Apparatus and method for printing multiple account lines

Abstract

A printing method and apparatus for printing different indicia, such as account numbers, on selected documents without changing plates or stopping the press during a press run. Different indicia are provided at two or more lines on a printing plate, each line being separated from an adjacent line on the plate by a predetermined distance relative to movement of the plate in a press. The plate transfers images to a blanket having a region that does not contact the plate and thus receives no image of the plate area that registers with the noncontacting region of the blanket. The plate and blanket initially are aligned so that the noncontacting region registers with one set of indicia on the plate, so that the blanket receives a partial inked image lacking that indicia. That partial inked image is transferred to sheets passing through the press. A differential drive selectively displaces the angular position of the plate cylinder on the fly relative to the blanket cylinder, so that a different set of indicia becomes aligned with the noncontacting region on the blanket cylinder, whereby the blanket does not receive an inked image of that different set of indicia and following sheets are not printed with that indicia.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printing press for applying impressions to media, comprising: a first member movable on a predetermined path and operative to support a printing plate containing indicia on at least two locations separated by a certain distance relative to the path of movement;   at least one other member movable in predetermined relation to the first member and positioned to receive a transferable impression of the indicia on a plate supported by the first member, whereby the transferable impression can be transferred from the other member to a medium; and   drive means operatively associated with at least one of the members to selectively displace the predetermined relation between the members by said certain distance while the members are moving in the predetermined relation,   so as to produce a corresponding displacement in the position of the impressions thereafter transferred to the media.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein: the first member is a first cylinder rotatable on an axis;   the other member is a second cylinder rotatable on an axis in predetermined relation to the first cylinder; and   the drive means is operative to angularly shift one of the cylinders on its axis with respect to the axial position of the other cylinder while the cylinders are rotating, so as to produce said displacement.   
     
     
       3. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein: the drive means comprises a differential drive having a first input and a second input and an output driving the one cylinder in response to the first and second inputs;   one such input is connected to rotate the one cylinder in the predetermined relation with the other cylinder; and   the other such input is connected for selective rotation operative to produce the predetermined displacement in the output driving the one cylinder.   
     
     
       4. Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein: the one input of the differential drive and the cylinder not driven by the differential drive are operatively interconnected to a primary drive source so as to rotate with the predetermined relation to each other; and further comprising   a secondary drive source connected to the other input of the differential drive, so that the cylinders rotate with the predetermined relation when the secondary drive source is stationary and undergo the angular shift in the predetermined relation in response to selective rotation of the secondary drive source.   
     
     
       5. A rotary printing press, comprising: a first rotatable cylinder for supporting a printing plate containing first and second indicia respectively on two locations separated by predetermined angular displacement of the cylinder;   a second cylinder adjacent to the first cylinder and rotatable in predetermined relation to the first cylinder for supporting a transfer member in juxtaposition with the printing plate to receive an impression of the indicia on the printing plate;   the transfer member having a noncontacting region corresponding to one of the indicia on the plate, so that the transfer member does not receive an impression of any indicia that is in registry with the noncontacting region as the first and second cylinders are rotated;   a third rotatable cylinder in juxtaposition with the second cylinder and operatively associated with the second cylinder to move successive units of a medium in contact with the transfer member so that the units receive an impression of the indicia transferred from the printing plate to the transfer member;   primary drive means operatively associated with the cylinders so as to rotate each cylinder at a predetermined speed in relation to the adjacent cylinder; and   differential drive means operatively associated with one of the first and second cylinders and selectively operative, while the primary drive means is rotating the cylinders, to offset the angular position of the one cylinder relative to the other by an amount corresponding to the predetermined angular spacing separating the two indicia locations on the printing plate supported by the first cylinder, thereby displacing the printing plate on the fly relative to the transfer member so that the second indicia at one location on the printing plate becomes aligned with the noncontacting region of the transfer medium in place of the first indicia at the other location on the printing plate,   so that the indicia transferred to units of the medium moved in contact with the transfer member after the selective offset of the one cylinder is different from the indicia transferred to the sheets of medium before the selective offset.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein: the differential drive means comprises a differential drive having a first input and a second input, and having an output driving the one cylinder in response to the first and second inputs;   one of the inputs being operatively associated with the primary drive means so as to rotate the one cylinder at the predetermined speed in relation to the adjacent cylinder; and   the other input being connected for selective rotation operative to produce the selective angular offset of the one cylinder relative to the adjacent cylinder.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein: the other input of the differential drive is a rotatable input connected to a motive device selectably operable to produce discrete incremental movement, so that the extent of the resulting angular offset of the one cylinder thereby occurs in corresponding discrete increments.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the motive device comprises a stepper motor connected to the other input of the differential drive and selectively operative to drive the second input through a certain number of increments required to accomplish the selected angular offset. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as in claim 5, further comprising: a sensor located in certain relation to the units of medium moved by the third cylinder and responsive to a predetermined trigger on a certain unit of the medium to operate the differential drive means, so that units of medium following the certain unit receive an impression of the second indicia.   
     
