Method for binding books

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing a reinforcing short cover comprises providing a short cover of reinforced kraft paper.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing a reinforcing short cover comprises providing a short cover of a fabric reinforced material.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1 or 4 comprising the further step of dimensioning each of said side portions of said short cover to have width less than the width of said outer pages so that each side portion only partially overlies an adjacent outer page when folded thereagainst, thereby leaving exposed areas of said outer page.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1 or 2 comprising the further step of dimensioning each of said side portions of said short cover to have width less than the width of said outer pages so that each side portion only partially overlies an adjacent outer page when folded thereagainst, thereby leaving exposed areas of said outer page, said method comprising the further steps of providing a hard outer cover having inner and outer surfaces and having sufficient height and width to overlie and cover said spine and said outer pages, and gluing the inner surfaces of said hard cover to the outer surfaces of said inner cover and to said exposed areas of said outer pages.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 1 or 4 comprising the further step of dimensioning each of said sidde portions of said short cover to have width equal to the width of said outer pages.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 1 or 4 comprising the further step of dimensioning each of said side portions of said short cover to havve height and width the same as height and width of said outer pages, whereby said short cover serves as an outer cover for a paperback book.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 4 wherein each signature comprises a plurality of sheets folded to form two pages, the method comprising the further step of cutting off the spines of the assembled signatures, thereby exposing along said spine an edge of every page to receive and absorb said heat-activatable glue.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 1 or 4 comprising the further step of dimensioning each of said side portions of said short cover to have width less than the width of said outer pages so that each side portion only partially overlies an adjacent outer page when folded thereagainst, thereby leaving exposed areas of said outer page, said method comprising the further steps of providing a hard outer cover having inner and outer surfaces and having sufficient height and width to overlie and cover said spine and said outer pages, and gluing the inner surfaces of said hard cover to the outer surfaces of said inner cover and to said exposed areas of said outer pages by applying glue to the outer surfaces of said side portions and to said exposed areas of said outer pages and pressing said inner surfaces of said hard cover against these glued surfaces.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 1 or 4 comprising the further steps of heating said flowable glue before coating said glue onto said spine, and subsequently heating said heat-activatable glue on said central portion of said short cover by contacting said heated glue on said spine with said central portion.

Claim 14

The method of claim 4 wherein said step of providing a reinforcing short cover comprises providing a short cover of paper of the type of the paper of said signature.

Claim 15

In an adhesive-bound cased-in book including a plurality of signatures formed into a stack with the first sheet of the first signature and the last sheet of the last signature being the outer sheets of the stack, the outer sheets having outer surfaces facing outwardly of the stack and one edge of the stack being the spine thereof, a layer of heat activated glue along said spine binding said signatures together, and an outer hard cover having a central part overlying said spine and side parts having inner surfaces overlying and facing said outer surfaces of said outer sheets, the improvement in combination therewith comprising: a reinforcing short cover having a central portion and opposite side portions and inside and outside surfaces of said portions, said short cover situated with the inside surface of its central portion overlying said spine and glued thereto and the inside surfaces of its side portions folded around said spine and partially overlying said outer sheets respectively and glued to the outer surfaces of said outer sheets, each of said outer sheet's outer surfaces defining an exposed area not covered by the short cover's side portion glued thereto, said exposed area of each outer sheet plus the outer surface of the short cover's side portion being glued to the adjacent inner surface of a side part of said outer cover.

Claim 16

In an adhesive-bound cased-in book including a plurality of signatures formed into a stack with the first sheet of the first signature and the last sheet of the last signature being the outer sheets of the stack, the outer sheets having outer surfaces facing outwardly of the stack and one edge of the stack being the spine thereof, a layer of heat activated glue along said spine binding said signatures together, and an outer hard cover having a central part overlying said spine and side parts having inner surfaces overlying and facing said outer surfaces of said outer sheets, the improvement in combination therewith comprising: a reinforcing short cover having a central portion and opposite side portions and inside and outside surfaces of said portions, said short cover situated with the inside surface of its central portion overlying said spine and glued thereto and the inside surfaces of its side portions folded around said spine and partially overlying said outer sheets respectively and glued to the outer surfaces of said outer sheets, each of said outer sheet's outer surfaces defining an exposed area not covered by the short cover's side portion glued thereto, said exposed area of each outer sheet plus the outer surface of the short cover's side portion being glued to the adjacent inner surface of a side part of said outer cover.

