Patent Application
20050016341
The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting book blocks to size. The apparatus has a movably mounted first lateral blade holder, and a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim. The first lateral blade is attached to the first lateral blade holder. A movably mounted second lateral blade holder is provided. A second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim, is provided. The second lateral blade is attached to the second lateral blade holder.
An apparatus of the stated type is a cutting apparatus that is used in the bookbinding trade and contains three cutting blades, namely a front blade and two lateral blades. A triple cutter of this type is fed books via a feed station, the books already being bound at the spine, that is to say, for example, adhesively bound book blocks or stitched signatures which have been gathered on a gathering and stitching machine. The object of the triple cutter is to cut the books to a final desired format at the sides and at the front edge. Here, a distinction is essentially made between two cutting principles, namely cutting against a base and cutting against an opposing blade.
The drive for a triple cutter of this type contains a rotary electric motor running permanently at a constant rotational speed, for example a three-phase motor or DC motor having a flywheel, a common drive shaft which can be connected to the electric motor via a controllable clutch or clutch/brake combination, and a plurality of gear mechanisms with uniform or nonuniform transmission ratios, which gear mechanisms are all mechanically coupled to the common drive shaft.
Published, European Patent Application EP 0 740 983 discloses operating the lateral blades of a triple cutter independently of the front blade for the front trim. In order to have sufficient stability, the lateral blades are horizontally displaceably mounted on a common shaft and are therefore always operated simultaneously.
It is advantageous, however, in some applications if only one of the lateral blades cuts. In the apparatuses from the prior art this can only be achieved by dismantling the lateral blade that is not required and subsequently reinstalling and adjusting it. It should be noted here that the two lateral blades are oriented precisely with respect to one another, as both perform the same cutting movement. It would be desirable if this could be improved.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method for cutting book blocks to size which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices and methods of this general type.
Accordingly, the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for trimming book blocks. The apparatus has at least one front blade for performing a front edge trim, the front blade is attached to a movably mounted front blade holder. The apparatus further has a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim. The first lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted first lateral blade holder. The apparatus has a second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim, the second lateral blade being attached to a movably mounted second lateral blade holder. The blade holders have individual drives that are mechanically independent of one another. As a result, it is possible to switch off the drive of one of the lateral blades, so that trimming is performed using only one lateral blade, without it being necessary to make any further changes to the apparatus.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for trimming book blocks, the apparatus has at least one front blade for performing a front edge trim, the front blade being attached to a movably mounted front blade holder. The apparatus has a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim, and the first lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted first lateral blade holder. The apparatus further has a second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim, the second lateral blade being attached to a movably mounted second lateral blade holder. The apparatus has at least one guide, by which the at least one blade holder is guided on both sides along its movement direction. The blade holder is advantageously one of the lateral blade holders, particularly advantageously all the blade holders of the apparatus according to the invention.
