Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
  • B42B—PERMANENTLY ATTACHING TOGETHER SHEETS, QUIRES OR SIGNATURES OR PERMANENTLY ATTACHING OBJECTS THERETO
  • B42B5/00—Permanently attaching together sheets, quires or signatures otherwise than by stitching
  • B42B5/08—Permanently attaching together sheets, quires or signatures otherwise than by stitching by finger, claw or ring-like elements passing through the sheets, quires or signatures

Definitions

• This invention relates to a new and improved security binding for permanent assembly of a plurality of paper sheets containing spaced apertures along and adjacent one edge thereof. More particularly, the invention can be used in binding paper sheets containing holes of a pattern and size identical to those marketed throughout the world by the General Binding Corporation of Northbrook, Illinois, for several decades.
• General Binding Corporation (hereafter GBC) generally employs 19 rectangular holes, each measuring approximately 0.32cm x 0.76cm. [ 0.125" x 0.300"] and located symmetrically on centers of 1.43 cm [0.5625"] near the long binding edge of 21.6cm x 27.9cm [8 1/2" x 11"] sheets of paper as shown in FIG. 1A.
• the GBC loose leaf binding system employs flat plastic blanks resembling a comb with the fingers coiled, or curled to underlap the backbone. Users insert the previously coiled binding into a binding machine. Whereupon it is uncoiled slightly so that this stack of paper, bearing hole patterns described earlier, may be engaged with the exposed comb fingers. When the coiled fingers are restored to their original position, the result is a bound stack of sheets which are free to pivot upon the coiled binding. This type of book will lie completely open to a selected page or can be folded back upon itself for more convenient handling. Such bound books can be temporarily unbound to remove, add or change the sequence of sheets.
• Velo-Bind, Inc. marketed a binding system which provided for binding sheets securely.
• Their system described in U.S. Patent 3,596,929 and Reissue 28,202 was designed for use with paper sheets having 0.32 cm [0.125"] dia. holes and arranged symmetrically in a pattern of 11 holes on 2.5cm [1"] centers adjacent the binding edge of standard office paper as described earlier and shown in FIG IB. Binding is accomplished by inserting a comb-like plastic strip bearing fingers into sheets containing holes coinciding with the fingers. The thickness of the intended bound book must be less than the length of the fingers so that a second, flat strip bearing holes mates with the protruding fingers of the first strip.
• the assembly is then compressed and the portions of each finger extending beyond the top of the second strip are removed by hot-shearing.
• the top strip contains counter-bored portions at each hole on its top surface so that the hot-shearing tends to smear near-molten plastic into the depressions, and results in a flush rivet head of sorts.
• Velo-Bind Bindings Despite the fact that its system lacks lie-flatness, back-to-back privileges, and the advantages of "unbinding" a bound book to remove, add or change page sequences without destruction of the original binding.
• Velo-Bind users encounter occasional catastrophic failure of their rivet heads when thick, bound books are dropped on the floor or opened abruptly after prolonged exposure to cold environments.
• thin books bound with the Velo-Bind system have the appearance and reputation of security.
• the present invention therefore provides a security binding for permanent assembly of a plurality of sheets of material having spaced apertures along and adjacent to one edge thereof, the improvement wherein said binding includes at least one backbone element having a plurality of perpendicularly projecting members spaced to enter a plurality of said spaced apertures, each of said projecting members having a plurality of angled projections thereon to flexibly contact said material at at least one side of the respective aperture when the projecting member is inserted therein to prevent retrograde movement of such projecting member out of said respective aperture.
• the security binding of the invention cooperates directly with the sheets of paper via the apertures thereof, and also provides a retention force acting longitudinally of the backbone in the direction providing superior binding strength with a reduced number of apertures in each sheet.
• the invention therefore provides a means for binding sheets of paper so securely that only deliberate destruction of the binding will free the bound sheets and the evidence of accidental or deliberate tampering will be obvious.
• Another purpose of the invention is to employ GBC dimensioned holes on any multiple of 1.43cm [0.5625"] centers but preferably with fewer holes than 19 on the binding edge of standard sheets of office paper.
• FIG. 1A is a plan view of an edge portion of a perforated sheet of paper according to a prior art system
• FIG. 2A, IB, 2B, 2C and 2D are plan views of perforated sheets illustrating symmetrical perforation portions related to the system of FIG. 1A;
• FIG. 3A and 3B are plan views of perforated sheets illustrating a symetrical perforation portions related to the system of FIG. 1A;
• FIGS 4A and 4B are illustrations of 2-hole sheets and binder positionings, respectively;
• FIG. 5 is a plan view of binder parts in process of stamping in accordance with the prior art;
• FIG. 6 is a variation of the plan view of FIG. 5;
• FIG. 7 is a partial side elevation of a first embodiment of the secure binding system of our invention.
• FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along lines VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;
• FIG. 9 is a side elevational exploded view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 as applied to a stack of sheets;
• FIG. 10 is a partial view of the parts of FIG. 9 assembled.
• FIG. 11 is a partial side-elevational view of the binding as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9.
• FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 taken along line XIII-XIII.
• the invention generally employs symmetrical spacing between holes, but with greater spacing than the normal spacing of 1.43cm [0.5625"] between holes when the pattern contains the conventional 19 holes.
• FIGS. 2A. 2B. 2C and 2D illustrate practical patterns possible within the limits of the proposed concept. Additionally, these patterns are the preferred symmetrical and uniformly spaced hole patterns of the invention.
