Crathern Engineering Co., Inc.

Leland F Mills

John D Mims

Ronald I Fowler

An improved apparatus for and method of making laminate articles is described. The invention is particularly useful in making bookcases of the type including relatively stiff front and back cover backing sheet members and a flexible spine backing sheet member. One edge of each of the stiff and flexible backing sheet members is substantially aligned with one another, with the flexible backing sheet member precisely centered between two stiff backing sheet members. The substantially aligned edges are registered with respect to an edge of a sheet of material and the outer opposing edges of the stiff backing sheet members are precisely spaced from one another and registered with respect to a second adjacent edge of the sheet of material. The members are then brought into contact with and laminated to the sheet of material. The improvements include feeding, cutting and supporting mechanisms for the flexible spine sheet member.

System for and method of laminating

The disclosed apparatus and method automatically secures three substantially planar sheet members in registration with respective portions of a sheet of material such that (1) one of the sheet members is centered between the other two, (2) the outer oppositely disposed edges of the other two are mutually spaced from one another by a predetermined distance as well as precisely positioned with respect to a first edge of the sheet of material, and (3) another edge of each of the other two sheet members is substantially aligned with the other and with an edge of the center sheet member, all of the aligned edges of the members being precisely positioned with respect to a second edge of the sheet.

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Dunbarton, NH, United States of America

Leland F Mills