US2911659A - Book rounding and backing machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1959 L. ROBBINS ETAL 2,

BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|

FIG.3

INVENTORS. L E O ROBBINS Nov. 10, 1959 1.. ROBBINS ETAL BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 TNR VOE

Filed Sept. 15, 1955 AT TORNE Y Nov. 10, 1959 L. ROBBINS ETA 2,911,659

BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.7

INVENTORJ. LEO ROBBINS TACK BENDROR ATTORNEY Nov. 10, 1959 ROBBINS ETAL 2,911,659

BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR-5.

LEO ROBBINS .J'ACK BENDROR TTORNEY Nov. 10, 1959 L. ROBBINS ETAL BOOK ROUNDING AND BACKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 15, 1955 FIG. l2

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I200 RPM INVENTORS. LEO ROBBINS ATTORNEY Byg sz United States Patent BOOK ROUNDlNG AND BACKING MACHINE Leo Robbins and Jack Bendror, New York, N.Y., as-

signors to Printing Industries Equipment Inc., New York, NY.

Application September 15, 1955, Serial No. 534,551

9 Claims. (Cl. 11-5) This invention relates to bookbinding apparatus, and more particularly to a machine for rounding and backing the pages or signatures of a book preparatory to the same being bound in covers.

As is known, it is the accepted practice in bookbinding to unite the pages of the book at the rear thereof with sewing, after which the pages are rounded or convexly curved at the back, and pages or signatures of said back are then displaced to form a joint at either edge. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus for rounding and backing a book as above described, and which apparatus will be capable of operating on books of various thicknesses and sizes; which will uniformly round and back the signatures, and accurately and effectively shape the joints of the backs of the pages or signatures in preparation for the binding operations to be subsequently performed.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this character which will grip the pages; feed them to the required position for rounding and backing; hold the bundle or book or pages securely while the'rounding ice Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the operating elements of the machine, and

Fig. 11 is a view of a slightly modified construction, and Fig. 12 is a diagram indicating the controls for the hydraulic cylinders Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 2 thereof, 1 indicates a batch or bundle of pages or signatures constituting the body of an unbound book. These pages are' united at the rear and 2 by suitable sewing 3 of known character. The united pages, in the condition shown in Fig. 2, are in readiness to be shaped by the apparatus constituting the present invention. In said apparatus, the pages-1 are brought to rest manually or by suitable feed means, back down, upon a 'slidably-mounted supporting plate 4 (Fig. 3), until they are gripped between the rounding and feed rollers indicated respectively at 5 and 6, and moved downwardly thereby to be engaged and held between the gripping jaws indicated respectively at 7 and 8. The

jaw shown at 7 is a fixed jaw, while the jaw 8 is movable and backing operations take place and then deliver the rounded and backed book from the apparatus.

a It is another object of the invention to provide in an apparatus of this kind, means by which the backing roller will have its arc of movement automatically controlled according to books of various thicknesses, and 1 without adjustment. This is desirable because the radius of the curve on the back of the book varies according to the thickness of the book, and it is important that means be provided for automatically adjusting the backing roller to books of different thickness.

With these and other objects to behereinafter set forth in view, we have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

a triangulated plate 12.

In the accompanying-drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a book rounding and backing apparatus as constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the book or batch of pages constituting the body of a book in readiness to be rounded and backed by the apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows parts of the apparatus receiving the book to be rounded and backed;

Fig. 4 shows similar parts of the apparatus which have rounded and backed pages; p I

v Fig. 5 shows the rounded and backed bundle of pages;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus, with certain parts thereof being shown in section and other parts broken away to disclose construction; I

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the apparatus, as viewed from one end thereof;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows; 1

toward and away from the fixed jaw, by means to be presently described, to thereby co-operate with the fixed jaw in gripping the book and thereafter releasing it after the backing operation has been performed. While the pages are thus supported by the jaws 7 and 8, a backing roller 9, which is initially located centrally of the back of the pages when the pages are brought down by rounding and feed rollers 5 and 6 and is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, is arcuately moved across the backs of the pages in the book while applying pressure against them. This roller 9 is moved back and forth or reciprocated a few times across the back of the book and this results in the production of the backed rear portion of the pages as indicated at 10 in Fig. 5. The rounded and backed book is shown in Fig. 5, and after the rounding and backing takes place as above described, the 'book is discharged from the machine and is then in readiness for the application of the covers.