• the invention may also employ symmetrical and paired hole spacing typically shown in FIG. 3A or an asymmetrical pattern as in FIG. 3B. While any combination of holes and spaces is possible, symmetrical patterns are preferred because bindings in this configuration may be employed in pairs with no orientation required by the user.
• FIG. 4A illustrates a plurality of patterns containing only two holes still arranged symmetrically on a multiple of 1.43cm [0.525"] centers. The two-hole patterns offer interesting variations shere the binding strips are shortened as shown in FIG. 4B.
• All of GBC's manual and electric punching machines are capable of punching as many as 21 or 28 rectangular holes on 1.43cm [0.5625"] centers in paper sheets. All GBC punching machines and most competitive ones contain "punch delete" privileges for any hole-punching position. Punch positions deleted from a 21 punch machine to obtain a 19-hole array could include both end positions 1 and 21 or punches 1 and 2 on the same end.
• this invention consists of a new security binding intended to lock stacks of preferably rectangularly perforated paper sheets together securely on a multiple of 1.43cm [0.5625"] centers but preferably with fewer holes than 19 on the long side of 21.6cm x 27.9cm [8-1/2" x 11"] sheets. Further, it is intended that this binding, once loaded and closed shall remain closed securely for whatever life was intended by the user. It also is intended that the binding must be destroyed or show evidence of tampering in order to add, remove, or change the sequence of bound sheets.
• the binding disclosed herein is compatible with most GBC bindings, punching machines, binding systems and associated products based on hole centers of 1.43cm [0.5625"].
• FIG. 7 and 8 illustrate an embodiment of the invention where punched paper sheets 1, instead of being loose and rotatable as in looseleaf notebooks or conventional plastic bindings, are camped tightly between strips 2 and 3 which are in the form of thin, flat rectangular elements. Each strip bears a number of projections 4 and 5 which are in the form of thin, flat, rectangular elements. Each strip 2, 3 has sharp raised points 6, the latter to reduce sheet movement during and after binding. Projections 4 and 5 pass each other as they are inserted into hole 7 in paper sheets 1.
• Both projections 4 and 5 incorporate a multiplicity of sharp pointed barbs 8 which extend outwardly from opposite sides of each projection.
• Each projection has a longitudinal cross-section only slightly smaller, exclusive of the barbs 8, than the cross-section of the hole 7.
• the barbs 8 project outwardly so that they interfere with entry into the hole to the extent that they bend as shown in FIG. 7.
• FIG. 9 illustrates top strip 2 and bottom strip 3 with their projections 4 and 5, and barbs 8 poised to penetrate paper sheets 1.
• FIG. 10 illustrates strips 2 and 3 partially engaged within the stacked sheets.
• the projections 4, 5 may alternate in their transverse positions upon their respective strips to guarantee that all sheets will be aligned with each other throughout the stack upon completion of binding, and still permit a single molded part 2 (for example) to be used for both parts 2 and 3.
• FIG. 11 illustrates the use of molded "pockets" 11 on the inner surfaces of strips 2 and 3 to receive the tips of projections 4 and 5. This feature enhances the thickness range of paper stacks so that no more binding sizes than four will be required to handle most market needs as illustrated below:
• Our invention need not be limited to rectangular hole patterns on only 1.43cm only [0.5625"] hole centers and applicable to GBC binding systems. Our invention can be employed wherever a multiplicity of holes on any centers appear near the binding edge of any sized sheet of paper or plastic. Likewise, the shape of holes in the sheets need not be limited to rectangles since round, oval decorative and square-holed systems will function as the holes illustrated in this disclosure. Where different shaped holes are employed, however, it is preferred that the cross section of the projections to be changed to match such shape. As noted above, our binding elements provide an especially effective combination with the GBC aperture and center spacing. We find that use of 7 holes of the pattern (FIG. 2C) is preferred. Punching 7 holes in a paper punch requires less than half the effort required for punching 19 holes.
• the substance of the binding elements provides a binding element that is very strong and suitable for heavy duty, industrial, bindings.
• the projections 4, 5 may be placed edge to edge rather than overlapping.
• FIG. 12 where strips 22, 23 may preferably be the same.
• the opposed edges are provided with barb 28.
• the lateral dimension of the projections 24, and 25 is substantially the same as the lateral dimension of aperture 7.
• Strips 22 and 23 are also provided with pockets 211 permitting the projections 24, 25 to interengage with the strips 22, 23 strengthening the final assembly.
• guide rails 21 cooperate to lock the projections 24, 25 together, and still permit the members 22, 23 to be identical.
• the molded backbone - projection elements may be made of any suitable plastic material that is substantially rigid but which allows the elements 8 to be flexible to permit insertion into the sheet apertures, but do not readily permit deflection allowing the projections to pull out of the apertures.
• the specific shape of the angled projections 8 may be varied. They may, as shown, be generally rectilinear and extend across the full width of the projection 4,5. However, since the binding is preferably molded, the projections could, for example, comprise slanted, conical projections with the tips contacting the aperture edges. Similarly, the projection 8 could be serrated and/or roughened to modify the contacting surfaces. Further, since the forces applied against the sheets are longitudinal of the sheet edge, the projections 4,5 can be provided with extensions 8 on only one edge, cooperating with oppositely directed one-edge extensions 8 on a spaced projection 4,5 thereby acting to stretch the paper between the opposed, spaced, projections,

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Sheet Holders (AREA)

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• 1990
  • 1990-03-01 WO PCT/US1990/001138 patent/WO1991012971A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1990-03-01 EP EP19900908033 patent/EP0471024A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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