Apparatus for binding sheets of paper

Claim 1

An improved apparatus for binding sheets of paper using hot-melt adhesive, the apparatus being of the type having a body, a handle connected to the body, the body including a compartment for containing the adhesive, heating means mounted to the body for heating adhesive in the compartment, and proportioning means for passing the adhesive to the sheets of paper to be bound, the improvement wherein the body comprises a discharge opening having opposite parallel opening edges, said discharge opening communicating with the compartment and extending along the bottom thereof, said edges having surfaces lying in a common cylinder of a selected diameter, the proportioning means comprising a roller rotatably fitted into said discharge opening formed at the bottom of the compartment and having a diameter substantially the same as said selected diameter, said roller coinciding with said comon cylinder and being closely fitted into said discharge opening and against said opposite parallel opening edges without stuffing elements, said roller having a plurality of grooves therein extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said roller, whereby hot-melt adhesive from said compartment enters said grooves but is otherwise removed from said roller by said opening edges with rotation of said roller, to apply adhesive only to sheets of paper contacting said roller, said roller having a center of rotation, outer ends of said parallel opening edges extending beyond said roller center of rotation with respect to said discharge opening.