Abstract:
A machine for inserting plastic pre-formed helical coils into aligned holes at an edge of respective collated books for binding the books is adjustable to accommodate different thickness books and respective different diameter and pitch of coil. The machine has a platen having an edge comb at which the edge of the book is presented and a coil drive for rotating the helical coil parallel to the edge of the platen. Two spine formers support the book such that its spine takes up a curved shape in side elevation and a clamp with an edge comb clamps the book on to the platen. Both the edge comb of the platen and of the clamp are provided as insert portions attachable to the respective element for easy replacement of the pitch. The location of the coil drive is automatically adjusted by measuring the coil diameter with a gauge. The clamp moves along an arc which automatically adjusts the clamping location for thickness of the book.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to a machine for insertion of plastic coils into aligned holes at the edge of a collated book for binding the book, and particularly to a machine which is improved in regard to the set up procedures allowing easier and quicker change from one book size to another.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,897 of Desjarlais issued Dec. 14 th , 1999 is disclosed a machine for inserting a plastic coil into aligned holes at the edge of a book for binding of the book.  
           [0003]    This machine which forms the basis of the present invention has achieved considerable commercial success and has operated successfully in the insertion of plastic coils automatically.  
           [0004]    However the machine has received some criticism based upon the difficulties of adjusting the machine for initial set-up to accommodate a particular size of book. Printing in general is requiring machines to produce shorter runs of particular products so that customers can keep down levels of inventory and can customise particular books. Thus the machine is required more frequently to be set-up for different dimensions of book including particularly the thickness of the book.  
           [0005]    It will be appreciated that the dimensions of the coil are dependant upon the thickness of the book so that a particular coil is selected to match the thickness and that coil thus has a predetermined radius of curvature thus requiring the edge of the book to be set-up at the required curvature to receive the coil as it is rotated about its axis. However coils are manufactured using different diameter of filament so that it is not possible to adjust the machine by inputting a particular coil dimension by a numerical value.  
           [0006]    Yet further the change in thickness of the book requires a different location for the clamping system in its clamped position in view of the required curvature of the book at the position in which it is located to receive the coil.  
           [0007]    Yet further different coils having a different pitch length are required in some circumstances depending upon the spacing of the holes in the book which is selected by the customer.  
           [0008]    All of these elements must therefore be set in the machine before a new batch of books can be bound using the required settings on the machine and the required coil. While settings on the existing machine could be carried out without significant difficulty, it is highly desirable to provide an improved machine in which the settings can be effected with even less difficulty.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is one object of the invention to provide a machine of the above general type which is improved in regard to the set up procedures allowing easier and quicker change from one book size to another.  
           [0010]    According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a machine for inserting plastic pre-formed helical coils into aligned holes at an edge of respective collated books for binding the books, the machine being adjustable to accommodate different dimensions of books and respective different dimensions of coils comprising:  
           [0011]    a platen for receiving each of the collated books in turn, the platen having an edge at which the edge of the book is presented;  
           [0012]    a coil drive and support assembly for supporting and rotating each of the helical coils in turn at the edge of the platen about an axis of the coil parallel to the edge of the platen;  
           [0013]    a comb guide at the edge of the platen such that rotation of the helical coil causes movement of helical turns of the helical coil along the platen into engagement with the edge of the book and into the aligned holes;  
           [0014]    an end stop for halting movement of the coil when inserted such that ends of the coil are exposed at respective ends of the edge of the book;  
           [0015]    the coil drive and support assembly and the platen being arranged for adjustment movement of a movable one relative to the other to accommodate different diameters of coils so as to locate each of the coils of different diameters at a required position relative to the comb guide for the respective coil to pass through the aligned holes in the respective collated book;  
           [0016]    a gauge member for receiving a portion of a representative one of a selected series of coils and for detecting an outer diameter of the representative coil;  
           [0017]    and a linkage operable in response to detection of the outer diameter of the representative coil for locating said adjustment movement such that each of the selected coils, when positioned at the coil drive and support assembly, is located at the required position for the selected coil and the respective collated book to pass through the aligned holes of the collated book.  
           [0018]    Preferably the gauge member includes a fixed stop and a component attached to the movable one of the coil drive and support assembly and the platen, and the linkage is connected to the component and arranged to locate the movable one at the required position.  
           [0019]    Preferably the platen is fixed and at least part of the coil drive and support assembly is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the fixed platen. However as shown in the above patent, the platen may be movable instead.  
