GB2301798A

GB2301798A - Grooved bookblock for adhesive binding

Info

Publication number: GB2301798A
Application number: GB9511345A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Jeffrey Jeffrey
Original assignee: Riley Dunn & Wilson Ltd
Current assignee: Riley Dunn & Wilson Ltd
Priority date: 1995-06-05
Filing date: 1995-06-05
Publication date: 1996-12-18
Also published as: GB9511345D0

Abstract

The spine edge of a bookblock, prior to adhesive binding, is provided with two series of grooves, one being deeper than the other to improve the linkage between the paper and adhesive. The shallower grooves, having a depth of 0.5mm, are cut first across the width of' the spine at intervals of 1.5mm. Subsequently the deeper grooves, having a depth of 3mm, are then cut at intervals of 15mm.

Description

METHOD OF PREPARING THE SPINE OF A BOOKDLOCK.

This invention relates to a method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock and more particularly to a method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock prior to adhesive binding.

There is an increasing requirement by libraries for a method of binding a bookblock that will allow it to be opened flat for photocopying. Unfortunately this in itself puts a tremendous strain on the spine of any book and may result in damage to the spine and result in lost pages.

This will in turn be a financial burden to the libraries resulting in them having to periodically replace or rebind any damaged books.

The prior art methods of binding books include using the sewing method wherein the pages are sewn together into a bookblock, a backing material adhered, and then attached to the book cover. Unfortunately not all books can be appropriately bound using a sewing method because of the imposed limitations of the printed format. Another disadvantage of those books bound by the some sewing methods is that if the spines of such books are pressed flat for photocopying the spines become broken and the pages may get torn away from the thread.

The other method which for many years has been the preferred style of page leaf attachment for normal hardback and paperback monographs has been double fan adhesive binding, wherein both sides of the pages at the spine are coated with adhesive, which allows an acceptable opening of the bookblock for photocopying with a slight reduction in the strength of the page leaf attachment.

The traditional prior art method for preparing a book for adhesive binding is to take the bookblock, following collation of the contents, and remove the spine edge by use of any one of a number of types of commercially available machines. However, this was usually carried out by the use of either a milling machine or a guillotine. The resultant spine edge is then treated by way of double fan adhesive binding using a suitable adhesive.

A recent development has been the production of MekanotchTM machine which is a spine notching machine which cuts deep grooves at large equidistant intervals along the length of the spine.

The aim of the invention is to provide a method of preparing a spine edge of a bookblock, prior to adhesive binding, which obviates or mitigates the disadvantages of the prior art and which further provides an improved linkage between the paper of the spine edge and the adhesive..

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock, prior to adhesive binding, to improve the linkage between the paper and adhesive comprising the steps of collating the pages of the book to form a bookblock, providing two distinct series of grooves in the spine of the bookblock, one being deeper than the other and located in selected positions between selected grooves of the other series.

Preferably the grooves are formed by suitable cutting means.

Advantageously the shallower grooves are initially provided in the spine of the bookblock and the deeper grooves are subsequently provided between selected ones of the shallower grooves.

Advantageously the grooves of the first series are spaced approximately 1.5mm apart.

Further these grooves are approximately 0.5mm in depth.

Preferably the grooves of the second series are spaced approximately 15mm apart.

Further these grooves are about 3mm in depth.

One embodiment of this invention is described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one specific embodiment only.

Figure 1 is a front view of the spine of a bookblock which has been initially grooved according to this invention Figure 2 is a view from above of the spine of the bookblock of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front view of the spine of a bookblock which has been further grooved according to this invention Figure 4 Is a view from above of the spine of the bookblock of Figure 3.

Referring now to the figures, a method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock, prior to adhesive binding, is provided which comprises initially collating the plurality of pages for the book which together form a bookblock. The spine of the bookblock is then removed, prior to or after collation, as appropriate, by cutting means which can be any suitable commercially available cutting machine.

The cutting means is used to remove the spine of the bookblock and simultaneously provide grooves across the width of the spine. The grooves themselves may be of any suitable cross-section such as a U-shaped cross-section, Vshaped cross-section etc. The grooves are cut into the spine to provide a groove with a depth of 0.Smm and are located at equidistant intervals of 1.5mm along the length of the spine of the bookblock as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The subsequent grooved spine as formed by the above is then subjected to a further cutting process. Again the cutting machine can be any suitable commercially available machine. In this further paper grooving process the spine is additionally grooved to provide further grooves which are again cut across the width of the spine. These grooves are cut to an depth of 3mm and are located at equidistant intervals of 15mm along the length of the spine of the bookblock as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The side of the bookblock opposite to the spine where the pages are untreated is then clamped by any standard clamping means. The bookblock is then bent over to one side until it is lying at an angle of approximately 900to the clamp. The treated ends of the pages are then fanned out and painted with a suitable adhesive of which there are many commercially available. The bookblock is then bent over to the other side again so that it lies at an angle of approximately 900 to the clamp. The pages are again fanned so that the other side of the pages can be treated with adhesive. The adhesive on the spine of the multi-grooved bookblock is then left to dry.

The resultant adhesive treated bookblock should therefore have adhesive covering the entirety of the spine.

The adhesive should also extend well into the two sets of different grooves cut in the spine.

The advantages of this invention are that there is an improved linkage between the paper and the adhesive by increasing the length of the page surface to be glued and exposing additional paper fibres by addition of the grooves in the spine. Furthermore, due to the increased spine surface area available for adhesive binding the strength of the binding is also increased.

Using the aforementioned method of this invention with an A4 size of bookblock, 50mm thick, the spine surface area that is available for gluing is increased by over 50% against a flat cut, or milled, spine surface area and by over 15 against a flat cut, or milled, spine surface area which has been notched with a Mekanotch machine.

The subsequent double fan adhesive binding, as described above, when used with the method of the current invention results in a stronger binding than those currently available.

Claims

1. A method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock, prior to adhesive binding, to improve the linkage between the paper and adhesive which comprises the steps of collating the pages of the book to form a bookblock, providing two distinct series of grooves in the spine of the bookblock, one being deeper than the other and located in selected positions between selected grooves of the other series.

2. A method of preparing the spine edge of a book block according to Claim 1 wherein the shallower grooves are initially provided in the spine of the bookblock and the deeper grooves are subsequently provided between selected ones of the shallower grooves.

3. A method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grooves of the first series are spaced approximately 1.5mm apart.

4. A method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grooves of the first series are approximately 0.5mm in depth.

5. A method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grooves of the second series are spaced approximately 15mm apart.

6. A method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grooves of the second series are about 3mm in depth.

7. A method of preparing the spine edge of a bookblock according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grooves are formed by suitable cutting means.

8. A bookblock having two distinct series of grooves in the spine, one being deeper than the other and located in selected positions between selected grooves of the other series.

9. A bookblock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings