Abstract: A printing medium for the printing of images thereon to form a document by the printer of a standard facsimile machine in a manner which renders the document unreadable to a casual observer. There is a strip of a flexible printing medium receivable by the facsimile machine, and a strip of an obscuring medium adhesively and removably attached to the printing medium in a manner which will allow the obscuring medium to pass through the facsimile machine in combination with the printing medium The adhesive is a permanently tacky base adhesive into which is mixed a dispersion of fine particles, preferably polytetrafluoroethylene spheroids, which have the effect of reducing adhesive build. The preferred base adhesive is a plasticized blend of a vinyl acetate copolymer emulsion and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer emulsion.

Abstract: An index tab and assemblages thereof to be used in conjunction with hanging file folders and the like, in lieu of individual plastic tab holder and paper insert combinations of the prior art. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of paper or plastic tabs, backed by pressure-sensitive adhesive, are carried on a release sheet, comprising tab stock. Each such tab includes opposing bilaterally symmetric portions. The shape of each half of such tabs may be generally similar to the clear individual plastic tabs holders of the prior art, including a message portion and a base portion. A message is places on the message portion of either, or both halves of a tab. The tab is then peeled from the release paper and the two adhesive-backed opposing halves folded together. In this configuration the base portion may be inserted into the tab slots of a file folder. In lieu of mounting adhesive-backed tabs to a release sheet, the tabs may be interconnected by lands, or may be defined by score lines or perforations.

Abstract: Retractable marker pens and ink formulations for marker pens. The ink formulation has particular utility as a fluorescent ink for highlighting text or print. The formulation reduces the rate of ink evaporation from conventional felt, fiber or plastic marker tips. This property makes the ink especially suitable for use in retractable marker pens which do not normally employ a separate tight fitting cap or a lint guard to protect the marker tip from ink evaporation when the marker pen is in non-use. The ink formulation exhibits excellent flow characteristics to conventional felt, fiber or plastic marker tips over a wide range in tip widths. The ink does not leak from the tip and does not penetrate paper so as to obscure text or printed material on the opposite side of the paper. The ink is composed of a fluorescent dye, selected from methine, xanthene and anthraquinone dyes dissolved in a multicomponent solvent system.

Abstract: A bound document is made by placing one or more sheets of paper to be bound inside a binder having a hot-melt adhesive and then exposing the binder to microwave energy for a sufficient period of time to cause the hot-melt adhesive to melt bond onto an edge of the sheets of paper. In one embodiment of the invention, the hot-melt adhesive is microwave activatable. In another embodiment of the invention, the hot-melt adhesive is not necessarily microwave activatable and the binder includes a strip of susceptor material which converts incident microwave radiation to heat. In still another embodiment of the invention, the hot-melt adhesive is not necessarily microwave activatable and a quantity of microwave responsive material is incorporated into the hot-melt adhesive. In still yet another embodiment, the hot-melt adhesive is not necessarily microwave activatable, and a microwave susceptor is incorporated into a stand on which the binder may be placed during exposure to the microwave radiation.

Abstract: Variable pitch feed of fasteners by a unitary, single toothed feed pawl. In a first embodiment, back-up of the fasteners is prevented using a downwardly pointed detent tooth which bits into a secondary runner bar of the fastener assemblage, preferably at a point somewhat beyond the fastener ejection axis. In a second embodiment, the secondary runner bar includes a series of lands spaced at the same pitch as the fasteners, and the detent comprises a pin biased toward the runner bar to intermittently engage the lands. Back-up of the fastener assemblage is prevented by the detent, and individual fasteners are securely positioned for ejection.

