Template For Use In Impaling Sheet Materials On Binding Elements Of Looseleaf Binders

Abstract

A combined template and holding device for use in punching a plurality of holes adjacent an edge of a sheet of paper to enable such sheet to be secured in a looseleaf binder. Device, made of stiff material such as fiberboard or plastic hinged along a fold line forming upper and lower panels to grip and align edge of sheet of paper, has registering holes in those panels spaced to fit onto binding elements such as posts or split rings. Gripped sheet of paper is punched by aligning registering holes with free ends of binding elements and forcing the latter through the portions of paper sheet exposed by holes in panels. In preferred form holes in upper panel completely circumscribe exposed portions and holes in lower panel have slots or passageways extending to edge of panel so that after upper panel is swung off ends of binding elements the device may be slipped off binding elements without disengaging paper sheet.

Description

The present invention pertains to a simple easily portable device for punching a plurality of properly spaced holes in sheets of paper for insertion into binders having binding elements such as split rings or posts.

Looseleaf notebooks of the split ring type are very widely used. They come in different sizes and they have different numbers of split rings and different spacing between rings whereby it is ordinarily essential that a user of such a binder purchase refills or other types of sheet material prepunched in the proper pattern for use with the particular binder at and. However in the use of any such binder, for example in the taking of notes at lectures or meetings, the user frequently acquires supplemental materials such as outlines, bibliographies, data sheets, illustrations and the like. The material thus acquired frequently is not prepunched or even though it is prepunched it may not be punched in such a pattern as to fit the binder in use by a particular person. Attempts to force such distributed material over the sharp points of split rings are nearly always unsuccessful and if successful are troublesome and time consuming. Accordingly such supplemental material quite commonly is merely inserted loose in the binder and is subject to loss or improper placement as will be readily apparent.

In accordance with the present invention a very simple combined template and holding device is made of some relatively stiff material such as cardboard, fiberboard, plastic or the like. The device comprises two panels of such material joined along a hinge line which may be a precreased fold line in the case of cardboard, fiberboard or other sheet materials or which may be formed in the course of molding or extruding of plastic materials. In any event a first panel has formed therein a plurality of openings usually in a line which is parallel with and spaced from the hinge line. The spacing of the line of openings from the hinge line preferably matches the inward spacing of prepunched holes in commercially produced refill material for the particular binder in use. Such openings may be generally circular or otherwise shaped perforations equal in number and identical in spacing with the binding elements of the particular binder with which the device is to be used. The second panel of the device is provided with similarly spaced openings which are so arranged as to fall into registry with the openings in the first panel when the panels are swung about the hinge line into superimposed relationship. The openings in the second panel, however, each include a slot or passageway portion which opens into an adjacent edge of the second panel. The latter portions are wide enough to accommodate the binding elements so that the second panel may be disengaged laterally therefrom.

When the device is to be used with a sheet of paper, for example, the particular edge of that sheet which it is desired to attach to the binder is inserted between the panels with that edge abutting against the inside of the hinge line. The device is then folded or squeezed so as to grip that edge of the sheet between the first and second panels thus exposing portions of the sheet which extend across the registering openings of such first and second panels. These exposed portions are completely circumscribed by the openings in the first panel. With the sheet thus gripped the device is guided and forced upon the open ends of the split rings or binder post which rupture the exposed portions of the sheet. In this manner properly spaced holes are formed simultaneously with the placing of the sheet onto the open binding elements. Preferably this operation is performed by placing the second panel beneath the sheet and the first panel above the sheet so that the top panel will serve as a backing member providing complete tension around the circumscribed portions of the sheet. After the sheet has been forced onto the binding elements the first panel may be swung upwardly and off the ends of the open binding elements and the second panel may be slipped out from under the sheet by moving it laterally as permitted by the slot or passageway portions described above. When this preferred procedure is followed a newly punched and inserted sheet need not be disturbed while the template and holding device is removed.

