US2973519A - Stapler - Google Patents

Description

W. JOPP STAPLER March 7, 1961 Fild July 2, 1958 INVENTOR.

STAPLER Walter ippp, Hinter dem Spierlinsrain 1, Lahr, Baden, Germany Filed July 2, 1958, Ser. No. 746,117

`Claims priority, application Germany Oct. 2, 1957 '4 tllaiins. (Cl. 1 3) This invention relates to apparatus for applying staples, and more particularly to a non-jamming stapler.

The invention is directed especially to the staple magazine of a stapler incorporating a base, the magazine being pivotally mounted on a pin extending through the base, a cover also pivotally mounted on the pin, and a staple driver fixed to the forward end of the cover to operate through the forward end of the magazine. I

Staple magazines fall into two categories. One group may be described as the rear loading type and the other may be described as the top loading type. The latter type is usually the smaller of the two and is the type with which the invention is immediately concerned.

A diicult problem exists in preventing staples in the top loading type magazines from jamming. This problem results because staples are not guided along a U- shaped channel employed to fit under staples between the legs of them in the magazine. j

In accordance with the invention, this disadvantage is overcome by the provision of a cover plate to t cornpletely along lthe sides of and along the top of the U- shaped channel at least at each side thereof and means to retain the cover plate adjacent the U-shaped channel to hold staples in the magazine on the U-shaped channel spaced a distance therefrom to permit only longitudinal movement of staples therealong, this means being releasable to permit staples to be loaded onto the top of the longitudinal member.

Thus, a special cover plate, in addition to the cover to which the staple driver is fixed, is provided. This is necessary because, of course, the cover to which the staple driver is connected must move with the staple driver as the driver is moved through lthe forward end of the magazine. The cover plate, on the contrary, is maintained in a substantially fixed position relative to the U-shaped channel of the magazine all the time the stapler is in operation. It is removed from the staple magazine only when the magazine is loaded.

In the specific embodiment of the invention, a stapler is provided including a base having a pair of vertically extending ears; a cover; a staple driver fixed to the forward end of the cover to drive staples extending substantially vertically downwardly from the cover and having a vertical slot extending through it; a U-shaped channel to fit between the legs of and support a row of staples; a pin to extend through both ears of the' base and through the cover and the U-shaped channel, the U-shaped channel being provided with axial slots through each side thereof at its rearward end to accommodate the pin, the slots being longer than the diameter of the pin to permit movement relative thereto. First resilient means are also provided to resist yieldingly movement of the cover toward the U-shaped channel and second resilient means to resist yieldingly movement of the U-shaped channel toward the base. Anupwardly extending projection xed to the forward end of the U- shaped channel is also provided with a right angle bracket extending between the bottom of the U-shaped States Patent icc channel and the pin and extending vertically upwardly from the ,U-shaped channel forward of the pin, the pin having an annular groove and the right angle bracket having a rearwardly extending projection to fit in the groove and maintain the pin in a substantially fixed axial position. A shaft is also used which is retained in and disposed between the upwardly extending projection on the forward end of the U-shaped channel and the vertically extending portion of the right angle bracket. A pusher member is fitted over the U-shaped channel, the pusher member having a downwardly extending projection with a hole therethrough to lit around the shaft. A spring fits around the shaft between the right angle bracket and the pusher member projection. An apron is xed to the bottom of the magazine and extends upwardly in spaced relation from the side and front of the U-shaped channel at the front end thereof. The apron has hook means at its rearward end on each side of the U-shaped channel to extend upwardly and forwardly. A cover plate is then pivoted from the pin in a position tolit over the top of the U-shaped channel at least along each side thereof and along the sides of the U-shaped channel from the rearward end thereof to the rearward end of the apron, the cover plate having a projection extending forwardly through the staple driver slot, the cover plate also having hook means on each side of the U-shaped channel atr the position of the apron hook means to extend' downwardly and rearwardly to engage the apron hook means. The spring thus (1) causes the pusher to urge staples forwardly on the U-shaped channel, (2) holds the right angle bracket in interlocking engagement with the pinbetween the pin and the U-shaped channel, (3) maintains the rearwardly extending projection of the right angle bracket in the circumferential groove in the pin to maintain it in a substantially fixed axial position, and (4) urges Ithe U-shaped channel forwardly to maintain the cover plate hook means in locking engagement with the apron hook means.

