Bookbinding machine

A bookbinding machine comprising:

• a clamper for clamping a book comprising a plurality of piled sheets of paper or the like to be bound;
• means for reciprocating said clamper along a predetermined path;
• a reference plate having a reference plane for defining the level of the back of said book, said reference plate being disposed on said path so that said path consists of a first portion extending on one side of said reference plate and a second portion extending on the opposite side of said reference plate;
• an adhesive applicator disposed on said first portion of said path so that the operating level of said applicator is able to conform to the level of said reference plane, said applicator being operable to apply adhesive to the back of said book;
• a cover sheet applicator disposed on said first portion of said path so that the operating level of said applicator is able to conform to the level of said reference plane, said applicator being operable to apply a cover sheet to said back of said book;
• a milling device disposed on said second portion of said path for cutting and roughening the back of said book, the operating level of said milling device being set in accordance with said reference plane of said reference plate;
• means for causing said clamper to start from said reference plate to move along one of said first and second portions of said path;
• means for controlling said reciprocating means so that upon completion of reciprocal movement of said clamper along said second portion of said path, said clamper is reciprocated along said first portion of said path;
• and means associated with said reference plate for adjusting the level of said back of said book to conform to that of the plane of operation of said adhesive applicator and said cover sheet applicator as said clamper carries said book from said second to said first portion of said path.