Abstract: A simple combination of conventional operations uses a twin press configuration of tandem stationary, vertically acting heating and cooling platen presses in separate frames which share a fixed, hybrid bottom platen in a laminating machine. The machine therefore has aligned daylight openings ("daylights"). A set of sheets to be laminated is sandwiched between cover plates of a book which is loaded by rollingly transferring it with an edge-conveyor means, into the heating press. The path in which the book is processed ("process-path") starts at an entrance station and progresses linearly through the daylights. The system operates with a minimum cycle time based on the physical properties of the sheets to be laminated. Successive books may be loaded, in a machine using only two single daylight openings; or, in ganged single daylights; depending upon the capacity per unit time sought. A novel quick-locking carrier is provided in which a sandwich to be laminated is held.

Abstract: A simple combination of conventional operations uses a twin press configuration of tandem stationary, vertically acting heating and cooling platen presses in separate frames of a laminating machine which is loaded by rollingly transferring a book into the heating press in either of two loading-paths. One is at right angles to the path in which the book is to be processed ("process-path") so as to avoid using an entrance station. The other uses an entrance station which provides a loading-path parallel to the processing path through daylight openings ("daylights") in the presses, so as to support each book on the edge-conveyor means while it is stationary and coplanar with the loading-path. The system operates with a minimum cycle time based on the physical properties of the sheets to be laminated.