US Patent 7530306 Offset lithographic printing press having seamed sleeved printing blanket

An offset lithographic printing press combined with a gapped or seamed cylindrical offset printing blanket having pre-made blanket material mounted on a cylindrical sleeve is disclosed, wherein conventional, manufactured blanket material in flat form is adhered to a cylindrical sleeve to economically produce a cylindrical sleeved blanket. The leading and trailing ends of the flat blanket material are joined in close proximity such that a small gap is formed. A seam may be made with a filler material that fills the remaining gap resulting in a seamed sleeved blanket. In use, the blanket's printing surface, which excludes the gap or seam, is aligned with the printing plate's image-bearing surface. Consequently, no loss of print length results from the gap or seam.