Thus a substantial advantage is derived from the specic embodiment of the invention in that four functions are provided ,by the conventional helical spring which is disposed around the central staple pusher shaft.

The above-described and other advantages of the invention will be better understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings taken in connection with the following description in which:

Fig. Vl is aside elevational view of the stapler of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view in elevation of the stapler;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in plan taken on the line 3 3 shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front view in section taken on the line 4 4 shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial front view in section taken on the line 5 5 shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a complete front view in section taken on the line 6--6 shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a broken sectional view in plan taken on the line 7 7 shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view partly in section illustrating the manner in which the stapler of the invention is assembled.

In Fig. 1, the stapler of the invention is shown including a base 10 and an arm 11 pivoted on a pin 12 which extends through a hole 13 provided in each of two ears 14 of base 10. At its rear lower end, base 10 is provided with a notch 15 into which projections 16 of leaf spring 17 are provided to maintain arm 11 in the position shown in-Figs. 1 and 2. The projections 16 of the spring 17 4are best illustrated in Fig. 7. Base 10 is also provided with a rearwardly extendingv projection 18 to underliet-he rear 3 end of spring 17 and thereby urge projections 16 upwardly into the notches provided in the lower rear corners of ears 14.

Arm 11 includes a receptacle-shaped cover 19 which has outwardly extending dimples 20 to project into rectangularly shapeddepressions 21 in ears 14 to prevent movement of arm 11 beyond the limiting position shown in Figs. l and 2. This construction is common practice, arm 11 being movable beyond and above the position shown in Figs. l and 2 simply by the application of a slight force in addition to that applied to arm 11 by leaf spring 17 indicated at a point 22 in Fig. 2. Movement of end 22 of leaf spring 17 is also limited by the depressions 23 in ears 14 which are engaged by side projections 25 of leaf spring 17 best shown in Figs. 4 and 7. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, at the forward end of base 11 a member 26 is provided having cups `27 to turn the ends of a staple inwardly toward each other to crimp them. Member 26 is conveniently held by a forward projection 28 and a rearward projection 29 formed in base 11. Projection 28 is simply a forward extension of base 11 bent rearwardly as shown in Fig. 3. Projection 29 is simply punched from the lower side of base 11 upwardly to provide a spring t for member 26. An aperture 30 is thus incidentally left where projection 29 is punched upwardly through the bottom surface of base 11.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, arm 11 also includes a conventional channel member 31 which is provided with elongated holes 32 through which pin 12 projects. Arm 11 also includes an apron 33 which is fixed to the lower surface of channel member 31 by means of a screw 34 shown in Fig. 2 and extends from a rear end 35 completely over a forward portion of the bottom surface of channel member 31, upwardly along the sides thereof and forwardly over the front end at two inwardly extending projections 36. Projections 36 are spaced from the forward end of channel member 31 a distance only to accommodate the vertical passage of a staple 37 as shown in Fig. 2 downwardly between them.

As is well known, staplers are of two general types. The first type is the type in which staples are inserted into the rear of the stapler over a member such as channel member 31. The other type of conventional stapler is the type in which the staples are inserted over the top of the channel 31 by removing a cover similar to the cover 19. The stapler of the invention is of the latter type. However, it overcomes disadvantages of the prior art by ber 46. Thus, strip 47 extends over substantially the complete length underneath the top portion of channel member 46. Channel member 46 is xed to strip 47 at annular peened portions 49 shown in Fig. 3 which extend upwardly through holes in channel member 46 from strip 47. The projection 48 on strip 47 is provided with a hole 50 through which a shaft 51 extends. Shaft 51 is provided with a reduced diameter at 52, best shown in Fig. 2 which extends through an end plate 54 formed integrally with channel member 31 at its forward end. The other end of rod 51 is retained in a right angle bracket 56 that lits between pin 12 and the bottom of channel member 31. Conveniently, the pin 12 is provided with an annular groove indicated at 57 in Fig. 3 into which providing a cover plate to lie immediately adjacent the top of a row of staples indicated at 38 in Figs. 2 and 3. The vertical section shown in Fig. 2 is directly through the center. Hence, in this caes a cover plate 39 is provided for the staples but at the exact center of the stapler, the cover plate is spaced a substantial distance from the staples. However, a pusher member 40 of the conventional type is provided having a projection 41 which may be gripped manually to retract pusher member 40 to a position to insert staples between the forward end of the stapler and the forward end of the pusher member 40. For this reason, at the center of cover plate 39, a longitudinal channel 42 is provided. However, as shown in Fig. 5, cover plate at positions 43 on each side of channel portions 42 lies immediately adjacent staples 38. Thus, cover plate 39 operates unusually well to prevent staples from jamming when the stapler of the invention is operated.