InFig. 6 is shown the linkage and levers by which the backing roller 9 is supported and is actuated; It will be understood that much of this mechanism is employed at both sides of the machine, that which is located at one side only, being shown in this view. At each end, the shaft 11 of roller 9 is rotatively mounted at one end of One corner of the plate is pivoted at 13 to one end of a link shown at 14, which has its opposite end pivoted at 15 to one end of a second triangulated plate 16. A second end of the plate 16 is pivoted at 17 to one end of a lever 18 which has its opposite end pivotally mounted at 19 on a pinv mounted in the side frame 20 of the machine. The third end or corner portion of the triangulated plate 16 ispivoted at 21 to one end of a lever 22 having its opposite end pivoted at 23 in the side frame 20. The two levers '18 and 22, mounted as above described, provide a parallel movement for the triangulated plate 16.

Pivotally mounted on the pin 21 is one end of a link 24 which has its opposite end pivotally attachedto a pin 25 projecting from one of the ends or corners of the triangular plate 12. At one end of the pin 25 is a'bearing 26' operative in an elongated slot 27 formed in an arm 28 having one end secured at the end of a cross-piece 29 provided with a similar arm at its opposite end. The cross-piece 29 is provided with a clevis 30 in which the end of a piston rod 31 is pivoted. The piston rod 31 ex- 3 other fixed elementin the machine frame. The piston rod '40 of hydraulic cylinder 36is connected in'the clevis 41 provided on the cross bar '29. The two hydraulic cylinders, indicated respectively at 32 and 36, are operative tocause an *arcu'ate'swinging movement of thebacking roller 9 across the back of the book through'the linkage thusfar described in conjunction'with'other elements to be now enumeratedand to position roller 9 centrally withrespect'to'the bookprior tothe start of theswinging operation. In the diagram of Fig. 12, the-cylinders '32 and 36 are-combined and the'operation thereof is'congglled by thevalve mechanism generally indicated at The end of the arm 28 is pivotally attached at 42 to oneend of a link 43'which has its opposite endpivoted on the-pin 44'mounted in a fixed part of the frame 20. Also mounted on the pin 42 is one end'of a'link 45 which has itsopposite'end pivotally attached at '46 to the movable jaw 8. Secured to the-pin 25 and wound partially around it is one end of a chain 47 or similar-flexible element, and saidchain extends around pin-42 and also around apin4'8 extendingfrom a fixed part of the machine. The second end of the chain, and which is partly shown in dottedlines in Fig. 6, is connected to-one end'ofa turn: buckle 49, which has its opposite end terminating in a block 50 that is pivotally attached at 51 to an arm 52, having one end pivotally secured at 53 to a bracket 54 secured to and extending from the fixed jaw 7. The second end of the arm 52 is pivotally connected at 55'to one endof an arm 56 projecting radially from and secured eccentrically on shaft 57. A pinion 58 is secured on the shaft and said pinion is inmesh with a rack 59 on'the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder 60, having its lower end pivotally connected at 61 to a fixed cross'mernber 62 of the machine frame. Through thearrangement described, the'arm 56, having'a crank movement will tend to create the proper tightening of chain 47 during movement of the backing roller 9 and slacken the chain upon completion of thebacking operation.

The'chain connected in the manner described, w'illautomaticallytake care of the change of radius of movement of the backing roller in accordance with the various thicknesses of books.

The chain 47 accordingly tends to maintain thebackin'g'roller 9 at the proper position for engagement with books of various thicknesses and adjustment for the wear of the chain is had by means of a handwheel 63 rotatively mounted in one end of the ma chineframe. The handwheel is" mounted on a threaded shaft 64, 'threadable into the 'block 65, which embraces the shaft 57. A sprocket 63a is secured on shaft 64 an'd'this sprocket is connected bya chain, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 on another shaft adjacent to the opposite side of the-machine, for securing uniform adjusting movement of shaft'57 throughout'its length. I

The'movable jaw8 is-slidable toward and awayfrom the fixed jaw 7 by hydraulic meansincluding the cylinder shown at 66 controlled by the valve mechanism generally indicated at V1-in Fig. l2. Carried by, and sli-dably mountedon and in relation to-the movable jaw8, is the plate 4 which initially supports the book. 'I'he'plate'is moved back and forth at the required times by hydraulic means of cylinder 67 controlledby'the valve mechanism generally indicated at V2.

'The rollers and 6 are supported in a pivoted frame, generally indicated at'70, and which includes the side members 71 and 72, (Fig.8) connected by several cross members indicated at 73. The frame is pivotally mounted at one end in the lugs 74and it has a limited upward and downward swing that is'controlledbythe stopmenibers designated respectivelyat76 and '77. Stop member 77 consists 'of'an'adjustable, threaded and headed stem 78 vertically adjustable through the bracket 76. Onthe lower endof the threaded stem '78'is provided a bevel gear 79 in mesh with a similar bevel "gear" SD'SQCDIt d Q the adjustment shaft 81. A hand wheel 82 secured on theadjustment shaft 81 permits of'manual rotation of said shaft so that stop member 77 can be thus raised or lowered accordingly to position the head on said stop at the location desired to limit the upward swing of frame 70. The frame 70 is provided with a yoke 84 which straddles the stem 78 of stop 77 and impinges against the head thereon when the frame is swung upwardly to the limit of sucli'rnovern'ent as determined bythe headon stop 77. The frame 70 is raised and lowered by a hydraulic cylinder indicated at '85'controlled by the valve mechanism generally indicated at V2 and which has its piston rod connected to the yoke 84, as clearly seen in Fig. 6.

By limiting the'movement Oftheframe 70, provision is made for various sizes of joints on the book. By setting the position of the head 77 at a point which will permit the frame 70 to rise to a predetermined height on the held book, the'rollers will'have a certain amount of travel and accordingly'the book will'be moved downwardly to a certain givenposition with respect to the jaws 7 and 8, thusallowing a certain amount ofthe book to be displacedbythebackingroller to create'a joint of a certain size. By positioning the head '77 so that the frame 70 will rise higher, therollers 5 and'6 will grip the book at a 'higher'point and will, upon rotation, advance thebook to a lower position with respect to the jaws 7 and 8 thus causing -a greater amount of the back portion of the book to project below the jaws'and be displaced by the backing roller, and result in a large size of joint.

Roller 5 is rotatively mounted in bearingson one of the cross members 73 of the frame 70, one of said bearings being shown at 86,'s0 that 'said roller is raised up and down in company with frame 70 and is rotated by means to be described. Roller 6-is-also carried by the frame 70 and is rotative in bearings 87 and 87a (Fig. 8), supportedby amovable cross bar 88. The cross bar has its ends mounted for slidable' movement in slots 89 provided in theside members Hand 72 of'frame 70. Cross bar 88, carrying the roller 6 is moved toward and away from the book by the'hydraulic cylinders indicated at'91 and 90 controlled'by the valve mechanism generally indicated at V3.

'The function of cylinders 91 and cylinders 90 may be explained as follows: Both cylinders 91 are'single-acting. That is to say,they are capable of moving the rounding and feed roller"6 in'the forward direction-only, the feed roller6 being retracted byhydraulic cylinders shown'at 90. The rod'ends of cylinders 90 and 91 are connected to the cross bar 88, which bar carries the roller 6, but the'rear'ends of cylinders 90 and 91 are mounted on the jaw Bend are stationary while'roller 6 ismoving forwardiy. Whenthe movable jaw 8 moves forwardly, it carries with it the rear ends of the cylinders 90 and 91. Upon completion of the cycle, the roller 6 will retract by means of the cylinders 90, which are double acting,'and will-retract only as far as the movable jaw 8 will permit.

. The setting of the extent of retraction to be done by jaw 8 is accomplished by electrical and hydraulic means and iscontrolled by means of theswitch 63 (Fig. 7). Thus, though the'movement of roller 6 is independent of the movement of the jaw 8, it is possible to synchronize their relative positions.

In the bearing housing '87 for the roller 6 is'agear-109 (Fig. 8) on the endof the roller shaft 6a, and said-gear 109 meshes with a worm 92 on one end of a shaft 93 provided at-its opposite end with a pinion 94 in mesh with a rack-95 which is moved transversely of the machine bymeans-of a hydraulic cylinder 96 controlled by the valve, mechanism V2 andhavingits piston rod 97 connected to'oneen'dtof the rack-95 as'clearly'shown in 'Fig. 7. Similarly, the bearing housing 86 for roller-"Scontains=a gear similartogear 109, on the end of the'shaft 5a-of-rdller5,"which gear 'is in mesh with a worm gear 98 on shaft 99. At its opposite end, shaft 99 is provided when with a pinion 100i]: mesh with the rack 95. Shafts 93 rollers 5 and 6 in opposite directions and in a manner to' cause the rollers to round the book and move it down to the required extend for engagement by the backing roller 9 when the roller is moved across the back of the book.

In Fig. 9 is shown means for providing for the adjustment of the relative size of the joints of the books according to the thickness of various books. It will therein be noted that at each side of the frame 70 is provided a cam finger 125 having an inclined upper edge 126 and moving between a pin or roller 127 extending laterally from the sides of the frame 70 and the pin or roller 127a extending from the fixed frame. The fingers 125 are pivotally supported by the ends of the bar 88 and control the extent of descent of the book between the jaws 7 and 8 to the point of backing. This is determined by the thickness of the cam 125 at the point of contact with the rollers 127 and 127a according to the extent to which the roller 6 is moved toward roller 5 and this is governed by the thickness of the book to be backed.

From the foregoing the operation of the described apparatus will be readily understood.

A book to be rounded and backed is inserted, manually or by feed mechanism, between the rollers 5 and 6 with its back brought to rest upon the supporting plate 4 substantially as shown in Fig. 3. The machine is set in operation by depression upon the, control pedal shown at 120 in Fig 1, whereupon roller 6 will be moved toward roller 5 to grip the book between them, and the 'plate 4 is retracted and brought out from under the back of the book now supported between the two rollers 5 and 6. As the rollers 5 and 6 are now rotated by the mechanism previously described, they will round the book and at the same time move it downwardly between them and between the jaws 7 and 8, with jaw 8 being moved toward jaw 7 to cause the book to be now engaged and held between the two jaws 7 and 8 as shown in Fig. 4, and with a sufiicient portion of the rear part of the book projecting below the jaws to enable such projecting portion to be backed by the roller 9. At the time that the book is brought down to its backing position, the backing roller 9 is in its central or midway position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, and when the book has its rear end brought down into contact with the roller 9, the roller is then brought back and forth several times through an arc across the back of the book, causing the same to assume the desired rounded and backed condition substantially as shown in Fig. 5. The jaws 7 and 8 now separate, releasing the book, which thereupon falls down through a guide chute consisting of a curved plate 111 located below the jaws and resiliently mounted by means of the spring 112 and pivoted fingers 113 (Fig. 10)

The plate 111 cooperates with a fixed guide plate 110 to guide the book down to a position where it is received upon co-operating conveyor belts 114 and 115 which travel transversely of the machine and carry the rounded and backed book out of one side of the machine. The conveyor belts travel over rollers driven by a motor 118 and the bevel gearing 116 and 117.

In Fig. 11 is shown a modified construction, wherein the means for moving the backing roller 9 is simplified. In this embodiment, the triangular plate 16 has one of its ends pivoted at 130 to a link 131 which has its opposite end pivoted at 132 to one corner of the plate 12. The opposite corner of plate 12 is pivotally connected at 133 to one end of a link 134 which has its opposite end connected to the pivot 21. Connected between the pivots 132 and 133 to the plate 12, at the point 135, is one end of a short link 136 which has its opposite end pivoted at 137 to one end of a link 138 which is pivoted at 139 to a fixed of the machine. Also secured on piv'ot 139 is arm 140 connected to the piston rod 141- of a hydraulic cylinder 142. With this arrangement a single hydraulic double-acting cylinder, namely, that shown at 142, is used to cause the backing roller to center and be moved through its desired are by oscillations of the triangular plate 16 during the backing operation, and the mechanism is in other respects somewhat simplified.

Having described an embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What we claim is:

1. In an apparatus for backing the backs of books, a

pair of rounding and feed rollers between which a book is positioned, means for moving at least one of the rollers toward the other roller to cause the book to be engaged between'the rollers, means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions to cause the book held be-' tween them to be rounded as the book is moved downwardly to position between the jaws and a backing roller, a backing roller located below the feed and rounding rollers and against which the book is brought upon its downward movement by the rounding and-feed rollers, means for maintaining the backing roller in position to act as a stop to contact with the back of the book as the 2. In an apparatus of the character described, a pivoted frame carrying a pair of rounding and feed rollers, means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions, means for raising and lowering the frame, a pair of jaws located below the frame, means for moving one jaw in a direction toward the other jaw to thereby cause a book to be engaged between and held by the jaws, a sliding supporting plate for positioning below the book to support the same, said plate being interposed between the rollers and the jaws and acting to support a book before the book is engaged between the rounding and feed rollers, a backing roller positioned below the jaws, means for swinging said roller through an arc while the same is positioned in contact with the back portion of a book that is held between the jaws and means for automatically varying the radius of the arc of movement of the backing roller according to the thickness of the book being backed.

