US3902646A

US3902646A - Automatic strip inserter

Info

Publication number: US3902646A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard J Kuhns
Original assignee: Xerox Corp
Current assignee: Videojet Technologies Inc
Priority date: 1973-08-29
Filing date: 1973-08-29
Publication date: 1975-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-02
Also published as: CA1017102A

Abstract

Apparatus for binding a stack of sheets whereby a binding member including a substrate material having at least one strip of heat activated adhesive is employed to form the desired book-like assembly. The apparatus is characterized by the provision of mechanism for automatically inserting binding members of the required length into the binding apparatus. The mechanism comprises means for feeding strip material from a cartridge containing strip material sufficient to provide a number of binding members and further comprises means for cutting the strip material when the desired length of the strip material has been removed from the cartridge.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Kuhns Sept. 2, 1975 [54] AUTOMATIC STRIP INSERTER 3,695,133 10/1972 Finke 83/241 3,8 4, 94 4 1974 B1 1 6 477 B [75] Inventor: Richard J. Kuhns, Barrington, Ill. 0 6 5 [73] Assignee: Xerox Corporation, Stamford, Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Conn.

[22] Filed: Aug. 29, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT App]. No.: 392,583

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTED '2 i975 SHEET 1 1 1 PATENMTI 2i975 3.902.646

sum 2 u; g

PATENTEU 35? 2 m5 3. 902 646 snmuqgg 1 AUTOMATIC. STRIP INSERTER BACKGROUND oF THE) INVENTION This invention relates generally to sheetbinding, and more particularly, to .apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets together in a. stack to form a book orbooklike assembly. More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus having mechanism for automatically metering the desired length of binding stripmaterial from a cartridge and automatically inserting the binding member into the binding apparatus subsequentto cutting of the binding member from the binding strip material. 1 r v .In the business office, it is often desirable to secure a plurality of sheets ofa report, bookor thelike together in a bound assembly. While numerous arrangements for binding or assembling-sheets together are available, each with certain inherent advantages of its own, many of these known arrangements at'the same time suffer certain disadvantages such ashigh'cost, low production rate, or the need for relatively complex applicator machinery, or theinability to edit or otherwise effect changesin a bound assembly once the binding operation has been completed.

Perhaps the most common and therefore, the most familiar method for assembling pages together is stapling. A staple generally comprises a metallic U-shaped member which is generally formed from drawn wire. The staples are driven'under pressure through a stack of sheets and then bentor clinched on the underside of the stack to form the permanent assembly. Various mechanical arrangements have heretofore been devised for forming staples into the characteristic U-shaped configuration as well as specific arrangements for inserting and removing the wire staples from the stack. Although the stapling process is employed quite extensively, there are certain disadvantages which are encountered with the aforementioned assembling method.

For example, the total number of pages that may be stapled together is limited,. moreover the ,resulting product may not have the desired permanency or integrity since the staples may become unhinged orwith sustained use of the book or pamphlet, pages may tear out or otherwise work loose.-. v v.

Furthermore, the wire staples often times have a tendency to buckle or bend during the process. of being driven into the stackof sheets; additionally, sometimes the wire staples are improperly. bent or clinched on the underside of the stack. When either of these occur, the improperly inserted staple must be removed and the process repeated until a properly driven and clinched staple is obtained. This results in unnecessary operator time in the binding operation. Y

Where the number of pages are too great forstapling, stitching may be resorted to, however stitching requires relatively complex and. expensive machinery which is normally found in a book binding facility, and not in the typical business office. Additionally, the editing of a bonded assembly produced by stitching is quite impractical due to the mutilation of the sheets that is likely to occur. In this latter case-metal clip orclamp assemblies may beresorted to. However, theserequire some type of punching or drilling toprovide holes, in the paper for the clip prongs, which if-not performed accurately insofar as the hole formation is concerned, may result in mutilation of the sheets.

It has been proposed to use a binding member comprising a substrate material having an adhesive strip contained thereon to obtainthe book-like assembly. However, the members heretofore available have suffered from many shortcomings, which have limited their utility. For example, essentially all the binding members heretofore commercially available have had a single thickness of adhesive of either low tack material or a high tack material applied to a substrate material. For instance, it has been the practice to provide a uniformly thick low tack adhesive coating on a substrate material. If the adhesive coating is applied thinly, generally an insufficient amount of adhesive material is provided between the edges of the sheets to be bound. Within relatively short periods of time, individual sheets would work loose from the remaining sheets of the assembly.

