An Improved Machine for Collecting or Gathering the Signatures of Books.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1892-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1392
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Collecting or Gathering the Signatures
of Books.
1, HOWARD E. PLIMPTON, of Norwood, in the County of Norfolk, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Bookbinder, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention to be as follows :-
:―
My invention relates to improvements in machines for automatically collecting
or gathering the several folded sheets or signatures of a book in regular successive
order; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the devices for
operating and feeding a single signature from a pile, and in a stop motion whereby
the machine is stopped if the signature is not delivered, and in certain details of
construction, as hereinafter fully described.
Across the top of a frame of rectangular form, is arranged a series of rods or
bars carried at one end by bearings, and at the other end in bearings formed in
forked arms.
Upon the rods is mounted a sliding carriage, to the top of which is secured a
series of plates, each having a diagonal slot cut therein in its centre, and at each of
the inwardly projecting corners it is also cut back, so that the points may be bent
down slightly, or, if preferred, single plates of the required width and having
diagonal ends might be secured to the travelling carriage.
These plates are for sustaining the signatures, as will be described hereinafter.
An intermediate reciprocating motion is given to all the plates at the
same time in the following manner: A main driven shaft is mounted in
suitable bearings secured to the frame. Upon the other end of this shaft
is mounted a fast and loose pulley. Near the other end of the shaft is mounted
a worm in gear with a worm-wheel mounted upon a main slow-moving shaft
to which is secured a cam plate for each plate or pair of plates. The slow
moving shaft operates a rocker shaft by means of an adjustable connecting-rod
consisting of a forked piece an intermediate piece, and an outer piece.
Upon
the forked piece is mounted a roller that works in the groove in the cam-plate
on the slow moving shaft, the fork passing over the shaft. The intermediate piece
is formed with a right and left hand screw at its ends. Both the end pieces are
bored out and screw-threaded, one right and the other left hand, so that the ends
of the intermediate piece can be secured therein, whereby the connecting rod can
be lengthened or shortened, according to the throw required, and when in the
desired position the parts are secured by lock-nuts. The outer end of the con-
necting-rod is connected to the end of an arın secured to the rocker-shaft, that
extends the whole length of the machine. To this shaft is also secured a series of
levers each of which has at its outer end a fork which embraces a roller secured to
the sliding carriage so that as the cam plate is rotated an intermediate reciprocal
motion is imparted to the signature carriers. Arms secured to the top of the
frame, extend over toward the centre of the machine, and at their inner ends are
forked, and the upper prong is provided with a bearing, in which is mounted a shaft
driven from the main slow-moving shaft by a bevel-wheel, mounted on the end of
said slow moving shaft, which wheel is in gear with a bevel-wheel secured on one
end of a shaft, mounted in suitable bearings secured to the frame. On the upper
end of this shaft is secured a bevel-wheel in gear with a bevel-wheel on the end of
the shaft, driven by the main slow moving shaft. Upon this shaft is mounted a
series of cams; bell-crank levers are fulcrumed to the arms. The lower arms of
said levers are each fitted with a roller that is in contact with à cam on the cam'
ID: 071

page_text: shaft. The outer end of the bell-crank, lever is connected to a presser-foot bar,
supported in a swinging frame, carried on a rod, that extends between the two.
prongs of a fork. A spiral spring holds the frame in its normal position. Around
the presser foot rod is placed a spiral spring one end of which rests upon the
lower end of frame and the other end against a pin, passed through the rod.
the spring keeping the presser-foot bar raised, so that the roller will always be
in contact with the camı. To the rear of the surrounding frame is an arm upon
the end of which is mounted a roller that rests against, a cam, so that at the
proper moment the presser-foot is thrown forward. At the end of each presser-
foot bar is secured a presser-foot, the lower end of which is formed with a lip,
and just the thickness of a signature above said lip is secured a knife or
separator, which, when the plates are travelling back and forth, separates a
signature at each movement. After the signatures have been separated they fall
upon endless belts or aprons that pass over rollers mounted on suitable shafts.