Inasmuch as one of the panels of the preferred form of the device of the present invention is supplied with isolated perforations which match the binding elements the device may be stored for further use by binding it upon the elements like any other prepunched sheet. However, if preferred, it need not be stored in this manner and may be more conveniently available if it is stored in an appropriate pocket formed in one of the cover panels of the binder. Such a pocket may consist simply of a strip of paper or cardboard glued along three edges to the inner surface of one of the cover panels leaving the fourth edge open for the insertion of the device of the present invention during periods of nonuse.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined template and holding device for facilitating the punching of binding holes in sheet material. Other and further objects will become apparent upon a consideration of the following disclosure of a preferred but not necessarily the only form of the present invention taken in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention showing the same in exploded association with a sheet of material which is to be punched for storage in a binder;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the device of FIG. 1 engaged with a sheet of material ready to be punched in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a binder of the split ring type showing the device of FIG. 1 and a sheet which has just been punched for storage in the illustrated binder; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, illustrating the manner of withdrawing the device of FIG. 1 from a binder after it has been used in the insertion of a sheet.

Referring now to the drawings in FIG. 1 a combined template and holding device embodying the present invention is generally identified by the reference numeral 10. The device 10 comprises a first panel 12 and a second panel 14 hinged together along a hinge line 16. The panels 12 and 14 are made of a relatively stiff material, that is, a material which is substantially stiffer than any sheet material which one is likely to wish to punch and store in a looseleaf binder. Ordinarily the panels 12 and 14 may be integral and made of fiberboard, cardboard or sheet plastic which is precreased or scored along the line 16 so as to be readily swingable about the hinge line thus established. Obviously the panels 12 and 14 may be made integrally of sheet metal, creased or scored along line 16 or may be made as separate pieces of fiberboard, cardboard, plastic or metal hingedly connected by a mechanical hinge structure, not shown, if so desired. Furthermore the device 10 may be a length cut from an extruded shape of plastic material the cross section of which affords the panels 12 and 14 with a narrow wall joining such panels along the hinge line 16. In any instance the panels 12 and 14 may be limply hinged together or prestressed to spring out flat or, preferably, to spring toward one another into closed or superimposed relationship, it being essential only that the panels may be readily opened up towards the position shown in FIG. 1 to receive one or more sheets of material and may be readily swung into the closed or superimposed position illustrated in FIG. 2 to grip each sheet or sheets.

Referring again to FIG. 1 the panel 12 has formed therein a plurality of separate openings 18, preferably comprising substantially circular discrete perforations each having a diameter about the same as the diameter of the perforations formed in commercial refill sheets for the particular binder with which the device 10 is to be used. Where desired the openings 18 may be other than circular in shape, for example, they may be oval or rectangular to fit upon correspondingly shaped binding elements.

The perforations 18 are equal in number to the number of binding elements such as split rings or posts in the binder with which the device 10 is to be used. Also, the perforations 18 are so spaced from one another as to fit upon such binding elements. An imaginary line extending through the centers of the perforations is so spaced from the hinge line 16 that an edge of the sheet material inserted into the device 10 may be abutted against the hinge line 16 to predetermine where holes are to be punched in such sheet with respect to such edge.

Also, in FIG. 1 the panel 14 has formed therein a plurality of openings including portions 20 which are so spaced and positioned as to fall into registry with the perforations 18 in panel 12 when the panels 12 and 14 are moved into superimposed relationship. The portions 20 preferably are of substantially the same size and shape as the perforations 18. The openings in panel 14 furthermore have slot or passageway portions 22 which open into the portions 20 and extend from those portions to an edge 24 of panel 14, the latter edge being parallel with the hinge line 16 but positioned on the opposite side of the centers of the portions 20. The slot or passageway portions 22 are preferably just wide enough to slide on and off of the binding elements of the binder with which the device 10 is to be used.