Alternatively, if a relatively thick low tack (i.e., relatively low viscosity) adhesive coating is on the substrate material, very often the material flows beyond the limits defined by the substrate material, particularly when the substrate material and low tack adhesive are brought into contact with the outer sheets of the stack. Furthermore, it has proven necessary to permit a heating element, used to melt the low tack adhesive and apply pressure thereto so as to unite the substrate material to the outer sheets of the stack, to cool the ambient temperature prior to disengagement from the binding member. If this were not permitted, an unsatisfactory bond is obtained sinc the low tack adhesive must be permitted to solidify before a satisfactory bond is provided. Naturally, the cooling of the heating element, prior to disengagement, limits the production rate of bonded assemblies.

If a high tack (i.e., relatively high viscosity) adhesive coating were applied to the surface of the substrate material, insufficient flow of the adhesive between the sheets would occur due to the high viscosity of the high tack adhesive. Thus, individual sheets would readily separate from the assembly.

A further limitation in the utility of the binding members heretofore available has resulted from the apparatus presently on the commercial market. Binding members employed in such machines must be cut to the appropriate size depending upon the thickness of the stack of sheets being bound. The separate cutting operation required for each binding strip, particularly when the thickness of the stack might vary only a relatively small amount from one stack to the next, has limited the production rate of bound assemblies. Additionally, the separate cutting station required has increased either the cost of the binding apparatus or the labor cost involved in obtaining the bound assembly.

Once the binding member of prior art devices have been cut to size they are manually inserted into apparatus for effecting intimate contact between the binding strip and the edges of the pages to be bound into book form. While it is possible to limit the amount of cutting that has to be done by the operator by having the binding members supplied in different lengths and widths there is still a considerable amount of time involved in manually inserting the binding members. Also, the provision of binder members cut to size presents problems of stock inventory, handling and packaging and also adds to the cost of the individual binder member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is:the' principal'objectof the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for binding a quantity of sheets together in a-book-like form.

It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus for binding a quantity of sheets together by means of a binding member wherein the binding member is automatically metered to length in accordance with the length of the pages to be bound and automatically inserted into the binding apparatus from a cartridge containing a supply of binding materials sufficient to provide binding members for the binding of a plurality of book-like members.

7 Still another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for automatically feeding strips of binding material which vary in length depending upon the length of the pages to be bound with subsequent cutting of the binding material from a cartridge.

The above-cited objects are accomplished in the present invention by the provision of an automatic binding machine or apparatus having a feed mechanism for metering and cutting lengths of binding material, a supply of binding material, the length depending upon the length of the pages to be bound, and inserting the cut binding member into the apparatus with subsequent affixing of the binding member to the edges of the pages to be bound together.

The supply of binding material is contained in one of a plurality of cartridges depending upon the particular width thereof. The cartridges are adapted to be selectively mounted on the main frame of the binding apparatus in accordance with the thickness of the pages to be bound.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bookbinding apparatus. representing theinvention and including a cartridge containing binding strip material;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an end view of mechanism for affixing a strip of binding material to the ends of a plurality of pages which mechanism forms a part of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of a binding strip for use in the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the cartridge illustrated in FIG. 1 together witha side elevational view of a binder strip feed mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the binder strip feed mechanism disclosed in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of a pusher mechanism forming a part of the binder strip feed mechanism disclosed in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the pusher mechanism illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a partial top plan view of a pusher mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a cutter mechanism forming a part of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line XX of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, particularly FIG. 1, reference character 10 designates an automatic book binding apparatus comprising a housing structure 12 having a cartridge 14 removably supported thereby. The cartridge 14 contains strip material 16, a predetermined length of which is adapted to be fed into the housing structure 12 wherein the predetermined length is affixed to the ends of a plurality of pages for forming a book. The mechanism and method of accomplishing such feeding of the binding strip material will be described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates bookbinding mechanism generally indicated by reference character 18 which mechanism is substantially contained internally of the housing structure 12. The bookbinding mechanism, as will be appreciated, is adapted to affix the binding strip material of a predetermined length to the ends of the pages. 1

The mechanism 18 comprises page guides 20 for containing a plurality of pages 22 which are to be bound into a book. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the page guides 22 extend through an elongated opening 24 in a top wall 26 of the housing structure 12.

The mechanism 18 further comprises a plurality of page clamps 28 which serve in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, to clamp the pages 22 and to plunge or move the pages both downwardly and up- 3- wardly in accordance with the particular part of the cycle of operation of the binding apparatus.

The binding strip material, as disclosed in FIG. 3, comprises a formable backing or substrate material 30, normally comprised of relatively heavy paper stock bearing

adhesive coatings

32 and 34. It should be understood that other substrate materials, for example fabrics, may be employed in lieu of paper.

