US2017512A - Gathering and stitching machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1935; D.- REISER ET AL GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 23, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l 00. 15, 1935. REISER ET AL v I 2,017,512

GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25,- 1932 3 Sheets- Sheet 2 QJ/PZ/JER s m 3/ a 4770mm D. REISER El AL GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 25, 1932 IN VEN TOR; l2 Pass/P OJPE/JzS/P A TTORNE y Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFIQE Daniel Beiser and Orin J. Reiser, Shaker Heights, Ohio Application February 23, 1932, Serial No. 594,420

17 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for gathering and stitching printed folders, booklets, magazines, signatures, and the like and has for its object the provision of improved mechanism for conveying such devices along the gathering line and for timing and controlling the sti ching operation. More specifically stated the objects of the invention relate to the provision of a gathering and stitching machine having a single conveying element traversing a plurality of the diiierent stations, viz., gathering, stitching, and delivering; the provision of an improved intermittent motion for the purpose in View; the provision of means whereby the length of travel upon each successive advance can be adjusted and accurately maintained; the provision of improved mechanism for controlling and properly timing the operation of the stitching device; the provision of a machine of this character having parts operating at variable speed whereby a high output is obtained without excessive velocities and whereby the necessary dwell is provided for the gathering and stitching operations; while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application we have shown our improvements as embodied in a specimen machine, choosing for this purpose a saddle machine of well-known general type, cooperating with a stitcher, also of well-known type, and an unloader of known construction. It will be understood that our improvements are not limited to this particular type of machine. Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating the essential parts of our improvements in practicalrelation; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional View corresponding to the lines 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a rearelevation of that part of the machine corresponding to the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the cross head shown in Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and '7 are sectional views corresponding to the lines 65 and 7-? respectively of Fig. 5; Figs. 8, 9, l0 and 11 are detail sectional views corresponding to the similarly numbered lines of Fig. 2; and Fig. 12 is a detail view corresponding to the line l2|2 of Fig. 1.

The type of machine with which we have shown our improvements is that comprising an elongated, horizontal saddle I supported on upright legs 2 and adapted to receive partly opened signatures which are laid thereon, and transported from one end thereof to the'other. This saddle is substantially the shape of an inverted I as will appear from Fig. 3, and is here shown as consisting of two narrow, elongated, metal strips 22 secured close together in downwardly diverging relation, and two other strips 3-3, coplanar with the strips 22 and spaced therefrom to define a pair of longitudinal slots 4--4, one at each side of the saddle and extending from end to end thereof, for the reception of the conveying elements. These conveying elements preferably consist of endless chains 5, mounted in channel 19 guides 6 extending from end to end of the machine, one in each slot 4, each chain passing over a driving sprocket 1 at the discharging end of the machine and an idler sprocket 8 at the receivingend. We have also shown other idler sprockets 9 and H! as engaging the lower run of the chain, sprocket I0 being carried on a pivoted arm It so as to keep the chain taut and diminish vibration. We have also shown'this machine as provided only with a single chain, 0 thisbeing done partly for simplicity and partly because of the fact that in some cases a single chain is sufficient; but it should be understood at all times that this conveyor may be single or double at will.

Intermediate the two ends of the saddle is located the stitching machine, which may take any one of a great many forms known to the art, and may serve either to introduce loops of thread or staples of wire into the signatures as they pass. 30 In the particular embodiment here shown the stitcher comprises a turret 13, carried by an independent pedestal l4, said turret having a portion overlying the saddle and provided for the removable and adjustable reception of stitching- 5 heads l5--l6. This stitcher comprises mechanism (not shown) whereby for each rotation of its drive shaft 11, the heads l5 and I6 are pressed downwardly in close contact with the signatures on the saddle and a stitch or staple inserted by 4 each head. Ordinarily this operation is controlled by means of a treadle [8 carried by the pedestal M and depressed once for each stitching operation. We have shown our improved gathering and conveying mechanism as associated with this stitcher in such wise as to employ the latter without change, even to-the operation of the treadle, though it is equally within our invention to employ special controlling devices. However, it is sometimes desirable to be able to use the stitcher in the usual manner for some special job (either fiat or saddle), and another advantage of our apparatus is that it can be employed with any type of stitcher.

