Abstract:
A calendar slide includes a hanger that is secured to the slide during the tinning or crimping process in which the slide is secured to the calendar. The hanger has a hole for hanging the calendar or other work piece tinned with the slide and hanger. Advantageously, according to this invention, the hanger does not need to be riveted or staked to the slide for secure attachment. The slide may include at least one through slot into which a leading edge of a roll of hanger material is inserted. The leading portion of the hanger material is severed or cut from the remainder of the roll while it is positioned in the hanger. An edge of the calendar or work piece is inserted between the spaced legs of the slide and initially crimped between the spaced legs. The hanger is severed from the roll either prior to the initially crimping operation, during the initial crimping operation or immediately there after. The crimping of the slide onto the edge of the calendar or work piece securely positions the hanger to the slide and calendar prior to the completion of the tinning process.

Description:
This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/553,509, filed Mar. 16, 2004 and South African Patent Application Serial No. 2004/0965, filed Feb. 5, 2004, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to document slides. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved hanger for a document or calendar slide and the associated method and system for binding a document with such a slide and hanger. 
   Slides for binding a margin of a calendar, poster, and the like are well known. A slide is generally an elongate strip of metal which may be folded or crimped one or more times onto the margin of an item, such as a calendar or poster. Examples of slides are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,906,024 and 2,042,912, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
   The vertex of the elongated V-shaped strip of sheet metal separates the two sides or legs of the V-shaped strip. Typically, one leg of the V-shaped strip is shorter or narrower, and the other leg is longer or wider. The slide also typically contains a hanger which may be a separate piece attached to the V-shaped sheet metal strip or is an eyelet stamped into the V-shaped sheet metal strip. The hanger of the first type is typically made out of plastic and is staked or attached at the approximate longitudinal center of the metal strip by one or more sheet metal burrs or rivets. The V-shaped strip of sheet metal is attached to a calendar by folding or crimping it onto the margin of the calendar. The hanger can then be used to hang and display the calendar at a desired location, e.g., a wall. The surface of the slide that is visible when it is displayed is often painted to prevent oxidization and for aesthetic purposes. 
   Attaching a slide to the margin or edge of a calendar, poster, or the like, is commonly referred to as “tinning”. Tinning calendars is an economical means for finishing calendars that are commonly used by companies for advertising purposes. Also, it is advantageous to tin other hanging documents, such as posters, maps, and training guides, so that they may hang neatly and be easily moved from one location to another. 
   Certain known machines for tinning have been manual, fully automatic or semi-automatic so that large numbers of slides per hour may be applied to individual calendars. Such tinners are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,707,194; 6,042,319 and 6,698,988, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. A calendar is fed into the folded metal strip, whereafter the metal strip is cut to the width of the calendar to form the slide. The slide is then crimped upon the calendar to sandwich the calendar therein. Thereafter, the slide is folded a second time to produce a second bend which is then crimped back upon itself to complete the tinning process. 
   There are a number of problems with these prior art slides. First, the slides with a separate plastic hanger that is staked or riveted to the slide require added effort to accurately position and stake the plastic hanger to the slide. The rivets or stakes used to secure the hanger may snag or scratch items, including adjacent slides when arranged in stack or magazine of similar slides. Moreover, slides of this type require special handling during the tinning process as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/321,413, filed Dec. 17, 2002 and Ser. No. 10/369,408, filed Feb. 18, 2003, each of which is assigned to the assignee of this invention and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
   Another problem with known slides of the type in which the hanger is formed of an eyelet stamped from the metal of the slide itself is the difficulty a user encounters when hanging the calendar or other workpiece. One such problem is the opening in the eyelet is too small and not configured to accept the head of a nail, hook or other wall hanging device there through. 
   A further problem is that the user can not conveniently and easily access the eyelet hanger to bend it into place for use relative to the remainder of the slide. Typically, after the tinning process the hanger remains in place on the associated leg of the slide and juxtaposed to the back face of the calendar or workpiece. The hanger must then be bent or folded relative to the remainder of the slide so that it projects upwardly from the top edge of the slide and calendar and is accessible for hanging. However, known eyelet hangers stamped into the slide can be very difficult to access and bend relative to the slide once the slide is tinned onto the calendar. 
