WO2002058940A1

WO2002058940A1 - Method and apparatus for binding

Info

Publication number: WO2002058940A1
Application number: PCT/EP2002/000536
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dirk Maes; Horst Hild
Original assignee: Esselte N.V.
Priority date: 2001-01-24
Filing date: 2002-01-21
Publication date: 2002-08-01
Also published as: GB0101886D0

Abstract

There is provided a binding apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets in a channel member. The apparatus comprises first and second jaws (20, 22) for receiving a channel member (12) therebetween, and a hydraulic system (18, 19) arranged to implement a binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to cause relative movement of said jaws to deform the channel member, thereby securing the sheets.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BINDING

The present invention relates to binding machines and more particularly to channel binding machines.

It is known in the art to provide a binding machine for binding together a plurality of sheets, usually sheets of paper. Such machines are used to hold together a number of sheets in a form similar to a book, for presentation purposes, but unlike a book, it is also desirable to be able to un-bind the sheets. Such machines are often suitable for use in office environments.

There are various known types of binding machines and consequent methods of binding a plurality of sheets using such machines. Some types require holes to be punched in the sheets, for example comb binding machines and wire binding machines. Other types do not require this, for example slide binding and channel binding machines.

The invention is particularly concerned with channel binding. This involves taking a channel member which is usually of a U-profile, having a length suitable for the height of the sheets to be bound and made of plastically-deformable steel. It is usuai to giue a cover to the outside of the U-profiie, so as to aiiow a professional effect when binding is carried out. The edges of the sheets to be bound are then placed inside the U-profile and the whole is placed in-between two jaws of a channel binding machine. Movement of one or both of the jaws causes deformation of the U-profile, so as to grip the edges of the sheets within, thus binding them together within the U-profile and cover.

The way in which movement of the jaws is effected depends on the particular type of channel binding machine, and particular machines tend to be suitable for different numbers of sheets to be bound. One known type of channel binding machine has a handle which extends along the length of the sheets to be bound and is pulled in an arcuate movement between the vertical and horizontal positions, thus exerting a force on the U-profile. Another known type of channel binding machine has a lever connected to a cam arrangement which is designed to move the jaws successively closer together each time the lever is pulled. This machine can be used to bind together a large number of sheets and therefore four successive movements of the lever are required in order for a user to be capable of exerting the necessary force on the U-profile.

Known channel binding machines suffer from a number of problems. These include firstly a large force being required to deform the U-profile sufficiently to hold the sheets properly, or, alternatively, a number of lever movements being required to effect this. Secondly, it can be difficult to align the sheets accurately with one another and to bind them in the correct location with respect to the cover. For example, it is desirable for the sheets to be centralised in the cover in a direction along the height of the sheets. Thirdly there are often limitations on the minimum and/or maximum number of sheets and size of U-profile which can be used in a particular machine, and poor results can be achieved if the jaws do not start and finish their movement at the correct distance apart for a given number of sheets. Manual adjustment may be required to achieve this.

It wouid be desirable to provide a channel binding machine and a method for binding a number of sheets using the machine which mitigate the above problems.

If it is desired to de-bind a plurality of sheets which are bound in a channel, it is possible to use the same machine, but known machines make it necessary for a separate component to be provided with the machine, which must be specially fitted in order to carry out a de-binding operation. One problem with this arrangement is that it is possible to lose the component, particularly when it is used by many different people in an office. It may also be time-consuming to fit. De-binding is carried out using similar movements to those described above in respect of binding. In order for de-binding to be successful, the form of deformation of the U-profile during binding is crucial. If it is uneven on the two sides of the U-profile, unsatisfactory de-binding will occur which may damage the sheets and/or make it impossible to re-use the U-profile and cover. It would be desirable to provide a channel binding machine which confers even deformation during the binding process and which does not require a separate component for de-binding.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a binding apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets in a channel member, comprising first and second jaws for receiving a channel member therebetween; and a hydraulic system arranged to implement a binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to cause relative movement of said jaws to deform the channel member thereby securing the sheets

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a binding apparatus for binding and de-binding a plurality of sheets in a channel member, comprising first and second jaws for receiving a channel member therebetween; and a hydraulic system arranged to implement a binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to cause relative movement of said jaws to deform the channel member thereby securing the sheets, and to implement a de-binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to the channel member to open it thereby to release the sheets.

An advantage of the binding apparatus is that the deformation of the channel member in both the binding and de-binding operations is achieved in a single movement.

Suitably the hydraulic force is applied by a piston of a hydraulic cylinder, which contacts the second jaw and effects the movement by pushing the second jaw towards the first jaw. Another advantage of the binding apparatus is that the first and second jaws are arranged substantially parallel to one another and remain so during the movement of the second jaw.

Preferably the binding apparatus further comprises a base plate to which is attached the hydraulic cylinder and the first jaw and over which the second jaw moves, said base plate comprising a slot running parallel to the direction of movement; and a pair of rollers disposed in the slot and connected to the piston and during movement of the second jaw, the rollers run in the slot and thereby the first and second jaws remain substantially parallel.

Preferably the channel member is U-shaped, comprising a spine portion and two side portions.

Advantageously the base plate is arranged to be capable of undergoing a small amount of movement, thereby allowing the deformation of the channel member to involve a substantially even deformation of the two side portions, together with a slight curvature of the spine portion.

Preferably the binding apparatus further comprises a hydraulic pump for driving the hydraulic cylinder via a first hydraulic pipe connected between an output of the hydraulic pump and an input of the hydraulic cylinder; a motor for driving the hydraulic pump; and a pressure regulating circuit for regulating the pressure applied to the cylinder and hence the hydraulic force applied. The pressure regulating circuit suitably comprises a second hydraulic pipe connected between an output of the hydraulic cylinder and an input of the hydraulic pump, within which is provided a pressure measurement device for measuring the hydraulic pressure in the second pipe; and a pressure regulating device which allows leakage of excess pressure in the second pipe above a predetermined maximum pressure.

The binding apparatus according is ideally capable of binding a variable number of sheets in channel members of various sizes.

