GB1578075A - Stapler with magnetic feed means - Google Patents

Description

(54) STAPLER WITH MAGNETIC FEED MEANS (71) We, OFREX GROUP LIMITED, a British Company of Ofrex House, Stephen Street, London W1A 1EA, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a stapler and more particularly relates to a stapler suitable for use in stapling sheets of paper together.

Staplers for use in stapling sheets together are well known and are adapted to utilise staples which are initially "U" shaped configuration, the free ends of the two side arms of the "U" being deformed when the stapler is operated, the arms simultaneously penetrating a plurality of sheets of paper to bind the sheets of paper together.

At the present time such staplers usually comprise a base having a shoe mounted thereon, the shoe being provided with a groove or grooves, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. A lever assembly is provided which is mounted over the base, the lever assembly comprising a guide means containing a strip of "U" shaped staples, there being an ejection slot at one end of the guide means. Mounted within the lever is an ejection blade which is adapted to engage a staple located over the ejection slot. Spring means are provided to bias the strip of staples towards the ejection slot, and in operation of the device as staples are successively ejected from the ejection slot by the ejector blade, the spring means urges the strip of staples towards the ejection slot so the next staple is moved into position ready for ejection.As the staples are ejected through the ejection slot the free arms of the staples pass through one or more sheets of paper located under the ejection slot, the arms of the staple then being deformed by engagement with the grooves or recesses formed in the said shoe in the base.

The provision of spring means to bias the staples towards the slot is a relatively expensive expedient, and it is often a difficult operation to insert staples into a stapler provided with such a spring arrangement. Furthermore, the spring arrangement includes a relatively large number of moving parts, and, of course, it will be appreciated that the reliability of a device is, generally speaking, an inverse function of the number of moving parts.

The present invention seeks to provide a stapler in which the above described disadvantages of prior proposed staplers are obviated or reduced.

According to the broadest aspect of this invention there is provided a stapler comprising guide means for accommodating a strip of staples, an ejection slot at one end thereof, means for ejecting staples through said ejection slot, and magnetic means for biassing a strip of staples contained within said guide means towards said ejection slot.

Conveniently the stapler may comprise a foot member or base, an ejection mechanism being pivotally connected to the foot member or base. Conveniently the ejection mechanism may comprise one member defining a guide for accommodating a strip of staples, said member also defining an ejection slot for staples adjacent one end of the guide. Preferably the member is provided with a magnet mounted adjacent said one end of the guide for magnetically attracting a strip of staples contained within the guide. Conveniently the ejection mechanism comprises a second member which is pivoted with an ejector blade adapted to eject a staple through the ejection slot.

The magnetic means may, alternatively, be located on the ejection member, although they may be located at any other convenient position.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a stapler in accordance with the present invention with the various parts opened up for clarity of illustration, FIGURE 2 is a side view of the stapler of Figure 1, partly in section and, FIGURE 3 is a further perspective view of the stapler of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a stapling machine 1 in accordance with the present invention resembles a conventional stapling machine in which the staples are biased into position by means of a spring, save that the spring is omitted, and a magnet is provided at one end of the member which defines a channel for accomodating the staples.

Thus, the stapling device comprises a foot member 2 which is provided, at one end thereof, with a rotatable shoe 3. The rotatable shoe is provided with recesses 4 therein, and the arrangement is such that when staples 5 are ejected through a staple ejection slot 6 (which will be described hereinafter), the free ends of the arms of the staples are deformed or deflected by the grooves. The shoe 3 may be rotated to select a desired type of deformation, i.e., outward splay or inward deformation.

At the other end of the foot member is a pivotal support 7, the pivotal support supporting a guide channel defining member 8 and an operating member 9. These members are both pivotally supported about the same pivotal axls 10. The guide channel defining member 8 comprises a substantially "U" shaped member which has two inner flanges mounted on the interior thereof, the combination of the inner flanges and the side walls of the "U" sectioned member defining a guide channel which accommodates the side arms of a strip of co-aligned staples 5, each of "U" shaped configuration. At the end of the guide member 8 remote from the point of pivotal connection there of to the base 2 is an ejection slot 6, the ejection slot having the width of one staple.

Mounted adjacent the ejection slot is a magnet 11, the magnet 11 being held in position by a "U" shaped bracket 12 which embraces the magnet and also embraces part of the member defining the guide channel. The magnet 11 attracts the staples contained within the guide member towards the ejection slot 6.

