The present invention relates to a fastening element, a method for binding a plurality of sheets with a fastening element, and a device for binding a plurality of sheets with the same.
It is known fastening elements which serve to bind a plurality of sheets and which appear at most in the form of a U-shaped channel element which is used alone or inserted into the cover. When the sheets are inserted into this element it is mechanically bended on both sides while maintaining the sheets inside the fastening element.
Inconveniences of using known fastening elements and an associated method for binding are as follows:
The known devices for binding a plurality of sheets with known fastening elements have most often a pair of jaws which deform both sides of a fastening element when a certain force is applied.
The object of the present invention is to provide a construction of a fastening element, a method for binding, and a device, due to which reliably fastening the sheets to be bound may be obtained, and at the same time an improvement of aesthetics of a cover and a repeatability of a shape of any copy may be provided, with a binding method and a device used to this end make it possible to simplify technical means used.
According to the invention this object is achieved by means of a channel-shaped fastening element, one vertical side wall of which is bended in its upper part at an angle close to the right angle to constitute over a length of this wall a crosspiece with a width which is significantly less than dimensions of the remaining walls of the fastening element. The fastening element is provided with stops secured to a horizontal base and/or vertical side wall and/or both vertical side walls in a small distance from the both ends of the fastening element. Preferably, the vertical side wall has a height greater than that of the first side wall.
A method for binding a plurality of sheets with a fastening element comprises placing the sheets to be bound into the fastening element in such a way that their edges intended for binding rest on a plane base, and only the second side wall is subject to deformation to be brought closer to the crosspiece.
A device for binding a plurality of sheets with a fastening element is provided with a fixed L-shaped bed as well as a deforming element which may move over a lower part of the fixed bed. Preferably, the fixed bed is situated obliquely to the base. The deforming element has on the opposite face side of a deforming edge a sloping edge and between a driving element and the deforming element there is provided a wedge-shaped intermediate element.
By using the fastening element according to the invention a reliability of fixing the sheets to be bound is achieved, which is obtained by the pressure of the second vertical side wall against the crosspiece. The crosspiece obtained by bending an upper part of the first vertical side wall prevents the deformation of this wall. As a consequence, one non-deformed side is obtained which is a front of the cover and has a shape repeatable in any copy to be bound, with no traces of interaction of a deforming force. The stops prevent to displace the bound sheets in the cover.
By using the inventive method for binding a possibility for simplifying a construction of a device for binding is achieved as only one set of moving elements which serve to deform one vertical side wall of the fastening element is necessary. The wall of the fastening element, which is not deformed, is supported by the fixed bed having a smooth surface and maintains its shape.
The inventive fastening element, method for binding a plurality of sheets with this element, and device for binding a plurality of sheets with the fastening element will become clear from the detailed description with reference to the appended drawing, in which:
The fastening element according to the invention is in the form of a channel, one vertical side wall 1 of which is bended in its upper part at an angle approaching the right angle to form over the whole length of this wall a crosspiece 2 with a width which is significantly less than dimensions of the remaining walls of the element. The horizontal base 3 of the element passes through mild roundings into the side walls. The width of the base 3 depends on thickness of the packet of sheets intended to be bound. The fastening element is provided with stops 11 secured to the horizontal base 3 and/or the vertical side wall 1 and/or 4 in a small distance from the both ends of the fastening elements, which prevent the displacement of the bound sheets inside the cover. Preferably, the second vertical side wall 4 has a h.eight which is greater than that of the first vertical side wall 1.
The device according to the invention has in an exemplary embodiment a fixed bed 5 with a L-shaped cross section, which width is adjusted to the dimensions of the packet of sheets to be bound. Preferably, the bed 5 is situated obliquely to the horizontal base 6 in such a way that this part of the cover of the sheet packet placed in the fastening element, which will not be deformed, rests supported by the longer arm of the "L", and the horizontal base 3 of the fastening element rests on the shorter arm of "L". In such a way, the sheets subject to binding rest under influence of their weight on the longer arm of "L" of the bed 5 and do not require additional supporting. The deforming element 7 is provided on the opposite side of the deforming edge with an oblique edge 8 intended to cooperate with a wedge-shaped intermediate element 9 which transfers a force indispensable to deform the wall 4 of the fastening element and derived from the driving element 10. Cooperation of the driving element 10, intermediate element 9, and deforming element 7 prevents an excessive force to be exerted on the wall 4 by changing the direction of action of a part of deforming force towards the displacement of the intermediate element 9 along the oblique edge 8 of the deforming element 7.
To bind a plurality of sheets they are inserted into the fastening element in such a way that their edges intended to be bound rest on the horizontal base 3, the fastening element, alone or fixed in the cover, is placed on the bed 5, such that the first vertical side wall 1 of the fastening element be stably supported by a smooth wall of the bed 5, and on the opposite side the deforming element 7 is displaced to the second vertical side wall 4 while applying a force from the movable driving element 10.