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Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR BINDING A STACK OF SHEETS HAVING AT LEAST ONE PERFORATION THEREIN ADJACENT AN EDGE THEREOF, FEED AND GUIDE MEANS FOR A RIBBON OF HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL, A GUIDE CHUTE FOR A STACK OF SHEETS EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FEED AND GUIDE MEANS, STOP MEANS SPACED FROM SAID GUIDE CHUTE AND OPERABLE TO ALIGN THE PERFORATION WITH THE RIBBON FEED AND GUIDE MEANS, A RIBBON GUIDE EXTENSIBLY MOVABLE THROUGH THE PERFORATION INTO JUXTAPOSITION WITH SAID RIBBON FEED AND GUIDE MEANS, FOR GUIDING A RIBBON TO BE THREADED THROUGH SAID PERFORATION, SAID RIBBON GUIDE BEING RETRACTIBLE FROM SAID PERFORATION AFTER THE RIBBON HAS ADVANCED THEREALONG THROUGH THE PERFORATION TO RELEASE THE LEADING END OF THE RIBBON AND THEREBY COMPLETE THE THREADING OF THE RIBBON THROUGH THE STACK OF SHEETS, A CUT-OFF KNIFE MOVABLE ALONG THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID FEED AND GUIDE MEANS FOR SEVERING THE RIBBON, A RIBBON FOLDER FORMING A CONTINUATION OF SAID CHUTE AND SPACED BETWEEN THE END OF SAID CHUTE AND SAID FEED AND GUIDE MEANS AND MOVABLE ALONG THE STACK OF SHEETS TOWARD SAID STOP TO FIRST CLAMP THE RIBBON FOR SEVERING AND TO THEN FOLD THE RIBBON ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE STACK OF SHEETS TO EXTEND BEYOND THE EDGE THEREOF, AND HEAT SEALING MEANS DISPOSED BENEATH SAID STOP AND CLAMPING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF THE RIBBON TOGETHER AND SEALING THE ENDS OF THE RIBBON BY HEAT.