194,371. Fisher, C. E. Dec. 6, 1921. Stapling.-In a brush-making machine comprising means for forming staples and applying them to wisps of bristle and means for driving the staples into the brush stock, the staple-guides are adapted to be moved relatively to each other to set the staple-prongs more closely together after the staples have straddled the wisps. As shown, the staple-forming and driving mechanism comprises upper and lower slides 105, 106, respectively, which are movable in vertical guides 107, the upper slide carrying a staple-driving rod 121 extending downwardly between a pair of staple-guides 122 carried by the lower slide. The upper slide 105 is reciprocated by a link 108 connected to one end of a lever 109, the other end of which is connected by a rod 111 to a crank-arm on a rotating shaft 9. The slide 105 has a laterally-projecting arm 105<a> supporting pivotally a bellcrank lever 113, one arm of which carries a roller 114 engaging a guideway 116, of the form shown. The other end of the lever is pivotally connected to a link L comprising two cross-heads 118<a>, 118b adjustably connected together, to the lower of which the slide 106 is attached. The staple-guides 122 are mounted on pivots 123 carried by the slide 106, and at their upper ends are provided with rollers 125 spring-pressed towards each other and adapted to bear upon opposite edges of a cam-strip 126 adjustably secured to the rod 121. The lower edges of the guides are recessed to receive the staples and the ends 122b are slightly convergent. In operation the staple-guides 122 and the driving rod 121 move downwardly in fixed relation to each other during the time that the lever 113 engages the vertical part of the guideway 116, the rollers 125 meanwhile engaging the portion 126<d> of the strip 126. During this part of the movement the staple-guides bend a strip of wire held by a movable, vice into the form of a staple, which is pressed into the recesses in the guides and remains there while the vice recedes. As the guides move downwards the staple is carried over a wisp of bristle and thereupon the lever 113 commences to engage the inclined portion of the guideway 116 causing the driving-rod 121 to move faster than the staple-guides and the rollers 125 to engage the wide portion 126<c> of the cam-strip whereby the lower ends of the staple-guides are brought more closely together and the prongs of the staple are made to converge. As the staple-guides continue to descend the rollers 125 engage the portions 126<b> and 126<a> of the camstrip causing the lower ends of the staple-guides to diverge to permit the staple to fall down to the inturned ends 122<b> of the guides past which it is driven by the rod 121 into the brush stock. The lower ends of the staple-guides are accurately positioned with respect to the holes in the brush stock by a guide 129 pivotally mounted in a shaft 130 and provided with converging sides 129a, within which the edges of the staple-guides fit closely when in their lowest position. The shaft 130 is provided with a crank-arm 131 connected to one end of a link 132, to the other end of which is connected a bell-crank lever 133 pivoted to a bracket 135 and carrying a roller 136 engaging a cam-groove 137<a>, in a rotating cam-wheel 137. The wheel is designed to move the guide . 129 out of alignment with the staple-guides during their upward movement, the brush block being shifted at the same time to bring a new hole into position. The guide is returned to receive the guides on their next descent.