U.S. patent number 3,879,783 [Application Number 05/441,378] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-29 for paper binding machine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. Invention is credited to Joe D. Giulie.
United States Patent |
3,879,783 |
Giulie |
April 29, 1975 |
Paper binding machine
Abstract
A machine is provided for binding papers utilizing binding
strips of the type wherein one strip has a series of studs with
ratchet teeth thereon and a mating strip has a series of holes for
engaging the ratchet teeth and a series of blocking elements for
locking the teeth in place to provide a permanent binding. The
device of the present invention cuts off any excess length of the
studs after the binding operation and, in a preferred embodiment of
the machine, includes a punching device for punching holes in a
sheaf of paper prior to the binding operation.
Inventors: |
Giulie; Joe D. (Palo Alto,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing
Company (Saint Paul, MN)
|
Family
ID: |
23752643 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/441,378 |
Filed: |
February 11, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
412/43; 281/21.1;
D18/34.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42F
13/12 (20130101); B42B 5/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B42F
13/12 (20060101); B42F 13/00 (20060101); B42B
5/00 (20060101); B42c 019/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;11/1R,1A,1MB
;402/60,61,63,68,69 ;40/120 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Charles; Lawrence
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Slick; Robert G. Barnes; John
C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A machine for assembling a perforated sheaf of papers into a
bound volume wherein the binding element utilized consists of a
first backing member having a series of studs thereon, each stud
having ratchet teeth and a second backing member having a series of
mating holes with at least one ratchet tooth in each of said holes
positioned to mate with a tooth on a stud inserted therein and with
a blocking member for locking a ratchet tooth on each of the studs
to a ratchet tooth in a hole, comprising in combination:
a. means for supporting said second backing member while leaving
said blocking means free of said supporting means,
b. means for corresponding said backing members together with the
studs passing through the perforated sheaf of papers and into the
holes whereby the ratchet teeth engage and hold the sheaf of papers
in bound relationship,
c. means for moving said blocking means into place to lock said
ratchets together, and
d. means for cutting off an excess length of said studs extending
beyond said second backing means.
2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said blocking means include
protrusions on the second backing strip located adjacent to each of
said holes and the support means (a) comprises a series of fingers
extending between said protrusions.
3. The machine of claim 2 wherein a platen biased upwardly is
provided for receiving a sheaf of papers, said platen having a
series of fingers extending therefrom to support the second backing
member between said protrusions, said machine having a fixed member
under said fingers whereby pressure on said platen with the
extending fingers will overcome the bias, bringing the protrusions
into contact with said fixed members, forcing said protrusions into
said holes.
4. The machine of claim 3 wherein said platen with said extending
fingers is biased upwardly.
5. The machine of claim 1 having a shaft passing through the
machine with pinions thereon, and a ram is provided with mating
rack teeth, whereby turning said shaft causes said ram to descend
into contact with said backing members to compress the same.
6. The machine of claim 5 wherein said ram is divided into two
transverse sections having interconnected release means whereby one
of said sections can be released so that actuation of said shaft
causes only one of said two sections to move into compressive
relationship to said backing members and can be engaged whereby
both sections move into compressive relationship to said backing
members.
7. The machine of claim 3 having a second platen with punch means
thereon for perforating a sheaf of paper.
8. The machine of claim 7 wherein a single shaft actuates the
compression means and the punch means.
9. The machine of claim 1 wherein the cut off means comprises a
plate having a plurality of cutting knives extending therefrom, and
having a handle to move said knives into and out of cutting
relationship.
10. The machine of claim 7 having two extending handles, namely a
first handle to actuate the compression means and the punch means,
and a second handle for actuating the cut off means.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a machine for inserting binding
elements in a sheaf of paper or the like wherein the binding
elements are of the kind described and claimed in my copending
patent application Ser. No. 388,246 filed Aug. 13, 1973. According
to said patent application, a binding system is provided utilizing
a pair of backing elements or spines, one of which has a series of
studs extending therefrom and the other of which has a series of
mating holes. The studs have ratchet teeth thereon while the holes
in the opposite spine have a single ratchet tooth and a locking
block. When the two spines are pressed together, the teeth on each
of the studs successively engages a mating tooth on each of the
holes until the spines are fully compressed toward each other, at
which time the block is moved in place behind the studs on the
ratchet to lock the two elements together. Any excess stud length
is then cut or trimmed off.
Although the operation of pressing the spines together, locking the
blocks in place, and cutting off the excess spine length could be
done by hand, it is convenient to provide a machine for performing
these operations.
In a preferred embodiment of the machine a punch is also provided
so that a single machine suffices to punch holes in a sheaf of
papers for the studs and then to assemble and hold the sheaf in a
finished binding.
The inventor is aware that others have provided machines for
binding books and the like but generally speaking they have
involved the application of heat and have required a large amount
of power for operation.
The device of the present invention is a simple desk top machine
which occupies little space and which is relatively simple and
inexpensive to fabricate.
The device of the present invention does not involve the use of
heat in any manner so that it is always ready for instant
action.