   As such, an improved calendar slide and hanger and associated system and method of tinning are needed that overcomes these and other problems with known slides and hangers of this type. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   These and other objectives of this invention are achieved with an improved slide and hanger configuration as well as associated system and method of tinning a work piece. More specifically, in the various embodiments of this invention, a calendar slide includes a hanger of plastic, Mylar or other material that is secured to the hanger and includes a hole for hanging the calendar or other work piece tinned with the slide and hanger. Advantageously, according to this invention, the hanger does not need to be riveted or staked to the slide for secure attachment. 
   In one embodiment of this invention, the slide includes at least one through slot into which a leading edge of a roll of hanger material is inserted. Alternatively, a standard slide without a slot may be used and the leading edge of the roll of hanger material is inserted between the legs of the slide. The leading portion of the hanger material is severed or cut from the remainder of the roll prior to tinning or while it is positioned in the slide. An edge of the calendar or work piece is inserted between the spaced legs of the slide and initially crimped between the spaced legs. The hanger is severed from the roll either prior to the initial crimping operation, during the initial crimping operation or immediately there after. The crimping of the slide onto the edge of the calendar or work piece securely positions the hanger inserted in the slot or between the legs of the slide prior to the completion of the tinning process. 
   In various embodiments of this invention, multiple hangers may be inserted into spaced slots in the slide and the slots may be positioned on the shorter leg, longer leg and/or the juncture or bight portion between the legs of the slide. This invention also includes the machine, system and associated method for tinning the calendars with these slides and hangers as well as the hangers and slides themselves. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, a supply of flexible hangers for a bound sheet of paper comprises a roll of preformed hangers. The preformed hangers may be formed in a length of tape. Conveniently, each performed hanger has a central opening which forms an eyelet. The tape may include feeding formations such as a multiplicity of sprocket holes engageable with a feed sprocket to allow a predetermined length of tape to be advanced and severed therefrom to provide a hanger. The sprocket holes may be centrally located, with one of them defining the eyelet opening, or they may be adjacent the sides of the tape. Conveniently, the tape may be of a suitable synthetic plastic. 
   Another aspect of the invention is a method of binding a sheet of paper. The method may include the step of positioning an end of the sheet of paper to be bound in between two legs of a partially folded slide or binding strip. An edge of a preformed hanger is also inserted between the sheet of paper and one of the two portions of the slide. The slide is then deformed or crimped with the end of the sheet of paper and the hanger therein to secure the sheet of paper and hanger thereto. 
   In particular, the hanger may be supplied from a length of tape in roll of interconnected preformed hangers. Thus, the method may include separating a preformed hanger from the tape. The method may also include forming the binding strip or slide. 
   A further aspect of the invention is an apparatus for binding a sheet of paper including a slide or binding strip supply mechanism for supplying a partially folded over binding strip having two legs or portions angularly disposed about a fold line, from a supply thereof. 
   A hanger supply mechanism is also included for supplying a preformed hanger having an eyelet opening from a supply thereof. A hanger feed mechanism feeds an edge of the hanger distal from the eyelet opening between an end of a sheet of paper located in a region between the legs of the binding strip. A deforming or crimping mechanism deforms the binding strip with the end of the sheet of paper and the hanger therein, to secure the sheet of paper and hanger thereto. 
   The preformed hangers may be supplied in a length of tape, preferably as a roll, and the hanger supply mechanism may thus include a support for the roll and suitable feed rollers. A reciprocating cutter may be included for parting the preformed hanger to be fed between the end of the sheet of paper and the adjacent leg of the binding strip. The feed mechanism may include a sprocket engageable with sprocket holes in the tape. 
   The apparatus may also include paper feed mechanism for feeding a sheet of paper from a supply thereof such that its end is located between the legs of the binding strip. The invention also extends to a bound sheet of paper, in particular a calendar, with a hanger, which has been bound by the method or the apparatus of this invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objectives and features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevational, cross-sectional view of a system and associated method according to one embodiment of this invention for tinning a calendar with a slide and hanger; 
       FIGS. 1A  thru  1 G are sequential views similar to  FIG. 1  showing the operation of the system and the associated method for tinning the calendar; 
       FIG. 1H  is a cross-sectional view of the calendar tinned with the slide and hanger according to one embodiment of this invention; 
       FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  6  are top plan views of alternative embodiments of hanger tape used in the system and method according to this invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a slide according to this invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a calendar with a slide and hanger secured to one edge thereof according to one embodiment of this invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of a system and associated method for tinning a calendar with a slide according to one embodiment of this invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   One presently preferred embodiment of a slide  10  according to this invention is shown in  FIG. 4  and other embodiments are shown in the priority applications previously cited herein. It will be understood by those in the art that, while this invention may be described as a calendar slide or binding strip  10 , the slide  10  may be used to bind and hang or display any other desired display item, such as a poster, document, banner, wall hanging, or workpiece  12 . Moreover, a known calendar slide may also be utilized with various aspects of this invention. 
