US3077887A - Two element binding - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 19, 1963 M. D. LEVITAN TWO ELEMENT BINDING Filed April :50, 1959 JUVEJ'YZUF MAUO/CE 0 LEV/TAN ijriited htates harbor 3,077,887 TWQ ELEMENT BINDHNG Maurice l). Levitan, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to General Binding Corporation, Northbrooh, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 30, 1959. Ser. No. 807,265 1 Claim. (Cl. 129-1) This invention relates to bindings and more particularly to bindings or binding elements formed of flexible material such as those formed of a vinyl resin, Celluloid or other plastic materials, as well as those formed of fiber materials, including paper or the like.

More specifically, this invention is directed to a simple but rugged means of interconnecting the backbone with a separate curled-comb member in a two element binding.

Two element bindings have found wide acceptance in the binding field since by providing a separate backbone and ring finger element the ring fingers can be inserted through the aligned perforations in a stack of sheets to be bound much more readily when the backbone is not attached to the ring fingers. After the fingers have been inserted through the perforations the backbone may then be fitted on the ring finger element to secure the fingers in place and to thereby bind the sheets together.

Two element bindings heretofore produced however have generally been so formed that in order to connect the separate elements with one another, one had to slide the ends of the curled comb element into and along a groove or grooves in the backbone. In other words, the curled comb element had to be inserted in the groove or grooves at one end of the backbone and then slid axially with respect .to the backbone from one end of the backbone to the other.

I have devised a two element binding in which, on the contrary, the separate elements can be connected together by merely snapping the comb shaped element into place in the backbone.

Since the two element binding which is hereinafter described with particularly does not require that the comb-shaped element be slid axially into place in the backbone, binding machines of relatively simple construction may be provided to secure the two elements of the binding together. It will be understood that the usage of machines for this purpose, in the past, was not feasible.

The two element binding to which the present invention is directed comprises generally a substantially fiat backbone formed of flexible material which has curved longitudinal edges. A channel member extends outwardly from and is formed integrally with the substantially flat backbone and has an outwardly turned leg facing toward one of the curved edges of the backbone which cooperates with the curved edge of the backbone to form a somewhat U-shaped channel groove.

The comb-shaped element has an elongated element or arm which is bent substantially at right angles along its longitudinal axis and which has a plurality of spaced ring fingers formed integrally therewith and extending therefrom.

The outwardly bent portion of the comb-shaped element which, for convenience may be referred to as a flange, may be extended into the channel groove by flexing the curved edge of the backbone slightly. Thereafter, by arching the ring fingers the elongated flange will be wedged in the channel groove intermediate the curved edge portion of the backbone and the channel member. By maintaining the ring fingers in this arched position, the curved edge portion of the backbone will be under constant flexure so that a tight friction grip on the combshaped element will be effected.

The ring fingers which are preferably formed by an injection molding process are preformed in a curled shape so that after the finger element has been secured in the channel groove the outer free ends of the fingers can be laid on top of the backbone (that is on the inner surface thereof) and such positioning of the outer free ends of the fingers acts to keep the ring fingers in an arched condition to wedge the comb-shaped finger element in the channel groove.

It has been found desirable in the binding field to also provide a means for locking the (free ends of the ring fingers to the backbone to prevent opening of the binding when the binding is subjected to a shock load or the like. In order to retain the bound sheets within the binder l have provided a locking arrangement wherein e end ring fingers are adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the backbone. The end ring fingers have notches formed adjacent the outer free ends thereof which are cooperable with complementary interlocking slots in the backbone to mechanically interlock the fingers with the backbone. These locking ring fingers are adapted to overlie the outer surface of the backbone and to extend through the interlocking slots in the backbone to be mechanically interlocked therewith. As hereinbefore noted, the remaining fingers lie on the inner surface of the backbone to arch these fingers to wedge the combshaped element within the channel groove. It will thus be apparent that while more than two ring fingers may be mechanically interlocked with the backbone in the foregoing manner a sufficient number of fingers must be positioned on the inner surface of the backbone to provide a sufficient force due to arching of a plurality of fingers for wedging the comb-shaped element within the channel groove.