3. In an apparatus for rounding and backing books, a slidable plate support for positioning below a book to be rounded and backed, rotatable means for engaging the opposite sides of the book and moving the same when the plate is removed from below the support, a backing roller against which the book is so moved by descending movement, jaws for engaging the lowered book, and means for swingably reciprocating the roller across the back of the book to back the same as the book is held by its jaws, said one of said jaws being moved toward and away from the other jaw.

4. In an apparatus for rounding and backing books, a slidable plate constituting a book support, said plate being located for positioning below a book and against which the back of the book is rested and which supports the book a pair of rounding and feed rollers above the support and between which a book is engaged, one of said rollers being moved toward and away from the other, a backing roller below the support toward and against which the book is moved by the rounding and feed rollers on withdrawal of the support, a pair of jaws below the support and between which the book is gripped and held with a rear portion extending beyond and below the jaws, at least one jaw .being movable relatively to the other, means for reciprocating the backing roller through an arc, across: the hack of thebook held; by, said. jpvs to thereby roundthe bacleofl thflzbDOk and vary the. radius oi. the; arc of movement of. the backing; rollen according to thethickness. of the-bookiheing hackedt 5; In.- an apparatus for: rounding andbacking books; a pair ofi rotatablerounding; and'efeed rollersbetweenrwhich a. hook. is:v positioned,, means, for. moving at. least one; of. the rollerstowardv theother. roller to-cause the booktobe. engaged between thev rollers, means for rotatingthe rollersinopposite directions-..to.:cause. the. book: held between them; to be. moved. downwardly a backing; roller located; below the rounding; and feed rollers and normally. cenatrally positioned with respect to the descending book and against which the? hook is. brought upon its downward movement by the rounding; and feed rollers, means for holdingthe-backing rollen in contact: with;v the:back of the. hook means: forautomatically positioning, the backing. roller at" various' distancesfrorm the jawsto contactwiththe :backs of. difierently-sized-booksg and:means fon swing; ing the backing. roller-through an. arc. across the. back. of. the. book while it is. heldin: contact therewith torthereby back therear of the said hook.

6.1m an apparatus of. the characterv described a pair of spaced. elements. for gripping a book. to be: rounded. and backed, means-for movingonlyonexofthe. elements. toward or away from the. other. to-cause the. hook to beeither gripped; or released thereby,, a. backing; rollecpositinned adjacent toltheback of thebook while thebookis; held, between the: gripping. elements, means for causing; the roller to. be. located centrally of. the. book when: the book is held by the: elements in abacking positiontoen? ableisaid roller to-act as a. stopagainst-.theboolc when the book is moved to backing position; means-for. then swing? ing the. roller. back: and forth. through anarc. across the rear. ofthe: boolc to hack. the same,, and means for: auto? matically. varying the: radiusoi. the arc through=whichrthe1 hackingroll'er. is moved.

7:. In an: apparatus as. provided ton in claim: 6,.whereina; thespaced gripping elements. are jaws; whereby theroller movingmcanssisza linkage andincludes hydraulics means} 40? 2,010,810.

ing saidibook. on edgewithitsback disposed downwardly: and resting onrand. supported by the plate, a pivoted: frame carrying a.pair ofroundingandfeedrollers betweenzwhicha book. is. positioned whileheld on the plate, means for: rotating; both. rollers,tmeans,for moving one of the rollers toward. and. away from the second roller, meansrforv re tractingt the:supporting plate from below the rounding: and feedrollers. to thereby allow the book to be sup ported. and. moved downwardly by the rollers, a pair of' jaws. located below the rounding and feed rollers. and between whichtthebookisgripped and held with its back extending below said jaws, means for moving one of the jaws toward and away. from the other jaw, a-backingroller located below the rear of the book so held in contact therewith,v means. for adjustably positioning the backing: roller to maintain the same in contact with. the rear of tl1e .book.so held hydraulic meansand co-operating linkage interposed between. said hydraulic means and thebackingroller for-causing the. backing roller to be moved througl'ran arc across the-back of the book while main- 39, tained in: contact. therewith to thereby back the: same References Cited' in the'fil'e of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS" 474,819 Crawley May 17, 1892'. 1,489,896 Murray Apr. 8,, 1924 1,959,656. Cahen May 22', 19-34 Bredenberg; Aug, 13, 1935.

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