An Improved Device for Embossing or Tooling the Backs of Books.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893
´omplete Specification Left. 8th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr.. 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Embossing or Tooling the Backs of Books.
I, ARMIN KRAH, of 78 Alte Jacobs-strasse Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In tooling the backs of bound books or embossing ornamental lines thereon,
book-binders generally either arrange the lines at equal distances apart, or at any
rate preserve a certain relation between the different lines, which hardly ever varies
no matter whether the book is small or large, or the back of the book short or
long. As, moreover, the number of lines at the back of each book is generally the
same, it follows that mechanical devices may be employed in performing this part
of a book-binder's work.
This invention relates to an improved device intended for this purpose, and to
enable this device to be clearly understood I will describe the same in two different
forms, both based upon the same principle. This principle consists in the arrange-
ment of back-tools or knife-edges, adapted to emboss the back of the book, in
combination with mechanism so arranged as to move them simultaneously closer
together or farther apart as required, without altering the relative position of the
said knife-edges to each other.
In one form of my improved device, a rod is arranged along one side of an
iron plate, which may be stiffened or strengthened by two longitudinal ribs, and
the length and width of which somewhat exceed the dimensions of the back of the
largest book that may require tooling.. The said rod is secured to the plate at its
ends by means of brackets or lugs. A number of pressing bars or knife-edges
corresponding to the number of ornamental lines to be ruled, or embossed, on the
backs of the books, are adjustably arranged upon the said rod. These bars or
knife-edges are guided on the side opposite to the said rod by another thin rod,
and they are somewhat recessed and smoothed at their operative edge. When the
back of a book is to be ruled, it is pressed against these knife-edges, and the
impressions which they leave serve to guide the binder as to the lines to be
produced.
To enable the ruling bars or knife-edges to be so adjusted or displaced that,
whatever the size of the book, the relative position of, or relative distances
between, the said bars or knife-edges always remains the same, it is proposed to
employ the following device, viz.:-Each of the ruling bars or knife-edges has
a joint or pivot, about which suitable rods are adapted to turn. The free ends
of these rods pass through studs in which they are secured by means of set-screws.
These studs are arranged to turn upon a flat rail or bar pivoted to the end of
the main plate. The said studs being arranged upon the said rail, at equal
distances apart, it follows that the rods are also equi-distant from and parallel to
each other, provided that the knife-edges are at equal distances apart. When,
however, it is desired that any of the knife-edges should be brought nearer together
or farther apart, it is only necessary to loosen the set-screw of the corresponding
stud, or studs, whereupon the corresponding knife-edge, or knife-edges may be
shifted or adjusted as may be desired. After a knife-edge has been moved to
the required position, it may be secured therein by simply tightening the corre-
sponding set-screw. The relation of the knife-edges to each other will, however,
remain unaltered notwithstanding any adjustment of the said rail.
In addition to these knife-edges, there is provided an additional knife-edge,
capable of being, by means of a screw, adjusted independently of the others upon
the said rod. This knife-edge is independent also of the movement of the other
knife-edges, the object being to provide for the ruling of the lowermost of the lines

page_text: on the back of a book, as the position of that line varies in most cases. Beyond
the two terminal knife-edges, there are provided retaining or guard-plates, one of
which is screwed or otherwise arranged adjustably upon the said rod, while the
other is clamped by means of a screw upon a sleeve attached to
one of the
knife-edges. The distance between these guard-plates is determined by the height
or length of the back of the book, or by the size of the book generally.
Between the two extreme positions, the guard-plates may be adjusted to
intermediate positions so as to suit all sizes of books; the knife-edges being
accordingly moved towards or away from each other. To prevent the mechanism
from accidentally getting out of adjustment while in use, one of the screws is
provided with a winged head so that it may be tightened. By tightening this
the split tube or sleeve, appertaining to the corresponding knife-edge, is
firmly clamped upon the rod, so that any relative displacement of the parts is
avoided.
screw,
In another form of the mechanism, I adopt a different method of guiding the
various knife-edges between two stationary guide-rails. Several sliding rails are
so arranged that they may be readily displaced or adjusted relatively to each
other. Each knife-edge is suitably connected with one of the guiding rails, while
each of the sliding rails is, in its turn, connected with one of the pivoted rods
above mentioned. By this arrangement, the same result is obtained as by the
corresponding arrangements in the form of apparatus first above described.