As shown in Fig. 3, pin 12-not only extends through holes 13 and ears 14 and oversize holes 32 in channel member 31, but also through corresponding holes 44 in cover 19 and holes 45 in cover plate 39.

As shown in Fig. 5, pusher member 40 is formed in two parts. The irst part is a channel member 46 which extends over the top of channel member 31. The second part of pusher member 40 includes a bent strip 47 having the projection 41 extendingrupwardly beyond the rear end of channel member 46 and a projection 48 extending downwardly below the forward end ofchannelmeman upset groove 58 in bracket 56 extends to maintain pin 12 in a substantially fixed axial position. A helical spring 59 is located around rod 51 and bears at its rearward end against bracket 56. At its forward end it bears against projection 48 of pusher member 40. The top of channel member 46 is cut away at 60 as indicated in Fig. 2. Thus, staples 38 are driven forwardly on top of channel member 31 between Ychannel member 31, cover plate 39 and apron 33 only by the sides of channel member 46. As indicated in Fig. 8, apron 33 is bent over at 61 on each side thereof to hold staples 38 in a xed position at top of channel member 31 during loading and in continued use.

For quick assembly, apron 33 is Provided with holes 62 in which upsets 63 of channel member 31 are located when screw 34 is inserted to hold the apron 33 in a fixed position relative to channel member 31.

The staple driver includes a downwardly extending portion of a bracket 64 which is lixed to cover 19 by means of a screw 65 which cooperates with a washer 66 and a nut 67. Bracket 64 is provided with a longitudinal slot 68 in its downwardly extending portion to accommodate a projection 69 on the forward end of cover plate 39. The downwardly extending portion of bracket 64 performs three functions. In the rst place, it retains cover plate 39 inside cover 19. Secondly, it acts as a driver to force staples downwardly in the space between the forward end of channel 31 including projection 54 and the inwardly extending members 36 of apron 33. Members 36 are arcuately shaped at their tops 70 to guide the downwardly extending portion of bracket 64 into a space between the forward end of channel member 31 and the inwardly extending members 36. A leaf spring 71 is provided for cover plate 39. Leaf spring 71 is held between cover 19 and cover plate 39. Thus, bracket 64 performs a third function of providing an inside upset on cover 19 against which the forward end of leaf spring 71 bears.

