A Rotary Machine for Making Cases or Covers for Books.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1891-Accepted, 9th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Rotary Machine for Making Cases or Covers for Books.
JOHN JONES Mechanical Engineer 17 Hunter Street Brunswick Square London,
W.C. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The cloth or other material with which these cases are covered is in a roll. The
said roll is mounted on an iron spindle, which runs in bearings. The end of the
cloth is passed over a revolving cylinder, over which are revolving brushes receiving
the liquid glue from a duct roller which regulates the supply being distributed on
the cloth.
Under the cylinder is a trough for cleaning off any glue which may have
adhered to its surface while glueing the cloth; this trough & the cylinder can be
heated if necessary. The cloth is then carried on under the automatic feed boxes
in which are placed the straw-boards or cards, previously cut to the size of case
required. These boards, or cards, are fed on to the glued surface of the cloth.
The hollow between the boards being supplied from automatic boxes or a reel of
card or other material, is pressed by a roller on to the cloth.
On entering the rollers for pressing the board, a knife cuts off the corners &
separates the cloth. The partly made case is then carried by rollers between
guides where the edges are folded over & the hollow of the case rounded &
delivered complete.
One or more rotary cutters can be applied for cutting the cloth the right width,
lengthwise.
The glue can be melted by steam or gas. Needle points for picking up the
cloth from the cylinder can be applied.
The machine will make various sizes of cases; or several at one operation, side
by side, working from independent rolls.
Dated this 21st day of May 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Rotary Machine for Making Cases or Covers for Books.
I, JOHN JONES, of 96, Judd Street, Brunswick Square, W.C., Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
in
My invention relates to machinery for making cloth or paper covered cases or
covers for binding books and it comprises apparatus for coating with glue the cloth
or paper in the continuous length; apparatus for depositing
proper positions and
at proper intervals upon the glue coated surface the straw boards to form the side
covers and the back lining and for pressing them into contact therewith; apparatus
for severing the covering material transversely between the successive sets of boards
and for trimming the corners to remove the excess and form mitre seams or joints
when folded; apparatus for folding the margins of the covering material over the
side and top and bottom edges of the boards and pressing them into firm contact
with the inner faces of the boards; and apparatus for delivering the finished cases
or covers the whole being combined in one continuous machine, as hereafter
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a part longitudinal sectional elevation of the essential parts of the

page_text: [
pitch lines.
Figure 2 is a plan.
Figure 3 is a cross-section of the hopper.
Figures 45, 6, and 7 are details.
Figure 8 is a modified form of cutting device.
The cloth or paper A is drawn from a roll A' by a feed roller B turning in
contact with a steam heated revolving drum C over which the cloth or paper passes
beneath revolving brushes D D turning in contact with a ductor roller E and
supplied with glue thereby from a trough F thence beneath a divided hopper or
box G in which the "boards" are piled and whence they are extracted by feed
claws h on a bar H whereby a pair of boards are fed simultaneously for the side
covers together, in some cases, with a third intermediate strip of thinner pasteboard
for the back lining, the feed apparatus being so timed as to deposit successive pairs
of boards at the proper intervals apart along the cloth to leave sufficient margin
(when severed as hereafter described) for folding the cloth over the top and bottom
edges of the boards, the width of the cloth being of course such as to provide
similar margins for folding over the side edges of the boards. The boards, with
or without the intermediate strip, pass out at the rear end of the hopper beneath a
gauge and meet the glued surface of the cloth A at the nip of a pair of geared
pressing rollers I whereby the boards and cloth are pressed into close contact and
whence they pass between a second pair of pressing rollers J thence beneath
V-shaped cutters K situated at opposite edges of the cloth whereby the latter is
V-notched at the places where it is to be subsequently cut across thence between
another pair of geared pressing and feeding rollers L and thence beneath a
transverse guillotine cutter M whereby the cloth is severed at the V-notches
between successive sets of boards, the material so removed by the V-notches being
the excess at the corners so that when the margins of the cloth are folded a neat
mitre joint will be made at the corners of the cover. The leading margin of the
cloth is then turned up to a vertical position against the edges of the boards by the
rising motion of a folding device N. In this up-turned position the edge of
the cloth, by the continued onward motion imparted by the rollers L, meets and
passes beneath an adjustable scraper folder N¹ whereby it is folded over and pressed
