US3919971A

US3919971A - Gluing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3919971A
Application number: US483425A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hermann Lubeck
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Kolbus GmbH and Co KG; Rahdener Maschinenfabrik August Kolbus GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1974-03-07
Filing date: 1974-06-26
Publication date: 1975-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-18
Also published as: JPS50122321A; JPS5734115B2

Abstract

Apparatus having utility in the application of a coating of glue to the end sheets of an inner book. The apparatus comprises a pair of oppositely driven rollers and means for adjustably varying the spacing between the rollers along a portion of their circumference. The roller which contacts and applies the glue to the books is provided with an axis-parallel groove which receives the hinge joint located adjacent the inner book spine; the recess being shaped so as to descend at a shallow angle in the direction of roller rotation whereby, through the action of a complementary cam on the other roller, glue may be expelled upwardly as the cam and recess engage rather than being entrapped between and thus forcing the rollers apart.

Description

U Umted States Patent 1191 [111 3,919,971

Lubeck Nov. 18, 1975 [5 GLUING APPARATUS 1.404589 1/1922 Dixon et al. ll8/227 [75] Inventor: Hermann Lubeck, Espelkamp, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Fmthelm, Germany 300,877 2/1929 Germany 11/1 AD [73] Assignee: August Kolbus, Wesphalia,

Germany Primary ExaminerJohn P. McIntosh [22] Filed: June 26, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT [21 1 Appl' 483425 Apparatus having utility in the application of a coating of glue to the end sheets of an inner book. The appa- [30 Foreign Application priority Data ratus comprises a pair of oppositely driven rollers and Mar 7 974 Germany 740795; means for adjustably varying the spacing between the rollers along a portion of their circumference. The rol- [52] us CL 118/259. 1 18/227. 118/262 -ler which contacts and applies the glue to the books is [51] Int BOSC U02 provided with an axis-parallel groove which receives [58] Field of 227 228 the-hinge joint located adjacent the inner book spine; 1 10172} M A the recess being shaped so as to descend at a shallow angle in the direction of roller rotation whereby, [56] References Cited through the action of a complementary cam on the other roller, glue may be expelled upwardly as the UNITED STATES PATENTS cam and recess engage rather than being entrapped 484,966 10/I892 Karfzol l0l/23 between and thus forcing the rollers apart 680533 8/1901 Marwier et al. 101/23 805.699 ll/l905 Avril 101/23 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 GLUING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to book binding. More specifically, this invention is directed to apparatus for use in the gluing of a casing to the end sheets of a book. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus of such character.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the manufacture of a hard-cover book a plurality of signatures are arranged to define the inner book, the inner book is pressed to form hinge joints therein and the boards of a cover or casing are thereafter glued to the end sheets of the inner book. In the pressing or forming operation the inner book is given a shape commensurate with the type of casing to be employed. This shape is, in part, determined by a hinge joint produced in the spine zone of the inner book; such joints being either deep joints" having a right angle or oblique joints defining an angle of greater than 90.

It is necessary that, in the final book, there be a bond of adequate strength between the book casing and the end sheets in the vicinity of the hinge joints. Thus, during the step of application of glue to the faces of the end sheets of the inner book, a sufficient coating of glue must be applied to the surfaces of the hinge joints produced by the pressing or forming operation.

Gluing apparatus for machines which apply book casings to inner books are known in the art. These prior art gluing devices typically comprise a pair of gluing systems which are arranged so as to be situated at either side of a moving inner book. The gluing systems of the prior art will usually each comprise a glue-scooping or drawing roller, which dips into a glue reservoir, and a cooperating glue applying roller which contacts a face ofa moving inner book to apply a coating of glue to the book end sheet.

As noted above, it is necessary that the glue also be applied to the surfaces of the hinge joint which constitutes an indentation in the face of the book presented to the glue-applying roller. Accordingly, glue applying rollers of prior art gluing systems have been provided with an axis-parallel round recess designed to receive the joint edge of the upward-moving inner book. The leading edge or portion of such an axis-parallel recess will in theory apply glue in the hinge joint area or zone. In order to insure application of glue to the recessed portion on the applying roller, the scooping or drawing roller will be provided with a raised or cam portion complimentary in shape to the recess in the applying roller.

Control of the thickness of the coating of glue applied to the end sheets of the book has conventionally been accomplished by varying the spacing between the drawing and applying rollers and also by use of a scraper which cooperates with the drawing roller.

