US2623729A - Stitch puller - Google Patents

Description

30, 1952 E. L. SELBY 2,623,729

STITCH FULLER Filed Sept. 19, 1950 2 SX-IEETS-Sl-IEET 1 .gmummnmu IN V ENTOR. E'ASTOJVL. fins Dec. 30, 1952 E. L. SELBY 2,623,729-

STITCH FULLER Filed Sept. 19, 1950 2 SI-IEETS SI-IEET .2

INVENTOR. .E'dqazvl. 6251356 HTTOENZ'E/I Patented Dec. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims.

The present invention relates to a stitch puller, and more particularly to an inexpensive and simple, yet highly efiective, device for withdrawing metal-wire stitches (sometimes called staples) from books, magazines, pamphlets, and the like (hereinafter referred to generally as books) In the manufacture of many books, the leaves are gathered into proper order, either manually or mechanically, and then while the leaves are maintained in such order, they are secured together by driving U-shaped metal-wire stitches therethrough and clinching the free ends of the legs of said stitches on the remote side of the stack of leaves. It sometimes happens that the leaves are gathered in improper order, or that one or more of the leaves of the stack may slip out of proper registry before the stitches are driven. For these or other reasons, it is occasionally, and sometimes frequently, necessary to withdraw the clinched stitches to permit reclamation of the improperly-stitched stack of leaves. Sometimes withdrawal of the stitches is necessary for still other reasons.

Successful withdrawal of such stitches, es pecially from relatively thick books, without preliminary unclinching of the leg ends thereof, is an arduous task when performed with pliers or with an unguided prying tool; and removal of stitches with such tools almost inevitably results in some damage to the cover or the top leaf of the stitched stack. It is the primary object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism which can be used by relatively unskilled persons to perform the withdrawing operation with a minimum of exertion, a minimum of damage to the books being reclaimed, and a maximum of speed.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of stitch puller constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view therethrough showing the device in operation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof seen from the left of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of lever forming a part of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention specifically intended for pulling saddle-type stitches.

Referring more particularly to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown a base plate It provided at one edge with an upturned abutment wall II, a tongue I2 being allowed to remain in the plane of the plate IEI, leaving a cut-out or interruption It in the length of the wall II. The plate is preferably provided with a pair of perforations Iii, and the tongue I2 is provided with a perforation I2 through which fastening devices may be projected to secure the base plate to a bench or table 53, if desired.

A top plate It is provided with a downturned flange I5 which, as is most clearly to be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, overlaps the wall II and is secured thereto by bolts, screws, or other equivalent fastening means I6 to retain the top plate I14 in substantial spaced parallelism with the base plate Iil. The flange I5 is cutaway, as at H, and the top plate It is similarly cut away or notched to define separated sections I8 and I9; or the top plate I l and flange It may comprise two completely separate sections, as shown. At any rate, the formation of the top plate is such as to define spaced, parallel, mutually-facing walls or edges 20 and 2 I.

A carriage or frame, indicated generally by the reference numeral 22, comprises a presser plate 23 having an edge 2'; disposed substantially in guiding engagement with the abutment wall II, said edge 24 being interrupted by a slot or notch 25. Located on opposite sides of said notch are d upstanding frame members which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, take the form of parallel plates 26 and 21 rigidly fixed to the presser plate 23. Each plate 26 and 21 is formed with a downwardly-opening slot 23 so located that, when the edge 24 of the presser plate 23 engages the inner surface of the wall II, the notches 28 embrace or straddle said wall, as is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. Thereby, the carriage is guided for rectilinear vertical. reciprocation with respect to the base plate Iii.

A pin 29 spans the space between the plates 26 and 21, its opposite ends penetrating suitably formed perforations in the respective plates, and said pin being held against axial movement by cotter pins or the like, 39, 38, passing through the pin and respectively engaging the plates 26 and 21.

A lever 3!, provided with a stitch-engaging toe 32 at one end thereof, is formed, near that end, with a slot 33 elongated in the direction of length of the lever. The transverse dimension of the slot 33 is substantially equal to the diameter of the pin 29; and said lever is supported upon the carriage 22, by passage of the pin 26 through said slot, for oscillatory and transaxial movement relative to the fixed axis of the pin 29. At its end opposite the toe 32, the lever is provided with a handle 35.

In each of the plates 26 and 21, between the location of the pin 29 and the slot 28, there is formed a vertically elongated guideway slot 35. A pin 35, preferably of the same diameter as the pin 29, has its opposite ends received in the slots 35 of the respective p ates 26 and 21, the transverse dimensions of said slots corresponding to the diameter of the pin, whereby said pin 36 is guided for vertical-reciprocation relative to the plates 25 and 2'! and the pin 29. Spacer sleeves 31 and 33 are loosely mounted on the pin 36 between the lever SI and the plates 26 and 21, respectively, thereby restraining said lever against movement axially of the pin 29 and restricting it to movement substantially in a single plane approximately midway between the planes of the plates 26 and 21. The opposite end portions of the pin 35 extend past the plates 26 and 21, washers 39 and 45 being loosely mounted on the pin outside the respective plates and being held in position axially of the pin by cotter pins 4| and 42, or similar equivalent means. The length of the slot 33 exceeds the maximum distance between the pins 29 and 36 so that, regardless .of the oscillatory position of the lever 3|, it may be free for limited transaxial movement relative to the pin 29.

In Figs. 2 and 3, I have shown one conventional form of stitched book 43 in place in my stitch puller. plate 23 strikes the under surface of the top plate M. Then a book 43, of any thickness up to the maximum distance between the base plate It and the presser plate 23, may be inserted between said plates and pressed against the abutment -w-all A stitch 44 to be pulled will be located in registry with the notch 25. Now the carriage 22 will be permitted to drop until the plate 23 is supported upon the book 453.

Now, with the lever 3| fully retracted toward the right, the lever will be moved in a counterclockwise direction to bring its toe 32 into engagement with the top surface of the book 43, just to the right of the stitch 44 as viewed in Fig. 2. Now, the lever is moved to the left, exerting such downward pressure as may be necessary through the toe 32, to force the toe 32 beneath the transverse base portion of the stitch 44, the parts thus assuming the relative positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Now, by downward pressure on the'handle 34, the lever 3| will be caused to rock in a clockwise direction about the axis of the pin 29, thereby exerting a direct, upward pull upon the stitch 42. At the same time, the book 43 is held down, since the entire reactive force exerted upon the lever 3| is transmitted to the book 43 through the presser plate 23. The carriage 22 is prevented from rocking first by the fact that the lever 3| may rock freely upon the pin 29, and second by the fact that the plate 23 extends well to the right of the axis of the pin 29. The handle portion 34 of the lever being much farther from the axis of oscillation of the lever than is the toe 32, the user is given, of course, a very substantial mechanical advantage over the stitch 46, so that it is easy for the user to exert such force upon the stitch as will cause the free ends of the legs 35 and 46 thereof to be unclinched from the remote surface of the book,

The carriage 22 may be lifted until the invention, the finger 49 is provided with depending lateral skirt portions 55 through which passes a pivot pin 5| mounted in the lever near the toe 32. The adjacent end 52 of the finger 49 is bifurcated, its furcations 53 and 54 substantially registering with the lateral edges of the toe 32 so that, when the finger end 52 is pressed toward the toe 32', the shoulders 4'! and 43 of a stitch 44 will be gripped between the furcations 53 and E4 of the finger end 52, and the toe 32.

The opposite arm 55 of the finger t3 extends back over a portion of the lever 3| and curves downwardly below said lever, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. A leaf spring 55, anchored at 5'! on the lever, bears upon the finger arm 55, resiliently holding said finger in the position of Fig. 4, in which the finger end 52 is held out of cooperative relation with the toe 32 7 Means is provided for forcing the finger end 52 into cooperative relation with the toe 32 against the tendency of the spring 56. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a trigger 55 is mounted upon a pivot 59 closely adjacent the handle 34', so that the free end of the trigger may readily be pulled toward the handle 34' by a finger of the operators hand which engages the handle 34. A link is pivoted at 6| to the extremity of the arm 55 of the finger 49, and is pivoted at 62 to the trigger. Obviously, when the free end of the trigger 58 is moved toward the handle 34', the finger 49 will be swung in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 5| against the tendency of the spring'55 to press the finger end 52 into cooperative relation with the toe 32 and to grip the shoulders 41 and 48 of a stitch 44 under which the toe 32' has theretofore been inserted.

As has been stated, some books are saddle stitched; and the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 is not particularly well adapted for withdrawing saddle stitching. In Fig. 6, I have illustrated a modified form of my invention specifically intended for use in connection with saddle stitching. According to this phase of the invention, an anvil 63, of generally inverted V cross section, is suitably secured to a bench 9 or the like with its apex es upwardly presented. The saddle 65 of a book 55 carrying stitches 51 is supported upon the apex 54 of the anvil 53 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 6.

In this form of the invention, the carriage 58 is free, and the presser plate 69 is formed as an inverted V with its apex l0 upwardly presented. A slot 'H intersects the apex 10 of said presser plate. Plate-like frame members [2 and 13 are fixed to said presser plate on opposite sides of the notch H, and extend upwardly therefrom. A pin M is supported by said frame members upon a fixed axis parallel to the apex E0 of the presser plate and passes through a slot 15 in a lever '55 to support said lever for oscillatory and transaxial movement relative to said pin. The stitch-engaging toe ll of the lever 15 is adapted to be projected through the slot "H, and the lever 5 is guided by a pin T9 mounted in slots J8 in the plates 12 and 13, as :in the previously-described embodiment of theinvention.