At the discharging end of the saddle, beyond the stitcher, we have shown apparatus for automatically removing, closing, and piling the stitched booklets, this means here consisting of a pair of parallel shafts 2B3G having paired pulleys 2l2l thereon, cooperating with belts 22 which cooperate with other pulleys 23 at one side of the saddle. Working through the apex of the saddle adjacent to these belts are vertical blunt blades 24 connected to a movable cross head 25 which at predetermined moments is caused to rise carrying these blades through suitable apertures in the top of the saddle and thereby lifting the backs of the booklets between the pulleys and belts which are meanwhile rotated in such a direction as to grip and lift the booklets, close them, and deliver them laterally onto a suitable shelf 26 provided for the purpose, all as set forth in the patent of Daniel Rieser, No. 1,086,084, February 3, 1914.

Rigidly connected to the saddle adjacent its discharging end is a frame comprising transverse elements 36, a longitudinal element 3! and vertical elements or legs 32. Journalled in this frame is a horizontal shaft 33 carrying at one end the sprocket l and at the other end the sprocket 34, the latter being adjacent to the horizontal element BI, and cooperating with an endless chain 35, the opposite end of which is carried by an idler sprocket 36 also supported by the element 3| in such wise that one run of the chain shall be horizontal. Carried by the element 3| is a horizontal guide bar or guideway 3! on which is mounted a reciprocable cross head 38. The horizontal run of the chain passes immediately .adjacent to one face of a block 39 OI shouldered element carried by this cross-head. slidably mounted on the face of this cross head parallel to said chain is a slide bar 0 having on the side next to the chain an adjustable element 4| formed with a wedge-shaped end 42 which cooperates with the complementarily-shaped extremity 43 of a vertically reciproceble dog 44 which is slidably mounted between guide blocks I 45, said dog having its upper end shaped to enter and engage the links of the chain 35 in driving relation as shown at 46.

J ournalled to the frame is a horizontal shaft 56 parallel to the shaft 33 and having at one end the crank-disk 5| to which is operatively connected one end of the pitman 52, the other end of said pitman being connected to a wrist pin 53 carried by the slide-bar 40. As a result of this construction, movement of the slide-bar M1 in one direction first elevates the dog 44 into engagement with the chain, and then moves the chain 35 a distance dependent upon the stroke of the pitman, releasing this chain at the end of the stroke. Any one 'of numerous expedients may be employed to vary the stroke of this pitman, that here shown being to attach the pitman to a lever arm 54, having one end pivoted at 55 to a bracket 56 carried by the frame andhaving its opposite end slidably engaged by a bearing box 51 which is pivoted at 58 to the disk 5!. This lever is shown as formed on its outer face with an elongated slot 59 in which is located a longitudinally adjustable block 65 to which the pitman is articulated. By varying the position of this block along its slot the stroke of the pitman 52 may be varied as desired from zero to a very wide range; and while this particular construction is not necessary to our invention it has certain secondary advantages in that the going and returning strokes of the pitman are performed at different speeds which is an advantage in this machine as will hereafter be pointed out.

