U.S. patent number 3,908,215 [Application Number 05/428,152] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-30 for cheshire binder cooling rack.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Xerox Corporation. Invention is credited to Donald W. Watson.
United States Patent |
3,908,215 |
Watson |
September 30, 1975 |
Cheshire binder cooling rack
Abstract
Apparatus for enhancing the bond between a plurality of pages
and a binding strip wherein heat activated adhesive is employed for
affixing the binding strip to the pages to form a book. The
apparatus is characterized by the provision of a heat conductive
plate for dissipating heat from the adhesive, binding strip and
pages and further characterized by the provision of means for
effecting intimate contact between the binding strip and the pages
and for maintaining planar orientation of the pages.
Inventors: |
Watson; Donald W. (Arlington
Heights, IL) |
Assignee: |
Xerox Corporation (Stamford,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
23697755 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/428,152 |
Filed: |
December 26, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
412/9;
211/11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42C
13/006 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B42C
13/00 (20060101); B42c 019/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;11/1R
;211/11,42,43,50,184 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Charles; Lawrence
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for enhancing the bond between a plurality of pages
and a binding strip wherein heat activated adhesive is employed for
affixing the binding strip to said pages to form a book, said
apparatus comprising:
a thermally conductive plate structure for dissipating heat from
said adhesive;
means for supporting said pages and said binding strip on said
conductive plate structure and for effecting intimate contact
between said pages and said binding strip and for maintaining said
pages in a planar orientation; and
means for supporting said plate whereby a space is provided
intermediate said plate and a surface on which said apparatus is
supported and whereby said plate is disposed at an angle relative
to said surface, said thermally conductive plate comprising a
ribbed configuration opposite said surface to thereby enhance heat
extraction from said plate.
2. Apparatus for enhancing the bond between a plurality of pages
and a binding strip wherein heat activated adhesive is employed for
affixing the binding strip to said pages to form a book, said
apparatus comprising:
a thermally conductive plate structure for dissipating heat from
said adhesive;
means for supporting said pages and said binding strip on said
conductive plate structure and for effecting intimate contact
between said pages and said binding strip and for maintaining said
pages in a planar orientation; and
means for supporting said plate whereby a space is provided
intermediate said plate and a surface on which said apparatus is
supported and whereby said plate is disposed at an angle relative
to said surface, the surface of said plate that contacts said
binding strip including a plurality of indentations which
accomodate the ends of the book in order to prevent runout of
adhesive.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for effecting
intimate contact between said pages and said binding strip
comprises a plurality of spring members which urge the ends of
covers between which said pages are sandwiched and portions of said
binding member into intimate contact.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said means for
maintaining planar orientation of said pages comprises at least one
generally upstanding support member which cooperates with said
thermally conductive plate to provide an angular orientation of
said pages relative to the surface on which said apparatus rests
during operation.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said plate is supported
at approximately an angle of 15.degree. with respect to said
surface and said at least one support member is disposed
approximately perpendicular to said plate.
6. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said binding strip has a
generally U-shaped configuration in cross section and wherein said
spring members engage the leg portions of said binding member.
7. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the portion of each of
said spring members engaging said binding member is provided with a
rounded surface to prevent pulling on the binding strip when books
are removed.
8. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said springs are
positioned along the length of said binding strip.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates, in general, to bookbinding apparatus and
more particularly, to apparatus for enhancing the bond between a
plurality of pages and a binding member wherein heat activated
adhesive material is employed for such purposes.
In the process of binding a plurality of pages into a book by means
of heat activated adhesives utilized in conjunction with a binding
strip, it is desirable to provide a cooling step and associated
apparatus therefor in order to complete the binding process without
degradation of the bind and also in a minimal amount of time.
In the type of apparatus contemplated for affixing a binding strip
to the pages to be formed into a book, the pages are simultaneously
supported at one edge thereof such that they contact an adhesive
coated binding strip. One or more heaters are provided for
softening the adhesive material.
In order to effect the most satisfactory bind in an apparatus of
the foregoing type, it is desirable to provide for heat removal
from the adhesive while effecting intimate contact between the
binding strip and the pages. Moreover, it is important that the
pages remain in a planar orientation during the final step of the
binding process. Heretofore, apparatus for binding a plurality of
pages into a book have not met with total acceptance in regard to
the foregoing. For example, when the cooling step is carried out in
the binding apparatus the binding cycle is unnecessarily long.
Accordingly, it is the principle object of this invention to
provide apparatus for enhancing the bond between a plurality of
pages and a binding strip wherein heat activated adhesive is
employed.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cooling rack for
removing heat from heat activated adhesive employed in a
bookbinding process while maintaining intimate contact between an
adhesive coated binding strip and a plurality of pages forming the
book.
Still another object of this invention is to provide means for
maintaining a plurality of sheets in a planar orientation while
heat is removed from adhesive material forming a bond between the
pages and a binding strip.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the above-cited objects are accomplished by the provision
of a rack comprising a cooling plate which is adapted to support a
plurality of pages in intimate contact with a binding strip for the
purpose of removing heat from adhesive material employed for
affixing the binding strip to the pages in order to form a
book.
