Improvements in Book Trimming Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
WALT DELE DEVITICAINN.
Improvements in Book Trimming Machines.
We, CHARLES WILLIAM LOVELL, Bookbinder, and ALFRED BREDENBERG,
Machinist, both of No. 142 Worth Street, in the City, County and State of New
York, United States of America, 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 :-
This invention relates to mechanism for cutting or trimming off the edges of
books, magazines, pamphlets, etc.
It is applicable to trimming paper covered books or pamphlets after binding, and
to the trimming of the leaves of books to be bound in stiff covers, the trimming
being performed before such covers are applied.
It has heretoforo been customary to trim books or pamphlets in an ordinary
papor cutting machine, a pile of books being usually trimmed at one time, and the
machine having to be adjusted and operated separately for the three successive outs
for trimming the top, side and bottom of the books. This method of trimming is
expensive because of the numerous manipulations necessary, and is defective
because the books are not trimmed to uniform dimensions.
The object of our invention is to produce a machine into which the books may
be fed one by one, and which will automatically trim the books to exact size, and
deliver the trimmed books out of the machine.
Our invention therefore consists broadly in the combination with (a) automatic
trimming mechanism of (b) feeding mechanism adapted to carry the books
successively to the trimming moohanism. By preference the feeding mechanism
also delivers the trimmed books from the trimming mechanism.
The trimming mechanism may consist of any suitable or known means for
trimming off the surplus paper from the edges of the books or pamphlets, and for
holding them properly in place during such trimming, the preferred construction
consisting of (1) clamping devices between which the book is firmly clamped, and
(2) cutting knives for trimming off the paper. The three outs necessary to com-
pletely trim a book may be made simultaneously or successively. If made
successively they may be made with the same knife or by different knives. And
the successive cuts may be made either while the book is held by the same clamping
devices, or distinct clamping devices may be employed for holding the book during
the successive cuts. Preferably tho cutting mechanism is divided into primary and
secondary cutting mechanisms, the former comprising clamping devices and a knife
for making the first cut, and the latter comprising distinct clamping devices to
which the book is fed after making the first cut and a knife or kníves for making
the second or second and third cuts.
The feeding mechanism might consist of any known types or varieties of feeding
mechanism used in the arts for feeding forward successivo pieces of work to bu
operated upon, it being only essential that the feeding mechanism shall be adapted
to engage books supplied to the machine and feed them one after another to the
trimming mechanism. In the preferred construction the feeding mechanism con-
sists of an endless chain or chains carrying successive cross-bars or pushers or other
equivalent instrumentalities for engaging the books and pushing or feeding them
along to the trimming mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side view of a book to be trimmed, the dotted lines illustrating the
respective trimming outs;
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatio vertical sectional view illustrating the principal

page_text: Fig. 3 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the principal operative parts in
plan;
Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine, being chiefly a mid-
section;
Fig. 5 is a plan of the machine partly in section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4, the
cutting bed being accordingly removed. The feed table is also shown broken away,
and the cross-bars of the feed chain also partly broken away;
Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on the line 6-6 in Figs. 4 and 5 ;
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the main sliding frame with its attached parts,
removed from the machine, with the driving shaft and cams for driving it;
Fig. 8 is a plan of the said frame and its attached parts;
Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the machine cut in the plane of the line 9-9 in
Figs. 4 and 5 ;
Fig. 10 is a rear elevation, and Fig. 11 a side elevation of the book-gauge
pertaining to the secondary trimming mechanism;
Figs. 12 and 13 are corresponding views of the book-gauge pertaining to the
primary trimming mechanism;
Fig. 14 is a transverse section out in the plane of the line 14-14 in Figs. 4
and 5;
Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan showing the mounting of the cutting blook, the
view being partly broken away in horizontal section;
Fig. 16 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the mounting of the cutting
block and the mechanism for rotating it;
Fig. 17 is a fragmentary horizontal section illustrating part of said latter
mechanism;
Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are fragmentary vertical longitudinal sections illustrating
successivo stages in the operation of the primary trimming mechanism;
Fig. 21, is a similar view showing the operation of fooding the books from the
primary to the secondary trimming mechanism, and from the latter to the discharge
end of the machine;
Fig. 22 is a fragmentary transverso section illustrating the operation of the end
guides pertaining to the secondary trimming mechanism ;
Fig. 28 is a side elevation of one of these guides;
We will first describe in general the trimming operation as illustrated in
Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The machine constructed as illustrated in the drawings is adapted
to trim the book by two operatious, making first a cut on the line - in Fig. 1,
and afterward two cuts simultaneously on the lines y-y and 3-2 in Fig. 1.
Sometimes in book or magazine work the top cut y or the bottom cut
omitted, but in the following description we shall assume that all three cuts are
made.
is
Referring to Fig. 2, A designates a cutting bed, and B and C two spring-mounted
clamping plates or tables adapted to move up against the bed A. These tables
are mounted on a frame D, which is given at intervals an upward movement
sufficient to thrust the plates B and C against the under side of the cutting bed.
On the frame D are mounted a knife F for making the first cutz, and two
knives G G' for making the secondary cuts y-y and 2. The knives are shown
as fixedly attached, but if a draw out is required they will be mounted to slide.
As the frame D ascends the spring-mounted plates B C are stopped by encountering
the cutting bed A, whereupon the continued ascent of the frame D brings the
knives F, GG' against the cutting bed.
The books to be trimmed are placed one after another on a feed table H, between
the cross-bars, pushers or feeders II of the feeding mechanism. The feeding
mechanism shown consists of a ladder-chain comprising the cross-bars II and the
two parallel endless chains J J. The cross-bars II slide over the feed-table H,
and clamping plates B and C, and fixed tables or guides a and b, all of which when
the plates BC are lowered are approximately on the same level.
The operation is, that a book laid by the attendant on the feed table H against

page_text: gauges a' a¹ (Fig. 3) is first pushed by one of the cross-bars I onto the feed plato B
until the advancing side or back of the book encounters and is stopped by a primary
gauge c. Thereupon the frame D rises, the book being lifted on the table until its
upper side encounters the cutting bed A, whoreupon it is clamped against this bed
between the parallel surfaces of the bed and clamping plate, and is held with a
strength dependent on the tension of a spring B' on which the clamping plate B is
mounted, which spring is made quite stiff. The continued motion of the sliding
frame D after the arrest of the clamping plate B, causes the primary cutting
knife F to rise until its edge projects above the top of the clamping plate B and
cuts through the edge of the book projecting beyond this outting plate, and until
the edge of the knife reaches the lower face of the cutting bed A. Thereupon the
frame D descends to its first position, the plate B following it down and lowering
the partly trimmed book to its original level. At the same time the gauge c
descends to below the level of the table H, and plates B C, to permit the cross-
bar I to push the book forward over the plate a and onto the secondary clamping
plate C. As soon as the book and cross-bar have passed over the gauge o, it
ascends to the position shown ready to receive the next book. The book pushed
onto the table C is pushed against a secondary gauge d, which has the same move-
ments as the gauge e, moving synchronously therewith. The upward movement of
the frame D is then repeated, the book being lifted on the clamping plate C and
clamped against the cutting bed A, the plate C being arrested and exerting a
clamping pressure proportional to the stiffness of its spring C', while by the
continued upward movement of the frame D the knives GG' carried thereby
ascend and trim off the opposite ends of the book until their edges encounter the
underside of the cutting bed A, whereupon the frame D moves down again, lowering
the clamping plate C to its former level. With the descent of the plate C, the
secondary gauge & descends to below this level, and the chain thereupon moves
forward again, the cross-bar I pushing the trimmed book over the plate C and onto
the delivery plate b, down the inclined portion of which the book slides and falls
ont of the machine into any suitable receptacle. The books are thus trimmed one
by one and in rapid succession.
We will proceed to describe the details of the construction of the machine :—
Referring to Figs. 4, 5, 6, etc., let K K designate two parallel longitudinal side
frames having connecting cross-frames K¹, K³, K³. The side frames K K are
formed with Banges constituting the ways ee upon which travel anti-friction
rollers pivoted to the successive links of the chains JJ, in order to reduce the
friction of the travel of these chains. The construction of Inddor-chain shown
consists of longitudinal links at the sides connected to the opposite ends of the
cross-bars I I.
The vertical sliding frame D, which is shown removed from the machine in
Figs. 7 and 8, is constructed with a contral longitudinal web g, a vertical transverse
web h at its rear end, and a horizontal transverse table i near its front end. It is
guided to move vertically by the edges g' and ' working in vertical ways formed
on the inner sides of the frames, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. At the lower
part of the frame D are mounted rollers jj which rest upon cams kk (Fig. 6) fixed
on a driving shaft L (Fig. 7).