In the present embodiment we have illustrated the shaft 50 as operatively connected by spiral gears 8| to an operating shaft 62 which in turn is driven through spur gears 63 and 64, the latter being fixed to rotate with a pulley 65 upon which rides a belt 66 connected with some suitable power source (not shown). It will be seen that one advance step of the conveyor is effected for each turn of the shaft 55, and in the present embodi-- ment the further refinement is provided that the movement of the conveyor is efiected during the slow-moving portion of the stroke of the pitman 52, the return movement of the pitman being effected at higher speed, thus causing the period of dwell to be shorter than the period of movement, increasing the output of the machine without entailing excessive speeds of the parts, and tending to equalize the load on the driving element. The operation of the stitcher is effected during the dwell period and-it may conveniently be timed by means of a suitable cam 79 on the shaft 59. We have also shown the shaft I! of the stitcher as operated by a chain II from a sprocket on the shaft 50, although the latter mode of driving is entirely a matter of convenience. It is characteristic of this type of stitching machine that the shaft thereof is rotated continuously and that by depressing the treadle IS a suitable clutch (not shown) contained in and constituting a part of the stitcher, connects said shaft in operative relation to the stitcher head suificiently long to apply one stitch or staple after which it is immediately disconnected until the treadle is again depressed. A convenient way of effecting this operation is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 12 hereof. In this embodiment we have shown an additional horizontal shaft 72 carried by the pedestal M and by an adjacent leg 2 of the saddle, and on this shaft is pivoted a rearwardly-projecting lever-arm 13 having, intermediate its ends, a roller M which rests on the treadle l8, and having its rearward extremity connected to a vertical rod 15, the upper end of which is attached to a horizontal lever 76 pivoted at 11 to the frame 30 and extending closely over the top of the cam 16. At its end opposite the fulcrum 11 the lever 16 terminates in a notch 18 cooperating with a catch 79 operatively connected to an operating rod 80 which overhangs the saddle where it is provided with a trigger 8| adapted to be displaced by the arrival of a booklet thereunder at a proper phase of the machine movement. I

Carried by the chain 5 are spaced projecting fingers by which the booklets or signatures are propelled along the saddle. Two types of such fingers are shown in Fig. 1, namely, upon the lower run of the chain some single fingers 82, spaced at equal distances along the chain and adapted to have signatures laid upon the saddle between them; and in Fig. 3 and upon the upper run of the chain in Fig. 1 we have shown double fingers consisting of an outwardly-projecting finger 82, and adjacent thereto a shorter finger 83 parallel thereto and having a slanting end 84 conforming in slope to the slope of the saddle, and projecting sufficiently thereabove to engage the body-portion of a booklet. When double fingers are employed, as here shown, the long and short fingers are reversed in successive pairs, this arrangement being chosen for the gathering of booklets wherein the cover projects beyond the body. The fingers are easily secured by screws tapped into the chain blocks, the bases of the fingers being slotted to enable the necessary adiu ment- The length of the saddle I is made sufiiciently great to permit the gathering thereon of as many signatures as may be desired, the arrangement of the propelling fingers and of the stitching heads being suited to the length and size of such signatures, and the length of travel of the chain being likewise adjusted. In Fig. 1 we have shown this device as adjusted for the handling of dissimilar booklets in pairs, plain folders without covers alternating with booklets which are provided with extended covers, and the mechanism being so adjusted as to advance the chain two steps at a time whereby the respective booklets are brought into proper relation with the respective pairs of stitching heads which are spaced a proper distance apart to cooperate therewith.

It is customary to run these machines continuously and at such speed as to require smart action by the attendants to supply the folded sheets to the saddle, and it often happens that due to some accidental reason blank spaces appear in the procession. So long as the trigger 8| remains elevated by contact with booklets on the saddle, the lever 15 is free to fall after each revolution of the cam I0, thereby as a result of its own weight and the weight of the rod I5 depressing the treadle I8 and thereby producing an operation of the stitcher a predetermined period of time thereafter, sufficient to have allowed the arrival of the signatures in proper position. However, in case a signature be missing from the saddle, the trigger 8| drops and the catch I9 prevents any falling movement of the lever I5, thereby preventing the stitcher from operating. It is also desirable in some cases to provide emergency means for preventing operation of the stitcher, such, for example, as that shown in Figs. 1 and 12 wherein a separate lever independently pivoted on the rod I2 is provided atone end with a pedal pad 86 and at the other with a finger 81 extending beneath the lever I3. Pressure on this pedal holds the lever I3 elevated and prevents actuation of the treadle.

