Patent GB-631198-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in book jacketing
IPC: B42C15/00
Filed: 1947-02-17
Abstract: 631,198. Applying jackets to books. SMYTH MANUFACTURING CO. Feb. 17, 1947, No. 4553. Convention date, Sept. 28, 1946. [Class 94(i)] A book-jacketing machine comprises means for supporting and horizontally moving a succession of books, with their backs upward, means adjacent the path of movement of the books for supporting their covers in open positions, means for placing a jacket on the back and open covers when the latter are held by the supporting means, and means for folding the jacket to bring its edge portions adjacent the inner faces of the open covers. The books are dealt with at three stations I-III, Fig. 2, at which the operations of cover opening, jacket placing and folding, and cover closing, are successively carried out. The books are fed intermittently from station to station by means of pushers 78, Figs. 2, 7, carried by a longitudinally-extending conveyor chain 70 supported on sprockets 72. A main driving motor 12 is connected by gearing with a main transverse shaft 34 which carries a series of cams for actuating successive operations of the machine. A link 88 which derives a reciprocating motion from a cam on the shaft 34, actuates a pawl 86 associated with a ratchet wheel 82. The intermittent rotation of the ratchet 82 is transmitted by gearing to the sprockets 72. The books are loaded on to the machine at an idle station I each with its back vertically upwards and its opposite edge supported on a longitudinally-extending rail 68. The sides of the book are supported by angle plates 104, 106 (106 only, visible in Fig. 2) extending parallel with the rail 68. In order to deal with the books of varying thicknesses the rail 68 is replaceable by rails of different widths and the plates 104, 106 are mounted in guides for adjustable transverse movement under the action of linkage operated by a screw and nut mechanism from a manual drive handle 140. In order to deal with books of varying width the rail 68 is carried by longitudinal members 66, 67 which are carried by slides 52 (Fig. 2) at each end of the machine adjustable for vertical position in supports 55 by rotation of the squared ends of a longitudinal shaft 58 coupled by bevel gearing (not shown) to screwed plungers operating the slides. The cover-opening mechanism (station II). The book is fed from station I to station II by one step of movement of a respective pusher 78 and the lateral support provided by the members 104, 106 is replaced by the support of members 142, 144 (Fig. 7) which oscillate between a supporting position (shown dotted in Fig. 7) during forward movement of the book to an inoperative position (full lines). The latter position allows the covers C to be raised to a horizontal position (Fig. 8). The members 142, 144 are carried by respective pairs of arms 146, 148 which are pivotally mounted on shafts 152, 150 and are actuated by pinions 154, 156. A rack 178 in driving engagement with the pinion, 154, 156 also has teeth 178a on a vertical face in engagement with a pinion 176 carried by a vertical shaft 174 which derives an oscillating movement from a cam 170 on the shaft 34. The cam 170 has a groove which is engaged by a roller carried by a rack 166 guided for horizontal longitudinal movement and in engagement with a gear fast with the shaft 174. The inward movement of the members 142, 144 into supporting position is limited by the engagement of lugs 180, 182 carried by the respective outer ends of the members 142, 144, with respective projecting pins 188, 190 carried by arms associated and movable with the linkage (above described) for adjusting the position of the supporting plates 104, 106 at station I. Adjustment of the plates 104, 106 thus effects adjustment also of the spacing in operative position of the members 140, 142. The covers are lifted to the position of Fig. 8 by the engagement therewith of pairs of suction cups 248, 258 carried by respective members 246 on either side of the book and connected by conduits (not shown) with a vacuum pump via a valve mechanism (Fig. 17). The member 246 on each side, is fast on a respective shaft 242 carried by a slide 222 vertically moveable in a guiding member 192. The two slides 222 are connected to a transverse shaft 236 supported at either end by the outer ends of arms 230. The inner ends of the arms 230 are pivotally mounted in brackets 226 rigid with a fixed frame member 194. Respective arms 232 coupled to intermediate points on the arms 230 are reciprocated through linkage (not shown) associated with a cam on the shaft 34. The slide 222 carries a pinion 238 which is in mesh with both a rack 240 on the guiding member 192 and a toothed segment 244 fast with the shaft 242. Each member 192 is carried by a respective slide 196 which is guided for inward-outward movement relative to the frame member 194 and which is formed with a rack (not shown) on its lower surface, in engagement with a