Preferably the binding apparatus further comprises a controller configured to control operation of the binding apparatus. The controller suitably comprises a microprocessor and a user interface which comprises a preset button configured to set the first and second jaws to a starting position in which they are spaced apart a suitable distance to receive a channel member of a pre-determined size; one or more buttons configured to carry out the binding process when pressed; and a display. Conveniently the user interface further comprises a measurement button configured to measure the plurality of sheets and thereby allow the microprocessor to determine a channel size in which to bind the sheets.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of binding a plurality of sheets, comprising the steps of: placing the sheets in a channel member; and using the hydraulic system to apply a force to the channel member to cause deformation of the channel member to secure the sheets in the channel member. According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a de-binding apparatus for de-binding a plurality of sheets bound in a channel member, comprising first and second jaws for receiving a channel member therebetween; and a hydraulic system arranged to implement a de-binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to the channel member to open it thereby to release the sheets.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of de- binding a plurality of sheets bound in a channel member, comprising the step of using the hydraulic system to apply a force to the channel member thus causing deformation of the channel member to release the sheets from the channel member.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention there is provided a binding apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets in a channel member, comprising a receiving area having a length and a width, for receiving the plurality of sheets in the channel member, such that the channel member sits along the length of the receiving area; and a support base on which the receiving area is disposed, the support base projecting the receiving area at an acute angle to the horizontal in the plane of its length and at an acute angle to the vertical in the plane of its width.

Preferably the width of the receiving area is defined by an end face, the receiving area having a base against which the channel member sits, the end face having a height suitable for accommodating the ends of the plurality of sheets, the apparatus further comprising an insert attached to the end face over only a part of its height distal from the base of the receiving area such that part of the ends of the plurality of sheets are received against it but the channel member is received directly against the end face. Conveniently the channel member is fixed to an outer cover, and the insert further comprises at least one projection into the receiving area, suitable for separating the outer cover from the sheets.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which :

Figure 1 shows a general perspective view of a hydraulic channel binding machine of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows the construction of an object to be bound;

Figure 3 shows a bound object;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of some of the components of the machine;

Figures 5a and 5b show a top plan view and a side view respectively of the components of figure 4;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of hydraulic circuits used in the machine;

Figure 7 is an underneath view of the machine, showing components which allow parallel movement when binding is carried out;

Figures 8a to 8c show respectively a prior art orientation of sheets of paper in a binding machine, and two further views of orientation in accordance with embodiments of the invention;

Figures 9a to 9f show an object being aligned in a mock-up of the machine;

Figure 10 shows part of an insert used to assist in correct alignment an object in the machine;

Figure 11 shows use of the insert to effect correct alignment;

Figure 12 shows diagrammatically the effect of the insert; Figures 13a to 13d show adjustment of the insert of figure 10; Figure 14 shows a view of the machine; Figure 15 shows the starting position of the machine before a de-binding operation;

Figures 16a and 16b show a first stage in a de-binding operation;

Figures 17a to 17c show a second stage in a de-binding operation;

Figure 18 shows a bound object being put on the machine to be de-bound;

Figures 19a and 19b show the machine being moved to a configuration ready to de-bind; and

Figure 20 shows the machine after a de-binding operation.

In the figures, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Figure 1 shows a general external view of the machine of the invention. The machine is a hydraulic channel binding machine, indicated generally by reference numeral 1. The components of the machine will be described below, but in this figure most of them are hidden from view by external casing 2 of the machine. Reference numeral 4 indicates a recess in the machine which receives an object to be bound, the object being inserted in the general direction of arrow X.

The machine 1 of figure 1 is also suitable for de-binding a bound book. Reference numeral 6 indicates generally the de-binding components of the machine, some of which are not hidden by the cover. A book 8 is shown in place for being de-bound, as will be described in detail below.

Figure 2 shows the construction of an object 10 to be bound. Such an object comprises a substantially U-shaped channel member 12. This needs to be plastically deformable and therefore the material in this embodiment is mild steel. Other suitable materials could be used instead. The channel member 12 is glued into a cover 14. The cover 14 can be made of any desired material, for example paper, plastic or cardboard and can be stiff or flexible depending on the type of finished product required. Finally, loose sheets 16 are placed in the cover as indicated by arrow A at rest against the channel member 12. The length of the cover 14, channel member 12 and sheets 16 is generally A4 length (extending into the page) but any size required can be used up to the maximum capacity of the recess 4 of the machine 1.

In order for the object 10 to be usable, it is necessary to "bind" the sheets 16 together by deforming the channel member 12 to have a profile which differs from that shown in figure 2, so that it grips the sheets. Such a binding operation can be effected using the machine 1 of figure 1 , which applies forces generally in the direction of arrows B of figure 3. The resulting bound object 8 is shown in figure 3. The deformation of the channel member 12 can be seen as comprising a deformation of the U-shape which results in the side portions being angled inwards in a substantially similar manner to each other, from roughly the point where they meet the spine portion.

The components of the machine 1 which enable a binding operation of an object such as object 10 will now be described.

Binding

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of some of the components used in the binding process. A hydraulic cylinder is indicated by reference numeral 18, and has a piston 19. There are also provided a first, fixed jaw 20 and a second, moveable jaw 22. These jaws are generally cuboid in shape and are disposed across the width of machine 1 at a distance apart, such that the recess 4 in the casing 2 shown in figure 1 is aligned with the space between the two. They are shown in an open position in figures 4 and 5. They are bound at each end by side frame members 24. Referring additionally to figure 5a, it can be seen that piston 19 is connected to jaw 22.

It can be further seen that cylinder 18 and jaw 20 are fixed on a base plate 26. Jaw 22 rests on this base plate but, as mentioned previously, is moveable with respect to it. Base plate 26 extends substantially across the width of the machine 1 and, in a lengthwise direction some distance beyond jaw 20. There is provided an additional structural member 28 which also extends across the width of machine 1 and is attached to side frame members 24 at their opposite ends to jaw 20. Thus components 20, 24 and 28 form a square-shaped structure which contains cylinder 18, base plate 26 and jaw 22. Cylinder 18 is also attached to structural member 28 at its side opposite to piston 19. Thus cylinder 18 is situated centrally across the width of the machine so that piston 19 has movement along the length of the machine. A suitable material for all the components (excepting internal components of cylinder 18) is steel, but other sufficiently strong materials could be used.