To one of the shafts is imparted an intermittent rotary motion by means of
a friction-clutch pulley operated from the main slow-moving shaft by means
of a bevel-wheel mounted on the end of said shaft and in gear with a bevel-
wheel mounted upon a counter shaft upon the outer end of which is mounted
an arm, having at its outer end a slot through which is passed a pin connecting
a rod the other end of which is attached to an arm mounted loosely on said
shaft. By the movement of this arm the friction-clutch is applied and released
alternately by the revolution of the arm. Each of the signature plates is fitted
with a stop-motion which is constructed as follows: Under the plate are secured
bearings in which is mounted a small sliding rod formed at its end with a button,
and at the rear end is a pin. On the side of the frame are secured brackets in
which is mounted a rock-shaft to which are secured arms, and to each arm is
fulcrumed a bell-crank lever, the lower or short arm of which projects over a
pin, and the long arm is at its end formed with a hook. A disk or cam each
Formed with a single notch or recess are secured to a shaft to which motion is
transmitted from the cam shaft by cog-wheels. On the end of a shaft and one
side of the machine is secured an arm which is by a rod secured to the end of
a trigger fulcrumed to the frame. The outer end of this trigger rests in a notch
in the slipper bar and keeps the belt on the tight pulley. A weight is attached
to one end of a cord or chain that passes over a pulley on an arm secured to the
frame, and the other end of the cord or chain is secured to the shipper-lever, so
that if the trigger is raised the weight by the cord will draw upon the shipper-
lever and force the belt onto the loose pulley. To one side of the frame (the side
opposite to that of which the arms are secured) are secured arms that support a rod
or bar running longitudinally of the frame. Upon this bar are mounted three
sleeves one sleeve carrying a flat bar of swan neck form, another sleeve carrying
a similar bar, but which at its outer end is bent at right angles, so that its end
meets the end of the flat bar. The other sleeve is formed with another sleeve on
its upper side. In this sleeve is mounted so as to slide freely a rod or bar that
carries a flat bar. These bars form a rectangular frame, to each side of which
are secured upright rods that hold the pile of signatures in place. All the
sleeves are adjustable upon the shaft so that the size of the rectangular frame
to hold the signatures can be adjusted as required, and when in position are secured
by set-screws.
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HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the, Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Collecting or Gathering the Signatures
of Books.
I, HOWARD E. PLIMPTON, of Norwood, in the County of Norfolk, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Bookbinder, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in machines for automatically collecting
or gathering the several folded sheets or signatures of a book in regular
successive order; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the
devices for operating and feeding a single signature from a pile, and in a stop-
motion whereby the machine is stopped if the signature is not delivered, and in
certain details of construction as hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the
claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents a plan or top view of one end of a machine embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the other end, taken just above the carrying
plates..
1
Fig. 3 is a view of one end showing the driving mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the same end of the machine.
Fig. 5 is a plan or top view showing the mechanism for carrying and delivering
one of the signatures.
Fig. 6-is a vertical cross-section taken on line a, a, of Fig. 5.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9-are detail views of the presser foot.
Fig. 10 is a detail view of the trigger for holding the shipper rod.
A, represents a frame of rectangular form, across the top of which is arranged
a series of rods or bars B, carried at one end by bearings C, and at the other end
in bearings formed in forked arms D.
Upon the rods B, is mounted a sliding carriage E, to the top of which is
secured a series of plates F, each having a diagonal slot f, cut therein in its
centre, and at each of the inwardly-projecting corners it is also cut back, as
shown at, so that the points f², may be bent down slightly, as shown (see
Figs. 2 and 6); or, if preferred, single plates of the required width and having
diagonal ends might be secured to the travelling carriage E, as shown in
Figs. 1 and 5. These plates are for sustaining the signatures, as will be described
hereinafter.
An intermediate reciprocating motion is given to all the plates at the
same time in the following manner: G, is the main driven shaft, mounted
in suitable bearings secured to the frame A. Upon the outer end of this
shaft is mounted a fast and loose pulley H, H¹. I, is the shipper bar,
and J, the lever for operating the same which lever is fulcrumed to a lugį,
secured to the floor. Near the outer end of the shaft is mounted a worm K,
in
gear with a worm-wheel L, mounted upon the main slow-moving shaft M,
to which is secured a cam plate N, for each plate or pair of plates F. P, is
an adjustable connecting rod consisting of a forked piece p, an intermediate
piece, and an outer piece p². Upon the forked piece, is mounted a rollern,
that works in the groove in the cam-plate N, the fork passing over the shaft M.
The intermediate piece p', is formed with a right and left hand screw at its ends.
Both the pieces. p, p, are bored out and screw-threaded, one right and the other
left hand so that the ends of the intermediate, piece p', can be secured therein,
whereby the connecting rod can be lengthened or shortened, according to the throw
required, and when in the desired position the parts are secured by lock-nuts.
