Glue applicator, especially for endpaper gluing machines

Claim 1

A glue applicator for applying glue to a workpiece comprising: a reservoir comprising a generally inclined hollow elongated member having upper and lower ends through which glue may constantly flow having an inlet at the upper end of said member for the glue whereby the glue flows downwardly by gravity through the member along one side thereof; a first slot located in said one side of said member such that a portion of said slot extends below the surface of the glue when glue is flowing in said reservoir; and an outlet at the lower end of said member for that portion of the glue which is not removed out of said first slot; means connected to said inlet of said reservoir for constantly flowing the glue therethrough in a shallow stream such that said stream of glue substantially covers said first slot while occupying only a small portion of the total inner volume of said reservoir, whereby approximately no static head is produced and substantially all the pressure exerted by the glue on said first slot is the dynamic pressure of the glue flowing past said first slot; and applicator means comprising a glue wheel, having an outer periphery, rotatably mounted externally of said reservoir with a portion of said outer periphery partially extending into said slot to communicate with said reservoir and in contact with the glue when glue is flowing therethrough, for transferring the glue from said reservoir to the workpiece, wherein the portion of said slot below the surface of the glue, when glue is flowing through said reservoir, is sufficiently small to prevent the glue from being forced out of said reservoir by the pressure from said dynamic head when said glue wheel is not rotating.