AU659211B2 - Perfect binding - Google Patents

Description

659211 A UST R AL IA Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Regul~ation1 3.2 Name of Applicant: LEIGH-MARDON PTY LTD Actual Inventor(s): LEIGH-MARDON PTY LTD

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Address for Service: Invention Title: JANDEI~CoCK PATE T ATTORNEYS SHU-5;O K1-ZW iINC ADDRESS FOR SERVICE

ALTERED

Details of Associated Provisional Appli8ZT~nurtw)-. N Australian Patent Application No. PK9479/91 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 920821 cmdat. 153. leigh, 1

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w't 4 Dc i la o a a a 0 o *s The present invention relates to perfect binding.

Perfect binding is a technique for binding together a block of sheets of paper which comprises applying an adhesive to one side of the block which is to be the spine.

Perfect binding is extensively used in the manufacture of relatively cheap books such as paperbacks or non-stitched hard backs and is also used for production of other articles such as catalogues or pads.

The adhesive used may be solvent based adhesive which adheres by solvent evaporation or a thermoplastic adhesive or a reactive hot melt adhesive.

Examples of solvent based adhesives include polyvinyl acetate in water and latexes in hydrocarbon 15 solvents.

Examples of thermoplastic adhesives are hot melt adhesives which may contain ethyl vinyl acetate.

Examples of reactive hot melt adhesives include polyurethane resins with free isocyanate groups which 20 react with atmospheric moisture to hardgFL.

Each adhesive has virtues and vices.

It is also the practice in perfect binding to apply adhesive to the sides of the block adjac,,at to the side of the block which is to be the spine for the purpose of later applying and adhering a cover such as a book cover. Such application to said sides is usually achieved by means of a roller or wires.

Excellent perfect binding machines or parts Curt Ot S #11

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i~ j 2 therefor or consumables therefor are produced by Muller Martini AG of Zofingen, Switzerland, Planatolwerk W.

Hesselmann of Rohrdorf-Thansau, Germany, Fomarep-Jud of Villerurbunne, France, Sulby Vacumatic Division of Portals Engineering Limited of London, England, Meltex GmbH of Luneburg, Germany, AM Graphics International Ltd, of Slough, England, Horizon of Japan and Robatech AG of Mur, Switzerland.

Those companies inter alia produce brochures describing their machines and reference is made to those brochures for a fuller understanding of Perfect Binding.

Sulby Vacumatic Division have published a booklet called "Guide to Perfect Binding" and reference is made to that booklet. Reference is also made by a book by Tony Clark entitled "Bookbinding with Adhesives" published by McGraw Hill Book Company.

4i PerfecL Binding is sometimes referred to as unsewn i binding or patent binding although it is to be noted that 6 the techniquae is also applied to sewn books.

So. 20 It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least some of these deficiencies of the S i prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for perfect binding comprising: a guide through which a side of a block of sheets of paper may be passed in a first direction; said guide includes a base and two upstanding sides wherein one of the sides is movable towards or away from U m 7 (I 7 3 the other side to vary the width of the guide in a second direction transverse to said first direction; and wherein the guide has an aperture in the base through which the adhesive may be introduced into the guide, thereby coating said block side as it passes said aperture to adhere said sheets together and form a spine.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of perfect binding comprising passing a side of a block of sheets of papers through a guide in a first direction, wherein the guide comprises a base and two upstanding sides and one of the sides is movable towards or away from the other side whereby to vary the width of the guide in a second direction being transverse to said first direction and introducing an adhesive into said guide through an aperture in the base t CI :thus coating said block side as it passes said apertures t to adhere said sheets together and form a spine.

Ct I Preferably the aperture in the base is a slot extending generally in said second direction.

9 t 20 Preferably also, the guide has an aperture in each C C C cc to t of the side walls through which the adhesive may also be introduced into the guide. The apertures in the sidewalls are preferably so located as to deliver adhesive to the sides of the block adjacent to said spine whereby to be appropriate for the later application and adhering of a cover.

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3a Desirably, means are provided for controlling the rate of introduction of adhesive into the guide.

Preferably at least two such means is provided so as to separately control introduction of adhesive into the guide to one and the other side of the guide. For the production of thick books over, say, 25mm in thickness it may be desirable to have 3 or 4 such means to separately control introduction of adhesive into the guide at separate locations across the guide.

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r t r~rrri I c ri -4- The means for controlling the rate of introduction of adhesive into the guide may include a metering pump.

Control of introduction of adhesive may also be had alternatively or additionally by controlling, in an appropriate case, the temperature and hence the viscosity of the adhesive.

Said one of the sides which is movable towards or away from the other side may be controlled to so move to accommodate thickness variations between one such block and another such block. Such thickness variations may be consequent on variations in paper thickness between -blocks in one binding run or variations in block thickness in one binding run as compared to another binding run.

The blocks of sheets will usually be roughened and/or V-notched in the usual manner done in perfect binding if this is desired or necessary.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an isometric view of the apparatus in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus; and Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, there is an adhesive applicator system of a perfect binding machine which will have a conveyor for blocks of sheets of paper to be bound which will transport the blocks one at a time to a roughening and/or V-notching station and then to the adhesive applicator station for application of adhesive to the side of each respective block which is to be the spine and to the sides of each respective block adjacent to the side of the block which is to be the spine.

