US2010810A

US2010810A - Book rounding and backing

Info

Publication number: US2010810A
Application number: US705663A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bredenberg Alfred
Original assignee: TW and CB Sheridan Co
Current assignee: TW and CB Sheridan Co
Priority date: 1934-01-08
Filing date: 1934-01-08
Publication date: 1935-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 1952-08-13

Description

Filed Jan. 8, 1954 5 SheetsSheet 1 [N VENTOR B A TTORNE VS YM M Kmug, +C- biII 3, 5- A. BR EDE NBERG 2,010,810

BOOK RbUNDING AND BACKING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. a F

Filed Jan. 8, 1934 INVENTOR Mm/1mm M Cam/ M k A TTOR/Vfil.

A. BREDENBERG BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING Filed Jan 8, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 m M m m W HM WM A TTORNE rs.

3, 1935. A. BREDENBERG BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING" Filed Jan. 8, 1934 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 m E :0 m m m: E

' A A VENTOR BY W I Klflmzpldi kWh-s1] A TTORNE Ks g- ,1935. A. BREDENBERG 2,010,810

BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING Filed Jan. 8, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 12v VENTOR A TTORNE rs,

Patented Aug. 13, 1935 BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING Alfred Bredenberg, Champlain, N. Y., assignor of one-half to The Sheridan liron Works and onehalf to '1. W. & C. B. Sheridan Company, corporations of New York Application January 8, 1934., Serial No. 705,663

17 Claims.

This invention relates to book rounding and backing, referring to a well defined class of machines for performing successively the rounding operation and the backing operation upon books of the round back type, which steps customarily follow the gathering and the stitching together of the components of the books and precede the later operations of backlining and casing-in.

. Specific examples showing machines for rounding and backing books include the following. The well known Crawley type of machine, illustrated by Patent No. 372,128 of 1887 and others, effects the rounding by the rotation of opposed pressure rollers against the sides of each book, the book being thus shifted edgewise and thence being received and advanced by a carriage to a backing position, where the opposite book sides, near the back, are forcibly squeezed or compressed, and so held while the rounded of each book during a pause, namely, by pressure I between concave and convex bars, while the clamping walls are loosened to release the book.

\Lovell Patent No. 753,413 of 1904 similarly shows rounding and backing of books advanced in a clamp train, the rounding between rollers, and the backing by an oscillating roller or bar. Mercer 1,237,537 of 1917 shows travel between the walls of a fixed runway, the books being pushed along with backs up and resting on a track, and being partially rounded by lifting by a convex part of the track and then rounded between rollers, and backed by a spreading roll.

The general object of the. present invention is to improve the efficiency, accuracy and output of automatic machines for rounding and backing books. A particular object of the invention is to afford a more efiective mechanism for performing the backing operation consisting of the forcible squeezing or compressing of each book near the rounded back and the spreading or shaping of the back as required in this step of manufacture; the books so treatedbeing thereafter carried along to the point where they are discharged, for example directly into the conveyor or clamps or" a backlining machine. Further and more particular objects of the invention will be expla ned in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be understood to those conversant with the subject. To the attainment of such objects and advantages, the present invention consists in the novel book rounding and backing machine and the novel features of combination, construe-'1 tion and detail herein illustrated or described.

l of Fig. 1.

(Cl. 1l--5) In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a partial top view of a book rounding and backing machine embodying the present invention, showing the preferred general plan or layout but with various parts indicated only in outline or diagrammatically. Fig. l is a section on line Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale, is a left side elevation of one of the two backing mechanisms shown in Fig. 1, with certain longitudinal parts of the machine frame and shafts shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the backing mechanisms.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing only the underneath parts, the others being broken away or omitted for better showing.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation, that is, looking from the right of Figs. 2 or 3, of one of the backing mechanisms, the same broken away in section at certain places to show the detail construction and shown with the rising and falling parts in raised position.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 5 but with further parts broken away or omitted to show more clearly the detail construction.

Fig. 7 is a left elevation of a detail shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8, on an enlarged scaleand looking from the left,.is a sectional view taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 3 and showing the relation of the parts.

acting upon the book for the backing operation.

Figs. 9, l0 and 11 are diagrams in left elevation showing the book, the compressing members and the spreading member or backing bar in various operative positions to illustrate the action of the invention.