The

adhesive coatings

32 and 34 constitute a plurality of strip-like formations comprising two heat activated adhesive types or a combination of heat activated and pressure sensitive adhesives. Heat activated adhesives may be either low or high tack types. A low tack adhesive comprises an adhesive material which when heated becomes fairly molten or fluid thereby providing a high degree of surface wet-out with minimum application of pressure or heat. A high tack adhesive comprises an adhesive material which when heated remains highly viscous and somewhat immobile so a definite amount of application of pressure and/or heat is necessary to wet-out the surface being adhered. High tack adhesives, in the heat activated case, have the advantage that on application of heat and pressure, the bond immediately possesses a high degree of strength. On the other hand, the low tack adhesives, in the heat activated case, have the advantage that on application of heat and pressure the adhesive flows readily or is wicked into the edges of the pages to be bound.

The strip material 16 preferably has the high tack adhesive uniformly applied to the backing or substrate material 30 which the low tack adhesive 34 is applied along the center point of the substrate material and at a relatively greater thickness than that of the high tack material 32. Typically, the width of the adhesive 34 is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the overall thickness of the book being formed.

The relatively thick adhesive stripe 34 has a thickness on the order of 0.015 to 0.020 inches, for example, while the relatively thin high tack material, by way of example, is on the order of 0.00l to 0.005 inches.

With one adhesive formulation, the adhesive which comprises the stripe 34, has an activation temperature in the range of 350-450 F. while the adhesive which comprises the thin low tack adhesive 32 has an activation temperature in the range of 250350F. It is understood that other suitable adhesive formulations may have different reactive temperature ranges. For a more detailed description of the strip material 16, reference may be had to copending application, Ser. No. 196,446, filed in the name ofDonald W. Watson and assigned to the assignee of the instant application.

The mechanism 18 further comprises a pair of heated side platens 36 adapted for horizontal movement and a heated bottom platen 38 is adapted for movement in a vertical direction, as viewed in FIG. 2. The heated platens are provided for use in applying pressure to the binding strip material in accordance with the cycle of operation of the apparatus, as will be described hereinbelow. A book stop in the form of a retractable plate member 40 adapted to be moved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, serves to support the pages to be bound during an initial part of the binding process.

Although the heating elements of the

platen members

36 and 38 are not shown, they may comprise suitable resistance elements connected through a switch to a source of electrical power and controlled in accordance with a predetermined cycle of operation. Appropriate temperature regulating devices, for example, positive temperature coefficient resistance elements or negative temperature coefficient elements may be operatively connected to the heating elements or integrally form a part thereof to obtain a desired predetermined temperature for each one of the platen members.

Channel-shaped strip guides 42 and 44 are supported between the platens 36 and the retractable plate 40 for properly positioning the binding strip material with respect to the various components of the apparatus. The channel-shaped strip guides are adapted for movement in a horizontal direction along with movement of the paper guides and clamps and 28.

In operation of the apparatus 10, once a power onoff switch 45 has been actuated to effect Warming of the platens to the proper binding temperature as indicated by an indicator light 47, the pages 22 to be bound are placed between the page guides 20 (FIG. 2) and moved to the extreme left end of the elongated slot or opening 24. In this position, the pages rest on the plate 40 and are ready for calipering through clockwise rotation as viewed from the right in FIG. 1 of a calipering knob 46. Such rotation of knob 46, a predetermined amount, depending upon the thickness of the book to be bound effects movement of the page guides 20, clamps 28 and channel-shaped

guides

42 and 44 toward the pages. Suitable linkages (not shown) and a cam 45 operatively connected to the knob 46 are provided for such purposes. Movement of the caliper knob in the reverse direction in the predetermined amount effects reverse movement of the

guides

42 and 44 to thereby position them for receiving the binder strip ma terial 16.

After calipering the operator moves the pages to the extreme right of the slot or opening 24 which corresponds to the index position. An indicator light 48 will light when the pages are moved to the right, only if proper cassette or cartridge has been installed. Suitable switch interlocks (not shown) Cooperate with the caliper knob 46 and the cassette or cartridge to effect il- A bind button 50 serves to initiate the automatic portion of the binding cycle. Once this button has been pressed, a main drive motor (not shown) is energized for imparting rotating movement to the main drive shaft of the apparatus. Suitable cams 51 (only one shown) carried by the main drive shaft effect movement of suitable linkages resulting in clamping of the pages by the clamps 28. To this end, the page guides 20 are provided with suitable openings 52 through which the clamps 28 can move. The main drive motor is deenergized in order that an automatic strip inserter, to be described, can insert a binder strip into the channelshaped guides 42 and 44.

