Patent GB-358729-A (GB)
Title: A method of and mechanism for connecting signatures in a signature-handling machine
IPC: B42B2/00
Filed: 1930-10-13
Abstract: 358,729. Bookbinding-machines. POLLAK, J. E., 20, Holborn, London. - (Brehmer, Geb.; Plagwitz, Leipsic, Germany.) Oct. 13, 1930, No. 30634. [Class 16.] A method of attaching together the signatures of a book or the like in a rotary-arm stitching machine consists in applying adhesive to a signature adjacent the fold after laying the signature upon the requisite carrier arm but prior to assembling the signature with the signatures previously assembled. A member 1a, Fig. 1, constructed with four radial arms upon which are mounted signature-conveying saddles, is supported in the main frame 1 of the machine and is adapted to descend after each operation, rotate through a right-angle, and ascend in known manner. A signature is placed on each saddle as it passes the position A, from whence it passes to the position B to receive adhesive from an oscillating roller 13<1> supplied from a roller 13 rotating in an adhesive container, and then passes to the position C to be assembled. An automatic signature-straightening device consists of a rotating roller 7 faced with rubber or other frictional material and driven by a belt &c. from a shaft 8 which is driven by bevel gearing from a shaft 42. The roller 7 is mounted on a bracket 41 which is loosely pivoted on the shaft 8, and both the bracket and the roller are oscillated about the shaft 8 by means of a cam 28 and levers 28a, 28b. The roller 7 is caused to press against a signature and draw it under a spring clip 6 on the carrier arm. The roller 131 is mounted in arms 12 which are pivoted to the adhesive supply device and connected to an operating foot pedal 10 by means of a lever 11. The lever 11 is provided with a pin 27, Fig. 5, which engages with a spring-controlled bell-crank lever 24, 24<1> pivoted at 45. Upward movement of the lever 24, 24<1> automatically actuates the adhesive supply roller 13<1>. Known mechanism for applying a backing strip across the assembled signatures, comprising a lever 38 which depresses a bar 51 disposed transversely over the machine to loop the backing strip, is automatically operated from the continuously rotating eccentric 28 by means of a spring-controlled bell-crank lever 25, 25<1>, pivoted at 45, and a connecting lever 37. A shaft 16 is rotated from the continuously rotating shaft 42 by pawl mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel 29 secured on the shaft 16 and an engaging pawl 33 attached to a bell-crank lever 19 freely mounted on the shaft 16. The free end of the bell-crank lever 19 is attached to a slotted connecting-rod 29a, the latter being provided with a cam follower adapted to engage a grooved cam 29b secured to the shaft 42. The shaft 42 makes one complete revolution for each stitching operation, and during one revolution advanced the ratchet wheel 29 by one tooth. Discs 21, 44, Fig. 4, are fixed on the shaft 16, the disc 21 being provided with two notches 22, 22<1> on its circumference, and the disc 44 with a notch 36 on its circumference. The bellcrank lever 24, 24<1> is positioned below the disc 21 and the bell-crank lever 25, 25<1> below the disc 44, and both levers are either controlled by the cam 28 or by two cams mounted on the shaft 42. A division plate 18 having a series of notches around its circumference is loosely mounted on the shaft 16 and is provided with lateral projections 31, 49, the latter being adapted to bear in its extreme position against a stop 50 mounted on the frame 46. An adjustable stop-lever 17 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 16 and is adapted to engage by means of a spring plunger pin 17<1> in any of the notches, or in recesses between the notches, of the division plate 18. The lever 17 is provided with a face 47 against which a projection 30, provided in the ratchet wheel 29, is adapted to contact. A pawl 32 pivoted on the frame 46 prevents the ratchet wheel 29 from slipping back during the retreat of the actuating pawl 33, and is adapted to be thrown out of action by means of an extension 311 on the stop 31. The pawl 33 moves over a tripping member 34, pivoted on the frame 46, each time it is retracted. Assuming the stop-lever 17 is set on the division plate 18, for each revolution of the shaft 42 the ratchet wheel 29 is advanced by one tooth until the stop 30 on the ratchet wheel 29 encounters the stop 31 on the division plate 18 which was stationary with the stop 49 bearing against the stop 50. The plate 18 is carried round by the next advancement of the ratchet wheel 29 until the extension 31<1> lifts the retaining pawl 32 ; at this stage the next retraction of the pawl 33 leaves the ratchet wheel 29 and timing discs 21, 44 free to be drawn back by the action of a spring 40 and chain 39 which engages with a sprocket wheel secured to the shaft 16. The stop 30 strikes the stop 47 and moves the division plate back until the stop 49 abuts the stop 50 on the frame 46. When commencing to handle a book the disc 21 is set by means such as a hand-wheel so that the notch 221 will advance and register with the lug 23 of the bell-crank lever 24, 24<1> after the first signature is stitched. When this occurs the connecting-rod 11 is raised and adhesive is applied to the second signature in the position B. The next advancement of the pawl 33 brings the stop 30 into engagement with the stop 31 and, as described above, the shaft 16 would be retracted but for the engagement of the lug 23 with the notch 221. When the lug 23 of the bell-crank lever 24, 24<1> is withdrawn by the cam 28 the shaft 16 is released and the plate 18 and discs 21, 44 are brought back to their respective stops. During the feed of the intermediate signatures the discs are stepped round as described until the last signature is put on the saddle at A. When the last signature arrives at position B the notch 22 engages the lug 23 and the adhesive-applying roller 13<1> is actuated. During the next turn of the member 1a to carry the last signature to be assembled to the rest of the signatures the first signature of another book arrives at B. The notch 36 of the disc 44 now registers with the lug 35 of the bell-crank lever 25, 25<1> and the looping mechanism is actuated. The treadle lever 10 serves to actuate the adhesive-applying device when it is required to glue intermediate or all signatures. The timing discs 21, 44 may be combined.