Inner books are often provided with a fabric material flap, known in the art as gauze, which protrudes beyond the spine toward the two sides. In such cases it is necessary to apply to the end sheets, in those areas defined by the overlapping gauze, a thicker coating of glue than will be applied to the other portions of the end sheets. The additional thickness of glue, of course, permits penetration thereof through the gauze to insure a high-strength bond between the end sheets, gauze and book casing. In order to achieve this requisite variation in glue coating thickness, the glue applying roller has previously been provided with a depression oriented in front of the axis-parallel recess in the direction of roller movement; the depressed area accepting more glue from the drawing roller and applying or transferring the glue to the face of the inner book.

The prior art gluing systems and devices, as briefly described above, have been characterized by a number of deficiencies and disadvantages. For example, since the gluing roller always feeds a larger quantity of glue then required to the applying roller, a projecting bulge of glue is formed in the V-shaped space between and above the region of contact between the rollers. Since the drawing and applying rollers rotate in the opposite direction, this charge of excess glue can escape in the upward direction only when the recessed and raised portions of the cooperating rollers are beginning to engage. The glue thus has a tendency to become trapped between the rollers in the vicinity of the hinge joint recess. This results in irregular operation of the gluing system and uncontrolled application of glue. The uncontrolled application of glue results from the fact that, when the trapped excess glue forces the rollers apart, some of the glue escapes downwardly and is carried on the glueapplying roller. Additionally, the downward escape of the glue is often accompanied by a throwing or splattering of the excess glue with the resultant contamination of machine parts and also of the inner books themselves.

A further disadvantage of prior art gluing devices is that the scrapers used to define the thickness of the coating of glue applied are incapable of regulating the glue coating as required in all areas of a drawing roller which, as discussed above, may have both recessed and projecting portions corresponding to the axis-parallel recess, gauze defined region and normal end sheet regions of the applying roller.

It may also be noted that, while previous glue-applying devices have the capability of applying a thicker coat of glue in lateral gauze areas, this desirable result may be achieved only through installation of a separate applying roller corresponding to each different gauze projection dimension.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the above discussed and other deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a reliable and uncomplicated device for application of a coating of glue to the end sheets of an inner book. In accordance with the present invention a glue applying roller is provided with a recess, which corresponds to the inner book hinge joint, which ascends at a small angle toward the periphery of the glue applying roller in the direction of rotation of the applying roller. This recess cooperates with a raised or cam portion on a drawing roller; the drawing roller cam portion having a configuration which may be described as descending at a small angle toward the periphery of the drawing roller. This unique design of the cooperating recess and cam portions, respectively on the applying and drawing rollers, permits the .excess glue which accumulates in the V-shaped area above and between the two rollers to escape in an upwarddirection when the cam enters the recess. Accordingly, the rollers are not forced apart by glu'e entrapped in the recess and the problems of irregular operation, nonuniform glue application and splattering which have 3 plagued the prior art are eliminated.

Apparatus in accordance with the present invention may also be characterized by adjusting means for effecting a variation of the distance between the glue applying and drawing or dosing rollers along a preselected portion of the peripheral surfaces of the rollers. This adjusting means comprises in part cam discs attached to the ends of the glue-applying roller. The cam discs are provided with cam portions which protrude beyond the roller periphery and which correspond to the thickness and length of the area in which a coating of glue of increased thickness is to be applied. The cam discs are positioned such that, in the sense of rotation, the protruding cam portions are positioned immediately rearwardly of the recess which corresponds to the inner book hinge joint. The adjusting means further comprises control discs attached to the ends of the dosing roller and havingmajor surfaces which are flush 'with the outer diameter of the dosing roll. The control discs are provided with recesses which receive and cooperate with the cam portions of the discs attached to the glue-applying roller. The position of the control disc recesses with respect to the cam projections on the discs attached to the glue-applying roller may be adjusted by turning the control discs on .their shafts. Proper operation of the adjusting means of the present invention is insured by mounting the dosing roller for radial displacement and resiliently loading the dosing roller toward the glue-applying roller to a position commensurate with a normal thickness glue application.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, the glue-applying roller will receive a glue quantity commensurate to a high degree of accuracy with the desired application pattern even in the case of high speeds of .rotation. The present invention also insures that the glue quantity will be transferred to the faces and the hinge joint area of the inner book. The throwing-away or splattering of excess glue is completely eliminated by apparatus in accordance with the present invention. Also, by employment of a particularly advantageous configuration of the recesses of the glue-applying roller, the associated glue scrapers can be adapted with high accuracy to the contours of the roller. Further, employing the present invention it is possible to accurately apply a thicker coat of glue in a gauze area" and to adjust the dimensions of application of this thicker coating in a manner which does not require the disassembly of the gluing device and the replacement of a roller or rollers of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention may be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements in the several figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic side elevation view, taken along line A-B of FIG. 2, depicting two gluing systems of a gluing device with the systems being shown in different operational phases;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the gluing system of FIG. 1 which is located to the left of the inner book transport; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view,-taken along line C D of FIG. 2, depicting the control discs ofa preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference now to the drawing, and particularly FIG. 1, a glue-applying device for apparatus used in the attachment of casings to inner books is depicted. The glue applying device comprises a pair of gluing units or systems which are mirror images of one another. In the description below only the gluing unit located on the left of the transport mechanism for the inner book 1 will be described. However, the unique design of the glue applying roller hinge joint receiving and gluing recess and cooperating glue dosing roller cam portion of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of both gluing units. The gluing units have thus been depicted in an out-of-phase relationship, which they would in practice not assume, with the left hand unit shown as applying glue to an inner book hinge joint and the right hand unit shown in the position where the hinge joint recess 2a in the applying roller 2 is engaged by a cam 3a on the dosing roller 3.

Continuing with a description of FIG. 1, each gluing unit essentially comprises a glue-applying roller 2 and a dosing or regulating roller 3. The axes of the rollers are arranged in a horizontal plane and can be adjusted relative to one another, by means not shown, in this plane in the interest of regulating the thickness of the coating of glue to be applied to the end sheets of inner book 1. A glue feeding system, indicated schematically at 4, insures that the quantity of glue 5 in the V-shaped area between the

above rollers

2 and 3 will be maintained at a proper level. As indicated by the arrows applied internally of

rollers

2 and 3, the sense or rotation of the rollers is opposite to one another.

In order to obtain application of glue to the hinge joints of the inner books 1, the glue-applying roller 2 is provided with a recess 2a which is adapted to receive the joint of the inner book as it moves upwardly on a transport mechanism. For proper interaction of the applying and dosing rollers, the dosing roller 3 is provided with a raised or cam portion 3a which has a shape complementary to that of the recess 2a of the glue-applying roller 2. During rotation the glue-applying roller 2 picks up a quantity of glue from the glue bulge 5 and transfers a portion of the said quantity to inner book 1 while the closing I roller 3 returns excess glue to the bulge. I

, In order to permit an essentially unimpeded escape of the glue in an upward direction when the cam 30 enters the recess 2a, the joint receiving recess ascens, from its maximum depth, toward the periphery of the roller at a small angle in the direction of rotation. The cooperating cam portion 3a on the dosing roller similarly descends, from its maximum height, at a small angle toward the periphery of roller 3. Accordingly, as the recess and projectionrespectively on

rollers

2 and 3 engage, the glue will be afforded an upward escape path as may clearly be seen from the right hand gluing unit of FIG. 1. Thus, glue will not become entrapped in the recess and the undesired forcing apart of the rollers which characterized the prior art is eliminated.

The apparatus of the present invention is also provided with a drain tray 6 positioned below the

rollers

2 and 3 for collecting any glue which drops off of the rollers. The apparatus is additionally provided with a glue scraper, shown schematically at 6a, which assists in controlling the quantity of glue delivered to the inner book I.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it is to be noted that

rollers

2 and 3 are mounted for rotation on a frame 9 and are drivingly interconnected by means of gears 7 and 8 keyed onto the drive shafts of the rollers.

The two gluing units and the conveyor or transport system of the casing applying machine, the transport system being in the form of a wing type conveyor which has not been shown in the drawing, have a common drive and are synchronized such that the recess 2a in the surface of the glue applying roller 2 will receive the hinge joint of each inner book; the inner books moving upwardly as indicated by the directional arrow in FIG. 1. The roller2 will roll over the end sheet ofinner book 1 thereby applying glue to the continuously moving face of the inner book. As noted, as a result of the drive synchronization, the recesses 2a are always in position to receive the hinge joint zones of the upward-moving inner books.

The partial application of a coating of glue of increased thickness in the case of inner books which are to be gauzed is achieved by varying the distance, indicated in FIG. 3 as a, to thereby vary the distance between the glue-applying roller 2 and the dosing roller 3. This distance variation is obtained by displacing the dosing roller 3 in the radial direction against the force of compression springs such as spring 13 of FIG. 2.