Abstract: A tag attaching gun in which an ejector rod is advanced by a trigger operated lever to sever an individual fastener from a fastener assemblage and dispense the severed fastener through a hollow slotted needle. This apparatus incorporates a unitary, single-tooth feed member for advancing the fastener assemblage to bring the forwardmost fastener in line with the needle. Such feed member comprises a reciprocably mounted body integral with a U-shaped resilient finger terminating in a feed tooth. The feed member together with its resilient feed finger moves linearly in order to engage and advance the fastener assemblage, while the finger flexes during a return motion in order to clear a succeeding fastener in the assemblage.

Abstract: Apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets of paper or other media, including an assembly for clamping a plurality of sheets together with binding edges of respective sheets in alignment, and an assembly for coating the binding edges of the sheets with a quick-drying adhesive. The coating assembly advantageously includes an applicator member such as a porous pad, a supply of adhesive to the applicator member and a slidable mounting for the applicator member to guide the member along the binding edges of the clamped sheets. The applicator pad and adhesive may be contained in a telescoping housing which opens to expose the applicator pad during the process of sliding the housing toward and along the binding edges of the sheets.

Abstract: A fastener dispensing needle is manufactured by a machining process which includes bending a metal tube to assist in obtaining an important configuration for the tip of the needle. A flared portion of the needle tip determines the diameter of the hole made through the material of the object being penetrated by the needle. This flared portion is sized to make a hole at least large enough to overlap with the diameter of the central bore through the needle. This minimizes unnecessary stresses on the fastener as it is ejected from the needle, thus resulting in fewer undesired breakages of the fasteners. In addition, the area of the needle where the central bore and longitudinal groove merge into the tip portion of the needle is configured to minimize cutting action on the filament of the fastener, again resulting in fewer undesired breakages.

Abstract: Apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets of paper or other media, including an assembly for clamping a plurality of sheets together with binding edges of respective sheets in alignment, and an assembly for coating the binding edges of the sheets with a quick-drying adhesive. The coating assembly advantageously includes an applicator member such as a porous pad, a supply of adhesive to the applicator member and a slidable mounting for the applicator member to guide the member along the binding edges of the clamped sheets. The applicator pad and adhesive may be contained in a telescoping housing which opens to expose the applicator pad during the process of sliding the housing toward and along the binding edges of the sheets.

Abstract: An erasably markable article formed of a coated substrate that is markable with dry wipe inks without causing permanent discernible distortion of the substrate. The surface after marking is substantially fully erasable. The surface is provided by a smooth coating of cured lacquer preferably a radiation cured lacquer, for example, electron beam radiation cured urethane acrylate. The substrate may be flexible, for example, a biaxially oriented polypropylene multilayer film having a closed cell foam-like core wherein the substrate exhibits electrostatic cling properties. The substrate may also be adhesive coated paper or may be relatively inflexible pressboard.

Abstract: An improved system for attaching price tags to garments and other joining applications, in which individual fasteners are severed from fastener stock having a continuous, elongated plastic side member joined to a plurality of space-apart filaments. The fastener stock is advanced to a transfer site along a feed axis which is parallel to and proximate the axis of the needle through which severed fasteners are dispensed. A knife is mounted on a support slide which is slideable transversely to the feed axis, such support slide being urged toward the feed axis to cause the knife to sever an individual fastener from the fastener stock. A transfer slide engages a portion of the side member which becomes a T-bar of the severed fastener, and urges it toward the needle axis. The transfer slide is yieldably coupled to the support slide to permit the transfer slide to lag behind the knife until severing occurs.

Abstract: Low cost index media for use with loose-leaf binders and wirebound notebooks. An index tab includes a base portion having a plurality of apertures engagable by rings of a ring binder, and an index portion which projects beyond documents within the notebook in order to display index indicia. The index portion is integral with but offset from the base portion to define a clearance region which prevents interference between the index tab and an actuator lever for the loose-leaf binder. A second indexing article consists of an index sheet having a base portion and index portion, the base portion being of comparable dimensions to the documents within the notebook, and being bindable within the notebook. The index portion is foldable relative to the base portion, and may include preprinted index indicia as well as an area for inscribing merge information associated with respective indices.

