Abstract: Apparatus and method for conditioning an edge of a sheet to be bound so that the edge is conducive to accepting heat activated adhesives used in conventional binding. The sheet is first bent in one direction to form a folding line, with the fold line being a short distance from the edge of the sheet to be conditioned and with that distance being determined primarily by the thickness of the sheet. The bend in the sheet is typically 90 degrees, with the radii of curvature of the opposite sheet surfaces at the fold line being unequal so that a shear force is applied near the sheet end thereby tending to tear or fracture in interior of the sheet near the end. Typically the sheet is then bent in an opposite direction along the folding line so as to produce an opposite shear force that reinforces the creation of tears and fractured in the sheet.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of increasing adhesion of thermal binder strips to coated papers by conditioning an edge of the sheet by splitting the edge which results in an expansion of the edge followed by compressing the edge so as to reduce or eliminate the expansion. In the case of a stack of sheets, the edge of the stack is conditioned by piercing the edge of the stack and in the case of an individual sheet, the conditioning is carried out by splitting at least a portion of the edge of the sheet.

Abstract: Apparatus for conditioning an edge of a stack of sheets to be bound so that sheets having coated surfaces and the like can be reliably bound. The apparatus includes a stack clamping mechanism configured to secure the stack of sheets and a piercing member configured to produce a piercing action substantially in a piercing plane. Also provided is a positioning mechanism configured to control relative movement of the stack clamping mechanism and the piercing mechanism so that the sheets of the stack pass through the piercing plane, with the drive mechanism being configured to drive the piercing member into the edge of the stack at least once for each sheet of the stack passing through the piercing plane.