Binder

Claim 2

A binder for securing a substantially channel-shaped clip in surrounding relationship to an object, comprising: a housing; jaw means mounted on said housing and coacting with a clip for deforming same into a loop, said jaw means including a pair of jaw members pivotally mounted on said housing and swingably movable about a first axis between open and closed positions, each jaw member having a jaw portion associated therewith and positioned for engaging said clip for deforming same; an operating handle pivotally mounted on said housing for swinging movement about a second axis which is substantially perpendicular to said first axis; and connecting means operatively coupled between said jaw members and said operating handle for causing swinging movement of said jaw members in response to swinging movement of said operating handle.

Claim 3

A binder according to claim 1, wherein said jaw means includes means associated therewith for causing the legs of said clip to be bent sidewardly in opposite directions for enabling the legs when deformed to overlap and intersect one another.

Claim 4

A binder according to claim 1, further including clip holding means mounted on said housing, said clip holding means having feed means associated therewith for advancing a clip into a position wherein it is located between said jaw portions, and each of said jaw members having stop means associated therewith and positioned directly adjacent the respective jaw portion for engaging the clip and maintaining same in position between the jaw portions.

Claim 5

A binder according to claIm 3, wherein each of said jaw members has a center portion which is pivotally connected to said housing for swinging movement about said first axis, said connecting means including a slide member slidably supported on said housing for movement relative thereto, said slide member being pivotally connected to said operating handle and also being connected to one end of said jaw members for swingably moving same, and said jaw portions being fixed to the respective jaw members adjacent the other end thereof.

Claim 6

A binder according to claim 4, wherein said jaw portions include platelike portions disposed within a plane which is substantially parallel to said first axis.

Claim 7

A binder according to claim 5, wherein said jaw means has means associated therewith for causing the legs of said clip to be deformed sidewardly in opposite directions so that said legs overlap and intersect one another when said clip is deformed due to movement of said jaw portions into said closed position.

Claim 8

A binder according to claim 1, further including guide means fixedly mounted on said housing and having a guide plate positioned directly adjacent and in front of said jaw portions, said guide plate having a V-shaped notch formed therein for receiving the object to be bound, said notch terminating in an enlarged opening disposed so as to be disposed substantially in alignment with the region defined between said jaw portions, and cutter means mounted on said housing for permitting the object to be cut, said cutter means including a guide member forming a V-shaped notch which opens rearwardly of the binder and a cutting member having a cutting edge thereon mounted directly adjacent one side of said V-shaped notch.

Claim 9

A binder according to claim 1, wherein said pair of jaw members are each pivotal relative to said housing about said first axis, said first axis being displaced sidewardly from the longitudinally extending central axis of the clip, and the jaw portion associated with one jaw member being spaced a greater distance from said first axis than the jaw portion associated with said other jaw member.

Claim 10

A binder according to claim 1, including a channel-shaped clip adapted to be deformed by said jaw means, said channel-shaped clip including a base portion and a pair of leg portions extending at an acute angle relative to said base portion, said leg portions being inclined inwardly toward one another and each having a tapered tip portion on the free end thereof, the tip portions on the free ends of said leg portions being tapered sidewardly in opposite directions.

Claim 11

A binder according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises an elongated channel-shaped member, said jaw members each being of substantially L-shaped configuration and being pivotally supported on said housing adjacent one end thereof, said first axis extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extending axis of said housing, said L-shaped jaw members each having a leg portion extending downwardly so as to overlap one end of said housing, said leg portions having said jaw portions fixedly secured thereto, an elongated clip holding magazine removably positioned within said channel-shaped member, and feeding means associated with said clip holding magazine for urging a row of clips forwardly thereof toward said jaw portions, and spring means coacting between said operating handle and said housing for normally urging said handle outwardly away from said channel-shaped member and for also causing said jaw members to be normally maintained in their open position, said spring means also coacting with said clip holding magazine for assisting in holding same within said housing.