The present invention relates to a method of automati- cally cutting book indexing indentations and an auto¬ matic index cutting machine for carrying out the method.

Present-day machines which cut indexing indentations or index tabs in pages that are larger than A5 are semiautomatic. A greater part of the work with these index cutting machines is effected manually. The number of pages that shall lie beneath a given index indentation or index tab are turned over by hand and then inserted manually beneath the reference. The work that is carried out automatically in such semiautomat¬ ic index cutting machines is the work of cutting an index indentation and re-adjustment to the next fol¬ lowing index indentation. These procedures are carried on a book that lies flat on a supportive surface. The drawbacks with such semi-automatic index cutting machines is that they require a work force to carry out the manual procedures and that production is relatively low. These drawbacks are eliminated by the inventive automatic index cutting machine and automat¬ ic index cutting method having the characteristic features set forth in the characterizing clause of Claim 1 and Claim 7 respectively. The inventive index cutting machine is constructed of modules, where each module includes a counter which automatically counts a predetermined number of pages for a specific index indentation, and knife means for cutting said prede¬ termined number of pages. The book is transported between the modules while hanging from a trans- portation device. In each module, a count is made up to the page on which an index or reference indentation is to be made and the page is then c t in the knife arrangement, whereafter the book is transported to the next module where a count is made to the intended

place of the next index indentation and this page is cut, this procedure being repeated in module after module.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a schematic elevation of one embodiment of the inventive automatic index cutting machine;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of part of the inventive automatic index cutting machine shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a counter included in the inventive automatic index cutting machine.

The exemplifying embodiment of the inventive automatic index cutting machine or index cutting machine 10 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 includes a number (n) of modules 12:1-12:n, where each module 12:1-12:n includes a counter (see Figure 3) and a knife arrange¬ ment 28. The index cutting machine 10 also includes a book storage means 14 for books 26 and an infeed means 16 which functions to feed one book 26 at a time from the storage means 14 to a transporter 20 which forms part of a transportation arrangement 40 and firmly holds the book 26 by its spine. The cutter 10 also includes an outfeed means 18 which discharges the processed books from the indexing machine, i.e. books in which all index indentations or index tabs have been cut. The illustrated embodiment of the indexing machine 10 also includes a transporter switch 22 which changes the direction of movement of the transporter

20, and a return table 24 which returns the transport¬ er 20 to the beginning of the indexing machine 10.

As shown in Figure 2, each knife arrangement 28 in¬ cludes a knife means 30, which moves linearly and which may consist of a knife blade. Although not shown, the knife is moved by means of a pneumatic piston-cylinder device which translates said movement to the knife means 30 via a link system (not shown) . The knife arrangement 28 also includes a spring- biassed anvil (a clamping strip not shown) which holds the index indentation firmly at the cutting moment. It will be noted that the knife means 30 cuts in both directions of its linear movement.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a counter 32 includ¬ ed in the inventive automatic index cutting machine 10. The counter 32 includes a tongue-like element 34 which oscillates backwards and forwards when activat¬ ed, and a pin 38 which rotates when activated. When a book 26 is transported to a counter 32, the book 26 lies against the tongue-like element 34 and a page is sucked firmly against the element by the action of a subpressure which communicates through a small hole 36 in the tongue-like element 34. When a start signal is delivered by a control unit (not shown) , both the tongue-like element 34 and the pin 38 are activated mechanically by levers from one and the same motor. When the tongue-like element 34 oscillates, the leaf or page firmly held to the element by suction is curved away from the remaining pages such as to create between the pages a space into which the pin 38 can enter. The pin 38 then carries the page adhering to the element 34 to the rear side of said element and a new page is sucked firmly onto said element 34. The vacuum system also includes a valve (not shown) which is opened and closed in dependence on the vacuum that prevails. The valve detects when a page has been sucked firmly onto the tongue-like element 34 and can thus confirm that a page has been counted. The afore¬ said control unit controls the number of pages that each counter 32 is to count, i.e. the number of pages

that shall be included in each index indentation. The predetermined number of pages for each individual index indentation are fed into the control unit by means of an infeed device (not shown).

The inventive automatic index cutting machine 10 operates in the following manner: Books are fed singly from the storage device 14 to the transporter 20 by means of the infeed device 16. The transporter 20 holds the book by its spine. The book hangs from the transporter 20 and is carried thereby to the first module 12:1, where the bottom cover is folded down beneath a guide by means of a suction feed. The book is then transported to the counter arrangement 32 in the first module 12:1, where a number of pages are counted in accordance with a preset program. The pages are then folded down beneath a guide and the book is transported to the knife arrangement 28, where the index indentations are cut and folded beneath the guide. The book is then transported to the next module 12:2 where a count is made up to the next index inden¬ tation and a cut is made, this procedure being repeat¬ ed module for module. The books are transported in a continuous sequence, since all counter arrangements 32 and knife arrangements operate simultaneously on one book. A machine intended to cut thirty index indenta¬ tions will include thirty modules. The first index indentation 1 is made in the first module 1 and the thirtieth index indentation is made in module 30. It is also possible to produce a book containing thirty index indentations in a machine that consists solely of fifteen modules, although this will halve the production rate since it is necessary to pass the book through the machine twice.

It will be understood that the aforedescribed exempli¬ fying embodiment of the invention is merely an example of how the invention can be realized and in no way

limits the invention, the scope of which is defined in the following Claims.