U.S. patent number 3,816,866 [Application Number 05/357,608] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-18 for apparatus for making books.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Harris-Intertype Corporation. Invention is credited to Leonard Miaskoff, David A. Reed.
United States Patent |
3,816,866 |
Miaskoff , et al. |
June 18, 1974 |
APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOOKS
Abstract
An improved apparatus for making books and other sheet material
articles includes a main conveyor for transporting groups of
signatures to a covering station. A cover conveyor transports
covers to the covering station where they are sequentially applied
to the groups of signatures in a known manner. A first cover feed
assembly sequentially feeds covers to the cover conveyor. In the
event of a malfunctioning of a first cover feed assembly, a second
cover feed assembly is activated to feed a cover to the cover
conveyor. A detector for detecting a malfunctioning of the first
cover feed assembly is capable of detecting either a failure to
feed a cover or the feeding of double covers. In the event that
double covers are fed, the double covers are rejected and the
second cover feed assembly is activated.
Inventors: |
Miaskoff; Leonard (Easton,
PA), Reed; David A. (Easton, PA) |
Assignee: |
Harris-Intertype Corporation
(Cleveland, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
23406316 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/357,608 |
Filed: |
May 7, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
412/12; 156/364;
412/11; 270/58.05; 270/56; 412/21; 271/9.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42C
11/04 (20130101); B65H 2301/4311 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B42C
11/04 (20060101); B42C 11/00 (20060101); B42c
011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;270/56,58 ;198/79,80
;271/9,57,58 ;118/1 ;156/362-364 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Charles; Lawrence
Claims
Having described specific preferred embodiments of the invention,
the following is claimed:
1. An apparatus for use in covering books, said apparatus
comprising book conveyer means for sequentially conveying a stream
of books to a covering station, cover conveyer means for
sequentially transporting a stream of covers to the covering
station, first cover feed means for sequentially feeding covers to
said cover conveyer means, detector means for detecting a
malfunction of said first cover feed means and resulting opening in
the stream of covers, second cover feed means for feeding a cover
to said cover conveyer means at the opening resulting from the
malfunctioning of said first cover feed means, and control means
for activating said second cover feed means to feed a cover to said
cover conveyer means in response to detection of a malfunction of
said first cover feed means by said detector means.
2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said detector means
includes means for detecting the feeding of double covers by said
first cover feed means and wherein said apparatus further includes
reject means for rejecting double covers fed by said first cover
feed means.
3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said detector means
includes means for detecting a failure of said first cover means to
feed a cover to said cover conveyer means.
4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including gatherer
means for forming signatures into groups to make books, and reject
means for rejecting a defective book, said control means including
means for rendering said first and second feed means ineffective to
feed a cover for association with the rejected book.
5. An apparatus for producing different books of different
predetermined combinations of signatures for different subscribers
in accordance with predetermined criteria from known subscriber
information, said apparatus comprising gatherer means for forming a
combination of signatures in accordance with known subscriber
criteria, said gatherer means including means for defining a
plurality of feed stations, main conveyer means for transporting
groups of signatures, feed means at each of said feed stations for
feeding signatures to said conveyer means, control means for
effecting operation of said feed means to form different
combinations of signatures for different subscribers, cover
applicator means disposed at a covering station for applying a
cover to each of the different combinations of signatures, said
main conveyer means being effective to sequentially transport the
different combinations of signatures to the covering station, cover
conveyer means for sequentially transporting covers to the covering
station, first cover feed means for sequentially feeding covers to
said cover conveyor means, detector means for detecting a
malfunction of said first cover feed means, and second cover feed
means for feeding covers to said cover conveyer means, said control
means including means for activating said second cover feed means
to feed a cover to said cover conveyer means in response to
detection of a malfunction of said first cover feed means.
6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further including third
cover feed means for feeding covers which are different than the
covers fed by said first and second cover feed means, said control
means including means for effecting operation of said first cover
feed means to feed covers to combinations of signatures for one
group of subscribers and for effecting operation of said third
cover feed means to feed covers to combinations of signatures for
another group of subscribers.
7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further including reject
means for rejecting defective books formed as a result of a
malfunctioning of said gatherer means, said control means including
means for rendering said first and second cover feed means
ineffective to feed a cover for association with the rejected book.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A known bookbinding system includes a signature conveyor assembly
having a plurality of clamps which grip groups of signatures. The
clamps carry the groups of signatures to a first station where a
rotary knife cuts off the folds at the backs of the signatures. The
books are then sequentially conveyed to a second station where the
backs of the books are roughened. At one or more gluing stations,
glue is applied to the roughened backs of the books. A cover feeder
is effective to sequentially feed open covers to a covering station
in a registered relationship with the books. After the covers have
been applied to the books, the covers are formed by a cover
breaker. The books are then delivered to trimmers for suitable
trimming operations.
If the cover feeder in a known bindery fails to feed a cover to a
covering station, the bindery is stopped and the malfunction of the
cover feeding apparatus is corrected. If double covers are fed to
the covering station, a jam-up or other malfunction of the covering
apparatus may occur. Whether the covering apparatus fails to feed a
cover or feeds double covers, it is necessary to stop the bindery
and interrupt production in order to correct the fault.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus for use in covering
books, magazines, catalogs, or similar items. This apparatus
includes a cover conveyor which sequentially transports covers to a
covering station where they are applied to a book. A first cover
feeder assembly is provided to feed covers to the cover conveyor.
In the event of a malfunctioning of the first cover feed assembly,
a second cover feed assembly is activated to feed covers to the
cover conveyor. A detector for detecting a malfunctioning of the
first cover feed assembly is capable of detecting either a failure
to feed a cover or a feeding of double covers. In either case, the
second cover feed assembly is activated to feed a cover without
interrupting operation of the bindery.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and
improved apparatus for covering books or similar articles and which
includes a cover conveyor for transporting covers to a covering
station, a first cover feed assembly for feeding covers to the
cover conveyor, and a second cover feed assembly which is effective
to feed covers to the cover conveyor in the event of a
malfunctioning of the first cover feed assembly.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved
apparatus as set forth in the next preceding object and wherein a
detector assembly is provided to detect either a failure to feed a
cover or the feeding of double covers by the first cover feed
assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects and features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the
following description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for making
books;
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a cover feed arrangement
itilized in a bindery of the book-making apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a covering station where
covers are applied to books; and
FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of
invention. invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
A system 10 for making books is illustrated in FIG. 1. This system
includes a gatherer 12 having a plurality of feed mechanisms 14 for
feeding signatures from supply hoppers or pockets onto a main
conveyor assembly 16. During a cycle of operation of the gatherer
12, the feed mechanisms 14 are activated by process computer 20 to
feed the signatures in such a manner as to form different books or
magazines for different subscribers in accordance with
predetermined criteria from known subscriber information, such as
age, occupation, geographic location, etc. Thus, if the signatures
are being grouped in accordance with geographic location, some of
the feed mechanisms 14 would be operated to feed signatures while
others would be ineffective to thereby provide a combination of
signatures directed to a subscriber in a certain area, such as the
North. If the subscriber lived in a southern area, the feed
mechanisms 14 would be effective to form a different combination of
signatures.
The signatures are transported by the conveyor 16 to a binder 24
the he signatures are bound into a book. The main conveyor 16 then
transports the bound book to a trimmer 28 where the book is trimmed
to a desired size in a known manner. Finally the conveyor 16
transports the bound and trimmed book to a labeler to be addressed
to the subscriber who is to receive the particular combination of
signatures contained in the book. The process computer 20 is
utilized to control the operation of the binder 24, the trimmer 28
and labeler 30 in the manner disclosed in United States application
Ser. No. 141,331 filed May 7, 1971, by Donald C. Harder and
Victoriano F. Rana and entitled Method and Apparatus for Producing
Magazines or the Like.
When groups 32 of signatures enter the binder 24, they are held in
an on edge orientation with their folded backs down by a clamp
assemblies 34 (FIG. 2) of the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. No.
3,132,360. The interconnected clamps 34 form a book conveyor 38
(FIG. 3) which is a part of the main conveyor assembly 16 and is
utilized to transport the books through the binder 24 with the
books in an upright orientation. As the books move through the
binder 24, a rotary knife (not shown) cuts off the signature folds
and the backs are then roughened. Adhesive is then applied to the
backs of the books in a known manner.
After adhesive is then applied to the back of a book, a cover
conveyor 42 (FIG. 2) transports a cover 44 to a covering station 46
(FIG. 3) where the cover is applied to the back of the book by
suitable applicator 48. Since the bindery operations for preparing
signatures and binding a cover onto a book are well-known, they
will not be further described herein to avoid prolixity of
description. However, it should be noted that the known bindery
operations can be utilized to apply covers to magazines, booklets,
or pamphlets.
A main feed mechanism 52 (FIG. 2) is provided in the binder 24 to
feed covers 44 to the cover conveyer 42. In accordance with the
present invention, a secondary cover feed mechanism 56 is provided
to feed covers to the cover conveyer 42 in the event of a
malfunction of the main cover feed mechanism 52. Therefore, if the
main cover feed mechanism 52 should fail to feed a cover to the
cover conveyor 42, the secondary cover feed mechanism 56 will
supply the conveyer 42 with a cover so that an uninterrupted stream
of covers is conducted to the covering station 46 by the cover
conveyor 42 even if the main cover feed mechanism malfunctions.
The main cover feed mechanism 52 includes a conveyer 57 which
transports a stream of flat or open covers 44 to a feed station 58.
A sucker 59 at the feed station is connected with a source of low
pressure through a solenoid operated valve 60. When a cover is to
be fed, the valve 60 is opened under the control of the computer 20
and a drive mechanism 61 moves the sucker 59 through a feed stroke
to feed an open cover into the nip of a pair of feed rollers
62.
After passing through the nip of the feed rollers 62, the cover
moves to an inspection station 64. At the inspection station 64 a
detector 66 detects that a cover is being fed from the main feed
mechanism 52 to the cover conveyer 42.
In the event of a failure of the main feed mechanism 52 to feed a
cover to the inspection station 64, a signal is transmitted from
the detector 66 to the process computer 20 over leads 68. In
response to this signal, the process computer 20 activates the
secondary feed mechanism 56 to feed a cover 44 to the cover
conveyer 24 in the place which would normally have been occupied by
the cover which was not fed by the main feed mechanism 52. Thus,
even though the main feed mechanism 52 should skip or fail to feed
a cover, the secondary feed mechanism 56 feeds a cover so that the
cover conveyer 42 is effective to conduct a continuous stream of
covers 44 to the covering station 46.
The secondary feed mechanism 56 includes a conveyer 70 which
transports the covers to a feed station 71. When the process
computer 20 activates the secondary feed mechanism 56, feed rollers
72 at the feed station 71 feed one cover 44 into the vacant
position on the cover conveyer 42 resulting from a malfunction of
the main feed mechanism 52. As this one cover is fed, the feeder
and conveyer 70 are operated for a short period of time to move a
next succeeding cover to the feed station 71.
It is contemplated that under certain circumstances the main feed
mechanism 52 may feed two covers rather than one. The detector
assembly 66 is of the caliper type and is effective to detect the
feeding of more than one cover. Upon the detecting of the feeding
of more than one cover, a signal is transmitted over the leads 68
to the process computer 20. Whereupon the process computer 20
activates a reject mechanism 76 to reject the double covers. In
addition the process computer 20 will activate the secondary feed
mechanism 56 to feed a cover 44 to the cover conveyer 42 in place
of the rejected double covers.
The reject mechanism 76 includes a divert gate 77 which is pivoted
downwardly, to the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 2, to
direct the double coversinto covers into reject or double cover
receiving bin 78. The divert gate 77 is constructed in a manner
similar to that illustrated in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.
176,851 filed Sept. 1, 1971, by Frederick T. Anderson and David A.
Reed and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Producing Magazines or
the Like." Of course, other known divert or reject mechanisms, such
as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,603, could be used if
desired.
The reject mechanism 76 includes a known drive mechanism,
illustrated schematically at 79 in FIG. 2, which is activated by
the computer 20 in response to detection of double covers 44 by the
detector assembly 66. Activation of the reversible drive mechanism
79 moves the gate 77 between the feed position shown in solid lines
in FIG. 2 and the divert position shown in dashed lines in FIG.
2.
If the gatherer 12 malfunctions, a reject mechanism 82 (FIG. 1) is
activated to reject the defective book which results from the
malfunction. The clamp assembly 34 associated with the rejected
book will be empty when it arrives at the covering station 46. Of
course, a cover 44 should not be supplied for the empty clamp
assembly.
When a book is rejected, the computer 20 renders the main and
secondary feed mechanisms 52 and 56 ineffective to feed a cover for
the empty clamp assembly 34. This results in an opening in the
stream of covers transported by the cover conveyer 42 to the
covering station 46. Due to the coordination provided by the
computer 20, the opening in the stream of covers arrives at the
covering station 46 simultaneously with the empty clamp assembly
34.
When a book is rejected by reject mechanism 82, the resulting
discontinuity in the flow of books to the binder 24 is noted by the
computer 20. When the sucker 59 is to feed a cover to be associated
with the rejected book, the computer 20 effects operation of the
valve 60 to the closed condition. Therefore, the main feed
mechanism 52 does not feed a cover to the cover conveyer 42 for
association with the empty clamp assembly 34.
