Patent ID: 7748941

Claim:
A binding apparatus for binding a stack of papers having a plurality of holes together with a binding element comprising a spine with opposing longitudinal edges and a plurality of fingers attached to the opposing longitudinal edges, the plurality of fingers insertable in the holes, the apparatus comprising: a paper holder for holding the stack of papers; and a binding element applicator for securing the binding element to the stack of papers so as to bind the stack of papers together; the binding element applicator comprising a wall extending in a first direction with a plurality of slots constructed to enable the binding element to be received in the binding element applicator with the fingers extending through the slots of the wall; the binding element applicator further comprising a finger extender constructed to open the fingers of the binding element for allowing tips thereof to be received in the holes in the stack of paper; the binding element applicator further comprising a binding element pusher constructed to push the binding element in the applicator against the wall in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction such that the spine of the binding element abuts the wall and the plurality of fingers extend through the slots of the wall prior to being opened and secured to the stack of papers.