IMPROVE- MENTS IN BOOKBINDING, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE CUTTING OF PAPER FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHRIS-
TOPHER NICKELS, of Guildford Street, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, and HENRY GEORGE COLLINS, of Queen Street, Cheapside, in the
City of London, Bookbinder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Nineteenth day of December, in the first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Christopher Nickels and Henry George Collins, Her especial license, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said Christopher Nickels
and Henry George Collins, our exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Christopher Nickels and Henry George Collins, our exors,
admňors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BOOKBINDING, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE
CUTTING OF PAPER FOR OTHER PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that we, the said Christopher Nickels and Henry
George Collins, or one of us, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within

page_text: six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Christopher Nickels and Henry George Collins, do hereby declare the nature
of our Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
'
Our Invention relates, first, to an apparatus applicable to the rounding of
the backs of books where the leaves thereof are to be connected or combined
together by an elastic or flexible cement in place of sewing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1s a machine for forming the backs of the books instead of beating
them round as hitherto practised. We take the paper in the leaves or sheets
and square them evenly together on a flat surface by dropping them edgeways
until they are all even; we then drop them with the back downwards in the
machine on to a hollow or any other suitable shaped bottom, such shape being
made just the form or pattern the back of the book may be required; and it
will be seen that there is a contrivance similar to a parallel rule on each end
of the frame, that shuts against any thickness of paper to keep it steady while
being rounded. The thumb screw and nut is to make the two end frames
fast when set to the length of the book. There may be modifications in the
construction of this frame, for instead of a mould as a, the whole length of the
frame, the same object may be effected by a mould to support only the ends of
the book or leaves thereof.
We will now describe the second part of our Invention. It is well known
that the most general and usual method of fixing the leaves of books has been
by sewing or stitching them together with silk, thread, or cotton; and there
has also been Patents taken out for joining or combining them together with
india rubber. Now the present part of our Invention relates to the applica-
tion of a flexible or elastic cement to the purpose of combining the leaves of
books one to another without stitching or sewing, such mode of cementing
being cheaper, more expeditious in the process of binding the book, and, we
believe, better than the dissolved india rubber heretofore employed.
We will now proceed to describe the method of making and applying the
We dissolve a pound weight of isinglass, or it may be of the best glue,
in three quarts of hot water or any other liquid. We then incorporate about
same.

page_text: a quarter of an ounce of linseed oil with a quarter of a pound of dry coarse
sugar; and when the sugar has taken up all the oil we then by degrees add it
to the dissolved isinglass or glue, stirring it until well mixed. The whole is
then to be boiled together until it is of that consistence that it may be laid on
when hot or in a fluid state with a brush. The book is then to be rounded
at the back, either in sheets or in single leaves, in the machine which we have
herein described. The book or the leaves constituting a book is or are then
to be put into a press, leaving the back protruding, and a coat of this cement
is to be laid on hot or rather warm upon the back and well rubbed in, that
the back edges may be well saturated therewith; a piece of calico, or any
other texture or fabric, is to have a coat of the same cement, and to be laid
or pressed over it to confine all the leaves together. When dry (which in a
warm room will be in a short time) the book is then ready to be finished off
in the usual way according to design. The above is the cement which we
believe to be the best for the purpose, but we are aware that variations may
be made, provided gellatin is a constituent part, either incorporated with
albumen or the mucilage of vegetables, and we therefore claim to use the
same.
The third part of our Invention is shown at Figure 2, it being a machine
for cutting books or paper in quires. a, a, is the framework. 6 is a box
sliding on a tram or railway. This box has a rising bottom, raised or fallen
by either one screw in the middle or four screws and four revolving toothed
nuts gearing into a wheel in the centre under the bottom. This wheel being
turned by a handle or other ways will move the four nuts, which will raise or fall
the screws and the loose bottom attached to them inside of the box. b, b, are
two screws with a loose end, of the size of the least depth of the box, attached
to them. These are for the purpose of screwing the upper part of the paper
or books tight while being cut, and the rising bottom is to set it to any required
size. c is the knife or cutter, fixed to a parallel slide passing transversely
from side to side over the top edge of the box b. This may be worked by a
crank, as shown, or by an excentric or other ways. There is a worm and
wheel worked by the shaft d to give slow motion to the shaft e, on which shaft
is a cord or chain fastened to the box 6 and this shaft, which by its revolving
will bring the box gradually under the cutter. is a fly wheel. G, G,
driving rigger, if worked by a strap from a steam engine or other power;
His a handle to drive it by hand. We do not confine ourselves to the
description of knife or cutter shown, our Invention relating to the construc-
tion of the box and mode of bringing it together with the paper to be
operated on by a suitable cutter, and it will be evident that when the quires

page_text: of paper or the books so cut are to be ornamented by gilding or staining, it
may be done before removing them from the box.
Figure 3 shows the fourth part of our Invention, and is a machine for
cutting paper to any length or size. a, a, are two parallel shafts running
through the frame and working on suitable bearings, and worked either by
steam or other power at d, or by hand at C. E, E, E, E, are thin circular
cutters or knives ground to a sharp edge, each working in the under cylinder,
which cylinder acts as a feeding roller and also enables the circular cutters
to cut through the paper, as seen at f. f. The knives are kept at any required
distance by collars or washers, and all screwed up fast together with a screw
and nut at the end of the shaft. We prefer the knives to work faster than
the feeding roller, and have provided for that object by the cog wheels at the
end of the shafts. F is a rising table for the paper to lay on or pass over
before being cut. G is a parallel guide for the edge of the paper. The
paper after it is cut falls into a tray or any other contrivance to receive it.
We would, in conclusion, remark, that we do not claim the using of rotatory
cutters for cutting paper, but our Invention consists in the mode herein
described of constructing a machine with rotatory cutters acting on a cylinder
without cutters, and by which the cutters can readily be set to the size
of paper desired.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nickels, have hereunto set
Land and cool this Nineteenth day of Inno in the year of our
CHRISTOPHER (L.s.) NICKELS.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord 1888, the aforesaid Christopher Nickels came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One