toothed segment. A linkage connected with a respective cam on the shaft 34 oscillates the toothed segment. The translational movement of the shaft 242 horizontally due to inward-outward movement of the slide 196 and vertically due to movement of the slide 222 relative to the member 192, is arcuate about the hinge of cover C as centre. The members 192 are adjustably movable relative to their respective carrying slides 196 in order to deal with books of different thicknesses, by means of a nut on each member 192 engaged by a transverse threaded shaft 218, rotatable via pinions 212, 214, 216 by a square-ended transverse shaft 210. The members 192 are secured in their adjusted positions by means of clamps 220. The covers are held in the horizontal position by longitudinal rails 270 which are moved in and out of operative position (shown in full lines in Fig. 8), in step with the oscillations of the shaft 242 by linkage 264, 266 connected with the main camshaft 34. The rails 270 are also laterally adjustable manually in accordance with books of varying width. The number of the cups 248, 258 in the longitudinal direction may vary with the length of book. For a narrow book the lower cup 258 may be dispensed with. In a simplified construction the covers may be opened manually. The jacket placing mechanism (station III). The book is transferred by a movement of the respective pusher 78 to station III the covers C being maintained in horizontal position by longitudinal rails 408 (Fig. 9). The book is supported at the bottom of the sides of the filler by angle plates 115, 116 (116 only, visible in Fig. 2) which are similar to, and form extensions of, the plates 104, 106. The jackets J are fed from a stack S supported by a platform 274, by means of a plurality (three in the present construction) of laterally-shaped vertical slides 304 carrying jacket-engaging vacuum cups connected via the valve mechanism, Fig. 17, with the vacuum pump. Each slide 304 is carried by a respective guide bracket 302 (Fig. 1, not shown) laterally adjustable relative to a supporting member 287 (Fig. 1) which forms a cross member of a carriage having side members 284 and rollers 288 for longitudinal movement on fixed rails 280. The carriage is moved by linkage 290, 292 and further linkage associated with the camshaft 34. Each slide 304 carries a rack portion in engagement with a respective pinion in splined engagement with, and laterally adjustable relative to, a shaft 312 bearing at respective ends in the carriage side members 284. The shaft 312 carries a pinion 316 which is in engagement with a rack 318, having a longitudinal reciprocating movement derived from the camshaft 34 via links 320, 322 and other linkage. At the commencement of the transfer of a jacket from the stack S, the linkage 320 &c. is arranged so that the rack 318 is given a limited rearward movement in order to raise the slides 304 and their jacket, clear of the stack. The rack 318 is then given a forward movement which tends to lower the slides 304. The relative movement between the rack 318 and the pinion 316 is increased on commencement of the rearward movement of the carriage. Air jets 328 are applied to the rear edges of the jacket to prevent more than one jacket being lifted at a time. The timing of the jacket placing mechanism is arranged so that a jacket is being picked up from the stack as the covers C of the respective book are being opened and the jacket and book arrive simultaneously at station III. The platform 274 is automatically vertically movable in order to maintain the top jacket of the stack at a predetermined height by the rotation of vertical supporting threaded members (not shown) via a bevel gearing connection from a shaft 332 carrying a ratchet wheel 334. An arm 336 pivotally mounted on the shaft 332 carries a pawl 338 engageable with the ratchet 334 and has an extension carrying a pin 344 which is in engagement with a slot 3421 in a link 342. The link 342 receives a reciprocating movement from a link 346 connected by further linkage with the camshaft 34. The arm 336 is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 340 but is normally restrained by the engagement of a toothed projection 348 of the arm 336 with a pawl 350. In this position of the arm 336 the pin 344 is not engaged by either end of the slot 342<SP>1</SP> during reciprocation of the link 342. An arm on the pawl 350 is held in engagement, by a spring 3501 acting on the pawl, with a stop 376 carried by a vertically-extending pushrod 360 which is acted on by a crank 362 oscillated by movement of linkage 368, 370 associated with the camshaft 34. The rod 360 is in engagement at its upper end with a stop 358 on a crank arm 356 which is pivotally mounted on the frame at 352 and is rigid with a finger 354 the end of which is held in engagement with the top jacket of the stack S by the action of a spring 372 connected with the arm 356. A spring 374 biasses the rod 360 upwardly but is weaker than the spring 372. When the top jacket