Variable cut off printing press having flexible plate and blanket

1 . A printing press comprising:

a plate cylinder having an outer perimeter of a first length; and

a removable flexible continuous tubular plate having an inner perimeter of a second length disposed about the plate cylinder;

the second length being greater than the first length so that the inner perimeter of the removable flexible continuous tubular plate and the outer perimeter of the plate cylinder define a first gap during a printing mode.

2 . The printing press recited in claim 1 further comprising a blanket disposed about a blanket cylinder contacting the removable flexible continuous tubular plate during the printing mode.

3 . The printing press recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a blanket cylinder having an outer perimeter of a third length; and

a removable flexible continuous tubular blanket having an inner perimeter of a fourth length disposed about the blanket cylinder;

the fourth length being greater than the third length so that the inner perimeter of the removable flexible continuous tubular blanket and the outer perimeter of the blanket cylinder define a second gap during the printing mode, the removable flexible continuous tubular blanket and the removable flexible continuous tubular plate contacting during the printing mode.

4 . The printing press recited in claim 3 further comprising an impression cylinder defining a nip with the removable flexible continuous tubular blanket during the printing mode.

5 . The printing press recited in claim 3 further comprising a second blanket disposed about a second blanket cylinder, a second plate disposed about a second plate cylinder, the second plate contacting the second blanket and the second blanket defining a nip with the removable flexible continuous tubular blanket during the printing mode.

6 . The printing press recited in claim 3 wherein the first gap and the second gap are a function of a desired cutoff length.

7 . The printing press recited in claim 3 wherein the first length and the third length are substantially equal and the second length and the fourth length are substantially equal.

8 . The printing press recited in claim 3 wherein a surface of the inner perimeter of the removable flexible continuous tubular plate is splined, a surface of the outer perimeter of the plate cylinder is splined, a surface of the inner perimeter of the removable flexible continuous tubular blanket is splined, and a surface of the outer perimeter of the blanket cylinder is splined.

9 . The printing press recited in claim 1 wherein the first gap is a function of a desired cutoff length.

10 . The printing press recited in claim 1 wherein a surface of the inner perimeter of the removable flexible continuous tubular plate is splined and a surface of the outer perimeter of the plate cylinder is splined.

11 . A method for varying cutoff in a printing press comprising the steps of:

printing an image having a first cutoff using a first removable flexible continuous tubular plate having a first inner perimeter disposed about a plate cylinder;

removing the first removable flexible continuous tubular plate from the plate cylinder;

placing a second removable flexible continuous tubular plate having a second inner perimeter different from the first inner perimeter so that the second removable flexible continuous tubular plate is disposed about the plate cylinder; and

printing an image having a second cutoff different from the first cutoff using the second removable flexible continuous tubular plate;

wherein the first inner perimeter is larger than an outer perimeter of the plate cylinder.