   The calendar slide or binding strip  10  is typically made from a strip of sheet metal, although other substances with similar characteristics could be used. The typical sheet metal used is a cold rolled mild steel plate with a thickness of approximately 0.0062 inches; however, other types and/or sizes of metal could also be used. The sheet metal is bent to form a longitudinal bend  14 , which creates a generally U-shaped or V-shaped channel from the sheet metal strip. The longitudinal bend  14  in the sheet metal channel separates a first bend portion or leg  16  and a wider second bend portion or leg  18 . According to one embodiment, the width of the first bend portion  16  is approximately 0.150 inches and the width of the second wider bend portion  18  is approximately 0.660 inches. In other embodiments of this invention, the second portion  18  may be only 0.4375 inches in width. These relative dimensions, while typical for usual applications, could be proportionally or non-proportionally altered for special applications. Similarly, while the slide  10  will normally have different size bend portions or legs  16 ,  18 , a slide with generally the same size bend portions or legs  16 ,  18  may be used for unique applications. The angular separation between the first bend portion  16  and the wider second bend portion  18  is approximately 38 degrees, although a greater or lesser degree of initial, angular separation could be used for particular applications. 
   Moreover, the slide  10  of this invention in one embodiment has a U-shaped bend  14  with a generally planar bight portion (not shown. In other preferred embodiments of this invention the slide  10  has a V-shaped configuration with a more pointed vertex joining the legs  16 ,  18 . In some applications, the U-shaped bend  14  with a bight portion accommodates thicker more bulky calendars which are more fully seated in the bight without skewing the pages of the calendar  12  as compared to the traditional V-shaped configuration. In other words, all of the aligned pages of the calendar  12  are able to fully abut against the bight portion prior to the tinning operation and without the upper or lower pages sliding relative to the remaining pages. Each bend portion  16 ,  18  has respective interior surfaces  22 ,  24  and respective exterior surfaces  26 ,  28 . The exterior surfaces  26 ,  28  of the respective bend portions  16 ,  18  are normally coated, e.g., with paint, to prevent oxidization and/or to achieve a desired aesthetic effect. 
   In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , a hanger  30  is located at the longitudinal center of the slide  10 . While normally only one hanger  30  is utilized, and thus it is desirous for it to be medially positioned, when two or more hangers  30  are used, they are preferably proportionally spaced on the slide  10 . Moreover, the hanger  30  could, if desired, be located on any of the parts of the slide  10 . 
   In one embodiment, the slide  10  of this invention includes at least one slot  31  sized and configured to receive the hanger  30  there through. In one embodiment, the slot  31  is located on the shorter leg  16  adjacent to the bend  14 . However, the slot  31  may be located anywhere on the slide  10 . Each hanger  30  includes a hole  32  through which a wall hanging device such as a hook or the head of a nail (not shown) may be inserted to suspend the calendar or work piece  12  when tinned with the slide  10 . Preferably, the hole  32  has a generally circular shape as shown, but other shaped holes may be utilized within the scope of this invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of a tinning machine  34  is shown as well the associated operation of the machine  34  and method for tinning a calendar, display item or other document  12  with the slide  10  and hanger  30  according to this invention will be described. The machine  34  includes a generally horizontal platform  36  which may include appropriate conveyors or other delivery mechanisms for delivering the calendar  12  between the spaced legs  16 ,  18  of the slide  10  supported on the platform  36  according to this invention. The slide  10  is discharged from a slide delivery assembly  38  which is adapted to house a stack or magazine  40  of nested slides  10  in which the leading slide  10  is deposited onto the platform  36  for tinning with the calendar  12 . 