The outer end of the connecting rod P, is connected to the end of an arm Q,

page_text: secured to a rocker shaft R, that extends the whole length of the machine. To
this shaft is also secured a series of levers R', (one only being shown in the
drawings) each of which has at its outer end a fork which embraces a roller
secured to the sliding carriage E, so that as the plate N, is rotated an inter-
mediate reciprocal motion is imparted to the signature carriers or plates F. The
arms D, D, secured to the top of the frame extend over towards the centre of
the machine and at their inner ends are forked, and the upper prong is provided
with a bearing, in which is mounted a shaft S. The shaft is driven from the
main slow-moving shaft M, by a bevel wheel T, mounted on the end of said
shaft M, which wheel is in gear with a bevel wheel U, secured at one end of a
shaft V, mounted in suitable bearings W, secured to the frame A. On the upper
end of this shaft V, is secured a bevel-wheel X, in gear with a bevel wheel Y,
on the end of shaft S. Upon this shaft is mounted » series of cams Z, Z',
a, a, are bell crank levers, each fulcrumed at b, to the arm D. The lower
arms of said levers are each fitted with a roller c, that is in contact with the
cam Z, on shaft S. The outer end of the bell crank lever is connected to a
presser foot bar d, supported in a swinging frame y, carried on a roda, that
extends between the two prongs of a fork. A spiral spring, holds the frame y,
in its normal position. Around the rod d, is placed a spiral spring d', one end
of which rests upon the lower end of frame and the other end against the pin e,
passed through the rod d, the spring keeping the presser-foot bar raised so that
the roller c, will always be in contact with the cam Z. To the rear of the
frame
is an arm y', upon the end of which is mounted a roller y², that rests
against a cam Z', so that at the proper moment the presser foot is thrown
forward. At the end of each presser-foot bar d, is secured a presser foot g, the
lower end of which is formed with a lip g', and just the thickness of a signature
above said lip is secured a knife or separator h, (see Figs. 7, 8 and 9) which, when
the plates are travelling back and forth, separates a signature at each movement.
After the signatures have been separated they fall upon endless belts or aprons 1,
that pass over rollers 2, mounted on shaft 3, carried by bearings 4 at one end of
the machine, and over pulleys 5, mounted upon a shaft 6, at the other end of the
machine. To the shaft 6, is imparted an intermittent rotary motion by means of a
friction clutch pulley 7, operated from the main slow moving shaft M, by means of
a bevel wheel i, mounted on the end of said shaft and in gear with a bevel wheel m,
mounted upon a counter shaft r, upon the outer end of which is mounted an arm s.
having at its outer end a slot t, through which is passed a pin u, connecting a rod
the other end of which is attached to an arm we, mounted loosely on the shaft 6.
By the movement of this arm the friction clutch is applied and released alternately
by the revolution of the arm s.
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Each of the plates F, is fitted with a stop motion which is constructed as
follows Under the plate F, are secured bearings 8, in which is mounted
a small sliding rod 9, formed at its end with a button 10, and at the rear end
is a pin 11. On the side of the frame are secured brackets 12, in which is
mounted a rock-shaft 13, to which are secured arms 14, (one for each rod 9)
and to each arm is fulcrumed a bell-crank lever 15, the lower or short arm
of which projects over the pin 11, and the long arm is at its end formed with a
hook 16. 17, is a disk or cam formed with a single notch or recess 18. These
cams are secured to a shaft 19, to which motion is transmitted from shaft S, by
cog-wheels 20, 21. On the end of the shaft 13, is secured an arm 22, which is by
a rod 23, secured to the end of the trigger 24, fulcrumed to the frame at 25. The
outer end of this trigger rests in a notch in the slipper bar I, and keeps the belt on
the tight pulley H. 26, is a weight attached to one end of a cord or chain 27, that
passes over a pulley 28, on an arm 29, secured to the frame A, and the other end
of the cord or chain 27, is secured to the shipper lever J, so that if the trigger 24, is
raised the weight 26, by the cord 27, will draw upon the shipper lever and force
the belt onto the loose pulley H. To one side of the frame (the side opposite to
that of which the arms D, are secured) are secured arms 30, that support the rod

page_text: or bar 31, longitudinally of the frame A. Upon this bar are mounted sleeves 32,.
33, 34, the sleeve 32, carrying a flat bar 35, of swan neck form (see Fig. 5) and the
sleeve 33, carries a similar bar 36, but which at its outer end is hent at right
angles, so that its end meets the end of the bar 35. The sleeve 34, is formed with
another sleeve 37, on its upper side. In this sleeve is mounted so as to slide freely
a rod or bar 38, that carries a flat bar 39. These bars 35, 36, 39 form a rectangular
frame, to each side of which are secured upright rods 40, that hold the pile of
signatures in place. All the sleeves are adjustable upon the shaft, and the bar. 38,
is adjustable in the sleeve 37, so that the size of the rectangular frame to hold the
signatures can be adjusted as required, and when in position are secured by set
screws 41.
As the
The operation is as follows: Supposing the signatures have been arranged
in order on the respective plates-that is to say, the signature forming the
first part of the book being nearest the delivery end and the signature forming
the end of the book being farthest from the same, the signature in each
pile being of the same character-and the machine in the position shown
when it is started, the plates F, will be caused to travel in the direction of
the arrows, but the signatures will be held by the rectangular frame and the
presser foot will be in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 7.
shaft S, is rotated it, through cam Z', forces the presser foot forward, the foot g¹,
passing just under the signatures and the knife or separators h, just over the top of
the bottom signature, as shown in Fig. 8. Then the presser-foot is forced down a
short distance, so that it assumes the position shown in Fig. 9, by means of the bell-
crank lever a, being operated by the cam Z, on shaft S, carrying the corner of the
lower signature down a short distance, so that as the plate F, advances it will pass
onto the top of the bottom signature, (the presser-foot then returns to its normal
position) which is thus separated from the pile and falls upon the apron or belt 1.
The pile of signatures will now be on the other end of the plate. The apron is
then caused to advance by means of the friction pulley 7, just the distance of the
space between the piles of signatures, so that they will fall one upon the other until
the full number has been successively piled upon each other and the book is ready
for sewing, when it is delivered at the end of the belt or apron and taken up by
the operator. As soon as the cut off signature commences to pass under the
plate E, it comes into contact with the button 10, and prevents the rod 9, from
being carried along with the plate, and as the end of the bell crank lever 15, thus
rests upon the pin 11, on the other end of 'said rod 9, it held so that as the cam 17,
rotates the notch 18, in same is free to pass the hook 16, on the bell crank lever,
which hook will not come into contact with said notch; but as soon as the notch has
passed the hook, the rod 9, is carried forward and the hook rests upon the cam 17;
but should it happen that a signature is not taken from the pile the rod 9, is carried
forward with the plates F, by frictional contact with its bearings, and when the
notch in the cam 17, comes opposite the hook 16, the latter will fall into said notch,
and as the shaft 19, rotates the lever 15, will be carried up, thus raising the arm 14,
and lowering arm 22, which by rod 23, depresses the outer end of the trigger 24,
raising its outer. end out of the notch in the shipper bar I, so that the weight 26,
will draw the shipper lever J, over and shift the belt from the fast pulley H. to
the loose pulley H', thereby stopping the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a signature-feeding machine, the combination of a presser-foot bending
a portion of one of the signatures in the pile, and a separating plate so arranged
as to enter between the bent portion of said signature and the rest of the pile,
as set forth.
2. In a signature-feeding machine, the combination of a frame for holding a pile
of signatures, a presser foot having a lip or point on its upper side, mechanism for

page_text: causing said lip or point to engage. the bottom signature a separating plate, and
mechanism for introducing said plate between the signatures so separated and the
rest of the pile, substantially as set forth.
3. In a signature-gathering machine, the combination of a frame for holding a
pile of signatures, a reciprocating plate or plates having a transverse aperture or
slot, and means for depressing a portion of the lower signature, substantially as set
forth.
4. In a signature gathering machine, the combination, with a reciprocating plate
having a transverse aperture or slot, of a rod mounted in bearings under said plate
and having a button on its forward end, said rod being held back by the signature
as it is separated by said plate, but being carried forward when a signature is not
separated, and mechanism connected with said rod for stopping the machine,
substantially as set forth.
5. The signature supporting plates, each having a diagonal opening, said plates
being secured to a frame having an intermittent reciprocating motion, in combina-
tion with stationary frames supported above said plates for holding the signatures,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. In a machine for gathering book-signatures, a frame for holding the signatures,
consisting of a side bar 35, secured to sleeve 32, a side end bar 36, secured to a
sleeve 33, and end bar 39, carried by a rod 38, and sleeve 37, formed in one with
sleeve 34, all of which are mounted and are adjustable upon a longitudinal rod
supported in bearings 30, secured to the frame A, as set forth.
7. The combination of the main shaft G, worm K, worm-wheel L, shaft M,
cam N, adjustable connecting rod P, arm Q, shaft R, and arm R', having a fork at
its upper end for transmitting an intermittent reciprocating motion to the plates F,
as set forth.
8. In combination with the intermittent reciprocating plates F, the stop-motion
consisting of the bar 9, pin 11, bell crank lever 15, arm 14, shaft 13, cam 17,
shaft 19, to which a continuous rotary motion is imparted, arm 22, shaft 12,
connecting-rod 23, trigger 24, shipper bar I, lever J, arm 29, pulley 28, cord
or chain 27, and weight 26, all arranged and operated substantially as set forth.
9. In combination with the intermittent reciprocating plates F, the presser
bar d, and foot 9, to which a slight circular movement is imparted to take
hold of the corner of the bottom signature of the pile, then a slight down-
ward movement to carry said corner below the corner of the plate, after which
it is returned to its normal position, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
10. A signature gathering machine consisting of the following elements: a frame
for holding the pile of signatures, a reciprocating plate having a transverse aperture
or slot, means for automatically taking hold of and depressing a portion of the lower
signature of the pile, a rod under said plate connected with a mechanism for
stopping the machine, and means whereby said signatures will be collected in
successive order, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of July 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.