Patent ID: 7722022

Claim:
A machine ( 10 ) for trimming the fore-edge of books ( 22 ) formed from a book block ( 24 ) with its spine either sewn or milled and glued, and from a flexible cover ( 23 ) the openable parts ( 26 , 28 ) of which are provided with respective inwardly folded flaps ( 27 , 29 ), comprising: at least one conveyor device ( 19 , 49 ) for conveying the books ( 22 ), each conveyor device ( 19 , 49 ) comprising two superposed belts ( 18 , 20 ; 48 , 50 ) mounted about relative pulleys, the distance between the adjacent branches of the two belts ( 18 , 20 ; 48 , 50 ) being equal to the thickness of the books ( 22 ), these latter ( 22 ) being fed in regular succession to one end of the conveyor device ( 19 , 49 ) with their spine parallel to its direction of movement (A) and with their fore-edge to be trimmed projecting from the belts ( 18 , 20 ; 48 , 50 ); a trimming blade ( 36 ) movable in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement (A) of the books ( 22 ); and a presser ( 42 ) and counter-presser ( 43 ) to make contact with respectively opposing parts of the book block ( 24 ) which are adjacent to the cutting plane of the trimming blade ( 36 ); characterized by comprising two furrowers ( 34 , 40 ), one for each of the two faces of the books ( 22 ), each ( 34 , 40 ) to be inserted, starting from the fore-edge, between the relative openable part ( 26 , 28 ) of the cover ( 23 ) and the book block ( 24 ) to open this openable part ( 26 , 28 ) before the trimming operation is carried out on the fore-edge, to prevent the blade ( 36 ) from interfering with the cover ( 23 ).