   The machine  34  also includes a hanger delivery and insertion assembly  42  for inserting a hanger  30  into the slide  10  according to this invention. A roll  44  of hanger tape  46  is mounted for rotation on a spindle  48 . The roll  44  of tape  46  is trained around a feed roller  50 , an index roller  52 , and a pair of insertion rollers  54  as shown generally in  FIG. 1 . The indexing roller  52  is rotationally driven and includes a series of pins  56  or similar projections projecting around the circumference of the roller  52 . The pins  56  are sized, configured and spaced on the index roller  52  to project through the holes  32  in the hanger tape  46 . The indexing roller  52  rotates to index the tape  46  through the insertion rollers  54  for delivery to the slide  10  positioned on the platform  36 . Exemplary embodiments of hanger tape  46  are shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  6 . In one embodiment, the hanger tape  46  may be generally continuous with or without perforations  58  indicating the portion of the tape  46  to be cut or severed to delineate the individual hangers  30 . Alternatively, the hanger tape  46  may include a series of individual hangers  30  adjoined to each other by one or more bridges  60  joining the generally convex shaped distal edge  62  of each hanger  30  with the concave shaped proximal edge  64  of an adjacent hanger as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   The machine  34  also includes a crimping and cutting assembly  66  having a primary crimping tool  68  and a second crimping tool  70 . The tinning operation begins by the leading slide  10  being deposited onto the platform  36  and the hanger tape  46  being dispensed from the roll  44  and indexed from the insertion rollers  54  by the indexing roller  52 . The leading hanger  30  on the tape  46  is inserted through the slot  31  in the slide  10  on the platform  36 . In one embodiment, the hanger insertion assembly  42  advances downwardly toward the slide  10  on the platform  36  for more accurate and reliable insertion of the tape  46  and through the slot  31  as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
   As shown in  FIG. 1B , the edge of the calendar  12  is advanced into the open mouth of the slide  10  between the first and second legs  16 ,  18 . The calendar  12  is positioned atop the hanger  30  inserted in the slide  10  as shown in  FIG. 1B . As shown in  FIG. 1B , once the hanger  30  is inserted through the slot  31 , the crimping and cutting assembly  66  advances downwardly so that the primary crimping tool  68  engages the short leg  16  of the slide  10 . The first crimping tool  68  crimps the leg  16  of the slide  10  onto the edge of the calendar  12  and likewise anchors and secures the hanger  30  in position relative to the slide  10  and the calendar  12  as shown in  FIG. 1C . While the first crimping tool  68  initially crimps the slide  10  onto the edge of the calendar  12 , a cutting blade  72  advances relative to the crimping tool  68  to engage the hanger tape  46  and sever the leading hanger  30  from the tape  46  as shown in  FIG. 1C . 
   Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 1E , the first crimping tool  68  retracts from the slide  10  and the second crimping tool  70  advances downwardly to initiate and complete the subsequent crimping operation as shown in  FIGS. 1F and 1G . After the hanger  30  is inserted through the slot  31  of the slide  10  and severed from the tape  46  and the first crimping operation anchors the hanger  30  relative to the slide  10  and crimps the first and second legs  16 ,  18  together on the edge of the calendar  12 , the remainder of the crimping operation according to this invention can be performed by well known crimping and tinning operations, examples of which are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,707,194; 6,042,319; and 6,698,988, each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The calendar  12  and slide  10  after the completion of the tinning operation according to one embodiment of this invention is shown in  FIG. 1H . 
   An additional advantage of this invention is that the supply of slides  10  having one or more slots  31  therein can not only be used for tinning a top edge of the calendar  12  with a hanger  30  as previously described, but can also be used for crimping a bottom edge or other edge of a document  12  with a slide  10  with or without a hanger  30  as is well known to provide a more finished display item. Therefore, separate inventories for slides with or without a hanger are no longer required thereby simplifying inventory and purchasing requirements. 
   Additional features of the slide  10  of  FIG. 4  according to this invention include cropped corners  74  on the lateral ends  76  of the second leg  18  and/or the first leg  16  to inhibit snags, cuts or the like resulting from contact with this portion of the slide  10 . Additionally, dimples (not shown) which may be convex or concave and placed on the first or second leg  16 ,  18  of the slide  10  adjacent the hanger  30  and/or the lateral ends  76  of the slide  10  may be included to assist in handling and manipulation of the slides  10  when stacked or nested together as described in the above-identified pending patent applications assigned to the assignee of this invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5  of the drawings, an alternative embodiment of this invention include a length of tape  46  for providing a supply of flexible hangers  30  for a bound sheet of paper  12 . The tape  46  is of plastics material and has feeding formations in the form of a plurality of longitudinally extending equispaced and centrally located sprocket holes  78 . 
