US3149217A - Glue setting machine - Google Patents

Description

p 15, 1964 HQB. REED ETAL GLUE SETTING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIEIE IEIE: ibllb l E hu lalr wll m-mm-h ulwm I INVENTORS REED GALLAGHER HERBERT JOHN C.

ATTORNEYS p 1964 H. B. REED ETAL 3,149,217

GLUE SETTING MACHINE- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1960 INVENTORS HERBERT B. REED JOHN C. GALLAGHER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent ce 3,149,217 GLUE SETTlNG MACHINE Herbert B. Reed, Dover, and John C. Gallagher, Brockton, Mass, assrgnors to Raybond Electronics, Inc., Norwood, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 18, 1960, Ser. No. 43,541 2 Claims. (Cl. 219-10.69)

The present invention relates generally to machines for dlelectrically heating freshly glued objects to harden the glue. More particularly, it relates to a machine adapted with a conveyor for hardening glue applied to the spines of books in the process of binding.

Bookbinding comprises a number of sequential operations varying in character and consecutive order according to the type of binding and the machinery used. An early step in all common binding operations results in an assembly of folded signatures arranged with the pages in proper sequence. These signatures may be held in the assembled condition by stapling, sewing or stitching, or they may be trimmed to eliminate the folds and then glued and taped together across the spine as in perfectbinding. Sewn books are commonly smashed after sewmg.

The following operations, some of which may be eliminated in certain cases, and which may occur in various sequences, are trimming the pages, gluing the signatures at the folds in the case of sewn or stitched books, rounding the spines and finally applying the backs and casings.

For present purposes it will suffice to state that glue is commonly applied to the spines of books as an intermediate step in the binding process. This glue is applied between the outer folds of the signatures of sewn and stitched books and between the pages of pe1fect-bound books. Other operations which follow this step such as trimming and rounding cannot be carried out effectively until the glue on the spines has dried. Accordingly, in many binding operations it is at present necessary to palletize stacks of books arranged in staggered piles, and to allow suflicient time for atmospheric drying of the glue before delivery to the trimmer or rounder. In the case of perfect-bound books the comparable problem is one of causing the glue to be firmly set before removal of the mechanical restraint which holds the books in the perfectbinder.

It is accordingly a principal object of this invention to provide a conveyor machine adapted for use in sequence following the gluing of the spines of sewn, stitched or perfect-bound books, and which will rapidly harden the glue so that the books may be conveyed directly to a subsequent binding operation.

A second object is to provide accurately-controlled conditions for hardening the glue, whereby the glue i left suificiently flexible to insure a binding of good quality. This is especially importantin perfect-bound books, for

the glue on the spine of such books comprises the only means for holding individual pages in the binding.

With the foregoing and other objects hereinafter to become evident in View, a principal feature of this invention resides in a novel construction of conveyor means associated with dielectric heating apparatus for subjecting the glued spines to high frequency electric fields, inducing controlled heat in the spines to harden the glue. Another feature resides in a transverse arrangement of electrodes in relation to the line of conveyor travel, with the electrodes having alternate polarities to induce stray fields in the book spines for generation of localized heat, and with resilient restraining means to carry the books under lateral pressure with accurately fixed spacing of the 3,149,217 Patented Sept. 15,, 1964 details of structure, arrangements of the parts and modes of operation embodied in the preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the appended drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal elevation of the machine corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation in section illustrating the electrodes and lateral restraining means taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the electrodes; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the electrodes.

General Description Referring to the drawings, individual books 12 are conveyed in the direction of the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2 (left to right as shown) from a machine (not shown), which applies glue to the spines. These books are coverless with the glued spines facing downwardly, and the glue may wet every page or only the outside folds of the signatures, depending on the type of binding.

At the front end of the machine the books are laterally and resiliently engaged by a pair of endless chains 14 and 16. These chains suspend and fully support each book during its subjection to dielectric heat. The books are carried to an endless horizontal belt 18 with metallic angle flights Zll secured transversely thereto, which underlie the books and support them so they are carried off the back end of the machine.

The machine is supported on a rigid base 22. A high frequency generator 24 is supported on the center portion of the base. Pedestals 26 and 28 are supported at the ends of the base and are preferably frames fabricated of welded angle and channel irons. The front end pedestal 26 has four bearing blocks 30 which support two spaced parallel support bars 32. Similarly, the back end pedestal has four bearing blocks 34 which support two parallel support bars 36. The bars 32 support vertical plates 38 and 40 by means of suitable bearing brackets such as 41 bolted on the latter. A pair of vertical angle members such as 42 are bolted to each of the plates 38 and 4t). Each of these members is bolted to an angle member 43 which is in turn fastened to one of a pair of parallel metal tubes 44 and 46 of hollow rectangular crosssection which extend to the back end pedestal 28.