The operating lever 9 comprises an ejector blade 13 which is adapted to urge staples successively through the ejection slot 6. A spring biassing member 14 is prwided within the operating lever to bias the ejector blade 13 away from the staples after operation of the device to permit the strip of staples 5 to move readily along the guide to position the next staple ready for ejection, the staples moving under the influence of the magnet 11.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A stapler comprising guide means for accommodating a strip of staples, an ejection slot at one end thereof, means for ejecting staples through said ejection slot, and magnetic means for biassing a strip of staples contained within said guide means towards said ejection slot.

2. A stapler according to Claim 1 comprising a foot member or base, and an ejection mechanism pivotally connected to the foot member or base.

3. A stapler according to Claim 2 wherein the ejection mechanism comprises one member defining a guide for accommodating a strip of staples, said member also defining an ejection slot for staples adjacent one end of the guide.

4. A stapler according to Claim 3 wherein the guide member is provided with a magnet, constituting said magnetic means, mounted adjacent said one end of the guide for mag netically attracting a strip of staples contained within the guide.

5. A stapler according to Claim 3 and Claim 4 wherein the ejection mechanism comprises a second member which is an ejection member provided with an ejector blade adapted to eject a staple through the ejection slot.

6. A stapler according to Claim 5 as dependent upon Claim 3 wherein said magnetic means are located on the ejection member.

7. A stapler substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Referring to the drawings, a stapling machine 1 in accordance with the present invention resembles a conventional stapling machine in which the staples are biased into position by means of a spring, save that the spring is omitted, and a magnet is provided at one end of the member which defines a channel for accomodating the staples. Thus, the stapling device comprises a foot member 2 which is provided, at one end thereof, with a rotatable shoe 3. The rotatable shoe is provided with recesses 4 therein, and the arrangement is such that when staples 5 are ejected through a staple ejection slot 6 (which will be described hereinafter), the free ends of the arms of the staples are deformed or deflected by the grooves. The shoe 3 may be rotated to select a desired type of deformation, i.e., outward splay or inward deformation. At the other end of the foot member is a pivotal support 7, the pivotal support supporting a guide channel defining member 8 and an operating member 9. These members are both pivotally supported about the same pivotal axls 10. The guide channel defining member 8 comprises a substantially "U" shaped member which has two inner flanges mounted on the interior thereof, the combination of the inner flanges and the side walls of the "U" sectioned member defining a guide channel which accommodates the side arms of a strip of co-aligned staples 5, each of "U" shaped configuration. At the end of the guide member 8 remote from the point of pivotal connection there of to the base 2 is an ejection slot 6, the ejection slot having the width of one staple. Mounted adjacent the ejection slot is a magnet 11, the magnet 11 being held in position by a "U" shaped bracket 12 which embraces the magnet and also embraces part of the member defining the guide channel. The magnet 11 attracts the staples contained within the guide member towards the ejection slot 6. The operating lever 9 comprises an ejector blade 13 which is adapted to urge staples successively through the ejection slot 6. A spring biassing member 14 is prwided within the operating lever to bias the ejector blade 13 away from the staples after operation of the device to permit the strip of staples 5 to move readily along the guide to position the next staple ready for ejection, the staples moving under the influence of the magnet 11. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A stapler comprising guide means for accommodating a strip of staples, an ejection slot at one end thereof, means for ejecting staples through said ejection slot, and magnetic means for biassing a strip of staples contained within said guide means towards said ejection slot.

2. A stapler according to Claim 1 comprising a foot member or base, and an ejection mechanism pivotally connected to the foot member or base.

3. A stapler according to Claim 2 wherein the ejection mechanism comprises one member defining a guide for accommodating a strip of staples, said member also defining an ejection slot for staples adjacent one end of the guide.

4. A stapler according to Claim 3 wherein the guide member is provided with a magnet, constituting said magnetic means, mounted adjacent said one end of the guide for mag netically attracting a strip of staples contained within the guide.

5. A stapler according to Claim 3 and Claim 4 wherein the ejection mechanism comprises a second member which is an ejection member provided with an ejector blade adapted to eject a staple through the ejection slot.

6. A stapler according to Claim 5 as dependent upon Claim 3 wherein said magnetic means are located on the ejection member.

7. A stapler substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.