Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A leaf paper bundling apparatus winds a tape around the periphery of a stack of leaf papers. A stacking device stacks and aligns a predetermined number of leaf papers in an upright position in a direction parallel to the short edges of the leaf papers. Left and right holding fingers are employed to hold the stacked leaf papers and transfer the stacked leaf papers to a bundling position, maintaining the upright position of the stacked leaf papers. A tape fed by a tape supply is wound around the stacked leaf papers by a tape winding device. The tape is tightened about the stacked leaf papers, and a pair of clamping members clamp the stacked leaf papers therebetween. The clamping members each have spaced contact edges straddling the tape. The stacked leaf papers can then be tightly held together without interfering with the winding of the tape about the stacked leaf papers. Further, the contact edges of the clamping members are longer than the width of the stacked leaf papers so that the edges extend beyond the edges of the stacked leaf papers. This prevents the tape being tightened about the stacked leaf papers from bending the edges of the leaf papers. The tape is then cut by a cutting device, and the ends of the tape are bonded with a thermal bonding pad that is moved between the contact edges of one of the clamping members.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim