Punch/binding machine

Details Punch/binding machine Punch/binding machine

1998-10-20

2001-04-03

Pitts, Andrea L. (Department: 3722)

Bookbinding: process and apparatus

Apparatus

Edge binding apparatus

C412S033000, C412S039000, C412S041000, C412S043000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06210092

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a punch and binding machine for punching a stack of sheets and binding the sheets to known plastic ring-type paper binders.
Current paper binders have a longitudinal dorsal part, or spine, with fingers which are spaced along one side of the dorsal part protruding perpendicular from the longitudinal axis of the binder. Each of these fingers forms a loop, which can be inserted through the sheets to be bound. The fingers and the dorsal part are made from one piece of plastic. The fingers reach close enough to, or overlap, the other side of the dorsal part so that sheets cannot slide out. Such known paper binders are, e.g., the GBC presentation bindings for use with the GBC plastic binding system. The binders may also be of the type described in applicant's copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/342,048 filed on Nov. 17, 1994, incorporated herein by reference.
For binding documents, the loops are spread by a binding mechanism so the fingers can be inserted through holes in the sheets to be bound.
Current punch/binding machines consist of a punching mechanism and of an attached binding mechanism. For punching, a number of sheets is inserted into a groove in the punching mechanism, then a lever is being pulled and its rotation is converted into a linear movement of the punching dies, which punch the sheets.
For spreading the fingers, the plastic binder is inserted into a row of bolts protruding from the binding mechanism with these bolts reaching into the spaces between the fingers and thereby holding the binder parallel to its longitudinal axis.
Binding mechanisms on conventional punch/binding machines have a second spreading device with a row of hooks. By pushing the lever, through which also the punching is done, the hooks are being moved along the direction of the longitudinal axis of the binder and then perpendicular to it, so they open the fingers of the binder. Then the sheets can be put onto the fingers and the binder can be closed again.
Conventional punch/binding machines are relatively heavy and expensive since they need a mechanism that translates the rotational movement of the binding lever into a linear movement of the hooks, first in parallel to the axis of the binder and then perpendicular to it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a solution to the task by designing a punch/binding machine that is light weight, that consists of few parts, that is economical to manufacture and that is easy to use. Furthermore the binding mechanism may be attached to the punching mechanism in an easy way or the binding mechanism may be a separate unit.
With a punch/binding machine according to this invention no complex transmission mechanisms are necessary, since opening the binder is achieved through a simple rotation of a spreading device. Hereby, the number of parts of the punch/binding machine can be kept low, which makes the machine light weight and economical to produce.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3763513 (1973-10-01), Cooley
patent: 5143502 (1992-09-01), Kaufmann et al.
patent: 5273387 (1993-12-01), Groswith, III et al.
patent: 5306047 (1994-04-01), Otake et al.
patent: 5431519 (1995-07-01), Baumann
patent: 5549433 (1996-08-01), Byrne
patent: 5827034 (1998-10-01), Von Rohrscheidt
patent: 3919811 A1 (1990-12-01), None
patent: 0 593 395 (1994-04-01), None
patent: 93/09958 (1993-05-01), None

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