Upon re-energization of the main motor, the cams and associated linkages effect lifting of the pages from the plate member 40 such that the plate can be retracted from its page holding position to a position where the pages can be plunged or moved in the direction of the heated platens 36. Simultaneously with the retraction of the plate member 40 and the lifting of the pages and subsequent movement thereof toward the side seals or platens, the side platens are moved toward each other until they contact. The cams are coordinated to bring the pages to the side platens before the side platens contact each other. The foregoing prevents opening of page guides due to the backlash that would result from the side platens touching before the pages and binder strip material contact the top surfaces of the side platens which could be :a problem when binding small books. The strip remains in contact with the top surfaces of the side platens for a period of time sufficient to effect preheating thereof.

After preheating of the strip, the cams effect lifting of the pages along with opening of the side platens. The pages together with the binder strip are then moved downwardly into contact with the bottom platen 38 after which the side platens 36 close for a period of time sufficient to soften the high tack adhesive 32. After the high tack adhesive has been softened, the side platens are partially opened. Cooking of the low tack adhesive continues for a predetermined period of time while the main motor is stopped.

The main motor is again energized whereupon the side platens are fully opened. The book, including the pages 22 and the affixed binder strip, is lifted to a posi tion slightly above the plate member 40. The plate member 40 is then returned to its book supporting position and the book is moved downwardly until it rests on the plate 40. The clamps are: retracted from engagement with the book and the main motor de-energizes. The book can now be removed from the binding apparatus.

. The mechanism for inserting the binding strip material into the channel-shaped

guide members

42 and 44 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 through 9.

As disclosed in FIG. 4, the cartridge 14 containing the binding strip material 16, is removably mounted to the housing structure 12 by means of a rod 60 and a spring clip 62 attached to the housing structure 28. To this end, the rod 60 and spring clip 62 cooperate with pairs of

lip portions

64 and 66 of the cartridge 14. As can be seen from a consideration of FIG. 4, the cartridge 14 is mounted such that the upper portion thereof is directly in line with the nip 68 formed by an upper feed roller 70 and a lower feed roller 72 such that the leading edge of the binding strip material 16 can be conveniently threaded into the nip 68. Moreover, the foregoing orientation of the cartridge allows for optimun feeding of the binding strip material from the cartridge.

In order to facilitate the threading of the binding strip material, the upper feed roller 70 is mounted such that it can be temporarily moved out of engagement with the lower feed roller 72. To this end, the upper feed roller is carried by a support member 74 pivotably secured by means of a pin member 76 carried by a mounting bracket (not shown) forming an integral part of the housing structure 12. A lever arm 80 extending outwardly from the housing structure 12 through an opening 82 serves to lift the upper roller 70 out of its engagement with the lower roller 72 through movement thereof in an upward direction, suitable biasing means, not shown, being provided for returning the upper feed roller to its nip forming position with the lower feed roller.

In FIG. 5, there are disclosed additional parts of the automatic strip material feeding device, among which are a strip feed motor 80 and a gear box 86, the latter of which houses suitable gears for accomplishing the desired speedreduction and control of an output shaft 88 from the gear box 86. A driving lever 90 is carried approximate the end of the shaft 88 such that it can engage a detent member 92 carried by a drive gear 94. The gear 94 serves to drive a driven gear 96 supported by shaft 98 which also supports the lower feed roller 72. It can be seen from the foregoing that when the output shaft 88 rotates the lower feed roll 72 also rotates to thereby feed strip material.

In accordance with the objects of the present invention, it is desired to feed or meter different lengths of strip material 16 depending on the length of pages 22 which are to be bound into a book. Accordingly, adjustable feed is accomplished by the provision of a metering mechanism including a metering wheel in the form of a thumb actuatable wheel 100 which protrudes through one side wall of the housing structure 12 (FIG. 1) to permit setting thereof in accordance with indicia (not shown) on its periphery which is aligned with an index mark 102 on the aforementioned side wall.