The primary trimming knife F is clamped by screws 11 (Fig. 7) against the
transverse web h, adjusting screws mm being provided for setting up the edge of
the knife. The knives G and G' are in like mauner fastened to sliding brackets n n
mounted on top of the transverse table i, and fastened thereto by bolts n² passing
through slots in said table, whereby the knives G G may be set to different
distances apart.
The clamping plates B and C are each mounted on two vertical bara or
posts BB and CC respectively (Fig. 7) which pass through bearings formed
on the slide D, and are pressed up by stiff springs B' and C¹ respectively until
stopped by collars o striking the upper bearings.
The primary cutting gauge c and its sliding frame or mounting are shown detached

page_text: in Figs. 12 and 13. The gaugo e consists of an upright plate which is attached to
an adjustable plate c³, mounted on a vertically-sliding frame c³, c c which is lifted
and lowered by a cam e carried on the driving shaft L (Figs. + and 12).
The gauge c must be adjustable to determine the width to which the book is
to be trimmed, for which purpose an adjusting screw c' propels the sliding plate c'
in either direction.
The secondary gaugo d and its sliding frame are shown detached in Figs. 10
and 11. The gauge consists of a vertical plate fastened to a sliding plated,
mounted on a frame d'd' carrying a roller, and which frame is lifted and
lowered by a cam fixed on the main shaft L (Figs. 9 and 10). To adapt
the machine for books of different widths, the gauge d must be adjustable
longitudinally, for which purpose a screw is provided to adjust the sliding
plate d'.
The two gauges c and d are caused to descend simultaneously after each cutting
operation, and while the slide D is descending, in order to bring them below the
line of travel of the feed bars II, so that the books may be pushed over them.
In Fig. 21, they are shown dropped down to the positions they occupy during
this feeding movement. The gauge-frames are lifted by the cams cd and
descend by their own weight.
In trimming the ends of the book it must be longitudinally adjusted to the
correct position in order that exactly the proper cut shall be taken from each end.
To accomplish this we provide end gauges pp in the positions shown in Fig. 5,
which receive between them the opposito ends of the book. Those gauges are made
of metal plates flared outwardly at their entering ends to guide the book between
them, and mounted on arms p¹ (Figs. 22 and 23), which arms are pivoted at their
lower ends to sliding blocks 79 fastened adjustably to a flange l on the transverse
frame K. The arms are pressed toward each other by springs p², and are
stopped by n toe striking the block y. The gauges pp should be adjusted so
that at rest they stand slightly closer together than the length of the book before
trimming, and preferably one of the gauges is made more yielding than the other
by reason of its spring p' being less stiff, so that as the book is forced between the
gauges this more yielding gauge shall yield, thus gauging the longitudinal position
of the book by the position of the less yielding gauge.
As the end gauges pp stand over the cutting edges of the knives G G¹, they
must be moved out of the way of the knives before the knives begin to cut the ends
of the book. To do this the arms p'are formed with inward projections p', and the
sliding frame D is provided with cam-projections ii'. The respective projections
are so placed that as the frame D commences to rise, and before the knives reach
the book, the projections come together, and by their inclined surfaces the arms pl
are pressed apart, as shown in Fig. 22. The cross-bars or pushers I of the feed-
chain are cut away at ii to avoid striking the gauges pp.
The movements of the feeding chain are imparted by the following described
mechanism: On the driving shaft L is fixed a camr (Figs. 4 and 14) which acts
against a roller r beneath it mounted on an arm M' fixed to a rock-shaft M', to
which shaft are fixed two parallel arms M M projecting upwardly near the opposite
sides, and having pivoted to their upper ends spring dogs or pawls M³ the free ends
of which are formed with abrupt faces adapted to engage the cross-bars II of tho
chain. The two-armed elbow-lever M M M M is retracted by springs & con-
necting to the arms M M so as to keep the roller continually pressed against tho
cam. The dogs Mare pressed upward by springs s'. As the cam rexerts its thrust
against the roller, it throws the elbow-lever to the position shown in dotted linea in
Fig. 4, so that the dogs M push the cross-bar I which they are engaging forward
to the position previously occupied by the bar in advance. Subsequently the cam
permits the dogs to be retracted by the springs ss until the onds of the dogs wipe
under the next succeeding cross-bar and spring up against the rear side thereof
ready to push it forward at the next feeding movement.
