FR2661868A1 - Rigid and pliable binder for newspapers - Google Patents

Abstract

It consists of a "U" tube (a) and two "half U" tubes (c) and (d) which can be put together and taken apart at will, their configuration being identical, when fitted together, to the "U" tube (a); these two "U" parts are extended by four tubes (e) and (f), which are of several lengths to adapt the device to the size of the newspaper; an elastic link (h) secures the device by connecting the tubes (g) fitted into the tubes (e), that is the "male" part of the device, to the tubes (f), that is the female part, in such a way that owing to the tension exerted by the elastic link (h) between the two parts of the device, they fit naturally into each other. The user, after first withdrawing the arms (c) and (d), inserts his paper; by connecting them back together again, he gives it a rigid binding; by pulling on (c) and (d) together, the tubes (g) come out of their housing (f) and the binding becomes pliable in two equal parts. The device according to the invention is particularly intended for use as a rigid binding for newspapers of all sizes composed of unbound double sheets.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device making it possible to facilitate the reading of any format of newspaper by making the join of the sheets rigid, while making it possible to fold it.

It is possible to find a device in hotels or libraries for the same purpose: two wooden slats joined together by squeezing the edge of the newspaper; these slats mainly allow the newspaper to be hung on a support and are neither foldable nor adapted to the format of the newspaper. On the other hand, the applicant for this patent application has already been the subject of a request for a device for the same purpose (INPI reference ne8807477
patent application filed on 06/06/88).

 The device according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a rigid binding of the pages of a newspaper, adapted to the format thereof, thus eliminating the rigid ends which could protrude on either side of the newspaper.

 Furthermore, the newspaper can be folded in half, for convenience, or to be read in this state, the binding folds down to form two rigid parts folded over one another.

The present invention will be better understood from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings in which:
- Figure 1 shows the constituent elements of the invention, seen in section.

 - Figure 2 shows the device mounted, "closed".

 - Figure 3 shows the mounted device, "open", ready to be put in place.

 - Figure 4 shows the two steps for folding the device according to the invention, the latter being closed.

 - Figure 5 shows the mounting of the device on the newspaper.

 - Figure 6 shows the newspaper with the device, the assembly being folded.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention consists of an assembly of five parts (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) constituted as follows:
- A full "U" tube, (a), hollow at the end of its two branches, in which partially fit together and fix (glue, weld, ...) two other full tubes (b) short, with an outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of the hollow ends of the U-shaped tube (a), form the part (1).

 - Two identical, full, straight and rigid tubes (c) and (d) each have a hollow end in which partially fit together and fix (glue, weld, ...) two other full short tubes (b); at their other end, the straight tubes (c) and (d) are bent in such a way that, one next to the other, they form a "U" piece of identical shape to the "U" piece (1); on the bent end of the tube (c) is fixed (glue solder, ...) a small ball (d) of diameter smaller than that of the tube (c): (b), (c) and () form the piece (2); on the bent end of the tube (d) is a small hole (p) that can accommodate the ball (): (b), (d) and b) form the part (3), this device, allowing, when the ball () comes to fit into the orifice (), to have a set (2) - (3) identical in its configuration to the "U" piece (1).

 - Finally, the part (4) is made up as follows: two small solid tubes, (e) and (f), of the same dimension, of the same diameter as the tubes (c) and (d), straight and rigid, are hollow at their four ends which can thus, for the small tube (e), receive a hollow tube (g), of shorter length, of diameter equal to that of the tubes (b), which comes to fit in part and is fix (glue, weld, ...) in one of the free ends of the small tube (e). In addition, an elastic link of short length (rubber spring, ...), (h), is partially fixed (glued, welded, ...) in the free end of the small hollow tube (g) on the one hand, in one of the hollow ends of the small tube (f) on the other hand, so that , naturally, thanks to the tension exerted by the elastic link (h) on the two tubes (g) and (f), the free part of the small tube (g) comes to fit entirely in the hollow tube (f), thus forming a whole (eg) - (h) - (f) integral, straight and rigid: this set is part (4). Parts (4) and (5) are identical.

 Finally, the part (I) coming to fit exactly, and to be fixed in the free ends of the tubes (f) of the parts (4) and (5), and, in the same way, the parts (2) and (3 ), indifferently, in the free ends of the tubes (e) of the parts (4) and (5), the elements (d) and () of the parts (2) and (3) having to be opposite, complete mounting the device according to the invention: it is straight and rigid.