Referring in greater detail to figure 4, it can be seen that jaw 22 comprises three portions of material fixed together. All are cuboid in shape but thin, and are fixed together so as to form a thicker piece. They may be either physically fixed together or formed of a single piece. However, the upper piece 30 (and equivalent lower piece which is not visible) has a length which allows it to fit between side frame members 24, and is shorter than the middle piece 32. Side frame members 24 each have a slot 34 through their width which extends along part of their length from around level with jaw 20 to a short distance beyond jaw 22 in the position shown in figures 4 and 5. This slot 34 can be additionally seen in figure 5b. The middle piece 32 of jaw 22 is long enough that it extends at both ends through slots 34 and just beyond to emerge at the exterior of the above- mentioned square-shaped structure. The purpose of this arrangement is for connection to de-binding components 6, as will be described below.

In use, an object 10 is placed in the space between jaws 20 and 22 (through recess 4) so that the bottom of the channel member 12 rests on base plate 26. The starting position of jaws 20 and 22 must be set to the correct space apart for the size of channel member. The setting and control of this will be described below. The hydraulic cylinder 18 is then operated so that piston 19 moves jaw 22 towards jaw 20. This movement is possible because upper piece 30 (and equivalent lower piece) of jaw 22 run inside side frame members 24 and middle piece 32 of jaw 22 runs along grooves 34 of side frame members 24. As jaws 22 moves towards jaw 20, the space inbetween them decreases and the channel member 12 is compressed between them and consequently plastically deformed to a shape such that sheets 16 are secured between the two side sections of the U-shape, thus forming a bound book 8. The distance which jaw 22 is moved varies in dependence on the size of the channel member. Control of this will also be described below.

When the above-described operation is complete, piston 19 is retracted, thus bringing jaw 22 back with it and releasing bound book 8 from the compression force. Bound book 8 can then be removed from recess 4 and is ready for use. If it is desired to bind a further object, the process is simply repeated.

The hydraulic components which enable the binding operation to be carried out will now be described with reference to figure 6 which represents the hydraulic system diagrammatically, indicated generally by reference numeral 37. Motor 36 is shown connected to hydraulic pump 38 and also to a power supply 50, likely to be a mains supply. The embodiment uses a 24V motor, hence a transformer is also required to convert from mains voltage. The output of hydraulic pump 38 is shown connected to the input of hydraulic cylinder 18 via a second hydraulic pipe 45. The output of the cylinder 18 is shown connected to the input of pump 38 via a first hydraulic pipe 44. A pressure regulator 40 and a gauge 42 are connected within pipe 44. The figure shows that pressure regulator 40 actually comprises two pressure release valves 41a and 41 b. Valve 41a is set to 5 bar and is used to regulate the pressure in the cylinder 18 when a measurement operation is being carried out, as will be described below. Valve 41 b is set to 160 bar and is used to regulate the pressure in the cylinder 18 during a binding or de-binding operation. The valves are of the "ball and spring" type. Depending on which of valves 41a and 41 b is being used, the other is by-passed. The invention is not limited to the component types or particular values used in this embodiment.

In use, motor 36 drives pump 38, which pumps hydraulic fluid to the input of cylinder 18. The pressure of the hydraulic fluid on piston 19 causes it to move in the direction of arrow Y, thus moving jaw 22 as described above. In order to control the speed at which the piston 19 moves, hydraulic valve 41 b regulates the return hydraulic fluid forced out of cylinder 18 into pipe 44 so that excess pressure above 160 bar is removed from the system. Gauge 42 enables the pressure to be checked by a user and is optional. The pressure will rise when the jaws begin to close in on the object 10 being bound, as channel member 12 provides resistance to being deformed.

Two important aspects of the control of the movement and operation of the binding machine will now be described with reference to figures 7 and 8.

Firstly, referring to figure 7, an important aspect of the machine 1 is the ability to keep jaws 20 and 22 parallel during a binding operation. Figure 7 shows an underneath view of the machine 1. The side frame members 24, the additional structural member 28, the hydraulic cylinder 18 and the base plate 26 are visible in this view. It should be noted that in addition to siots 34, side frame members 24 have underneath grooves 35 which are shallow grooves cut across just less than the width of side frame members 24 and extending from approximately the same lengthwise position as slots 34 to the end of side frame members 24 where they meet jaw 20. It can be seen from figure 7 that the purpose of these is to provide a means for base plate 26 to be joined to them, in that base plate 26 extends across the machine to fit into grooves 35 and the two are bolted together. In this way, base side frame members 24 are partially supported by base plate 26 (they are also supported by virtue of being joined to additional structural members 28 and jaw 20). Figure 7 also shows that base plate 26 has a slot 46 cut out of it in a location which is substantially central widthwise and lengthwise, which extends over most of the lengthwise dimension of base plate 26 but which is narrow in the widthwise direction. Hence slot 46 is in widthwise alignment with piston 19. In this embodiment it has a width which is slightly greater than the diameter of piston 19, but there is no particular requirement for this width. Bolted either side of slot 46 along substantially its entire length, to the underside of base plate 26, are two runners 48. Runners 48 are cuboid in shape but relatively thin, although their maximum thickness is not a particular requirement. These components can also be seen in figures 2 and 3.

Referring still to figures 7, 2 and 3, there is also provided an extension piece 50 which is attached to piston 19 and which has two rollers 52 attached to its underside. These rollers are sized so as to fit in groove 46 snugly inbetween runners 48. The depth of rollers 52 is such that they are contained within runners 48.

In operation, when piston 19 moves so as to move jaw 22 towards jaw 20, extension piece 50 also moves, which means that rollers 52 run along inbetween runners 48. The snug fit of components ensures that as jaw 22 moves towards jaw 20, it does so in a manner such that the two jaws remain parallel, due to the movement constraint put on rollers 52 as they rotate by runners 48. This is an important feature of the machine because the parallelity of the movement ensures that the deformation of channel member 12 is even, that is the two side portions of the U-shape are substantially equally deformed. This is advantageous with respect to the appearance of the bound document but also because it facilitates effective de-binding. As explained earlier, uneven deformation is likely to result in damage to sheets and inability to re-use the channel member following de-binding. With the design of the machine, the need for prior art requirements such as successive movements to carry out a binding operation are removed. Mention is also made here of other deformation and tolerance effects. The importance of even deformation of the two side portions of the channel member 12 has already been discussed. This is achieved by the design discussed above and it should also be noted that an important factor in achieving this is to substantially prevent curvature of the spine portion of the channel member such that only the side portions of the U-shape deform. This is achieved by the geometry of the machine 1 and the controlled method of applying a force to the channel member 12 by hydraulic means. However, it is in fact also important that a very slight curvature of the bottom portion of the U-shape occurs during binding. This is because otherwise, the deformation of the two side portions would not be even due to the fact that the hydraulic force is only applied to one of the jaws and hence on one side only of the channel member 12. Clearly the application of a single hydraulic force is advantageous in that it requires less hydraulic components, but this means that the machine must be designed to allow for even deformation. This is achieved by the level of tolerance of the components such that during a binding operation, base plate 26 is able to deflect slightly with respect to the components surrounding it and to which it is attached, such that this small movement allows very slight curvature of the spine. A suitable level of deflection of base plate 26 is a fraction of a millimetre.

