Book binding method, paper sheets binder and adjustable spine
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to a book binding method and binder for retaining and clamping a margin of apertured material such as a stack of hole punched sheets. More particularly, the invention is directed to binding elements to bind a sheaf of papers into a bound report or booklet without the use of any machinery or hand tool. An improved spine cover may also be utilized with the binder elements. 
     2. Material Information 
     Various binding systems have been utilized in the past such as the common ring binder, the Acco fastener type, the plastic spiral binder, interlocking through-hole devices, and the plastic headed stud and strips type. The latter two types of binders are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,331 where ratchet teeth are employed on a stud which engage a mating ratchet tooth with a blocking means for permanently holding the matching teeth together; U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,880 where alternate detent containing sleeves extend from binding strips into a stack of writing material; U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,013 where studs integral with a strip are sheared and headed by a machine to clamp a sheaf of papers between two strips; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,841,989 which shows a wedge lock binder for apertured sheets. U.K. Patent No. 950,768 shows a pair of ratcheted rods on a strip with toothed washers forced downwardly on the rods to firmly grasp a stack of sheets. Hinged pawls have been employed in the so-called cable tie art where a one-piece flexible strap with ratchet teeth is utilized to clamp a bundle of wires. U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,644, exemplifies this art. 
     The prior art in most instances requires the use of special binding machinery or hand tools and in most cases, requires destruction of the binding elements if it is desired to replace a sheet within the bound stack. Further, several of the prior art devices have serrations which tend to tear the edges of the through-holes in the paper stack through which the binding elements pass and are not adaptable to incorporation of spine covers or overall booklet covers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A binding method and system is disclosed which employs in its preferred embodiment a pair of clamping members in the form of strips colaterally placed on opposed edges of a wide range of thicknesses of a stack of apertured material, such as a sheaf of three-hole punched paper sheets or other panels. One strip has a series of spaced bifurcated posts having facing ratcheted surfaces. The other strip termed herein a &#34;locking button&#34; has an integral pair of hinged pawls or a single hinge pawl. In assembled pressed-together position, the hinged pawls interlockingly mesh with inner ones of the ratcheted surfaces of the posts to firmly hold the stack. The binding system save for the pair of flat clamping members or edge strips is within the stack of apertured material being bound resulting in a thin completed profile and permitting combination with a flat cover and/or spine around the sheets. The bifurcated post may be circular or rectangular or other shape corresponding to the aperture in the sheets, and is smooth on the outside so as to prevent tearing or abrasion of the apertures in the sheets being assembled. A Belleville-spring like bowing is provided on the strips when assembled, so as to firmly and positively clamp an edge or margin portion of apertured sheets and prevent loosening of the stack or inadvertent pull-out of one or more of the assembled sheets. 
     No tool or machine is required to assemble the binding system, user hand and finger pressure alone being sufficient to form the binding with no-time-consuming rotation of parts. The system may be installed from either the top or bottom of a horizontal stack of paper sheets or other apertured material. The elements of the two separate clamping members and the clamping members used with strips may be integrally molded obviating the necessity of any supplemental hardware. Preferably, the complete binding system is of plastic material resulting in a light-weight, easily shipped and packaged, and attractive construction in a variety of colors. The construction allows one size of binder members or strips to be usable over a wide range of thicknesses of the apertured materials from a few sheets to as many as several hundred sheets in an assembled thickness of five or six or more centimeters. 
     In normal usage, a permanent connection or binding results which cannot be accidentally opened. The construction does allow the user, by design, to manually or with a simple tweezer-like tool nondestructively unlock the binder and to relieve the bowing pressure. This permits removal and/or addition of sheets from and to the stack and reinsertion of the same binding elements to rebind the stack. 
     A particular application of the instant binder system is to replace a ring binder when the contents of that binder have been completed and it is contemplated that no additions or deletions will be made. All the necessary apertures of the sheaf of papers, normally three-hole punched papers, are present so that the binding elements can easily be clamped on a vertical edge of the stack linearly with the row of holes and assembled. The ring binder which has an acquisition cost of several times that of the binding system of this invention is available for reuse and its former contents is semi-permanently bound in a thinner, less-expensive volume which takes up less shelf space or can be more easily stacked with other volumes than the ring binder itself. 
     An additional feature of the invention is a universal spine or spine and cover combination which may be assembled around the clamping members to cover the spine of the assembled sheaf of papers, booklet or report to present a more finished and professional binding appearance. The universal spine is adjustable so as to accommodate various stack thicknesses. 