Various types of guides and holders can be employed to assist the orderly progress of the signatures through the machine. We have here illustrated L'-shaped fingers 90 overlying the apex of the saddle, a pressure-roller 9|, a V-shaped block 92, and long spring-pressed fingers 93. These can be employed in any combination or relation desired, depending upon the character of the work in hand.

It will be seen that one operation of the shaft 33 (although seldom exactly one turn of that shaft) will be producedfor each complete rotation of the shaft 50. Due to the fact that the moving partsof the machine have considerable inertia and for the purpose of arresting the same with certainty and of holding the same positively against movement except for such period as movement is desired, we have indicated a control shaft as journalled in the frame parallel to the shaft 33 and as connected to the drive-shaft 62 by means of spiral gears 96 whereby it is operated at the same speed as the shaft 50. Carried by shaft 95 are three cams 91, 98 and. 99. Cam 91 cooperates with a lever I00 to which is attached a brake-band IIJI cooperating with a brake-drum I02 carried by shaft 33, so as to bring said shaft to rest promptly after each actuation. Cooperating with the cam 98 is alever I03 having a tooth I84 which engages between the teeth or acog-wheel I05 carried by the shaft 33. The cam 99 cooperates with a lever I06 which operates the electing knives 24 through the agency of rockers I01.

It isnot always necessary that both the fricmovement of the shaft 33, releasing this brake at a sufiiciently early moment for all possible adjustments of the mechanism, and adjusting the cam 98 to release the lever I03 at the latest possible moment, and allowing the effect of the two safety devices to overlap by a varying amount, depending on the adjustment of the mechanism. As-between the two safety devices we consider the brake as the more important.

In order to make certain that the sliding movement of the cross-head 38 shall not occur with such ease as to cause its reciprocation to occur without forcing the dog 44 into engagement with the chain 35, we have provided said cross head with a friction-gib I Ii) slidably engaging the undercut edge of the guide 31 and held in engagement therewith by the spring I I I and adjustingscrew II2.

In these drawings we have shown the machine as handling two dissimilar sizes and types of booklets at one time, this being rendered possible by the positive timing and travel of the mechanism throughout the machine whereby the signatures are both stitched and unloaded with accuracy and without mixing. Even though the signatures be all of one size-the advance of the conveyor by multiple steps is advantageous as affording higher rate of production with low speed of stitcher and of machine travel. These considerations become of importance in the case of editions running into the hundreds of thousands.

' By the use of the chain and cross head drive here shown the length of each step can be varied as desiredfor any particular job, this being important for certain job-printing businesses. It will be obvious that Whenever the length of travel is changed, the spacing of the fingers must also 7 be changed, and that sometimes the length of the chain must also be increased or decreased so as to retain an aliquot number of equal stations. For this purpose the bracket II5 which carries the sprocket 8 is made longiudinally adjustable.

In some printing establishments, however, which confine themselves to a single size of volume (such as the Saturday Evening Post) there is no need for any wide range of adjustability, and for such use the desired alternative of advancing movement and dwell may be secured by the use of intermittent gears, one example of which is shown in Figs. 2 and 11 hereof.

Carried by the shaft 95 is an intermittent gear II6, meshing with a pinion III carried by shaft 33, one of which is slidable along its shaft, in this case the pinion III, by suitable means such as a shifting handle II8. Obviously these gears cannot be used at the same time with the chain 35, but can be used alternatively therewith for the purpose of affording an intermittent movement to the chain 5.

