US2224461A - Staple strip - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1940; s. M. OBSTFELD 2,224,461

STAPLE STRIP Filed Feb. 7, 1938 INVENT ATTORNEY:

Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAPLE STRIP Application February 7, 1938, Serial No. 189,062

2 Claims.

This invention relates to stapling devices and is herein disclosed as embodied in frozen staples used in stapling together sheets of paper.

In the older types of machines it was possible 5 by a glance to note the position of the feed devices, and thus be informed of the approximate number of available staples remaining in the machine.

Modern stapling machines have been more and 10 more of types which cover or hide the working parts of the machine-the various springs, drive plungers, feed mechanisms, and magazines being covered by the sheet metal structure of the body of the machine, or by special shields, which eliminate angular projections and help to make the machine dust proof and weather proof.

The sheet metal forms and shields usually serve to increase the ruggedness of the modern machines while keeping them conveniently light for handling in an office but they make it impossible by a quick glance at the machine to readily ascertain approximately how many staples remain in the magazine of the machine.

As a result the user may be operating the machine and drive the last staple without realizing that the supply is exhausted and continue to strike three orfour blows on the drive plunger without driving and clinching a staple.

Sometimes no notice is taken of the failure to fasten papers together, with the result that papers supposed to be fastened together are filed separately in separate files and thus lost track of with consequent loss of time and even more serious consequences.

At other times the user notices that no staples are being driven and clinched and thoughtlessly condemns the machine, possibly physically abusing it sufiiciently to break it, or, more often, declaring the machine to be useless and demanding that it be discarded or returned to the maker as defective.

Another serious consequence arises when the last staple is used and it is discovered that no available stock is on hand to draw upon, but that further work must be delayed until a new supply is obtained from the maker or dealer.

It has been proposed to overcome these difiiculties by causing the machine to operate an audible signal, as by ringing a bell, when the last staple is used or one near the last, but such a device often failed to attract attention in the noise of a busy office, and, moreover, introduced complexities into the devices, making them more likely to get out of order.

According to the present invention these and other difilculties and objections are overcome and means are provided for notifying the staple user that the staple magazine needs replenishing or needs replenishing shortly. And for this purpose the staples need not be frozen" to- 5 gether but may be in the older cartridge form.

To effect this end, in the form shown, the frozen strips of staples ready to be inserted in the machine carry a device at or near one or both ends of the strip indicating that the strip is nearly exhausted. The device may be carried by any form of staple strip and may take any adequate form.

The invention is shown as used in connection with a modification oi the machine shown in Drypolchers patent application, Serial Number 744,654.

Although it is possible to utilize a device in the form of a distorted staple, it is usually preferable to use smooth staples that fit identically 2 into the device, and to provide visible indicators in the form of colored crowns for staples at or near the strip end. It is possible to so mark or color the crowns of successive staples that the marks, color dots or tints indicate how nearly exhausted is the supply of staples in the machine, or merely that the last staple has been used or that a defined supply is available.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective side view of that conventional form of stapling machine showing the present invention in use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a unit strip of frozen staples embodying one form of the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing successively some of the staples clinched at intervals in a paper sheet.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of .a unit strip of frozen staples embodying another form of the invention. 4

Figure 5 is a perspective of some of the staples of Figure 4 clinched as in Figure 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2 upwards of fifty staples l0, each including a crown H and legs I! and I3 are frozen together by an adhesive in any well-known or desired manner, so that they form an easily handled unit strip l4. The strip of "frozen" staples usually does not break apart when inserted into the magazines l5 of a standard stapling machine l6, but each staple I0 is easily detached when the driving blade I! drives the end staple downwardly so that its legs clinch on the clincher plate ll.

Upon return of the blade I! by pressure of its spring, not shown, the strip or unit I feeds forward on the magazine l5 under pressure of its spring not shown, to bring another staple under the blade II.

In the form shown, when about ten staples l remain in the magazine I5, the staple under the blade I! is one of which the ends of its crown II are marked or colored, so that when the blade is driven down and that staple clinched on a sheet I 9, it shows a mark or spot 20 as illustrated in Figure 3 at each end of its crown I I.

When the next staple I0, or the next but one, is clinched as shown in Figure 3, it shows marks 2! longer than the spots 20. These spots or longer marks 2| warn the user that an additional supply of staples will be needed shortly, and the further length of the marks 22 on another clinched staple indicate the nearer approach to the last staple.

Successive staples 23, 24, 25 and 26 show longer and longer marks 22, and, incidentally closer together, until the last staple 26 shows a continuous mark covering the whole staple crown.

This warns the user that no further stapling is possible without a further supply of staples.

In the stapling machine shown, the needed additional staples may be inserted long before the first supply is exhausted. But ordinarily the additional staples will not be inserted until the first mark 20 shows the approaching need for them.

An alternative form of the invention which is shown in Figure 4 provides an indicating system adapted to always indicate how many unused staples still remain in the stapling machine.

To this end the staple II, near the center of the strip I4 is shown as provided with end marks 21 on the crown, and the adjacent staple I with marks 28 almost at the ends of the crown, and so on successively nearer together until the end staple bears a central mark 29, indicating that the last staple has been used, the relationship of the marks being diagrammatically shown in Figure on staples clinched in a sheet 30.

The marks shown in both Figures 2 and 4 on the staple crowns run symmetrically toward each end of each strip H, thus making it immaterial which end of a strip is placed adjacent the driving blade end of the magazine. The staples themselves may carry the signalling devices such as the color forming the spots 20, 2|, 22, 28, 29 or, when color is used, the spots may b applied as part of the somewhat fragile adhesive which "freez'es the individual staples together, or may be applied over the adhesive.

Having thus described certain embodiments of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a staple strip, a series of staples, indicating devices carried by final staples of the strip to indicate that one of the final staples has been driven, so that as a stapling machine is operated to feed forward and drive concealed staples the last staple on the strip will indicate that it is the final staple.

2. In a staple strip, a series of staples, indicating devices carried by several staples of the strip indicating by position the position of the several staples in the strip, so that as a stapling machine is operated to feed forward and drive concealed staples the driven staple indicates approximately the number of staples remaining in the strip.

SOLOMON MICHAEL OBSTFELD.

Images