Claim 17

The book of claim 13 wherein said short cover is of a paper of the type of the paper of said signatures.

Claim 18

The book of claim 13 wherein said short cover is of reinforced kraft paper.

Claim 19

The book of claim 13 wherein said short cover is of a fabric reinforced material.

Claim 20

In an adhesive-bound case-in book including a plurality of sheets form into a stack with one edge of the stack being the spine thereof and the first and last sheets being the outer sheets thereof, each having an outer surface facing outward of the stack, a layer of heat activated glue along said spine binding said sheets together, and an outer cover having a central part overlying said spine and side parts having inner surfaces overlying and facing said outer surfaces of said outer sheets the improvement in combination therewith comprising: a reinforcing short cover having a central portion and opposite side portions and inside and outside surfaces of said portions, said short cover situated with the inside surface of its central portion overlying said spine and glued thereto and the inside surfaces of its side portions folded around said spine and partially overlying said outer sheets respectively and glued to the outer surfaces of said outer sheets, each of said outer sheet's outer surfaces defining an exposed area not covered by the short cover's side portion glued thereto, said exposed area of each outer sheet plus the outer surface of the short cover's side portion being glued to the adjacent inner surface of a side part of said outer cover.

Claim 21

In an adhesive-bound case-in book including a plurality of sheets form into a stack with one edge of the stack being the spine thereof and the first and last sheets being the outer sheets thereof, each having an outer surface facing outward of the stack, a layer of heat activated glue along said spine binding said sheets together, and an outer cover having a central part overlying said spine and side parts having inner surfaces overlying and facing said outer surfaces of said outer sheets the improvement in combination therewith comprising: a reinforcing short cover having a central portion and opposite side portions and inside and outside surfaces of said portions, said short cover situated with the inside surface of its central portion overlying said spine and glued thereto and the inside surfaces of its side portions folded around said spine and partially overlying said outer sheets respectively and glued to the outer surfaces of said outer sheets, each of said outer sheet's outer surfaces defining an exposed area not covered by the short cover's side portion glued thereto, said exposed area of each outer sheet plus the outer surface of the short cover's side portion being glued to the adjacent inner surface of a side part of said outer cover.

Claim 22

In an adhesive-bound cased-in book including a plurality of signatures formed into a stack with the first sheet of the first signature and the last sheet of the last signature being the outer sheets of the stack the outer sheets having outer surfaces facing outwardly of the stack and one edge of the stack being the spine thereof, a layer of heat activated glue along said spine binding said signatures together, and an outer hard cover having a central part overlying said spine and side parts having inner surfaces overlying and facing said outer surfaces of said outer sheets, the improvement in combination therewith comprising: a reinforcing short cover having a central portion and opposite side portions and inside and outside surfaces of said portions, said short cover situated with the inside surface of its central portion overlying said spine and glued thereto and the inside surfaces of its side portions folded around said spine and substantially completely overlying said outer sheets respectively and glued to the outer surfaces of said outer sheets, and said outer surfaces of the short cover's side portions being glued to the adjacent inner surfaces of side parts respectively of said outer cover.

Claim 23

In an adhesive-bound cased-in book including a plurality of signatures formed into a stack with the first sheet of the first signature and the last sheet of the last signature being the outer sheets of the stack the outer sheets having outer surfaces facing outwardly of the stack and one edge of the stack being the spine thereof, a layer of heat activated glue along said spine binding said signatures together, and an outer hard cover having a central part overlying said spine and side parts having inner surfaces overlying and facing said outer surfaces of said outer sheets, the improvement in combination therewith comprising: a reinforcing short cover having a central portion and opposite side portions and inside and outside surfaces of said portions, said short cover situated with the inside surface of its central portion overlying said spine and glued thereto and the inside surfaces of its side portions folded around said spine and substantially completely overlying said outer sheets respectively and glued to the outer surfaces of said outer sheets, and said outer surfaces of the short cover's side portions being glued to the adjacent inner surfaces of side parts respectively of said outer cover.

Claim 24

A book according to claims 13, 17 or 18 wherein said inside surface of said short cover's central and side portions comprises a layer coated thereon of heat-activatable glue which having been heat-activated adheres said inside surfaces of said short cover to said spine and outer sheets.