Signatures and cover sheets are dropped on a circulating gathering chain and conveyed to the stitching station through the spine from the outside to the inside with the wire staples. The two stitching heads for stitching with two staples are arranged under a hinged guard. These can be easily set to the thickness of the material to be stitched and to changes of the distance between the staples. Two exchangeable stapling devices are supplied, one of them for thin and the other one for thicker wire-gauge. After the stitching operation, which can be performed with staggered or unstaggered position of the staples, the brochures are delivered in imbricated form on a belt delivery. |