US3920272A

US3920272A - Sewing needle for cleat bookbinding

Info

Publication number: US3920272A
Application number: US534749A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Henry G Grimm
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-12-20
Filing date: 1974-12-20
Publication date: 1975-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-18

Abstract

A needle for cleat bookbinding having a tube with sharp edges which carries the sewing thread between the pages of a book, and a shank into which the tube is inserted and restrained. The shank may be split to facilitate insertion and removal of the tube.

Description

United States Patent Grimm, Jr.

[ Nov. 18, 1975 SEWING NEEDLE FOR CLEAT BOOKBINDING Henry G. Grimm, Jr., 1126 Waban Hill Road, Madison, Wis. 53711 Filed: Dec. 20, 1974 Appl. No.: 534,749

lnven tor:

US. Cl 289/18; 112/22 Int. Cl. AOlD 59/04 Field of Search 289/1.5, 2, 16,18;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Taylor et a1. 289/2 X 1,972,999 9/1934 I Kleinschmit et a1. 112/22 Primary ExaminerL'0uis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or FirmTheodore J. Long; John M. Winter; Harry C. Engstrom ABSIRACT A needle for cleat bookbinding having a tube with sharp edges which carries the sewing thread between the pages of a book, and a shank into which the tube is inserted and restrained. The shank may be split to facilitate insertion and removal of the tube.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SEWING NEEDLE FOR CLEATBOOKBINDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains generally to sewing needles and instruments used for binding books.

2. Description of the Prior Art Two methods are commonly employed in the sewing or binding of the pages of a book. One method requires that the sewing thread be passed through the pages of the book in a manner analogous to the usual sewing operation. The second method does not pass the sewing thread directly through the pages of the book, but rather ties the pages together at the spine of the book. This is accomplished by cutting grooves into the spine of the book to form dove tails or cleats along the spine. A thread is then passed between pages of the book at the cleats, with the thread being formed in an overlapping figure 8 pattern, intertwining through the pages to tie the pages together. The instrument or needle that is utilized to pass the thread sideways between the pages of the book must be adapted to easily part the pages and move between them.

The known sewing instrument used in cleat sewing employs a one-piece forged or cast needle which has a flattened extended portion with sharp edges which passes between the pages of the book, and an expanded body portion which fits into a holder and which is forged continuously with the flattened portion of the needle. The flattened or extended portion experiences forces as it passes between the pages of the book in the figure 8 pattern, with major forces being exerted by the pages of the book on the flattened or smooth faces of the extended portion. Thus, large stresses and corresponding strains are built up at the junction area between the extended flat portions of the needle and the body portion of the needle. These stresses are exerted repeatedly and rapidly as the needle moves through the book causing fatigue at the junction between the extended portion and the body. This weakening of the needle has resulted in frequent breakage of the needle and consequent down time of the sewing machine to allow for replacement of the needle.

SUMMARY OF THE INMENTION I have invented an improved sewing instrument or needle for cleat type bookbinding which resists breakage and has a much longer life time than known sewing needles of this type, and has an improved and smoother sewing action. My sewing needle is also easier and less expensive to replace when necessary.

My improved sewing needle is comprised of a hollow tube having a bore large enough to admit a sewing thread therethrough. The exterior of the sewing needle has opposite convex surfaces which meet in sharp edges running the length of the tube. The tube is firmly held in a shank which has a recess therein which is shaped to closely fit the exterior of the tube. The shank itself may be split into two half portions to facilitate insertion of the tube into the shank, the tube being firmly held in the shank once the shank has been inserted into a holder and has been pressed-tightly together in the holder. A sewing thread is'passed through a passageway in the shank which is aligned with the bore of the tube, with the thread then being passed up through the bore of the tube and out through the upper end of the tube. Alternatively, the shank may be made in one piece and 2 the tube may be inserted into the recess in the shank and may be held in place by various means.