     
       10. Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the trigger comprises an optically sensible element. 
     
     
       11. A method of printing diverse information on plural units of a medium, comprising the steps of: providing a printing plate containing indicia on at least two predetermined locations separated by a certain distance;   providing a transfer member for receiving an impression of the indicia on the printing plate when the transfer member is operatively juxtaposed with the printing plate and having a region that does not receive an impression from a predetermined region of the printing plate corresponding to one of the predetermined locations on the printing plate;   repetitively juxtaposing the transfer medium with the printing plate and with successive units of the medium so that the transfer member receives an impression of indicia on the printing plate, except for the indicia at the selected predetermined location, and transfers the impression to the units;   displacing the position of the printing plate in relation to the transfer member during said repeated juxtaposition so as to displace the region on the transfer member from the one predetermined location to another predetermined location, whereby the impressions transferred to the units of medium after said displacement includes the indicia at the other predetermined location but not the indicia at the one predetermined location.   
     
     
       12. The method as in claim 11, comprising the further steps of: placing a trigger mark on one of the units of medium;   detecting the trigger mark as the units are successively juxtaposed with the transfer member; and   performing the step of displacing in response to detecting the trigger, so that the indicia at the other location are transferred to the units of medium following the sheet with the trigger mark.   
     
     
       13. The method as in claim 12, wherein: the first units comprise deposit tickets onto which the indicia at the other location are to be printed; and   the second units comprise checks onto which the indicia at the one location is to be printed. .Iadd.   
     
     
       14.  A printing press for applying impressions to media, comprising: a first member movable on a predetermined path and operative to support a printing plate containing indicia on a predetermined location;   at least one other member movable in predetermined relation to the first member and positioned to receive a transferable impression of the indicia on the plate supported by the first member, whereby the transferable impression can be transferred from the other member to a medium; and   drive means operatively associated with at least one of the members to selectively displace the predetermined relation between the members by a distance while the members are moving in the predetermined relation,   so that the selective operation of the drive means determines whether the transferrable impression received by the other member includes the indicia on the plate at the predetermined location. .Iaddend..Iadd.15. Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein:   the other member comprises a noncontacting region that does not receive the transferable impression of the indicia on the plate, when the noncontacting region is in registry with the predetermined location. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. Apparatus as in claim 15, wherein:   the selective displacement of the predetermined relation between the members is operative to position the noncontacting region of the other member so that the noncontacting region is in registry with the   
     
     
        predetermined location. .Iaddend..Iadd.17.  Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein: the first member is a first cylinder rotatable on an axis;   the other member is a second cylinder rotatable on an axis in predetermined relation to the first cylinder; and   the drive means is operative to angularly shift one of the cylinders on its axis with respect to the axial position of the other cylinder while the cylinders are rotating, so as to produce said displacement. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. Apparatus as in claim 17, wherein:   the drive means comprises a differential drive having a first input and a second input and an output driving the one cylinder in response to the first and second inputs;   one such input is connected to rotate the one cylinder in the predetermined relation with the other cylinder; and   the other such input is connected for selective rotation operative to produce the predetermined displacement in the output driving the one cylinder. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein:   the one input of the differential drive and the cylinder not driven by the differential drive are operatively interconnected to a primary drive source so as to rotate with the predetermined relation to each other; and further comprising   a secondary drive source connected to the other input of the differential drive, so that the cylinders rotate with the predetermined relation when the secondary drive source is stationary and undergo the angular shift in the predetermined relation in response to selective rotation of the   
     