User control and the control system of the machine will now be described with reference to figure 1 and Appendix A.

Referring back to figure 1 , which shows a general view of the main external features of machine 1 , user interface components are visible. There is shown on the external casing a display 54, a preset button 56, a measurement button 58, a bind/de-bind button 60 and an OK button 62. These buttons are user interface buttons used in conjunction with a control circuit comprising a microprocessor (not shown in figure 1). When the user plugs in and switches on the machine 1 power is provided to the motor 36 so as to enable operation of the hydraulic system 37. The operations to be performed by the user and corresponding messages shown on the display 54 are detailed in Appendix A.

It has been mentioned earlier that the machine 1 can be used with a variety of sizes of channel members 12, depending on the number of sheets 16 to be bound. In this embodiment, the possible channel sizes are known as AA, A, B, C, D, E, F and G, these being in increasing size from AA upwards. Referring firstly to operation (i) of Appendix A, when first using the machine after switching on, there is firstly a short self-test period. Then, jaw 22 moves to the maximum distance apart from jaw 20, which is the starting position for binding with channel size G. At this stage, the user can follow one of two procedures, depending on whether the size of channel member to be used is known.

In the first case, if the size of channel member is not known, the machine provides a way of determining the most appropriate size of channel member 12 to be used for a given bundle of sheets 16, by allowing a measurement operation to be carried out, as mentioned earlier with respect to figure 6. The measurement button 58 and the OK button 62 are pressed simultaneously. This resets the jaws 20, 22 to their widest apart position, as shown in figure 2, as explained at operation (iii) of Appendix A. The user then places the sheets in position in recess 4 as if they were being bound but without a channel member and then presses the measurement button 58 and the OK button 62 again, as also explained at operation (iii) of Appendix A. This operates the hydraulic system 37 to cause movement of the jaw 22 towards jaw 20 at a low force, in this embodiment 2kg. The low force is achieved by using hydraulic system 37 with valve 41a (so that valve 41 b is bypassed) so that the pressure in the hydraulic system 37 is kept at 5 bar. This prevents any damage to the paper and allows the control circuit to calculate the required channel member size. In practice there are a finite number of different sizes of channel member 12 available, which can be purchased by users of the machine, as explained above. Therefore, having made the measurement, the control circuit will choose the most appropriate size for the thickness of the bundle of sheets 16 measured and will display this on display 54. The example given in Appendix A is the measurement of 105 pages resulting in the most appropriate channel size being B, this size being suitable for between 96 and 125 pages. The jaw 22 is then moved back automatically to the appropriate starting position for the calculated channel member 12 to be used, this position being required in order to carry out an effective binding operation. Thus the user can remove the bundle of sheets 16, place them in the indicated channel member (glued to a cover) and put the whole back in recess 4 ready for binding.

In the second case, when the user knows what channel size to be used, the measurement operation need not be carried out. Since the control circuit knows the finite sizes of channel member available, it is able to operate the hydraulic system 37 with a 2kg force via valve 41a to move jaw 22 to the correct location when the user carries out the sequence explained at operation (ii) of Appendix A. The default display is for the largest channel member size G. When the preset button 56 is pressed, the display 54 changes to refer to the set-up for channel member AA size. When the button is repeatedly pressed, the display scrolls stepwise through the possible starting positions for different sizes of channel members 12, from AA to A to B etc. Thus the user must press this button 56 multiple times until the display indicates the required channel size. Then the user presses preset button 56 simultaneously with the OK button 62, which causes the jaw 22 to move to the correct preset position for the chosen channel size. The display 54 indicates that the machine 1 is ready to bind for this required channel member size. The machine 1 is then ready to carry out the binding operation. Following either preparation procedure described above, in order to carry out the binding operation, the user carries out the sequence described in operation (iv) of Appendix A. Firstly, the user must press and hold both the bind/de-bind button 60 and the OK button 62 simultaneously. The requirement to press two buttons is a safety feature to ensure that the user does not have any fingers etc. near the machine during the high-force binding operation. It would be possible to only require a single button to be pressed. Pressing buttons 60, 62 causes the hydraulic circuit to operate as described above with reference to figure 6 using valve 41 b so as to limit to a maximum pressure of 160 bar. The mode of operation of the machine 1 has already been discussed and further details are given in Appendix A. Following the binding operation, the display 54 tells the user that binding is complete and the user can remove the bound book and proceed with further binding operations in a similar manner. However, whilst the display 54 is in this state for a short while it is not possible to carry out further binding operations, thus the frequency of binding operations is controlled. A preset or measurement operation need only be carried out when a different number of sheets from that used previously is required to be bound and/or for which the user is unsure of the channel member size required, since the machine 1 defaults to the starting position for the previously used channel member size following a binding operation.

In order to carry out a de-binding operation, the user carries out the sequence (v) described in Appendix A. Firstly the front door 64 of the machine (shown in figure 1) is opened. The control system of the machine 1 detects that this has happened, so that the correct actions for de-binding can be performed. The display 54 instructs the user to press bind/de-bind button 60 and OK button 62 simultaneously, which causes jaw 22 to move to the open position for the largest channel size G. For reasons which will be described below, the de-binding components 6 move with jaw 22 to a position suitable for use. The display indicates that the user should put an object 8 to be de-bound on the de-binding components 6. The operation of the de-binding components to enable a user to do this will also be described below. Then bind/de-bind button 60 and OK button 62 are pressed simultaneously, which causes jaw 22 to move towards jaw 20 until the pressure in the hydraulic system is 160 bar. The position of jaw 22 is maintained at this point for a short time, in this embodiment 2 seconds, then jaw 22 moves back to the fully open position. Thus object 8 is de-bound. The de- bound object 10 can then be removed from the de-binding components 6. Closing door 64 causes the control of the machine to return to the above- described measure, preset and binding state.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the particular configurations and mode of operation of the machine described in this embodiment can be varied within the scope of the invention for the purposes of controlling the machine 1.

