Patent · US Expired

Spiral binding method and apparatus

US5695308A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
19References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 6, 1995
Grant dateDec 9, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 6, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB42B5/123
  • WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

An apparatus for spiral binding a stack of papers together as a unit. The apparatus includes a spiral binding unit for feeding a spiral coil into the holes in the stack of papers, a pin extension and retraction mechanism, a coil cutter mechanism, and a paper thickness measuring and sizing mechanism. The spiral binding unit includes an aperture through which a spiral coil is inserted between a feed shaft and a rotatably mounted roller. As the coil is inserted, the roller pushes the spiral coil into contact with the feed shaft. As the roller rotates, the coil is guided around a plurality of spiral guides that cause the coil to spiral into the holes in the stack of paper. The pin extension and retraction mechanism includes a plurality of locator pins that are movable between an extended and a retracted position. In the extended position, the pins extend up through the holes in the stack of papers. The locator pins are mounted on pivotally mourned levers. The levers are in turn rotated by a cam shaft. The paper thickness and sizing mechanism measures the thickness and width of the stack of papers. This information is used to provide the operator an indication of the proper coil size to…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.