     
        secondary drive source. .Iaddend..Iadd.20.  A rotary printing press, comprising: a first rotatable cylinder for supporting a printing plate containing at least one indicia;   a second cylinder adjacent to the first cylinder and rotatable in predetermined relation to the first cylinder for supporting a transfer member in juxtaposition with the printing plate to receive an impression of the indicia on the printing plate;   the transfer member having a noncontacting region corresponding to one of the indicia on the plate, so that the transfer member does not receive an impression of the indicia that is in registry with the noncontacting region as the first and second cylinders are rotated;   a third rotatable cylinder in juxtaposition with the second cylinder and operatively associated with the second cylinder to move successive units of a medium in contact with the transfer member so that the units receive an impression of the indicia transferred from the printing plate to the transfer member;   primary drive means operatively associated with the cylinders so as to rotate each cylinder at a predetermined speed in relation to the adjacent cylinder; and   differential drive means operatively associated with one of the first and second cylinders and selectively operative, while the primary drive means is rotating the cylinders, to offset the angular position of the one cylinder relative to the other, thereby displacing the printing plate on the fly relative to the transfer member so that one of the indicia on the printing plate becomes aligned with the noncontacting region of the transfer medium,   so that the indicia transferred to units of the medium moved in contact with the transfer member after the selective offset of the one cylinder is different from the indicia transferred to the sheets of medium before the   
     
     
        selective offset. .Iaddend..Iadd.21.  Apparatus as in claim 20, wherein: the differential drive means comprises a differential drive having a first input and a second input, and having an output driving the one cylinder in response to the first and second inputs;   one of the inputs being operatively associated with the primary drive means so as to rotate the one cylinder at the predetermined speed in relation to the adjacent cylinder; and   the other input being connected for selective rotation operative to produce the selective offset of the one cylinder relative to the adjacent cylinder. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. Apparatus as in claim 21, wherein:   the other input of the differential drive is a rotatable input connected to a motive device selectably operable to produce discrete incremental movement, so that the extent of the resulting angular offset of the one cylinder thereby occurs in corresponding discrete increments. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. Apparatus as in claim 22, wherein the motive device comprises a stepper motor connected to the other input of the differential drive and selectively operative to drive the second input through a certain number of increments required to accomplish the selected angular offset. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. Apparatus as in claim 20, further comprising:   a sensor located in certain relation to the units of medium moved by the third cylinder and responsive to a predetermined trigger on a certain unit of the medium to operate the differential drive means, so that units of medium following the certain unit receive an impression of the second indicia. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. Apparatus as in claim 24, wherein the trigger   
     
     
        comprises an optically sensible element. .Iaddend..Iadd.26.  A method of printing diverse information on plural units of a medium, comprising the steps of: providing a printing plate containing indicia on a predetermined location;   providing a transfer member for receiving an impression of the indicia on the printing plate when the transfer member is operatively juxtaposed with the printing plate and having a region that does not receive an impression from a predetermined region of the printing plate corresponding to the predetermined location on the printing plate;   repetitively juxtaposing the transfer member with the printing plate and with successive units of the medium so that the transfer member receives an impression of indicia on the printing plate, except for the indicia at the predetermined location, and transfers the impression to the units; and   displacing the position of the printing plate in relation to the transfer member during said repeated juxtaposition so as to displace the region on the transfer member between the predetermined location and another location on the printing plate, whereby the impressions transferred to the units of medium at the displaced position of the printing plate include the indicia at the predetermined location. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. The method as in claim 26, comprising the further steps of:   placing a trigger mark on one of the units of medium;   detecting the trigger mark as the units are successively juxtaposed with the transfer member; and   performing the step of displacing in response to detecting the trigger.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.28.  A method of printing diverse information on plural units of a medium, comprising the steps of: providing a printing plate containing indicia on a predetermined location;   providing a transfer member for receiving an impression of the indicia on the printing plate when the transfer member is operatively juxtaposed with the printing plate and having a region that does not receive an impression from a predetermined region of the printing plate corresponding to the predetermined location on the printing plate;   repetitively juxtaposing the transfer member with the printing plate and with successive units of the medium either at a first predetermined position of the printing plate relative to the transfer member whereat the transfer member receives an impression of indicia on the printing plate, except for the indicia at the selected predetermined location, and transfers the impression to the units or at a second predetermined position of the printing plate relative to the transfer member, whereat the impression received by the transfer member and transferred to the units of the medium include the indicia at the predetermined location; and   displacing the position of the printing plate in relation to the transfer member during said repeated juxtaposition so as to displace the region on the transfer member from one said predetermined position to the other said predetermined position, whereby the impressions transferred to less than all the units of the medium after said displacement include the indicia at the predetermined location on the printing plate. .Iaddend.