Fan-out padding using a hot melt adhesive

Abstract

Adhesively edge-padded stack of carbonless copy paper better separates upon fanning into collated sets when a thin layer of hot-melt adhesive is used for the edge-padding. As in the prior art, the outer surfaces of each set should have a release coating such as a fluorocarbon. The layer of hot-melt adhesive includes, by weight: 20-50% thermoplastic copolymer, 15-50% tackifying resin, and 20-60% wax having a melting point of at least 60.degree. C. As soon as the adhesive has cooled below its softening point, the stack can be fanned, thus breaking it into sets. Fanning can usually be performed within 45 seconds, because there is no need to wait for the adhesive to dry as has been necessary with the aqueous adhesives that have been used in the prior art. Preferably at least 20% by weight of the adhesive is a paraffin wax that is [.alpha.] C.sub.35 -C.sub.70 substantially straight-chain hydrocarbon.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.