Abstract In apparatus of the type in which collated book signatures are held by clamps for travel along a path, the signature folds are trimmed off by apparatus comprising a first rotary cutter on one side of the path disposed to cut laterally part way into the width of one side of the book backbone as it moves past the cutter, and a second rotary cutter on the opposite side of and farther along said path disposed to cut at least to the same width through the other remaining side of the backbone. The rotary cutters are coplanar and lie in a plane parallel to the path of travel. The first cut is substantially halfway through the book, during which cut the remaining uncut side of the book backbone acts as back up means for the first rotary cutter, thereby obviating the need for customary additional back up means. To lesser extent the first cut side of the backbone extending below the clamps acts as back up means for the second cutter.
Apparatus for cutting an unbound book backbone comprising: clamp means for holding the book with the length of the backbone exposed, conveyor means moving the clamp means and backbone lengthwise along a path with both sides of the backbone exposed throughout the path, a first rotary cutter on one side of said path disposed to cut laterally part way into the width of one side of the backbone as it moves thereby, and a second rotary cutter coplanar with the first and on the opposite side of and farther along said path disposed to cut at least to the same width through the other, remaining, side of the backbone, said second rotary cutter being spaced along said path at least one backbone length from the first rotary cutter and being disposed to cut into the backbone after the first cutter, thereby to reduce the pressure needed to hold the book in said clamp means, whereby the remaining uncut side of the backbone acts as sufficient backup means for the first rotary cutter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
Apparatus for cutting an unbound book backbone comprising: clamp means for holding the book with the length of the backbone exposed, conveyor means moving the clamp means and backbone lengthwise along a path with both sides of the backbone exposed throughout the path, a first rotary cutter on one side of said path disposed to cut laterally part way into the width of one side of the backbone as it moves thereby, and a second rotary cutter coplanar with the first and on the opposite side of and farther along said path disposed to cut at least to the same width through the other, remaining, side of the backbone, said second rotary cutter being spaced along said path at least one backbone length from the first rotary cutter and being disposed to cut into the backbone after the first cutter, thereby to reduce the pressure needed to hold the book in said clamp means, whereby the remaining uncut side of the backbone acts as sufficient backup means for the first rotary cutter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said rotary cutters is slidably mounted for movement transverse to the path taken by the book independently of the other cutter to change the depth of cut.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein both of said rotary cutters are independently slidably mounted for movement transverse to the path taken by the book to change the depth of cut.