Another important aspect of the machine 1 will now be described with reference to figures 8-13. These figures show the advantages provided by the machine in the handling of an object to be bound.

Referring firstly to figures 8a to 8c, these compare a prior art machine (figure 8a) with the machine 1 of the present invention by way of perspective views and corresponding diagrammatical representations. Figure 8a shows that in known machines the object 10 to be bound, comprising a U-shaped channel member 12 glued to a cover 14 and having sheets 16 arranged in it, is placed in the machine in a substantially vertical direction. This results in a number of problems for the user in aligning the sheets 16 in the channel member 12, as mentioned above. Furthermore, it may be difficult to control the cover 14 and the sheets because, particularly with a flexible cover, the cover and the sheets may have a tendency to fall away from or towards the user.

It can be seen how machine 1 mitigates this latter problem by referring to figure 8b. This figure shows how in the machine 1 , the object 10 is placed in the machine in a position sloping away from the user at an angle of 10° to the vertical plane (of the paper). This position aids in keeping the cover and sheets together, that is to stop them separating in the vertical plane.

Figure 8c shows the actual position in which an object 10 is placed in machine 1 by introducing an additional degree of slope to that shown in figure 8b in the vertical plane, but in this case in the vertical plane which is perpendicular to the vertical plane referred to with respect to figure 8b. Thus the object 10 is angled at 15° to the vertical in its own plane (i.e. the flat surface of the cover and sheets) as well as the 10° shown in figure 8b. This additional slope allows the sheets 16 to be correctly positioned within the cover 14, as will be explained in more detail with reference to figures 12 and 13. The invention is not limited to this particular choice of angles.

Turning now to figures 9a to 9f, this shows a series of diagrams which illustrate the placing of an object in a mock-up of the machine 1 (note only part of machine 1 is shown). The figures show the recess 4 set at the angles described with reference to figure 8a to 8c.

Figure 9a shows the object being initially arranged by hand. Figure 9b shows the next stage of placing the object in recess 4. Figure 9c shows the back part of cover 14 (i.e. that furthest from the user) being separated from the sheets 16 and figure 9d shows a detail which includes an insert 70, and in particular the part of which is used to separate the front of cover 14 from the sheets 16. Figure 9e shows generally the object 10 being arranged by hand. Another possibility is indicated in figure 9f, that the object could be arranged automatically by vibrations of the binding bed.

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the front part of insert 70. This part of insert 70 has a centre portion 76 which is flat, cuboid in shape. At either end of centre portion 76 is provided an "ear", which is substantially semi-circular in shape, its straight side coinciding with a short side of centre piece 76 and being disposed substantially perpendicularly to centre piece 76. The ear associated with aligning the back part (i.e. further away from the user) of a cover 14 is labelled with reference numeral 72 and the ear associated with aligning the front part (i.e. closer to the user) of a cover 14 is labelled with reference numeral 74. The thickness of centre piece 76 is shown by the letter t. In this embodiment t is 1.5mm, but it could be varied. The shape of the ears 72, 74 could be varied.

Figure 11 shows insert 70 in use. It is fixed onto the inside of external casing 2 of machine 1 at one end of recess 4, so that it is aligned with the top of object 10 i.e. that part of object 10 furthest away from channel member 12 and which is at the top when placed in the machine. The front and back of the cover 14 are placed on the outside of ears 74 and 72 respectively, such that the sheets 16 remain between the two ears. This means that the cover 14 and the channel member 12 are lying against the inside of casing 2, labelled as 78 in figure 12. This can be termed the "cover plane". It will be understood that in the absence of a cover, the channel member will naturally sit against the external casing 2 because the insert only extends across the top of the external casing 2. However, sheets 16 are lying against the centre portion 76 of insert 70, and since this has a thickness of 1.5mm, this means that sheets 16 are lying 1.5mm away from cover plane 78 and are lying in a "paper plane" labelled with reference numeral 80 in the figure. A top, diagrammatical view of this situation is shown in figure 12.

It is likely that most covers 14 will be of the same order of magnitude longer than the sheets 16 to be bound in them, regardless of channel member size, hence insert 70 can be used for different sizes of channel member. It is designed so that a large number of sheets 16 can fit between the ears if a large channel member 12 is being used, but of course it will function with a small number of sheets. Figures 13a to 13b show how the position and design of insert 70 is varied to allow for the situation when a slightly larger cover or smaller sheets than standard ones are to be used. This is useful since different types of covers are available which are longer than standard size sheets by varying amounts. It also allows the machine to bind sheets and covers of completely different sizes, such as A5 as well as A4.

Figures 13a and 13b show the variability of insert 70 when sheets and covers of approximately A4 size are being bound. Figure 13a shows the minimum position of insert 70 when centre portion 76 is approximately flush with the inside of casing 2. There is also shown in figure 13a a slider 71 disposed on a horizontal face of casing 2 in the vicinity of insert 70 such that it runs along the length of insert 70 in line with centre portion 76. In this figure it is at the limit of its travel in the forwards direction i.e. in the direction from ear 72 to ear 74. The slider 71 is designed to be moved by hand. There is also shown a recess 73 in the inside of casing 2. The top of recess 73 is visible at the top of insert 70; this recess extends so as to accommodate centre portion 76. Insert 70 is mechanically connected to slider 71 by a connection piece which fits through recess 73 (not visible).

Figure 13b shows a similar view to figure 13a, but in this case slider 71 is at the limit of its travel in the rearwards direction i.e. in the direction from ear 74 to ear 72. It can be seen that this movement has caused insert 70, via the mechanical connection, to be projected outwards from the inside of casing 2 against which it is approximately flush in figure 13a. It can also be seen that insert 71 has an extension portion 75 which is intrinsically connected along one side of centre portion 76, in this embodiment the uppermost side in the figure. Extension portion 75 is disposed at right-angles to centre portion 76 i.e. it projects at 180° to the direction in which ears 72, 74 project, and is rectangular in shape. Its width (in the direction of projection) determines the distance from casing 2 which sheets 16 will be situated when placed against recess 70. Since the width of extension portion 75 as extended in this figure changes the position of the sheets to be further from casing 2, sheets 16 will be placed correspondingly further from the end of cover 14 because cover 14 will still be resting against casing 2. Thus projection of extension portion 75 as shown in this figure allows for the sheets 16 to be centrally placed in a cover 14 when the cover 14 is longer than a standard cover.