As may be seen from joint consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3, cam discs 10 are attached to the opposite ends of roller 2. Cam discs 10 are provided with cam portions 10a corresponding to the maximum length and thickness of the areas in which increased glue application commensurate with a gauze projection is to be applied. The cam discs 10 are oriented so that the cam projections 10a are positioned immediately rearwardly of the hinge joint recess in the roller in the direction of rotation.

The dosing roller 3 is also provided, at its oppositely disposed ends, with control discs 11. The control discs 11 are provided with recesses 11a which receive the cam projections 10a on the cam discs attached to the glue-applying roller. With the exception of the areas of the recesses and cam projections, the

discs

10 and 11 have a diameter equal to that of their associated

rollers

2 and 3. The control discs 11 are rotatably adjustable with respect to the drive shafts for roller 3. The cam projections 10a on discs 10 may be readjusted relative to recesses 11a in the interest of varying the length of the zone of increased or thicker glue application commensurate with a gauze zone by rotatably adjusting the control discs 11 on the drive shaft for roller 3. As will be obvious, the maximum length region for increased glue application will be commensurate with the orientation of

discs

10 and 11 where cam projection 10a does not engage the recess 11a. Conversely, if no increased glue application is required, discs 11 will be adjusted to the position where the cam projections 10 a engage the control disc recesses lla over their entire length so that no variation of the distance or gap between the rollers, against the action of compression springs 13, will be produced. After each adjustment the discs 11 are locked in position on their shafts by means of lock nuts 12.

While a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it would be possible to deliver the glue to be applied to the glue-applying roller by means of a scooping or drawing roller which is partially immersed=in a glue reservoir; such scooping or drawing roller being formed with a recess corresponding to the hinge joint receiving recess in the glue-applying roller. Thus, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for applying an adhesive to the outer leaf of an inner book comprising:

an adhesive applying roller, said applying roller contacting an outer leaf of an inner book to be coated for transferring adhesive thereto, said applying roller being characterized by an axis-parallel recess on the roller surface which corresponds to a hinge surface portion on the book to be ocated, said recess flaring to the normal surface of the applying roller at a shallow angle in the direction of rotation of the applying roller;

a dosing roller, said dosing roller contacting the surface of said applying roller, said dosing roller being characterized by an irregularity on the roller surface, said irregularity onsaid dosing roller surface being complimentary in shape to said recess on the applying roller surface, said applying and dosing rollers defining a V-shaped space above the point of minimum spacing therebetween; I

means for rotating said applying and dosing rollers in synchronism and in the opposite direction; and

means for delivering the adhesive to be applied to the book to the surface of said dosing roller, the adhesive accumulating in said V-shaped space and being able to escape from between the cooperating surface recess and irregularity in the upward direction as a result of the configuration of said cooperating recess and irregularity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dosing roller surface irregularity comprises: an axis-parallel cam projection which engages said applying roller axis-parallel recess.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: means for effecting a variation of the distance between said applying and dosing rollers over preselected portions of the peripheral surfaces of said rollers. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said distance variation effecting means comprises: 7

control disc means mounted from at least a first end of one of said rollers, said control disc means being rotatably adjustable with respect to said one roller and including a peripheral irregularity corresponding to the maximum length of the roller surface are over which a spacing variation may be desired; cam disc means affixed to at least a first end of the other of said rollers, said cam disc means having a peripheral surface portion complimentary to the peripheral surface irregularity of said control disc, said peripheral portions of said control and cam discs being in contact with one another; and means resiliently loading said dosing roller toward 1 said applying roller. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising: second rotatably adjustable control disc means, said second control disc means being mounted adjacent to the opposite end of said one of said rollers from said first control disc means, said control disc means each including a control disc having a radius commensurate with the radius of said one of said rollers at all portions except that commensurate 7 8 with said peripheral surface irregularity. face, said irregularity on said dosing roller surface 6. The apparatus of claim wherein said cam disc being complementary in shape to said irregularity means comprises:

fixed position discs attached to the opposite ends of said other of said rollers, said fixed position discs 5 having a radius commensurate with the radius of said other of said rollers at all portions of their circumference except in the region corresponding to said surface irregularity, said surface irregularity of said fixed position disc comprising a cam projec- 10 tion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said fixed position cam discs are mounted on said applying roller with said cam projections positioned immediately behind said applying roller axis-parallel recess in the direction on the applying roller surface, said applying and dosing rollers defining a V-shaped space above the point of minimum spacing therebetween; v means for rotating said applying and dosing rollers in synchronism and in the opposite direction;

