IMPROVEMENTS IN BINDING BOOKS AND IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE THERETO
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to August Brehmer, of Leipzig in Germany and Gavin
Brown, of Parson Street, Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North Britain
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN BINDING BOOKS AND IN MACHINERY
APPLICABLE THERETO
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said August Brehmer and Gavin
Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1883.
AUGUST BREMMER, of Leipzig, in Germany, and GAVIN BROWN of Parson
Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain IMPROVEMENTS IN
BINDING BOOKS, AND IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE THERETO
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig I represents a side elevation of the machine.
Fig II represents a front elevation of the machine
Fig 111 represents a sectional plan view of the machine cut through the line a. b
of Fig I
Fig 1V represents a book sewn on crash or open cloth with three shuttle threads
and two needle threads, the latter being shifted sideways.
Fig V represents a book sewn without backing material with three shuttlo threads
and three needle threads.
Fig VI is an end view of figure IV. showing the course which the shuttle threads
follow while running from section to section of the book.
Fig VII. is an end view of Fig V showing the course of the needle threads which
pass round the shuttle threads.
Fig VIII represents a side view and a plan view of the shuttle employed in the
machine.
Fig IX. represents a book sewn with one shuttle thread without needle thread.
Fig X rej resents a book sewn with two shuttle threads without needle-thread.
Fig XI. represents a book sewn double with two shuttle threads.
Fig XII represents a book sewn with three shuttle-threads.
Fig XIII represents a book sewn with one shuttle-thread and two needle threads.
Fig XIV. represents a book sewn on tapes with three shuttle threads and two
needle threads.

page_text: Fig XV represents a book sewn with one shuttle thread, which however differs
from the book shown in Fig IX by the sheets or sections being left whole at
the top and bottom of the book and not cut open.
The main shaft 1 of the machine carries a loose pulley 2. For starting the
machine a clutch 3 is made to enter into corresponding teeth fastened to the pulley
by setting the operators foot upon a treadle 4 which connects with the clutch by a
connecting rod 5 and bellerank 6. Lifting the operator's foot up from the treadle
will cause the clutch to fall out of gear, and a pair of friction wheels 7 will soon
bring the machine to rest again. Keyed fast upon shaft 1 are two cams 8 in the
grooves 9 of which two rollers 10 are guided, which turn upon pins 11, that are
riveted to connecting rods 12. These two connecting rods are attached to a
rod 13 of the swinging arm 14, which oscillates in bearings 15 upon the shaft 16.
The swinging arm 14 forms at its top an angle with flat surfaces 17 and 18
(Fig 1) upon which the open sections of the book have to be placed one at a time
for being sewn. Fig. I shows the swinging arm in the position in which the angle
has to receive the book section. The arm will then swing up until the fold of the
section stands below the needle 19. In this position the arm is temporarily at
rest, while the needles enter from above through the fold of the section and in a
slot formed at the point of the said angle.
The needles, which may be employed in any desired number, are fastened by
screws to needle-holders 20, which can be adjusted sideways to any point upon
sliding bars 21. Those sliding bars and with them the needles are moved up and
down in two suitablo guides 22 (which form a part of the frames 23 of the machines)
by two bellcranks 24, one of which is attached at each side of the sliding bars 21.
The belleranks 24 oscillate upon two bolts 25 and carry at their lower ends upon
pins the two rollers 26, which are operated by grooves 27 of the cams 28, which
latter are keyed to the shaft 1. The needles 19 receive the thread from
spools 29 in a similar manner as on family sewing machines; the thread has
to pass through a device for friction 30 and from three through a hole at
the top of the needle bar 31 down through the eye near the point of the_
needle. After the needles have reached the lowest point of their stroko they
will recede for a short distance in order to form the loop in the thread through
which a shuttle Fig VIII has to pass. While the arm 14 oscillates the
shuttle is located in one of the shuttle boxes 32, which are placed to the
right and left hand of the machine. The swinging arm 14 has near its top a
channel 44 which, when the arm is in its upper position, stands in line with one
pair of the shuttleboxes 32. Through this channel the shuttle has to pass while
travelling from the shuttle box at one side to the shuttle box on the other side of
the machine, and in its course through this 'channel the shuttle will pass with a
thread through the before mentioned loops formed by the needle threads. After
the shuttle has passed the needles and has been received by the shuttle box on the
other side of the machine, the needles will go up again and the needle threads will
draw the thread delivered from the shuttle tight into the fold of the section. This
operation repeats with every revolution of the machine. In order to obtain the
motion for the shuttle the cam 33, running loose on the shaft 16, is geared
to the mainshaft in the proportion two to one. The cam 33 by means of a
pin and roller gives motion to the rack 34, which latter is sliding in a
guide provided for the same on the swinging arm 14 and transfers its
motion upon the bellcrank 35, which at its outer ends is provided with
teeth, forming segments of a gear-wheel. The lower part of the bellcrank 35
by means of a corresponding gear segment transfers the motion of the lever 36
the outer end of which is connected to the shuttle carrier by a connecting rod 37.
The shuttle carrier is so constructed that it will abandon its hold upon the shuttle,
when the swinging arm 14 and with it the whole shuttle throwing mechanism
commences to swing back from its upper position in order to allow the one flap of
the just sewn book section to fall down and to make rooin for placing upon the