down upon the upper surface of the boards to which, the glue being still tacky, it
adheres. The lateral margins of the cloth then pass between and under a pair of
stationary guide folders O acting somewhat in the manner of a sewing machine
hemmer guide whereby the lateral margins of the cloth are also folded over the side
edges on to the upper surface of the boards. The partially finished case then
passes between another pair of geared feeding and pressing rollers P whereby the
firm contact of the folded margins is ensured and by which it is passed on to a pair
of flanged side pressing rollers Q pressed inwards by springs to a distance rather
less than the total width of the case, and laterally movable so that when they meet
the leading corners of the case they will yield and give passage to the case against
the edges of which they roll, the action of these rollers being to make a neat finish
of the cloth at the corners of the case. After leaving the rollers P the partially
finished case passes over a bar or table R and thence between another pair of
rollers S whose nip is at a lower plane than that of the rollers P and table R so
that in passing from the one pair of rollers to the other the case will be bent down-
wards over the edge of the table, as indicated by the arrow, and on escaping from
the table R the rear edge of the case will be caused by its own elasticity to spring
suddenly downwards past the edge of the table whereby the rear margin of the
cloth will be turned up vertically against the edge of the boards in position to be
acted on by a folder T (Figure 6) which at this moment comes quickly from
beneath the table R and folds down the margin over the boards the adhesion of the
folded margin being completed by the pressure of the rollers S. From these rollers
the finished case is conveyed by an endless apron U between pairs of vertical

page_text: lateral guides V whence it is removed by the reciprocating plunger W of the
delivery apparatus by which the successive cases are packed on edge against a
sliding abutment X. When the lining of the back of the case is of card or other
material too thin to be fed by the end pressure of the claws h, it is drawn from the
roll Y and fed on to the cloth between the boards at the time of passing between
the pair of rollers J, as shewn in dotted lines, this back lining being of course
severed and folded with the cloth covering of the case.
The upper roller of both pairs of rollers J and K is provided with a central
band of larger diameter corresponding to the reduced thickness of the material to
be pressed at this point. Such band, in order to be readily adjustable for various
thicknesses, being formed by lapping glued strips of paper or tape around the upper
rollers. The feed roller B is covered with rubber and is geared by a pinion b¹
with a toothed wheel c on the drum shaft. The glue brushes D are driven by
pinions d gearing by an intermediate pinion d' with a wheel e on the ductor roller
shaft whilst the ductor roller E is driven by bevel gear e e e e and an intermediate
shaft from a cross shaft 1 also geared with wheel c by wheel c'. The trough F is
steam heated by a coil or chamber at back to keep the glue liquid and is provided
with an adjustable scraper for regulating the thickness of the layer of glue on the
ductor roller E. The cylinder C is steam heated and is kept cleaned of glue
deposited thereon by the brushes D beyond the edges of the cloth A by moistened
sponges and a rubber squeegee contained in a trough and pressed up against
the cylinder C by a rack and pinion motion. The cloth A after receiving the
coating of glue is passed beneath a guide roller a so as to afford room for the
working of the feed claw bar H. The feed claws are carried by the cross bar H
fixed adjustably (to suit different sizes of boards) to slide blocks h¹ working on
horizontal guides on the framing, and the claws pass up between parallel
longitudinal grate bars g forming the bottom of the box G on which the piles of
boards rest. This claw bar H receives reciprocating motion from a pair of levers h³
connected by links to the slides h¹, said levers being carried by a rock shaft h
operated through a forked connecting rod by an eccentric on a cross shaft 4.
The hopper or box G is divided into three compartments, as shown in Figure 3 the
two outer ones G¹ for the side cover boards and the middle one G for the back
linings (when used) the delivery apertures being regulated by adjustable gauges gl
which permit the exit of only the bottom board of the pile at a time. The rollers I
are driven by bevel gear and an intermediate vertical shaft i from cross-shaft 3
driven by bevel gear and an intermediate longitudinal shaft 2 from shaft 1. The
other pairs of rollers J, L, P, are driven by bevel gear from a longitudinal shaft 15
driven from the rollers I whilst the rollers S are driven by a belt from rollers P.
All the top rollers of the several pairs are mounted in vertically adjustable bearings
to suit boards of different thicknesses and they are also geared with the bottom
rollers.
on
The V-cutters K work against correspondingly shaped bed cutters and besides
being V-shaped in plan their cutting edges are slightly inclined and may either be
straight or made V-notched, as shewn, so as, in either case, to effect a drawing cut.
