Patent ID: 7963733
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: B41J,B42C

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for binding a perfect bound book, said book comprising a book block and a cover adhesively bound to one edge of said book block, said one edge of said book block being the spine of the book block, said book block comprising a plurality of sheets of paper onto which the text of the book is printed, said cover being adapted to wrap around said spine and to be adhesively adhered to said spine, said apparatus comprising: a. a fixture receiving said book block; b. a first clamp for holding said book block relative to said fixture with the spine of the book block exposed for the application of adhesive thereto; c. an adhesive application station for applying adhesive to said spine of said book block; d. said fixture being vertically movable from a first position in which said fixture is positioned to receive said book block to a second position in which said book block held by said first clamp is positioned relative to said adhesive application station for the application of adhesive to said spine; e. a vertical drive including a linear actuator for moving said fixture toward and away from said adhesive application station; f. said adhesive application station having an adhesive application wheel partially immersed in a supply of liquefied adhesive, said wheel being rotatable about a horizontal axis and said wheel having a coating of said adhesive on its peripheral surface as said wheel rotates up out of said liquefied adhesive; g. a drive for effecting relative movement of said book block and said adhesive application station for the application of adhesive to said spine of said book block; h. said wherein said vertical drive is operable to selectively move said book block spine toward and away from said adhesive applicator member so as to vary the thickness of the coating of adhesive applied to said spine by said applicator member in relation to the thickness of the book block of the book block being bound; i. a computer controller for controlling operation of said apparatus, wherein said computer controller having knowledge of the thickness of the book block being bound and effecting movement of said vertical drive so as to move said book block held thereby toward or away from said adhesive applicator member so as to vary the thickness of said adhesive coating applied to said spine in relation to the thickness of said book block being bound; j. said adhesive application station having a wiper adjacent said periphery of said wheel for forming said coating applied to said spine to be of a desired thickness; k. said adhesive application station having a first wiping member extending the width of said wheel and positioned to engage said layer of said adhesive on said wheel so as to further increase the thickness of said adhesive adjacent said first wiper member along a region of said wheel; l. said adhesive application station having a second wiping member extending transversely of said wheel and positioned closer to said spine than said first wiping member as said adhesive application station is moved relative to said spine thereby to wipe excess adhesive from said spine and to form said coating of adhesive on said spine of said desired thickness; and m. said adhesive application station has a third wiping member extending transversely of said wheel and positioned so as to catch at least some excess adhesive from said book block that may drip therefrom.