The word signatures is used in the generic sense to include all kinds of paper sections,

whether folded or flat, printed or plain, one or many. These signatures are laid on the supporting portion of the conveyor at the left hand of the stitching device, between the properly spaced fingers, during the periods of dwell. Sometimes a series of operatives stationed along the machine lay successive sections in place one upon the other; sometimes the signatures have been previously assembled and are merely laid upon the conveyor for stitching. Sometimes when the signatures are large it is possible to advance only one signature per step; whenever the signature is sufficiently small to enable two or more to be included in a single advancing step, the output of the machine is correspondingly increased. The interspersing of signatures of difierent sizes and shapes is merely another means of securing the highest use of the machine, and is permitted by the certainty with which the signatures are presented to the stitching station and unloading station, whereby mixing of the output is prevented as surely as though the work were done on separate machines; and this expedient further enables the adjustment of the machine for different sizes of signatures without requiring any adjustment of the length of the advancing steps.

Hence the movable nature of the fingers or projecting elements has utility even in the absence of any provision for varying the length of the advancing steps of the conveying element, and thus by reducing the number of the adjustments necessary to be employed facilitates the employment of intermittent gears for producing the step by step motion; although a reciprocating pitman exhibits one very great advantage in that it produces a gradual starting and stopping movement.

Other advantages of our improved machine are that the signatures are notonly conveyed all the way through the machine by one and the same conveyor, thus avoiding the risks of disarrangement inseparable from a transfer of signatures from one conveyor to another, but also that by locating the fingers exactly the correct distance apart, which this type of conveyor element permits, the signatures can be held positively against any disarrangement and must positively become stitched in exactly the arrangement given them by the gatherer. In case of any error in the gathering, the operator nearest the stitching device can always prevent the operation of the latter, thereby causing the section to emerge unstitched and preventing the need of unstapling to rectify the error.

While we have chosen for purposes of illustration a saddle-shaped type of supporting element we do not limit ourselves thereto since many at least of our improvements are applicable to fiat conveyors; and we do not limit ourselves to machines which perform a stitching or stapling operati'on since some of our improvements are applicable to machines whereby other types of book-binding operations are performed; and in general we do not limit ourselves to any details of construction, arrangement, design, adjustment or mode of operation except as specifically recited in our several claims which we desire may be construed each according to its own limitations and independently of limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

l. A book-binding machine having a gathering station and an operating station for signatures, a single conveying element traversing both said stations, projecting elements carried by said conveying element and between which the signatures are introduced, a reciprocating crosshead for advancing said conveying element in a step-bystep manner, chain means operatively connecting said crosshead and said conveying element, 5

element, an endless conveyor element having a 15' portion parallel to said supporting element, spaced projecting elements carried by said conveyor element and defining spaces on said supporting element for the reception of signatures,

and means for advancing said conveying element 20 intermittently by steps comprising a power transmission chain operably connected to said conveying element, a reciprocating member for intermittently moving said chain in one direction, means for driving said reciprocating member, a 25 lost-motion connection between said last named means and said reciprocating member, and a dog carried by said reciprocating member arranged to be moved by said last named means into engagement with said chain during the initial move- 30 ment in one direction of said reciprocating member driving means.

3. A book-binding machine having a gathering station and an operating station for signatures, a single conveying element traversing both 35 said stations, projecting elements carried by said conveying element and between which the signatures are introduced, means for advancing said conveying element in step-by-step manner comprising a reciprocating member, means for driv- 40 ing said reciprocating member at a relatively high speed in one direction and at a relatively slower speed in a reverse direction, means for effecting a driving connection between said conveying element and said reciprocating element only during 45 its movement in said second named direction, and means for varying and fixing the length of such steps.

4. A book-binding machine having a gathering station and an operating station for signa- 5 tures, a single conveying element traversing both said stations, projecting elements carried by said conveying element and between which the signatures are introduced, means for advancing said conveying element in step-by-step manner, and 55 5. A book-binding machine having a gather- 60 I ing station and an operating station for signatures, a single conveying element traversing both said stations, projecting elements carried by said conveying element and between which the signatures' are introduced, means detachably securing 05 said projecting elements to said conveying element whereby the spaces between said projecting elements may be changed to enable the accommodation of signatures of different sizes, and means for advancing said conveying element in step- 70 by-step manner comprising a chain operatively associated with said conveying element, a crosshead, means for reciprocating said crosshead, a dog'carriedby said crosshead and movable relatively thereto into engagement with said chain 75 by said crosshead reciprocating means for effecting the movement of said conveying element, and means for varying and fixing the length of such steps.