Referring first to Fig. l a number of books B,

latter consisting of an upper rail l'l. opposed by a lower rail i8 each having projecting flanges so as to constitute guiding tracks. The book conveyor preferably is advanced step by step in the directionof the arrow and comprises a system of vertical studs i9 having upper and lower rollers running in the upper and lower rail tracks respectively and serving as articulations for the successive clamps. The clamps are thus supported vertically as they travel around the orbit or path determined by the shape of the guide or track. The series of clamps constitutes a traveling runway, each clamp opening slightly for rounding but gripping the book during travel.

The book clamps may be of usual form comprising relatively fixed inner clamp plates 2! and relatively movable outer clamp plates 22, the latter being mounted upon rods 23 sliding through the inner plate members so as to permit opening and closing of the clamps. Substantially the complete clamp mechanism is shown for one only of the clamps, namely the one at the position showing the book B Strong springs 25 surround the rods 23 of each clamp and press inwardly to close the clamp upon the book. The inner ends of the rods are connected by a yoke 25 which carries a roller 26. The opening of each clamp may be efiected by a bar or cam such as 2? which may have fixed cam portions, not shown, for the initial closing and the final opening of each clamp, but which preferably has a movable portion at the book or position B so that while the clamp there pauses the bar 2? may be moved by timed connections to thrust the roller and thus open the clamp to release the book B which at this point or station is to be rounded.

The means for feeding the successive books into the successive clamps is not shown. Between the infeed point and the rounding point may be a preliminary shaping mechanism operating preferably to round each book partially, for example on the principles of the Lovell 8; Bredenberg patent. A main shaft 353 is shown from which cams and other connections are actuated to operate the various mechanisms along the line of travel.

During a pause of the machine the book at station I? is to be completely rounded or converted to the shape best shown in Fig. 8. This operation may be performed as in the Lovell patent by a pair of rounding rollers 32. Each book will have been positioned in its clamp at a somewhat high position. The book 13 being relieved from pressure by the opening of the clamp as described, after it has been engaged by the rounding rollers 3a, is shifted edgewise downwardly to a lowered position in the clamp by the rotation of the rollers, which press forcibly upon the opposite sides of the book. This action effects the desired rounding, and is followed by the closing of the clamp and the withdrawal of the rollers before the book, its shape retained by the clamping pressure, passes on to the succeeding stations for backing and discharge.

Fig. 1 further indicates two complete backing mechanisms or units, namely a first backing unit 35 acting upon the book B and the second backing unit 36 acting upon the book B Each book is thus subjected to two backing operations which, as will be explained, may be cooperative or complementary. The book finally passes on to position B and thence around to any further treatments desired and to discharge, effected by release by the clamp.

While the two backing mechanisms or

units

35 and 36 have certain differences in operation by which they aiford complementary or cooperative actions upon each book, as will be described, they are in general the same, and the following general description applies equally to both of them down to the point where their differences are set forth.

Each backing unit comprises a backing member or bar 8@, having oscillating movements and mounted upon a rising and dropping carriage 55, which lifts the member 86 to each book for operation thereon while the book is held compressed between squeezing jaws i i ii and l l i. The general parts and drop carriage will first be described.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 6, each of the backing mechanisms is contained between or supported on a pair of the cross frames it. The rear end of each mechanism, extending beyond the far side of the clamp tracks is supported upon a horizontal bracket extension 38 as seen in Figs. 2-4. At the opposite sides of the extension 38 are provided inside grooves or sliding ways 32! adapted to receive, as fulcrums, a pair of rollers it mounted on opposite cross studs ii both secured in a central cross piece 32, these combined parts constituting the rear end or crosshead of the carriage G5. Each stud ii carries the hub of a long frontwardly extending side piece or arm 63, these arms thereby adapted to swing about the floating fulcrums or rollers it, and the arms at their front ends are interconnected by a cross stud or shaft it, these elements 40-4 1 constituting the upwardly and downwardly swinging carriage 55, the front end of which may be lifted or lowered to raise the backing devices to each book and withdraw them from the book.

