GB1559685A - Blocks of sheet material - Google Patents

Description

(54) BLOCKS OF SHEET MATERIAL (71) We, IRVIN BROS. (FLEET WORKS) LIMITED, a Company registered under the laws of England, of Denmark Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be perfonned, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to blocks or pads or stacks of sheets of a material such as paper in which the sheets are stuck together to provide a coherent unit, and from which successive sheets can be detached one at a time. For convenience, such a unit will be referred to as a block of sheets of sheet material, or simply as a block.It is usual for the sheets to be stuck together on a flat side surface of the block defined by a straight edge of each sheet, this surface constituting a hinge or spine of the block. The term "side surface" as used herein means any external surface of the block that is constituted by an edge of all the sheets in the block. The sheets may be stuck together simply by a layer of an adhesive applied over all or most of the said side surface, or by a film or strip of a suitable sheet material which is stuck on to that surface.

It is sometimes desirable to provide visible matter on at least one side surface of the block. Such visible matter may be decorative or may have a functional or utilitarian purpose. For example. it may be desirable to provide a block having on one or more of its side surfaces visible matter in the form of advertising material or the like. The visible matter can be applied to the side surfaces in various ways, for instance by a screen printing process as described in British patent specification No. 1320115 or by a transfer process as described in our British patent No. 1495440 Whatever method of applying the visible matter is used, it is difficult to obtain the same visual effect on the side surface which constitutes the hinge or spine, where there is a coating of adhesive or an adherent strip, as on the other side surfaces which are constituted solely by the edges of the sheets.For instance, it may be necessary to modify the printing technique or the colours used on the hinge or spine surface if it is desired that this should look the same as the other printed side surface.

Another problem can be that the ink acceptance and/or drying characteristics on the adhesive covered side surface may adversely affect the rate of production of the printed blocks.

According to the present invention a block of sheets of sheet material bearing applied visible matter on at least one side surface has a hole through the thickness of the block, adhesive being disposed on the wall of the hole to adhere the sheets together.

More than one hole may be present.

Thus the side surfaces of the block are all free of adhesive material so that the visible matter can be applied to all the side surfaces by the same technique, resulting in the same visual effects on all these surfaces and avoidance of manufacturing bottle-necks due to the above mentioned ink characteristics.

The invention is also particularly useful, for example, for blocks made of sheets such as circular discs which do not have a straight edge, which blocks do not have a flat side surface which could conveniently constitute a hinge or spine.

The hole may be punched or drilled through the thickness of the block at a position spaced from but adjacent a side surface of the block, and the adhesive applied to the wall of such hole through-out its depth. The adhesive may be a complete lining for the wall of the hole or may be a line or band of adhesive. Preferably such line or band is disposed on the portion of the wall furthest from the nearest side surface of the block. If the line or band of adhesive is disposed on the portion of the wall closest to the side surface of the block there may be tendency, when detaching a sheet, for the sheet to tear, leaving a small fragment of it still on the block between the hole and the adjacent side surface By disposing the line or band of adhesive on the portion of the wall furthest from that side surface, it is usually found that the sheet can be detached cleanly, without tearing.

The adhesive, which may be a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) emulsion, a hot melt adhesive, or a heat sensitive resin may be applied to the wall of the hole in various ways. The following are two examples.

1. An applicator brush bearing e.g. PVA adhesive is plunged into the hole and withdrawn again, leaving at least one line or band of adhesive down the wall of the hole.

2. A tubular applicator having at least one lateral nozzle which squirts a fine jet of adhesive from the nozzle while the applicator is being plunged into and/or being withdrawn from the hole. By rotating the applicator through an appropriate angle at the end of its stroke, two lines or bands of adhesive can be applied to the wall by a single nozzle. The applicator may be heated for use with hot melt adhesives or heat sensitive resins. High frequency curing of the adhesive may be used.

The block may also be provided with a close fitting plug inserted in the hole. The adhesive could be applied by insertion of the plug, e.g. a plastics cylindrical plug, into the hole bearing a coating of adhesive, the plug remaining in the hole. In a block so formed, as the sheets of sheet material are used up the plug protrudes above the level of the top sheet.

The plug may therefore be such as to permit easy removal of the protruding portion.

The holes may also serve another purpose, e.g. to facilitate filing of the sheets after they have been detached from the block, or to hold a pencil or other writing implement in an upright position in the block.

Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a block embodying the invention; and Figure 2 shows a further block embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a cubic block 10 of stacked square sheets of paper 12. The block 10 is drilled or punched to provide a hole 14 extending through the thickness of the block 10. A hot melt adhesive has been applied to the inside wall of the hole 14 thus adhering each sheet to its neighbours and holding the block together.

The block has visible matter exemplified by the word "Message" shown at 17 and the flashes 18 on its side surfaces 20 and 21, and also on the opposite side surfaces not visible in the drawing. The visible matter may be applied by any suitable method, e.g. by silk screen or transfer printing, and may be multicoloured.

Figure 2 shows a base block 25 of stacked sheets of paper 27 through which is drilled or punched a line of perforations 30. Adhesive is applied to the inside walls of the perforations 30, and the edges of the block 25 may bear visible matter.

The paper used for the blocks 10 and 25 may of course, be printed on its faces.

The present application is divided out of application No. 2342/76 (Serial No. 1559684) which relates to a block of sheet material having a hole through the thickness of the block and wherein a line or band of adhesive is disposed on a portion of the wall of the hole to adhere the sheets together.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A block of sheets of sheet material bearing applied visible matter on at least one side surface and having a hole through the thickness of the block, wherein adhesive is disposed on the wall of the hole to adhere the sheets together.

2. A block as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the hole is spaced from but adjacent a side surface of the block.

3. A block as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the adhesive is a polyvinylacetate emulsion, a hot melt adhesive or a heat sensitive resin.

4. A block as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 having a plug inserted in the hole.

5. A block as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the said visible matter is applied to the or each side surface of the block.

6. A block as claimed in Claim 1 and substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. or a heat sensitive resin may be applied to the wall of the hole in various ways. The following are two examples. 1. An applicator brush bearing e.g. PVA adhesive is plunged into the hole and withdrawn again, leaving at least one line or band of adhesive down the wall of the hole. 2. A tubular applicator having at least one lateral nozzle which squirts a fine jet of adhesive from the nozzle while the applicator is being plunged into and/or being withdrawn from the hole. By rotating the applicator through an appropriate angle at the end of its stroke, two lines or bands of adhesive can be applied to the wall by a single nozzle. The applicator may be heated for use with hot melt adhesives or heat sensitive resins. High frequency curing of the adhesive may be used. The block may also be provided with a close fitting plug inserted in the hole. The adhesive could be applied by insertion of the plug, e.g. a plastics cylindrical plug, into the hole bearing a coating of adhesive, the plug remaining in the hole. In a block so formed, as the sheets of sheet material are used up the plug protrudes above the level of the top sheet. The plug may therefore be such as to permit easy removal of the protruding portion. The holes may also serve another purpose, e.g. to facilitate filing of the sheets after they have been detached from the block, or to hold a pencil or other writing implement in an upright position in the block. Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a block embodying the invention; and Figure 2 shows a further block embodying the invention. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a cubic block 10 of stacked square sheets of paper 12. The block 10 is drilled or punched to provide a hole 14 extending through the thickness of the block 10. A hot melt adhesive has been applied to the inside wall of the hole 14 thus adhering each sheet to its neighbours and holding the block together. The block has visible matter exemplified by the word "Message" shown at 17 and the flashes 18 on its side surfaces 20 and 21, and also on the opposite side surfaces not visible in the drawing. The visible matter may be applied by any suitable method, e.g. by silk screen or transfer printing, and may be multicoloured. Figure 2 shows a base block 25 of stacked sheets of paper 27 through which is drilled or punched a line of perforations 30. Adhesive is applied to the inside walls of the perforations 30, and the edges of the block 25 may bear visible matter. The paper used for the blocks 10 and 25 may of course, be printed on its faces. The present application is divided out of application No. 2342/76 (Serial No. 1559684) which relates to a block of sheet material having a hole through the thickness of the block and wherein a line or band of adhesive is disposed on a portion of the wall of the hole to adhere the sheets together. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A block of sheets of sheet material bearing applied visible matter on at least one side surface and having a hole through the thickness of the block, wherein adhesive is disposed on the wall of the hole to adhere the sheets together.

2. A block as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the hole is spaced from but adjacent a side surface of the block.

3. A block as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the adhesive is a polyvinylacetate emulsion, a hot melt adhesive or a heat sensitive resin.

4. A block as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 having a plug inserted in the hole.

5. A block as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the said visible matter is applied to the or each side surface of the block.

6. A block as claimed in Claim 1 and substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.