Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating book covers or other items joined by a continuously moving web. A double-walled tubular attachment strip is adhesively attached to the spine portion of successive spaced covers in a continuous process. Covers are fed onto a conveyor at a constant speed with a spacing between covers and adhesive is applied to the spine areas. Simultaneously a continuous double-walled attachment strip is formed and pressed onto the cover spines to form a continuous string of covers. The attachment strip is cut by laser cutting beam between each cover while the covers are moving by moving a focussed cutting beam in a plane normal to the plane of the strip transversely to the direction of movement of the strip.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for preparing a preprinted book cover for application to a book block in a perfect binding system A double-walled tubular attachment strip is adhesively attached to the cover spine portion of successive covers in a continuous process. Covers are fed onto a conveyor at a constant speed with a spacing between covers and adhesive is applied to the spine areas. Simultaneously a continuous double-walled attachment strip with a longitudinal lap joint in one wall is formed without adhesive from a source of paper web stock and pressed, lap joint down, onto the cover spines to form a continuous string of covers. The attachment strip is cut by laser cutting beam between each cover while the covers are moving. The double-walled attachment strip is formed by pulling the web under constant tension through side scoring wheels, hold-down shoes, and forming devices which have surfaces to fold the edges of the moving web through 180.degree. toward each other to form a lap joint.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for preparing a preprinted book cover for application to a book block in a perfect binding system A double-walled tubular attachment strip is adhesively attached to the cover spine portion of successive covers in a continuous process. Covers are fed onto a conveyor at a constant speed with a spacing between covers and adhesives is applied to the spine areas. Simultaneously a continuous double-walled attachment strip with a longitudinal lap joint in one wall is formed without adhesive from a source of paper web stock and pressed, lap joint down, onto the cover spines to form a continuous string of covers. The attachment strip is cut by laser cutting beam between each cover while the covers are moving. The double-walled attachment strip is formed by pulling the web under constant tension through side scoring wheels, hold-down shoes, and forming devices which have surfaces to fold the edges of the moving web through 180.degree.