Abstract:
A device for preparing a book spine includes a plurality of movable pockets, each pocket having an angled back, a packer and a spine stop at a lower end of the pocket for receiving the spine. The spine stop has a first collect position, a second position wherein the spine stop is lower with respect to the packer than in the collect position but still holds the spine, and a third position wherein the spine stop is rotated away from the spine. A method for preparing a spine is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to binding and more particularly to a device and method for preparing a printed product or book spine for binding. 
     To form books (defined herein to include all sheet and signature assemblages), sheets or signatures typically are collated or assembled so that the sheets of the book are arranged in the desired order. U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,086 discloses, for example, an apparatus and method for forming sheet material assemblages. The sheets or signatures are stacked above continuously moving assemblers or pockets and dropped one-by-one into the pockets. The bottom of the pocket can open to release an assembled, but unbound, book. 
     To prepare books for binding, the spine of the book is formed so that the bottom edges align. The spine will be flat if a flatback book is to be formed. If signatures rather than individual sheets are collated, the backbone of the book typically will be sawed so that individual sheets within each signature present themselves at the spine. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,354 and 4,556,353 disclose methods for applying an adhesive to the spine of a book. The book is gripped from the top by clamps to expose the spine of the book. The spine of the book has a length greater than a width of the spine, and is flat. As the spine travels in a direction parallel to the length of the spine, an adhesive is applied by rollers or applicators. 
     The above-referenced patents have the disadvantage that several separate devices are require to collate, register and bind the books. Moreover, transfer of the books between the collating machines, registering machines and the clamps is required. Each transfer point increases the chances for malfunction or a reduction in quality, such as bent edges or misalignment of the pages. 
     In addition, it is not possible with the above devices to laterally register signatures of varying product sizes in a single book. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for preparing a book spine conveyed perpendicularly to the spine. Another alternate or additional object of the present invention is to provide for individual registration in a lateral direction for each collected signature. Yet another alternate or additional object of the present invention is to permit for more efficient binding of the book spine. 
     Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/570,201 filed May 12, 2000, hereby incorporated-by-reference herein, dealt with several of the problems of the prior art by having a construction in which books conveyed perpendicularly to the spine in pockets were clamped by two separate clamping mechanisms. Individual lateral registration for the signatures was not provided. 
     The present invention provides a method for preparing a book spine including: delivering a plurality of products into a pocket against a spine stop so as to form a book having a spine, and conveying the book perpendicularly to the spine. A single packer can be used pack the book. The packer then releases the book. A back of the pocket and the spine stop are lowered with respect to the packer so as to define a spine exposure. The packer then contacts the book again to maintain the spine exposure. 
     The spine stop is then moved away from the book spine, and the packer is pivoted to alter the spine angle. The spine may then be processed, for example by sawing. 
     “Signatures” as defined herein may include individual sheets and/or multi-sheet signatures. The pivoting preferably occurs by holding a lower section of the signatures firmly between a pivotable clamp and the packer, and then rotating each about a respective pivot. 
     After processing, the book spine may be returned to a home position. An inverted book cover can then be added and the process repeated to prepare the spine with the book cover for gluing, for example. 
     To deliver the books with the inverted cover, the packer is opened and the books may fall by gravity to a conveyor or may be removed by a gripper conveyor. 
     Preferably, as the signatures enter the pockets, the entering signature is held apart from the previously collated signatures, and is registered laterally. Once the entering signature is against the spine stop in the proper lateral position, the entering signature may rest against the previous collated signatures. 
     The present invention thus also provides a method for collecting signatures against a spine stop comprising the steps of: entering at least one first signature into a pocket so as to rest against an angled tray and a spine stop so as to form a collated book, and entering at least one second signature into the pocket, the second signature being held apart from the first signature at an upper section and contacting the first signature at the spine stop. 
     By holding apart the second signature from the first at the upper section, better spine registration may be achieved. 
     Preferably, a registration jogger is provided to be able to move the individual entering signature laterally. Thus a variety of product sizes can be registered properly in the lateral direction. 
     The present invention also includes a device for preparing a book spine comprising a plurality of pockets, each pocket having an angled back. Each pocket also has a packer and a spine stop at a lower end of the pocket for receiving the spine, the spine stop having a first collect position and a second position, which may be variable, wherein the spine stop is lower with respect to the packer than in the collect position. The plane of the spine in the second position is parallel to the plane of the spine in the first position. In a third position, the spine stop is rotated away from the spine. 