Slider 71 can be used at any intermediate position in dependence on how much longer or shorter any particular cover is than a standard cover, thus always allowing sheets 16 to be centrally placed prior to binding. In this embodiment, when using a standard cover and standard sheets, the sheets need to be placed 3mm from the edge of the cover for the binding operation in order to be centralised along the length of the cover. This is achieved by an intermediate position of slider 71.

Figures 13c and 13d are equivalent to figures 13a and 13b respectively, but they show that insert 70 is also suitable for use when binding A5 sized sheets 16 and cover 14. This figure shows that extension portion 75 actually extends to a greater width than is visible in figure 13b, so as to allow alignment of sheets 16 in the correct position for their size, which is much further away from casing 2 than is required for A4 sheets. This is necessary to centralise the A5 sheets 16 and cover 14 within recess 4 of machine 1. There is also visible a nose 77. This locks into recess 73 to lock insert 70 within its range of movement for A4 sheets when these are being used. Thus when it is desired to bind A5 sheets, the nose 77 can be unlocked to allow insert 70 to extend to the range of positions shown in figures 13c and 13d. Slider 71 is used to move the insert 70 between the minimum position shown in figure 13c and the maximum position shown in figure 13d. The insert 70 is used in these ranges of position together with a further insert on a lower part of the casing to allow the A5 cover to be correctly aligned with the sheets. Other ranges of projection of insert could be provided for different sheet sizes as necessary.

Figure 14 shows a view of machine 1 (without external casing 2) which shows how the necessary angle of recess 4 is achieved with a base member 82. It can be seen that this base member 82 is shaped so as to project the plane of jaws 20, 22 to the angle described above, so that an object 10 can be inserted between the jaws 20, 22 and jaw 22 will be moved in the plane in which channel member 12 sits.

De-Binding

The de-binding of a bound book 8 will now be described with reference to figures 15 to 21. Figures 15 to 20 show merely the operational parts of the machine 1 , and in that respect are similar to figures 2 and 3, but show views which facilitate the explanation of the de-binding operation.

Figure 15 shows the following previously described components : hydraulic cylinder 18, first jaw 20, second jaw 22, side frame memberέ 24, additional structural member 28 and de-binding components 6. In particular, slots 34 in side frame members 24 are visible and are important for the de-binding process. The figure shows the situation when jaws 22 and 20 are spaced apart and the de-binding components 6 are at storage position. The de-binding components 6 are accessed by opening door 64 of machine 1 , as shown in figure 1.

It should firstly be noted that connection members 84 are provided on the outside of side frame members 24. These are flat, cuboid in shape and are designed to run along the outside of side frame members 24 by virtue of their being bolted to the extremity of middle portion 32 of jaw 22. This means that during a binding or de-binding operation, connection members 84 run with jaw 22 due to middle portion 32 running in slots 34.

At the opposite end of connection members 84 to slot 34 are provided a first, larger bolt 86 and, near the far extremity of connection members 84, a second, smaller bolt 88. Both bolts 86, 88 are attached to connection members 84 and only those attached to the right hand connection member 84 in the figure are visible, but equivalents are provided on the left hand connection member 84. These move with connection members 84.

Fitted over bolts 86, 88 on both sides of machine 1 are rotating connectors 90. These are roughly L-shaped, the base of the L being relatively wide in comparison to the stem. They have a first long slot 92 which is arcuate in shape, extends across the base of the L and has a detent at either end for locking rotating connector 90 in place around bolt 86. In figure 15 the "L" is upside down and bolt 86 sits in the detent at the extremity of the base of the L. They have a second, short slot 94, which essentially comprises two detents for locking rotating connector 90 in place around bolt 88. Slot 94 is located where the base and the stem of the L meet, and in figure 15, bolt 88 sits in the detent closest to the base of the L.

Finally, rotating connectors 90 have a third slot 96 which is rectangular in shape and is located close to the extremity of the stem of the L. The purpose of these slots 96 is to support de-binding wedge 98. De-binding wedge 98 extends across the width of the machine 1 , and is substantially the same length as jaws 20, 22. It comprises a wedge-shaped part 100 whose narrow edge is uppermost in figure 15, and a rear support part 102 which runs parallel to part 100 and is flat, cuboidal in shape. The two pieces are joined together by connecting pieces 101 at both ends. This piece is not visible in figure 15 but can be seen in figure 16 and subsequent figures. This is a sturdy metal piece of a flat, cuboidal shape which is firmly fixed to parts 100, 102, for example by welding. Connecting piece 101 is important for retaining the book 8 in position on de-binding wedge 98. If it were not present, the de-binding operation would be less effective and possibly dangerous to the user.

De-binding wedge 98 is supported in slots 96 by virtue of buttons 104 provided at the ends of wedge-shaped part 100. In figure 15, buttons 104 hold de-binding wedge 98 in a fixed position relative to rotating connectors 90 by virtue of their being naturally sprung outwards (i.e. out towards the sides of machine 1 ) and having built-up portions 106 on their inner sides (i.e. near to de-binding wedge 98) which prevent rotation in rectangular slot 96. However, these buttons are able to be pressed by a user, as will be described below.

As indicated above, figure 15 shows the machine in the rest position. During a binding operation, the de-binding components described above simply move linearly with jaw 22 by reason of connecting members 84. It should be noted that the components are designed and disposed such that de-binding wedge 98 does not foul on additional support member 28 or plate 26.

If it is desired to carry out a de-binding operation, the process indicated in figures 16 to 20 is carried out. The first step is shown in figures 16a and 16b, which is to swivel de-binding wedge 98 from the vertical position of figure 15 to a horizontal position. This can be done by a user by gripping de-binding wedge 98 and rotating it upwards. Since buttons 104 are holding de-binding wedge 98 fixed with respect to rotating connectors 90, these rotate at the same time. Thus it will be understood that the user will need to initiate the movement of de-binding wedge 98 by disengaging bolts 86, 88 from the detents of slots 92, 94. Figure 16a shows an intermediate position and figure 16b shows the horizontal position at the end of the movement. It can be seen that during the movement, slots 92 and 94 in rotating member 90 move past bolts 86 and 88 respectively, through the entire length of their travel, so as to end up locked with bolts 86, 88 sitting in the opposite detents from those which they were sitting in in figure 15. This movement could be controlled by springs connected between bolts 86 and 88 or by a double acting hydraulic cylinder or some other suitable arrangement.