In apparatuses of the generic type from the prior art, in which the guide shaft is also moved, lateral guidance of the blades or blade holders cannot be accomplished on both sides, as the space necessary for this is required by the guide shaft during the movement. Guidance of the blade holders on both sides along the movement direction during cutting leads to particularly clean cuts. In the apparatuses of the generic type from the prior art, it is necessary, instead, to configure the guide shaft to be particularly thick and flexurally stiff, as a result of which the weight to be moved is disadvantageously very high. Guidance on both sides makes it correspondingly possible also to trim book blocks having thicknesses of up to 6 cm cleanly with a comparatively less powerful drive.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the guide contains, on both sides, at least one guide face made of a wear-resistant material. In particular, the wear-resistant material is PET. No additional lubrication is necessary on account of the material properties of PET, as would be necessary, for example, in the case of bronze guides. As a result, the outlay on maintenance is reduced and a possible source of contamination of operator and book block is precluded. Alternatively, it is also possible to use other wear-resistant materials, as are known in large numbers to an expert in this field.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, at least one adjusting screw assigned to at least one guide face is provided, by which it is possible to change the position of the guide face in relation to the position of the blade holder. Advantageously, there are a plurality of adjusting screws which are advantageously disposed in such a way that the guide face can be set against the blade holder in an optimum manner.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for trimming book blocks. The apparatus has at least one front blade for performing a front edge trim, the front blade being attached to a movably mounted front blade holder. The apparatus has a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim, the first lateral blade being attached to a movably mounted first lateral blade holder. The apparatus further has a second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim, the second lateral blade being attached to a movably mounted second lateral blade holder. The apparatus has a linkage mechanism, by which the blade holders are connected to a drive. The linkage mechanism contains a first coupler and a second coupler. The first coupler is connected to the blade holder, a blade holder housing and, eccentrically via a movable rod, to a drive pulley, and the second coupler is connected to the blade holder housing and the blade holder. In particular, the first coupler and the second coupler are configured in such a way that the distance between the point of contact between the blade holder housing and blade holder is different in the case of the first and second couplers. As a result, a swinging cut is automatically produced during the downward movement of the blade holder, in which cut the blade initially dips on one side of the book block but is then oriented parallel with respect to the base when it reaches the latter. As a result, a visually pleasing cut can be achieved, and the cutting forces arising at the beginning are reduced as a result, which reduces the loading on the drive, the blades and the associated mechanics and as a result increases the durability of the apparatus.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the apparatus has a controller that is configured in such a way that it terminates the downward movement of the blade holder by reversing the drive when a predetermined cutting depth has been achieved. As a result, it is possible to vary the cutting depth by determining the instant at which the drive is reversed, in particular even when the blades are already installed. If, for example, an operator ascertains that the cutting depth is not sufficient or that cutting is being performed to an excessive depth into the base, then it is possible in a simple way to change the cutting depth by a change via the controller, for example by changing a prestress. If the apparatus according to the invention has individual drives for the individual lateral blades in this embodiment, the operator can easily change the cutting depth for each individual lateral blade separately, without it being necessary to dismantle the blades, which results in that the setting up process is made considerably easier and quicker.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for trimming book blocks. The apparatus has at least a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim, the first lateral blade being attached to a movably mounted first lateral blade holder, and a second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim. The second lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted second lateral blade holder. The lateral blade holders are driven and mounted in such a way that it is possible to switch off the movement of at least one of the lateral blade holders by a controller. This can be achieved, for example, by providing individual drives for the lateral blades.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for trimming book blocks having at least a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim, the first lateral blade being attached to a movably mounted first lateral blade holder. The apparatus further has a second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim, the second lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted second lateral blade holder. The first lateral edge trim and the second lateral edge trim are performed in parallel with respect to one another. The blade holders are movably fastened to blade holder housings, and the blade holder housings are mounted on two mutually parallel guide rods in a horizontally displaceable manner. The latter are fastened to the housing of the apparatus. The guide rods are, in particular, guide rods having a circular cross section. As a result, it is possible to achieve great stability for the whole frame of the apparatus. Moreover, the two-point mounting of the blade holder housing which is achieved as a result offers secure and stable guidance for the blade holders and thus also for the blades themselves, as a result of which it is in turn possible to achieve visually pleasing trimming of the book blocks.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, both lateral blade holder housings are mounted on the same two mutually parallel guide rods that are fastened to the housing of the apparatus. Advantageously, the apparatus has at least one drive, by which at least one of the blade holder housings can be displaced, together with the blade holder fastened to it, horizontally along the guide rods. Advantageously, it is even possible to move both blade holders with the drive, in particular symmetrically with respect to the center line of the apparatus.
In a further advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, parallel to at least one of the two parallel guide rods, the apparatus has a threaded spindle, by which the drive movement of the drive is converted into a horizontal movement of the blade holder housings.