In FIG. 1 a sheet 26 of material to be punched and inserted into a binder in accordance with the present invention is shown in a position to be inserted into the open device 10. An edge 28 of sheet 26 is placed in abutment with the hinge line 16 of device 10 and the device is then closed upon sheet 26 thus to confine the sheet between the panels 12 and 14. The position thus assumed is shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown, for illustrative purposes, a typical split ring binder 30 comprising front and back panels 32 and 34 hinged to a back panel or spine 36 having a split ring mechanism 38 secured thereto. The binder 30 is shown with four split rings each comprising two semicircular halves 40 and 42 which are hinged for simultaneous opening and closing in well-known manner within the split ring mechanism 38. The ring halves 40 and 42 have mating interlocking conformations at the free ends thereof which, in effect, serve to provide each free end with relatively sharp pointed conformations. Usually, such split rings have a single centrally pointed sharp end on one half and have a mating notch on the other half, the notched half thus having two sharp points. The specific conformation of the split rings is not critical since even though there are no sharp points on either half of the rings the device of the present invention may be employed with no difficulty. Similarly, although the binder 30 is shown with four evenly spaced split rings it will be apparent that the number of rings and the spacing pattern thereof is not critical to the present invention, it being merely necessary that the number and spacing of the openings 18 in panel 12 and 20, 22 in panel 14 be laid out to match the binder with which the device 10 is to be used. For example a very popular binder used by students and others requiring a relatively low-cost product is one which is provided with three split rings and a very simple and reliable split ring mechanism.

For purposes of illustration the binder 30 as shown in FIG. 3 has bound therein a stack of loose leaves 44 to which it is now desired to add the sheet 26 which as shown in FIG. 1 is not provided with prepunched perforations to fit the split rings 40, 42. To accomplish this purpose in accordance with the present invention the split rings 40, 42 are moved to the open position shown in FIG. 3 and the assembly of device 10 and sheet 26 (FIG. 2) is now guided upon the ring halves 42 while squeezing the device 10 firmly upon the sheet 26 in the region of edge 28. The generally circular regions of sheet 26 which are exposed by spanning the openings 18 of panel 12 and opening portions 20 of panel 14 are impaled upon the ends of ring halves 42 which operation results in rupture of such exposed regions only of the sheet 26. While the openings thus formed by rupture will be somewhat ragged they will be accurately located with respect to each other and with respect to the inner edge 28 of the sheet 26 and there will be no tendency of the sheet to become torn or wrinkled, all because of the fact that the edge regions of the sheet 26 have been firmly gripped against slipping or wrinkling by the pressure exerted by squeezing the panels 12 and 14 upon the sheet as the guiding and impaling operation is carried out.

As shown in FIG. 4 the device 10 may now be removed from the ring halves 42 without disturbing the sheet 26. This is accomplished by swinging the panel 12 upwardly to disengage the openings 18 from the free ends of the ring halves 42. The panel 14 may now be withdrawn from the ring halves 42 by laterally moving the panel 14 to slide it outwardly from beneath sheet 26, such lateral movement being made possible by the slot or passageway portions 22 of the openings formed in panel 14.

As noted above the device 10 may be stored in the binder 30 by placing it in any desired location between the loose leaves in the binder and binding it upon the split rings 40, 42 which, of course, will be moved to closed position (not shown). However it is believed to be preferable in most instances to store the device 10 in a suitable pocket or holder so that the user will always be able to find it quickly when it is needed and so that the insertion of an unpunched sheet such as sheet 26 may be performed with only a single opening and closing of the ring mechanism 38. A simple storage pocket is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 comprising a strip of paper, plastic, fiberboard or the like 46 which may be secured as by adhesive along three edges as indicated at 48 to the back panel 34 of binder 30. The unsecured edge 50 of the strip 46 thus affords an opening into which the device 10, shown in broken lines at 52 in FIG. 4 may be inserted for storage during periods of nonuse.

It will be apparent that in the use of the device 10 as just described in connection with FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the device 10 has been so positioned on the supplemental sheet 26 that the panel 14 thereof is beneath the sheet 26 and thus is first guided onto the ring halves 42. In this manner it is assured that the device 10 may be removed without disturbing sheet 26 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Obviously the assembly of device 10 and sheet 26 as shown in FIG. 2 may be forced onto the ring halves 40 if so desired and in such event the panel 14 should be positioned beneath the sheet 26 so that the device 10 may be removed from these ring halves 40 without disturbing the sheet 26. If the device 10 is used upside down, that is with the panel 12 beneath the sheet 26 it will be necessary to remove the device 10 and sheet 26 over the ends of the ring halves 42 or 40 and then to replace the sheet 26 on one or the other of the ring halves 42 or 40 preparatory to closing of the split rings.