The metering wheel carries a stop member 104 on one face thereof (i.e., to the left as viewed in FIG. which stop serves as a fixed abutment engagable by a sidewardly projecting pin member 106 carried by the drive gear 94. For this purpose, means, not shown, are provided to prevent the metering wheel from rotating in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed from the right in FIG. 5, once the wheel has beenmanually set in accordance with the desired length of binding strip material to be metered. Engagement of the stop member 104 by the sidewardly projecting pin member will cause the driving lever 90 to move the detent member against the bias of a washer 108 which allows the driving lever to move past the detent to thereby effect disconnection of the driving coupling therebetween to terminate rotation of the lower feed roller 72, which, as will be appreciated, terminates the feed of the binding strip material 16 1 1 During feedingof the binding strip material 16, a spring member 110 is tensioned through clockwise rotation, as viewed from the right in FIG. 5, of the shaft 98. Once the feeding has stopped and the strip material has been cut (to be discussed later) the spring functions to reposition the sidewardly extending pin member 106 to its start-of-feed position through rotation of the gears and 94. The lower feed wheel roller may be provided with a one'way clutch or other suitable means, not shown, to effectively uncouple the lower feed roller from theshaft 98 during such repositioning. It will be appreciated that the relative angular distance between the pin member 106 and the stop member 104 determines the length of strip material that is fed during one cycle of operation. It will also be appreciated that the length of the strip material fed can be varied by changing the aforementioned arc angular distance length which is accomplished by setting of the metering wheel.

A cam arm 1 12 carried by the drive shaft 88 actuates a cutter mechanism (FIGS. 4, 9 and 10) once each cycle of operation of the strip inserter mechanism in order to cut the predetermined or metered length of binding strip material 16. As best illustrated in FIG. 9, the cutter mechanism 114 comprises an upper knife 116 in the form of an inclined guillotine and a lower knife 118.

Attached to the upper knife 1 16 for movement therewith is a strip hold-down member 117 which cooperates with the

channels

42 and 44 therebelow to move the trailing edge of a binding strip member 122 into a position suitable for engagement with a pusher mechanism 124. The pusher mechanism, in a manner to be described hereinbelow, serves to move the binding strip member 122 into its final position in the channelshaped guides 42 and 44.

The pusher mechanism 124, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 6 through 8, comprises an art 125 pivotably mounted as indicated at 126 such that a finger 128 thereof is adapted to engage the trailing edge of the binding strip member 122. A crank arm'l30 attached to the pivotably mounted arm 125, at an end thereof remote from the finger 128 serves to impart pivotal movement to the arm 125 when acted upon by a cable 132 attached via a spring 134 toa cam follower 136 (FIG. 6). The cam follower 136 is actuated by means of a cam 138 carried by the main drive shaft of the apparatus. Rotation of the cam 138 and, therefore, actuation of the cam follower 136, is synchronized with the cycle of operation of the binding apparatus and the strip inserter such that the binder strip member 122 is acted upon by the pusher mechanism only after it has been metered and cut to the length.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that various modifications thereto may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, consequently, it is intended that such modifications be covered by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for providing a metered length of binding strip; from a supply roll of binding strip, to a mechanism for fixing the metered length of binding strip to an edge of a plurality of pages to be formed into a book, comprising:

a first feed roller rotatably coupled to the mechanism; I v

a second feed roller rotatably coupled to the mechanism, the binding strip being engageable with a nip provided by the rollers;

a drive gear, rotatably coupled to the mechanism,

having biased detent means and a pin member;

a driven gear for coupling the drive gear to the first feed roller;

a manually adjustable metering wheel having a stop member, the stop member being located for engagement with the pin member;

a motor; and

means coupled to the motor for releasably engaging the detent means and synchronously moving the drive gear from a start of feed position to another position determined by the engagement of the pin and stop members, whereby if the binding strip is engaged with the rollers a metered binding strip is provided.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for engaging the detent includes a driving arm are rotatably mounted on the shaft.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing a metered length of binding strip, from a supply roll of binding strip, to a mechanism for fixing the metered length of binding strip to an edge of a plurality of pages to be formed into a book, compRising: a first feed roller rotatably coupled to the mechanism; a second feed roller rotatably coupled to the mechanism, the binding strip being engageable with a nip provided by the rollers; a drive gear, rotatably coupled to the mechanism, having biased detent means and a pin member; a driven gear for coupling the drive gear to the first feed roller; a manually adjustable metering wheel having a stop member, the stop member being located for engagement with the pin member; a motor; and means coupled to the motor for releasably engaging the detent means and synchronously moving the drive gear from a start of feed position to another position determined by the engagement of the pin and stop members, whereby if the binding strip is engaged with the rollers a metered binding strip is provided.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for engaging the detent includes a driving arm coupled to said motor, said driving arm being moved past said detent by the motor when said pin member engages said stop member.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including means for returning said detent to said start-of-feed position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 including means for disengaging said feed rollers for allowing threading of the leading edge of said binding strip between the rollers.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said driving arm is coupled to the motor by a rotatably mounted shaft and wherein the drive gear and metering wheel are rotatably mounted on the shaft.