757,343. Bookbinding. WEBB, G. R. L. Dec. 15, 1954 [Sept. 16, 1953], No. 25618/53. Class 16 Apparatus for casing or covering books comprises a press having pressure members made of an insulating material and adapted to apply pressure to the bound book with a cover applied and provided with a plurality of spaced electrodes adapted to be connected with a source of electric current and to cause a high frequency electric current to pass into, through or around the bound book and cover to dry the adhesive. The press comprises oppositely disposed pressure members 5, 6 between which the covers of a bound book 7 are adapted to be pressed by pneumatic pressure against the book, an inwardly curved pressure member 8 to press against the spine of the book 7 and an outwardly curved pressure member 9 to be pressed against the front end 45 of the book. The member 5 is mounted on a plate 10 rigidly mounted on a base 11 and the member 6 is also mounted on a plate and the whole suspended from a frame structure 12 pivoted at 16 to lugs 17a rigidly mounted on the base 11. The member 6 has guide posts 13 which pass through perforated eyelets 14 welded to arms 12a of the frame 12 and retained by pins 15, the posts 13 being of substantially smaller diameter than the holes to allow slight tilting of the pressure member 6 in all directions. The frame 12 is pivoted by means of a hand lever 20 about the pivot 16 into and out of the operative position shown with the lever 20 in the inoperative position shown, and the lever 20 is keyed to a shaft 19 rotatably mounted between legs 18 forming continuations of the arms 12a, the shaft 19 also having a pair of cams 21 which bear against the pressure member 9 so that on downward movement of the lever 20, to the position shown in dotdash lines, the member 9 is pressed against the end 45 of the book 7 to press the spine thereof against the member 8. against the pressure of springs 44 and 43 respectively. At the end of the downward movement, a roller 46 on the lever 20 engages under an abutment 47 on the plate 10 to pull the frame structure 12 downwards so that the book 7 is mechanically pressed between the members 5, 6. The roller 46 then engages a plunger 48 of a pneumatic valve 49 connected With a source of compressed air or other gas through a hose 50 so that the air is fed to a cylinder 23 by a hose 24 to give added pneumatic pressure to the member 6. This is effected by a pressure plate 26 engaged by a plunger on the end of the piston within the cylinder 23, the plate 26 having guide posts 27 passing through holes in a cross-member 28 and springs 29 being arranged between the cross-member 28 and nuts 30 screwed on the upper ends of the posts 27 to normally hold the pressure plate 26 out of engagement with the pressure member 6. The diameter of the holes in the cross-member 28 is such as to allow limited angular movement of the plate 26. Each of the pressure members 5, 6 is formed from a block of insulating material having in its operative face a plurality of spaced parallel grooves and, between the grooves, alternate electrodes 32, 33 embedded in the material of the block and connected by pins 36 to conductor bars 35, 34 respectively, in grooves in the inoperative face of the block and connected to a suitable source of electric current. Similarly the member 8 is provided with spaced electrodes 37 alternately connected directly with contact bars 38, 39 which in turn connect with the electric current. The current is switched on by the lever 20 which operates a switch simultaneously with or just,after operation of the valve 49. so that current flows through the electrodes 32. 33 and 37 through transformers or other known means to establish a field of high frequency current to dry the adhesive while it is under pressure. Each pressure member 5, 6 has an end member 51 with a longitudinal rib. 52 to press the cover inwardly adjacent the spine. Blanked out portions may be made in the shaping of the electrodes where books: have gold lettering or like metal foils on the binding to prevent burning of the. cover. According to the Provisional Specification, the press comprises pockets each fitted with electrodes for reception of a book and each pocket is closed by footpedal, mechanical operation or lever and' moved into contact position for current to flow through the book, a further pocket then being moved into position to receive a book.