They are carried by a cast iron block fixed in the channel of a cross-bar k
working up and down in vertical end guides in the side frames and actuated at
proper times by tappets on discs fixed (adjustably in the circular direction) on
the shaft 4 (which is driven by spur gear from the shaft 3) striking lugs
The distance
rods attached to bark and slotted at 2 to slide on the shaft 4.
between the cutters K is made to suit the size of book cover to be made by having
blocks ¹ of different lengths and changing them as required, the cutters K' being
correspondingly mounted on changeable blocks. In order to ensure the removal of
the V-shaped piece of cloth cut out by the cutters K K' the knocking out device
shewn in Figures 4 and 5 is used. It consists of a V-ended finger k' playing in the
hollow of the V-cutters and carried by an oscillating lever pivoted to the frame
and whose tail end is struck by a tappet on the rod 4 when the latter is drawn
.

page_text: down to operate the cutters K there being one of these knocking out devices at
each side of the machine. The cross-cutter M is attached to a cross bar m sliding
in vertical end guides in the frame and is similarly operated by tappets m¹ on
discs m³ fixed adjustably on cross shaft 5 which is driven by equal spur gear 67
from shaft 4, the tappets m' acting on lugs m³ on rods m attached to the cross bar m
and slotted at mo to slide upon the shaft 5. The tappets m³ give the downward and
springs 11, 12 give the upward motion to the cutters. Between the bed cutter
and the folder N is a bar 8 which is carried by rock levers 9 pivoted to the frame
and whose tail ends have lugs which stand in the path of tappets 10 fixed to the
cutter bar rods m³, so that, as the knife M is brought down, the tappets 10 suddenly
throw the bar 8 up against the cloth immediately behind the knife and ensure its
complete severance. The folder N works in guides in the frame and is operated by
rods n and lever arms n¹ on a weigh shaft n actuated by a tappet n³ on shaft 4
striking the end of lever arm n'. The side folders O as likewise the brackets to
which are
pivoted the levers carrying the flanged rollers Q are fixed adjustably to
the frame in the lateral direction to suit the size of case or cover to be made. The
folder T is carried by arms t on a weigh shaft operated by a tappet t³ on shaft 5
acting on lever arm i³.
The delivery plunger or slide W is reciprocated to and fro in its guides by an
eccentric w on the shaft 5. Shaft 4 is driven from shaft 3 through change gear 13, 14
to enable the mechanism deriving motion from the last-mentioned shaft to be speeded
to suit the size of boards being covered.
Instead of employing separate cutting motions for effecting the V-notching of
the edges of the cloth and for cross-cutting the cloth between successive sets of
boards as above described, I may combine the two sets of cutters in one by
mounting the V-cutters K on the same cutter bar as, and at the ends of the
cross-cutter M, the upper pair of V-cutters K being either made in one with the
top cross cutter or, preferably, carried by blocks and adjusted with their apexes
against the ends of the cross cutter, as shewn in plan in Figure 8.
If it is desired to "round" the backs of the covers an additional pair of rollers Z
(shewn in Figure 7) would be provided after the rollers S, the delivery aprons U
being transferred to said rollers Z. The upper roller Z has a convex enlargement
at the middle of its length whilst the under roller has a corresponding neck or
groove whereby the rounding of the back is effected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The herein described machine combining the various motions and performing
the various operations in the manufacture of case bindings or covers for books,
substantially as specified.
2. In the herein described machine, the combination, with the herein described
glue coating mechanism, of the mechanism and parts constituting the board feeding
apparatus, substantially as specified.
3. In the herein described machine, the combination, with the glue coating
mechanism, of the herein described board feeding mechanism of pairs of pressing
and feeding rollers and of knives, operating as described, for V-notching the edges
of, and cross-cutting, the cloth between successive sets of boards, as described.
4. In the herein described machine, the combination, with the board feeding
apparatus pressing rollers V-notching and cross-cutting knives, of the devices
for folding the leading and lateral margins of the cloth, operating as
described.
5. The combination of mechanism whereby the folding of the leading margin is
effected as described.
6. The combination, with the pairs of pressing and feeding rollers and the
intermediate table so arranged as to bend the case and turn up the rear or

page_text: following margin of the cloth, of the vibrating folder for completing the folding
operation, as described.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1891.
JOHN JONES.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.