GB2148773A - Stapler - Google Patents

Abstract

A stapler has an upper arm (50), an intermediate member (70), a staple container (60) and a base arm (40). Upper arm (50) and base arm (40) as well as intermediate member (70) and staples container (60) are pivoted together at their rear ends. Upper arm (50) and intermediate member (70) are rotatably pinned together (5, 71), fig. 4, not shown, at the front ends and base arm (40) has a rotatable head plate (80) having a staple bending groove (81). Upper arm (50) and base arm (40) are split into extensible female upper arm (51) and male upper arm (52) and extensible female base arm (41) and male base arm (42) respectively. Such a stapler provides a lengthened and 360 DEG stapling action. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stapler This invention relates to a stapler, and more particularly to a stapler providing a 360C all around action and a lengthened stapling effect.

Atypical prior art stapler is shown in Fig. 1.This has a pressing member 10, a staple container 20 and a base member 30 pivotally mounted together by a pin 1. Pressing member 10 has a striking plate 11 for impinging staples and base member 30 has a head portion having a staple bending groove 31. It is our experience that such a stapler can only work around the periphery of a work piece and is incapable of working at a place, the distance from where to a side of a work piece is larger than the depth D of the mouth of the stapler. In addition, it is impossible to staple a staple in a direction other than perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stapler. The Applicant has therefore attempted to overcome the shortcomings described above of the prior staplers.

According to the present invention, a stapler comprises an upper arm having a front end and a rear end, a staple container having a forward end for passing a staple at a time and a backward end, an intermediate member mounted between the upper arm and the container, having one end rotatably engaged with the front end, having a striking plate provided alongside the forward end for impinging the staple and elastically embracing the container and a base arm having a head portion for bending the staple and an end portion pivotally mounted together with the rear end so that the intermediate member can rotate against the front end to provide a 360 all around stapling effect.

Generally the intermediate member has a plate spring for urging the container and is pivotally mounted together with the backward end at the other end of the one end.

Preferably the upper arm and the base arm are extensible. The upper arm includes a male upper arm which has a first enlargement, a first depression and a first inward end flange and a female upper arm which has a first corresponding depression, a first corresponding enlargement and a first outward end flange. The base arm includes a male base arm which has a second enlargement, a second depression and a second inward end flange and a female base arm which has a second corresponding depression, a second corresponding enlargement and a second outward end flange. The male arms and the female arms are thus in slidable engagement and the inward as well as the outward end flanges stop the slide of the male and the female arms when the outermost extension of the upper and the base arms is reached.

Preferably the upper and the base arms have a stepping predetermined extension to provide a preferable stapling action.

For simplicity, each of the englargements of the male arms is provided with a hole for receiving a spring and a ball nearthe first or second inward end flange and each of the corresponding depressions of the female arms is provided with a plurality of shallow sockets in sliding direction for transiently retaining the ball.

Preferably the one end of the intermediate member is rotatably and elastically engaged with the front end and the engaging surfaces of the one end and the front end are provided with a plurality of regular projections or corresponding indentations around the rotating axis of the intermediate member so that the one end and the front end are kept in close engagement whether the projections and the indentations are in engagement or not.

The rotatable and elastic engagement between the front end and the one end can be achieved by providing the front end with a through hole and a coaxial non-through hole having a diameter larger than that of the through hole, the one end with an upward cylinder received in the through hole and the cylinder provided with a threaded hole, a spring and a screw screwed into the threaded hole to urge the spring against the bottom surface of the nonthrough hole.

Preferably the striking plate has a rotating axis in alignment with that of the intermediate member so that the head portion can be provided with a plurality of staple bending grooves around a center point.

Alternatively the head portion may include a head plate having a staple bending groove and a head base and wherein the head plate is rotatably and elastically engaged with the head base and the engaging surfaces of the head plate and the head base are provided with a plurality of second regular projections or second corresponding indentation around the rotating axis of the head plate so that the head plate and the head base are kept in close engagement whether the projections and the indentations are in engagement or not.

Certainly the head base rotatably and elastically engaged with the head plate can be achieved by provisions like those of the front end and the one end, i.e. by providing the head base with a second through hole and a second coaxial non-through hole having a diameter larger than that of the second through hole, the head plate with a downward cylinder received in the second through hole and the downward cylinder provided with a second threaded hole, a spring and a second screw screwed into the second threaded hole to urge the second spring against the top surface of the second nonthrough hole.

Additionally the engaging surfaces of the upper arm and the intermediate member can be provided with a protrusion and a corresponding recess to assure a preferable original engagement.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a known stapler; Fig. 2 is a preferred embodiment of a stapler of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the engagement of an upper arm and an intermediate member of a stapler of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the engagement of an upper arm and an intermediate member of a stapler of the present invention; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of a stapler of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the engagement of a head plate and a head base as well as male arms and female arms of a stapler of the present invention; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a stapler of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 2, there is shown a stapler of the present invention which comprises a base arm 40, an upper arm 50, an intermediate member 70 and a staple container 60. The pivoting engagement at the ends of upper arm 50 and base arm 40 as well as intermediate member 70 and staple container 60 are known in the related art and therefore will not be described here.

The engagement of upper arm 50 and intermediate member 70 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Upper arm 50 has a through hole 510 and a nonthrough hole 520 larger than through hole 510 in diameter. Intermediate member 70 has an upward cylinder 71 and a threaded hole 72 on cylinder 71.

