Machine for trimming the fore-edge of books provided with a flapped cover

Abstract

The machine (10) is used for trimming the fore-edge of books (22) formed from a book block (24) with its spine either sewn or milled and glued, and from a flexible cover (23) the openable parts (26, 28) of which are provided with respective inwardly folded flaps (27, 29). It comprises: at least one conveyor device (19, 49) for conveying the books (22), each conveyor device (19, 49) comprising two superposed belts (18, 20; 48, 50) mounted about relative pulleys, the distance between the adjacent branches of the two belts (18, 20; 48, 50) being equal to the thickness of the books (22), these latter being fed in regular succession to one end of the conveyor device (19, 49) with their spine parallel to its direction of movement (A) and their fore-edge to be trimmed projecting from the belts (18, 20; 48, 50); a trimming blade (36) movable in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement (A) of the books (22); and a presser (42) and counter-presser (43) to make contact with respectively opposing parts of the book block (24) which are adjacent to the cutting plane of the trimming blade (36). The machine (10) further comprises two furrower means (34, 40), one for each of the two faces of the books (22), each (34, 40) to be inserted, starting from the fore-edge, between the relative openable part (26, 28) of the cover (23) and the book block (24) to open this openable part (26, 28) before the trimming operation is carried out on the fore-edge, to prevent the blade (36) from interfering with the cover (23).

Description

The invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example. In this description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a trimming machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged and more detailed view of part of FIG. 1 relating to the trimming blade region;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 2, showing two books in the position for trimming their fore-edge;

FIG. 4 shows a further enlarged part of FIG. 1 in greater detail, relating to the region comprising the furrower means;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section through the machine taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-section through the pair of belts, showing schematically a book with flapped cover in its position just prior to encountering the furrower means;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, but with the difference that the book is shown in its position just prior to the trimming operation on its fore-edge.

Claims

1. A machine (10) for trimming the fore-edge of books (22) formed from a book block (24) with its spine either sewn or milled and glued, and from a flexible cover (23) the openable parts (26, 28) of which are provided with respective inwardly folded flaps (27, 29), comprising: at least one conveyor device (19, 49) for conveying the books (22), each conveyor device (19, 49) comprising two superposed belts (18, 20; 48, 50) mounted about relative pulleys, the distance between the adjacent branches of the two belts (18, 20; 48, 50) being equal to the thickness of the books (22), these latter (22) being fed in regular succession to one end of the conveyor device (19, 49) with their spine parallel to its direction of movement (A) and with their fore-edge to be trimmed projecting from the belts (18, 20; 48, 50); a trimming blade (36) movable in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement (A) of the books (22); and a presser (42) and counter-presser (43) to make contact with respectively opposing parts of the book block (24) which are adjacent to the cutting plane of the trimming blade (36); characterised by comprising two furrower means (34, 40), one for each of the two faces of the books (22), each (34, 40) to be inserted, starting from the fore-edge, between the relative openable part (26, 28) of the cover (23) and the book block (24) to open this openable part (26, 28) before the trimming operation is carried out on the fore-edge, to prevent the blade (36) from interfering with the cover (23).

2. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein in correspondence with each furrower means (34, 40) there is provided a relative linear support element (32, 38) contained in a vertical plane parallel to the plane of the trimming blade (36), on the two support elements there directly resting the relative face of that part of the book block (24) which projects from the cover (23) before this latter (23) comes into contact with the relative furrower means (34, 40), to facilitate opening of the two openable parts (26, 28) of the cover (23) by the relative furrower means (34, 40).

3. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trimming blade (36) is movable within a fixed vertical plane, thrust means (30) being provided which act on the fore-edge and are movable horizontally, perpendicularly to the blade (36), to move the book or books (22) into a position, relative to the blade (36), which enables the required fore-edge portion (24) to be removed following trimming.

4. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two furrower means (34, 40) is removable.

5. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trimming blade (36) has its cutting edge horizontal and facing upwards, drive means (46) being provided for the blade (36) to cause it to move from the bottom upwards to effect trimming.

6. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the blade moves inclined at 45° to the horizontal.

7. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper belt (18, 48) of the conveyor device or devices (19, 49) is of fixed elevation while the relative lower belt (20, 50) is movable vertically in the two directions in order to be able to adjust the distance between the two adjacent branches of the two belts (18, 20; 48, 50) on the basis of the thickness of the books (22), the machine (10) also being provided with an inclinable entry conveyor belt (14) and an inclinable exit conveyor belt (52) for joining the rest of the line to the slide surface for the books (22), which consists of the upper surface of the upper branch of the lower belt (20) or of the lower belts (20, 50).

8. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the counter-presser (43) moves vertically in the two directions rigid with the lower belt (20, 50) of the conveyor device (19, 49).

9. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein two conveyor devices (19, 49) are provided positioned one behind the other and independently operable, to be able to trim two books (22) at a time.