 The device being mounted, when the ball (tex) is introduced into the orifice (, the device according to the invention is said to be closed; conversely when the ball () has come out of the orifice (f3), the device according to the invention is then said to be "open".

 The device being "closed", retaining the part (1), pulling with a slight force on the integral assembly (2) - (3), until the small tube (g) is outside of the tube (f), symmetrically for the parts (4) and (5), the device is given a hinge in the middle, allowing it to be bent without effort, the elastic link (h) being its hinge.

 In addition, the small tubes (b) of parts (1), (2) and (3) have a diameter such that it is not necessary to fix them permanently (glue, weld, ...) in the tubes (e) and (f) of parts (4) and (5), but only to forcefully fit them together, the device cannot thus be destructured and this, allowing its user to be able to choose from a set of parts (4) and (5) of different length, they which will adapt the device according to the invention to the format of the newspaper.

As an exemplary embodiment, but not exhaustive, the cylindrical configuration of all the parts, or only of a part, can be modified: the section of the tubes is no longer circular but rectangular or triangular. On the other hand, the parts can be made of plastic (molded by an "intrusion or" extrusion process), fiberglass, metal or even wood. The connecting means (h), parts (g) and (f), is made of rubber, or a flexible spring. Finally, the small ball (ri) is made of "elastic" material (rubber, etc.) so that the device is "closed" by "snap", so that, when installed, it does not deconstruct
The device according to the invention mounted, it is used in the following way:
- Being in the "open" position, all the parts form a "U" taking in "vice" all the sheets of a newspaper, at the joint, the four branches of the "U" parts, (1) and (2) - (3), constituting two pliers with a certain elasticity, sufficiently tightening the edge of the newspaper.

 - Once the device is installed, simply "close" it: the binding is rigid, adapted to the format of the newspaper. By retaining the part (I), by pulling with a slight force on the integral assembly (2) - (3), the device is given a hinge in the middle, the length of the part (1) and its pro long, the tubes (f), being equal to half the height of the newspaper, the latter can be folded into two equal parts.

 The request shows a particular embodiment of the device; it is understood that it relates to all the variants, and in particular to adapt the device to the format of the newspaper, those which consist in sliding without play and with a little resistance in four hollow tubes of the same length, connected to the four ends of the four hollow tubes (e) and (f) through the small solid tubes (b), the solid "U" tube (a) on the one hand, and the two bent and solid tubes, (c) and (d ) on the other hand, the lengths of all these tubes being calculated so that the device adapts perfectly to most of the formats of existing newspapers, the diameters of the solid tubes in "U" (a), and bent (c) and (d) becoming equal to the diameter of the small solid tubes (b).

 The device according to the invention is particularly intended to provide binding to newspapers composed of double sheets which are not connected to each other.

Claims (7)

 1) Rigid, foldable binding device for newspapers composed of double sheets which are not connected to each other, characterized in that it comprises a set of straight tubes, of either circular, rectangular or triangular cross-section, with hollow ends, forming two pieces "U" shaped; One, "monobloc", (a), extended by two tubes (f), connected to each of the branches of (a) by two tubes (b) fitted on the one hand in (a), on the other hand in (f), forms the "female" part; the other part consists of two branches (c) and (d), each extended by a tube (e), identical to (f), itself extended by a small tube lower diameter (g), forming the "male part of the device, fitting into the female part (f). Similarly, the two branches (c) and (d) are connected to the tubes (e) by a small tube ( b). These two U-shaped parts are connected by an elastic link (h) tending permanently to fit the element (g) into (f).  2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the two branches (c) and (d) close the device, by interlocking at their free end, bent, by "snap" of a small ball () in an orifice (e).  3) Device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the assembly is folded by slight traction at both ends, the partemale "emerging from the" female "part, the two parts remaining integral with the elastic link (h).  4) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tubes (e) and (f) have several lengths, to modify the total length of the device.  5) Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the two parts in "U" form two clamps with a certain elasticity.  6) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection means (h), of the parts (g) and (f), is made of rubber, or a flexible spring.  7) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the parts are made of plastic (molded by "intrusion" or "extrusion"), fiberglass, metal, or wood.