The front cross stud i i of the drop carriage is surrounded by a hub or sleeve it which constitutes the upper end or head of a link t? that extends downwardly from the front end of the carriage. The link ll has a lower head it engaged upon the eccentric portion of a cross stud 553, which stud also engages the front end 522 of a rock lever i'ulcrumed in brackets 54 near the front of the machine, the lever having a rearwardly extending arm 53 carrying, near the center of the machine, a cam roll 55 which is ressed upwardly against a cam on the main shaft 30, namely by the gravity of the parts bearing down at the front end of the lever, and which roll is actuated and thrust down by the cam for elevating the carriage l5 and the backing mechanism to each book in proper timing.

The upper and lower heads 33 and it of the link ll are interconnected by heavy compression springs 58, seated on the respective heads; also by vertical bolts 59, permitting sliding and preserving alinement. Said bolts are releasably locked by screw ears Eit'i and they have lower heads constituting stops opposing the springs and determining the normal length of the link. Within the springs are shown upper and lower studs iii and 62 adapted to constitute positive stops to the compression of the link and springs. Surrounding each stud 62 below each spring 58 is an adjusting collar or nut 33 threaded to engage threads on the stud for initially setting the spring compression and therefore the backing pressure. or resistance to yield.

To adjust the length of link it, and thereby the height of the backing devices and the backing pressure, the cross-stud Eiil may be turned, its eccentric portion d9 thereby changing the vertical relation between the link head at and the cam lever arm 52. A handle 64 is shown for this purpose. The arm 52 has a cap 65 holding the studs adjustment, which may be loosened to change adjustment. A dial 66 is attached to the stud end, see Figs. 2, 5 and 7, and an index pointer 6'! indicates thereon the adjustment and pressure. The bolts d9 are shown at their upper ends threaded in the link head it and their middle exposed parts are squared, giving access for adjustment for raising the head it and the backing devices and relaxing the springs 53; and these bolts may be used for initially correctly setting the longitudinal position of the head it if the backing devices should be tilted out of hori zontal.

be about a normal center 87 higher than the According to this invention the drop carriage 45, composed of the arms or side pieces 43 and the rear and front cross pieces 42 and 44, is capableof yielding rearwardly and frontwardly, its rollers 40 moving in the horizontal fulcrum slots 39 on the frames I6. For resilience the head 42 is shown as acted upon by springs Ill in front and to the rear of it, the far: end of each spring being confined by a nut I I, and there being a threaded bolt 72 passing through the nuts, the springs and the cross piece. The head 42 thereby floats between compressed springs. The nuts are locked on the bolt. The bolt and head and carriage may be adjusted bodily longitudinally to set the backing devices centrally beneath the book. For example the rear threaded end of the bolt may pass through a threaded sleeve I3 rotatable within the rear end of bracket 33, a rear head '14 and a front collar I holding the sleeve in place. Rotation of the sleeve effects the adjustment. For convenience a sprocket chain I6 is shown extending to the sleeve head from a sprocket wheel on an adjusting shaft 'I'I extending frontwardly and having an adjusting wheel l8 at an accessible point. When a change of book thickness is made the handle is turned, thus setting the carriage 45 to bring the backing devices centrally beneath the book.

Each backing mechanism comprises an oscillating backing device in the form of a concave bar or iron 86 best shown in Figs. 6 and 8. This is supported by the carriage 45 and lifted and low-* ered by the cam 5t as already described, and is arranged also to rock or oscillate in contact with,

. the rounded back of the book as will be explained vertical adjustment of the backing bar 80 upon its carriage 82 there are shown two threaded pins 84 supplementing the bolt 8|, each pin carrying a pinion 85 and being threaded into the carriage, the pinions being in mesh with two idler pinions 85 on fixed pins 8 which are in mesh with a central pinion on the bolt 8! which also is threaded inthe carriage. Thereby the mere turning of the bolt 8! rotates the series of pinions and the threaded pins andcauses the bodily lifting of the backing bar throughout its length.