The knife-edges are, moreover, provided with two arrangements enabling strips
of paper or ribs of card-board subsequently to be attached to the back of the
book, to be ruled with lines. These flat strips of paper, or card-board are slid
in between the front or lower part of the knife-edge, and the base of the main
plate. For this purpose the space between this part and the main plate is made
somewhat larger than it is at the remaining part of the said knife-edge, so that
the strip of paper or card-board may be inserted until it meets the longitudinal rib
of the main plate, when, by means of a pencil or the like, the required lines or
strokes may be marked along the knife-edge upon the said strip; or a paper strip
may be similarly ruled by inserting it into a notch with which the knife-edge is
provided.
1 sometimes employ a modified form of back-tool, which consists of two brackets
or supports carrying between them a thin wire or thread. When the back of a
book is placed upon this species of rack, having wires or threads, stretched across
it at regular intervals, the said threads or wires exactly fit the shape of the back
of the book and leave thereon a mark or impression which comes out much more
sharply and distinctly than it does when produced by a rigid knife-edge such as
that first above mentioned.
Dated the 13th day of June 1893.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Embossing or Tooling the Backs of Books. 4
I, ARMIN KRAH, of 78, Alte Jacobs-strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
Merchant, 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 tooling the backs of bound books or embossing ornamental lines thereon, 5
book-binders generally either arrange the lines at equal distances apart, or at any
rate preserve a certain relation between the different lines, which hardly ever varies
no matter whether the book is small, or large, or the back of the book short or
long. As, moreover, the number of lines at the back of each book is generally

page_text: the same, it follows that mechanical devices may be employed in performing this
part of a book-binder's work.
This invention relates to an improved device intended for this purpose, and to
enable this device to be clearly understood I will describe the same by reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which the said device is shown in two different
forms, both based upon the same principle. This principle consists in the
arrangement of back-tools or knife-edges, adapted to emboss the back of the book,
in combination with mechanism so arranged as to move them simultaneously closer
together or farther apart as required, without altering the position of the said
knife-edges relatively to each other.
In one form of my improved device, shown in Figures 1 to 3, a rod b is arranged
along one side of an iron plate, a, which may be stiffened or strengthened by two
longitudinal ribs a', a', and the length and width of which somewhat exceed the
dimensions of the back of the largest book that may require tooling. The said rod b
is secured to the plate a at its ends by means of brackets or lugs c, c'. A number of '
pressing bars or knife-edges d', d³, d³, d', d³, de corresponding to the number of
ornamental lines to be ruled, or embossed, on the backs of the books, are adjustably
arranged upon the said rod b. These bars or knife-edges are guided on the side
opposite to the said rod 6 by another thin rod e, and, as shown at d, in Figure 2
(which is a section on line, z Figure 1), they are somewhat recessed and smoothed
at their operative edge. When the back of a book is to be ruled, it is pressed
against these knife-edges and the impressions which they leave serve to guide the
binder as to the lines to be produced.
To enable the ruling bars or knife-edges d¹ to do to be so adjusted or displaced
that, whatever the size of the book, the relative position of, or relative distances
between the said bars or knife-edges always remains the same, it is proposed to
employ the following device, viz. :-Each of the ruling bars or knife-edges d' to d
has a joint or pivot at f about which suitable rods 9 to 9 are adapted to turn.
The free ends of these rods pass through studs to h in which they are secured
by means of set-screws. These studs are arranged to turn upon a flat rail or bar i
pivotted to the end of the plate a at k; the studs A¹ to being arranged upon the
said rail at equal distances apart, it follows that the rods are also equi-distant from
and parallel to each other, provided that the knife-edges d' to d are at equal
distances apart. When, however, it is desired that any of the knife-edges should
be brought nearer together or farther apart, it is only necessary to loosen the set-
screw of the corresponding stud, or studs, whereupon the corresponding knife-edge,
or knife-edges may be shifted or adjusted as may be desired. After a knife-edge
has been moved to the required position, it may be secured therein by simply
tightening the corresponding set-screw. The relation of the knife-edges to each
other will, however, remain unaltered notwithstanding any adjustment of the
said rail.
