Three side trimmer

Abstract: A three side trimmer is provided with a trimming table having a base (25), a first cutting stick (23) fixed on the base opposedly to a front edge trimming cutter (13) in order to receive the knife edge of the front edge trimming cutter, a table structure comprising a pair of elemental plates (21,22) movable on the base (25) along a direction parallel to the length of the first cutting stick (23). The first elemental plate (21) of the table structure is provided with a second cutting stick (16A) arranged perpendicular to the first cutting stick (23) in order to receive the knife edge of a top edge trimming cutter (11). The second elemental plate (22) of the table structure is provided with a third cutting stick (16B) arranged perpendicular to the first cutting stick (23) in order to receive the knife edge of a foot edge trimming cutter (12). The three side trimmer makes it possible to trim the three sides of the binding objects of different sizes without exchanging the trimming tables.

Description: This invention relates to a three side trimmer. A three side trimmer is employed to trim three sides of a binding object. In some of the three side trimmers, the trimming operation is performed by clamping the binding object, and cutting the top and foot edges of the binding object at the same time, and cutting the front edge of the binding object at some other appropriate time. Such type of three side trimmer includes mainly, an opposed top edge trimming cutter and a foot edge trimming cutter, a front edge trimming cutter, and a trimming table for supporting the binding object thereon. A three side trimmer of this kind is disclosed in DE-U-8,805,587. The three side trimmer is provided with a trimming table which comprises two support frames guided for relative displacement to each other in a transverse direction along guide rails fixed to a machine frame, and a one-piece filling plate inserted between the support frames for supporting an object to be trimmed thereon. A cutting stick holder is detachably attached to the top of each support frame for receiving side cutting sticks. The cutting stick holders adjoin to the opposite sides of the filling piece. In order to adapt for objects of various sizes to be trimmed, the trimming table is composed of one-piece filling plates of various widths and cutting stick holders of various width. A front cutting stick is supported between the support frames in adjoining to the front face of the filling piece. In this arrangement, when objects of different sizes are trimmed, it is necessary to exchange the one-piece filling plates and cutting stick holders in order to adapt the trimming table for the objects. This is a troublesome and time consuming task. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to make it possible to easily and efficiently trim the three sides of the binding objects of different sizes without exchanging components of the trimming table. According to the present invention there is provided a three side trimmer which is provided with a top edge trimming cutter and a foot edge trimming cutter spaced in parallel with each other, a front edge trimming cutter arranged perpendicular to the top edge trimming cutter and the foot edge trimming cutter, and a trimming table arranged beneath the trimming cutters for supporting a binding object thereon. The top edge trimming cutter and the foot edge trimming cutter are arranged for relative movement therebetween along a direction parallel to the length of the front edge trimming cutter according to the size of the binding object. The trimming table includes a base, a first cutting stick fixed on the base and arranged opposedly to the front edge trimming cutter in order to receive a knife edge of the front edge trimming cutter, a second cutting stick arranged perpendicular to the first cutting stick and opposedly to the top edge trimming cutter on the base in order to receive a knife edge of the top edge trimming cutter, and a third cutting stick arranged perpendicular to the first cutting stick and opposedly to the foot edge trimming cutter on the base in order to receive a knife edge of the foot edge trimming cutter. The second and third cutting sticks are movable relative to each other in the direction parallel to the length of the first cutting stick. The trimming table includes a table structure adapted to place the binding object thereon. The table structure comprises a pair of elemental plates movable on the base along a direction parallel to the length of the first cutting stick. A first elemental plate of the table structure is provided with the second cutting stick and a second elemental plate of the table structure is provided with the third cutting stick. Slide guide means is arranged on the base and extends along a direction parallel to the length of the first cutting stick for guiding the pair of elemental plates for relative movement therebetween, and means for moving the pair of elemental plates of the table structure in the opposite directions to each other. The means for moving the pair of elemental plates of the table structure comprises a shaft which is supported on the base for rotation about its axis and extends perpendicular to the direction of movement of the pair of elemental plates. The shaft is provided with a handle at its one end and a spiral gear at its other end. A crown gear is engaged with the spiral gear of the shaft. First and second threaded rods extend from the crown gear in the opposite directions to each other along the direction of movement of the pair of elemental plates. The first threaded rod is screwed through the first elemental plate and the second threaded rod is screwed through the second elemental plate. A tip portion of the first threaded rod is supported on a bearing fixed to the base. The first and second threaded rods are threaded in the opposite hands to each other. When the top edge trimming cutter and the foot edge trimming cutter are moved with respect to each other according to the sizes of the binding objects, the first and second elemental plates are also moved with respect to each other so that the second and third cutting stick are positioned beneath the top edge trimming cutter and the foot edge trimming cutter, respectively. At the same time, a binding object is set in position on the trimming table so as to position its front edge on the first cutting stick. Accordingly, the present invention is advantageous in that it makes possible to trim three sides of various binding objects of different sizes without exchanging components of a trimming table. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The other objects and features of this invention will become understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a three side trimmer according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the trimming table of the three side trimmer shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a trimming table of the three side trimmer of Fig. 1 for trimming three sides of a relatively small size binding object. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figs. 1 - 3, an embodiment of a three side trimmer according to the present invention will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 1, a top edge trimming cutter (11) and a foot edge trimming cutter (12) are spaced in parallel with each other for the same vertical movement in order to simultaneously cut the top and foot edges of a binding object. A front edge trimming cutter (13) is arranged perpendicular to the top edge trimming cutter (11) and the foot edge trimming cutter (12) for vertical movement in order to cut the front edge of the binding object. The top edge trimming cutter (11) and the foot edge trimming cutter (12) are arranged for relative movement therebetween along a direction parallel to the length of the front edge trimming cutter (11) according to the size of the binding object. A trimming table (14) is arranged beneath the three cutters (11), (12) and (13) for supporting the binding object thereon. The trimming table (14) includes a base (25), a first cutting stick (23) fixed on the base (25), a table structure consisting of a pair of elemental plates (21), (22) movable on the base (25) along a direction parallel to the length of the first cutting stick (23). The first cutting stick (23) is opposedly arranged to the front edge trimming cutter (13) in order to receive the knife edge of the front edge trimming cutter (13). The pair of elemental plates (21), (22), which are of symmetric shapes with respect to each other, for example, L-shaped, are arranged opposite to each other. The first elemental plate (21) of the table structure is provided with a second cutting stick (16A) which is arranged perpendicular to the first cutting stick (23) in order to receive the knife edge of the top edge trimming cutter (11). The second elemental plate (22) of the table structure is provided with a third cutting stick (16B) which is arranged perpendicular to the first cutting stick (23) in order to receive the knife edge of the foot edge trimming cutter (12). The second and third cutting sticks (16A) and (16B) are detachably attached to their respective associated elemental plates by screw threads (24). The base (25) is provided with a dovetail groove (33) thereon. The dovetail groove (33) extends in a direction parallel to the length of the first cutting stick (23). The foot portions of the first and second elemental plates (21), (22) are fitted in the dovetail groove (33) so that the first and second elemental plates (21), (22) are guided for sliding movement along the dovetail groove (33). A shaft (27) is supported on the base (25) for rotation about its axis. The shaft (27) extends perpendicular to the direction of the movement of the pair of elemental plates (21), (22). The shaft (27) is provided with a handle (26) at its one end and a spiral gear (28) at its other end. A crown gear (29) is engaged with the spiral gear (28) of the shaft (27). First and second threaded rods (30) and (31) extend from the crown gear (29) in the opposite directions each other along the direction of movement of the pair of elemental plates (21), (22), respectively. Furthermore, the first threaded rod (30) is screwed through the first elemental plate (21) and the tip portion of the first threaded rod (30) is supported on a bearing (32) fixed to the base (25). The second threaded rod (31) is screwed through the second elemental plate (22). The first and second threaded rods (30) and (31) are threaded in the opposite hands each other. Thus the first and second threaded rods (30) and (31) are rotated about their axes by the rotation of the handle (26) so that the first elemental plate (21) and the second elemental plate (22) are moved by equal distances in the opposite directions each other so that the second and third cutting stick (16A), (16B) are positioned beneath the top edge trimming cutter (11) and the foot edge trimming cutter (12), respectively. The first elemental plate (21) and the second elemental plate (22) can be fixed to an appropriate position by driving screw threads (35) to push stoppers (34) of the dovetail groove toward the first and second elemental plate (21), (22), respectively. The binding object is set in position on the trimming table (14) in such a manner that its spine are disposed opposite to the first cutting stick (23). At the same time, the front edge of the binding object is adjusted by a stopper (not shown) so as to position on the first cutting stick (23). The positions of the cutters (11) - (13) are adjusted to the size of the binding object. Then the positions of the first and second elemental plates (21), (22) are adjusted by turning the handle (26) in such a manner that the second and third cutting sticks (16A) and (16B) are positioned beneath the top edge trimming cutter (11) and the foot edge-trimming