GB2236074A

GB2236074A - Bookbinding machine

Info

Publication number: GB2236074A
Application number: GB9019778A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jurgen Garlichs; Manfred Geffert
Original assignee: Kolbus GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Kolbus GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1989-09-20
Filing date: 1990-09-10
Publication date: 1991-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2010-09-10
Also published as: CH682383A5; JPH03118195A; GB2236074B; DE3931283A1; JP2953764B2; GB9019778D0

Abstract

In a bookbinding machine possessing book block grippers which are continuously movable along an endless path and have a rear-edge stop for aligning the book blocks, possessing a transport system which is installed below the book block movement plane and has pusher dogs for feeding-in covers supplied singly from a magazine, and possessing a lifting element which presses the cover against the glue-coated back of the book block, with which it has been aligned, the rear-edge stops (3; 3a) in the book block grippers (2) and the pusher dogs (5; 5a) associated with the cover transport system (4) are adjustable along their movement path as well as being alignable - in a defined setting-up position - with a common reference point, preferably with the rear edge of the lifting element (6). In conjunction there-with, a setting gauge (7) is used, which is insertable into the book block grippers (2) and on which the rear-edge stops (3; 3a) and pusher dogs (5; 5a) can be aligned, this setting gauge possessing mutually aligned locating surfaces (7a, 7b) for the rear-edge stops (3; 3a) and pusher dogs (5; 5a) to bear against in order to effect alignment, and possessing a further locating surface (8a) which enables it to be positioned on the rear edge of the lifting element (6). <IMAGE>

Description

Bookbinding machine The invention relates to a bookbinding machine

possessing book block grippers which are continuously movable along an endless path and have a rear-edge stop for aligning the book blocks, possessing a transport system which is installed below the book block movement plane and has pusher dogs for feeding-in covers supplied singly from a magazine, and possessing a lifting element which presses the cover against the glue- coated back of the book block, with which it has been aligned.

In order to achieve accurate mutual alignment of the cover and book block prior to their being pressed together, cover-aligning arrangements are employed in bookbinding machines of the abovementioned type, the function of these arrangements being to compensate for timing inaccuracies between the book block grippers and the cover feed system pusher dogs.

For example, German patent document DE-OS 26 40 497 discloses such a cover-aligning arrangement, comprising dogs which are propelled by an endless chain system running at periodically varying speeds. In the case of this arrangement, the dogs feeding-in a cover initially move at a speed higher than that at which the book block grippers circulate on their endless path, so as to catch up with a gripper advancing ahead of them, and to bear against it in order to effect alignment, and they are then slowed on bearing against the book block gripper, counter to the action of a spring.

The dogs catch up with the book block grippers at a high speed, and as they strike, there is frequently insufficient friction between the cover and the supporting surface of the transport system to keep the covers aligned on the dogs, with the result that accurate alignment of the cover with respect to the book block is lost.

Furthermore, the incessant changes of direction of the transport system chains significantly degrade the smoothness with which the bookbinding machine runs, and this continually necessitates readjustments and ultimately leads to premature wear.

Cover-aligning arrangements of this kind, for compensa- ting for timing inaccuracies, functioning by means of superposed and variable speeds and having dogs which strike the book block grippers do not lend themselves to further increases in cycle rate.

The object of the invention is to configure the generic-type bookbinding machine with a view to further increases in output, such that the placing of the covers against the book blocks is effected with the greatest possible fitting accuracy, without using a cover-aligning arrangement.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by configuring the bookbinding machine in a manner such that the rear-edge stops in the book block grippers and the pusher dogs associated with the cover transport system are adjustable along their movement path as well as being alignable - in a defined setting-up position with a common reference point, preferably with the rear edge of the lifting element. In conjunction therewith, a setting gauge is provided, which is insertable into the book block grippers and on which the rear-edge stops and pusher dogs can be aligned, this setting gauge possessing mutually aligned locating surfaces for the rear-edge stops and pusher dogs to bear against, and possessing a further locating surface which enables it to be positioned on the rear edge of the lifting element.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the stop face for positioning on the rear edge of the lifting element is arranged to be adjustable in the longitudinal direction, relative to the locating surfaces for the rear-edge stops and pusher dogs.

The invention makes it possible to set the timing intervals accurately, in each case between the rear-edge stops in the book block grippers and between the cover feed system pusher dogs, as well as between the rear-edge stops and the pusher dogs. The accurate setting of these timing intervals makes it possible, on the one hand, to achieve high accuracy in the placing of the covers against the book blocks, while on the other hand the length of the projecting portions of the covers at the head and foot of the book blocks can be altered at will.

The invention is described in detail in the paragraphs which follow, reference being made to the sole Figure, 4 showing a perspective view of part of the bookbinding machine.

A bookbinding machine comprises a plurality of regu- larly spaced book block grippers 2 which are designed to receive book blocks la and are continuously movable along an endless path. Alignment of the book blocks la in the book block grippers 2 is effected at a rear- edge stop 3 which is carried by the inner jaw 2a of the book block gripper 2.

The outer jaw of the book block gripper 2 was omitted for reasons of clarity.

Endless chain systems 4, lying parallel with each other, are situated below the path on which the book blocks la move, these chain systems 4 being provided with pusher dogs 5 which are installed on them at regular intervals, acquire singly supplied covers lb from a magazine that is not depicted, and in synchronism with the continuously moving book block grippers 2 feed these covers lb to a lifting platform 6 which presses them against the glue-coated backs of the book blocks.

