Patent GB-717355-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to apparatus for binding sheets
IPC: B42B5/10
Filed: 1952-04-08
Abstract: 717,355. Bookbinding; filing papers. ROWLEY, G. A. May 22, 1953 [April 8, 1952], No. 8910/52. Class 16 [Also in Group VIII] A device for temporarily uncurling the teeth of tubular binders formed from 'a comb-shaped body for allowing slotted sheets to be engaged over the teeth, comprises a line of holding posts behind which the spine portion of the binder can be engaged, hooks which are engaged by the teeth of the binder by a simple sliding movement of the holding posts and binder in the longitudinal direction of the binder and means for moving the hooks horizontally at right angles to the binder for uncurling the teeth of the binder. A machine incorporating the uncurling device and a device for punching binding slots in sheets comprises a frame 1 having at the rear a horizontal metal plate 2 hinged at 6 with binder uncurling means 3 in front of it and, at a lower level at the front, a removable table 4 with slot-punching means 5 behind it. The uncurling means 3 comprises vertical posts 7 of half-circular cross-section replaceably secured by set-screws 8 in the top of a bar 9 mounted along the top front member of the frame 1, shouldered screws 12 passing through flush with the plate 2, by means of longitudnal slots 13 in the bar allowing limited sliding movement of bar 9 longitudinally. The bar 9 is urged to its initial left-hand end position, Fig. 1, by a light spring 14. The pitch of the posts 7 is made equal to the pitch of the slots 10 between the comb-teeth 11 and are of slightly less width. A bar 15 located in front of, and slightly higher than, bar 9 has a series of horizontally disposed hooks 16 rigidly secured thereto by screws 17 at the pitch of the slots 10, each hook 16 having a bent end 18 which is substantially of the same width as a post 7 and which in the initial position, shown in Fig. 4, lies closely in front of, or in a shallow transverse groove in, the flat front face of a post 7. The hook bar 15, is supported near its ends by rods 19 at right angles thereto which are guided in a front member 30 of the frame 1 and in side brackets for horizontal movement away from and towards the bar 9; the rods 19 passing through elongated slots in the bar 9, similar to slots 13. Helical compression springs arranged on the rods 19 urge the bars 9 and 15 together and the bar 15 is moved outwardly by a cross rod 22 connecting the rods 19 which is engaged by forked arms 23 on a lower shaft 24 parallel to rod 22 which is journalled in side plates of the frame 1. A hand lever may be fitted on one end of shaft 24 or, as shown, the shaft 24 may be operated by a pedal 27 mounted on a shaft 28 and linked to shaft 24 by an arm 25 and link 26. Movement of bar 15 may be limited by an adjustable stop operated by knob 35, a scale showing adjustments being provided. The binder is placed with the spine 36 over the posts 7 as in Fig. 4, and the bar 9 moved to the right so that the hook ends 18 engage the binder teeth 11. The pedal 27 is then depressed to move the bar 15 forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6, when slotted .sheets may be engaged over the teeth 11,. the bar 9 being prevented from returning by the friction between teeth 11 and hooks 16. A positive locking device. for preventing return of the bar 9 is also described. On releasing pedal 27, bar 15 returns to close the binder teeth and bar 9 is returned by spring 14 to its initial position. Fig. 4, when the binder and sheets can be removed. A stop piece 37 may be provided having a hook 38 engageable with the spine 36 when the bar 9 is moved to the right. The stop 37 may be secured in position by a screw 39 and locating pin 40 engaging in selected holes 41, 42 of a line of holes in the plate 2, the plate 2 being secured :as a cover by the screw 39 engaging through a corresponding hole in the frame member 30. The slot punching means 5 comprises a series of separate punch and die units each of which is removable and replaceable, the punches being pedal operated simultaneously to punch a series of slots in the sheets to be bound on the teeth 11.