an
In addition to these knife-edges, d, already mentioned, there is provided
additional knife-edge d capable of being adjusted independently of the others
upon the rod 6 by means of a screw . This knife-edge is independent also of the
movement of the other knife-edges, the object being to provide for the ruling of
the lowermost of the lines on the back of a book, as the position of that line
varies in most cases. Beyond the two terminal knife-edges there are provided
retaining or guard plates, m, m³, one of which, m, is screwed or otherwise arranged
adjustably upon the rod b, while the other, m', is clamped by means of a screw n
upon a sleeve attached to one of the knife-edges d'. The distance between the
guard plates m and m' is determined by the height or length of the back of the
book, or by the size of the book generally.
In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the apparatus in its most expanded, and
Figure 3 in its most contracted form, the guard plates m and m², therefore,
appearing respectively at their shortest, and their longest distances apart. Between
the two extreme positions, the guard plates may be adjusted to intermediate
positions so as to suit all sizes of books; the knife-edges being accordingly moved

page_text: towards or away from each other, and the desired distance between the plates m
and m being thus secured at the same time. To prevent the mechanism from
accidentally getting out of adjustment while in use, one of the screws f is tightened.
In the drawings, the screw upon the knife-edge is shown provided with a
winged head so that it may be tightened at will. By tightening this screw, the
split tube or sleeve appertaining to the corresponding knife-edge d² is firmly
clamped upon the rod, so that any relative displacement of the parts is avoided.
Another form of the mechanism is shown in Figures 4 and 5. The only
difference between this modification and the form already described, consists in the
method of guiding the various knife-edges between two stationary guide-rails q
and 9. Six sliding rails p¹ to p' are so arranged that they may be readily
displaced or adjusted relatively to each other. Each knife-edge is connected with
one of the guiding rails by means of an angle bracket r, (Figure 4) while each of
the sliding rails is in its turn connected with one of the pivoted rods g¹ to go above
mentioned. By this arrangement the same result is obtained as by the corresponding
arrangements in the form of apparatus first above described.
The knife-edges d are, moreover, provided with two arrangements enabling
strips of paper or ribs of card-board which are subsequently to be attached to the
back of the book, to be ruled with lines. These flat strips of paper or cardboard
are slid in between the front or lower part of the knife-edge d and the base of the
main plate a.
For this purpose, the space s (Figures 2 and 6) between the lower
edge of d and the plate a is made somewhat larger than it is at the remaining part
of the said knife-edge, so that the strip of paper or card-board may be inserted at s
until it meets the longitudinal rib a' of the main plate, when, by means of a pencil
or the like, the required lines or strokes may be marked along the knife-edge upon
the said strip; or a paper strip may be similarly ruled by inserting it into the
notch with which the knife-edge d (Figure 2) is provided.
I sometimes employ, as shown in Figure 6, a modified form of back-tool, which
consists of two brackets or supports carrying between them a thin wire or thread u.
When the back of a book is placed upon this species of rack d, having wires or
threads stretched across it at regular intervals, the said threads or wires u exactly
fit the shape of the back of the book and leave thereon a mark or impression
which comes out much more sharply and distinctly than it does when produced by
a rigid knife-edge or plate such as that illustrated in Figure 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A device for ruling ornamental lines on the backs of bound books, consisting
of knife-edges (d' to do) adapted to slide upon a common rod (b), the relative
-distances between which are adjusted by an arrangement of rods (91 to 9") pivotted
to the above mentioned rod, the free ends of which rods swing and are adjustable
in studs (h to 6) capable of turning upon a common bar or rail (i), substantially
as described.
2. The modification of my invention wherein the knife-edges (d' to dº) are
connected with slide rails (p' to p') adapted to slide one above another as required
within a frame (q, q'), substantially as described.
3. The modification of my invention wherein the back-tools or embossing edges
are formed by attaching threads or wires (u, Figure 6) to the raised ends of the
movable transverse bars or knife-edges (d to do and d) so that they extend
between the said raised ends, substantially as described.
Dated this Eighth day of March 1901
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.