Claims
- 1. Apparatus for perfect binding and trimming a book, the later having a multiplicity of text pages constituting a book block and a soft cover of paper stock, said apparatus comprising a carriage for transporting said book block along a worth path with the book block carried in a vertical position with one edge of the book block constituting the spine of the book block oriented such that it is the lowermost edge of the book block, an adhesive application station for applying a suitable adhesive to the spine of the book as the carriage transports the book block there past, a cover clamping station at which said cover is positioned below the spine of the book with the center of the cover positioned to be joined with the spine of the book block, said cover clamping station including a clamp engageable with the front and back sides of the cover proximate the spine so as to press the cover onto the spine of the book block such that the adhesive applied to said spine adheres the cover to the book block along the spine thereby to perfect bind said cover to said book block, said book block and said cover remaining clamped for a time sufficient to effect the setting of said adhesive, said carriage then transporting said bound book to a trimming station, the later having a single trimming blade selectively operable between an open position allowing the book to be trimmed to be positioned with respect to said blade and an operable position for trimming excess margins of said cover and of said book block from said book, said trimming station having a holder for gripping the book to be trimmed, said holder being selectively movable relative to said trimming blade so as to position a first edge of said book relative to said trimming blade in its open position such that upon actuation of said blade to its trimming position a predetermined margin along said first edge is trimmed from said book, said holder then turning said book so as to position a second edge of said book relative to said trimming blade such that upon actuation of said blade a predetermined margin along said second edge is trimmed from said book, and then said holder turning said book so as to position a third edge of said book relative to said trimming blade such that upon actuation of said blade a predetermined margin along said third edge is trimmed from said book so as to form a perfect bound book trimmed to predetermined final dimensions along three edges thereof.
- 2. Apparatus for binding a book block and a cover to manufacture a bound book and for trimming said bound book to a predetermined size, said book comprising a book block having a plurality of pages and a cover, said book block ranging between a minimum and a maximum number of pages, one edge of book block constituting said spine of said book block, said apparatus being characterized by:a computer control system, said computer control system receiving information relating to the size of the book to be bound; a carriage movable along a work path said carriage receiving said pages constituting said book, said carriage establishing a reference position for said book block known to said computer control system; said work path having an adhesive application station, a clamping station, and a trimming station located therealong; said computer control system initiating movement of said carriage along said work path past said adhesive application station where a suitable adhesive is applied so as to be between said spine and said cover upon binding of the cover to said book block; said computer control system stopping said carriage at said binding station where a cover for said book to be bound is positioned such that said spine of said book block is substantially centered with respect to said cover, said binding station having a clamp operable for engaging said cover proximate said spine and for forcefully compressing said cover onto said front and back faces of said book block proximate said spine, said adhesive binding said center portion of said cover to said spine of said book block; and said computer control system further affecting the transport of said bound book to said trimming station, said bound book having excess margins known to said computer control system, the latter effecting operation of a selectively actuable trimming blade at said trimming station for trimming a predetermined amount of said excess margins of said cover and of said book block along one or more edges of said book.
- 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said trimming station has a book indexer under the control of said computer control system for positioning a first edge of said book to be trimmed in a desired position such that said trimming blade may trim a predetermined margin of said cover and said book block along said first edge of said book, said indexer turning said book so that a second edge of said book is disposed toward said trimming blade, said book and said trimming blade being positioned with respect to on another such that upon actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount of said book block and of said cover along this second edge of the book, said indexer turning said book so that a third edge of said book is disposed toward said trimming blade, said book and said trimming blade being positioned with respect to on another such that upon actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount of said book block and of said cover along this said third edge of the book.
- 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said trimming station has a clamp for holding said book while said edges are trimmed, said carriage, under the control of said computer control system, positioning said book in said trimming station clamp so that said book is in a predetermined position at said trimming station so as to trim said predetermined amounts of said excess margins from said cover and from said book block.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 09/301,918, filed Apr. 29, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,458, issued Feb. 27, 2001.
US Referenced Citations (54)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0390734 |
Aug 1990 |
EP |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/301918 |
Apr 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/793671 |
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US |