One of the outstanding features of the invention resides in the use of rod 51 with spring 59, bracket 56, pin 12, channel member 31, oversize holes 32 in channel member 31, means 72 to hook downwardly and rearwardly on the forward end of cover plate 39 and means 73 to hook upwardly and forwardly on the rearward end of apron 33. This combination of structures provides four functions. In the first place, spring 59 performs its conventional function of urging pusher member 40 forwardly along rod 51. between channel member 31 and pin 12 to secure it there. Thirdly, projection 58 is maintained in pressure contact with pin 12, projection 58 being inserted in annular groove 57 in pin 12. Lastly, spring 59 urges channel member 31 forwardly through force of pusher member 40 on staples 38 and through their force on inwardly extending members 36 of apron 33. Since apron 33 is fixed to channel member 31 by means of screw 34, channel member 31 thus is urged forwardly inside cover 19. Normally, thus, channel member 31 will be in a position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. However, both channel member 31 and thus apron 33 may be moved rearwardly against the action of spring 59 because holes 32 through which pin 12 projects are oversize. This means that apron 33 Secondly, spring 59 urges bracket 56 the forward portionI of apron 33 and pushing itl downwardly and rearwardly from its position shown in Fig. 1. This is the means by which the stapler of the invention is conventionally opened for loading. It is to be noted that cover plate 39 will normally be maintained in the position shown vin Fig. 2 except when a staple is ejected or except inthe manufacture and assembly. Its assembly is illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein it is moved from the dotted position indicated at 39a to the solid line position. Before it is moved to the solid line position, a driver portion 74 of bracket 64 is pushed forwardly and projection 69 of cover plate 39 is inserted into the vertical aperture 68 of portion 74. Thus, the stapler of the inventionis opened for loading as indicated in solid lines in Fig. 8. Movement of apron 33 and the structure attached to it is indicated at 75 in dotted lines in Fig. 8. Movement of it rearwardly is, of course, anticipated as a means by which apron 33 and its associated structure is unhooked from cover plate 39. It is to be noted that in closing apron 33 to cover plate 39 back to the position shown in Fig.v 1, it is only necessary to rotate cover 19 and apron 33 and its attached structure in opposite directions. The fact that the means 72 and 73 are rounded at their ends means that they will slip over one another as apron 33 moves rearwardly and into its interlocking position shown in Fig. 1. In this case, reliance upon the oversize holes 32 in channel member 31 will again be made. Since apron 33 is grasped at least to uncouple it from cover plate 39, each side is knurled as at 76 indicated in Fig. 1. Cover plate 39 is indented at 79 to receive nut 67 when the stapler is operated.

Apron 33 is provided with a rectangular aperture at 77 to determine whether staples are provided on channel 311 at the forward end of the stapler. Similarly, a hole 78 is provided in channel member 46 of pusher member 40. Normally channel member 46 will have a silver luster whereas channel member 31 and apron 33 will be painted black, Thus, when the stapler is out of staples 38, which also will normally have a silver luster, apertures 77 and 78 will overlap and the viewer will see only black inside of the aperture 77, the viewer seeing only the black color of channel member 31.

Thus as indicated in Fig. 5, cover plate 39 at least at points 43 extends completely along the length of the top portion of U-shaped channel 31 and downwardly along the sides to guide staples 38 along U-shaped channel 31. This is an outstanding feature of the invention because jamming of the staples along the length of U-shaped channel 31 and at the forward or ejecting end is prevented.

Still further, in'taccordance with a special feature of the invention, spring 59 performs several functions. In the first place, it urges pusher member 40 forwardly to urge staples 38 against the front members 36 of apron 33. Still further, it maintains angle member 56 under pin 12 between pin 12 and the bottom of U-shaped channel 31. Still further, it maintains projection 58 of angle member 56 in the circumferential groove 57 in pin 12 to maintain pin 12 in a substantially fixed axial position. Lastly, but most important, force applied by spring S9 through pusher member 40 and staples 38 or projections 36 of apron 33, depending upon whether or not staples 38 are loaded onto U-shaped member 31, will urge U- shaped member 31 forwardly and thus maintain hook means 73 of apron 33 in positive engagement with hook means 72 of cover plate 39.

What is claimed is:

1. A stapler comprising: a base having a pair of vertically extending ears; a cover having a staple driver fixed to its forward end; a staple magazine including a U-shaped channel inside the cover; a pin to extend through both said cover and said magazine; means to maintain said pin in a substantially fixed axial position through said ears; an apron fixed to said magazine in a position` to extend upwardly along the sides of said channell from the forward' end of said channel to a position between its ends, said apron being disposed contiguoustoy the sides of said channel and spaced a distance therefrom only large enough to permit staples to move lengthwise on said channel; and -a cover plate pivoted from said pin ina position to fit contiguous to the top of said channel along the complete length thereof, said cover plate being spaced a distance from the top of said channel only large enough to permitv staples to move lengthwise on Said channel, said cover plate also extending contiguous to the sides of said channel but only along the lengths thereof rearward of the rearward end of said apron, saidy cover plate being spaced from the sides of saidl channel a distance only large enough to permit longitudinal sliding. movement of staples therebetween.

