Abstract:
A punched sheet ring binder with configured ring halves, an arcuate mechanism cover with spaced apart platform surfaces to support the sheet border edges during operation of the binder.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     While ring binder mechanisms have used cover embosses for locking purposes (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,813,803 and 3,884,586) and designers have varied the shape of ring halves for sheet control purposes, no fully satisfactory sheet control mechanism has yet been proposed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Broadly, the present invention comprises platform embosses formed in the arcuate cover of a ring binder mechanism which embosses are located and shaped to lift and guide paper in the binder. 
     It is a feature that the paper in the ring binder is acted upon by the emboss platforms to support the paper, thus reducing and eliminating sheets of paper from becoming &#34;bound&#34; (or held) between the ring halves and the ring binder arcuate cover. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ring mechanism attached to a binder cover; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view along line 2--2 of FIG. 2 showing the curved cover plate during fabrication; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the ring mechanism including cover plate during fabrication; and 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of the assembled mechanism and binder. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the Figures, ring mechanism 10 includes curved arcuate convex cover 11 including upper convex surface 11a and bendable legs 11b, 11c; toggle plates 12, 13 and ring halves 14, 16 and 17 each of which carry a designation (r) for right or (l) for left. The mechanism 10 is attached to binder outside cover 19 by rivets 21. Cover surface 11a is generally uniform through its length except for platform areas to be described hereafter. Cover 19 includes portions 19a, 19b and 19c hinged together. 
     Each ring half 14, 16 and 17 ((r) right and (l) left) is engaged to a toggle plate 12, 13. Each ring half consists of a portion 22 engaged at one end to a plate 12, 13 and extending outwardly, an elbow portion 23 and the remaining half ring being arcuate portion 24. Arcuate portion 24 is shaped to be positioned adjacent and close to platform surface 33 as further shown herein. 
     Positioned between each pair of ring halves 14, 16, 17 are pairs of spaced-apart raised platforms 26, 27 and 28 of cover 11. Each such raised platform is designated (r) for right or (l) for left. Each platform 26, 27, 28 includes a top surface 31 including substantially horizontal surface 31a and slanted surface 31b, two (2) vertical sides 32a, 32b and a vertical end 33. If desired surfaces 31a and 31b may be in the same plane at a slight angle to the horizontal. Platform ends 33 are slightly inboard of outer cover lip 34 edge (FIG. 2). Preferably platforms 26, 27, and 28 may be formed by embossing the cover surface 11a but other manufacture techniques are also contemplated. 
     Turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, cover plate 11 is shown during manufacture with raised platform 27 formed therein but without legs 11b, 11c bent to final positions to accommodate plates 12, 13. 
     With respect to FIGS. 1 and 4, sheet of paper 37 with punch holes 38a-c has border edge 41 adjacent holes 38a-c which border edge 41 rests on platforms 26, 27 and 28 to prevent such border edge 41 from becoming engaged between cover surface 11a, top surface 31 and an arcuate portion 24 of ring halves 14, 16 and 17. There is a small gap G between surface 31b and arcuate ring portion 24. 
     Paper sheet 37a is illustratively supported on platform 28, as the sheet 37a is caused to be moved upwardly toward the binder closed position (FIG. 4). Sheets are moved to a binder closed position by moving the cover portion 19a or 19c or otherwise.