Although the device of the present invention could be motor driven,
it is easy to operate so that normally a motor is not required.
According to the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the
devices includes a mechanism whereby pressure can be exerted on
only part of the spine at a time, greatly reducing the effort
needed to operate the machine.
Very little skill is necessary to operate the device of the present
invention nor is it necessary that the user be particularly
strong.
Various additional features and advantages of the invention will be
brought out in the balance of the specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a series of partial views A through E showing the
sequence of operations conducted by the machine of the present
invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the machine shown in FIG. 1, partly in
section.
FIG. 4 is a partial view, similar to FIG. 3, showing the
compression of a material being bound.
FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a partial view in section of the pressing mechanism.
FIG. 7 is a partial view showing the cut off action of the
machine.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the machine, partly in section.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial view of the cut off mechanism.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged side view of the cut off mechanism.
FIG. 11 is a section on the line 11--11 of FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings by reference characters and
particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device of the present invention
includes a frame generally designated 12 having two platens,
namely, a lower platen 14 and an upper platen 16 mounted thereon. A
handle 18 extends from one side of the machine which actuates the
paper punching and binding mechanisms. A second handle 20 extends
from the opposite side of the machine which is used to actuate the
stud cut-off mechanism.
The device of the present invention is designed to be used with the
binding elements which are fully described in my copending
application above identified. The binding elements will not be
described in detail but in general, they include an upper binding
element generally designated 17 and a lower binding element
generally designated 19; these are sometimes referred to as backing
members. The upper binding element 17 includes a back or spine 25
having a plurality of studs 27 extending therefrom, each having a
plurality of ratchet teeth 29 thereon and having a tapered,
sharpened end 31. The lower binding element 19 has a back or spine
having a series of apertures 39, each of which has a tooth 41
adapted to engage with the ratchet teeth 29. A block 43 is provided
which is adapted to be wedged into hole 39 to hold one of the
ratchet teeth 29 into contact with a ratchet tooth 41 in the
opening. The blocks 43 form a series of protrusions on the lower
binding element; each of said protrusions is located adjacent to
one of the apertures 39.
The overall operation of the binding operation can now be
understood by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. A punched sheaf of papers
22 is first placed on the lower platen 14 with one edge against the
guide 24 and with the back portion extending into slot 26 where it
overlies a series of die hole 28 and is under a series of punches
30. As it will be later described in detail, the punches 30 are
brought down by the actuation of lever 18, perforating the paper as
is shown at 30A.
A lower binding element 19 is now placed at the rear of platen 16
and an upper binding element 17 is placed on the sheaf of papers
with the studs extending through the holes in the paper and the
assembly is placed on the platen 16 with the studs extending down
into the lower binding element 19 and between the fingers 32 at the
back of the platen. The stack of paper is placed against guide 24A
at the side of the platen and against stop 35 at the rear of the
platen. As is later explained in detail, at this point the lower
binding strip 19 will be supported only on the fingers 32 and the
locking blocks 43 are not in contact with the table. Lever 18 is
now actuated by pulling it towards the user, which causes bar 34 to
descend, squeezing the two binding strips together. As pressure is
increased, the locking blocks 43, by means later described, will be
pushed into place, locking the ratchet teeth on stud 27 with the
mating tooth on the backing member 19. With the parts then locked
in place, lever 20 is actuated by pulling it forward, cutting off
the surplus ends of the studs and leaving the finished bound
papers.
For a more detailed description of the exact structure of the
machine, reference is made to FIGS. 3 through 11. Mounted rigidly
near the back of the machine is a shelf-like projection 36 having a
series of projections 38, each of which has a square hole 40
therein, corresponding roughly in size to the cross section of a
stud 27. Projections 38 mesh between fingers 32 as is best seen in
FIG. 8. Platen 16 supports the series of fingers 32. The spacing of
the fingers 32 is such when the backing strip 19 is placed
thereover, it will be supported on the fingers 32 at spaced
intervals between the holes 41 and will not come in contact with
the blocks 43. A rear stop 35 is provided to line up the sheaf of
papers with the rest of the binding mechanism. Platen 16 is biased
upwardly by a spring 42 so that there is sufficient vertical
clearance between fingers 32 and projections 38 so that no pressure
will be brought on the blocks 43 when ram 34 first descends. As the
ram 34 descends, the sheaf of papers is first compressed and the
backing members 17 and 19 seated firmly together as is shown in
FIG. 2C. Now as a ram 34 continues to descend as is shown in FIG.
2D, the resistance of spring 42 is overcome, allowing platen 16 to
move downwardly, so that the platen 16 bottoms out on the plane of
the tabs 38 and pressure is now brought on blocks 43, forcing them
up into locking position as is shown in FIG. 2D. As the binding
elements are now locked together, lever 20 is moved forward,
causing a knife blade 44 to cut off the excess length of stud 27 as
is shown at FIG. 2E. The binding operation is now complete and the
bound volume can be removed and the operation repeated.
