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US 5,626,452 AGranted
Method of applying covers to books
AssigneeHeidelberg Finishing Systems, Inc.
InventorRichard B. Hawkes
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHeidelberg Finishing Systems, Inc.
InventorRichard B. Hawkes
Estimating the term…
An improved cover breaker assembly may be used to sequentially apply covers to books of different thicknesses or to books of the same thickness. The cover breaker assembly includes inner and outer breaker members which are engageable with a cover on each of the books in turn. The inner breaker member is moved through the same distance from a retracted position to the same extended position during the application of a cover to either a thin book or a thick book. The outer breaker member is moved from a retracted position to an extended position through a distance which varies as a function of the thickness of the book. The inner and outer breaker members are effective to apply substantially the same force to either a thick book or a thin book. During the application of a cover to either a thick book or a thin book, the inner breaker member moves through the same distance along the path of travel of the book. During the application of a cover to a book, the outer breaker member moves along the path of travel of the book through a distance which varies as a function of the thickness of the book.
A method of sequentially applying covers to a series of books of different thicknesses, said method comprising the steps of engaging a cover on a thin book with a first breaker member, moving a second breaker member from a retracted position through a first distance into engagement with the cover on the thin book, thereafter, engaging a cover on the next book in the series of books with the first breaker member, said next book being a thick book which is thicker than the thin book, and moving the second breaker member from the retracted position through a second distance into engagement with the cover on the thick book, said second distance being less than said first distance.
A method of applying covers to books, said method comprising the steps of moving a book in a first direction, moving a first breaker member into engagement with a cover on the book while the book is moving in the first direction, thereafter, moving a second breaker member into engagement with the cover on the book while the book is moving in the first direction and while the first breaker member is moving in the first direction in engagement with the cover on the book, and thereafter, moving the first and second breaker members in the first direction and at the same speed as the book while maintaining the first and second breaker members in engagement with the cover on the book.
A method of applying covers to books, said method comprising the steps of moving a first book in a first direction along a path which extends between first and second breaker members, moving the first breaker member along a first continuous path having an arcuate segment and a linear segment which extends between opposite ends of the arcuate segment of the first continuous path, moving the second breaker member along a second continuous path having an arcuate segment and a linear segment which extends between opposite ends of the arcuate segment of the second continuous path, moving the first breaker member into engagement with the cover on the first book as the first breaker member moves from the arcuate segment to the linear segment of the first continuous path and as the first book moves in the first direction along the path extending between the first and second breaker members, moving the second breaker member into engagement with the cover on the first book as the second breaker member moves from the arcuate segment to the linear segment of the second continuous path and as the first book moves in the first direction along the path extending between the first and second breaker members, thereafter, simultaneously moving the first breaker member along at least a portion of the linear segment of the first continuous path and the second breaker member along at least a portion of the linear segment of the second continuous path with the first and second breaker members in engagement with the cover on the first book as the first book moves in the first direction along the path extending between the first and second breaker members, thereafter, moving the first breaker member out of engagement with the cover on the first book as the first breaker member moves from the linear segment to the arcuate segment of the first continuous path and as the first book moves in the first direction along the path extending between the first and second breaker members, and moving the second breaker member out of engagement with the cover on the first book as the second breaker member moves from the linear segment to the arcuate segment of the second continuous path and as the first book moves in the first direction along the path extending between the first and second breaker members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.