According to aspects of the present disclosure there are provided methods and apparatus for providing selective control of a lateral position of a transfer blanket, the method comprising providing a crowned pulley rotating about an axis of a shaft, supporting a transfer blanket on the crowned pulley, the crowned pulley providing a self-tracking effect on a lateral position of the transfer blanket, and selectively controlling a lateral position of the crowned pulley along the axis of the shaft.

Offset print apparatus comprises a blanket arranged in a closed loop around a plurality of rollers. Each of the plurality of rollers is rotatable about a respective roller axis to support and convey the blanket around the closed loop. The plurality of rollers comprises: a primary steering roller rotatable about a primary roller axis and being pivotable about a primary steering axis perpendicular to the primary roller axis; and a secondary steering roller rotatable about a secondary roller axis and being pivotable about a secondary steering axis perpendicular to the secondary roller axis. The primary and secondary steering rollers are each independently pivotable. The offset print apparatus further comprises an actuator to actuate pivoting of the primary steering roller and the secondary steering roller.

Offset print apparatus comprises a blanket arranged in a closed loop around a plurality of rollers. Each of the plurality of rollers is rotatable about a respective roller axis to support and convey the blanket around the closed loop. The plurality of rollers comprises: a primary steering roller rotatable about a primary roller axis and being pivotable about a primary steering axis perpendicular to the primary roller axis; and a secondary steering roller rotatable about a secondary roller axis and being pivotable about a secondary steering axis perpendicular to the secondary roller axis. The primary and secondary steering rollers are each independently pivotable. The offset print apparatus further comprises an actuator to actuate pivoting of the primary steering roller and the secondary steering roller.

A jacket-securing arrangement is disclosed for mounting in a cylinder, which cylinder (220) has an outer surface and at least one recess (320) in the outer surface for receiving an inwardly turned edge of a replaceable jacket (225) overlying at least part of the outer surface of the cylinder. The jacket-securing arrangement is mountable within the recess so as not to project beyond the outer surface of the cylinder when the jacket is secured thereto, and includes a clamping lever pivotable about a shaft located within the recess between a clamping position in which the edge of the replaceable jacket is clamped between the lever and a side wall of the recess and a release position in which the lever is spaced from the side wall of the recess. A magnet is provided to retain the lever in the clamping position. The clamping lever is formed of two or more members assembled around the shaft and defining between them a bearing surface engaging an outer surface of the shaft. The shaft may be a gripper shaft including a plurality of grippers for securing a printing substrate sheet to the outer surface of a substrate transport cylinder of a printing system, the jacket-securing arrangement being disposed between grippers.

A system, including a moving web of material unwound from a support and a stamp mounted on a roller, wherein the stamp includes a base surface and a continuous, regular array of pattern elements having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape and extending above the base surface, and wherein the stamping elements each have a substantially planar stamping surface. An inking roller with an inking surface at least periodicially contacts the stamping surface of the stamping elements. The inking surface is impregnated with an ink composition including an organosulfur compound having a thiol functional group selected to bind to a major surface of the web material to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) thereon according to the array of pattern elements on the stamping surface.

A system, including a moving web of material unwound from a support and a stamp mounted on a roller, wherein the stamp includes a base surface and a continuous, regular array of pattern elements having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape and extending above the base surface, and wherein the stamping elements each have a substantially planar stamping surface. An inking roller with an inking surface at least periodicially contacts the stamping surface of the stamping elements. The inking surface is impregnated with an ink composition including an organosulfur compound having a thiol functional group selected to bind to a major surface of the web material to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) thereon according to the array of pattern elements on the stamping surface.

Apparatus for decorating a can body. The apparatus comprises a can body conveying mechanism (1) for conveying can bodies (2) to a printing zone (3), a blanket wheel (4) comprising a plurality of blanket segments (6) and, affixed to each blanket segment, a blanket (7) having a printing surface, the blanket wheel being configured to bring blanket printing surfaces into contact with can bodies within said printing zone, and a plurality of ink stations (5) each comprising a printing plate (31) configured to contact the printing surfaces of passing blankets in order to impart an ink image to the printing surfaces, such that a composite ink image is formed on each blanket printing surface and is printed onto a can body upon contact of the blanket printing surface and the can body within the printing zone. The apparatus is configured such that at least one of the blankets has a surface height variation across its printing surface representing a secondary image to be transferred to can bodies with which the blanket comes into contact. A drive mechanism (32) is provided for causing the printing plates to rotate and a drive mechanism controller for varying the rotational speed of the printing plates to synchronize the positions of the printing plates with blankets onto which ink images are to be transferred.

Apparatus for decorating a can body. The apparatus comprises a can body conveying mechanism (1) for conveying can bodies (2) to a printing zone (3), a blanket wheel (4) comprising a plurality of blanket segments (6) and, affixed to each blanket segment, a blanket (7) having a printing surface, the blanket wheel being configured to bring blanket printing surfaces into contact with can bodies within said printing zone, and a plurality of ink stations (5) each comprising a printing plate (31) configured to contact the printing surfaces of passing blankets in order to impart an ink image to the printing surfaces, such that a composite ink image is formed on each blanket printing surface and is printed onto a can body upon contact of the blanket printing surface and the can body within the printing zone. The apparatus is configured such that at least one of the blankets has a surface height variation across its printing surface representing a secondary image to be transferred to can bodies with which the blanket comes into contact. A drive mechanism (32) is provided for causing the printing plates to rotate and a drive mechanism controller for varying the rotational speed of the printing plates to synchronize the positions of the printing plates with blankets onto which ink images are to be transferred.

Offset print apparatus comprises a blanket arranged in a closed loop around a plurality of rollers. Each of the plurality of rollers is rotatable about a respective roller axis to support and convey the blanket around the closed loop. The plurality of rollers comprises: a primary steering roller rotatable about a primary roller axis and being pivotable about a primary steering axis perpendicular to the primary roller axis; and a secondary steering roller rotatable about a secondary roller axis and being pivotable about a secondary steering axis perpendicular to the secondary roller axis. The primary and secondary steering rollers are each independently pivotable. The offset print apparatus further comprises an actuator to actuate pivoting of the primary steering roller and the secondary steering roller.

Offset print apparatus comprises a blanket arranged in a closed loop around a plurality of rollers. Each of the plurality of rollers is rotatable about a respective roller axis to support and convey the blanket around the closed loop. The plurality of rollers comprises: a primary steering roller rotatable about a primary roller axis and being pivotable about a primary steering axis perpendicular to the primary roller axis; and a secondary steering roller rotatable about a secondary roller axis and being pivotable about a secondary steering axis perpendicular to the secondary roller axis. The primary and secondary steering rollers are each independently pivotable. The offset print apparatus further comprises an actuator to actuate pivoting of the primary steering roller and the secondary steering roller.