In order to place a book 8 to be de-bound on de-binding wedge 98, it first has to be rotated to be in its original vertical position. This process is illustrated in figures 17a to 17c. In figure 17a buttons 104 are pushed inwards so that built-up portions 106 are free of slot 96. In this position it is possible to rotate only de- binding wedge 98, without rotating rotating connectors 90. This is done by swivelling de-binding wedge 98 towards the user. Figure 17b shows the de- binding wedge 98 in an intermediate position and figure 17c shows it having been fully rotated to the vertical position. It can be seen how built-up portions rotate inside rotating connectors 90 during this movement.

It is then possible to place a book 8 to be de-bound on de-binding wedge 98, as shown in figure 18. The book 8 is placed inbetween connecting pieces 101 and so that roughly half of its sheets 16 are in front of wedge-shaped part 100 and the other half are behind wedge-shaped part 100 but in front of rear support part 102. Thus channel member 12 is resting on the top of wedge-shaped part 100.

In order to carry out a de-binding operation, de-binding wedge 98 must be rotated back to the horizontal position, as shown in figures 19a and 19b. This is done by the user rotating book 8 away from him. Figure 19a shows a book 8 on de-binding wedge 98 at an intermediate position and figure 19b shows the two rotated back to the horizontal position. It should be noted that at this point, buttons 104 spring back into their outer positions, thus fixing de-binding wedge 98 in position with rotating connector 90 so that the two will move together. The machine is now ready to carry out a de-binding operation.

The finishing point of the de-binding operation, which produces an un-bound object 10 is shown in figure 20. From the position of figure 19b, the sequence of operations as described above with reference to Appendix A is performed by the user. This operates the hydraulic system 37 in the same way as described for a binding operation, such that jaw 22 is moved towards jaw 20 with a maximum of 160 bar pressure. By virtue of the connections described above, de-binding wedge 98 moves with jaw 22, such that de-binding of the book 8 occurs and jaw 22 has been moved proximate to jaw 20, as shown in figure 20.

The mechanical effect which allows the de-binding operation to work effectively can be understood from figure 20. As de-binding wedge 98 moves with jaw 22, at first it will simply move book 8 with it. However, at a certain point in the movement, the spine of book 8 will meet additional support member 28. At this point, the movement of jaw 22 can no longer move book 8, so instead, wedge part 100 is forced against the inside of the spine of book 8. This of course actually means that wedge part 100 is forced into the centre of channel member 12 of book 8. Due to the wedge shape of wedge part 100, this force pushes the side portions of channel member 12 apart, thus de-binding book 8. It is of course important that wedge part 100 is sufficiently and suitably shaped to cause this effect under the remaining amount of travel of jaw 22.

Thus it can be seen that it is possible to carry out a de-binding operation using machine 1 without the need for any separate components. Following a de- binding operation, de-binding wedge 98 is swivelled back to the vertical position by pressing buttons 104 and then turning de-bound object 10. The de-bound object 10 can then be lifted off de-binding wedge 98. It can then be taken apart and the components re-used. Either a further de-binding operation can be carried out or de-binding wedge 98 can be swivelled back to the horizontal position such that buttons 104 allow it to re-engage with rotating connector 90. The reverse of the operation described with respect to figure 16 can then be carried out to return the de-binding components to their storage position. It will be understood by the skilled reader that any combination or any part alone of the above-described embodiment can be used as desired. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the particular materials or physical values used.

APPENDIX A xyw m w n OKΠMJ& ®I ^■ . ^• ;. x.

Display before Button Display after function proceeding the button pushing button pressing button

(i sωθtefe®® -:YX ,^'.Z X.Ϊ $;X l YχiYY X^':Y f ^i;γ.. ^{'' ' '} _<. .^* ; ^{' '}J ^{''" ' ■ ■ ■ •} _ ' - ^{•• ■} j

On/Off SELFTEST Machine is switched on, Selftest for about 2 sec.

(I/O toggleswitch) PLEASE UAIT.

PRESET COVER G Binding Wedge moves back to the max. open position i. e. "Preset G " = READY TO BIND 40mm

Msmtioglp sem

CO c PRESET COVER G PRESET (press and SETTING COVER AA Button "PRESET" skips the text in the display one step ahead, from "AA" to

CD READY TO BIND release) HOLD PRESET + OK "A", "B" up to "G" further "AA"... CO

( 2 sec. No button) PRESET COVER G When the "PRESET'-button is not pressed after 2 sec. the display skips ro READY TO BIND back to the first value, here PRESET G. m PRESET COVER G PRESET (press and SETTING COVER A A To go to the desired preset you need to press again until you see the

CO READY TO BIND release) HOLD PRESET+OK desired preset. Pressing once skips on step further, from "AA " to "A ", "B " up

I m to "G" further "AA"... m SETTING COVER PRESET (press and SETTING COVER A AA HOLD release) HOLD PRESET+OK

7 c3 PRFSFT+OK SETTING COVER A PRESET (press and SETTING COVER B m HOLD PRESET+OK release) HOLD PRESET+OK t

SETTING COVER B PRESET + OK SETTING COVER C The movement of the binding wedge is initiated by pressing Preset and OK HOLD PRESET+OK (press and hold) PLEASE HOLD . . . simultaneously. The binding wedge moves open, up to PRESET G and then moves forward until the desired position. During this movement the display shows "PLEASE HOLD... ". When the desired preset-position is reached the display shows the standard-text "PRESET COVER"

PRESET COVER C READY TO BIND

PRESET COVER C MEASURE + OK PREPARE MEASURE Starts the measuring cycle. The binding wedge is opened totally. During the READY TO BIND (push and hold) PLEASE HOLD... movement the display shows "PLEASE HOLD.. "

INSERT PAPER + MEASURE + OK MEASURING PAPER User inserts his stack of paper and pushes MEASUREMENT and OK HOLD MEASURE+OK (push and hold) PLEASE HOLD... simultaneously.