page_text: angle of the swinging arm 14 the next section. When the swinging arm 14`
renches again its upper position then the shuttle carrier will regain its hold upon
the same shuttle or any other shuttle which may be brought into its reach by one
of the shuttleboxes 32. In order to be able to sew the various styles of books
shown in the accompanying drawings it is necessary to have on each side of tho
machine one, two, or more shuttle boxos 32, which are fastened to the bellcrank 38,
which latter derives its motion from the cams 38 which again are geared to the
main shaft 1. Our drawing shows two shuttleboxes at each side of the machine,
and a machine thus arranged would allow the use of three shuttles, because one
shuttlebox has to remain always empty to receive the shuttle thrown from the
other side of the machine. The cams 39 are so constructed as to give the corre-
sponding motion for to shuttleboxes. If it should be desired to use another
number of shuttles it would also require the arrangement of the cam 39 in a
corresponding manner. The books may be sewn on to a backing material, crash,
open cloth etc which may run all the way or partly across the back of the book or
clse on tapes or cords as it may be desired. The backing material may also be
left out entirely if desired. This material, cloth tape or cord may be placed upon
a bobbin 49 from where it is guided over or through a row of friction rods 50 and
over the fold of the sheets while being sewn.
The machine will sew an unlimited number of sections without interruption,
which will pass along a suitable trough to the rear of the machine, with their
back upwards and the sheets hanging downward. The sections thus sewn together
will be taken out at the rear of the machine and may be cut apart, leaving
any desired number of sections together. If books are to be sewn so that each
book is supplied with sufficient backing material (cloth, cord, or tape) projecting at
each side of the back for being pasted to the cover of the books, then prismatic
blocks of wood or other material may be placed between the books after the
sewing of each complete book. The thickness of these blocks will determine the
length of the backing material projecting at the sides of the book. These blocks
are longer than the book and are being guided with their ends in guides 51 at the
bottom of which carrying belts 40 are travelling, upon which the ends of the
blocks are being laid and thus tho books are carried to the rear of the machine.
The carrying belts are passing over wheels 41 and 42 and may be tightened by
the movable pulley 43. To one wheel 41 a ratchet wheel 45 is fastened, which
by a pawl 46 attached to a lever 47 receives its motion from the crank 12. The
needle threads or cords may run over the back of the book in a staight line, as
shown in Fig V and Fig XIII, or they may run in a zig-zag way in order to
obtain a strong hold upon the backing material as shown in Fig IV and Fig XIV.
To obtain this zig-zag motion the needle bars 21 have to shift sideways after the
sewing of cach section. This shifting motion is obtained from a cam 48, which
moves a roller attached to the lever 52 which latter acts upon the needle bars 21.
The cut at both ends of the sections through which the shuttlo-threads pass
from one section to another is being made by a pair of knives 53 which, to suit
the different lengths of books, can be adjusted sideways upon a bar 54, which
moves up and downward with the needle bars 21. At the front of the machine a
wooden table 55 is fastened to the frames 23, and upon it the sections of the books
may be laid before being sown.
Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to have
secured by letters patent is :-
1) A machine for sewing books after the described manner, consisting chiefly of a
swinging arm which serves to receive the sections for sewing, a shuttle
carrying mechanism, a needle mechanism and a mechanism for cutting the
ends of the sections, substantially as described
2) The main shaft 1 with the cams 8 and connecting rods 12; which latter transfer
the motion to the swinging arm 14+, substantially as described
3) The swinging arm 14 with the cam 33, the sliding rack 34, the bellerank 35
and the shuttle throwing lever 30, substantially as described.

page_text: The shuttle boxes 32, fastened to the bellcranks 30, which latter receive their
motion from the cams 39.
On machines for sewing books the use of one or more shuttles which serve to
place a sewing-thread in the fold of the sections.
On machines for sewing books the use of one or more shuttles in connection
with one or more needles, whereby the shuttle thread is being placed in the
fold of the section and is fastened there in any desired place or places by the
needle threads.
A book sewn with a continuous thread in such a manner that the thread runs
along in the fold of the sections, the sections being cut in the fold to some
distance at the top and bottoin, and through which cut the thread comes out
of one section in order to enter into a corresponding cut of another section, as
shown in Fig IX.
A book sewn in the same manner but with two continuous threads so that the
thread coming out of the first section enters into the third section and the
thread coming out of the second section enters into the fourth section, and so
forth as shown in Fig X.
A book sewn in the same manner but with two continuous threads which are
both carried from one section into the adjacent section, thereby causing cach
section to be sewn double, as shown in Fig XI.
A book sewn in the same manner, but with three continuous threads, so that
the thread from the first section passes into the fourth section, the one from
the second into the fifth, the thread from the third into the sixth and so
forth. Hereby the first and last section may be sewn double, so that all the
sections of the book may be thoroughly united at the top and bottom of the
book, as is done with the kittle stitch in sewing books by hand, as shown in
Fig XII
A book sewn after one of the four foregoing manners, but provided besides
with one-or-more threads or cords for catching and securing the thread which
lics in the fold of the sections at any place or places at the back of the book,
as shown in Fig XIII.
A book sewn in the same way as mentioned in claim 11, but with the
distinction that the threads at the back of the book (needle threads) are
shifted sideways before catching a hold of the thread in the fold of the
adjacent section, whereby a substantial hold upon the backing crash, cloth, or
tape is obtained, as shown in Fig IV and Fig XIV.
A book consisting of sections, which are cut open at the fold of the sections to
any desired extent, the section being sewed together after one of the
foregoing methods or in any similar manner.
In making or binding books the use of leaves or sections, which at their top
and bottom are cut open in the fold to any desired extent, without regard to
the method in which the sections thus cut open may be united together by
sewing.
A book sewed after one of the foregoing methods, whereby however the cuts
in the fold of the sections have not been made, so that the continuous thread
has to pass from one section into another outside of the book as shown in
Fig XV.
witness whereof, we the said August Brehmer and Gavin Brown have
him 10th d of T.... AD 1882