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.

Abstract: A sheet feeder with a feed wheel assembly for conveying an end sheet from a stack of sheets. The feed wheel assembly has a rotatable engagement wheel positioned to contact the end sheet of the stack, and operable to separate and convey the end sheet from the stack; a horizontally extending first shaft on which the wheel is mounted, with the first shaft being angularly movable in a generally vertical direction; a horizontally extending second shaft positioned spaced apart from the first shaft, the second shaft being mounted in a substantially fixed planar orientation to a support frame; and a pair of laterally spaced-apart first and second arms extending between the first and second shafts. Each of the first and second arms has a first portion retaining the first shaft and a second portion longitudinally spaced from the first portion and pivotally connected to the second shaft.

Abstract: A sheet deflector drive for driving a sheet-delivering deflector between a plurality of vertically stacked paper-receiving shelves, including a pair of deflector carrying belts for moving the deflector between the shelves; a rotatable drive shaft for driving the belts to move the deflector, rotation of the shaft in one direction moving the deflector upward and rotation of the shaft in the other direction moving the deflector downward; a bidirectional drive motor selectively engageable with the shaft for rotating the shaft to one or the other rotational direction; a cam connected to the shaft for rotation therewith and having three radially projecting lobes, the lobes having an angular spacing therebetween corresponding to the rotational movement of the shaft necessary to move the deflector from a sheet-delivering position adjacent to one of the shelves to such a position adjacent to an immediately neighboring one of the shelves; a pivoted cam follower arm biased toward the cam for engaging the lobes, the foll

Abstract: An improved collator uses a novel sliding deflector assembly to allow greater spacing between the sheet conveyor 13 and trays 23. It also uses a novel sheet retention system which winds or unwinds as the sliding deflector assembly moves. The sliding deflector assembly may be driven with a double-clutch drive in increments in either direction. An improved plenum of the vacuum sheet-conveying system of the collator has a novel hole-spacing series to reduce noise and power demands for the vacuum system.

Abstract: A microfiche feeder 10 conveys isolated sheets of microfiche from a stack 30 to a collator 12, sorter, or other processing apparatus. The stack of microfiche is placed in a receiver. A drive wheel 34 contacts the lowest sheet of the stack 30 to increment the sheet forward by suction as the wheel revolves. Spaced separator rolls 44 and 46 adjacent the drive wheel 34 ensure that a single sheet of microfiche is incremented forward to drive rolls 52 and 54, which convey the sheet to other processing apparatus.

Abstract: An improved sheet jogging apparatus allows for easier access and quicker maintenance by placing the primary components of the apparatus above the top panel of the bin unit of a collator/sorter. Quicker adjustment of the sheet jogging apparatus to accommodate different sizes and widths of paper is easily accomplished with a sliding shaft-slot-and-set screw means. Placing the components of the jogger on top of the panel alleviates problems of assembly where the limited space between the shelves of the bin unit and the top panel make work difficult and alleviates the problem of maintenance where the shelves must be removed for access to the components of the standard sheet jogging apparatus. A source of reciprocal motion mounted on top of the panel is connected to jogging bars which extend downwardly from the panel beside the shelves and which are capable of movement responsive to the source of reciprocal motion to jog the side edges of stacks of sheets on the shelves into alignment.

Abstract: An improved drive system for a tandem collator obviates the need for multiple motors to drive the various components of the several modules. In a simple manner, the drive train of this invention achieves greater electrical efficiency with reduced maintenance by using a direct current motor to drive a shaft which extends into the primary bin of the primary module and which has coupling means to extend through the primary module into secondary modules attached in tandem. Power takeoff means associated with the line drive shaft power the various elements of each bin, particularly the deflector assembly. A preferred power takeoff includes a plurality of idler and drive sprockets associated with the drive shaft, a driven shaft which is transverse to the drive shaft, and a three-dimensional endless belt which runs between and around the various sprockets.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for binding collated or sorted sheets. More particularly, this invention relates to such apparatus for simultaneously binding multiple sets of collated or sorted sheets that have been assembled in a multiple-compartment sheet receiver.

