There are described various embodiments of an inking system for inking an intaglio printing cylinder (8) of an intaglio printing press (1.sup.I; 1.sup.II; 1.sup.III ; 1.sup.IV; 1.sup.V), which intaglio printing cylinder carries one or more intaglio printing mediums (8a, 8b, 8c) that are inked by means of a plurality of inking devices (95; 95*; 95**; 905; 905*). The inking system is designed to perform a selective transfer of ink to the one or more intaglio printing mediums by means of a selective inking cylinder (98; 98*; 98**) provided in at least one of the inking devices, preferably in each of the inking devices. More precisely, the selective inking cylinder carries a selective inking plate (90a) receiving ink supplied by an associated inking unit (96/96a/97; 96*/96a*/97*; 96**/96a**; 906/906a/910/915; 906*/906a*/910*/915*), which selective inking plate comprises a coating (900) that is selectively structured to exhibit ink-repellent portions (910) and perform selective transfer of ink at locations (920) corresponding to engraved areas of the one or more intaglio printing mediums that are to be inked with the ink supplied by the associated inking unit. The selective transfer of ink to the one or more intaglio printing mediums is performed indirectly from the selective inking cylinder to the one or more intaglio printing mediums via an ink collecting cylinder (9) and/or via a chablon cylinder (99*; 99**) carrying a chablon plate (99a) comprising relief portions (99A) corresponding to engraved areas of the one or more intaglio printing mediums that are to be inked with the ink supplied by the associated inking unit.

There are described various embodiments of an inking system for inking an intaglio printing cylinder (8) of an intaglio printing press (1.sup.I; 1.sup.II; 1.sup.III ; 1.sup.IV; 1.sup.V), which intaglio printing cylinder carries one or more intaglio printing mediums (8a, 8b, 8c) that are inked by means of a plurality of inking devices (95; 95*; 95**; 905; 905*). The inking system is designed to perform a selective transfer of ink to the one or more intaglio printing mediums by means of a selective inking cylinder (98; 98*; 98**) provided in at least one of the inking devices, preferably in each of the inking devices. More precisely, the selective inking cylinder carries a selective inking plate (90a) receiving ink supplied by an associated inking unit (96/96a/97; 96*/96a*/97*; 96**/96a**; 906/906a/910/915; 906*/906a*/910*/915*), which selective inking plate comprises a coating (900) that is selectively structured to exhibit ink-repellent portions (910) and perform selective transfer of ink at locations (920) corresponding to engraved areas of the one or more intaglio printing mediums that are to be inked with the ink supplied by the associated inking unit. The selective transfer of ink to the one or more intaglio printing mediums is performed indirectly from the selective inking cylinder to the one or more intaglio printing mediums via an ink collecting cylinder (9) and/or via a chablon cylinder (99*; 99**) carrying a chablon plate (99a) comprising relief portions (99A) corresponding to engraved areas of the one or more intaglio printing mediums that are to be inked with the ink supplied by the associated inking unit.

An object of the present invention is to provide a temperature adjustment device for a printing machine with a plurality of inking devices mounted therein, the device being capable of adjusting the temperatures of ink smoothing function rollers in the respective inking devices uniformly and accurately. The temperature adjustment device for a printing machine according to the present invention is a temperature adjustment device for a printing machine that adjusts temperatures of rollers in a plurality of inking devices mounted in a printing machine by supplying temperature-regulated water to shaft parts of the rollers, and is characterized by having a plurality of smoothing function roller temperature regulators, provided respectively corresponding to the inking devices, and each adjusting the temperature of the ink smoothing function roller among a series of rollers in each of the inking devices.

A chamber blade system maximizes ink flow at an anilox doctor blade by including a heating element adjacent the doctor blade to heat ink adjacent the blade. The heating element may be a heat strip next to an anilox doctor blade that heats the ink adjacent the doctor blade and temporarily reduces the ink viscosity to improve the flow of ink in the vicinity of the blade. Doctoring blades with a ceramic tip coating may be configured to allow a small amount of controlled ink flow through that can wet the lands thereby reducing the hydrodynamic back pressures and friction when trying to force the ink into anilox cells.

A chamber blade system maximizes ink flow at an anilox doctor blade by including a heating element adjacent the doctor blade to heat ink adjacent the blade. The heating element may be a heat strip next to an anilox doctor blade that heats the ink adjacent the doctor blade and temporarily reduces the ink viscosity to improve the flow of ink in the vicinity of the blade. Doctoring blades with a ceramic tip coating may be configured to allow a small amount of controlled ink flow through that can wet the lands thereby reducing the hydrodynamic back pressures and friction when trying to force the ink into anilox cells.

A printing machine (10) comprises a doctor blade (14), a drive system (20) for urging the doctor blade (14) against a printing cylinder (16) of the printing machine (10), a sensor (32) adapted for sensing a force with which the doctor blade (14) is urged against the printing cylinder (16), and a mechanical locking element (34) adapted for locking the drive system (20) in its operating position. Further, a method of operating a printing machine (10) is presented.

A printing machine (10) comprises a doctor blade (14), a drive system (20) for urging the doctor blade (14) against a printing cylinder (16) of the printing machine (10), a sensor (32) adapted for sensing a force with which the doctor blade (14) is urged against the printing cylinder (16), and a mechanical locking element (34) adapted for locking the drive system (20) in its operating position. Further, a method of operating a printing machine (10) is presented.

In a digital inking system having an anilox member that carries a patterned metered layer of ink to a digital imaging member, and a doctor blade that removes excess ink from the surface of the anilox member resulting in the patterned metered layer, an overfill form roller in rolling contact with the anilox member adds an overcoat layer of ink on the patterned metered layer for transfer of both layers of ink to the digital imaging member. The overcoat layer of ink uniformly covers all regions of the anilox member and the mattered metered layer of ink, including lands of the anilox cell walls to make the combined layers of ink pattern-free.

In a digital inking system having an anilox member that carries a patterned metered layer of ink to a digital imaging member, and a doctor blade that removes excess ink from the surface of the anilox member resulting in the patterned metered layer, an overfill form roller in rolling contact with the anilox member adds an overcoat layer of ink on the patterned metered layer for transfer of both layers of ink to the digital imaging member. The overcoat layer of ink uniformly covers all regions of the anilox member and the mattered metered layer of ink, including lands of the anilox cell walls to make the combined layers of ink pattern-free.

A doctor blade for spreading a coating solution supplied to a roll surface of an anilox roll rotatable about a rotation axis over the roll surface is in a longitudinal plate shape. The doctor blade includes a long edge and bent portions. The long edge is set against the roll surface of the anilox roll along the rotation axis. The bent portions are at ends of the long edge and at angles to the long edge.