Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-09
STATE BOOK BINnERY.
How the State Series of School Tex
Books Are Bound.

Books Are Bound.
The State Printing Office is one of the
most interesting institutions in the city.
One of the most attractive departments is
the bindery. Since the appointment of
Mr.. Grossman to its foremanship many
Improvements have been made, not only
In the replacement of its machinery, the
knocking out of partitions and enlarging
the binGery proper, but also in the deport-
ment of its employees and the increased
amount of work turned out. As manager
Mr.. Grossman has no superior, as is shown
by the able manner in which his depart
ment is conducted. He is a practical
binder, and was appointed to his present
position from the bench" In selecting
him for the head of the bindery depart
ment the Superintendent of State Printing,
Captain Young, has placed the right man
in the right place.
SOME or THE IMPROVEMENTS.
The room which was formerly occupied
by the State in storing condemned guns.
ETC., has been converted into folding and
sewing-room, and the space on the main
floor used by the girls for folding and sew
ing purposes has been fitted up with work
benches and tables, giving additional room
to the men for forwarding" Two new
standing presses, recently arrived from the
East, have been put into position. Nearly
all OF the machinery has been replaced and
put into more advantageous positions,
thereby increasing the capacity OF this de-
partment more than % per cent.
There are employed in the State bindery
thirty-eight men and fifty-one girls. The
machinery used is of the latest improve
ment, and was purchased from Messrs.
Donnell q Co., Chicago. Among the ma
chInery used is one rotary board-cutter, one
29-inch iob-backer, four large standing
presses, one No. 20" top-wheel standing
press, one self-acting 54-inch knife-grinder,
one pair "a inch table shears, two power
case-smoothers, one case bending machine,
two roller hackers, one power stabbing ma
chine, one 32-inch Gem cutter, one
rotary " Peerless" peTforator, one power
steam numbering machine, one wire
stitcher, one book-trimmer with four
knives, one turn-table book trimmer, one
case-lnking machine, two enclosing
presses, one power saving machine, one
No. and one No. 4 standing presses, one
34-lnch Chicago paper-cutter, one power
smashing machine, one 50-inch metal rul-
ing machine, one 12-hole steam glue
boiler, besides pressing boards, a complete
set of inlshers' tools, stamps, dies and
other necessary articles generally found in
a wellregulated book bindery and too
numerous to mention.
Upon entering this department the Wis
itor is greeted by the ringing clash of the
machinery and the beating of heavy ham
mers; on looking around he perceives what
might be styled human beehive wherein
exist no drones. Each man and girl is busily
employed upon his or her specific duties
from the folding of the sheets TO the final
touch, or the pressing of the books and
preparing them for shipment. If the Wis
itor is observing, he will find many things
in the course of book binding which will
prove very interesting.
HOW THE SCHOOL BOOKS ARE BOUND.
The sheets, as they are received in the
bindery, contain four siXteen-page sigma
lures. These signatures are cut apart, and
then taken to the girls to be folded, after
which they are laid out in numerical order
and gathered into book form. The books
then undergo what is termed the smashing
process. This is done in order to make
the books more compact. Were they al
lowed to remain in their original spongy
state they would not only be more diff cult
to bind, but would also be more liable to
come apart after being bound. The smash
ing done. the books are sawed out-that is,
five grooves are made i'll the back the two
outer ones are called kettle cuts" and are
the commencing and ending points of the
thread. The remaining three cuts or
grooves are those in which the bands rest.
From the saving machine the books again
go to the girls to be sewed, which is done
by sewing with strong thread around the
bands, beginning and ending as before
stated, at the kettle cuts. A number of
books are sewed on the same bands-the
har hnnovar dananIS a,,ti
the size of the book. From this on, the
books are handled exclusively by the men,
and this is what is termed forwarding"
The forwarding begins with the drawing
off or separating the books; portion of
the band is left remaining on either side,
to assist in holding the sections, or sigma
lures, in place. When drawn oil, the end
leaves sometimes called tiy-leaves) are
tipped on, and it is principally these end
leaves which holds the body of the book
to the cover. Double sets of end leaves, or
four single pages, are tipped on either side
of the book, the two outer ones being
pasted together. The trimming which
follows the FASTING up is done by turn
table trimming machine the three edges Of
the book being trimmed by the turning of
the table upon which the book lies and the
automatic working of knife. The round
ing comes next. The backs are first glued
and then beaten with heavy hammer on
the edges, which draws the sides away
from the center portion of the book, thus
giving the back a rounded shape and the
front or face of the book an appearance of
being cut out with a carpenters round"
Backing follows the rounding, and is
done principally by machinery. The back
Of the book is held between two iron
clamps or Jaws, while heavy
roller is pushed backwards and for
wards over it, forming a joint on either
side, after which the backs are lined with
strips OF gray super and heavy hardware
lining paper. The duty of the lining is
two fold-it assists both in holding the sec
tons together, and holding the body of the
book to the cover. The books are now
ready for casing" The outside end leaves
are first pasted off and the books then set
in the covers (Which have been previously
made) and put in press. They are allowed
to remain i'll press about an hour, in which
time the paste becomes thoroughly dry and
the books are ready for shipment.
Besides the binding of the school text
books, the State bindery does all the work
for several officers and Commissions of this
State, which work belongs exclusively to
the State department, and is paid for out of
an entirely different fund As so much work
| is done for both the State and textbook de-
parlInentS, ana all enploye Is HaDle 10 De
transferred at any time from one to the
other, the question naturally arises,
how are the funds kept separate? The
mode is simple and complete. At the
close of the day each employee is presented
with time card, fac sinliIe of which is
| herewith presented:
BINDERY TINE CARD.
loo'..'''
Rs Be exact in charging your time to the