Spine strip formation and feed method and apparatus

Apparatus for forming, from strip-like stock material, spine strips and registering the thus formed spine strips with book cover boards, said apparatus comprising:

• selectively operable cutting means for severing the strip-like stock material;
• cut length transport means for selectively engaging the strip-like stock material and pulling the thus engaged stock material from a source and feeding a preselected length of the stock material though said cutting means whereby operation of said cutting means will sever a spine strip of preselected length from the stock material;
• infeed transport means positioned downstream, in the direction of spine strip movement, from said cutting means for conveying the cut-to-length spine strip into registration with a book cover board, said infeed transport means including a series of pairs of infeed rollers and a transport channel;
• servomotor means for driving said cut length transport means and said infeed transport means rollers;
• actuator means for causing said cut length transport means to selectively engage and disengage from the strip-like stock material;
• controller means for causing operation in proper sequence, of said cutting means and said actuator means, said controller means further controlling the energization and speed of said servomotor means whereby the stock material may be fed through said cutting means, said cut length transport means disengaged from the stock material, said stock material cut to the desired spine strip length, the cut-to-length spine strip moved to a feed position immediately upstream of the point where it is brought into contact with a book cover board, the cut-to-length spine strip subsequently fed into registration with a book cover board and the cut length transport means caused to re-engage the stock material to feed a further length thereof through said cutting means.