After each forward feeding movement of the chain to push the books into position

page_text: to be acted on by the respective trimming mechanisms, it is necessary to move the
chain backward a little in order that its cross-bars I shall not stand in the way of
the operation of the respective trimming knives. For example, the forward feeding
movement will bring the bar I to about the position shown in Fig. 18, where it
would stand in the path of and interfere with the ascent of the knife F. The next
bar in advance would also stand too close to the rear ends of the knives G G'. It
is accordingly desirable to move the chain backward a short distance before the
cutting operation is performed. This is done by means of cams tt carried by the
sliding frame D in the positions most clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The upper
rear faces of these cams are inclined so as to engage the cross-bar I and push it
back to the position shown in Fig. 19, the bar being thus displaced in advance of
the movement of the knife F, as clearly shown.
The delivery table or slide B is oxtended beyond the clamping plate C, and
substantially on a level therewith for a sufficient distance to clear the frame sup-
porting the gauge d, whereupon it descends as shown at 6' in Fig. 4, to discharge
the trimmed book out at the end of the machine, terminating inside the path of
the chain, and being continued outside the path of the chain by a supplemental
inclined delivery plate, from which the books may fall into any suitable
receptacle.
16
The cutting bed A may be variously construoted, but is made preferably with a
yielding under surface against which the edges of the knives inay cut. In the
construction shown the bed is provided on its under side with a cutting block u
made of wood, with its grain extending vertically. This block is fitted beneath
a disc v, which disc is mounted against the bottom bed plate to of the cutting
bed A, as shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 16. The bed plate w is rigidly mounted and the
diso is pivotally connected to it on a stud . The cutting block u is fastened to
the disc by means of straps or flanges . These straps are fastened to the disc
at intervals by bolts u, and their ends are drawn together to clamp the block by
bolts . The cutting bed A is made to revolve, so that the cutting block u moves
a slight distance after each cut in order to bring the next succeeding cut in u
different place against the wood. Thus the wood indented by the knife edge is
given time to swell and close up the indentation before, in the course of the travel
of the block, the knife again cuts in the same place. To thus rotate the block, we
provide the disc with peripheral gear-teeth with which meshes a pinion Q' fixed
on a vertical shaft Q, as shown in Figs. 15 and 10. Lower down on this shaft is
fixed a ratchet-wheel Q', while a swinging arm Q' turns loosely on the shaft and
carries a pawl, best shown in Fig. 17, meshing with said ratchet-wheel. The
arm Q' is vibrated by being connected through the medium of a rod 9 with one
of the rock-levers M of the chain feed, so that during the forward' or feeding
movement of the chain, the pawl in its forward feeding movement propels the
ratchet-wheel g³, and the cutting blook is consequently turned a short distance
forward.
It is desirable to be able to readily remove the cutting bed A from its normal
position in order to be able to reach the cutting block to examine or replace it, and
in order also to get access to the clamping plates B and C, gauges ¢ and d, gauges PP,
and knives F, G and G. To provide for readily and conveniently accomplishing
this, we mount the bed plate w pivotally so that the cutting bed may be swung
around from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 15 to that shown in dotted
lines. To this and the bed plate is formed with a hub or boss o' at one corner
which is fixedly attached to a vertical shaft R having bearings in one of the side
frames, so that this shaft may oscillate as the plate is swung around. The diagonally
opposite corner of the plate is formed with an open eye or hook w³, which when the
plate is in place engages the end of a fixed upright shaft or post R' mounted on
the opposite side of the machine. A nut (Fig. 4) is screwed down upon this
post in order to resist the upward thrust against the cutting head. In this manner
the two diagonally opposite corners of the plate w are supported. The remaining
corners of the plate are formed with open or slotted eyes w³, and when in place

page_text: pivoted rods or bars R³, each hinged as shown in Fig. 6 to one of the side frames
of the machine, are swung up, entering the open sides of the eyes, and have nuts
screwed on their upper ends, and bearing down upon the eyes of the bed plate.
The bed plate is thus firmly mounted at all four corners, and so strongly connected
as to resist the upward thrust due to the clamping and cutting operations.
The main shaft or driving shaft L of the machine is in the construction shown
provided with a sprocket-wheel L'in order to bo driven by an endless chain. Or
it may be driven by a belt on pulleys on a counter shaft L³, shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 5, this counter-shaft transmitting the motion to the shaft L by bevel gears,
shown in dotted lines at m¹.
It must not be inferred from the particularity of detail with which we have
herein before described the preferred construction of our machine herewith illus-
trated that our invention is by any means limited in its application to the details of
construction shown. Our invention is in fact susceptible of considerable modification
without departing from its essential features.