In a further advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the apparatus contains a controller that, in accordance with the dimensions of the trimmed book block, automatically changes the position of the lateral blade holder housings on the two parallel guide rods.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, at least one of the blade holder housings has a brake, by which it is possible to fix the at least one blade holder housing on at least one of the two mutually parallel guide rods. During cutting, considerable transverse forces occur in a perpendicular direction with respect to the cut. The brake makes it possible to decouple the loading during cutting from the spindle or another mechanism for laterally orienting the blade holders/blade holder housings. As a result, the expensive and sensitive components are protected from unnecessary wear. Accordingly, the apparatus advantageously has a controller which, by use of the brake, fixes the at least one blade holder housing on one of the two mutually parallel guide rods before the blade holders are moved vertically.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for trimming book blocks having at least a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim, the first lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted first lateral blade holder. The apparatus further has a second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim, the second lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted second lateral blade holder. The first lateral edge trim and the second lateral edge trim are performed in parallel with respect to one another, and also have an apparatus for pressing down the lateral book block edges next to each lateral blade. The apparatus for pressing down the lateral book block edges has a pressing strip, and the apparatus for pressing down the book block edges are movably fastened to a lateral blade holder housing. Advantageously, it is thus possible to displace the apparatus for pressing down the book block edges horizontally together with the lateral blade holder housings. As a result, the hold-down is always at the same distance from the blade, so that it is possible to achieve constant cut quality independently of the format.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the pressing strip has, at both ends, rods that are mounted vertically movably in guides and are also connected to a common cross-member in each case via toggle levers. Advantageously, the apparatus for pressing down the lateral book block edges has a drive, in particular a pneumatic drive, which drives the cross-member substantially horizontally, the substantially horizontal movement is converted by the toggle levers into a vertical movement of the pressing strip. As a result, the vertical guide becomes particularly stable, by the conversion of a horizontal movement into a vertical movement by the toggle levers, the toggle levers advantageously having a slot, in which the connecting element between the toggle lever and rod is fastened. As a result, it is possible to prevent harmful horizontal loadings of the rods and the bearings being produced. This has a positive effect on the durability of the components. Moreover, the cross-member ensures that the pressing strip is always moved in parallel with respect to the base of the book block. This is important as the book block does not necessarily have a constant thickness over the entire contact area with the pressing strip, for example because of nonuniform printing or because of the book spine.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for trimming book blocks and has at least a first lateral blade for performing a first lateral edge trim. The first lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted first lateral blade holder. The apparatus has a second lateral blade for performing a second lateral edge trim, the second lateral blade is attached to a movably mounted second lateral blade holder. The first lateral edge trim and the second lateral edge trim are performed in parallel with respect to one another. An apparatus for pressing down the book block surface between the lateral blades is provided. The apparatus for pressing down the book block surface has at least one drive, a push rod connected to the drive, and a press plate connected to the latter. The apparatus for pressing down the book block surface additionally has a transverse rod that is disposed vertically on the push rod and parallel to the lateral blades and has connecting elements by which the press plate latches releasably to the push rod. As a result, easy changing of the press plate and secure fastening are ensured, and rapid changing of the press plate during a format change is possible.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the apparatus has an insertion aid for changing the press plate. The insertion aid has an insertion rail that is aligned with the transverse rod during the changing of the press plate. As a result, it is made considerably easier for an operator to perform a press plate change, in that he only has to hook the press plate into the insertion rail.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the press plate has a coupling mechanism into which it is possible to couple an insertion rod. The coupling mechanism here is, for example, a thread into which it is possible to screw and unscrew the insertion rod.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the apparatus has a magazine with press plates of varying dimensions. In particular, the apparatus advantageously has an automatic press plate changer.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the underside of the press plate has connecting elements, by which it is possible to accommodate a press plate extension underneath the press plate, in particular an adhesive surface to hold a stiff board. In particular, the extended press plate is formed by a board that is cut to size with the same positional settings of the lateral blades for cutting the book block to size.