The mounting of the backing bar carriage 82 may be as follows. The curved end pieces of the carriage are formed with exterior curved grooves 'which engage upon a curved series of rollers 86 mounted at the inner .side of the upper part of the opposite arms or side pieces 43 of the carriage 45. By this arrangement the oscillating movement of the carriage and backing bar will partof the carriage end pieces 83, each of these segments being shown engaged by a straight horizontal rack 90 mounted at the top side of aslide 9| which may slide at the inner side of the adjacent side piece 43, being supported by a flange 92 on the side piece andoonfined by a plate 93. The longitudinal reciprocation of the slide 9I and rack will cause the desired oscillat ing movements of the backing bar. This reciprocation may be effected as follows. The two siides 9| are shown interconnected by a rocking cross piece 95 to which is rigidly attached a collared and threaded rod as held on the cross piece by a nut at the front end of the rod. The rod is shown as extended rearwardly and threaded into a rod head 91 by which the rod may be moved forwardly and rearwardly. This motion may be produced by a crank pin 98 extending from a crank disk, the rotation of which thereby effects the desired movements. In order to adjust properly the extent of throw of the rod and the rack '99 operated thereby, and thereby the extent of oscillation by the backing bar, the crank may be of the type having a radially adjustable crank pin 98. Such adjusting means are indicated in Fig. 4, with an accessible bolt 99 for changing the adjustment. The crank is mounted at the end of a longitudinal countershaft I08 parallel to the main shaft 38. A small gear or pinion IOI on the countershaft is rotated by a large gear I92 on the main shaft so that when the machine is in operation the backing bar will make a number of complete oscillations in each cycle.

During the spreading operation by the backing bar the book is held squeezed between compressing jaws HQ and HI, Figs. 8 to 11. The rear jaw I It! may be fixed in an adjustable position corresponding with the rear wall 2i of the book holding clamp. The jaw comprises a heavy body portion with a thin rigid extension reaching almost to the back corner of the book.

The opposing or front squeezing jaw HI is movable, being retractable forwardly to admit each book and being then returned into contact with the book and drawn forcibly rearwardly to compress the book as a part of the backing operation. The front jaw H! is shown mounted at the rear end of a slide I I2, see also Figs. 3 and 5. The slide H2 is slotted for purposes of adjustment and is supported directly on top of a carriage H3 arranged to be reciprocated rearwardly and forwardly as will be described. The carriage I I3 has lateral wings II 4 slidable in recesses formed near the tops of the cross frames I6, with overlying plates I I5 confining the wings in their recesses.

The slotted plate H2 which carries the movable jaw III is shown attached on top of the carriage H3 by a bolt H6 passing through the slot and threaded into the carriage. The slotted plate extends frontwardly where it is formed into a head H1, and mounted in this head is a pair of shafts H9 having their rear ends threaded and extended into the carriage H3, so as to afford screw adjustment of the relation between the plate and carriage and thereby the position of the front jaw. For the convenient turning of the threaded shafts H9 to adjust the front jaw, while the bolt His is loose, there is shown a gear I29 mounted at the front end of each of the threaded shafts, these two gears being engaged by a central pinion IEI mounted on a shaft I22 turning in the head H'I, with a hand wheel I23 at the front end of the pinion shaft for effecting the simultaneous rotation of the gears and the consequent adjustment of the plate H2 and movable backing jaw.

For actuating the carriage II 3 and front jaw I I I the following connections are shown. A long Wrist pin H5 is shown extending through the Si center pin E35 carriage, and at the ends of this pin and outside of the frames it are connecting rods 525 extending rearwardly and pivotally connected to a cross slide 52'! arranged to slide irontwardly and rearwardly between the frames. The connecting rods are connected to the cross slide by pivot pins E28 and from these pins extending forward- 1y a pair of rear toggle links E38, from the front ends of which extend a pair of front toggle links till, the front ends of which are pivoted by a pin !32 to a fixed cross piece 533. At the toggle center the several links are interconnected by a center pin For operating the toggle to shift the slide i? and thereby the backing jaw the is shown as operated by a pair of downwardly extending links the lower ends of which are guided by arms it? and carry cam rollers or followers ass resting upon and operated by a pair of cares mounted on the main shaft in the drawin s the cams are shown in such position that the toggle links i353, i3i are lifted and straightened, and the movable backing jaw thus closed forcibly upon the book.

It is a substantial advantage to have two or more successive and cooperating backing operations in close succession on each book. The results of the first squeezing and spreading are by this system supplemented and made permanent by the second squeezing and spreading, minimizing the tendency of the book components to return to the original form. The product is thus im proved in quality, and this system permits also a greater speed of output of the machine because neither of the backing operations need be prolonged to the extent otherwise necessary.