cutter (12), respectively. Thereafter the top edge trimming cutter (11) and the foot edge trimming cutter (12) are simultaneously lowered in the direction shown by an arrow to trim the top and foot edges of the binding object all together. And the front edge trimming cutter (13) is also lowered in the direction shown by an arrow to trim the front edge of the binding object. In this case, it is also possible to trim the front edge of the binding object prior to the top and foot edge trimming operation. Fig. 3 illustrates a trimming table of the three side trimmer of Fig. 1 on trimming three sides of a relatively small size binding object. In Fig. 3, the first and second elemental plates (21), (22) are close to each other. The securing press (17) can be appropriately excanged for a smaller one in trimming sides of a smaller size binding object. In this specification, the terms "top" and "foot" only define the relative positions. Therefore these terms can be interchanged with each other in the specification. Furthermore, the shapes of the first and second elemental plates are not limited to those of this embodiment as long as they are symmetric with respect to each other. However, if the first and second elemental plates (21), (22) are L-shaped, there is provided a space between them. Such space can be employed for installing a coveyer for taking out the binding object after the trimming operation. The conveyer also serves as additional support for the binding object. It is necessary that the second and third cutting sticks (16A), (16B) should be positioned beneath the associated cutters. Therefore in the prior three side trimmr, the cutting sticks always receive the knife edges of the associated cutters at the same positions because the cutting sticks are arranged in fixed positions. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the first and second elemental plates (21), (22) can be varied so that the second and third cutting sticks (16A) and (16B) can receive the knife edges of the associated cutters at slightly varied positions during each trimming operation. Consequently, this makes it possible for the cutting sticks to have a longer life. According to the present invention, when binding objects of different sizes are trimmed, there is no need to exchange components of a trimming table in order to adapt the trimming table to the size of the binding object. Thus, according to the present invention, easy and fast trimming of binding objects of different sizes is achieved.

Claims: A three side trimmer which is provided with a top edge trimming cutter (11) and a foot edge trimming cutter (12) spaced in parallel with each other, a front edge trimming cutter (13) arranged perpendicular to said top edge trimming cutter (11) and said foot edge trimming cutter (12), a trimming table (14) arranged beneath said trimming cutters (11;12;13) for supporting a binding object thereon, said top edge trimming cutter (11) and said foot edge trimming cutter (12) being arranged for relative movement therebetween along a direction parallel to the length of said front edge trimming cutter (13) according to the size of the binding object, said trimming table (14) including a base 25; a first cutting stick (23) fixed on said base (25), said first cutting stick (23) being arranged opposedly to said front edge trimming cutter (13) in order to receive a knife edge of said front edge trimming cutter (13); a second cutting stick (16A) arranged perpendicular to said first cutting stick (23) and opposedly to said top edge trimming cutter (11) on said base (25) in order to receive a knife edge of said top edge trimming cutter (11); and a third cutting stick (16B) arranged perpendicular to said first cutting stick (23) and opposedly to said foot edge trimming cutter (12) on said base (25) in order to receive a knife edge of said foot edge trimming cutter (12), said second and third cutting sticks (16A;16B) being movable relative to each other in the direction parallel to the length of said first cutting stick (23), characterized in that said trimming table (14) includes: a table structure adapted to place the binding object thereon, said table structure comprising a pair of elemental plates (21;22) movable on said base (25) along a direction parallel to the length of said first cutting stick (23), the first elemental plate (21) of said table structure being provided with said second cutting stick (16A), the second elemental plate (22) of said table structure being provided with said third cutting stick (16B); slide guide means (33) arranged on said base (25) and extending along a direction parallel to the length of said first cutting stick (23) for guiding said pair of elemental plates (21;22) for relative movement therebetween; and means for moving said pair of elemental plates (21;22) of said table structure in the opposite directions to each other comprising: a shaft (27) support on said base (25) for rotation about its axis, said shaft (27) extending perpendicular to the direction of movement of said pair of elemental plates (21;22) and being provided with a handle (26) at its one end and a spiral gear (28) at its other end; a crown gear (29) engaged with said spiral gear (28) of said shaft (27); and first and second threaded rods (30;31) extending from said crown gear (29) in the opposite directions to each other along the direction of movement of said pair of elemental plates (21;22), said first threaded rod (30) being screwed through said first elemental plate (21), said second threaded rod (31) being screwed through said second elemental plate (22), a tip portion of said first threaded rod (30) being supported on a bearing (32) fixed to said base (25), said first and second threaded rods (30;31) being threaded in the opposite hands to each other.

Inventors: HITOSHI UCHIDA, HITOSHI, UCHIDA
Applicants: HORIZON INT INC, HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B26D1
IPC codes: B26D1, B26D11, B26D7