Continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like

Claim 1

A method for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) advancing at least one stream of the paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) processing the material to provide a slitted groove, the groove being formed by removing a thickness of material from the paperboard to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, and the paperboard being slit in the direction of advancement thereof to form a plurality of parallel paperboard streams, (c) separating the streams a predetermined amount, and (d) adhering a hinge tape to the paperboard within the groove, the hinge tape being of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and extending from one side thereof to the other to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard.

Claim 2

A method for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) advancing at least one stream of the paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) processing the material to provide a slitted groove, the groove being formed by removing a thickness of material from the paperboard to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, and the paperboard being slit in the direction of advancement thereof to form a plurality of parallel paperboard streams, (c) separating the streams a predetermined amount, and (d) adhering a hinge tape to the paperboard within the groove, the hinge tape being of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and extending from one side thereof to the other to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard.

Claim 7

A method for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) advancing at least one stream of the paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) milling a thickness of material from the paperboard by passing the paperboard across a depth of cut gage and supporting the paperboard thereon as it is being milled, to regulate and control the thickness of the material which is milled from the paperboard, and to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, (c) slitting the paperboard stream along the groove in the hinge region, said slitting being done in the direction of advancement of the paperboard to provide two parallel leafboard streams and an intermediate spine reinforcement stream, and separating the streams a predetermined amount, and (d) adhering a hinge tape to the paperboard within the groove, the hinge tape being of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and extending from one side thereof to the other to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard.

Claim 8

A method for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) advancing at least one stream of the paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) milling a thickness of material from the paperboard by passing the paperboard across a depth of cut gage and supporting the paperboard thereon as it is being milled, to regulate and control the thickness of the material which is milled from the paperboard, and to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, (c) slitting the paperboard stream along the groove in the hinge region, said slitting being done in the direction of advancement of the paperboard to provide two parallel leafboard streams and an intermediate spine reinforcement stream, and separating the streams a predetermined amount, and (d) adhering a hinge tape to the paperboard within the groove, the hinge tape being of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and extending from one side thereof to the other to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard.

Claim 9

An apparatus for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) means for supplying and advancing at least one stream of paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) means for processing the material to provide a slitted groove, said processing means forming said groove by removing a thickness of material from the paperboard to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, and said processing means slitting said paperboard in the direction of advancement thereof to form a plurality of parallel paperboard streams, (c) means for separating said streams a predetermined amount, (d) means for supplying a stream of hinge tape of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and of a width substantially the same as the distance from one side of the groove to the other, and (e) means for adhering said hinge tape to the paperboard within said groove to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard.

Claim 10

An apparatus for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) means for supplying and advancing at least one stream of paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) means for processing the material to provide a slitted groove, said processing means forming said groove by removing a thickness of material from the paperboard to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, and said processing means slitting said paperboard in the direction of advancement thereof to form a plurality of parallel paperboard streams, (c) means for separating said streams a predetermined amount, (d) means for supplying a stream of hinge tape of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and of a width substantially the same as the distance from one side of the groove to the other, and (e) means for adhering said hinge tape to the paperboard within said groove to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard.

Claim 16

An apparatus for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) means for supplying and advancing at least one stream of paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) milling means for removing a thickness of material from the paperboard to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, (c) means mounting said milling means adjacent and projecting into said paperboard path for engaging said paperboard and removing said thickness therefrom, (d) platform means projecting into said paperboard path and supporting said paperboard in the vicinity of and on either side of said milling means, to control the exposure of said paperboard to said milling means for restricting the milling operation to the removal of only said predetermined depth of material, (e) means adjustably supporting said platform for movement relative to said milling means into and out of said paperboard path for adjusting the thickness of material removed from said paperboard by adjusting the relative positions of the milling means, the platform, and the paperboard supported on said platform, (f) means for slitting said paperboard stream along said groove in said hinge region, said slitting means slitting said paperboard in the direction of advancement thereof to provide two parallel leafboard streams and an intermediate spine reinforcement stream, and separating said streams a predetermined amount, (g) means for supplying a stream of hinge tape of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and of a width substantially the same as the distance from one side of the groove to the other, (h) means for adhering said hinge tape to the paperboard within said groove to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard, and (i) means for trimming the outermost edges of the paperboard to a predetermined width.

Claim 17

An apparatus for producing a continuous flexible hinge for paperboard and the like suitable for use in making book cover blanks, comprising: (a) means for supplying and advancing at least one stream of paperboard along a predetermined path, (b) milling means for removing a thickness of material from the paperboard to provide a groove of predetermined depth along a hinge region of the paperboard, (c) means mounting said milling means adjacent and projecting into said paperboard path for engaging said paperboard and removing said thickness therefrom, (d) platform means projecting into said paperboard path and supporting said paperboard in the vicinity of and on either side of said milling means, to control the exposure of said paperboard to said milling means for restricting the milling operation to the removal of only said predetermined depth of material, (e) means adjustably supporting said platform for movement relative to said milling means into and out of said paperboard path for adjusting the thickness of material removed from said paperboard by adjusting the relative positions of the milling means, the platform, and the paperboard supported on said platform, (f) means for slitting said paperboard stream along said groove in said hinge region, said slitting means slitting said paperboard in the direction of advancement thereof to provide two parallel leafboard streams and an intermediate spine reinforcement stream, and separating said streams a predetermined amount, (g) means for supplying a stream of hinge tape of substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove and of a width substantially the same as the distance from one side of the groove to the other, (h) means for adhering said hinge tape to the paperboard within said groove to provide a substantially flush surface on the paperboard, and (i) means for trimming the outermost edges of the paperboard to a predetermined width.