T-BAR ACTUATED BOOKBINDER FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE STRIP

Apparatus for applying a heat sensitive adhesive strip to a stack of paper sheets comprises rotatable bipartite clamping means and means for biasing the clamping means into abutment with the stack of paper sheets, whereby the stack of sheets are compressed and held. Below an edge of the held stack of sheets there is provided a pair of spaced strip guides which support the strip with its adhesive side facing the edge, and below the strip guides there is provided three heated platens. A motor driven cam drives a T-bar slidably coupled to the clamping means and during operation of the motor the T-bar rotates the clamping means, thereby moving the stack of sheets downwardly. While moving downwardly the edge of the stack of sheets abuts the adhesive side of the strip and moves the other side of the strip against the platens. Means are provided for biasing the platens against said other side of the strip, thereby fixing the adhesive strip to the stack of paper sheets to form a book.