Patent US3761983A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3761983A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Binding apparatus
Assignee: General Binding Corp
•
Filing: 1972-03-17
•
Granted: 1973-10-02
•
Expires: 1992-03-17
Abstract
Abstract A binding apparatus having a binding mechanism including a binding support for supporting a plastic type binding having a backbone with a plurality of curled fingers extending therefrom which fingers are uncurled during a binding operation characterized by a dispensing device for inserting a binding on the support after completion of the binding operation and prior to the next binding operation. The dispensing device includes a feed device having a plurality of rotating cam members which hold a binding above the support and cooperates with one or more guide vanes which hold the binding element in the correct orientation on the feed device which injects the binding element against the deflecting surface into the support with the fingers extending between the teeth thereof. The binding mechanism is preferably power actuated and has a control circuit with a manual position which requires actuation of various switches to accomplish a binding operation. The control circuit has an automatic position in which the initiation of the feed device delivers a binding to the support which is then opened in preparation for inserting perforated sheets on the binding. Preferably the dispensing device includes supplying binding elements stored on a releasable tape to a peeling device which peels the bindings above the rotating cams which peeled binding elements are guided by the guide vane to the cams sequentially.
Inventors
- 👤 H Staats
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:31
CPC Classifications
B; B42; B42B; B42B5/00; B42B5/08; B42B5/10; B42B5/103
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for binding a plurality of sheet perforated along an edge by a binding element having a backbone with a plurality of transversely extending curled fingers, the apparatus comprising: a frame; binding means mounted on the frame for opening a binding by uncurling the fingers to enable the insertion of perforated sheets thereon and for closing the binding by allowing the fingers to recurl, said means including a binding support with a plurality of teeth for supporting the binding element with the curled fingers extending between the teeth during opening and closing of the binding element; and feed means for inserting a binding element on the binding support mounted on the frame and including delivery means for forcefully injectinG the binding onto the binding support and means for positioning a binding at the delivery means in a predetermined orientation to enable injection of the binding element onto the binding support with the fingers extending between the teeth.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for binding a plurality of sheet perforated along an edge by a binding element having a backbone with a plurality of transversely extending curled fingers, the apparatus comprising: a frame; binding means mounted on the frame for opening a binding by uncurling the fingers to enable the insertion of perforated sheets thereon and for closing the binding by allowing the fingers to recurl, said means including a binding support with a plurality of teeth for supporting the binding element with the curled fingers extending between the teeth during opening and closing of the binding element; and feed means for inserting a binding element on the binding support mounted on the frame and including delivery means for forcefully injectinG the binding onto the binding support and means for positioning a binding at the delivery means in a predetermined orientation to enable injection of the binding element onto the binding support with the fingers extending between the teeth.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning means includes an upright panel disposed on the frame and at least one guide vane mounted with respect to the panel to extend between a pair of fingers of a binding element to hold the backbone thereof against the panel as the element moves therealong to the delivery means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the delivery means includes a member rotatably mounted adjacent an end of the guide vane, said member being rotated between a first position with a first surface blocking movement of a binding element between the guide vane and panel to a second position enabling passage of the binding element to the support.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the member is mounted on the frame with said first surface while in the first position extending through an aperture provided in the panel and having a second surface moving through the aperture as the member is rotated to the second position to prevent passage in the positioning means of a binding element resting on the element being fed to the binding support.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first surface of the member terminates in a curved surface engaging the binding element being injected as the member rotates from the first to second position to force the element toward the binding support.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the panel terminates adjacent to the binding support and wherein the delivery means includes a deflection surface at the termination of the panel for deflecting a binding element into the binding support.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means includes a panel adjacent to the binding support and at least one guide vane positioned adjacent to the panel and spaced therefrom to enable movement of a binding element therebetween with the vane extending between a pair of the curled fingers of the binding element to hold the backbone of the element against the panel, said feed means including means for storing a supply of binding elements and means for supplying binding elements from the storing means to the positioning means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
127 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the guide vane has a length to accommodate more than one binding element between the vane and the panel, said delivery means including a member mounted adjacent to the panel for rotatable movement and having a first surface for preventing movement of a binding element in the positioning means past a given position, said member being rotated from a first position blocking movement to a second position releasing a single binding element and preventing movement of the remaining binding elements located immediately adjacent thereabove, and said supply means including means actuating the supply means to add additional binding elements to the positioning means when the number of bindings between the guide vane and panel is reduced to a predetermined number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
87 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the guide vane has a length to accommodate more than one binding element and wherein said storing means comprises means for supporting a roll of binding elements releasably secured on a tape, and said supplying means including means for guiding a portion of the roll to a point adjacent an upper end of the guide vane, and means for peeling the binding elements one at a time from the tape to be delivered between the panel and the guide vane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said supplying means includes motor means for winding up the tape having the bindings removed therefrom to cause peeling of binding elements sequentially therefrom, and control means for said motor means causing said motor means to be actuated when the binding elements betWeen the guide vane and panel falls below a predetermined point to supply additional binding elements to the positioning means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the means for supporting a roll of binding elements includes a bar member splined to a pair of bar supports attached to the frame, said bar member being detachable to receive a core of the roll of binding elements and having means applying a braking force between the bar member and the core.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the means for applying a braking force to the roll applies a decreasing force as the size of the roll of binding element decreases.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the means for peeling the bindings from the tape is disposed on the panel in a spaced relationship to the delivery means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
