Abstract: A machine for attaching a book cover to endsheets within an adhesive is set forth. The adhesive is applied while it is within a predetermined temperature range. The machine includes a housing, an application roller journalled within the housing, and a metering roller journalled within the housing. The metering roll is axially parallel to the application roller and nearly contacts the application roller at a nip. The region above the nip defined by the application and metering rollers, and two internal seals with the housing is an adhesive reservoir. The adhesive remains in this reservoir before it is applied by the application roller. The machine also includes a level detector which detects the level of the adhesive in the adhesive reservoir. The level detector is coupled to a controller and produces a low level signal when the level of the adhesive is below a predetermined level threshold.

Abstract: A machine for attaching a book cover to endsheets within an adhesive is set forth. The adhesive is applied while it is within a predetermined temperature range. The machine includes a housing, an application roller journalled within the housing, and a metering roller journalled within the housing. The metering roll is axially parallel to the application roller and nearly contacts the application roller at a nip. The region above the nip defined by the application and metering rollers, and two internal seals with the housing is an adhesive reservoir. The adhesive remains in this reservoir before it is applied by the application roller. The machine also includes a level detector which detects the level of the adhesive in the adhesive reservoir. The level detector is coupled to a controller and produces a low level signal when the level of the adhesive is below a predetermined level threshold.

Abstract: A method of binding a pack of signatures, at least some of said signatures including a plurality of interleaved sheets and each of said signatures having a closed side, comprises the following steps. The pack of signatures is clamped with the closed sides of the signatures lowermost and coplanar with one another along a spine of the pack. The closed lowermost sides of the signatures are sawed to expose the interleaved sheets of the signatures. The sawed lowermost sides of the signatures are slashed with a multiplicity of cuts lateral to the lengths of the sawed lowermost sides. A preparatory adhesive is applied to the sawed lowermost sides of the signatures to create an initial bond of the interleaved sheets of the signatures. The preparatory adhesive is cured until it is substantially free of surface moisture. After applying and curing the preparatory adhesive, a notcher forms a multiplicity of closely spaced, wide open notches in the lowermost sides of the signatures.

Abstract: An oblong block turning apparatus comprises a conveyor pin assembly, a block advance pin assembly, a pivot pin assembly, a flip pin assembly, and an elongated trough with a pair of side walls bridged by a bottom surface. The pin assemblies include respective chains carrying a plurality of respective pins which extend laterally through the trough while moving downstream through the trough. To turn an oblong block deposited into the trough, the block is first pushed downstream through the trough using a conveyor pin of the conveyor pin assembly. Next, the block is disengaged from the conveyor pin by advancing the block downstream away from the conveyor pin with a faster-moving block advance pin. While maintaining the lower leading corner of the block against a pivot pin of the pivot pin assembly, the block is turned ninety degrees forward about the pivot pin using a flip pin of the flip pin assembly. After turning the block, the conveyor pin re-engages the block to push the block downstream through the trough.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for rubbing down spines of case bound books includes at least one case-in wing that carries case bound books. Each case-in wing includes a leading edge on which the spine of each case bound book is positioned. The case-in wing is moved at a first predetermined rate along a first path. The apparatus includes at least one rub down roller that is moved at a second predetermined rate along a second path. The second path crosses and is at an angle to the first path. During operation, the rub down roller rolls along the entire length of the spine of the book on the case-in wing. The second predetermined rate and the angle of the second path relative to the first path are selected such that the rub down roller moves at the same speed as the case-in wing to maintain a constant distance between the rub-down roller and the spine of the book.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for printing on corresponding edges of a plurality of flexible sheets maintained in assembled relationship are disclosed. The method includes the steps of printing on the edges of non-contact fashion, controlling the printing with a font programmable to represent indicia to be printed on the edges, dividing the edges into a grid defined by a network of evenly distributed horizontal and vertical spaces, selecting a position on the edges for printing the indicia, indentifying the spaces on the grid for receive portions of the indicia to be printed thereon, determining the portions of the indicia to be printed in each of the spaces in the grid so identified, and programming the font to cause the printing means to print the portions of the indicia so determined in the spaces of the grid so identified after the position for printing of the indicia has been selected.

Abstract: An improved book which is bound ready to be covered or cased consists of a pack of signatures plus front and back end sheets, with the signatures closed along the spine and a multiplicity of closely spaced, wide open notches penetrating the entire spine and all the closed sides of sheets in the pack to greatly enlarge the area of the spine to which adhesive may be applied. A wrap-around coating of adhesive covers the surfaces of the notches, the spine between the notches, and the faces of the end sheets between the notches.