At the back end of the machine the bars 36 support vertical plates 4% and 50 by means of suitable bearing brackets such as 52 bolted on the latter. A pair of brackets such as 54 bolted respectively on the plates 48 and St in turn rigidly support the back ends of the tubes 44 and 46.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the tubes- 44 and 46 are entirely supported on the bars 32 and 36. The bearing brackets such as 41 on the vertical plate 38 and the corresponding brackets on the plate 48 are provided with set screws which are tightened upon the support bars 32 and 36. Accordingly, the rectangular tube 44 is fixed in relation to the base 22 and the corresponding side of the machine is designated the fixed side. The vertical plates 40 and St), on the other hand, are transversely slidable on the support rods 32 and 36 and the corresponding side of the machine is designated the adjustable side. This side may be moved toward or away from the fixed side by hand wheels 56 and 58 respectively pinned to screws 60 and 62 passing through holes in the plates 38 and 48 and threaded in the plates 40 and 50, respectively. p

The fixed tube 44 has a number of longitudinally spaced brackets 64 (FIG. 3) secured by bolts 66 to the underside thereof. These brackets in turn support a longitudinal plate 68 shown also in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. The plate 68 in turn supports ground electrodes 69 and hot electrodes 70 as hereinafter more fully described.

The tubes 44 and 46 support a number of pressure brackets designated generally at 71 (FIG. 3) and hereinafter more fully described under the heading Chain Conveyor. These brackets support and laterally urge the endless conveyor chains 14 and 16 toward the books. At the front end of the machine the chains pass over sprockets 72 respectively supported in bearings bolted to plates such as 74, the plates such as 74 being bolted on the vertical plates 38 and 40, respectively. At the back end of the machine the chains pass over sprockets 76 respectively supported in gear box assemblies 78 hereinafter more fully described under the heading Driving Means.

A horizontal fabric belt 80 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 passes over an idler pulley 82 and a drive pulley 84 and extends between the books 12 and the electrodes 69 and 70. A thin flat strip 85 of Teflon, which is a tetrafluorethylene polymer, is placed under the belt 80 and upon the electrodes. The belt 80 is preferably fabricated of a material having loW dielectric loss and good durability at higher temperatures, such as Fiberglas material impregnated with a high temperature plastic. As shown in FIG. 3, the books 12 are preferably spaced a small distance designated s above the belt so that the glue remains out of contact with the latter. The strip 85 supports and insulates the belt 84 which is relatively thin and also spaces the belt from the electrodes. If a book should accidentally fall into contact with the belt, the latter conveys the book at a fixed distance over the electrodes.

It will be observed that the plate 68 and the electrode section which it supports are nearly coextensive with the belt 80, and that the front end of the belt 18 engages the books adjacent the back end of the belt 80. The lateral chains 14 and 16 extend to a point approximately midway of the belt 18.

Electrode Assembly Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the electrode section is supported by the fixed tube 44 on the brackets 64 as previously stated. The ground electrodes 69 are solid U-shaped metal bars, preferably of aluminum, and are secured to, and at equally-spaced intervals along substantially the entire length of, the plate 68 by means of brass screws. The hot electrodes 71) are similar solid U- shaped bars preferably of the same metal as the electrodes 69 and are fastened to a plate 86 in the same manner. The electrodes 70 are spaced midway between each adjacent pair of the electrodes 69. The plate 66 is substantially as long as the plate 68 and is supported by the latter on a number of spaced ceramic insulators 88 each provided with corona ring 90.

The generator 24 is a high frequency generator of the type commonly employed in certain industrial dielectric heating equipment, and is connected by a two-conductor cable with the plates 68 and 86 in a conventional manner.

Power is supplied by the generator 24 continuously to the electrodes as the books are carried consecutively past the electrode section on the chains 14 and 16. Because of the alternate order of the electrodes the electric fields are generated between each electrode and the pair of electrodes of the opposite polarity on each side thereof. These fields extend through the strip 85 and the belt 80 and penetrate the spines of the books a short distance. The rapidly reversing electric fields set up in the glue inducing electric current flow therein which results in resistance heating. At elevated temperatures the glue rapidly hardens and is only slightly tacky as the books leave the electrode section of the machine.

Chain Conveyor 4 brackets are each in turn pivotally secured by clevis pins 102 and 164 to screws 106 and 108 supported in hanger brackets 110 and 112, respectively. These hanger brackets are secured by screws to the rectangular tubes 44 and 46. On the fixed side of the machine the screws 108 are rigidly and adjustably held by lock nuts 114. On the adjustable side of the machine the screws 106 are slidable in the brackets 110, threaded on to stop nuts 116 and provided with collars 116 and compression springs 118 for urging the brackets 98 and the chain 14 resiliently toward the books.

