281,408. Hodge, A. S., Eakland, J., and Battey, A. P. Sept. 6, 1926. Bookbinding-machines.-Relates to apparatus for attaching reinforcing strips or tapes of the kind which are applied transversely to the hack of a book with their ends projecting so that they can be folded upon the sides of the book and secured by adhesive; the tapes may be sewn to the backs of the books before they enter the apparatus, or the books may be placed backdownwardly upon transverse tapes placed loosely upon a conveyer. In one form of the apparatus, Figs. 1 and 2, books B provided with transverse tapes T, T<2>, T<3> upon their backs pass from an inclined table 1 on to an endless belt 2, which extends the whole length of the apparatus, the ends of the tapes projecting laterally over smaller belts 24 disposed at each side of the conveyer belt 2 so that they are supported horizontally until they are gummed or an adhesive previously applied thereto is damped. Side guides 4, 5 at the entry and delivery ends of the machine support, the books laterally, the machine being divided longitudinally into two similar portions which can be adjusted relatively to one another by an adjusting-screw 28<a> to adapt the machine for books of various thicknesses. Theprojecting ends of the tapes are gummed by rollers 6 rotating in pivoted troughs 7 containing the gum, and presser rollers 8 disposed beneath the rollers 6 are pulled upwardly by springs 12,. and adjusting-screw 13 being provided to maintain a slight clearance between the rollers 6, 8. Doctor blades 9 are provided to clean the rollers 8, and to ensure further that the gum is applied only to the upper faces of the tape ends the rollers 8 may rotate in a cleaning fluid. After gumming, the ends of the tapes are turned upwardly by inclined travelling guides consisting of endless chains 14 passing around sprockets 16. Each link of the chains is covered by a U-shaped member 15 in order to present a smooth surface to the tapes, or the chains may consist of links 15a, Fig. 5, and members 15 arranged alternately. The members 15 are preferably made of non-ferrous metal to prevent rusting. The upwardly deflected ends of the tapes are pressed upon the sides of the books, first by narrow rollers 17 mounted on pivoted arms 18 which are pulled inwardly by springs 20, and then by wider rollers 21 mounted upon pivoted arms 22 and arranged to press the extremities of the tapes upon the books. The books may subsequently be passed between rollers which press the whole of the sides. A guard-plate 16<a>, Fig. 2, is provided at the delivery end of the apparatus adjacent to the sprocket 16 to prevent the returning portions of the chains from contacting with and displacing the ends of the tapes. The conveyer 2 is driven by a pulley 3 on a shaft 32 which is geared to the shafts carrying the sprocket wheels at the delivery end of the chains 14, the sprocket wheels at the other end being geared to the gumming and presser rollers. Instead of the chains 14 cam-plates or wheels, or fixed ramps, may be used to turn the ends of the tapes on to the books. In a modification the width of the conveyer belt 2 is made equal to the length of the tapes and the belt is passed through a shoe or the like which deflects its edges upwardly and applies the ends of the tapes to the books, or the side conveyers or supports for the ends cf the tapes may be passed over deflectors. The gumming or damping device may be modified by substituting for the rollers 6 a wheel provided on its periphery with pads arranged at intervals corresponding to the distance between the tapes on the backs of the books, the fluid being supplied from the interior of the wheel or from an external wiping member. In another modification the books are carried through the machine with their backs upward, the gumming rollers then being disposed below the ends of the tapes and the ends of the tapes deflected downwardly by inclined travelling ramps before being pressed.