Ink applicator having movable bar and blade for opening and closing ink gap

1. In combination with a transfer roll having a cylindrical surface, an ink applicator comprising:

at least one generally stationary mounting part;

a first elongated bar mounted on the mounting part;

an elongated applicator blade carried on the first bar and having an edge riding on the transfer-roll cylindrical surface;

a second movable elongated bar mounted on the mounting part, extending parallel to the first bar, and defining an elongated ink-holding compartment with the first bar;

an elongated applicator blade carried on the second bar, extending parallel to the first-bar blade, and having an edge riding on the cylindrical transfer-roll surface; and

guide means supporting the movable bar on the mounting part for movement along an arcuate path having the same radius of curvature as the cylindrical transfer-roll surface between an outer position with the movable-bar blade spaced transversely from the first-bar blade and defining a gap through which ink can flow transversely out of the compartment, and an inner position with the blades engaging one another and closing the gap so that no ink can flow out of the compartment, the movable-bar blade edge remaining in contact with the cylindrical transfer-roll surface at all times.

2. The ink applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the first bar is fixed on the mounting part.

3. The ink applicator defined in claim 1 wherein the means includes guide formations constraining the movable bar and its blade to translatory movement transversely relative to the first bar between its inner and outer positions.

4. The ink applicator defined in claim 1 , further comprising

latch means for locking the movable bar releasably in each of its positions.

5. In combination with a transfer roll having a cylindrical surface, an ink applicator comprising:

at least one generally stationary mounting part;

a first elongated bar mounted on the mounting part;

an elongated applicator blade carried on the first bar and having an edge riding on the cylindrical transfer-roll surface;

a second movable elongated bar mounted on the mounting part, extending parallel to the first bar, and defining an elongated ink-holding compartment with the first bar;

an elongated applicator blade carried on the second movable bar, extending parallel to the first-bar blade, and having an edge riding on the cylindrical transfer-roll surface; and

guide means supporting the movable bar on the mounting part for movement along an arcuate path having the same radius of curvature as the cylindrical transfer-roll surface between an outer position with the movable-bar blade spaced transversely from the first-bar blade and defining a gap through which ink can flow out of the compartment, and an inner position with the blades engaging one another and closing the gap so that no ink can flow out of the compartment, the guide means including an axially projecting pin and a transversely elongated arcuate slot in which the pin can slide constraining the movable bar and its blade to movement transversely relative to the first bar between its inner and outer positions, the movable-bar blade edge remaining in contact with the cylindrical transfer-roll surface at all times.

6. The ink applicator defined in claim 5 wherein the slot is formed in the mounting part and the pin is fixed in the movable bar.

7. The ink applicator defined in claim 6 wherein the mounting part has two longitudinally opposite ends each formed with one such slot, the movable bar being provided with two such pins riding in the slots.

8. The ink applicator defined in claim 7 , further comprising

a seal engaging both blades at the ends and preventing leakage from the compartment out the gap adjacent the ends in both positions of the movable bar.

9. The ink applicator defined in claim 8 wherein the seal has a lip bearing on back faces of both blades.

10. In combination with a transfer roll having a cylindrical surface, an ink applicator comprising:

at least one generally stationary mounting part;

a first elongated bar mounted on the mounting part;

an elongated applicator blade carried on the first bar and having an edge riding on the cylindrical transfer-roll surface;

a second movable elongated bar mounted on the mounting part, extending parallel to the first bar, and defining an elongated ink-holding compartment with the first bar;

an elongated applicator blade carried on the second movable bar, extending parallel to the first-bar blade, and having an edge riding on the cylindrical transfer-roll surface;

guide means supporting the movable bar on the mounting part for movement along an arcuate path having the same radius of curvature as the cylindrical transfer-roll surface between an outer position with the movable-bar blade spaced transversely from the first-bar blade and defining a gap through which ink can flow out of the compartment, and an inner position with the blades engaging one another and closing the gap so that no ink can flow out of the compartment, the movable-bar blade edge remaining in contact with the cylindrical transfer-roll surface at all times; and

latch means for locking the movable bar releasably in each of its positions, the latch means including a longitudinally retractile pin and a stop plate having a pair of holes in each of which the pin is engageable in a respective one of the positions of the movable bar.

11. The ink applicator defined in claim 10 wherein the pin is on the movable bar and the stop plate is on the mounting part.

12. The ink applicator defined in claim 11 wherein the mounting part has two longitudinally opposite end parts each provided with one such stop plate, and the movable bar is provided with two such pins.