As disclosed the combination of successive back-- ing units and steps is of particular value in that the spreading operation can be divided and part of this operation performed in the first step or unit, the work being completed in the second step or unit, thus insuring greater perfection in each or" the steps of the operation. For example, the first backing unit may be constructed or adjusted to work principally at the center of the book back, and to compress and spread the signatures adjacent to the center; while in the sec-- ond step or unit the spreading action can be carried from each side of the center out to the extreme corners of the book backemphasizing particularly this difficult part of the backing operation; or, desired the first backing unit could be employed to handle completely one side or the book back and the next unit the opposite side. The first mentioned mode oi apportioning the -work is herein specifically illustrated and may be further described as follows in connection with the diagrams Figs. 9, l and 11.

At station E each book is first subjected to the ction shown in Fig. 9 by the first backing unit The throw of the crank 98 is relatively small, and the backing iron oscillation about the center 8? is correspondingly short. The lifting connections are preferably adjusted for heavy spring pressure, and other adjustments are in accord ance. The pressure and spreading concentrated near the middle of the book back, symmetrically at both sides thereof, and the outer signatures are only partially bent or spread, to be completed at the next stage.

At station B the book is next subjected to a supplemental or complementary spreading action, by backing unit 36, as shown in Fig. 10 and on larger scale, at one side on Fig. ll. The mechanism is adjusted for a longer throw or oscillation of the backing iron, to both sides of the center, and the lifting connections may be set for less spring pressure. The iron will reach to or beyond the extreme corners of the book as shown, completing the backing operation, bending the extreme signatures sharply over the cortiers of the jaws. The springs 58 and iii will yield in the stress of the operating connections, causing the center Bl to rock laterally to the position Si in Fig. 11 and thence across to the other side of the axis, and the increased spring compression will thus enhance the bending and spreading action at the book corners.

The partial rounding or shaping means shown in Fig. 1 and at the rear of Fig. 1, may, like the Lovell & Bredenberg patent, consist of a concave member or rail 1 below the book, and a convex member 2 above the book, moved down and up by arms 8 to press the book into partly rounded condition while the book clamp is re laxed, the clamp then closing and the members withdrawing to permit the book to be conveyed onward.

Terms of position or direction are frequently used relatively herein and where, for example it is specified that the spreading device or member is lifted to operate on a book held with its back down it will be understood that the arrangement can be inverted and includes the lowering of the device to a book held with its back up, both being known equivalents.

There has thus been described a book rounding and backing machine and method illustrative of the principles of the present invention; but as many features of combination, construction and detail may be variously modified within the scope or" the improvement it is not intended to limit the same to such features except to the extent set forth in the respective claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a book rounding and backing machine means for conveying a succession of books edgewise to a series of stations and for releasing each book during rounding, mechanism for rounding each book during a pause thereof, mechanism for thereafter at a subsequent station backing each book, comprising jaws for squeezing its back portion and a device for spreading its components, and a second backing mechanism operating immediately after the first at a subsequent station for completing the backing operation.

2. In a book rounding and backing machine means for conveying a succession of books edgewise to a series of stations and for releasing each book during rounding, mechanism for rounding each book during a pause thereof, mechanism for thereafter at a subsequent station backing each book, comprising jaws for squeezing its back portion and a device for spreading its components, and a second backing mechanism operating differently from the first at a subsequent station for completing the backing operation.

3. In a book rounding and backing machine means for conveying a succession of books edgewise to a series of stations and for releasing each book during rounding, mechanism for rounding each book during a pause thereof, mechanism for thereafter at a subsequent station backing each book, comprising jaws for squeezing its back portion and a device for spreading its components, operating principally near the center of the back, and a second backing mechanism operating principally near the corners of the back at a subsequent station for completing the backing opera-.

means for operating the spreading device of one backing mechanism with a difierent degree of pressure than that of the other mechanism.

5. A machine as in claim 3 and wherein is means for operating the spreading device of one backing mechanism with a greater throw and less pressure than that of the other mechanism.

6. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, backing jaws for squeezing its back portion, and a member for spreading its components; one of said backing jaws being movably mounted on a carriage, adjusting screws for adjusting said jaw on the carriage, a movable crosshead having a connection to operate the carriage and jaw, a device or toggle acting on the crosshead to impose heavy pressure on the jaw, and timed connections for actuating the device.

7. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, backing jaws for squeezing its back por tion, and a member for spreading its components; one of said backing jaws being movably mounted on a carriage, means for adjusting said jaw on the carriage, a movable crosshead, a link connection from the crosshead to the carriage, a device or toggle acting on the crosshead to impose heavy pressure on the jaw, and timed connections for actuating the device.

3. In a mechanism for backing round back books; means for holding each book with its back exposed, as downward, backing jaws for squeezing its back portion, and a member for spreading its components while being squeezed by said jaws; and means for operating said spreading member comprising a carriage swingable up and down and carrying the spreading member to and from the book, timed connections for swinging the carriage and member up and down, and means for oscillating the member on the carriage.

9. Mechanism as in claim 8 and wherein the carriage is mounted to swing on sliding pivots;

with means for adjustably shifting such pivots to adjust the spreading device laterally to'the book back.

10, Mechanism as in claim 8 and wherein the timed connections for swinging the carriage comprise a link below the carriage, said link being adjustable in effective length to adjust the spreading member vertically to the book.

11. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, as downward, backing jaws for squeezing the back portion of the book, a member for spreading the book back while being squeezed by said jaws; a c-arriage'having' timed connections for shifting it up and down to carry the'spreading member to and from the book, means mounting the member on the carriage to oscillate in an arc in contact with the book back, a curved rack on the member, a sliding rack mounted on the carriage to operate the curved rack and. member, and timed connections for shifting the sliding rack.

12. Mechanism as in claim 11 and wherein the connections for sliding the rack comprise a cross-.

head mounted independently of the carriage, a connecting rod from the crosshead to the rack on the carriage, and means for reciprocating the crosshead.

13. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, as downward, backing jaws for squeezing the back portion of the book, a member for spreading the book back while being squeezed by said jaws, a carriage having timed connections for shifting it up and down to carry the spreading member to and from the book, means mounting the member on the carriage to oscillate in an arc in contact with the book back, a curved rack on the member, a sliding rack mounted on the carriage to operate the curved rack and member, a crank device for shifting the sliding rack to oscillate the spreading member, and means for altering the throw of the crank device to adjust the extent of oscillation of the member.

14. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, as downward, backing jaws for squeezing the back portion of the book, a member for spreading the book back while being squeezed by said jaws; a carriage having timed connections for shifting it up and down to carry the spreading member to and from the book, means mounting the member on the carriage to oscillate in an arc in contact with the book back, and means for causing its oscillation, a resilient element giving yield to the connections for lifting the carriage and member, and a resilient element n giving yield to the oscillation of the member.

15. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, as downward, backing jaws for squeezing the back portion of the book, a member for spreading the book back while being squeezed by said jaws; a carriage having timed connections for shifting it up and down tocarry the spreading member to and from the book, means mounting the member on the carriage to oscillate in an arc in contact with the book back, and means for causing its oscillation, the connections for lifting the carriage comprising a resilient link adapted to yield when the carriage presses the spreading member to the book.

16. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, as downward, backing jaws for squeezing the back portion of the book, a member for spreading the book back while being squeezed by said jaws; a carriage having timed connections for shifting it up and down to carry thespreading member to and from the book, means mounting the member on the carriage to oscillate in an arc in contact with the book back, and means for causing its oscillation, comprising a slide slidable on the carriage, an actuating device or crank mounted independent of the carriage to slide said slide, and a resilient element in the mounting of the carriage adapted to yield to cushion the oscillation of the member.

1'7. In a mechanism for backing round back books, means for holding each book with its back exposed, as downward, backing jaws for squeezing its back portion, and a. member for spreading its components while being squeezed by said jaws; and means for operating said spreading member comprising a carriage swingable up and down and carrying the spreading member to and from the book, timed connections for swinging the carriage and member up and down, and means for oscillating the member on the carriage; the carriage being swingable about slidable pivots or crosshead, and having opposed spring means yieldable in both directions tending to hold such pivots in normal position, but adapted to yield to cushion the spreading movements of said member.

ALFRED BREDENBERG.