It will, of course, be understood that other means for locking the ring fingers to the backbone may be effected as long as a means is provided for arching a plurality of the ring fingers to wedge the comb-shaped element within the channel groove.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel means for interconnecting the backbone with the comb-shaped finger element in a two element binding.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for securing the comb-shaped finger element to the backbone in a two element binding wherein the elements may be secured together in a binding machine and wherein the elements can be snapped into place thus obviating the necessity of sliding the comb-shaped finger element axially within longitudinal grooves in the backbone.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of an elongated channel groove extending along one longitudinal edge of the backbone and a cooperating flange or leg secured to a plurality of ring fingers which is adapted to be loosely positioned within the channel groove and thereafter wedged within the groove by arching the ring fingers.

The novel features which characterize this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmental pictorial view of a binding element constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention which is shown as being used to bind a plurality of perforated sheets;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view through the binding element which forms the subject of the present invention and which is taken along lines llII of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken gorges? along lines IIII but which shows the cooperation of the two elements of the binding when the comb-shaped finger element is being inserted within the channel groove;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental plan view of the combshaped finger element;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmental view of the outer surface of the backbone showing one ring finger which is arranged to be interlocked with the backbone; and

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view through the binding which clearly illustrates the manner in which the interlocking fingers are interlocked with the backbone.

The binding illustrated in the drawings comprises basically a backbone 10 and a comb-shaped ring finger element 11 having a plurality of ring fingers 12 extending therefrom. The ring fingers 12 are adapted to be inserted through the aligned perforations in a stack of sheets 13 to be bound and is arranged to be secured to the backbone 10 in a manner which will hereinafter be described.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 2, 3 and 6, the backbone 10 is substantially flat but has its longitudinal edges curled as at 15 and 16.

A laterally opening channel member 17 extends outwardly from and is formed integrally with the backbone 10 and has an inner channel leg 18 which extends toward the longitudinal curled edge 15 of the backbone 10, which forms an outer channel leg, and which is angularly disposed with respect to the leg 19 connected to the backbone 10. The channel member 17 cooperates with the curled edge 15 of the backbone 10 to define a channel groove 20 which is adapted to receive the elongated common leg 14 of the comb-shaped finger element 11.

A notch 21 is formed within the channel groove 20 at the junction of the legs 18 and I? and constitutes the acute angle formed between the two integral legs.

The elongated element or leg 14 of the comb-shaped element 11 is bent along its longitudinal axis as indicated at 23 so that a flange or arm 24 is formed which is bent laterally away from the adjacent portion of the combshaped element 11.

It will be understood that the backbone 10 and the comb-shaped element 11 are both formed of flexible material and that the comb-shaped element 11 is so formed that the ring fingers 12 are precurled in substantially the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The comb-shaped element 11 may be secured to the backbone 10 either by sliding the flange or arm 24 axially along the backbone 10 within the channel groove 20 or by snapping the flange or arm 24 into the groove 20 in the manner which will hereinafter be described. It will herein be noted that many bindings have in the past been devised wherein the comb-shaped element could be connected to the backbone by sliding the comb-shaped element axially along the backbone within cooperating grooves in the backbone. As hereinbefore noted, however, I have devised a securing means wherein the combshaped element 11 may simply be snapped into place and in which axial sliding movement of the comb-shaped element 11 relative to the backbone is not necessitated. As a result, the comb-shaped element and backbone may be secured together in a binding machine whereas two element bindings in the past have not generally been so constructed that it was feasible to interconnect the two elements in a binding machine.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 3 of the drawings, the flange or arm 24 is inserted within the channel groove 20 by flexing the curved longitudinal edge 15 slightly outwardly and by similarly flexing the leg 18 away from the curved edge 15 of the backbone 10. As soon as the flange or arm 24 has cleared the outer edge of the backbone 10 the flange 24 will be snapped into the channel groove 20 by the resiliency of the curved edge 15 of the backbone 10 and the leg 18.

Assuming that the free ends of the ring fingers are disposed on the outer surface of the backbone 10 the flange 24 will be positioned within the channel groove 20 in the 4 manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 and the binding will remain in this secured position even though substantial forces acting generally perpendicularly with respect to the backbone 10 are applied to the ring fingers 12.

In order to prevent the comb-shaped element 11 from sliding axially within the groove 2.0, however, and to increase the load bearing capacity of the binding, the free ends of the ring fingers 12 can be set on the inner surface of the backbone 10. By positioning the free ends of the ring fingers 12 on the inner surface of the backbone It) the fingers are arched as shown in FIGURE 6 to wedge the flange 24 within the channel groove 20. By arching the fingers 12 slightly the flange 24 is urged to flex the curved edge 15 of the backbone 10 and this flexure of the resilient edge of the backbone 10 acts to frictionally engage the flange 24 to prevent the comb-shaped element 11 from sliding axially within the channel groove 20.

