Device and method for the alignment of a book block consisting of single sheets and/or signatures

A perfect binding machine for manufacturing books or printed products, the perfect binding machine comprising:

• a first processing station for processing a book block consisting of single sheets and/or signatures;
• and
• a device for alignment of the book block, the device being arranged upstream of the first processing station, the book block being feedable directly or indirectly into the device automatically or by hand, the device comprising:
• at least one alignment station having a number of driven or freely rotatable rollers which are arranged next to one another and which are operatively connected to a base plate or form an integral roller conveyor, the book block being moveable on the rollers towards at least one stop surface arranged at an end such that, as a result of at least one movement operatively connected to the stop surface, the book block undergoes an alignment of the single sheets and/or signatures at at least one book block edge, and such that, following alignment, the book block is grippable by at least one transport clamp for further processing,
• wherein the rollers are arranged inside the base plate and are rotatable in at least one direction,
• wherein one dimension of the rollers projects out of a surface of the base plate,
• wherein upper sides of the rollers form a movement plane of the book block,
• wherein the rollers are drivable directly or indirectly, such that the rollers are subjected to torque at least until the rear book block edge lines up with the stop surface so as to have positional stability, and
• wherein the at least one direction of rotation of at least one of the rollers is consistent, intermittent or changes direction.

A perfect binding machine for manufacturing books or printed products, the perfect binding machine comprising:

• a control system configured to store or calculate control profiles;
• a first processing station for processing a book block consisting of single sheets and/or signatures;
• and
• a device for alignment of the book block, the device being arranged upstream of the first processing station, the book block being feedable directly or indirectly into the device automatically or by hand, the device comprising:
• at least one alignment station which having at least one of a base plate, a base plate equipped with rollers and a roller conveyor, which has at least one vertically extending stop surface at an end thereof, the stop surface being configured to move forward to generate a movement exerted on the book block towards the processing station such that the book block, as a result of the movement, undergoes an alignment of the single sheets and/or signatures at at least one book block edge, wherein the movement of the book block is completed at a state in which the leading book block edge matches a delimitation point on the base plate or the roller conveyor, at which point the book block is grippable by a transport clamp for further processing,
• wherein the control system is configured to control the device based upon the control profiles.