Method for connecting together a plurality of webs of flexible material

Abstract

An apparatus for connecting together a plurality of webs of flexible material. The apparatus comprises a base having an anvil with a sharp edged opening therein the opening comprising a shank region and an enlarged head region. A punching head movable towards and away from the base carries a punch having a sharp edge and also comprising a shank region and elongated head region which are capable of fitting closely within the corresponding regions of the anvil opening. Either or both of the punch and anvil opening are devoid of a sharp edge adjacent that end of the respective shank region which is remote from the respective enlarged head region. When two or more webs are placed between the punch head and the anvil and the punch is moved into the anvil opening the sharp edges of the punch and opening punch a portion of material having a shank and enlarged head from each web and said portion remains joined at the base of said shank to the associated web. The apparatus may be manufactured in a hand-operated version as substitute for a stapling machine or in an industrial version possibly power operated and useful for example in attaching packets to display cards.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.