(57) A printing press including a console of individual adjustable ink fountain keys for
regulating the thickness profile of the ink film supplied to the inker roll by the
fountain. The fountain keys are spaced along the length of the ink fountain and associated
inker roll and each includes a friction wheel by means of which it is adjusted. A
key actuator is mounted upon a carriage so as to traverse the console of keys. The
key actuator includes a drive wheel which engages the friction wheels of the ink keys
in sequence as the carriage traverses the console in either direction. The carriage
responds to commands as from an operator, an ink preset sensor or an on-press color
sensor to move the key actuator along the console to any of the keys requiring adjustment.
As the drive wheel engages the friction wheel of each ink key in moving across the
console, the key actuator responds to the command signal and rotates the drive wheel
at a rate synchronized with the rate of travel of the carriage whereby those keys
not requiring adjustment are not rotated. For those keys requiring adjustment, the
drive wheel is caused to rotate while in contact with the friction wheel in such manner
that the resulting key position ia either more positive or mor negative as instructed
for that particular key.
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