6. In a combined gathering and stitching machine for signatures, a conveyor having a supporting element and an endless conveying element movable along said supporting element, said conveyor having a gathering station and a stitching station and said conveying element passing through both of said stations, projecting elements carried by said conveying element and defining signature spaces, said projecting elements engaging opposite ends of each signature whereby disarrangement is prevented, and means for advancing said conveying element in step-bystep manner comprising a reciprocating member, means for driving said reciprocating member at a relatively high speed in one direction and at a relatively slower speed in a reverse direction, means for effecting a driving connection between said conveying element and said reciprocating element only during its movement in said second named direction, said means defining a dwell of each signature-space in said gathering station and another dwell in said stitching station.

7. In a combined gathering and stitching machine for signatures, a conveyor having a. supporting element, said conveyor having in the order named a gathering station, a stitching station and a discharging station, a stitching device in said stitching station operatively associated with said conveyor, means for adjusting said stitching device longitudinally of said conveyor, automatic unloading means in said unloading station operatively associated with said conveyor, an endless conveying element movable along said supporting element and passing through all of said stations, projecting elements carried by said conveying element and defining signature-receiving spaces, means for adjusting the position of said projecting elements on said conveying element, means for advancing said conveyor element intermittently by equal steps each of which includes a plurality of signature spaces, said last means defining a dwell in each of said stations, means for varying and fixing the length of such steps, means operative during a dwell for actuating said stitching device, and means operative during a dwell to actuate said unloading means.

8. In a book-binding machine, in combination, a horizontal supporting element adapted to have signatures laid thereon, an endless conveying element having a portion movable horizontally along said supporting element, spaced projecting elements carried by said conveying element and extending into engagement with signatures on said supporting element, means for advancing said conveying element intermittently in a stepby-step manner and providing a period of dwell between successive advancing steps of smaller magnitude than the period of movement, mechanism for operating upon said signatures supported adjacent to said supporting element, means operative during a dwell period for producing operations of said mechanism, unloading mechanism adjacent to said supporting element beyond said first-named mechanism, and means operative during a dwell period for actuating said unloading mechanism.

9. In a machine for gathering and stitching signatures, the combination with a supporting element having gathering stations and a stitching station of a single endless conveying element traversing all said station's, means comprising a pivoted fulcrum lever, a rotatable member eccentrically connected to said fulcrum lever and-oscillating the same about its pivot with a relatively fast movement in one direction and a relatively 5 slow movement the reverse direction, means for connecting said lever to said conveying element for advancing said conveying element in a stepby-step manner while providing a relatively short period of dwell between successive advances and projecting members carried by said conveying element and defining spaces for signatures, such spaces registering with said stitching station during the periods of dwell, and means for varying the relative position of said members and for varying and fixing the length of such steps, the length of each advancing movement being maintained the same as that between certain of said projecting members.

10. In a machine for gathering and stitching signatures, in combination, a supporting element, automatic unloading means located adjacent to one end of said supporting element, a stitching device located in operative relation to said supporting element adjacent to said unloading means, said supporting element having a receiving station on the far side of said stitching device from said unloading means, and chain means including an endless conveying chain associated with said supporting element and mov- 3O able from said receiving station past said stitching element to said unloading means, projecting members carried by said conveying chain at spaced distances and defining spaces for signatures, there being an aliquot number of said spaces about the periphery of said conveying chain and means including a reciprocating member having an element engaging said chain means for advancing said conveyor chain in steps each equal to an aliquot number of spaces and for providing a dwell between successive advancing movements.