           [0020]    Preferably the coil drive and support assembly comprises a coil engagement roller for engaging the coil at the edge of the platen at a position thereon such that one end of the coil is arranged adjacent to one end of the edge of the book for movement into engagement with the edge of the book and a coil drive roller located at the edge of the platen and having a drive axis about which the coil drive roller rotates substantially parallel to the edge and a peripheral drive surface onto which the coil is placed.  
           [0021]    Preferably either the coil engagement roller or the coil drive roller is fixed relative to the platen and the other of the coil drive roller and coil engagement roller is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the platen so as to increase a space between the coil engagement roller and the coil drive roller.  
           [0022]    According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a machine for inserting plastic pre-formed helical coils into aligned holes at an edge of respective collated books for binding the books, the machine being adjustable to accommodate different dimensions of books and respective different dimensions of coils comprising:  
           [0023]    a platen for receiving each of the collated books in turn, the platen having an edge at which the edge of the book is presented;  
           [0024]    a coil drive and support assembly for supporting and rotating each of the helical coils in turn at the edge of the platen about an axis of the coil parallel to the edge of the platen;  
           [0025]    a comb guide at the edge of the platen such that rotation of the helical coil causes movement of helical turns of the helical coil along the platen into engagement with the edge of the book and into the aligned holes;  
           [0026]    an end stop for halting movement of the coil when inserted such that ends of the coil are exposed at respective ends of the edge of the book;  
           [0027]    a spine former apparatus arranged to shape each collated book such that its spine takes up a curved shape in side elevation to curve along a required arc to allow the curved shape of the helical coil to enter the aligned holes, the required arc causing the aligned holes at the face of the book outermost from the platen to be offset from the comb guide in an offset direction laterally of the platen;  
           [0028]    the spine former apparatus being arranged such that books of different thickness have the aligned holes at the face of the book outermost from the platen offset from the comb guide in said offset direction laterally of the platen by different distances;  
           [0029]    and a clamp member opposed to the platen for clamping the book between the clamp member and the platen, the clamp member being movable relative to the platen in a direction generally towards and away from the platen between a first clamp position for clamping the book onto the platen and a release position spaced from the platen by a distance sufficient to release the book for removal of the book and the inserted coil from the platen;  
           [0030]    the clamp member being moved in said direction generally towards and away from the platen along line which is different from a line at right angles to the platen;  
           [0031]    wherein the line is shaped such that, for each different thickness of book, when at the clamp position, the clamp member is offset in said offset direction laterally from the comb guide by a distance to properly locate the clamp member at the aligned holes at the face of the book outermost from the platen, without the necessity for adjustment of the clamp member in said offset direction to accommodate said different thicknesses of books.  
           [0032]    Preferably the clamp member comprises a bar having an edge substantially aligned with the edge of the platen, the edge of the bar having a guide comb thereon for guiding movement of the coil.  
           [0033]    Preferably the line is curved.  
           [0034]    According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a machine for inserting plastic pre-formed helical coils into aligned holes at an edge of respective collated books for binding the books, the machine being adjustable to accommodate different books and respective different dimensions of coils comprising:  
           [0035]    a platen for receiving each of the collated books in turn, the platen having an edge at which the edge of the book is presented;  
           [0036]    a coil drive and support assembly for supporting and rotating each of the helical coils in turn at the edge of the platen about an axis of the coil parallel to the edge of the platen;  
           [0037]    a comb guide at the edge of the platen such that rotation of the helical coil causes movement of helical turns of the helical coil along the platen into engagement with the edge of the book and into the aligned holes;  
           [0038]    an end stop for halting movement of the coil when inserted such that ends of the coil are exposed at respective ends of the edge of the book;  
           [0039]    a spine former apparatus arranged to shape each collated book such that its spine takes up a curved shape in side elevation to curve along a required arc to allow the curved shape of the helical coil to enter the aligned holes;  
           [0040]    and a clamp member opposed to the platen for clamping the book between the clamp member and the platen, the clamp member being movable relative to the platen in a direction generally towards and away from the platen between a first clamp position for clamping the book onto the platen and a release position spaced from the platen by a distance sufficient to release the book for removal of the book and the inserted coil from the platen;  
           [0041]    the clamp member comprises a bar having an edge substantially aligned with the edge of the platen, the edge of the bar having a guide comb thereon for guiding movement of the coil;  
           [0042]    wherein the platen comprises a main body and an insert portion which can be readily separated from and attached to the main body of the platen, the comb guide of the platen being formed as part of the insert portion of the platen such that the insert portion with the comb guide thereon can be readily removed and replaced by a different insert portion having a comb guide of different dimensions without removing the platen;  
           [0043]    and wherein the clamp member comprises a main body and an insert portion which can be readily separated from and attached to the main body of the clamp member, the comb guide of the clamp member being formed as part of the insert portion such that the insert portion with the comb guide thereon can be readily removed and replaced by a different insert portion having a comb guide of different dimensions without removing the clamp member. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0044]    One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 1 is a drawing taken from the above U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,897 which shows the general operation of the machine in which the present invention is concerned.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the machine according to the present invention showing the mounting of the carriage which carries the drive roller and showing the mounting of the clamp bar.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 3 is a similar cross section to that of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale showing the geometry of movement of the coil drive roller and the book clamp.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the platen and clamp assembly including the separate insert pieces providing the coil comb.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of similar to that of FIG. 2 showing the drive arrangement for the book clamp. 
