IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CUTTING AND FINISHING OR ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF BOOKS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF
CUTTING AND FINISHING OR ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF BOOKS, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THEREWITH. A communication from
abroad by Stöffler and Backi, of Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of Württemberg. ·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th November 1879.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF CUTTING AND FINISHING OR ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF
BOOKS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THEREWITH." A commu-
nication from abroad by Stöffler aud Backi, of Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of
Württemberg."
The Invention has for its object to cut and finish the edges of books by
mechanical means, and consists in placing the books in a presa or frame, and
subjecting them in it to the action of various machine tools, comprising a machine
for cutting straight the top and bottom of the book, a machine for cutting
the concave front edge, a machine or machines with accessories for polishing plane
and hollow edges, as well as for colouring or ornamenting the same.
In order to prevent the leaves or books from being shifted by a suddenly applied
intense pressure, the books are first subjected to a moderate pressure in an auxiliary
or forepress.
For cutting the books at top and bottom they are placed upon a form plate on
the first machine, said form plate being provided with a guide (preferably vertical
and dovetailed), and movable by a screw spindle carrying a hand wheel. The
cutting tool is attached to a beam, pivoted at one end, guided (in a horizontal
plane) by two arcs attached to the machine frame, and carrying at the other end
teeth or a toothed segment, gearing into a pinion moved by a handwheel with the
aid of suitable intermediate gearing.

page_text: For the second operation the press containing the books is fixed upon the bed of
a second machine, which resembles somewhat a planing machine, and is provided
with a tool holder, which can be adjusted by hand vertically, or across the bed of
the machine by means of two dovetailed guides, movable by screw spindles and
hand wheels or equivalent, the tool holder being set in motion by a connecting rod
and a crank or lever. The tool for cutting the hollow edges is of a cylindrical or
other suitable shape corresponding to the intended shape of the edge. The
impressing or printing tool may be a roller carried in an angle plate supported by a
movable beam. The knives for cutting the hollow edges are ground by a special
apparatus consisting of a base plate provided with two standards carrying a shaft,
upon which are mounted a pulley and two grinding wheels, a spindle carrying at one
end a hand wheel, and at the other end the knife to be ground, and supported by
an angle plate movable in a vertical plane by means of an axle supported by
another angle pivoted on a pin and placed at the top of a slide, which may be
fixed at a smaller or greater distance from the above described standards, by which
arrangement the cutting tool can be moved from one grinding wheel to the other of
different quality, and the cylindrical outside of the tools can be ground on the flat
sides of the grinding wheels.
For smoothing and finishing the edges the press containing the books is fixed in
'a movable sledge or table of a third machine (also similar to a planing machine),
the motion of said sledge being effected by a screw spindle placed parallel to the
'machine bed, and carrying at the end of the latter a chain wheel and a handwheel.
The machine is provided with a traverse carrying two standards, which supports a
(dove, tailed) bar with a slide for carrying the tool holders, for instance, the
polishing tool holder. The above mentioned chain wheel drives a smaller chain
wheel connected with an adjustable disc-crank, which, by means of suitable con-
version gearing imparts to the tool holder a reciprocating motion in a line
perpendicular to the motion of the sledge when the latter is moved by the
aforesaid screw spindle. For producing a more rapid motion of the table when
desired the latter is provided with racks gearing into pinions mounted on an axle
carried by the above named standards and moved by a crank, and the nut by
which the sledge is driven during the slow motion may be released by a pin or
other device.
The polishing or smoothing tool holder, which may be used either for plane or
hollow edges is supported by an arin or plate hinged to a slide, and carrying a spring
pressing upon a screw, when the smoothing tool meets with resistance from below,
thereby effecting an elastic adjustment of the smoothing tool against the surface of
the book. The said arm carries further a pin connected with the rod, which
imparts to the whole'apparatus (tool holder and accessories) a rectilinear motion,
the rotation of the arm being prevented by a bolt or detent. If however the bolt
"is released and the slide fixed, the said arm with its tool makes an oscillating
'motion with a radius depending on the adjustable distance of the tool edge
'from the axis of rotation.
For smoothing plane surfaces the tool slide is provided with a pin perpendicular
to the slide, and serving as a fulerum to the tool holder, the other end of which is
held down by a rod pressed upon by a spring, which can be adjusted by a screw,
so as to modify the elastic pressure upon the edge of the book to be smoothed.
For finishing hollow book edges the tool slide carries at its base the hinge of an
angle plate provided with a spring and regulating screw, and carrying on the lower
arm the axle of a disc provided with three rollers, one of which is parallel to the
⚫axis of the disc, while the others are inclined thereto and to each other, the printing
or impressing of the hollow edge being effected by the successive application of the
three rollers:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th May 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and. Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF CUTTING AND FINISHING OR ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF
BOOKS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THEREWITH." A commu-
nication from abroad by Stoffler and Backi, of Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of
Württemberg.