In an advantageous refinement of the apparatus according to the invention, the lateral blades are interchangeable. As a result, it is more cost effective to keep a supply of the blades and also to produce the blades. All three blades can particularly advantageously be interchanged. The blade holders advantageously have slots through which the blades are screwed onto the blade holders by screws.
The invention additionally relates to a method for attaching a blade to a blade holder in an apparatus for trimming book blocks. The method includes moving the blade holder into a blade change position above the zero position of the blade holder, loosely hooking the blade into the blade holder, lowering the blade holder into a zero position of the blade holder, lowering the blade onto the cutting base, the zero position of the blade, and fixing the blade in the zero position of the blade.
The great advantage of the method consists in that the blades are installed directly onto the blade holders in the apparatus and no further adjustment is required after the adjustment. The amount of adjustment work is particularly small for the operator in this method. The operator only has to loosely insert the blades into the holder, the exact adjustment occurs by lowering the blade holders onto the zero position, as a result of which the blades are advantageously pushed along slots into the optimum position. It is also thus possible, in particular, to quickly adjust resharpened blades and/or on worn bases, as the adjustment is predetermined by the inherent weight of the blades and the position of the base. The method according to the invention can be carried out particularly advantageously using an apparatus that has individual drives for each of the blades.
In a refinement of the method according to the invention, the method further includes correcting the zero position of the blade by displacing the zero position of the blade holder by control technology. The zero position advantageously corresponds to the point of drive reversal in accordance with the above-described embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. It is therefore possible to readjust the blades in a matter of seconds, without having to make a mechanical intervention in the apparatus. Given suitable activation and a suitable drive, it is advantageously possible to set changes in the zero position by a few micrometers, so that the cutting depth can be resolved down below the thickness of one sheet.
In a refinement of the method according to the invention, the method additionally includes fastening change handles to the blade prior to performing the loosely hooking step. These change handles make it additionally easier for the operator to handle the blade. The change handles are removed again, for example unscrewed, from the blade before startup of the apparatus. While the blade is loosely inserted, there is a cover over the cutting edge for safety reasons, which is removed prior to the lowering into the zero position, after being loosely hooked into the blade holder. As a result, the risk of injuries from the blades is reduced.
In a refinement of the method according to the invention, the steps are performed repeatedly and individually for each blade of the apparatus. This is particularly relevant for the lateral blades, as it is now possible to adjust them individually.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an apparatus and method for cutting book blocks to size, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The figures and their description are restricted to the elements that are essential to the invention. Furthermore, drive, guide and/or control devices and cam disks which are generally known and necessary to operate the apparatus are shown only diagrammatically or are described only in general form.
In all the figures of the drawing, sub-features and integral parts that correspond to one another bear the same reference symbol in each case. Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to
A book block 1 is initially moved, in a manner dependent on its format, into a first cutting position relative to the front blade 23. After a front edge trim has been performed, the book block 1 is moved into a second cutting position in relation to the two lateral blades 31, 32. After the lateral edge trim has been performed, the book block 1 is conveyed out of the apparatus 100.
In the side view shown in
Parts of the blade holder 31, 32 of a lateral blade 21, 22 can likewise be seen in
There are threaded bores 27 in the blade 21, 22, 23, into which threaded bores 27 non-illustrated hand grips can be screwed. In order to perform a blade change, the blade holder 31, 32, 33 is raised (as shown in
The controller 99 activates the drives 91, 92, 96 in such a way that the drives 91, 92, 96 perform a drive reversal when the zero position of the blade holders 31, 32, 33 and therefore the zero position of the blades 21, 22, 23 is reached. As a result, it is possible to influence the location of the zero position by control technology. In order to lower the location of the zero position, that is to say to perform a deeper cut, all that is required is for the instant of drive reversal of the drives 91, 92, 96 to be selected to be later; the same is true in order to move the location of the zero position upward. Therefore, if an operator is not satisfied with the location of the zero position after the blade change, he can influence the appropriate drive 91, 92, 96 assigned to the blade 21, 22, 23 via the controller 99 in such a way that the zero position for the individual drive 91, 92, 96 is changed. These variations in the zero position can be made independently of one another as a result of the fact that all the blade holders 31, 32, 33 have their own drive 91, 92, 96. Mechanical readjustment of the blades is usually not at all necessary here, as the cutting edge of the blade 21, 22, 23 is substantially parallel to the cutting base in the vicinity of the zero position. Given an appropriately configured controller or an appropriately configured drive, it is possible in this way to vary the zero position of the blade holders 31, 32, 33 in the range of a few micrometers.