     
    
       [0050]    In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0051]    A machine  1 , as shown in the figures herein, is arranged for inserting plastic pre-formed helical coils  3  into aligned holes  5  at an edge of a collated book  7  as best shown in FIG. 3. A rubber roller  9  is an elongated horizontal tube that is situated so that the rubber roller  9  rotates and moves the coil  3  in a forward direction to be inserted into the aligned holes  5  of the book  7 . The rubber roller  9  has a drive roller shaft  11 . The drive roller shaft  11  extends horizontally from the rubber roller  9  to vertical side support walls  13 A and  13 B.  
         [0052]    The book  7  is placed on a platen  15  which is located above and rearwardly of the roller  9  and extends at an inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the roller  9 . At the bottom edge of the platen  15  is a comb portion  17  associated with the roller. The comb portion  17  has a plurality of teeth which are situated so that the comb  17  guides the coil  3  along the roller  9  toward the aligned holes  5  of the book  7 . The main platen comb  19  is located on the bottom edge of the platen  15  and is adjacent to the comb portion  17 . The platen comb  19  has a plurality of teeth which are situated to guide the coil  3  into the aligned holes  5  of the book  7  which are located at the comb.  
         [0053]    A book clamp  21  is mounted on the platen  15  and has a front end which is positioned horizontally parallel with the platen  15  and has a front edge  23 . The front edge  23  of the clamp  21  extends downwardly such that the front edge  23  corresponds approximately with the bottom edge of the platen  15 . The front edge  23  of the clamp  21  has a clamp comb  25 . The clamp comb  25  is located at the furthermost bottom end of the front edge  23  of clamp  21 . The clamp comb  25  and the platen comb  19  each consist of a plurality of teeth spaced at coil pitch with a plurality of wider spaced teeth defining gaps  27 . The book clamp  21  is mounted on a support assembly described in more detail hereinafter.  
         [0054]    A second metal drive roller  37  extends horizontally from the first vertical support wall  13 A to a second vertical support wall  13 B and rotates substantially parallel to the first drive roller  11  behind the first drive roller  11 .  
         [0055]    A side lay  75  is located on the platen  15  and is a square block which runs parallel with the platen  15  has a four sides designed with different angles relative to the surface of the platen  15  to place the side edge of the book at the required angle to receive the coil depending upon the pitch of the coil and its diameter.  
         [0056]    Spine formers  81  (not shown in FIG. 1) are located at the bottom edge of the platen  15  within the comb gaps  27  curving around the platen comb  19 . The spine formers have a mount portion which is attached to the platen  15  and extend forwardly therefrom. The spine formers  81  have an arched end  87  in which the edge of the book  7  with the aligned holes  5  is placed.  
         [0057]    In operation, the plastic coil  3  is placed onto the rollers  9  and  37  at the comb portion  17  of the platen  15  such that the coil rests on the rubber roller  9  and the guide roller  37  and is guided by the comb portion  17 . The book  7  is placed on the platen  15  such that it rests on the arched end  87  of the spine formers  81 . The book clamp  21  is arranged in a position wherein the clamp comb is angled so that the book  7  is guided onto the spine formers by the book clamp and the book is pressed against the side lay  75  so that the book takes the appropriate shape. Then the operator presses the start pedal and the book clamp  21  presses on the book  5  to ensure that the book remains stable and the coil is supported along the roller.  
         [0058]    The motor engages the first roller drive belt turning the first roller drive  11  and its roller  9  and the second roller drive belt turning the second roller drive  37  and together they cause the coil to advance towards the book. As the coil is inserted through the aligned holes  5  of the book the platen comb  19  and the clamp comb  27  continue to guide the coil.  
         [0059]    When the coil is completed being inserted through the books aligned holes, a coil support drops away from the coil so that cutting and bending heads can be raised and proceed to cut the ends of the coil and bend them simultaneously so that the coil remains in place. These elements are not shown for convenience of illustration but are well known to one skilled in the art.  