While the illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown as including a backbone having curled longitudinal edges, locking of the finger element to the backbone may be accomplished in substantially the manner set forth above even though the longitudinal edges of the backbone are substantially coplanar with the flat inner surface thereof. It is only necessary that the flange 24 be so bent with respect to the adjacent portion of the finger element that the flange will be wedged within the channel groove upon arching of the ring fingers. In this same connection the flange 24 need not be formed at substantially a right angle with respect to an adjacent portion of the finger element to eflect locking of the finger element to the backbone but need only be so formed that it can be wedged within the channel groove upon arching of the ring fingers.

Furthermore it is not essential to the proper functioning of the binder lock hereinbefore described that each of the cooperating elements he formed of flexible material.

Thus, either the backbone or the finger element may be preformed in substantially the same configuration as is shown on the appended drawings and insertion of the flange 24 into the channel groove 20 will be effected by means of flexure of parts 15 and 17 or part 24, depending upon which of the elements is formed of flexible material.

With particular reference to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, it will be noted that one of the end ring fingers 12a has a tapered end portion 25 which is notched as at 26 to form a narrow neck 27 in close proximity to its tapered end 25.

A complementary T-shaped slot is formed within the backbone 10 in alignment with the finger 12a and is formed in such a manner that the base portion 28 of the T-slot is of slightly greater width than the neck 27 and so that the top 29 of the T-slot is formed so as to have a width slightly greater than the width of the ring finger 12a.

The ring finger 12a may then be curled into the form of a loop and inserted into the top 29 of the T-shaped slot from the outer side of the backbone 10 in the manner iI- lustrated in FIGURE 6. When the ring finger has been inserted into the T-shaped slot it will remain in the top portion 29 of the T-shaped slot until the neck portion 27 of the ring finger 12a slips into the base portion or narrow slot 28 of the T-shaped slot. At such time the ring finger 12a will be positively interlocked with the backbone 10 to prevent accidental opening of the ring finger when the binding is subjected to a shock load or the like.

While only one end of the binding is illustrated in FIG- URE 5 the ring finger disposed at each end of the binding in the preferred embodiment of my invention would be arranged to mechanically interlock with the backbone in the manner above described although more or less of the ring fingers may be mechanically interlocked with the backbone as desired.

It should be noted, however, that it is preferable that at least some if not all the ring fingers lie on the inner surface of the backbone 10 so that these fingers will be arched to wedge the flange 24 within the channel groove 29.

It will further be understood that this embodiment of the invention has been used for illustrative purposes 'only and that various modifications and variations in the present invention may be effected Without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

1 claim as my invention:

A binding element formed of flexible material comprising a substantially flat backbone having curled longitudinal edges, a channel member extending from said backbone for-med along one longitudinal edge thereof and cooperable therewith to define a laterally open channel groove having an inner leg and an outer curled leg, a elongated comb-shaped element comprising a leg positionable within said channel groove and having a plurality of spaced curled ring fingers therealong and extending generally laterally therefrom, the free end of each of said fingers being co-operable with the edge of said backbone opposite from said channel groove to complete a closed ring, said combshaped element comprising fiat resilient sheet material of substantially uniform thickness, said leg of the combshaped element being laterally bent along a line longitudinal of its length to provide a flange having a Width less than the length of the outer curled leg of said channel and having the edge thereof in engagement with the inner wall of said inner leg of said channel, the unstressed condition of said fingers providing an interference fit with the inside of said backbone when said flange is in said channel and the fingers are positioned inside the backbone whereby the edge of said flange contacts the inner leg of said channel and the line of bending of the leg of the comb-shaped element contacts the outer leg of said channel inwardly of the curled longitudinal edge thereof and whereby said flange is wedged in said channel to resist longitudinal sliding separation of said ring member and said backbone and resisting lateral separation of said flange from said channel groove while permitting assembly of the comb-shaped element in said channel by lateral movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,244,663 Adams June 10, 1941 2,314,204 Fontecilla Mar. 16, 1943 2,845,931 Kinney Aug. 5, 1958 2,910,068 Lane Oct. 27, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 729,537 Great Britain May 4, 1955 776,531 Great Britain June 5, 1957

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