means for delivering glue to the surface of said dosing roller;

control disc means mounted from at least a first end of one of said rollers, said control disc means being rotatably adjustable and including a peripheral irregularity corresponding to the maximum length of the roller surface are over which an axial spacing of roller rotation variation between said applying and closing rollers 8. Apparatus for applying glue to an end sheet of a may be deslred; moving inner book comprising; cam dlSC means affixed to at least a first end of the a glue applying roller, said applying roller contacting other of said rollers, said cam (1180 means having a a surface of objects to be coated for transferring P ip Surface P f p l 'y to fluid thereto, said applying roller being character- Peripheral Surface "f y 531d control d156, ized by an irregularity onthe roller surface which Said Peripheral P f 531d control and cam corresponds to the inn b k hi j i discs being in contact with one another; and a dosing roller, said dosing roller contacting the surmeans resiliently loading said dosing roller toward face of said applying roller, said dosing roller being said applying roller. I characterized by an irregularity on the roller sur-

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying an adhesive to the outer leaf of an inner book comprising: an adhesive applying roller, said applying roller contacting an outer leaf of an inner book to be coated for transferring adhesive thereto, said applying roller being characterized by an axis-parallel recess on the roller surface which corresponds to a hinge surface portion on the book to be ocated, said recess flaring to the normal surface of the applying roller at a shallow angle in the direction of rotation of the applying roller; a dosing roller, said dosing roller contacting the surface of said applying roller, said dosing roller being characterized by an irregularity on the roller surface, said irregularity on said dosing roller surface being complimentary in shape to said recess on the applying roller surFace, said applying and dosing rollers defining a V-shaped space above the point of minimum spacing therebetween; means for rotating said applying and dosing rollers in synchronism and in the opposite direction; and means for delivering the adhesive to be applied to the book to the surface of said dosing roller, the adhesive accumulating in said V-shaped space and being able to escape from between the cooperating surface recess and irregularity in the upward direction as a result of the configuration of said cooperating recess and irregularity.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: means for effecting a variation of the distance between said applying and dosing rollers over preselected portions of the peripheral surfaces of said rollers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said distance variation effecting means comprises: control disc means mounted from at least a first end of one of said rollers, said control disc means being rotatably adjustable with respect to said one roller and including a peripheral irregularity corresponding to the maximum length of the roller surface arc over which a spacing variation may be desired; cam disc means affixed to at least a first end of the other of said rollers, said cam disc means having a peripheral surface portion complimentary to the peripheral surface irregularity of said control disc, said peripheral portions of said control and cam discs being in contact with one another; and means resiliently loading said dosing roller toward said applying roller.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising: second rotatably adjustable control disc means, said second control disc means being mounted adjacent to the opposite end of said one of said rollers from said first control disc means, said control disc means each including a control disc having a radius commensurate with the radius of said one of said rollers at all portions except that commensurate with said peripheral surface irregularity.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cam disc means comprises: fixed position discs attached to the opposite ends of said other of said rollers, said fixed position discs having a radius commensurate with the radius of said other of said rollers at all portions of their circumference except in the region corresponding to said surface irregularity, said surface irregularity of said fixed position disc comprising a cam projection.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said fixed position cam discs are mounted on said applying roller with said cam projections positioned immediately behind said applying roller axis-parallel recess in the direction of roller rotation.

8. Apparatus for applying glue to an end sheet of a moving inner book comprising: a glue applying roller, said applying roller contacting a surface of objects to be coated for transferring fluid thereto, said applying roller being characterized by an irregularity on the roller surface which corresponds to the inner book hinge joint; a dosing roller, said dosing roller contacting the surface of said applying roller, said dosing roller being characterized by an irregularity on the roller surface, said irregularity on said dosing roller surface being complementary in shape to said irregularity on the applying roller surface, said applying and dosing rollers defining a V-shaped space above the point of minimum spacing therebetween; means for rotating said applying and dosing rollers in synchronism and in the opposite direction; means for delivering glue to the surface of said dosing roller; control disc means mounted from at least a first end of one of said rollers, said control disc means being rotatably adjustable and including a peripheral irregularity corresponding to the maximum length of the roller Surface arc over which an axial spacing variation between said applying and dosing rollers may be desired; cam disc means affixed to at least a first end of the other of said rollers, said cam disc means having a peripheral surface portion complementary to the peripheral surface irregularity of said control disc, said peripheral portions of said control and cam discs being in contact with one another; and means resiliently loading said dosing roller toward said applying roller.