     The present invention is of general utility and may be used by the millions of owners of three-hole paper punches and the millions of buyers of prepunched three-hole and other paper throughout the world with the most simple instruction--Insert--Press--Break-off. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the two-part binder clamping system. 
     FIG. 2A is a partial cross-sectional view of the clamping elements including a double latch button in a first step in their assembly. 
     FIG. 2B is a partial cross-sectional view of the clamping elements in a second step in their assembly. 
     FIG. 2C is a partial cross-sectional view of the clamping elements in a third step of their assembly showing a full clamping force on an assembled sheaf of apertured paper sheets. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a single latch button. 
     FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a single latch button and split post showing a first assembly step on a sheaf of papers. 
     FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of assembled clamping members utilizing a single latch button. 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the double latch button clamping member shown in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the double latch button taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the overall binding system with auxiliary spine. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tweezer tool and double latch button clamping member for releasing the clamping force. 
     FIG. 9 is a partial cut-away cross-sectional view of the assembled binder system showing the releasing action of the tool of FIG. 8. 
     FIG. 10A is a partial side view of a post-containing clamping member with attached spine cover. 
     FIG. 10B is a partial side view showing the first step in assembly of the first and second clamp members. 
     FIG. 10C is a partial side view illustrating a completed second step and the third step of binder assembly, namely, breaking unneeded post extensions. 
     FIG. 10D is a partial side viewing showing the subsequent step of bending the spine cover around the spine of the assembled sheets. 
     FIG. 10E is a partial side view of the spine showing the next step of tearing or breaking off excess spine material and preparing the latch button clamping member for receipt of the spine. 
     FIG. 10F is a partial side view of a spine fully assembled on the two-part clamping members. 
     FIG. 11 is a partial side view of a spine covering including an integral overall cover for a clamped sheaf of apertured material. 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the binder. 
     FIG. 13 is a cutaway cross-sectional perspective view of a modified snap-in T-post clamping member with a binding strip. 
     FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective partial view of a further embodiment of a clamped document and carrier strips therefor. 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective cross-sectional partial view of another embodiment taken along a marginal plane including a series of rectangular apertures in a paper stack. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a two-part binder 10 which includes a first clamping member 11 having integrally extending from a generally flat head of about 1.3 cm square or other peripheral configuration, and a bifurcated post forming a pair of posts or legs 12a and 12b essentially D-shaped in cross section. The pair of spaced split posts 12a and 12b have a linearly extending transversely ratcheted surfaces 8 and 9 facing each other. The posts or legs may typically be about 0.17 cm in maximum thickness and 7-8 cm in length, thus accommodating a wide range of thicknesses of stacked material, namely, from that of a few sheets 0.05 cm to about 5 cm for many sheets. The ratchets have a height of about 0.03 cm and a slope angle of about 59°. The bifurcated post has a diameter about 0.6 cm and a 0.3 cm wide slot between the legs. The posts are made of a notch-sensitive plastic material. 
     A second clamping member 14 generally matched in exterior configuration to member 11 is positioned parallel to and spaced from the clamping member 11 on opposed sides of a sheaf of apertured material such as three-hole punched paper. Clamping member 14 may be made of molded nylon or other plastic material. A pawl member is integrally attached to member 14 which together form a double latch button. Pawls 18 and 20 extend across an essentially circular aperture 24 in member 14 forming a pair of oppositely facing essentially D-shaped channels (FIG. 5) extending between the sidewalls of the aperture and the mounted pawl member. The pawl member is mounted by a pair of diametrically opposed posts 15 and 16, also called herein upstanding linear members, extending integrally from member 14 towards the first clamping member 11. An integral crossbar 17 extends across the top of posts 15 and 16 and integrally mounts the pair of linearly extending pawls hinged by hinge means 23 to crossbar 17. Pawl 18 shown in dotted lines extends parallel to pawl 20 and likewise is integrally hinged to crossbar 17. Each of clamp members 11 and 14 have edge extensions 6, 7, and 25, 26 respectively, which aid in transmitting a clamping force to the sheaf of papers to be clamped by the clamping members. Each of the pawls 18 and 20 have two or more clamping teeth 21 and 22 extending parallel to each other and transversely of the pawls. Teeth 21 and 22, upon insertion of the post 12a and 12b into aperture 24 and the formed essentially D-shaped channels, mesh succeedingly with each of the facing transverse ratchets 8 and 9 as the clamping members are slidingly assembled on a sheaf of apertured material. Clamping member 11 may contain a top aperture 5 to receive part of the crossbar 17 when only a few sheets of apertured material are being bound. In some applications where a considerable number of sheets are to be bound, the top of element 11 may be unperforated. 