The cooling plate is oriented at an angle relative to a horizontal
surface on which it is supported. A generally upstanding support
member cooperates with the cooling plate to support the pages in a
compacted and planar orientation while a plurality of spring
members cooperate with the cooling plate to effect intimate contact
between the binding strip and the pages.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent when considered in view of the following detailed
description and drawings forming a part hereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a book cooling rack
representing the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the cooling rack of FIG. 1;
and
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the rack of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, especially FIG. 1, reference
character 10 designates it generally a book cooling apparatus in
the form of a rack capable of simultaneously supporting a plurality
of books 12, only two being shown, which books are formed by
affixing a binding strip to a plurality of loose sheets of paper.
Six books having thicknesses up to 11/2 inches and an overall
length of 147/8 inches can be accomodated by the rack 10, however,
it will be appreciated that the rack could be enlarged to
accommodate a greater number of books as well as larger books.
The cooling rack 10 comprises a generally rectangular-shaped,
thermally conductive plate structure 14 (FIG. 2). The structure 14
may be fabricated from a suitable material and in a well known
manner, for example, it may be cast from aluminum. A pair of
trapezoidal-shaped member 16 support the plate structure at the
sides thereof such that it is oriented at an angle of approximately
15.degree. with a horizontal surface on which the apparatus is
utilized.
The underside of the plate structure 14 may be provided with a
plurality of ribs as indicated at 18. The ribs preferably extend
from front to rear of the plate so as to enhance convective cooling
of the angularly supported plate structure by allowing for heated
air from lower portions of the plate to rise. To this end, the
front of the book cooling apparatus is open at the front thereof,
see FIG. 2.
A plurality of L-shaped support members 20 are attached to the
plate structure 14 by suitable fastening means, for example, screws
(not shown) which captivate the foot portions of the L-shaped
members. The support members are approximately equally spaced one
from the other and are positioned one behind the other. Each of the
members 20 forms an angle of approximately 90.degree. with the
plate structure 14 and, therefore, as viewed in FIG. 1, the top
thereof is inclined towards the front of the apparatus which is at
the right of FIG. 1. Such inclination allows gravity to cause the
pages of the book 12 to rest squarely against the members 20 so as
to prevent separation of the lower edges of the pages which would
be the tendency if the plate 14 were horizontally oriented and the
L-shaped supports vertically oriented.
As can be seen (FIG. 1) the book 12 comprising individual pages 26
and U-shaped binding strip 28 rests squarely on the plate structure
14 and against the L-shaped support members 20. It will be
appreciated that the weight of the pages will affect intimate
contact between the page edges and the central portion of the
U-shaped binding strip 28. In order to effect intimate contact
between the upstanding or side portions of the U-shaped binding
strip and the outer pages forming the book a plurality of biasing
members in the form of springs 30 are provided. In actual practice
covers 27 which sandwich the pages are provided and the side
portions of the binding strip are affixed to such covers.
The springs 30 are supported by the L-shaped supports 20 such that
the end of a non-supported portion 32 thereof contacts the binding
strip to thereby effect intimate engagement between the covers and
the sides of the binding strip. Each of the springs 30 may be
supported in any suitable manner, for example, as disclosed in
FIGS. 1 and 3, by a pair of fingers 34 formed by punched out areas
36 of the numbers 20. The fingers 34 captivate the springs in their
operable positions. Of course, any other suitable means may be
provided. The unsupported portions 32 of the springs are provided
at 37 with rounded areas which prevent catching of the binding
strip thereby upon removal of books from the cooling rack 10.
As viewed in FIG. 2, the top surface of the plate structure 14 is
provided with a plurality of recesses 38 positioned intermediate
the sides thereof and extending in a front to rear direction. The
recesses provide areas where the ends of the books in the area of
the binding strip do not contact the surface of the plate
structure. This arrangement prevents the adhesive from being
squeezed beyond the ends of the book which if not prevented could
result in unsatisfactory operation of the apparatus resulting in
unsatisfactorily bound books. The recesses are spaced so that books
8, 81/2, 101/2, 11, 14 and 147/8 inches in length can be
accommodated. The right-most recess as viewed from the left in FIG.
2 is disposed adjacent an index or reference plate 40 which is
utilized for properly positioning the books in the rack.
Another purpose for the recesses is to insure that the book lies
flat on the plate structure 14. In order to appreciate the
foregoing, it should be pointed out that a heat platen forming a
part of the apparatus for making the books 12 is provided with
recesses similar to the recesses 38. When certain size books are
formed, intermediate portions of the binding strip extend over the
recesses which results in portions of the adhesive not being
completely softened. This can produce a book with an irregular
binding strip surface. Consequently, the recesses 38 compensate or
allow for such irregularity.
An apparatus for forming such books is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,788,921, granted Jan. 29, 1974 on an application filed on Dec. 6,
1971 in the name of N. A. Polit, et al. and assigned to the
Assignee of the instant application. It is intended that the
foregoing application be incorporated hereinby reference.
Since numerous changes may be made in the above disclosed apparatus
and different embodiments of the invention may be made without
departing from the spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter
contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting
sense.
* * * * *