Process and apparatus for binding

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for binding of perforated sheets together through their perforations with at least one loop of flexible tape. The apparatus includes a tape feed station, a tape cut-off station, a tape loop forming station, and a tape loop sealing station. The various stations are interconnected and are activated in a series of interlocking cycles which together result in stringing or inserting a strip of flexible tape through each perforation, cutting the inserted tape to length, and looping the cut length around an adjacent edge of the stack of sheets. End portions of the looped lengths of tape are then sealed to close the loops and thereby form hinges. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, jets are provided to assist stringing the strip of tape through the perforations, and also to assist looping.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.