The Invention has for its object to cut and finish the edges of books by
mechanical means, and consists in placing the books in a press or frame, and
subjecting them in it to the action of various machine tools, comprising a machine
for cutting straight the top and bottom of the book, a machine for cutting the
concave front edge, a machine or machines with accessories for polishing plane and
hollow edges, as well as for coloring or ornamenting the same. In describing the
Invention reference will be had to the accompanying Drawings, Sheet I. to III.;
the frame or press is illustratod by Fig. 5, Sheet I, and the different operations are
carried out in the following order: Placing the books in the required position
with the back turned downward (to be effected with the machine, Sheet I.);
cutting the hollow edge (machine, Sheet II.); gilding or coloring the hollow
edge, polishing the gilt edge (on machine, Sheet III.); decorating the edges by
impressions, guilding, &c. (on machine, Sheet III.). After the front edges of the
books have been thus produced, the upper and lower edges are made in a similar
way, the first and the second operation being however carried out on the same
Imachine (Sheet I.). The machines for effecting these operations are constructed as
follows: Sheet I. shows a machine for cutting straight edges, and also a frame or
press, Fig. 2 being a plan of the machine, and P, P, the press or frame for
inserting the books. When the books have been placed between the two halves of
the press the two beams P, P, are subjected to strong pressure by means of the
slide E and the crank K, and then the nuts of the press tightened. The angle
plate or form plate F can be moved up and down by the spindle S, so as to
determine the size of the books. A special appliance is the forepress V, Fig. 3.
This forepress consists of a plate V suspended at each side from the scissor like
arms 8, 8, the motion being effected by means of the crank k and screw spindle n.
When books are fixed in the press P, P, a displacement of the leaves occurs
frequently, the books being only seized at their ends. The object of the forepress
is to unite the books to be treated into a compact body by moderate pressure, after
which the final pressure is applied in the press P, P; by this method the said
shifting of leaves is, prevented. Fig. 4 shows in detail the relative position of the
form plate F and the forepress V. The cutting of the books after having been
thus fixed is effected by the cutter m, m, screwed to the beam A, A1, A", which is
pivoted at 2, and guided by the two arcs B and B'. For giving motion to the
beam the latter is provided with a toothed segment A¹, A¹¹, gearing into a pinion T,
set in motion by means of a hand wheel and two pairs of spurwheels. The
accurate guiding of the cutter in this machine allows of the books being cut very
regularly, which is an essential condition for the further treatment of the edges.
Sheet II. shows a machine for cutting the hollow edges, and for impressing book
edges, Fig. 2 being a plan of the machine, on the frame of which the press P, P,
is held fast by the locking appliance E. The sledge S is moved by the connecting
rod B and crank K, the latter being mounted on the same shaft as the lever H and
counterweight D. The sledge S carries the cross slide M, to which the bollow
cutter m is attached. The motions of the slide allow of an accurate adjustment of
the knife with regard to the books to be cut, the cutting being then effected by

page_text: turning the lever H. Figs. 3 and 4 show the cutter with its holder on a larger
scale. Figs. 5 and 6 represent cross sections of the cutter, which are made in
various dimensions, according to the thickness of the books. Sheet III. illustrates
the construction of the machine preferably used for impressing book edges; but
for very thick books, or for impressing decorations requiring considerable pressure,
the machine just described is more suitable than the machine on Sheet III.
Figs. 7 and 8 (Sheet II.), show the auxiliary apparatus for impressing or printing
on straight book edges; the engraved printing roller R is supported at both ends
by the bracket w, w. G is a pipe provided with perforations, and serving to heat
the printing roller by means of gas. The third machine for treating the book
edges is the combined polishing and decorating machine, illustrated by Sheet III.
The top part of the machine bed forms a guide of a sledge S, upon which the
press P, P, is held fast by means of the locking plate E and its screw spindle 8.
This sledge is set in motion by the screw spindle F. On the end of the spindle
is mounted a hand wheel and a chain wheel K (Figs. 1, 2, and 3), while at the
back of the machine bed there is a corresponding chain wheel l, and a disc crank L.
If the latter is set in motion by turning the hand wheel, the lever o, as well as the
lever o¹ mounted on the same shaft N, obtains an oscillating motion, which is
transmitted to the polishing tool. The two sides of the engine bed carry the
standards B supporting the prism or guide p, on which the slide n is movable,
which carries the smoothing or ironing tool g, together with its holder G. If the
slide n is connected with the lever O¹ by a rod r (Figs. 1 to 3), the smoothing tool
will move across the surfaces of the books to be polished while the books are
moved in the direction of their length, by the spindle F. The holder G of the.
polishing or smoothing tool is shown on a larger scale in Figs. 4 and 5; it is
constructed as follows:-The sliding plate M is movable in the slide n, and kept
in position by two screws; M is provided at the bottom with a boss having a
conical bore for the reception of the pin ; the latter is so connected with the
plate that the latter can be turned on z, if not detained at the top by a detent v.