While the device 10 ordinarily will be of such length as to be provided with openings or perforations 18 and openings 20, 22 to fit over all of the split rings in a particular binder it is within the purview of this invention to provide a device 10 spanning less than all of such split rings. For example a particular class of user may desire only to punch and bind narrow strips of paper such as cancelled checks, deposit slips and the like. In such event the device 10 needs only to span two adjacent split rings 40, 42 of the four ring binder shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Other modifications of this type may be resorted to for special uses without departing from the principles of the present invention.

The above detailed description of the device of the present invention has been directed to the use thereof in connection with ring binders of the split ring type since the invention has particular value for use in portable binders used by persons who occasionally will wish to bind supplemental sheets which are unpunched or, if punched, may be punched for insertion in a binder of some type other than that in use. The present invention, for example makes it possible for a user to securely and conveniently bind newspaper or magazine clippings, drawings, xerographic prints and the like in proper relationship with other materials. Such materials thus may be transferred for more permanent storage in post binders of related design without further punching operations. Furthermore the device may be used with the binding elements of such post binders to punch and position sheet materials in such post binders. Such operation has not been illustrated in the drawings since it will be apparent that such unpunched sheet material may be gripped between the panels 12 and 14 of the device 10 and then guided to and forced over the free ends to become impaled upon the posts customarily provided in such well-known post binders.

While it is preferred to have the openings 18 in the first panel 12 completely circumscribe the exposed portions of the sheet to be impaled on the binding elements they may be provided with slot or passageway portions corresponding with the portions 22 of the openings 20, 22 in the second panel 14. In such event the openings in the top panel will not afford the advantage of complete tension around the exposed portions of the sheet 26 which are to be ruptured by impaling upon the binding elements. However, in that event both panels may be removed from the binding elements by lateral movement and this may afford greater convenience particularly when the binding elements may be long posts or split rings of relatively great diameter.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A combined template and holding device for use in punching a plurality of holes adjacent an edge of a sheet of paper and the like to enable such sheet to be secured in a looseleaf binder having a plurality of binding elements having optionally free ends such as split rings and posts, comprising a first panel of relatively stiff sheet material having a plurality of separate openings formed therein so spaced and arranged as to fit upon at least two of the binding elements of a particular binder with which said device is to be used, a second panel hinged to said first panel along a line parallel with and spaced from an imaginary line extending through the centers of said openings in said first panel, said second panel having formed therein a plurality of openings equal in number to the plurality of openings in said second panel including portions corresponding in shape with said openings in said first panel and so spaced and arranged as to fall into registry therewith when said first and second panels are swung along said hinge line to lie in superimposed relationship, said openings in said second panel each including communicating passageway portions which extend in a direction away from said hinge line and open into an edge of said second panel which is parallel with and spaced from said hinge line, said device being swingable along said hinge line into a position in which a sheet of paper or the like may be inserted between said first and second panels with an edge of said sheet substantially coinciding with said hinge line, and said device being swingable along said hinge line into a position in which said sheet is gripped between said first and second panels and held in fixed relation with said panels and said hinge line while said device and said sheet are forced downwardly with said second panel lowermost onto the free ends of the binding elements of the binder with which said device is being used causing said ends to punch through the portions of said sheet which are exposed by the registering portions of said openings in said first and second panels, and said device being thereafter disengageable from said binding elements while leaving said sheet impaled thereupon by swinging said first panel upwardly and off of the free ends of said binding elements and by sliding said passageway portions of said openings in said second panel off of the portions of said binding elements lying beneath said sheet.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which each of the openings in said first panel completely circumscribes the portion of said sheet exposed thereby.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the number of openings in said first panel as well as the number of openings in said second panel is equal to the number of binding elements in the binder with which said device is to be used.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the distance by which said openings in said first panel are spaced from said hinge line is such that the holes punched in said sheet by said binding elements are so spaced from the edge of said sheet which substantially coincides with said hinge line as to provide substantial protection against tearing of said sheet from said binding elements.