In contrast with known cleat type bookbinding needles, the stresses exerted upon the tube portion of my bookbinding needle will not be localized at one point along the tube, but will be distributed throughout the surface area of the tube where it is in contact with the shank. Because the tube is formed separately from the shank, the edges of the tube can be made as sharp as desired, thus facilitating passage of the tube between the pages of the book. My sewing instrument is also less expensive to replace since only the tube portion need be replaced when it breaks or is bent. Replacement of the tube is easily facilitated with the split shank by simply loosening the pressure on the shank thereby freeing the tube.

Further objects, features, and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment of a sewing needle for cleat bookbinding exemplifying the principles of my invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my sewing needle for cleat bookbinding mounted in a holder in position to perform the sewing operation on a book.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my sewing needle for cleat bookbinding.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sewing needle of FIG. 2 taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the sewing needle of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, a preferred embodiment of my sewing needle for cleat bookbinding is shown generally at 10 in FIG. I, mounted in a holder 11 and in position to perform the sewing operation on a book 12. As shown in FIG. 1, a bookbinding thread 13 is passed through the holder 11 and the sewing needle 10, with the sewing needle 10 pulling the thread 13 between the pages of the book in the figure 8 pattern shown. The thread 13 is, in effect, tied around cleats or dove tails 12a which are formed in the spine of the book 12 by cutting grooves at an angle into the edge of the stacked pages of the book. The holder 11 is connected to a bookbinding machine (not shown) which automatically moves the holder 11 and the sewing needle 10 through the necessary motions to provide the sewing pattern shown in FIG. 1.

A perspective view of my improved sewing needle 10 is shown in FIG. 2. The sewing needle 10 has a hollow tube 14 which fits closely into a recess in a shank 15. The exterior of the tube 14, as shown in FIG. 2, is formed with two opposite convex surfaces 14a which intersect to form two edges 14b running the length of the tube. The edges 14b are desirably made sharp in order to facilitate separation of the pages of the book as the tube 14 is advanced into engagement with the stacked pages of the book. The tube 14 also has a hollow bore which is preferably circular in cross-section and is large enough to allow passage of a sewing thread through the bore.

The shank 15 of the sewing needle may be split into two half portions a and 15h as shown in FIG. 2. The side walls of the recess in the shank are formed such that the shape of the recess will closely approximate the exterior shape of the tube, to allow the tube to fit closely therein in engagement with the walls of the recess. The recess in the shank is oriented so that each of the two

half portions

15a and 15b of the shank will engage one of the two edges 14!) of the tube 14 as shown in FIG. 2. The tube 14 is thus well restrained from twisting within the shank as long as the shank

half portions

15a and 15b are pressed firmly together over the tube. As shown in FIG. 2, the shank 15 is preferably cylindrical to fit into a cylindrical opening in the holder 11, and has a flange 150 at the top thereof to prevent the shank from moving downwardly into the opening in the holder. However, it is apparent that the exterior of the shank could have any shape desired to fit a particular holder. A flattened portion 15d is formed in one of the two

half portions

15a and 15b of the shank to allow a set screw 16 to be screwed in through the holder 11 and tightened up against the flattened portion 15d, thereby pressing the two

half portions

15a and 15b of the shank together. With the set screw 16 tightened in place, the two half portions of the shank are pressed together over the tube 14, thus holding the tube firmly in place so that it cannot move in or out of the shank or rotate within the shank.

As shown in FIG. 3, a major portion of the tube 14 is held within the shank 15 while another substantial portion of the tube 14 extends beyond the shank l5 and is available to be inserted between the pages of the book to be bound. Because the tube 14 fits tightly within the shank 15, any stresses exerted on the extending portion will be transmitted to the shank along substantially the entire portion of the tube which is fitted in the shank. Thus, stress concentrations will not tend to build up at the junction point of the tube in the shank, in contrast to the known sewing needles of this type which are forged in one piece and therefore will have large stress concentration near the junction point. Any localized stresses at the juncture of the tube and the shank may be minimized even further by making the opening at the top of the shank slightly larger than the exterior of the tube, thus allowing some flexure of the tube to take place. To enhance resistance to fatigue failure and breakage, the tube is preferably made ofa high strength fatigue resistant metal such as stainless steel.

The insertion and removal of the tube 14 from the shank 15 is readily accomplished by loosening the set screw 16 to allow the two half portions of the shank to move apart. A broken or damaged tube 14 may be withdrawn from the recess in the loosened shank, a new tube inserted therein, and the set screw 16 tightened to hold the new tube 14 firmly within the shank.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tube 14 is not inserted all the way through the shank length, but abuts against the bottom wall of the recess in the shank and is thus maintained therein and prevented from moving downwardly in the shank. A passageway lSe in the bottom portion of the shank aligns with the bore 14c of the tube and thereby allows a sewing thread to be passed through the shank and into the bore of the tube, and out therefrom into the book being bound.

Although my sewing needle 11 has been shown for exemplification as having a split shank, it is apparent 4 that other techniques could be employed to hold the tube in a one-piece shank. The one-piece shank could be preheated before insertion of the tube, with the result that the shank will contract on cool down to firmly grasp the tube. The tube could also be welded or adhesively bonded into the shank. The tube may also betapercd toward the end that fits into the shank, with the shank recess itself also being tapered and narrower at the bottom end than at the top, thereby allowingthe tube to be driven or forcibly inserted into the shank re cess and thus held firmly in place. It is preferable that the recess taper slightly more than the tube to ensure firm engagement between the tube and the walls of the recess.

It is understood that my invention is not confined to the particular construction and arrangement of parts.

terior of said tube having opposite convex surfaces,

intersecting in edges running the length of said tube; and b. a shank having side walls and a bottom wall defining a recess therein, the side walls of said recess having substantially the shape of the exterior of said tube to allow said tube to fit closely therein and ab'ut with said bottom wall with a substantial portion of said tube extending from said shank, said shank having a passageway therein which is in position to align with the bore of said tube when said tube is received in saidrecess and which is large enough to allow the passage of a sewing thread therethrough. A 2. The sewing needle for cleat bookbinding as specified in claim 1 wherein said shank is split intotwo half portions to facilitate insertion of said tube into said recess, said tube being firmly restrained by said half portions when said half portions are pressed together over f said tube.

3. The sewing needle for cleat bookbinding as specified in claim 1 wherein said shank is heated to cause expansion of said recess before insertion of said tube therein, whereby cooling of said shank with said tube inserted in said recess causes said recess to contract with the walls of said recess firmly engaging said tube.

4. The sewing needle for cleat bookbinding as specified in claim 1 wherein said tube is adhesively bonded into said shank.

5. The sewing needle for cleat bookbinding as specified in claim 1 wherein said tube is formed of a fatigue resistant metal and wherein the edges of said tube are sharpened to facilitate passage of said tube between the pages of a book being bound.

6. The sewing needle for cleat bookbinding as specified in claim 1 wherein said tube is tapered and wherein said recess in said shank is tapered and is narrower at the bottom end thereof than at the top end, and

wherein said tube is firmly engaged with said shank by being forcibly inserted into said recess in said shank.

Claims

1. A sewing needle for cleat bookbinding, comprising: a. a Hollow tube having a bore large enough to allow the passage of sewing thread therethrough, the exterior of said tube having opposite convex surfaces intersecting in edges running the length of said tube; and b. a shank having side walls and a bottom wall defining a recess therein, the side walls of said recess having substantially the shape of the exterior of said tube to allow said tube to fit closely therein and abut with said bottom wall with a substantial portion of said tube extending from said shank, said shank having a passageway therein which is in position to align with the bore of said tube when said tube is received in said recess and which is large enough to allow the passage of a sewing thread therethrough.

2. The sewing needle for cleat bookbinding as specified in claim 1 wherein said shank is split into two half portions to facilitate insertion of said tube into said recess, said tube being firmly restrained by said half portions when said half portions are pressed together over said tube.

6. The sewing needle for cleat bookbinding as specified in claim 1 wherein said tube is tapered and wherein said recess in said shank is tapered and is narrower at the bottom end thereof than at the top end, and wherein said tube is firmly engaged with said shank by being forcibly inserted into said recess in said shank.