Patent ID: 7658585

Claim:
A binding-in and pressing machine for the pressing-in and joint forming of books in which a book case having cover boards and a spine surrounds a book block, comprising: a plurality of pressing stations that are arranged in a straight row and equidistantly spaced apart from one another, wherein said pressing stations respectively comprise a pair of press plates for exerting pressure upon the sides of the book and are adjustable with respect to their mutual distance; heated joint forming rails associated with the pressing stations and respectively arranged opposite one another pair-by-pair, for forming book case joints of the book, wherein the joint forming rails are situated on a reciprocating carriage for advancing the books from pressing station to pressing station in a cyclic fashion; a pre-forming station upstream of the pressing stations for post-forming rounded book blocks, including a forming rail that acts downwardly upon the upward facing front edge cut of the book block, clamping plates that laterally limit the book case cover boards, and joint rails that engage into the book case joints and counteract a downward movement of at least the book case joints while the book block is pressed into the book case spine by the forming rail; a book alignment station upstream of the pre-forming station for aligning the book case joints at the height of the joint forming rails including a height-adjustable alignment table with spaced apart rails for forming and supporting the book from below on the outer edges of its spine and guide elements acting on the book case cover boards for centering the book on the alignment table; and a clamping conveyor with clamping jaws that clamp the books in position on the alignment station in lateral regions near the joints along the entire length of the book after the book case joints have been aligned at the height of the joint forming rails, wherein only said clamping conveyor provides the transport and joint alignment of the books from the alignment station into the pre-forming station.