90 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the delivery means includes at least two members mounted by a shaft for rotation on the frame with each of the members having a first surface for supporting a binding element spaced above the binding support, said members having a surface adjacent to said first surface for engaging the binding element to force it toward the binding support as the first surface moves to a releasing position and means for rotating the members from a binding supprt position to a binding release position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said means for rotating is a solenoid engaging the shaft of the members, said solenoid having control means actually by a switch arrangement to rotate the members to said binding release position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
158 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said binding means includes engagement means for engaging the fingers of the binding element and for moving away from the support to uncurl the fingers, and means for moving the engagement means and the binding support relative to each other from a neutral position with the engagement means disengaged from the fingers of the binding through a second position with the engagement means engaging the fingers of the binding to a third position with the engagement means uncurling the fingers and wherein the control means for the solenoid include means actuating the moving means to shift the engagement means and binding support from the neutral position through the second position to the third position to open the binding, so that as the delivery means injects a binding element on the binding support, the binding means uncurls the fingers to present the binding in an open position for receiving the perforated sheets.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the control means for the solenoid includes a trip switch having a bar overlying the upper portion of the teeth of the binding support so that removal of the binding element after the binding operation from the binding support moves the bar to actuate the solenoid to cause a binding element to be injected into the binding support.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
237 words
An apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets perforated along the edge by a binding element having a backbone with a plurality of transversely extending curled fingers, the apparatus comprising a frame, a binding means mounted on the frame for performing a binding operation of opening a binding element by uncurling the fingers to enable insertion of the perforated sheets thereon and for closing the binding by allowing the fingers to recurl, said binding means including a binding support with a plurality of teeth for supporting the binding element with the fingers extending between the teeth during the binding operation, engagement means for engaging each of the fingers, and means for moving the binding support and engagement means relative to each other from a neutral position with the engagement means disengaged from the fingers of the binding element through a second position with the engagement means inserted behind the fingers to a third position with the engagement means uncurling the fingers, and feed means for inserting a binding element on the binding support, said feed means mounted on the frame adjacent to the binding support and including delivery means for supporting a binding element in a position spaced from the binding support, a deflection surface adjacent to the binding support for deflecting a binding into the support and means for actuating the delivery means to forcefully inject a binding against the deflection surface into the binding support.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
237 words
An apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets perforated along the edge by a binding element having a backbone with a plurality of transversely extending curled fingers, the apparatus comprising a frame, a binding means mounted on the frame for performing a binding operation of opening a binding element by uncurling the fingers to enable insertion of the perforated sheets thereon and for closing the binding by allowing the fingers to recurl, said binding means including a binding support with a plurality of teeth for supporting the binding element with the fingers extending between the teeth during the binding operation, engagement means for engaging each of the fingers, and means for moving the binding support and engagement means relative to each other from a neutral position with the engagement means disengaged from the fingers of the binding element through a second position with the engagement means inserted behind the fingers to a third position with the engagement means uncurling the fingers, and feed means for inserting a binding element on the binding support, said feed means mounted on the frame adjacent to the binding support and including delivery means for supporting a binding element in a position spaced from the binding support, a deflection surface adjacent to the binding support for deflecting a binding into the support and means for actuating the delivery means to forcefully inject a binding against the deflection surface into the binding support.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
113 words
An apparaus according to claim 18, wherein said delivery means has a plurality of members mounted on a rotatable shaft, and wherein said feed means includes positioning means for holding a binding element at the delivery means in the proper orientation, said positioning means having a panel extending from the deflecting surface with a plurality of openings therein for positioning the members of the delivery means to extend therethrough and at least one guide vane positioned adjacent to the panel with a portion extending past the members of the delivery means for holding a binding with the backbone disposed between the guide vane and the panel as it is delivered through said members.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, in which said feed means further includes means for storing a supply of binding elements and means for sequentially releasing binding elements into the positioning means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
78 words
An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the means for storing a supply of binding elements includes a bar member for receiving a core of a roll of binding elements releasably secured on a strip of tape and said means for sequentially releasing the binding elements include means for peeling the binding elements from the tape disposed on said frame in a position so that the binding element peeled from the tape is realeased into the positioning means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the means for peeling include a winding roll for winding the tape after the elements are removed therefrom and for pulling the tape with the elements to the peeling means, said winding roll being driven by a motor having a control circuit including a switch mounted on said panel to energize the motor to cause peeling of binding elements when the level of binding elements in a positioning means stops below a predetermined point.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the peeling means includes an aperture in the panel through which the tape passes so that as the tape is pulled through the aperture a binding element is peeled therefrom.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the binding elements of the roll of binding elements are releasably secured to parallel extending tapes and wherein the panel has an aperture for each of the tapes to pass therethrough to the winding roll.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
74 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the winding roll has at least two axial portions interconnected by one way clutch with each portion receiving one of said strips of tape so that one axial portion of the roll can be rotated relative to the other to adjust for differences in the lengths of said tape to insure peeling of the binding elements from all of said strips of tape at the same time.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
78 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the means for relatively moving the binding support and the engagement means is a power actuated means, wherein the means for actuating the delivery means is a power actuated means, and which further includes means for controlling the actuating means for the delivery means and the moving means of the binding means to feed a binding element to the binding support and then opening the binding element for a binding operation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said controlling means includes a trip switch disposed above the binding support which switch is tripped during removal of the sheets bound by the binding element to cause the controlling means to actuate the delivery means and the means for opening a newly positioned binding element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-01 | 1977-04-02 | 1977-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-01 | 1981-04-02 | 1981-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-01 | 1985-04-02 | 1985-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |