the anilox roller. The rider roller is placed against the anilox roller. The rider roller is rotationally driven by the anilox roller by friction. The inking roller is rotationally driven by the anilox roller by friction. The plate cylinder and the anilox roller are each independently rotationally driven by a motor.

An inking unit of a printing unit and a device for printing on hollow bodies each have a cylindrical lateral surface. The device comprises the inking unit. The inking unit has an anilox roller which receives a printing ink from an ink reservoir and has an inking roller placed against a printing cylinder of the printing unit. A rider roller is arranged axially parallel to the anilox roller in a region between the ink reservoir and the inking roller, that region being located subsequent to the ink reservoir in a direction of rotation of the anilox roller. The ink reservoir interacts with the anilox roller. The rider roller is placed against the anilox roller. The rider roller is rotationally driven by the anilox roller by friction. The inking roller is rotationally driven by the anilox roller by friction. The plate cylinder and the anilox roller are each independently rotationally driven by a motor.

An interlocking drive plate for an anilox roll which incorporates a dowel pin with a bushing that is able to move slightly and rotate. The interlocking drive disc is similar in structure to the current structure of a drive disc for the Mark Andy P-Series printing presses. However, the stationary dowel pin has been replaced with a modified dowel pin which includes a bushing providing slight movement and rotation. The modified dowel pin, with slight movement and rotation, reduces the shear forces on the pin which in turn reduces the wear on the pin when rotated by a servomotor. This reduction in wear will cause the interlocking drive disc to last longer than traditional drive discs without the need for repair or replacement.

A method is provided of charging an inker in a lithographic printing press. The method comprises placing all of the printing units of the printing press in an off impression position, with a continuous substrate passing through the printing units, each printing unit including a blanket cylinder; and in one or more printing units of the plurality of printing units, moving the takeaway roller into contact with the blanket cylinder of the printing unit. Thereafter, the method includes driving the ink train, plate cylinder, blanket cylinder and the take away roller at a first surface speed, whereby the ink from the ink train transmitted to the plate cylinder from the ink train, from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder, and from the blanket cylinder to the take away roller; and during said driving step, keeping the continuous substrate stationary or moving the continuous substrate at a second surface speed less than 50% of the first surface speed. Also provided is a closed loop control system for controlling the ink film thickness applied to a printed substrate in a lithographic printing press.

Inking units of a printing unit having at least one first inking unit roll and having a second inking unit roll which can be pivoted between the first inking unit roll and a third inking unit roll, at a distance from the first inking unit roll. A pivot drive for pivoting the second inking unit roll is provided with a drive assembly which is mechanically independent from the rotation of cylinders of the printing unit and also from inking unit rolls provided in the inking unit. A screwing down force for at least one of the first and third inking unit rolls can be set by one of predefining and changing a set point value relating to the drive force of the drive assembly remotely by the actuation of an adjusting assembly.