2. A stapler comprising: ia base having a pair of vertically extending ears;` a cover; a staple driver fixed to the forward end of said cover to drive staples; a U- shapedv channelto tit between the legs of and support arow of staples, said U-shaped channel being provided with axial slots through each side thereof at its rearward end; a pin to extend through both ears of said base, through said cover, andV through said axial slots in the sides ofV said U`shaped channel, said slots being longer than the diameter of said pin to permit movement of said U-shaped channel relative thereto; first resilient means to resist yieldingly movement of said cover toward. said U-shaped channel; second resilient` means to resist yieldingly movement of said U-shaped channel toward said base; a pusher member to fit over said U-shaped channel; third resilient means to urge said pusher member toward the forward end of said U-shaped channel relative to said pin; an apron fixed to the bottom of said U-shaped channel and extending upwardly in spaced relation from the sides and front of said U-shaped channel at the front end thereof, said apron having hook means at its rearward end on each side of said U-shaped channel to extend upwardly and forwardly; and a cover plate pivoted from the pin in a position to fit over the top of the magazine at least along each side thereof and along the sides of said U-shaped channel from the rearward end thereof to the rearward end of said apron, said cover plate having hook means on each side of said U-shaped channel at the position of said apron hook means to extend downwardly and rearwardly to engage said apron hook means.

3. A stapler comprising: a base having a pair of vertically extending ears; a-cover; a staple driver fixed to the forward end of said cover to drive staples; a U- shaped channel to fit between the legs of and support a row of staples, said U-shaped channel being provided with axial slots through each side thereof at its rearward end; a pin to extend through both ears of said base, through said cover, and through sa-id axial slots in the sides of said U-shaped channel, said slots being longer than the diameter of said pin to permit movement of said U-shaped channel relative thereto; first resilient means to resist yieldingly movement of said cover toward said U-shaped channel; second resilient means to resist yieldingly movement of said U-shaped channel toward said base; an upwardly extending projection fixed to the forward end of said U-s'naped channel; a right angle bracket extending between the bottom of said U-shaped channel and said pin and extending vertically upwardly from said U-shaped channel forward of said pin; a shaft retained in and disposed between said upwardly extending projection on the forward end of said U-shaped channel and the vertically extending portion of said right angle bracket; a pusher member to fit over said U-shaped channel, said pusher member having a downwardly extending projection with a hole therethrough to fit around said shaft; a spring to fit around said shaft between said right angle bracket and said pusher member projection; an apron fixed to the bottom of said U-shaped channel and extending upwardly in spaced relation from the sides and front of said U-shaped channel Yat the front end thereof, said apron having hook means at its rearward end on each sideof said U-shaped channel to extend upwardly and forwardly; and a cover plate pivoted from the pin in a position to t over -the top of said U-shaped channel at least along each side thereof and along the sides of said U-shaped channel from the rearward end thereof to the rearward end of said apron, said cover plate having hook means on each side of said U-shaped channel at the position of said apron hook means to extend downwardly and rearwardly to engage said apron hook means.

4. A stapler comprising: a base having a pair of vertically extending ears; Ia cover; a staple driver fixed to the forward end of said cover to drive staples extending substantially vertically downwardly therefrom and having a vertical longitudinal slot through it; a U-shaped channel to tit between the legs of and support a row of staples, said U-shaped channel being provided with axial slots through each side thereof at Vits rearward end; a pin to extend through both ears of said base, through said cover,l

and through said axial slots in the sides of said U-shaped channel, said slots being longer than the diameter of said pin to permit movement of said U-shaped channel relative thereto; rst resilient means to resist yieldingly movement of said cover toward said U-shaped channel; second resilient means to resist yieldingly movement of said U-shaped channel toward said base; a pusher member to iit over said U-shaped channel; third resilient means to urge said pusher member toward the forward end of said vU-shapeci channel relative to said pin; an apron fixed to the bottom of said U-shaped channel and extending upwardly in spaced yrelation from the sides and front of the magazine at the front end thereof, said apron having hoolemeans at its rearward end on each side of said U-shaped channel to extend upwardly and forwardly; and a cover plate pivoted from the pin in a position to iit over thetop of said U-shaped channel Y at least along each side thereof and along the sides of said U-shaped channel from the rearward end thereof to the rearward end of said apron, said cover plate also having a forwardly extending projection to t in said staple driver slot, said cover plate Vhaving hook means on each side of said apron hook means to extend downwardly and rearwardly to engage said apron hook means.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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