The technique of Hamiltonian flow equations is applied to the canonical Hamiltonian of quantum electrodynamics in the front form and 3+1 dimensions. The aim is to generate a bound state equation in a quantum field theory, particularly to derive an effective Hamiltonian which is practically solvable in Fock-spaces with reduced particle number, such that the approach can ultimately be used to address to the same problem for quantum chromodynamics. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RO 6920(1998,33) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman