Blanket washing method and blanket washing solution removing method for use in web offset printing press

1. A web offset printing press for printing on a web, comprising:

a printing unit including a blanket cylinder with a blanket mounted thereon, the blanket cylinder having its peripheral speed controlled separately from a running speed of the web; and

a control unit which controls automated operation of the printing press in such a manner that the blanket cylinder is disengaged from the web, and that, with the web being kept running, the blanket mounted on a surface of the blanket cylinder is washed while the blanket cylinder is rotating at a peripheral speed higher than the speed of the web, wherein the speed of the web is lower than a printing speed.

2. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the blanket cylinder is disengaged from the web during or after increasing of the running speed of the web, from a halt state to a predetermined stand-by speed, and that the blanket is washed while the blanket cylinder is rotating at a predetermined washing speed higher than the stand-by speed, and that the peripheral speed of the blanket cylinder is reduced to the stand-by speed after completion of washing the blanket, and that the blanket cylinder is restored, and that the running speed of the web is increased to a predetermined printing speed.

3. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 2 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit: performs controlling in such a manner that, after completion of washing the blanket, the blanket cylinder is rotated at a peripheral speed higher than a peripheral speed at which the blanket cylinder is rotated during washing of the blanket to remove washing solution left on the blanket before the blanket cylinder is restored.

4. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising a drier unit for applying heat onto the web, on which printing has been performed, to dry the web,

wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the removal of the washing solution is performed in parallel to a drier temperature increasing process of increasing a temperature of the drier unit, while the web is running at a predetermined stand-by speed.

5. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the blanket cylinder is disengaged from the web while the running speed of the web decreased from a predetermined printing speed to a predetermined stand-by speed, and that the blanket is washed while the blanket cylinder is rotating at a predetermined washing speed higher than the stand-by speed, and that the peripheral speed of the blanket cylinder is synchronized with the running speed of the web after completion of washing the blanket, and that the blanket cylinder is restored, and that the running speed of the web is again increased to the printing speed.

6. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 5 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that, after completion of washing the blanket, the blanket cylinder is rotated at a peripheral speed higher than a peripheral speed at which the blanket cylinder is rotated during washing of the blanket to remove washing solution left on the blanket before the blanket cylinder is restored.

7. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 6 , further comprising a drier unit for applying heat onto the web, on which printing has been performed, to dry the web,

wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the removal of the washing solution is performed in parallel to a drier temperature increasing process of increasing a temperature of the drier unit, while the web is running at a predetermined stand-by speed.

8. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the blanket cylinder is disengaged from the web while the running speed of the web decreases from a predetermined printing speed to a halt state, and that the blanket is washed while the blanket cylinder rotating at a predetermined washing speed, and that the peripheral speed of the blanket cylinder is reduced to the halt state after completion of washing the blanket.

9. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 8 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the running speed of the web is reduced to a predetermined stand-by speed after the blanket cylinder is disengaged from the web, and that the running speed of the web is reduced to the halt state after completion of washing the blanket.

10. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising guide means disposed on an upper stream side and a lower stream side of the blanket cylinder in a running path of the web, said guide means changing the running path of the web to reduce or get rid of contact of the web with the blanket cylinder while the blanket is being washed.

11. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 10 , wherein, the web is stopped running when the blanket is washed.

12. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the web is clamped by giving a tension thereto, and that the blanket is washed while the blanket cylinder is idling with respect to the web thus being clamped.

13. A web offset printing press for printing on a web, comprising:

a printing unit including a blanket cylinder with a blanket mounted thereon, the blanket cylinder having its peripheral speed controlled separately from a running speed of the web; and

a control unit which controls automated operation of the printing press in such a manner that, after washing of the blanket which has been disengaged from the web, the blanket cylinder is rotated at a peripheral speed higher than a running speed of the web, with the blanket cylinder being kept disengaged from the web and with the web being kept running, to remove washing solution left on the blanket.

14. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 13 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the blanket cylinder is rotated at a peripheral speed higher than a maximum peripheral speed the blanket cylinder reaches during an print operation, so as to remove the washing solution left on the blanket.

15. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 14 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the removal of the washing solution left on the blanket is performed while the web is running at a predetermined stand-by speed.

16. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising a drier unit for applying heat onto the web, on which printing has been performed, to dry the web,

wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the removal of washing solution left on the blanket is performed in parallel to a drier temperature increasing process of increasing a temperature of the drier unit, while the web is running at a predetermined stand-by speed.

17. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 13 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the removal of the washing solution left on the blanket is performed while the web is running at a predetermined stand-by speed.

18. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 17 , further comprising a drier unit for applying heat onto the web, on which printing has been performed, to dry the web,

wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the removal of washing solution left on the blanket is performed in parallel to a drier temperature increasing process of increasing a temperature of the drier unit, while the web is running at a predetermined stand-by speed.

19. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 13 , further comprising guide means disposed on an upper stream side and a lower stream side of the blanket cylinder in a running path of the web, said guide means changing the running path of the web to reduce or get rid of contact of the web with the blanket cylinder during the removal of the washing solution left on the blanket.

20. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 19 , wherein the web is stopped running when the removal of the washing solution is performed.

21. A web offset printing press as set forth in claim 13 , wherein, during the automated operation, said control unit performs controlling in such a manner that the web is clamped by giving a tension thereto, and that the removal of the washing solution left on the blanket is performed while the blanket cylinder is idling with respect to the web thus being clamped.