Disposed parallel to and below the guide rods 85, 86 are in each case two threaded spindles 145, 146 which are mounted on one side in each case in the supporting element 88 and on the other side in the housing wall of the housing 80 of the apparatus 100. The blade holder housings 61, 62, mounted in threaded bushes 148, are attached to the threaded spindles 145, 146. A lateral blade adjusting drive 141 is connected to the threaded spindles 145 of the one lateral blade holder housing 61, 62 on one side of the housing 80 via a drive belt 143. The lateral blade adjusting drive 141 is connected to the threaded spindles 146 of the second lateral blade holder housing 61, 62 via a transmission shaft 142 and a drive belt 144. As a result, it becomes possible to displace the lateral blades, together with the lateral blade housings 61, 62, synchronously with respect to the center of the apparatus. The guidance on both sides by the guide rods 85, 86 of the blade holder housings 61, 62 ensures great stability of the system and therefore clean cuts.
On its upper side, the press plate 180 has a front press plate connecting element 182 and a rear press plate connecting element 181 which can be inserted into the transverse rod 172. Provided in the region of the front press plate connecting element 182 is a latch 183 which latches into the transverse rod 172 when the desired position of the press plate 180 has been reached. Moreover, the press plate 180 has an internal thread 186 into which a thread 196 of a handle 195 can be screwed. The handle 195 has a handle guide 197 which is aligned with the front and rear press plate connecting element 181, 182.
In order for it to be possible to perform a clean lateral trim of the book block 1, it is necessary for the book block 1 to be pressed down as far as possible over its whole area. As the dimensions of the book blocks can usually vary from processing job to processing job, it is necessary for the press plate 180 to be exchanged in a manner dependent on the format. As the space above the book block 1 in the second cutting position for the lateral trim is usually not easily accessible, the apparatus 100 according to the invention has an insertion aid 190. The insertion aid 190 contains a rail that is connected to a supporting element 88 via an insertion aid guide 193. The insertion rod 190 slides along the insertion aid guide strip 192 and can be moved into alignment with the transverse rod 172 to change the press plate 180. The insertion rod 190 and the transverse rod 172 have the same cross section. In order, during the press plate change, to align the axes of the transverse rod 172 and the insertion aid 190, the insertion rod 190 has, at its end, a lug 191 that fits into the transverse rod 172. Once the insertion rod 190 and transverse rod 172 are aligned, the press plate 180 can be pushed onto the insertion rod 190 by the handle 195 and can be pushed as far as the transverse rod 172. The latch 183 is released by inserting the insertion rod 190 into the transverse rod 172. Once the insertion aid 190 has been removed from the transverse rod 172 again, the latch 183 automatically latches and thus fixes the press plate 180. As soon as the press plate 180 has latched onto the transverse rod 172, the handle 195 can be unscrewed and the insertion aid 190 can be moved away out of the region above the second cutting position.
In order to achieve optimum adaptation to the size of the book block 1, the press plate 180 can accommodate a press plate extension 185 on its underside. The press plate extension 185 can be, for example, a strong board that is first fastened to the underside of the press plate 180 and is then trimmed using the format settings for a lateral trim, which format settings correspond to the format settings for the subsequent book blocks.
This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of Italian patent application No. MI2003 A 000875, filed Apr. 30, 2003; the entire disclosure of the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI2003 A 000875 | Apr 2003 | IT | national |