The binding wedge moves with the low pressure circuit. The measurement system counts the way to the paper-stack and gives advice in the display to use the correct cover. In the meantime the binding wedge is moved backwards to the correspondend preset position.

PRESET COVER B Here the user measured 105 pages which fits in the range of cover B (96- READY TO BIND 125 pages) um

PRESET COVER B BIND + OK (push BINDING PROCESS The user puts his document within its cover in the binding slot of the

CO READY TO BIND and hold) PLEASE HOLD... machine and pushes "BIND" + "OK" simultaneously. The binding wedge c

CD moves forward. When the high pressure circuit has pressed for 2 sec. with CO max. force (160bar) the binding is finished. The binding wedge moves backwards to the last preset position. During movement the displays shows

"PLEASE HOLD.. " m BINDING DONE When the binding is done the displays shows "BINDING DONE". As long

CO TAKE OUT COVER this is shown the machine does not reacts to any pressure on the binding

PRESET COVER B After the text above is display for a while (1-2 sec.) the display goes beck to READY TO BIND the standard-preset-text.

PRESET COVER B open front-door DOOR OPEN ! The system recognizes that the door is open. The user is asked to hold READY TO BIND HOLD DEBIND+OK "HOLD DEBIND+OK" simultaneous. The binding wedge then moves complete open to preset G. When the G-position is reached the display shows "READY TO DEBIND INSERT DOCUMENT".

READY TO DEBIND DEBIND+OK DEBINDING ! The user unfolds the debinding system and inserts his INSERT DOCUMENT (drϋcken und PLEASE HOLD- • document. Pictogramms on the inside of the door . When he has inserted his halten) document and has pushed it in the debind-position he pushes "DEBIND"+"OK". The binding wedge is pushed forward until the system reaches 160bar peak-pressure for about 2 sec, then the system moves again the binding wedge until preset G - full open position. During this movement a warning is displayed. When the system is totally open the debinded cover is ready to take out.

READY TO DEBIND Front-Abdeckung PRESET COVER G When the front-door is closed the system returns to the standard-preset- Schliessen READY TO BIND text

Claims

1. A binding apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets in a channel member, comprising first and second jaws for receiving a channel member therebetween; and a hydraulic system arranged to implement a binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to cause relative movement of said jaws to deform the channel member thereby securing the sheets.

2. A binding apparatus for binding and de-binding a plurality of sheets in a channel member, comprising : first and second jaws for receiving a channel member therebetween; and a hydraulic system arranged to implement a binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to cause relative movement of said jaws to deform the channel member thereby securing the sheets, and to implement a de-binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to the channel member to open it thereby to release the sheets.

3. A binding apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the deformation of the channel member in both the binding and de-binding operations is achieved in a singie movement.

4. A binding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the hydraulic force is applied by a piston of a hydraulic cylinder.

5. A binding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the piston contacts the second jaw and effects the movement by pushing the second jaw towards the first jaw.

6. A binding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first and second jaws are arranged substantially parallel to one another and remain so during the movement of the second jaw.

7. A binding apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising : a base plate to which is attached the hydraulic cylinder and the first jaw and over which the second jaw moves, said base plate comprising a slot running parallel to the direction of movement; and a pair of rollers disposed in the slot and connected to the piston, wherein during movement of the second jaw, the rollers run in the slot and thereby the first and second jaws remain substantially parallel.

8. A binding apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the channel member is U-shaped, comprising a spine portion and two side portions.

9. A binding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the base plate is arranged to be capable of undergoing a small amount of movement, thereby allowing the deformation of the channel member to involve a substantially even deformation of the two side portions, together with a slight curvature of the spine portion.

10. A binding apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising : a hydraulic pump for driving the hydraulic cylinder via a first hydraulic pipe connected between an output of the hydraulic pump and an input of the hydraulic cylinder; a motor for driving the hydraulic pump; and a pressure regulating circuit for regulating the pressure applied to the cylinder and hence the hydraulic force applied.

11. A binding apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the pressure regulating circuit comprises : a second hydraulic pipe connected between an output of the hydraulic cylinder and an input of the hydraulic pump, within which is provided a pressure measurement device for measuring the hydraulic pressure in the second pipe; and a pressure regulating device which allows leakage of excess pressure in the second pipe above a predetermined maximum pressure.

12. A binding apparatus according to any preceding claim which is capable of binding a variable number of sheets in channel members of various sizes.

13. A binding apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a controller configured to control operation of the binding apparatus.

14. A binding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor and a user interface which comprises : a preset button configured to set the first and second jaws to a starting position in which they are spaced apart a suitable distance to receive a channel member of a pre-determined size; one or more buttons configured to carry out the binding process when pressed; and a display.

15. A binding apparatus according to claim 14 in which the user interface further comprises a measurement button configured to measure the plurality of sheets and thereby allowing the microprocessor to determine a channel size in which to bind the sheets.

16. A method of binding a plurality of sheets, comprising the steps of : placing the sheets in a channel member; and using a hydraulic system to apply a force to the channel member to cause deformation of the channel member to secure the sheets in the channel member.

17. A de-binding apparatus for de-binding a plurality of sheets bound in a channel member, comprising : first and second jaws for receiving a channel member therebetween; and a hydraulic system arranged to implement a de-binding operation by applying a hydraulic force to the channel member to open it thereby to release the sheets.

18. A method of de-binding a plurality of sheets bound in a channel member, comprising the step of using a hydraulic system to apply a hydraulic force to the channel member thus causing deformation of the channel member to release the sheets from the channel member.

19. A binding apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets in a channel member, comprising : a receiving area having a length and a width, for receiving the plurality of sheets in the channel member, such that the channel member is located along the length of the receiving area ; and a support base defining a floor of the receiving area on which the channel member is disposed, the floor being at an acute angle to the horizontal in the plane of its length and at an acute angle to the vertical in the plane of its width.

20. A binding apparatus according to claim 19, in which the width of the receiving area is defined by an end face, the end face having a height suitable for accommodating the ends of the plurality of sheets, the apparatus further comprising an insert attached to the end face over only a part of its height distal from the floor of the receiving area such that part of the ends of the plurality of sheets are received against it but the channel member is received directly against the end face.

21. A binding apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the channel member is fixed to an outer cover, and the insert further comprises at least one projection into the receiving area, suitable for separating the outer cover from the sheets.