ENGRAVING HEAD PLATFORM

摘要

A platform (50) for supporting an engraving head (12) in a manner accommodating translational movement without any associated rotation. The platform (50) has a deck (15) which is supported by a pair of flexible support columns (22a, 22b). In operation the platform (50) is situated alongside a rotating printing cylinder (10). The engraving head (12) is mounted on the deck (15) of the platform (50) and is provided with a guide shoe (13) which rides against the surface of the printing cylinder (10). As the cylinder (10) rotates to angular positions having different radii, the engraving head (12) responds with a purely linear reaction. Consequently the engraving head (12) is able to engrave uniform-depth cavities (32) in the surface of the printing cylinder (10). In two alternative embodiments the deck (115, 204) is driven by a resilient link arrangement which is coupled to a leadscrew and carriage assembly (102, 108, 202).