Paper sheets binding system

Abstract

A paper sheets binding system utilizes a two-part connector including a headed bifurcated inner ratcheted post binding member and a headed pawls-containing locking collar which is ratcheted down over the post member legs to cinch the heads either directly around punch-hole apertures in a paper sheets stack or against a pair of longitudinal binding strips on opposite marginal edges of the stack, with or without an affixed paper sheets cover. The post legs and pawls on the binding member and locking collar, respectively, are offset from the center of their heads so that upon assembly on a paper sheets stack to be bound, the connector element heads are asymmetric with respect to the apertures in the punch-hole paper stack. This allows the connector to better withstand asymmetric loading which is present when a book is purposely opened or accidentally dropped. The post legs contain an outer flat longitudinal section which minimizes their central thickness and allows for a cleaner, more accurate frangible breaking off of excess post leg lengths to accommodate various binding thicknesses. A simple hand tool is also included for disassembly of the locking collar pawls from an interlocking position with respect to the post ratchets.