Abstract: The order in which printing work products, such as finished books, book blocks and other similar objects, are transported is rearranged intermediate serially arranged entry and discharge conveyors. In a destacking mode of operation, stacks of products are positioned at an intermediate destacking station and the product which is uppermost in the stack is separated from the stack and delivered onto the receiving end of the discharge conveyor, the receiving end of the discharge conveyor being caused to move vertically in steps so as to remain in position to receive individual products as the stack height is reduced.

Abstract: The application of protective jackets comprised of paper to a book is facilitated by minimizing bending stresses in the jacket paper in the fold areas where the jacket is wrapped around the opposed longitudinal edges of the book cover in the course of defining jacket retention flaps. The stresses are relieved by the metered, uniform moistening of the fold areas of the jacket to thereby diminish the flexual strength of the paper fibers in these areas.

Abstract: An improved book block transport channel has adjustable lateral guide members, which define the channel width, and an adjustable skid plate with support finger projections outwardly in two opposed directions. The skid plate support fingers are received in slots in the guide members and define a discontinuous channel floor adjacent the guide members. The openings in the channel floor and the slots are partly bridged by guide rails which are mechanically coupled to a respective guide member and to the support fingers which are received in the slots in that guide member.

Abstract: An external electronic measuring apparatus 2 in which a sample book block 1 is clamped and the thickness is then determined as a displacement-dependent actual value. The apparatus further includes a microprocessor 20 in which the actual displacement value is evaluated, and is stored as a required value, and a control unit 19 for transmitting the required value to the actuators 44, 45, as an actuating variable. The measuring apparatus possesses a clamping device 8, 9 which can be driven by a motor, and which enables two or more actual displacement values to be determined, these values being functions of differing compressive forces which serve to hold the book blocks in the bookbinding machine 42. These actual displacement values are defined by switch arrangements 20, 38, 13, and 39, as pressure points P1, P2 . . . Pn, and are determined, as actual displacement values, by means of a displacement measuring facility 31-35, in a sequentially controlled procedure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a book case magazine for book casing machines, this magazine comprising a device for picking off that book case which, at a given point in time, is lying flat at the bottom of a stack, and for conveying it away. The transport elements for conveying the book case are configured as wide feeders 5, 6, extending from the vicinity of a central support surface 59 for the stack and running laterally at least as far as the mid-regions of the covers of a book case that is representative of the largest format to be accomodated by the magazine. The feeders 5, 6 are mounted on a crossbeam 4 which can be moved forwards and backwards, enabling them to be set conjointly to the book case height, and wherein these feeders 5, 6 are preferably interconnected to form a single component, and can be set conjointly to the book case thickness by means of an adjusting mechanism 9.

Abstract: A film of adhesive is deposited onto a linearly moving book block back through use of an applying roller which rotates at a preselected nominal speed relative to the velocity of the book block. The rotational speed of the applying roller relative to its nominal speed is varied to obtain optimum application of the adhesive, the variation in speed including an increase in speed for a short time upon establishment of contact between the roller and book block.