     FIG. 2A shows the assembly operation wherein the posts of clamping member 11 are placed within an aperture or punched hole 41 of apertured sheets 40. The latch button clamping member 14 is then mounted (arrow 47) and pressed (arrow 48, FIG. 2B) downwardly over the post 12a and 12b with the pawl member 20 being ratcheted downwardly through a slot 4 between posts 12a and 12b so that the teeth 21 and 22 of pawls 20 and 18 mesh and unmesh with each of the transverse ratchets on ratcheted surfaces 8 and 9. This action is shown clearly in FIG. 2B where the arrows 46 indicate the inward movement of the pawls 20 and 18 as they pass an inwardly directed top ridge 49 of the ratchets 8 and 9. The user continues to push member 14 downwardly towards member 11 as shown by arrow 50 (FIG. 2C) until an innermost transverse ratchet 8a and 9a on the legs on which the user can effectively apply pressure is reached. The ratchet notches may be undercut with a reentrant surface 2 so that any outward force on the clamping members puts additional locking force on the pawl teeth and its associated transverse ratchet. The sheaf of papers 40 are then firmly clamped at points 55 and 54 on both sides of the sheaf of papers and each of the flat sections of clamp members 11 and 14 bow as indicated at 52 and 53. The edge portions of the paper stack on either side of the aperture 41 are then under a Belleville-spring bowed compression and are firmly grasped by the clamping members. 
     Member 14 is constructed of a notch sensitive plastic such as ABS, i.e. acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, of sufficient brittleness, e.g. about 200 joules/meter, so that upon bending each of the legs 12a and 12b outwardly against the edge 57 of aperture 24 in member 14, the frangible legs 12a and 12b break off essentially across a plane 56 then the edge 57 at the thin root of one of the transverse ratchets on the legs leaving a clean break generally flush with the top surface of member 14. The root of each ratchet has sufficient stress concentration so that it can be easily snapped off at the aperture edges. The posts pass freely through the channels but are sufficiently close, e.g. about 0.008 cm. to the edges of the channels so that the post may be pivoted around the edges to break-off the excess post material. In one embodiment of the invention, this completes the binding assembly operation. 
     FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the second clamping member in which a single pawl 31, i.e. a single latch button, is extended across aperture 33. The single pawl 31 is on one side only of a bar 28 bisecting a pair of integral upstanding posts 29 extending from the inner surface of clamping member 30. Opposite the pawl member 31 is a flat surface 32 on the cross bar. As in the double latch button embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of oppositely facing essentially D-shaped channels are formed by the bar and the side walls of aperture 33. 
     Operation of the single latch button of FIG. 3 is seen in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The integrally attached posts 12a and 12b of member 11 are inserted into the apertures or holes 41 of a sheaf of paper sheets 40 and into clamping member 30. The smooth backside 32 of bar 28 slides uninterrupted along one set of transverse ratchets 9 while the teeth of pawl 31 mesh with each succeeding transversed ratchet 8. Manual pressure is applied by pushing on the edges of clamping member 30 while member 11 lies on a flat, nondeflecting surface such as a table or desk to a point where the flat portions of members 11 and 30 are bowed as to 42 and 43 and the teeth on the pawl are firmly meshed with the innermost transverse ratchet 8a on one of the facing sides of posts 12a and 12b. Arrows 35 in FIG. 4A show the single pawl in the inward position where it is sliding past a ridge of the ratcheted surface and in FIG. 4B, arrows 37 show the pawl teeth meshed into the root of transverse ratchet 8a. If desired a ratchet surface may be employed on only one of the facing bifurcated posts. In such embodiment care must be taken to orient the member 11 so that the single pawl of the pawl member of the FIGS. 4A, 4B embodiment is positioned facing the single ratcheted surface. It is to be understood that the excess post material is then broken off as more particularly shown in FIG. 10C leaving the ends of the bifurcated post generally flush with the outer surface of button latch member 30. 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the double latch pawl member 18 and 20 extending diametrically across aperture 24 parallel to ridge sections 25 and 26. The pawls are hinged by integral hinges 23 to bar 17 which extends from post 15 and 16 from the inner surface of clamp member 14. 