Abstract: An economical lightweight looseleaf binder combines the functionality of a standard ring binder with easy-to-use characteristics of report covers. The cover is folded to define front and back panels as well as a spine portion, and additionally includes a crease at the longitudinal center line of the two ring assemblies which are both secured to the back panel. The ring assemblies include a series of hooks having complementary notched profiles which firmly engage one another when closed, yet may be easily disengaged through flexure of the cover. In one construction, the binder comprises a pressboard cover to which is attached a pair of plastic ring assemblies. The hooks are configured to permit filler sheets to lie flat and to facilitate transfer of sheets from one side to the other.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for charged particle generation, particularly for use in electrographic imaging, in which a drive electrode and an isolation electrode are substantially in contact with opposite sides of a solid dielectric member, and a discharge electrode is placed on the same side of the solid dielectric member as the isolation electrode to define a discharge region. A high voltage time varying potential is imposed between the drive electrode and the discharge electrode to produce charged particles in the discharge region, and the isolation electrode is capacitively coupled to the drive electrode but otherwise is electrically isolated. The discharge electrode and isolation electrode are not coplanar and the discharge region does not border on the solid dielectric member. In a first embodiment, a dielectric shelf is placed intermediate an apertured discharge electrode and the isolation electrode, to facilitate the inception of discharges.

Abstract: An improved system for dispensing a fastener through a slotted hollow needle from a continuously connected fastener stock, such apparatus incorporating an actuator slide with a central channel, such actuator slide being secured to the ejector rod and fastener stock feed mechanism to actuate these functions. The apparatus further includes a shuttle assembly which reciprocates transversely to the needle axis to cause the severing of a fastener from the fastener stock, and transport of the severed fastener to the needle axis. The cam bar is linked to the shuttle mechanism and pivotally mounted so that the pivotting of the cam bar causes the transverse shuttle motion. The cam bar passes through the actuator slide channel, whereby sliding of the actuator slide causes pivotting of the cam bar according to the profile of the cam.

Abstract: An erasably markable luminescent article formed of a coated substrate that is markable with dry wipe inks without causing permanent discernible distortion of the substrate. The surface after marking is substantially fully erasable. The surface is provided by a smooth coating of cured lacquer perferably a radiation cured lacquer, for example, electron beam radiation cured urethane acrylate. The luminescent appearance results from a phosphorescent layer between the substrate and an unpigmented cured lacquer coating.

Abstract: Apparatus for collecting tickets cut from ticket stock, and for stacking these tickets in a horizontal array. Tickets are collected and oriented to stacking position by a vacuum transport belt assembly and uniformly aligned by a horizontal stacker. The transport assembly is mounted on a housing which includes a vacuum drum to maintain ticket engagement with the transport belts, as the belts traverse a path having a horizontal to vertical orientation about the top and front of the housing. The stacker is mounted perpendicular to the front base of the housing and incorporates a stacking belt extending the length of, and parallel to the base of the housing. The stacking belt is incremented in the stacking direction, in synchronization with a cutter. Stacker infeed disks are mounted on the transport terminus roller in a unitary arrangement which both releases tickets from the transport and feeds tickets to the stacker, to improve processing efficiency.

Abstract: A needle assembly for dispensing plastic fasteners as part of a tool having a feed track through which a fastener assemblage is fed, such needle assembly including the needle which is encased in a holder which may be easily secured to and removed from such tool. The holder defines in conjunction with the remainder of the tool at least a major portion of the feed track. The holder may include an antiback device for permitting the motion of the fastener assemblage within such feed track toward the needle but not in reverse direction. Such antiback device may be engagable by the user to deflect the antiback and a fastener feed mechanism within the tool out of the feed track, thereby to permit withdrawal of a fastener assemblage from the tool. The needle comprises a hollow, slotted metal structure, and the holder is a plastic structure which is injection molded around such needle.