In the machine illustrated and hereinbefore described, the trimming mechanism
consists of the knives F, G G', the cutting bed or other part against which these
knives act, and clamping devices for holding the books fast while the knives are
trimming them. All that is essential to the clamping devices is, that they shall act
to clamp the book between opposite parallel surfaces. Either of these surfaces
may be the movable member of the clamp by which the book is carried against the
opposite surface. The lifting of the books against the cutting bed or block is not
broadly essential or necessary. Nor is it essential that the cutting shall be per-
formed by the ascending of the respective knives against the cutting bed or block,
since the contrary movement inay be substituted to equivalent effect. Nor is the
cutting device of a knife cutting against a cutting block in itself essential to our
invention, since in lieu thereof any equivalent arrangement of knives or shears such
as are well known in the art for cutting books or piles of paper may be substituted
therefor.
The specified feed mechanism shown, consisting of the endless ladder-chain with
its cross-bars II, and the mechanism for intermittently driving this chain, is not
in itsolf essential to our invention. The travelling bars or pushers II which
immediately engage the books, are the only essential parts, and these might be
substituted by any other equivalent parts which are equally adapted to engage and
propel the books. Instead of one feeder feeding the book first to the primary
trimming mechanism, thence to the secondary trimming mechanism, and finally
delivering it ont of the machino, one feeder might be provided for feeding, the
books to the primary trimming mechanism, a second feeder for feeding them thence
to the secondary trimming mechanism, and a third feeder for feeding them out of
the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A book trimming machine comprising a book clamp, a trimming knife
arranged to trim off one edge of a book while held by said clamp, and a book
feeding mechanism adapted to engage successive books and transfer them one by
one into position to be grasped by the clamp and trimmed by said knife, substan-
tially as specified.
2. The combination with automatic book trimming mechanism, of feeding
mechanism adapted to carry the books to be trimmed one by one into position to be
acted on by said trimming mechanism, and also subsequently to feed the trimmed
books from the trimming mechanism, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with primary and secondary book trimming mechanisms
adapted to make the successive outs for trimming a book, of a feeding mechanism
for transferring the partly trimmed book from the primary to the secondary

page_text: 4. The combination with primary and secondary book trimming mechanisms, of
a feeding mechanism adapted to carry the books in succession first to the primary
and then to the secondary trimming mechanism, substantially as specified.
5. The combination of intermittently oporating trimming mechanism adapted to
olamp and trim a book, and an intermittently advancing feerling mechanism adapted
to carry books ono by one into position to be acted on by the trimming mechanism,
and a driving mechanism adapted to actuate alternately the feeding mechanism and
the trimming mechanism, substantially as specified.
6. The combination with book trimming mechanism of a feeding mechanism
consisting of an endless travelling chain provided with means for engaging the
successive books to feed them in turn to the trimming mechanism, substantially as
specified.
7. The combination with trimming mechanism comprising a book clamp and
trimming knives, of a feeding mechanism consisting of an endless travelling chain
with its liuks running on opposite sides of the trimming mechanism, substantially
as specified.
8. The combination with a book trimming mechanism and a feeding mechanism,
of a stop-gauge for ensuring the correct position of the book, and means for moving
this gauge out of the way to permit the feeding of the book, substantially as
specified.
9. The combination of a book trimming mechanism comprising clamping.devices
and trimming knives, a feeding mechanism adapted to move the books sidewise to
the trimming mechanism, movable end gauges for bringing the ends of the book
into position to be trimined, and mechanism for moving said gauges out of the way
of the knives, substantially as specified.
10. In a book trimming machine, the specific trimming mechanism shown con-
sisting of a fixed cutting bed, a vertically movable knife carrying frame, and a
spring-seated clamping plate carried by said frame, combined with a feeding
mechanism, substantially as specified.
11. In a book trimming machine, the mounting of the cutting bed or blook to
rotate alightly after each cut to bring continually now surfaces into position against
the knife edges, substantially as specified.
12. In a book trimming machine, the construction of the overhead cutting bed A
whereby it may be disconnected and swung around to give access to the cutting
knives, substantially as specified.
•
13. The combination with book trimming devices, of the endless feed chain J,
and the specific mechanism hereinbefore described for intermittently propelling
said chain, substantially as specified.
14. In a book trimming machiue having an intermittently advancing feeding
mechanism, means for slightly retracting the feeding devices after each advance
to bring them out of the way of the trimming mechanism, substantially as
specified.
Dated the 27th day of January 1893.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.