Driving Means The moving parts of the machine are driven by a motor 120 through a suitable variable speed drive mechanism 122. This mechanism rotates a sprocket 124 connected by a chain 126 to a sprocket 128. The latter sprocket is secured to a shaft 130 engaged through spur gears with a shaft 132. This latter shaft carries chain sprockets for chains 134 and 136. The chain 134 drives the horizontal belt 30. The chain 136 drives a chain 138 which in turn drives the horizontal belt 18. The chains 136 and 138 are connected by means of an offsetting shaft 140.

The above-mentioned shaft 130 also passes through the gear boxes 78 which house helical gears thereon for driving the sprockets 76 engaged with the lateral chains 14 and 16. It will be understood that the gear boxes 78 are secured to the plates 48 and 5th and the plate 50 is movable longitudinally of the shaft 130. Driving engagement of the gears in the movable box 78 with the shaft 130 is therefore accomplished through a suitable key and spline connection, not shown.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the machine is so arranged that the books are conveyed in a vertical position, being initially engaged and supported on the sides with the glued spines facing downwardly in accurately spaced relation to the electrodes. The books are thus carried in a direction transverse to the horizontal portions of the individual electrodes. The electrodes are connected with alternating polarity whereby the spines of the books are subjected to a localized stray field of accurately controlled depth, intensity and duration. The books are finally delivered to a take-away belt 18. The glue on the spines at the point of delivery is hardened to a degree consistent with the best standards of flexibility and enabling the immediate use of rounding or trimming machinery on the books.

It will be understood that the present invention has been described by reference to a preferred embodiment thereof. After a study of this specification a person skilled in this art may adapt the teachings hereof by means of certain changes and alterations not departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. Apparatus for accelerating the hardening of glue on book spines having, in combination, a pair of continuously movable endless conveyors arranged to support the books with horizontal, downwardly facing, longitudinally moving spines by resiliently engaging the ends thereof, a continuously movable endless belt situated beneath and parallel to the path of movement of the spines, an electrode assembly including a pair of mutually insulated electrode sets, each having a plurality of individual electrodes, each electrode having a horizontal portion with the principal dimension thereof situated transversely of and beneath the path of movement of the spines and being spaced a predetermined distance from said spines, said belt being situated between the electrodes and the spines, a sheet of material of low dielectric loss characteristics supported between the electrodes and the belt, the electrodes of said sets being alternately arranged, and means to energize said sets by means of a source of high frequency voltage to induce stray fields in the area of the spines.

2. Apparatus for accelerating the hardening of glue on book spines having, in combination, a pair of continuous- 1y movable endless conveyors arranged to support the books with horizontal, downwardly facing, longitudinally moving spines by resiliently engaging the ends thereof, a continuously movable endless belt situated beneath and parallel to the path of movement of the spines, an electrode assembly including a pair of mutually insulated electrode sets, each set having a plurality of individual electrodes, each electrode having a horizontal portion with the principal dimension thereof situated transversely of and beneath the path of movement or" the spines, said belt being situated between the electrodes and the spines, a sheet of material of low dielectric loss characteristics supported between the electrodes and the belt, the electrodes of said sets being alternately arranged, and means to energize said sets by means of a source of high fre- 15 2,829,228

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,741,269 Alger Dec. 31, 1929 2,288,269 Crandell June 30, 1942 2,572,243 Cashin et al Oct. 23, 1951 2,625,969 Mann Jan. 20, 1953 2,631,642 Richardson et al Mar. 17, 1953 2,649,877 Renn Aug. 25, 1953 2,723,517 Mittelmann Nov. 15, 1955 Webb Apr. 1, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3 149,,217 September 15 1964 Herbert Reed et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 4 line 62 after "each" insert set Signed and sealed this 2nd day of February 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3 l49 2l7 September 15 1964 Herbert Reed et a1 It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4 line 62 after "each" insert set Signed and sealed this 2nd day of February 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR ACCELERATING THE HARDENING OF GLUE ON BOOK SPINES HAVING, IN COMBINATION, A PAIR OF CONTINUOUSLY MOVABLE ENDLESS CONVEYORS ARRANGED TO SUPPORT THE BOOKS WITH HORIZONTAL, DOWNWARDLY FACING, LONGITUDINALLY MOVING SPINES BY RESILIENTLY ENGAGING THE ENDS THEREOF, A CONTINUOUSLY MOVABLE ENDLESS BELT SITUATED BENEATH AND PARALLEL TO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE SPINES, AN ELETRODE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF MUTUALLY INSULATED ELECTRODE SETS, EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL ELECTRODES, EACH ELECTRODE HAVING A HORIZONTAL PORTION WITH THE PRINCIPAL DIMENSION THEREOF SITUATED TRANSVERSELY OF AND BENEATH THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE SPINES AND BEING SPACED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM

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