Windmill Gripper Adjustment

I’m having a problem with the grippers on my 10x15 Windmill. The press is running fine and the registration is good, but the underside of the grippers are rubbing on the tympen and the metal plate to the tympen. My question is…Is there an adjustment for how far the grippers open up?

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The grippers should be closed when moving over the tympan drawsheet. Are you sure the platen isn’t overpacked?

Brad.

You are either over packed or the gripper bars are not level with the platen. Remove the tympan and rotate the bars toward the print position. Sight down the bar where it lies next to the platen and see if the tip is coser to the platen than the heel. If so, do not bend the bar. It is possible that the gripper bar holder (cast iron). is bent. With the propper tools it can be straightened, but it may be enough to just shim the gripper bars to get them at the same height and angle.

Packing?
Does contact happen down whole lenght of arm or hub or tip ?

I have the exact same problem. I think my gripper is just too near to the tympan. Is there anyway to adjust the gripper?

image: gripper_small.jpg

gripper_small.jpg

Presuming the gripper has more space closer to the casting:
I would probably put a shim between the gripper and the casting, close to the end of the casting. Thin metal, plastic or even paper can work fine.

I second the shim way of doing it. Some people readily pull on and bend their grippers but a few pieces of cover stock between the gripper arm and the gripper holder at the very end of it should do the trick.

AnonyMouse & danielheff,
Thanks for your insights. I have same problem (Grippers too close to the tympan/platten) and want to do the shim trick but do not fully understand where to place it.

Please look at the image uploaded. Should I unscrew the gripper and place the shim between the end of the gripper carrier and the gripper?

Thanks

Update: I’m trying to adjust the grippers because I read you adviced to do this on this topic: Heidelberg Gripper / Bottom Guide Issue http://www.briarpress.org/37583

image: Gripperadjustment.jpg

Gripperadjustment.jpg

You could test this:

image: GripperShims1.png

GripperShims1.png

@AnonyMouse I placed the shim to raise the far end as you mentioned and it did the trick. Raising the far end of the gripper now allows the paper to drop on the bronce guides. I can finally print with register.

Thank you very much.

Hello! Dredging up an old discussion for hopefully more insight.

I too have one arm of my Windmill that is riding a little too close to the platen, causing mis-registration. I was advised about shimming and did a lot of searching of these forums for more information..

I have removed the bolts on the offending arm. But the thing is..I think there is already a shim under the far side? But is so far in there, and such a tight space, that I cannot figure out how to adjust it at all. Ideally I’d remove any old shims, study the results, and re-do new shims if needed.

Is there something beyond removing the bolts that I am supposed to do?

Thank you!

I am having the opposite problem. I recently replaced the gripper bars and using a di cutting jacket with no packing the heal of the grippers are dragging on the jacket. Shimming will only make it worse. There is a set of two locking bolts with a set screw on the top (face) of the gripper head that looks like it might be and adjustment for the overall height of the bars but it doesn’t seem to do anything. Any ideas?

I am having the opposite problem. I recently replaced the gripper bars and using a di cutting jacket with no packing the heal of the grippers are dragging on the jacket. Shimming will only make it worse. There is a set of two locking bolts with a set screw on the top (face) of the gripper head that looks like it might be and adjustment for the overall height of the bars but it doesn’t seem to do anything. Any ideas?