11. In a combined gathering and stitching apparatus, in combination, an elongated supporting element, an endless conveying element associated therewith and having a portion extending from end to end thereof, projecting elements detachably and adjustably secured to said conveying element and defining spaces on said sup-' porting element adapted for the reception of sig- 550 natures of varying lengths, mechanism for advancing said conveyor element intermittently, friction brake means for quietly decelerating the movement of said conveyor element at the end of each advancing movement, and means for varying the length of such advancing movements to correspond to an aliquot number of signature spaces.

12. In a machine for gathering and stitching signatures, in combination, a supporting element, an endless conveying element having a portion movable along said supporting element, spaced projecting elements carried by said conveying element and defining spaces upon said supporting element for the reception of signatures, a stitching device located in operative relation to said supporting element, means for advancing said conveying element intermittently in a stepby-step manner and providing a dwell opposite said stitching device for the stitching oi the signatures and means controlled bythe advancing mechanism for operating said stitching device during such period of dwell, and a trigger device supported adjacent to said supporting element ahead of said stitching device, and means controlled by said trigger for preventing the operation of said stitching device in case'of the absence of a signature.

13. In a combined gathering and stitching machine, in combination, a supporting element, an endless conveying element having a portion movable along said supporting element, spaced projecting members carried by said conveying element and defining spaces on said supporting element for the reception of signatures, an operating shaft for said conveying element, a constantly rotating drive shaft, intermittent driving mechanism operatively connecting said shafts whereby a step-by-step advancing movement is imparted to said conveying element, means for adjusting the distances between said projecting elements, friction brake means for quietly bringing said conveying element to a stop at the end of each advancing movement, and means for adjusting said intermittent driving mechanism to produce a length of stroke commensurable with the disstances between said projecting elements.

14. In a combined gathering and stitching machine, in combination, a supporting element, an endless element having a portion parallel to and movable along said supporting element, spaced projections carried by said conveying element and defining spaces on said supporting element for the reception of signatures, stitching devices located adjacent to said supporting element, means for'advancing said conveying element intermittently in a step-by-step manner and providing a dwell between successive advancing movements, the period of dwell being shorter than the period of advancing movement and each dwell period being timed to occur with a signature space in registry with a stitching device, and means for operating such stitching device during such dwell period.

15. In a conveyor, the combination with a substantially horizontal supporting element of an endless conveying element, having a part movable along said'supporting element, a rotatable shaft operatively connected to said conveying element,

a constantly rotating shaft, driving connections from said last shaft to said first shaft whereby said first shaft is rotated intermittently in one direction, and means including a friction brake controlled by said last shaft for securing said first shaft against movement during the period of dwell between successive rotations and for bringing said shaft to stop at the end of each movement.

16. A book-binding machine having a gathering station and an operating station for signatures, a single con eying element traversing both said stations, projecting elements carried by said conveying element and between which the signatures are introduced, means for advancing said conveying element in step-by-step manner, means for varying and fixing the length of such steps comprising a chain associated with said conveying element, a cross-head movable in a line parallel to a portion of said chain, a dog carried by said cross-head for operably connecting said cross-head to said chain, and means for reciprocating said cross-head and for first moving said dog into and out of engagement with said chain as an incident prior tothe respective forward and reverse movements of said cross-head.

1'7. In a combined gathering and stitching machine for signatures aconveyor having a gathering station and a stitching station and having a supporting element traversing said stations, projecting members extending through said element and defining signature spaces, and chain means for advancing said members in a step-by-step manner comprising a cross-head movable in a line parallel to a portion of said chain means, a chain-engaging member movably carried by said cross-head and means for reciprocating said cross-head and for moving said chain-engaging member into and out of engagement with said chain means as a step precedent to the respective forward and reverse movements of said crosshead.

DANIEL REISER. ORIN J. REISER.

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