The engaging surfaces of upper arm 50 and intermediate member 70 are provided with four indentations 530 and four corresponding projections 73 respectively for predetermined engagement. A screw 5, through a spring 7, screwed into threaded hole 72 urges spring 7 against the bottom surface of non-through hole 520. In addition, the striking plate 74 has a rotating axis in alignment with the axis of screw 5, as shown in Fig. so that the staple receiving portion (which will be described later) on base arm 40 need not translate while intermediate member 70 is rotating.

As shown in Fig. 5, the staple receiving portion includes a head plate 80 and a head base 48. Head plate 80 has a staple bending groove 81, a downward cylinder 82, a threaded hole 83 on cylinder 82 and four projections 84. Head base 48 has a through hole 401 for receiving cylinder 82, a non-through hole 402 larger than through hole 401 in diameter and four corresponding indentations 403. A screw 404, through a spring 405, screwed into threaded hole 83 urges spring 405 against the top surface of non-through hole 402. Such an arrangement of the staple receiving portion enables a concurrent rotating adjustment in accordance with the rotation of intermediate member 70 to set the bending groove 81 in the correct serving position.

As shown in Fig. 5, it is seen that upper arm 50 is split into a female upper arm 51 and a male upper arm 52 and base arm 40 is split into a female base arm 41 and a male base arm 42. Each of male upper arm 52 and male base arm 42 has one of the two enlargements 525,425, two depressions 526,426, two inward flanges 521, 421, two holes 522,422, two springs 523,423 and two balls 524,424 respectively.

Each of female upper arm 51 and female base arm 41 has one of the two outward flanges 511,411, two sets of four shallow sockets 512,412,two corresponding depressions 513,413 and two corresponding enlargements 514,414 respectively so that either upper arm 50 or base arm 40 has four extensible positions and the extension is stopped by the engagement of flanges 511, 521 or 411, 421 when arm 52, spring 523, ball 524 and arm 51 as well as arm 42, spring 423, ball 424 and arm 41 are assembled and heatronicallycovered by the two plates 53, 43 respectively.

A sectional view in Fig. 6 shows upper arm 50 and base arm 40 in second extensible position.

As shown in Fig. 7, intermediate member 70 is perpendicular to upper arm 50. It is also seen that the staple receiving portion is a cross bending groove 81' on base arm 40. Groove 81' can do the same work as the assembly of head plate 80 and head base 48 in a four-direction embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the free end 702 of intermediate member 70 is provided with a projection 75 and a corresponding indentation 55 is provided atthe corresponding position of upper arm 50 so that a stapler of the present invention has a more firm engagement in the original position, i.e.

with the whole intermediate member 70 right beneath upper arm 50.

Claims (12)

1. A stapler characterised in that said stapler comprises: an upper arm having a front end and a rear end; a staple container having a forward end for passing a staple at a time and a backward end; an intermediate member mounted between said upper arm and said container, having one end rotatably engaged with said front end, having a striking plate provided alongside said forward end for impinging said staple and elastically embracing said container; and a base arm having a head portion for bending said staple and an end portion pivotally mounted together with said rear end; whereby said intermediate member can rotate against said front end to provide a 360" all around stapling action.

2. A stapler according to Claim 1 characterised in that said intermediate member has a plate spring for urging said container and is pivotally mounted together with said backward end at the other end of said one end.

3. A staple according to Claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said upper arm and said base arm are extensible.

4. A stapler according to Claim 1,2 or 3, characterised in that said upper arm includes: a male upper arm having a first enlargement, a first depression and a first inward end flange; and a female upper arm having a first corresponding depression, a first corresponding enlargement and a first outward end flange; and said base arm includes a male base arm having a second enlargement, a second depression and a second inward end flange; and a female base arm having a second corresponding depression, a second corresponding enlargement and a second outward end flange whereby said male arms and said female arms are in slidable engagement and said inward as well as said outward end flanges stop the slide of said male and said female arms when the outermost extension of said upper and said base arms is reached.

5. A stapler according to Claim 3 or 4 characterised in that said arms have a stepping predetermined extension.

6. A stapler according to Claim 4 or 5 characterised in that each of the enlargements of said male arms is provided with a hole for receiving a spring and a ball near said first or second inward end flange and each of said corresponding depressions of said female arms is provided with a plurality of shallow sockets in sliding direction for transiently retaining said ball.

7. A stapler according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said one end of said intermediate member is rotatably and elastically engaged with said front end and the engaging surfaces of said one end and said front end are provided with a plurality of regular projections of corresponding indentations around the rotating axis of said intermediate member so that said one end and said front end are kept in close engagement whether said projections and said indentations are in engagement or not.

8. A stapler according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said stapler further includes: said front end having a through hole and a coaxial non-through hole having a diameter larger than that of said through hole; said one end having an upward cylinder received in said through hole and said cylinder provided with a threaded hole; a spring; and a screw screwed into said threaded hole to urge said spring against the bottom surface of said non-through hole.

9. A stapler according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said striking plate has a rotating axis in alignment with that of said intermediate member and said head portion is provided with a plurality of staples bending grooves around a centre point.

10. A stapler according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that said head portion includes a head plate having a staples bending groove; and a head base wherein said head plate is rotatably and elastically engaged with said head base and the engaging surfaces of said head plate and said head base are provided with a plurality of second regular projections or second corresponding indentations around the rotating axis of said head plate so that said head plate and said head base are kept in close engagement whether said projections and said indentations are in engagement or not.

11. A stapler according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 or Claim 10, characterised in that said stapler further includes: said head base having a second through hole and a second coaxial non-through hole having a diameter larger than that of said second through hole; said head plate having a downward cylinder received in said second through hole and said downward cylinder provided with a second threaded hole; a second spring; and a second screw screwed into said second threaded hole to urge said second spring against the top surface of said second non-through hole.

12. A stapler substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 2 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.