Norfin, Inc.

Other

John C Kuspert

Donald L Snellman

Arthur G Saunders

Robert R McAusland

Barry J Lewis

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.

Sheet binding method

The sheet binding apparatus is comprised of a movable binder assembly including an endless belt and an elongated heat application platen underlying one belt run. The belt is coated with a hot-melt adhesive, which, when heated by the platen, is applied by the belt to the co-planar sheet edges of one or more stacks of sheets assembled within individual bins of a collator. A belt lifting assembly controls heat transfer between the platen and belt by appropriate positioning of the belt with respect to the platen. The binder assembly is movable reciprocatively toward a sheet contacting binding position along a path perpendicular to the coplanar sheet edges. That assembly is further movable reciprocatively toward one or more additional binding positions along a path parallel to the coplanar sheet edges. In a second preferred embodiment, the binder assembly is swung along the first path by lost motion hinges.

Sheet binding apparatus

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.

Book cover applicator

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.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

John C Kuspert