Abstract: A collator mechanism for transporting and feeding sheets of material such as paper, microfiche film or the like to individual bins. The sheets are carried by an apertured conveyor tape which slides along an apertured vacuum manifold so that the sheet is maintained in contact with the tape by the vacuum. The conveyor tape delivers the sheet to a deflector assembly which is progressively stepped through a plurality of indexed positions adjacent the bins. The deflector assembly includes upper and lower deflector rollers which bend the tape and sheet sufficiently to feed it toward the adjacent bin, release the sheet from the tape and then bend the tape away from the sheet being conveyed and the adjacent bin. The momentum and rigidity of the sheet carries the sheet, after its release from the tape, into the adjacent bin.

Abstract: A rear entry collator which includes one or more sheet receiver bins in which sheets may be assembled in a non-inverted surface orientation with respect to the surface orientation thereof when accepted at infeed. Return sheet feed to a copier may be provided to effect duplex copying separately or in combination with sheet assembly in the receiver bins.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for binding collated or sorted sheets. More particularly, this invention relates to such apparatus for simultaneously binding multiple sets of collated or sorted sheets that have been assembled in a multiple-compartment sheet receiver.

Abstract: The cable includes continuous glass filaments which are helically plied in rovings at a constant helical angle from cable center to outer surface and bonded together in elastomeric material. When heated, thermal elongation of the filaments is opposed by simultaneous radially directed thermal volumetric expansion of the elastomeric material. Thus, with respect to overall cable length, thermal elongation of the cable is opposed by a simultaneous increase in cable cross sectional area such that thermal elongation effects are controllable, dependent upon the thermal expansion properties of the filament and elastomeric materials used, by controlling the helical angle at which the filaments are plied to obtain either expanding, contracting or constant length cables, as desired. Thermal contraction effects produced by cooling the cable also are controllable by controlling the helical angle.

Abstract: The sheets in a column of compartments of a sorter, collator or the like are jogged to align their edges. An endless belt is moved past a glue dispenser to coat a length of the belt corresponding to the number of compartments to be covered. The belt is then moved into engagement with the edges of the sheets in those compartments to deposit the adhesive on the edges. The operation is then intermittently repeated along the edges of the sheets to bond the desired extent of the length of the edges. A jogging mechanism aligns and holds the edges in alignment for binding.

Abstract: The sheets in a column of compartments of a sorter, collator or the like are jogged to align their edges. An endless belt is moved past a glue dispenser to coat a length of the belt corresponding to the number of compartments to be covered. The belt is then moved into engagement with the edges of the sheets in those compartments to deposit the adhesive on the edges. The operation is then intermittently repeated along the edges of the sheets to bond the desired extent of the length of the edges. A jogging mechanism aligns and holds the edges in alignment for binding.

Abstract: The book cover applicator is suitable for use in applying covers to multiple sheet fillers which have been secured together along the spine by a hotmelt adhesive. The applicator includes clamps for securing the filler and cover at a cover application station, a heater bar for applying heat to melt the hotmelt adhesive, and a blower for cooling the melted hotmelt adhesive to ambient temperature. The hotmelt adhesive provides a strong, flexible bond between the filler spine and the cover.

Abstract: The jogger includes side edge joggers in combination with an end edge jogger and a resilient sheet stop, both extending the height of a vertical column of sheet receiving compartments. The sheet stop engages and positions the sheets within the sheet receiving compartments in preparation for jogging without damage to the end edges. Thereafter, the side and end joggers align the sheet edges against respectively opposed backstops. The jogger provides simultaneous edge alignment of all four edges of stacked sheets within the sheet receiving compartments and is especially suited for use in conjunction with sheet binding apparatus for simultaneously binding the stacked sheets along corresponding coplanar edges.

Abstract: A device for jogging or laterally tapping a loosely formed stack of sheets in order to form neat piles in receiving bins having a plurality of vertical rows of shelves. A jogging rod periodically is activated to move the stack of sheets located upon the shelves against a uniform backing device assuring a vertical stack, the jogging rod is movable to a position allowing access to the shelves from the side having the jogging mechanism.