     Preferably, the packer operates in conjunction with a clamp beneath the back. The packer holds a lower part of the products against the clamp. 
     A packer operating lever preferably is provided to provide for a packing operation and a tighter clamping operation when the book spine is rotated. 
     A latch for the spine stop may be provided, as may a tray lever and latch. A clamp roller and tray level roller may also be provided. 
     When receiving new products, the back and the spine stop preferably form an angle with the vertical plane. 
     Preferably, the pockets each include at least one shutter blade to keep an entering signature away from already collected signatures. The shutter blade may then be retracted, for example by rotation, to permit the entering signature to fully contact the collected signatures. The shutter blades thus permit the signature to be fed in a vertical guided path until the lower end of the signatures enters against the spine stop. The signature is held in a position where its shorter bottom section is angled, and the longer upper section is restrained on one side by a vertical guide and on the other side by the shutter blades. A curved section in the middle of the signature is produced, which contributes to rigidity along the direction of the spine. Ajogger paddle of the registration jogger can push on the signature just above the curve on the vertical part of the signature to move the signature along its spine direction for proper lateral registration. The packer then can close against the lower end of all of the signatures, and the shutter blades may be pivoted out of the vertical path, allowing the signature to rest against the previously collected signatures. 
     In this way, each signature, even if having varying product sizes, can be arranged laterally in a desired position. 
     The latches, levers and roller, and any motions of the parts of the pocket, may be actuated by cam action. 
     “Book” as defined herein can mean any type of sheet or signature assemblage, including but not limited to, covered printed products, paper booklets, and magazines. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below by reference to the following drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a side view of the device for preparing a book spine according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows partial side view details of a pocket of FIG. 1 in a collecting position; 
     FIG. 3 shows the pocket of FIG. 2 in a second position where the spine exposure is formed; 
     FIG. 4 shows the pocket of FIG. 2 in a third position where the spine of a book is squared; 
     FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the pocket of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the pocket of FIG. 2 also showing the jogger and shutter blades. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a side view of the device  1  for forming a book according to the present invention. A stack  2  of signatures sits above a plurality of compilers  5  which move in a direction  6 . Each compiler  5  has a belt  7  which runs in a counterclockwise direction so that a top part of the belt has a velocity with a magnitude similar to that of the compilers  5  in direction  6 . Stack of signatures  2  thus experiences a relative velocity of zero and remains in the position shown in FIG. 1 as compilers  5  move in direction  6 . 
     Each compiler  5  also includes a pivotable suction device  9 , for example a vacuum sucker pivotable about a pivot. 
     As compilers  5  travel beneath stack  2 , suction device  9  of compiler  5  pulls a bottom signature  102  of the stack of signatures downwardly to pass between compilers  5 . A caliper or sprung roller  13  of compiler  5  opens (through a rotation of shaft against the spring force) to permit the lead edge of the signature  102  to enter between the caliper roller  13  and a drive roller  12 . 
     The signature  102  enters one of a plurality of pockets  20 , which travels along god with compilers  5  in direction  6 . Pockets  20  include a register jogger  21  with a jogger paddle  22 , shutter blades  23 , and a back  24 . Back  24  is fixed to a pivot support  25  supporting a spine stop  26 , which in turn supports the bottom edges of the entering signatures  102 . Spine stop  26  forms a perpendicular surface to back  24 , which preferably is offset 30 degrees from the vertical. 
     The lower edges of the signatures can be grasped between a clamp  27  and a packer  28 , as will be described. Clamp  27  and packer  28  generally remain at a similar height. A cam-activated tray lever  29  can lower the back  24  and the spine stop  26  with respect to the clamp  27  and packer  28 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the spine stop  26  includes a series of fingers that interleave with notches in the lower surfaces of clamp  27  and packer  28  to eliminate any continuous gaps at the corners. 
     Compilers  5  and pockets  20  may be attached at one or both sides to a frame which moves along an endless track, for example in a loop. 
     FIG. 2 shows one of the pockets  20  in the normal or home feeding position for receiving the signatures from the stack  2 , as shown by location A in FIG.  1 . Back  24  is supported on a support  124 , in which a pivot  125  is supported. Spine stop  26  is connected to pivot  125  and thus can rotate downwardly when a spring latch  126  is released, as shown in FIG.  4  and as indicated at station E in FIG.  1 . 
     Supported in the frame of the pocket  20  are the clamp  27  and packer  28 . Clamp  27  has a first position, shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 3, and a second position where it is rotated downwardly, as shown in FIG.  4  and indicated at station E in FIG.  1 . Packer  28  has an open position for receiving signatures as indicated at station A in FIG. 1, a closed position for packing signatures against clamp  27  as shown at station B in FIG. 1, and a rotated position shown at station E in FIG.  1  and in FIG.  4 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1 at section A and in FIG. 6, a registration jogger  21  with a paddle  22  can act on each entering signature.  102  while packer  28  is open, with the shutter blades  23  supporting the upper end of the signature  102  so that the upper end maintains a generally vertical position. The paddle  22  can push the signature  102 , just above the curve on the vertical upper part, to move the signature  102  laterally. Once proper lateral registration is achieved, packer  28  can close as shown in section B in FIG. 1 to preserve the registration. As shown in FIG. 6, shutter blades  23  then can be pivoted about a pivot  123  using a cam operating on a cam roller  223 . As shown in FIG. 1, the upper part of the entering signature  102  joins the already collected signatures  104  so that a book  106  with proper registration is formed. 
     Once the book is properly formed, the spine is exposed in a tray-drop operation to prepare for processing. As shown in section C of FIG.  1  and FIG. 3, the packer  28  opens and back  24  and spine stop  26  drop with respect to the frame and clamp  27  and packer  28  to expose a section of the spine below the packer  27  and clamp  28 . The drop occurs by releasing a tray latch through a latch lever  128 , as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The amount of exposure is variable by setting a cam interacting with roller  129  (FIGS. 2 and 3) that controls the tray lever  29  and thus the height of the back  24  and the spine stop  26 . 
     The packer  28  is then closed on the book to set the exposure and the spine stop  26  is pivoted downwardly by releasing spine stop latch  126  shown in FIG.  2 . The back  24  is dropped to its bottom or lowest position. The clamp  28  is pivoted through rollers  131  (FIG. 6) interacting with a cam rail to orient the lower section of the book vertically and present the spine horizontally for cutoff. The cam interaction works against force of a clamp torsion spring  134 . At the same time packer rollers interact with opposing cams that cause springs  132  on the packer assemblies to compress, thus permitting the packer  27  to exert a greater holding force to hold the book against clamp  28 . A packer operating lever  130  as shown in FIG. 5 is used to operate the packer when the lever is depressed (as shown) and compresses the springs when raised. High reaction forces on the pocket tend to be avoided using the spring and cam interactions. As shown at stage E in FIG. 1, the spine of the book is then ready for processing, in this embodiment for sawing of the spine. The height of the back  24  (and thus the book) and the saws can determine the cutoff position. 
     After sawing, the spine is returned to its home position, as shown in step F, by a set of fixed cams. The spine stop  26  is closed and with the back  24  is raised until the spine stop  26  makes contact with the book spine. The packer  27  is opened and the back  24  and spine stop  26  are in the home or fully raised position, where respective latches  128  and  126  latch the back  24  and stop  26  in place. 
     A cover then may be added to the book at station F of FIG.  1 . The tray drop operation is repeated to cause the trimmed spine and untrimmed cover to be exposed at the bottom of the book, as shown in step G. Adhesive can then be placed on the spine surface by a glue roller rotating below the pockets, making tangential contact at matched velocities. The book with inverted cover is delivered by returning the packer  28  and clamp  27  be parallel to back  24  and opening the packer cam to allow the book to fall as shown in step H from the packer into the custody of a conveying device such as a gripper conveyor or belt. 
     The components of the pocket are then returned to the home position by pivoting the spine stop and raising the back and spine stop to the raised position, where they are latched. 
     It should be understood that typically a plurality of stacks  2  will sit above the moving compilers  5  and pockets  20  to form the book. The signatures may be aided in maintaining a stationary position by a hopper structure having an open bottom. Packer as defined herein can be any device for contacting sheets. All movements of the various parts of the pockets may be activated buy stationary cams.