The detector 66 will detect the failure of the main feed mechanism
52 to feed a cover for association with the empty clamp assembly
34. A disabling circuit in the computer 20 will then prevent
activation of the feed rollers 72. Therefore the secondary feed
mechanism 56 is ineffective to feed a cover. This results in an
opening in the series of covers conducted to the covering station
46 by the cover conveyer 42.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the feed
mechanisms 52 and 56 are effective to feed similar covers to the
cover conveyer 42. However, it is contemplated that different
covers may be used with different books. Thus, if the gatherer 12
assembles a book for one geographic area, such as a northern area,
and a book for another geographic area, such as a southern area,
the book intended for the northern subscriber has one cover while
the book intended for the southern subscriber may have another
cover.
Accordingly, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG.
4, three feed mechanisms are utilized to feed covers to the cover
conveyer. One of these feed mechanisms feeds covers intended for
one category of subscribers, such as subscribers in a northern
area. The second feed conveyer feeds covers for books intended for
subscribers who live in another area, such as a southern area.
Finally, a third feed mechanism is provided to feed covers which
are suitable for either of the two categories of subscribers. The
third feed mechanism is activated in the event of a malfunctioning
of one of the other two feed mechanisms. Since the embodiment of
the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 is generally similar to the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, similar numerals will
be utilized to designate similar components, the suffix letter "a"
being associated with the numerals of FIG. 4 to avoid
confusion.
A first feed mechanism 52a is effective to feed covers 44a to a
cover conveyer assembly 42a. The first feed mechanism 52a includes
a hopper type feeder 100 for depositing covers onto a conveyer 60a.
A second cover feed mechanism 90 is also effective to feed covers
to the cover conveyer 42a. For example, the feed mechanism 52a
feeds covers intended for northern subscribers while the feed
mechanism 90 feeds covers intended for southern subscribers. Of
course, the differences between the covers could be based upon
subscriber age, income, occupation, etc., as well as geographic
location of the subscriber.
The process computer 20a effects operation of the gatherer 12 to
form combinations of signatures which are in accordance with known
subscriber criteria in the manner disclosed in the aforementioned
Harder and Rana application Ser. No. 141,331. The process computer
20a includes suitable registers for keeping track of the different
combinations of signatures. In addition the computer includes
controls for activating a drive mechanism 94 to move a divert gate
96 between a position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 4) in which it
is effective to direct covers from the feed mechanism 52a to the
cover conveyer 42a and a position (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4)
in which the gate 96 is effective to direct covers from the feed
mechanism 90 to the conveyer 42a.
When the divert gate 96 is in the raised position shown in solid
lines in FIG. 4, a drive mechanism 98 is activated by the computer
20a to feed a first type of cover. When the divert gate 96 is in
the lowered position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4, a drive
mechanism 100 is activated by the computer to feed a second type of
cover. By controlling the operation of the feed mechanisms 52a and
90 and the position of the gate 96, the computer 20a is effective
to have different covers, associated with different subscribers,
transported to the covering station 46a in timed relationship with
diferent combinations of signatures.
A detector 66a is associated with feed mechanisms 52a and 90 to
detect misfeeding or a double feed of covers by the feed
mechanisms. If the detector 66a detects a failure of one of the
feed mechanisms 62a or 90 to feed a cover or the feeding of double
covers, the process computer 20 activates a third feed mechanism
106 to feed a standard cover which is suitable for any of the
subscribers. In the event of a double feeding of covers by one of
the cover feed mechanisms 52a or 90, a reject gate 77a is actuated
by a drive mechanism 79a to reject the covers.
The computer 20 is effective to detect a malfunctioning of the
gatherer 12 in forming a book for association with a cover fed by
either the first cover feed mechanism 52a or the second cover feed
mechanism 90. The reject mechanism is activated by the computer 20
to reject the defective book. In addition, the computer 20 renders
the cover feed mechanism 52a or 90 ineffective to feed a cover for
association with the rejected book. Of course, the computer 20 also
renders the third feed mechanism 106 ineffective to feed a standard
cover for association with the rejected book.
In view of the foregoing description, it can be seen that the
system 10 includes a conveyer 42 which sequentially transports
covers to a covering station 46. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, a first
cover feed mechanism 52 is provided to feed covers to the cover
conveyer 42. In the event of a malfunctioning of the cover feed
mechanism 52, a second cover feed mechanism 56 is activated to feed
a cover to the conveyer 42 so that a continuous stream of covers is
conducted to the covering station 46. In the FIG. 4 embodiment,
cover feed mechanisms 52a or 90 are utilized to feed covers to the
cover conveyer 42a. This enables books entitled for different
subscribers to have different covers. In the event of a
malfunctioning in one of the cover feed mechanisms 52a or 90, a
third cover feed mechanism 106 is activated to feed a cover to the
cover conveyer 42a. Although the binder 24 has been described
herein in connection with soft cover books, it is contemplated that
it could be utilized for hard cover books.
* * * * *