         [0060]    When the book is bound the cutting and bending heads move back to the start position, the book clamp releases and the book can now be removed.  
         [0061]    In setting up the machine  1  the spine formers  81  are used to create a curvature to the binding edge of the book. The spine former must correspond to the diameter of coil  3  that is being used.  
         [0062]    The book clamp comb  25  should be in line with the bottom edge of the book without obstructing any of the punched holes  5 . The book clamp comb  25  must be horizontally adjusted so that the spine formers  81  fit into the wide teeth gap  27  of the book clamp comb  25 . A coil stop (not shown) is placed adjacent to the teeth of the platen comb  19  to stop the coil  3  once it has been inserted into the book. The operator places a coil stop on the platen comb teeth in such a position so that, when a coil is inserted into the book, the majority of the excess is to the right of the now bound book.  
         [0063]    Further details of the above machine are described in the above US patent, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference so that any further details required can be obtained from review of the above patent.  
         [0064]    The machine of the present invention is shown in more detail in FIG. 2 and is modified in respect of the above patent by a number of features of importance related to the present invention.  
         [0065]    Firstly the platen  15  in the present machine is fixed and does not change in inclination but instead the position of the drive roller  9  is moved to accommodate different sizes of coil. The drive roller  9  co-operates with the support roller  37  to define a cusp therebetween into which the coil  3  sits at the comb  17  of the platen and the corresponding comb  27  of the clamp  21 . The positioning of the coil is therefore obtained by moving the drive roller  9  inwardly and outwardly relative to the roller  37  so as to decrease and increase the spacing therebetween thus allowing the receipt in the cusp of different sizes of the coil.  
         [0066]    Regardless of the diameter of the coil, the inside edge of the coil sits against the roller  37  in contact therewith. The location of the turn of the coil as it leaves the roller  37  and passes through the comb is determined by the position of the roller  9 .  
         [0067]    The roller  9  is carried on a carriage  9 A which is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot shaft  9 B. The carriage  9 A includes a drive mechanism (not shown) for driving the roller  11  of the drive roller  9 . The carriage  9 A carries a lever  9 C which extends from the pivot  9 B along the end plate  13 B of the machine to a clamp  9 D which can be manually operated to clamp the lever  9 C to the end wall  13 B. Thus the position of the roller  9  relative to the roller  37  is adjusted by pivoting the carriage  9 A relative to the pivot axis  9 B and locating the carriage by the clamp  9 D. The geometry of the construction is arranged such that the pivotal movement properly locates the coils of the required dimensions at the roller  37  and the comb  17 .  
         [0068]    The required position of the carriage  9 A is obtained by a gauge member  9 E which is arranged to receive a sample one of the coils to be used. The gauge member  9 E comprises a gauge block  9 F having a concave upper surface for locating the outer cylindrical surface of the coil at the centre of the gauge block  9 F. The lever  9 C carries a gauge pin  9 G which is mounted so that it is positioned above the coil  3  located in the gauge member. Thus the operator releases the clamp  9 D lifting the lever  9 C and inserts a sample of the coil to be used into the gauge member on top of the block  9 F.  
         [0069]    The operator then lowers the lever  9 C gently downwardly onto the top of the coil thus using the rod  9 G to measure the outside diameter of the coil without applying sufficient force to in any way compress the coil. When the rod  9 G is moved into position on top of the coil, the clamp can be moved to the clamped position thus locating the lever  9 C at the angle determined by the diameter of the coil on the gauge member.  
         [0070]    The geometry and location of the gauge member is such that the measurement of the outside diameter of the sample coil at the gauge member properly locates the roller  9  relative to the roller  37  so that the sample coil, and other identical coils, when inserted into the cusp between the roller  37  and the roller  9  are properly located relative to the edge of the platen and the comb thereon.  
         [0071]    Many such coils are formed from filaments of different thickness. However the coils are formed by wrapping such filament around a mandrel of a predetermined outside diameter. Thus such coils are formed by measuring and locating the inside surface of the filament to the required diameter. Thus the exterior diameter of coils manufactured by different machines will vary depending upon the thickness of the filament. The required dimension for the insertion machine is that of the outside diameter of the coil since that outside diameter co-operates with the drive rollers and with the comb in locating the coil and inserting it through the aligned holes of the collated book.  
         [0072]    Turning now to the mounting and operation of the clamping plate, as best shown in FIG. 5, the platen  15  carries the book  7  which is dropped at its lower end onto the spine former  83  and the curved support  87  of the spine former  83 . This shapes the spine at the aligned hole into the required curvature by which the rotation of the coil drives the filament of the coil through the aligned holes. It will be appreciated that the curvature of the spine former must match the curvature of the coil and thus the curvature of the spine former is different for different thicknesses of book since the curvature of the coil associated with that different thickness of book is changed.  