After application of adhesive the conveyor will transport the blocks to a cover application station and thereafter to a delivery station.

The adhesive applicator station includes a guide 21 for i i

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it i t om~t 6 -6guiding said side which is to be the spine.

The guide 21 is comprised of a block 22 having a slot 23 therein through which said side which is to be the spine is passed.

The slot 23 is defined by a base 24 and a fixed sidewall which are part of the block 22 and a movable sidewall 26 which is a side of a slidable plate 27.

The slidable plate 27 is mounted to the block 22 by means Sof locking screws 28.

The position of the slidable plate 27 on the block 22 and hence the width of the slot 23 may be adjusted as desired by the use of an adjusting screw 29.

A slot 31 is located in the slot 23 and extends in the base 24, fixed sidewall 25 and movable sidewall 26.

S S: Within the. block 22 are two passages 32 and 33.

4 The passage 32 communicates with the slot 31 adjacent the fixed sidewall 25 and the passage 33 communicates with the slot 31 adjacent the movable sidewall 26.

,i t The passage 32 communicates with a first AX 100 F element control valve 34 and the passage 33 communicates with a second AX 100 F element control valve 36.

4 Passages 37 and 38 put the elements 34 and 36 in communication with an FKS gun 39.

An FKS gun is produced by Robatech AG of Muri, Switzerland and is capable of precisely maintaining the temperature of an adhesive and of delivering adhesive under pressure.

S An AX 100 F element is produced by Robatech AG and is a C 7 -7precisely controllable metering valve.

The FKS gun 39 is supplied with heated adhesive via a heated hose 41.

Electrical control of the FKS gun 39 is provided by cable 42. Compressed air is also supplied to the FKS gun 39 by line 40. Control of the AX 100 F elements 34 and 36 is provided by adjustment screws 43 and 44 and by air controlled solenoids which are not shown.

In use, the plate 27 is adjusted in position to suit the It thickness of a block of sheets of paper to be bound.

C 15 Adhesive is supplied via hose 41 to the FKS gun 39 and then to the AX 100 F elements 34 and 36 and from thence to the slot 31.

A block is passed through the slot 23 and in so doing will have adhesive applied to it both on the spine and to sides "adjacent the spine for later application of a cover.

The apparatus of this invention has application in long book binding runs by which is meant the production of a relatively large number of identical books. However, it also has application in short book binding runs by which is meant the production of a small number jf books. This last is so because the adjustability of the plate 27 allows quick and easy resetup for a different sized book.

The present invention has considerable application to book binding in general and to mass production of books but also has a particular but not exclusive application to the production of books used in a country's payment system.

Books used in a country's payment system are books used by banks, building societies, credit unions, money market corporation, authorised dealers, postal authorities, 920825.cms pe.075,mardon.cap.7 p 8 finance companies and insurance companies.

Notwithstanding the generality of the above, such books include cheque books including bank cheques and travellers cheques, money orders, receipt books, deposit books and payments system member internal books or documents. Such books are often produced in short runs and may often be individualised.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

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Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for perfect binding comprising: a guide through which a side of a block of sheets of paper may be passed in a first direction; said guide includes a base and two upstanding sides wherein one of the sides is movable towards or away from the other side to vary the width of the guide in a second direction transverse to said first direction; and wherein the guide has an aperture in the base through which the adhesive may be introduced into the guide, thereby coating said block side as it passes said aperture to adhere said sheets together and form a spine.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Get. I aperture in the base is a slot extending generally in said second direction. S,

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the guide has an aperture in each of the side walls through which the adhesive may also be introduced into the guide. S i

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the apertures in the sidewalls are so located as to deliver IC II J adhesive to the sides of the block adjacent to said 11Ispine whereby to be appropriate for the later application and adhering of a cover.

Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising ,,teans for controlling the rate I 7(77 of introduction of adhesive into the guide.

6. A method of perfect binding comprising passing a side of a block of sheets of paper through a guide in a first direction, wherein the guide comprises a base and two upstanding sides and one of the sides is movable towards or away from the other side whereby to vary the width of the guide in second direction being transverse to said first direction and introducing an adhesive into said guide through an aperture in the base thus coating said block side as it passes said apertures to adhere said sheets together and form a spine.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising introducing said adhesive into said guide through apertures in each of the side walls. 15

8. A method of perfect binding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.

9. An apparatus for perfect binding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the 20 accompanying drawings. DATED this 10th day of February 1995 LEIGH-MARDON PTY LTD Attorney: LEON K. ALLEN Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of SHELSTON WATERS LIV 4 4 4 4l 444 44Cl I 4<4 K I~ .L I I H S ;l i\. _4 11 ABSTRACT Apparatus for perfect binding comprising a guide through which a side of a block of sheets of paper may be passed, which side is to be the spine, in a first direction and comprising a base and two upstanding sides and wherein one of the -ides is movable towards or away from the other side whereby to vary the width of the guide in a second direction transverse to said first direction. C" CC C C C C CC Ct C

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