Binding machine

Claim 2

A binding machine as claimed in claim 2, which additionally comprises heating means disposed at said second operating station for heating an elongated strip of spine-binding material having a hot melt adhesive on one surface thereof so as to melt said adhesive prior to application of said strip under pressure by said first pressure means against the spine surface of a stack of sheets clamped in mutual spine edge alignment by said clamping means.

Claim 3

A binding machine as claimed in claim 3, which additionally comprises jogging means disposed at said first operating station and associated with said supporting plate for vibrating a stack of sheets loosely supported between said clamping members of said clamping means at said first operating station so as to urge said sheets into mutual spine edge alignment prior to clamping of such a stack of sheets between said clamping members of said clamping means.

Claim 4

A binding machine as claimed in claim 4, which additionally comprises first indicating means associated with said clamping means for indicating a center line of the spine of a stack of sheets firmly clamped between the clamping members of said clamping means, and a second indicating means at said second operating station for indicating a center line of an elongated strip of spine-binding material disposed in a predetermined position thereat, so that when said first indicating means is disposed in predetermined relationship with respect to said second indicating means said spine is then disposed generally centrally with respect to said elongated strip.

Claim 5

A binding machine as claimed in claim 5, which additionally comprises an adjustable limiting means disposed at said second operating station to limit movement oF said clamping means beyond a position in which said spine is disposed generally centrally with respect to the elongated strip.

Claim 6

A binding machine as claimed in claim 6, in which said first pressure means comprises an electrically heated platen having an upper surface for supporting an elongated strip of spine-binding material in a predetermined position thereon and elevating means for moving said platen between a lowered retracted position and a raised operative position for applying said elongated strip of spine-binding material under pressure against the spine surface of said stack of sheets clamped in mutual edge alignment by said clamping means when said clamping means is disposed at said second operating station.

Claim 7

A binding machine as claimed in claim 7, in which said second pressure means comprises a pair of spaced apart rolls for engaging respective ones of said marginal outer portions of said elongated strip of spine-binding material when said clamping means supporting the stack of sheets is disposed at said third operating station.

Claim 8

A binding machine which comprises: a first operating station; a generally horizontal and transversely disposed supporting plate disposed at said first operating station; a clamping means comprising a first transversely extending clamping plate and a second transversely extending clamping plate mounted for movement towards and away from said first clamping plate and releasable locking means for releasably securing said first and second clamping plates in desired spaced apart positions whereby, said clamping means is effective both loosely to support and firmly to clamp between said first and second clamping plates thereof a stack of sheets having a spine surface resting on said supporting plate; a jogging means associated with said supporting plate for vibrating said supporting plate for urging said sheets of said stack when they are loosely supported between said clamping plates of said clamping means into mutual spine edge alignment; a second operating station disposed rearwardly of said first operating station; a third operating station; a guide means extending between said first, second and third operating stations; a transporting means supported by said guide means to carry said clamping means between said first, second and third operating stations with said stack of sheets in mutual spine edge alignment firmly clamped between said first and second clamping plates thereof; a first pressure means at said second operating station and comprising a vertically reciprocable, heating platen having a horizontal top surface for supporting and heating an elongated strip of spine-binding material disposed thereon, said elongated strip being wider than said spine surface of said stack of sheets and having a hot melt adhesive on a top surface thereof, and elevating means for moving said heating platen upwardly to apply said elongated strip under pressure against said spine surface when said clamping means is disposed at said second operating station whereby said spine surface is adhesively bonded to said elongated strip to leave marginal outer portions of said strip unbonded; and a second pressure means at said third operating station and comprising spaced apart pressure members for engaging said marginal outer portions of said elongated strip of spine-binding material and for pressing said marginal outer portions thereof under pressure against outermost ones of said stack of sheets for adhesive bonding thereto.

Claim 9

A binding machine as claimed in claim 9, in which said third operating station is disposed intermediate said first and second operating stations.

Claim 10

A binding machine as claimed in claim 10 in which said clamping means is pivotally mounted about a transversely extending horizontal axis for movement of said stack of sheets when firmly clamped between said first and second clamping plates of said clamping means to a position in which said spine surface of said sTack of sheets faces forwardly and upwardly for rasping thereof prior to adhesive bonding thereon of said elongated strip of spine-binding material at said second operating station.

Claim 11

A binding machine as claimed in claim 11, in which said first and second clamping plates of said clamping means are associated with first and second indicating members respectively extending transversely outwardly therefrom said first and second indicating members cooperating with each other to indicate a spine center line position of said stack of sheets when said sheets are firmly clamped between said clamping plates and in which means are additionally provided at said second operating station for indicating a center line position of said elongated strip of spine-binding material when said strip is disposed on said platen in a predetermined position thereon, whereby said clamping means may readily be moved into such a position that said spine center line essentially coincides with said center line of said elongated strip.

Claim 12

A binding machine as claimed in claim 12, in which an adjustable stop member is disposed at said second operating station whereby said stop member can be set as required to prevent movement of said clamping means rearwardly beyond a position in which said spine center line of said stack of sheets generally coincides with said center line of said elongated strip of spine-binding material disposed on said platen in said predetermined positions whereby in turn a plurality of identical stacks of sheets may be bound with automatic alignment of their spine center lines with the center lines of successive elongated strips of spine-binding material disposed at said predetermined position on said platen by moving said clamping means during each binding operation to a rearmost position as defined by said stop member.

Claim 13

A binding machine as claimed in claim 13, which additionally comprises at said first operating station a scale which cooperates with said first and second indicating members associated with said clamping plates so as to indicate the width of said stack of sheets clamped therebetween and to indicate the width of said elongated strip of spine-binding material required to be used for such a stack of sheets to provide a predetermined width for each said outer marginal portion.

Claim 14

A binding machine as claimed in claim 10, in which said second pressure means comprises first and second transversely disposed pressure-applying rolls eccentrically mounted about respective transversely disposed axes to define a transversely disposed nip, and first and second spring means cooperating with respective ones of said first and second pressure-applying rolls to urge said rolls to resist downward, nip-opening movement about said axes whereby, when said stack of sheets is moved downwardly from between said clamping plates of said clamping means disposed at said third station, said rolls apply an upward and inwardly compressive force against said marginal outer portions of said elongated strip of spine-binding material adhesively bonded to said stack of sheets.

Claim 15

A binding machine as claimed in claim 15, in which at least one of said pressure-applying rolls is adjustably mounted so that the width of said nip can be adjusted to accommodate varying thickness of stacks of sheets.

Claim 16

A binding machine as claimed in claim 16, in which each said pressure-applying roll is associated with a transversely extending bar disposed on the opposite side of the transversely disposed axis of rotation thereof and in which each said bar is connected to a spring acting to resist upward movement of said bar about said axis.

Claim 17

A binding machine as claimed in claim 17, in which each said transversely extending bar is connected to a free lower end of a helical compression spring by a pin extending downwardly through a slot in a generally horizontal member disposed below said bar and having an underface and in which an upper end of each said spring slidingly engages said undersurface of said horizontal member whereby said pin may move along said slot and said upper end of said spring may slide along said undersurface of said horizontal member when said pressure-applying roll is moved to adjust said nip.

Claim 18

A binding machine as claimed in claim 15, in which said elevating means at said second operating station is operative to move said heating platen between a lowered position below said supporting plate at said first operating station and a raised operative position above said supporting plate at said first operating station, and in which said pressure-applying rolls at said third operating station are disposed below said supporting plate at said first operation station.