Semi-automatic bookbinder

Claim 2

Bookbinding apparatus comprising: a. a carriage with means to clamp the pages in aligned, superposed relation adjacent the edges to be bound; b. a fixed rod supporting said carriage for rotation about said rod between first and second angular positions and movement along said rod; and c. glue application means arranged so that movement of said carriage, when in said second amgular position, along the length of said rod will cause glue to be applied to said edges.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprise: a. a fixed plate; b. a movable plate; c. an adjustable bracket; d. a spring between said bracket and said movable plate biasing said movable plate toward said fixed plate.

Claim 4

ThE invention according to claim 1 and further including means, operable with said carriage in said first angular position at a first end of said rod, to align the outside edges of said pages.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 wherein said means to align comprises a vibrator with a flat top.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1 and further including means, usable when said carriage is in said first angular position at a second end of said rod, to supply tape to be placed on said edges after binding.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 5 wherein said supply means comprise a roll of tape mounted on a rotatable reel located in proximity to said second end of said rod.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said glue application means comprise: a. a glue pot partially filled with glue; and b. a rotating drum supported by said pot and partially immersed in the glue in said pot, the axis of said drum being transverse to the direction of movement of said carriage along said rod and the periphery of said drum being so located that movement along said rod will cause said edges to come into contact with said glue.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said glue is of a type which must be heated and further including means to heat said glue.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 8 wherein said glue pot is longer than said edges and is partially covered with a plate receiving heat from said heating means and which said edges contact when said carriage is in said second angular position at a first end of said rod, whereby said edges will be heated by said contact.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 9 and further including glue dispenser means by which said glue may be replenished.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 9 and further including cooling means at a second end of said rod by which said hotmelt glue may be cooled and set after said edges pass over said drum.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 11 wherein said cooling means comprise a fan and ducting to direct the air from said fan to said edges.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 1 and further including bi-directional drive means to drive said carriage between first and second ends of said rod.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 13 and further including manually operable means to initiate and stop said drive means, and automatic means to stop said drive means when said carriage is at said first or said second end of said rod.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 14 wherein said drive means comprise: a. an electrical motor; b. a first input shaft driven in a first rotational direction by said motor; c. a second input shaft driven in a second rotational direction by said first shaft through gearing; d. a differential having an output connected by linking means to said carriage; e. first and second output shafts connected as inputs to said differential; f. first and second clutches connected on one side to said first and second input shafts and on said other side to said first and second output shafts, said clutches controlled by said manual and automatic means; and g. detents operable to prevent motion of the input gears of said differential which are connected to an output shaft whose associated clutch is not engaged.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 15 wherein said motor also drives said glue application means.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 15 wherein said linking means comprise: a. a first pulley connected to the output shaft of said differential; b. a second pulley mounted on a rotatable shaft near the first end of said rod; c. a belt connecting said pulleys; d. a first sprocket mounted on said shaft; e. a second sprocket mounted on another rotatable shaft near the second end of said rod; f. a chain connecting said sprockets; and g. a bracket supported on said rod and secured to said chain and located so that motion of said bracket along said rod will move said carriage.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 15 wherein said clutches comprise first and second springs securely fastened on one end to said first and second output shafts and on the other end to first and second ratchet wheels rotatable on said first and second input shafts and wherein said manual and automatic means comprise rods located near said first and second ends of said rod linked together and to a third rod having mounted thereon a cam which when rotated to first, second and third positions will respectively prevent said first, said second, and said first and second sprocket wheels from turning, said rods containing handles which may be manually rotated to position said cam and arranged so that driving of said carriage to either end of said rod will cause said carriage when reaching said end to rotate said rods to said third position.

Claim 20

Bookbinding apparatus comprising: a. a carriage with means to clamp the pages in aligned, superposed relation adjacent the edges to be bound; b. a fixed rod supporting said carriage for rotation about said rod between first and second angular positions and movement along said rod between a first end position at one end and a second position at the other end of said rod; c. page alignment means operable on said pages when said carriage is in said first angular position at said first end of said rod; d. preheating means operable on said edges when said carriage is in said second angular position at said first end of said rod; e. bi-directional drive means to drive said carriage between said first end and said second end of said rod; f. glue application means located between said first and second ends of said rod and operable on said edges when they are driven between said ends with said carriage in said second angular position; g. cooling means operable on said edges when said carriage is in said second angular position at said second end of said rod; and h. tape dispensing means located to permit convenient and even application of tape to the bound edge of said pages when said carriage is in said first angular position at said second end of said rod.

Claim 21

Bookbinding apparatus comprising: a. a carriage with means to clamp the pages in aligned, superposed relation adjacent the edges to be bound; b. a fixed rod supporting said carriage for rotation about said rod between first and second angular positions and movement along said rod between a first end position at one end and a second position at the other end of said rod; c. page alignment means operable on said pages when said carriage is in said first angular position at said first end of said rod; d. preheating means operable on said edges when said carriage is in said second angular position at said first end of said rod; e. bi-directional drive means to drive said carriage between said first end and said second end of said rod; f. glue application means located between said first and second ends of said rod and operable on said edges when they are driven between said ends with said carriage in said second angular position; g. cooling means operable on said edges when said carriage is in said second angular position at said second end of said rod; and h. tape dispensing means located to permit convenient and even application of tape to the bound edge of said pages when said carriage is in said first angular position at said second end of said rod.