         [0073]    As the curvature of the spine former changes, it is necessary for the spine former to lift the outer edge of the book spaced away from the platen  15  slightly relative to the inner edge of the book at the platen. Thus as shown in FIG. 5 the comb  19  of the platen is located at a fixed position relative to the different shapes of spine former. However the outer edge of the support portion  87  of the spine former is lifted relative to the comb  19  so as to provide the required curvature of the book relative to the fixed position of the roller  37 .  
         [0074]    In order for the comb  25  to be properly located at the holes at the book on its outer face, bearing in mind the changing location of the outer face of the book relative to the inner face, it is necessary for the comb  25  to be moved relative to the comb  19  in a direction transverse to the comb edge for different thicknesses of book. Thus for very thin books, the outside surface of the book is substantially at the same location as the inside surface relative to the comb  19 . However for thick books, the outside surface is raised or moved laterally from the edge of the comb  19  thus requiring the comb  25  to be moved laterally or upwardly as shown by a similar distance if it is to avoid interfering with the holes in the book while at the same time being located as close as possible to the holes in the book.  
         [0075]    In order to obtain this location of the clamp comb  25  for different thicknesses of book without the necessity for lateral adjustment of the clamping member, the clamping member is mounted on a carriage  21 A which acts to move the clamping member  21  and its comb  25  in an arc A rather than a straight line L at right angles to the platen  15 . Thus the clamping member pivots about a pivot shaft  21 B and is driven by a lever  21 C driven by a cylinder  21 D and retracted by a spring  21 ×which moves the clamp member along the arc rotating around the axis of the shaft  21 B. The actuating member  21 A is connected to the clamp member at a pivot  21 E. The actuating member  21 A includes a lever  21 F pivotal at a pin  21 G which also connects to the clamp member at a pivot  21 H. Thus the clamp member is maintained substantially parallel to the platen  15  and the outside surface of the book but moves along the arc so that the tips of the comb  25  move along the required path which is the same as the locus of the points of the required locations for the comb for the different thicknesses of books. A drive tube  21 K extends to an opposite end of the clamp member  21  and a link  21 J extends from the drive tube  21 K to the clamp member so as to act as a torque transfer system to drive both ends of the clamp member.  
         [0076]    In this way, instead of moving the clamp member at right angles to the platen and then laterally adjusting the position of the fingers of the comb in the clamp position, the present arrangement moves the clamp member along the same arc as the locus of required positions and thus avoids the necessity for individual adjustment of the clamp member in dependence upon the thickness of the book.  
         [0077]    Turning now to FIG. 4 the construction of the clamp member  21  including the actuator  21 A is shown together with the platen  15  in isometric view. It will be noted that the clamp member  21  comprises a plate  21 L which extends partly along the platen with the actuators at each end of the plate  21 L extending through holes in the platen to the actuating elements underneath the platen. The plate  21 L provides a support for a separate comb  27 A which is formed on a rigid insert member  27 B with mounting pins  27 C for engaging through holes  27 D in the plate  21 J. Thus with the clamp plate  21 L in a raised position, the comb can be inserted underneath the plate  21 L with the posts  27 C projecting through the bar and fastened thereto by screws  27 E. Thus the whole of the comb  27  is provided as a separate insert member which can be readily attached to and removed from the clamping bar allowing combs of different pitch to be held as separate replaceable inserts and selected for attachment to the clamping bar as required depending upon the pitch of the coil to be inserted.  
         [0078]    Similarly the comb  17  of the platen  15  is formed as a separate insert member  17 A with the comb formed along the front edge of the insert member  17 A. The insert member  17 A carries the spine formers  81  which are fastened thereto at the required slots in the comb. As explained previously, the spine formers are selected in accordance with the required thickness of the book and the comb  17  can be selected from a set of the insert members  17 A which are provided for different pitch of coil to match the pitch of the comb  27 . The insert member  17 A can be bolted to the top surface of the platen  15  by screw fasteners passing through aligned holes thus locating the comb at the required position at the edge of the platen.  
         [0079]    In this way the insert members  27 A and  17 A can be stored as required for the different pitch of coils which can be selected by the customer as required for a particular book construction. The machine operator can then select the insert members from storage at attach them to the clamp member and to the platen readily and without difficulty without the necessity for removing the clamp member or removing the platen or altering the location, adjustment or operation of either of those elements.  
         [0080]    Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.