   The tape  46  also has cut-outs  80  on each of the sides thereof. Each cut-out  80  has a transverse linear side  82  and a curved side  84 . The cut-outs  80  define bridges  60  between one another. A preformed hanger  30  is defined between successive cut-outs  80  along the length of the tape  46 , with one of the sprocket holes  78  defining an eyelet opening  32  for the hanger  30 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , another embodiment of a length of tape  46  for providing a supply of flexible hangers  30  for a bound sheet of paper  12 , in accordance with the invention is shown. The tape  46  has feeding formations in the form of a multiplicity of longitudinally extending equispaced sprocket holes  78  adjacent the sides of the tape  46  and a plurality of longitudinally extending equispaced central openings  32 . The tape  46  has roughly triangular-shaped cut-outs  80  on each side thereof, with preformed hangers  30  being defined between successive cut-outs  80  along the length of the tape  46 . Each cut-out  80  is defined by a straight transverse side  82  and a straight angled side  84 . The cut-outs  80  define bridges  60  between one another. Each central opening  32  defines an eyelet opening for each hanger  30 . 
   In  FIG. 7 , a bound sheet of paper in the form of a calendar with a hanger  30  is shown. The calendar comprises a sheet of paper  12  and a flexible hanger  30  secured to a metal slide or binding strip  10 . 
   The binding strip  10  has two portions or legs  16 ,  18  angularly disposed to each other about a first fold line  14 . The hanger  30  has an eyelet opening  32  and an edge  64  distal to the eyelet opening  32 . An end of the sheet of paper  12  is located between the two legs  16 ,  18  against the fold line  14  of the binding strip  10 . The edge  64  of the hanger  10  is also located between the sheet of paper  12  and one of the legs  16  or  18 . The binding strip  10  is deformed by folding along a second fold line  86 , such that both the sheet of paper  12  and the hanger  30  are secured thereto. 
     FIG. 8  shows one embodiment of an apparatus  34  for binding a sheet of paper  12 , in accordance with the invention. The apparatus  34  includes a binding strip supply mechanism  38  for supplying partially folded over binding strips  10 , a hanger supply mechanism  42  including a support  48  for a roll  44  of tape  46  for supplying preformed hangers  30 , a reciprocating cutter  72  for parting preformed hangers  30  from the tape  46  and a hanger feed mechanism  88  for feeding an edge  64  of the preformed hanger  30  to one of the partially folded binding strips  10 . 
   The apparatus  34  also has a paper feed mechanism  90  for feeding an end of a sheet of paper  12  from a supply thereof and also a deforming mechanism  66  having two opposed dies  68 ,  70  for deforming the binding strip  10  with the end of the sheet of paper  12  and the edge of the hanger  30  therein, to secure the sheet of paper  12  and hanger  30  thereto. The hanger feed mechanism  42  also includes a sprocket  52  engageable with sprocket holes  78  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). The reciprocating cutter  72  has a guillotine for severing the preformed hanger  30  from the tape  46 . 
   In use, a partially folded over metal binding strip  10  is fed from the supply  40  into the deforming mechanism  66 , between the two dies  68 ,  70 . A sheet of paper  12  is then fed, via the feed mechanism  90  to the deforming mechanism  66  into the region between the two legs  16 ,  18  of the binding strip  10 , with the edge thereof being located adjacent the fold line  14  formed between the two legs  16 ,  18 . A length of tape  46  is advanced from the roll  44  thereof, with the tape  46  being engaged with the sprockets  56  on wheel  52  via sprocket holes  78 . At the cutter  72 , a preformed hanger  30  is severed from the tape  46  and its leading edge  64  fed into the binding strip  10  between an adjacent leg  16  or  18  thereof and an end of the sheet of paper  12 , such that the edge  64  is also located adjacent the fold line  14  of the binding strip  10 . The dies  68 ,  70  are brought towards each other and the binding strip  10  deformed, with the sheet of paper  12  and hanger  30  located there between. The dies  68 ,  70  are then opened and the deformed binding strip  10  is then folded over about a second fold line  86  parallel to the first fold line  14  and the binding strip  10  deformed further about this second fold line  86  with the result that the sheet of paper  12  and the hanger  30  are secured thereto. 
   Therefore, it is readily apparent from the disclosure of various embodiments of this invention, advantages not previously realized in prior art slides overcome problems associated with known slides. 
   From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.