Having now described the general operation of the machine, certain
specific parts contributing to the operation will be described in
detail.
Ram 34 which is actuated by the movement of lever 18 is mounted on
downwardly extending arms 46 which are pivoted to racks 48, located
on each side of the machine by means of pins 50. Arms 52 extend
downwardly beyond the pivot point 50 and springs 54 mounted on each
of the arms tend to pull the bottom of arms 52 forward so that in
its upper position, the ram element 34 is pulled backwardly and
away from platen 16 to facilitate loading the machine as is shown
in FIG. 3. A roller 56 extends across the machine and the arms 48
are cut out at 58, permitting the ram element 34 to extend more to
the rear in its uppermost position.
Handle 18 is mounted on a shaft 59 which carries pinions 60 and 62
which engage the rack 48. When the arm 18 is in its uppermost
position, racks 48 are substantially at the top of their path and
the ram element 34 is pulled to the rear by means of spring 54 as
described. Now as the arm is pulled forward, the racks move
downwardly pulling the arms 46, causing the ram 34 to move forward
out of the openings 58 and down to press the binding elements
together.
First, of course, the binding elements fully engage and compress
the sheaf of papers and as pressure arm 18 is continued, the
resistance of spring 42 is overcome and the blocks move into place,
locking the assembly together. Arm 18 is now released since the
papers are fully compressed and locked together.
Arm 20 is now pulled forwardly to actuate the cut off mechanism.
Arm 20 is mounted on shaft 64 which carries two pins 66 and 67
which pass through holes in the knife back 68. Back 68 is mounted
to slide on a plate 70 mounted on the frame of the machine. The
knife back 68 carries a plurality of wedge shaped knives 44 which
correspond in placement and number to the projections 38 and pass
between the fingers 32. Thus, as handle 20 is pulled forwardly, the
blades 44 slide along the projections 38 and between the fingers
32, cutting off the portions of the studs 27 which extend beyond
backing member 19. This operation can best be understood by
reference to FIGS. 2E and FIG. 7. The binding and cutting operation
is now complete and the bound sheaf of papers can be removed from
the machine.
In a preferred embodiment of the machine, the ram element generally
designated 34 is made double acting so that only a portion of the
sheaf of papers is compressed at one time whereby the machine is
made more compact and less effort is needed to pull the lever 18
forward, compressing and locking the sheaf of papers. To accomplish
this, the ram 34 has a central cut away portion between the
shoulders 72 and 74, leaving an open central portion. A secondary
ram 76 is mounted in this opening and is held on springs 78. The
secondary ram 76 has a lip 80 extending along its bottom which can
engage a shoulder 82 or can slide along a ramp 84, both of which
are located on a bar 86 which is attached to arms 46 and which
holds the main ram element 34. With the parts in the position shown
in FIG. 4, if the ram 34 is brought down by action of the handle
18, the secondary ram 76 will ride along the ramp 84 and will be
pushed outwardly so that no pressure will be brought near the
center of the sheaf of papers and that the entire pressure of the
ram will be exerted at the ends. This action is best seen in FIG.
5. Now, after the ends are compressed, handle 18 is returned to its
retracted position and the user pushes in and holds the secondary
ram 76 as is shown in FIG. 6. Now the bottom lip 80 engages the
shoulder 84 and as the handle 18 is again brought forward, pressure
is brought on the center of the sheaf of papers. Thus, by
compressing and locking in two separate stages, less effort on the
part of the user is required. Of course, this secondary ram can be
eliminated, or can be locked under the shoulder 82, so that the
entire compressing and locking operation is conducted with a single
movement of the lever 18, which is particularly advantageous in a
simpler machine or when one is binding a relatively thin sheaf of
papers.
As was stated earlier, the machine of the present invention
preferably embraces a punching device so that the entire operation
of punching and binding can be conducted in a single machine. The
punching mechanism which is used to actuate the punches 30 can best
be understood by reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. A shaft 86 carries an
eccentric 88 mounted over plate 96. Shaft 86 has a sprocket 90
mounted thereon while a mating sprocket 92 is mounted on shaft 58.
A roller chain 94 connects the two sprockets. The plate 96 extends
over the punches and carries a series of clips 98 which are hooked
under heads 100 on punches 30. An upper plate 102 is held to plate
96 by means of rods 104 and serves in conjunction with clips 98 to
retract the punches. Thus, as handle 18 is moved forward, it not
only actuates the compressing and locking mechanism previously
described, but also actuates the punches. One could conduct a
punching operation on one sheaf of papers on platen 14 while the
binding operation is conducted on platen 16. However, in most
instances, only one operation would be conducted at a time so that
the sheaf of papers would first be punched on platen 14 and finally
bound on platen 16 as previously described.
Although certain specific details of the machine and its method of
operation have been set forth, it will be obvious to those skilled
in the art that many variations can be made on the exact structure
shown without departing from the spirit of this invention. For
instance, the machine could easily be adapted for power operation.
Separate actuating levers can be used for the binding and punching
operations.
* * * * *