Abstract: An index cutter (I) forms a thumb index on a sheet. The index cutter (I) includes: a flat plate-shaped first base member (1) having a first blade portion; and a flat plate-shaped second base member (2) rotatable coupled to the first base member (1) and having a second blade portion. When the first base member (1) and the second base member (2) are rotated relatively to each other, a part of the sheet is cut by the first blade portion and the second blade portion.

Abstract: A method for registering a sheet material article in a sheet material article handler includes sequentially engaging, using a movable backstop, a leading edge portion of a sheet material article moving in a direction of movement of the sheet material article along a path of movement of the sheet material article in the sheet material article handler so as to register the sheet material article relative to the sheet material article handler. The backstop is moved along an arcuate path in the direction of movement of the sheet material article from a first position out of the path of movement to a second position in the path of movement using a driver.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing a book page index for facilitating the search for certain sections in a book. The device includes a bearing surface (1) on which a pile (3) of pages is placed. According to the invention, an index notch or thumb section (31) is to be formed on the upper region of the pile, along the front edge (7). To this end, preferably a circular, disk-shaped cutter head (17) is used, the cutter head having a cutting contour (21) on the circumference thereof. The device includes at least one displacement device (19) for moving the support and the cutter head towards or away from each other, so that the notch or thumb section to be formed can be produced on the front edge by means of the cutter head. The height of the thumb index can be set by lowering the bearing surface.

Abstract: A system for binding sheets into a bound text body includes a non-linear sheet cutter configured to cut sheets to form pairs of sheets each sheet in the pair having a non-linear edge. A sheet collector forms a text body from the pairs of sheets with the non-linear edges of the sheets adjacent one another and an adhesive applicator applies adhesive to the non-linear edges for binding the text body into a bound text body. The system for binding sheets increases the spinal area exposed for adhesive penetration on a text body to increase the binding strength of the bound text body.

Abstract: A registration device for a sheet material article handler includes a movable backstop which sequentially engages a leading edge portion of a sheet material article as the article moves in a direction of movement along a path of movement in the sheet material article handler, thereby registering the sheet material article relative to the sheet material article handler. A driver is provided, the driver moving the backstop along an arcuate path in the direction of movement of the sheet material article from a first position out of the path of movement to a second position in the path of movement.

Abstract: The system and method for binding documents as described creates documents having features such as tabs, finger indexes, tear-out cards, and windows. These features are desirable for both their appearance and functionality and are easily added to a document during sheet-by-sheet processing. A sheet-wise binding system includes a sheet transport path for transporting a plurality of printed sheets in a sheet-wise manner and a punch configured to punch a feature into at least one of the sheets traveling through the sheet transport path. A stacking system is provided for stacking the punched and unpunched sheets and a binding system for binding the stacked sheets is used to form a finished document. A controller is programed to control the sheet transport path and the punch to create the features in selected sheets and at selected locations in the sheets according to a punch schedule.

Abstract: A hand-held, manually operated book index notch cutter is placed in the book to be notched. The notch cutter has a cylindrical cutting member (405) which moves parallel to and rotates around its axis. The axis of the cylinder is perpendicular to the book leaves being notched. The cutting member rotates and advances within a cutter guide (200), which is attached to a thin baseplate (100). The upper surface of the baseplate is a resilient platen (102) on which rests the stack of book leaves to be cut. These leaves are adjusted in fan and lateral angle with the help of a leaf guide (300), which is movable to allow a range of notch depths. The cutting member is attached to a knob (401) which is pressed and turned. Inside this cutting member-knob assembly is a spring-loaded ejector assembly (500). After a notch is cut, the ejector button (501) is pressed, capturing the paper cuttings and raising the cutting member to the ready position.