1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the technical field of mimeograph, and more particularly to a method of controlling a linkage drive section in a stencil printing machine to set a printing drum in place in which the position of a print image can be adjusted in a horizontal direction with ease. In this specification, the term "horizontal direction" is intended to mean "a direction which is in parallel with the central axis of the printing drum"; and the term "horizontal position" is intended to mean "a position along the direction thus defined".
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional rotary stencil printing machine with a printing drum, the printing drum is set at a predetermined position in the direction of its axis in the printing machine frame and rotated around its central axis. In the machine, adjustment of the horizontal position of a print image can be achieved by suitably shifting the position of the mimeographic stencil paper on the printing drum in the direction of the axis of the printing drum before it is wound on the printing drum. Alternatively, by moving the sheet supplying device in the direction of the axis of the printing drum, the horizontal position of the print image can be adjusted at all times, not only in the case where the stencil paper is not wound on the printing drum yet but also in the case where it is wound on it.
In moving a mimeographic stencil paper or a printing sheet, which is rectangular and has two short sides extended in the direction of movement and two long sides which are perpendicular to the short sides, over the printing drum along the axis of the latter, the stencil paper or printing sheet must be parallel-moved in the direction of the short sides with high accuracy. In order to make this movement delicate and accurate thereby to permit the fine adjustment in horizontal position of the print image, means for horizontally moving a stencil paper feeding device adapted to feed a stencil paper to the printing drum and a sheet supplying device adapted to supply printing sheets to the printing drum should have: guide means which use a pair of parallel guide rails laid in the lateral direction of the stencil paper or printing sheet to guide the stencil paper feeding device or the sheet supplying device accurately parallel at least two positions spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the stencil paper or printing sheet; and fine drive means for giving feeding actions to the stencil paper feeding device or the sheet supplying device along the guide means for the same distance at the same speed.
As is apparent from the above description, in the case where, with respect to the printing drum which has been fixed in the axis direction, the stencil paper or printing sheet is moved along the axis of the printing drum to adjust the horizontal position of the print image, it is necessary to provide considerably intricate means.