In order to bring a book block la and a cover lb together in a manner such that accurate fitting is achieved, the timing intervals have to be set with extreme accuracy, in each case between the rear-edge stops 3 in the book block grippers 2 and between the pusher dogs 5 of the cover transport system 4, as well as between the rear-edge stops 3 and the pusher dogs 5.

To this end, the invention arranges for the rear-edge stops 3 and pusher dogs 5 to be adjustable in the longitudinal, arrow-indicated direction, as well as to be alignable with a common reference point. 5 To enable this adjustment to be performed, the rear-edge stop 3 consists of a supporting piece 3b which is carried by the inner jaw 2a of the book block gripper 2, and of an angle-section stop piece 3a which is longitudinally adjustable relative to the supporting piece 3b, in elongated holes 3c, and is fixable thereon by means of clamping screws 3d.

For the adjustment in the longitudinal direction, the pusher dogs 5 likewise consist of two pieces, namely a carrier 5b which is fastened to the chain system 4, and a transport pad 5a which is longitudinally slidable in the carrier 5b and lockable therein by means of a clamping screw Sc.

The rear edge of the lifting platform 6 serves as a common reference point for the angle-section stop pieces 3a forming part of the rear-edge stops 3, and for the transport pads 5a forming part of the pusher dogs 5.

According to the invention, furthermore, a setting gauge 7 is provided, which is insertable into the book block grippers 2 and on which the anglesection stop pieces 3a forming part of the rear-edge stops 3 are aligned in a defined setting-up position, as are the transport pads 5a forming part of the pusher dogs 5.

6 The setting gauge 7 possesses mutually aligned locating surfaces 7a and 7b for the angle-section stop pieces 3a and transport pads 5a to bear against, as well as a further, inward-facing locating surface 8a which enables it to be positioned on the rear edge of the lifting platform 6, this rear edge serving as a reference point.

The locating surface 8a can be adjusted in the longi- tudinal direction so as to enable the setting gauge 7 to be preset. To this end, the surface 8a is situated on a separate locating part 8 which is slidably guided in the setting gauge 7 by means of a supporting bar 8b and is lockable in the gauge 7 by means of a clamping screw 9.

At the beginning of the setting procedure, the setting gauge 7 is inserted into a first book block gripper 2, which is in its defined setting-up position, and the gauge 7 is brought to bear against the angle-section contact piece 3a forming part of the rear-edge stop 3 and alignment at right-angles to the locating surface 7a of the gauge 7 is effected if necessary. Presetting of the setting gauge 7 follows as a result of the loca- ting surface 8a bearing on the rear edge of the lifting platform 6, as well as the alignment of the spaced transport pads Sa on the locating surfaces 7b of the gauge 7.

The setting gauge 7 has consequently been preset, and with its aid all the angle-section stop pieces 3a forming part of the rear-edge stops 3, and all the transport pads 5a forming part of the pusher dogs 5 are subsequently aligned on its locating surfaces 7 respectively assigned thereto, the gauge at all times bearing against the lifting platform 6, and all the angle-section stop pieces 3a and transport pads 5a are consequently set to extremely accurate timing 5 intervals.

Moreover, the possibility of adjusting the rear-edge stops 3 in the book block grippers 2 and the cover feed system pusher dogs 5 enables the length of the projecting portions of the covers lb at the head or foot of the book blocks la to be varied, this being effected by shifting all the pusher dogs 5 in common by means of the chain system 4.

Claims

1. Bookbinding machine possessing book block grippers which are continuously movable along an endless path and have a rear-edge stop for aligning the book blocks, possessing a transport system which is installed below the book block movement plane and has pusher dogs for feeding-in covers supplied singly from a magazine, and possessing a lifting element which presses the cover against the glue-coated back of the book block, with which it has been aligned, wherein rear-edge stops in the book block grippers and the pusher dogs associated with the cover transport system are adjustable along their movement path as well as being alignable - in a defined setting-up position - with a common reference point, preferably with the rear edge of the lifting element.

2. Bookbinding machine according to Claim 1, having a setting gauge which is insertable into the book block grippers and on which the rear-edge stops and pusher dogs can be aligned, said setting gauge possessing mutually aligned locating surfaces for the rear-edge stops and pusher dogs 9 to bear against in order to effect alignment, and possessing a further locating surface which enables it to be positioned on the rear edge of the lifting element.

3. Bookbinding machine according to Claim 2, wherein the locating face for positioning on the rear edge of the lifting element is adjustable in the longitudinal direction, relative to the locating surfaces for the rear-edge stops and pusher dogs.

4. A bookbinding machine having a plurality of book block gripping means movable along a predetermined path, each having a reference surface for aligning a book block, and a transport means for transporting covers into registration with book blocks gripped in said gripping means, said transport means including respective pusher means for engaging and pushing said covers, wherein the reference surface of each gripping means is adjustable in relation thereto in the direction of said predetermined path and/or the pusher means of said transport means is adjustable in relation thereto is the transport direction thereof.

A bookbinding machine substantially as T hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Published 1991 at The Patent Office. State House. 66171 High Holborn. London WC1 R 477P. Further copies may be obtained from sales Branch. Unit 6, Nine Mile Point Cwmfelinfach. Cross Keys. NewTort NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray. Kent.