D is the case containing the polishing or smoothing tool, and hinged at a so as to
be susceptible of a vertical turning motion. An extension of the casing carries
further the screw c, which abuts against a piece of indiarubber. If the polishing
tool g is pressed upward, this pressure is taken up by the said piece of indiarubber
enclosed in b; when the polishing tool is in the manner described carried over the
book edges to be polished, an elastic pressure of any desired strength can be
produced by the screw c. The pin R is the point of application of the above
mentioned rod connecting the tool holder with the lever 0¹. In order to use
this polishing tool holder for polishing bollow edges, the detent r is set out
of action, and the position of the slide n fixed by the screw m. It is now
evident that the machine in motion turns the plate f on the pin in such a
manner that the polishing tool y obtains a circular motion, and is thereby
enabled to polish the hollow edges. A bolder for a polishing tool to be used for
straight edges only is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The case D of the polishing tool g
turns on the pivots, while the tube B contains the india rubber producing the elastic
pressure, which can be regulated by the set screw c. As a rule the polishing of
straight edges is more difficult than the polishing of hollow edges. For large books it
is advantageous to work simultaneously with two polishing tools, one being used for
the preliminary work, and the other for finishing. A toolholder for this mode of
operation is represented by Figs. 14 and 15. M is the base plate carrying at the
bottom the round steel rod s; on the latter slides the angle plate w, provided with
two cases & and d¹, and their polishing tools capable of turning on the axis o. As
an additional guide for a ruller fis applied running between two rails; is the
pin for the head of the rod which imparts motion to the tool holder. The appli-
ances hereinbefore described relate to the application of the machine for polishing
book edges, but the machine is also designed and adapted to impress decorations
on book edges by means of engraved rollers, or to print on the edges gilt, silvered,
or colored ornaments. For this purpose the sledge S must be moved quicker than

page_text: could be effected by the screw spindle F. Two racks vand v' are therefore screwed
on to S, which racks gear into pinions z, carried by the brackets B, B'. By turning
the crank K the tooth wheels are set in motion and the sledge S moved on. For
transmitting the motion from the tooth wheel of one side of the machine to the
other side, a shaft w with spur wheels ¹ is applied. This mode of moving the
sledge S, however, is only possible after having released the nut of the spindle F
by drawing out the pin t. Into the machine thus prepared for impressing the roll
holder, Figs. 8 and 9, is now inserted. The base plate of the holder is M, to which
is attached a second plate f turning on the axis 2, which may be done by means of
the screw c. The double angle plate b, b', serves as a support to the printing or
impressing roller R. To provide for a proper contact of the impressing roller on
the book edge, the angle plate b, b, is provided with a pivot g, fitted into f; the
spring holds b, b', in its normal position, but permits a slight turning of the
angle plate on g, if necessary, for obtaining the required contact of the roller with
the book edge. The screw c on the spring F serves to regulate the pressure of the
impressing roller. G is a gas pipe for heating the impressing roller.
For printing on the hollow front edges of the books, a special apparatus is
required; since the surface of the cylinder cannot be developed into a plane in the
direction of its axis, it cannot be printed with one roller in the ordinary way.
Experience however has shown that edges of this kind can be treated with a
narrow roller which only prints on a part of the hollow edge at a time. For this
purpose the appliance illustrated by Figs. 10 to 13 has been designed. The base
plate M is connected with the double angle plate W, by means of an axle z and a
screw c. This angle plate supports also a disc S carrying three printing rollers, one
with its axis placed horizontal, the second with its axis inclined to the left, and
the third with its axis inclined to the right. The disc S can be fixed in the
angular plate by the pin in three positions corresponding to the rollers. If the
roller with horizontal axis is at the bottom (Figs. 11 and 12), it prints on the centre
of the hollow edge, the second roller of the disc serves for printing on the left
third, and the third roller for printing on the right third of the hollow edge. A
modification of this appliance is obtained by using only a narrow printing roller,
which is repeatedly carried over the hollow edge, and alters the inclination of its
axis. The machines described and illustrated are designed for books not exceeding
in size 30 centimeters. For sizes up to 50 centimeters the polishing machine,
Sheet III., may be driven by machine power, in which case the handwheel on the
spindle F may be replaced by driving pulleys. For the requirements of larger
establishments the polishing machine may be so divided into special machine tools
that the organs not required for the special application are omitted. Claims.-1. The
machine for cutting straight edges of books, with the application of a forepress for
evenly arranging the books to be placed in the machine, also the peculiar con-
struction and arrangement of the said forepress. 2. The machine for directly
cutting the entire section of the hollow edge by means of a halfround cutter,
as well as for printing or impressing ornamentations on book edges. 3. The
machine for polishing and ornamenting straight and hollow book edges, also the
peculiar arrangement and construction of the tool holders and printing appliances,
the whole substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twenty sixth day of May A D 1880