     FIG. 6 shows a detailed cross-sectional view of the double latch member 14 and integral pawls 18 and 20. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a sheaf of three-hole punched paper. A strip 61 containing a set of three integral upstanding bifurcated posts 62, 63 and 64 is inserted into apertures 68. The strip 60 is then placed over the posts 62, 63 and 64 so that a set of latch buttons 65, 66 and 67 and pawls therein are aligned therewith. The bifurcated posts pass through the apertures 24 on either side of the pair of pawl members. Once excess post material which extends exterior of strip 60 when clamped and assembled is broken off, then a spine 69 may be inserted over the edge of the spine of paper stack. For certain applications where a series of fixed sizes of stacked papers is to be utilized, a corresponding series of spines 69 having an inner width corresponding to the width between the exterior surfaces of strip 60 and 61 is provided for covering the strips and the spine of the sheaf of papers. The spine cover may be affixed by adhesive or have sufficient flexibility to be clamped over the clamping members and booklet spine. 
     As had been described, the above binding is considered to be permanent and cannot accidentally be undone. However, FIG. 8 does show a simple tool for releasing clamp member 14 from its assembly with clamp member 11. A tweezer-like tool 70 having a pair of bifurcated arms 71 and 72 is joined by an integral U-shaped portion 73 and has at its open end, a pair of grasping fingers 74 and 75. 
     FIG. 9 indicates the action of grasping fingers 74 and 75 which are placed manually in abutment with a linear boss 76 extending laterally across the top of each pawl member. By squeezing arms 71 and 72 together, finger ends 74 and 75 grasp the boss and move the teeth 77 of the pawls out of engagement with the transverse ratchets 78 and 79 of post 12a and 12b. This permits removal of the post and the latch button from the assembly and allows a few papers to be added to the stack or substitute pages placed in the stack. It is realized that since the posts 12a and 12b have already been broken off, that there is not too much latitude to add much thickness of paper and still have a secure re-engagement of the pawl teeth with the transverse ratchets of the arms 12a and 12b. In the event that multiple bifurcated posts and lock buttons are employed along the strips, a ganged tweezer device which would simultaneously squeeze each pair of pawls inwardly would allow for separation of one strip from the other. Alternatively, each lock button could be released a few notches in seriatim until the whole assembly comes apart. 
     FIGS. 10A through 10F illustrate a series of steps for the mounting of a preferred form of a book spine around the clamping members 11 and 14. A book spine 79 has a variable width and a boundary edge 80 mounted to the exterior surface of clamping member 11 abutting a ridge 81 of member 11 at perpendicular surface 45. Spine 79 contains a series of closely spaced parallel bending score lines extending along the length and a desired width of the spine. Score lines 83 extend over book spine portion 82 and portions 90, 91 and 92 (FIG. 10D). Each of the score lines are approximately 0.038 cm deep and are spaced approximately 0.25 cm between centers. The overall thickness of the spine material is typically about 0.076 cm and made of a plastic material such as flexible PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic. After the posts 12a and 12b in an elongated strip clamping member 11 have been inserted into the three apertures 41 say in a three-hole paper stack 40, the latch buttons 14 are placed over each set of posts 12a and 12b as seen in FIG. 10B and pushed downwardly to firmly clamp the members 11 and 14 together as in FIG. 2C. The end 80 of the spine 79 is firmly attached to the exterior of clamping member 11 by suitable adhesive, or integrally molded or extruded. In FIG. 10C the clamping members have been firmly brought together, the interior teeth of the pawls have locked with the innermost ratchet surfaces of the posts dependent on the thickness of the stack and the pressure exerted. The unneeded ends 86 and 87 of the posts are broken off at the top of the latching buttons and removed. 
     As seen in FIG. 10D, the remaining up-to-then flat portion of the spine 79, more particularly portion 82, is folded at corner score line 88 so that inner surface of spine portion 82 is flush with the spine 90 of the stack of paper sheets 40. The remainder 91 and 92 of the spine is folded at score line 89 or other score line dependent on the clamped thickness of the stack and placed against ridge 93 on member 14. That portion 92 of the spine that overhangs the ridge is torn or broken off, FIG. 10E, by use of ridge 93 or a straight edge rule or the like, and discarded. A protective strip 84 is removed from the top surface of the clamp plate 14 leaving an adhesive surface 94 exposed. The remaining second boundary edge 91 on the spine is then bent downwardly and a force applied by manual pressure indicated by arrow 95 on edge portion 91 against the adhesive 94 on member 14 so that portion 91 is adhered thereto. The outer edge 91a of the spine abuts or is slightly spaced to the vertical edge 96 of the ridge 93 on member 14. The spine lateral boundary edges are thus captured and protected so that they cannot peel away easily from the clamping members. The resultant spine is firmly affixed to both clamping members and covers the spine 90 of the stack of sheets. 
     FIG. 11 is a further modification of the book spine in which the book spine also includes full cover portions 97, 97a extending to outer edges of the overall cover. In this embodiment, the latching button 14 and the clamping member 11 do not include ridges 93. The cover has a multitude of spaced scored lines 83 at its center and on one cover end 98 which are bent successively around each of the corners of the clamped stack of apertured papers or dependent on the thickness of the stack. The portions of the cover abutting clamping members 11 and 14 are adhered thereto by suitable adhesive. Any excess material on the outer edges of the cover end 98 may be broken off at score lines 99 or sheared by a shearing bar of a paper cutter or by scissors. Cover 97a generally will be the front cover since its outer edge 97b will be first placed into position with respect to the unclamped margin of the paper stack. The dashed lines show covers 97, 97a in open position. 
     A further embodiment of the invention is seen in FIG. 12 where snap-in buttons, snap-in posts, and strips are shipped loose. A user inserts flat-headed buttons 100 and flat-headed T-posts 101 in the appropriate holes 102 in the strips 103, dependent on the sheaf of papers being two-hole or three-hole punched. Snap ridges 104 on the clamping member heads and ridges 105 in the strip apertures 102 give user feedback during assembly and keeps the buttons and posts from falling out while binding. When bound, flanges 119 on the strip edges bow and aid in keep the buttons and posts from pulling through the strips. The recesses 107 in the strips provide room for the bowing action. Flat-headed dummy members 124 with peripheral side edges may be provided to snap into the empty apertures 108, i.e. the unused ones of the series of intermediate apertures 102 in both strips 103. If desired, particularly in the case of dissimilar materials of construction, the flat-headed members may be factory-assembled in the strips by swaging or other forms of affixation. 
     FIG. 13 is a broken-away cross-sectional perspective view showing the snap-action slightly flexible ridges 105 on the strip and the ridges 104 on the periphery T-post top 109. An interference fit may also be employed. As in the other embodiments the serrated bifurcated posts 120 are locked when assembled with a pawl member 121 of a button 100. 
     An additional embodiment of the invention is seen in FIG. 14. Again, buttons, posts and strips are shipped loose. A user binds a document with individual posts 110 and buttons 111, and then slides carrier strip 112 onto the protruding heads 114. The strip can be cut by the user to shorter lengths at the marks 122 indicated for special applications or the strip may be furnished to user with score marks to allow various lengths to be broken off for use with a sheaf of letter or legal size paper, for example. A groove 115 in the carrier strip 112 slides laterally on lateral side lips 118 forming a reentrant groove 116 on the series of headed clamping members extending in a plane above the plane of the bound document when the T-posts 110 and T-buttons 111 are assembled on the document. In FIG. 14 the document 117 is shown already bound and positioned to receive the finishing carrier strips 112 on their top and bottom sides. Aperture 123 in head 109 allows the pawl(s) of the second clamping member to extend therein when only a few sheets of apertured material are being clamped. 
     FIG. 15 illustrates a further application of the invention in which posts 212, 213 integrally extending from clamping strip 211 are rectangular in cross section and are passed through rectangular apertures 268 in punched paper sheets 244. Apertures 268 are inboard of a side or top marginal edge (not shown) of the paper sheet stack. As shown, the post 212, 213 may be spaced so as to skip one or more of apertures 268 so that they pass through nonadjacent apertures. As in the prior embodiments, serrated surfaces forming transverse ratchets 208 are provided on facing sides of posts 212, 213. A second clamping strip 214, having integrally hinged pawls 220 spaced correspondingly to the posts, is placed over the ends of posts 212, 213 which protrude from the stack of sheets 244. The strip 214 is then pressed inwardly with respect to strip 211 ratcheting the pawls 220 on ratchets 208 to a retaining position within the then bound stack. The protruding ends 286 of the posts are then broken off completing the assembly. 
     The above decription of embodiments of this invention is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Other embodiments of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art in view of the above disclosure.