With the book 65 in its illustrated position, the presser plate 69 is rested upon the saddle 66 of said book, which, in turn, is supported upon the anvil 63, the slot H registering with one of the stitches 61. The 'V-shape of the presserplate and the anvil will assist in holding the carriage 68 against movement relative to the book while the lever H3 is operated, in the manner hereinabove described, to insert the toe 11 beneath the base-f the stitch 61 and to withdraw said stitch.

Obviously, the form of lever ill-ustratedin Figs. t and may be substituted for the specific lever 16 in the organization of Fig. 6, if desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stitch puller comprising parallel upright frame members, a rod supported in said members upon a fixed axis and spanning the space between said members, a lever having a stitchengaging toe, said lever being formed with a slot elongated in the direction of length of said lever but having a width substantially equal to the diameter of said rod, said lever being mounted between said frame members by passage of said rod through said slot, each of said frame members being formed to provide a guideway spaced from said rod axis and elongated in a direction transverse to a line joining said rod axis with said guideway, and an element supported in said guideways and traversing the space between said frame members in substantial parallelism with said rod, said element being movable longitudinally of said guideways and passing through said lever slot, said element being provided with means engaging said lever and said frame member to restrict movement of said lever toward either of said frame members.

2. The stitch puller of claim 1 in which the length of said slot exceeds the maximum distance between said rod and said element.

3. The stitch puller of claim 1 in which said element comprises a second rod having a diameter substantially equal to that of said first named rod and having its opposite end portions supported and guided in said guideways, respectively, and a spacer sleeve loosely mounted on said second rod on each side of said lever, each spacer sleeve having a diameter exceeding the width of said slot and having a length substantially equal to the distance from said lever to the adjacent frame member.

4. The stitch puller of claim 1 in which said guideways are slots penetrating said frame members, respectively, and said element comprises a second rod having a diameter substantially equal to that of said first-named rod and having its opposite end portions passing through and supported and guided in said guideway slots, respectively, a spacer sleeve loosely mounted on said second rod on each side of said lever, each spacer sleeve having a diameter exceeding the Width of said lever slot and having a length substantially equal to the distance from said lever to the adjacent frame member, and stop means at each end or" said second rod outside the adjacent frame member to restrict axial movement of said second rod.

5. A stitch puller comprising a base including an upright abutment, a carriage including a presser member substantially parallel with said base, a pair of upright, spaced frame members secured to said presser member and substantially perpendicular to said abutment, each frame member being formed with a slot opening toward said base and slidably embracing said abutment, fulcrum means spanning said frame members and supported thereby on an axis fixed relative to said :frame members, and a lever supported on said fulcrum for oscillatory and transaxial movement relative thereto, saidlever having a stitchengaging toe movable past the plane of said presser member toward said base.

6. The stitch'puller of claim 5 in which each frame member is formed to provide .a guideway substantially parallel with said slots, and a guide element supported in said guideways and cooperating with .said lever and said frame members to define the plane of movement of said lever.

7. A. stitch puller comprising a base plate having an upstanding wall at one edge thereof, a top plate supported from said wall, spaced from said base plate and substantially parallel therewith, said top plate having two sections separated in the direction of length of said wall, a carriage comprising two substantially parallel frame members separated in the direction of length of said wall and mounted between said top plate sections for guidance therebetween, a pre'sser plate bridging said frame members and secured thereto, said presser plate being located between said base plate and said top plate, each frame member being formed with a slot opening toward said base plate and slidably embracing said wall, fulcrum means spanning said frame members and supported thereby on an axis fixed relative to said frame members, and a lever supported on said fulcrum for oscillatory and transaxial movement relative thereto, said lever having a stitch-em gaging toe movable pastthe plane of said presser plate toward said base plate.

8. A stitch pull-er comprising a base plate having an upstanding wall at one edge thereof, a top plate supported from said wall, spaced from said base plate and substantially parallel therewith, said top plate having two sections separated in the direction of length of said wall, a carriage comprising two substantially parallel frame members separated in the direction of length of said wall and mounted between said top plate sections for guidance therebetween, a presser plate bridging said frame members and secured thereto, said presser plate being located between said base plate and said top plate and having one edge in guiding, slidable engagement with said wall, each frame member being formed with a slot opening toward said base plate and slidably embracing said wall, fulcrum means spanning said frame members and supported thereby on an axis fixed relative to said frame members, and -a lever supported on said fulcrum for oscillatory and transaxial movement relative thereto, said lever having a. stitch-engaging toe and said presser plate having an opening therethrough located in the plane of movement of said lever toe.

9. A stitch puller comprising a presser plate, a pair of laterally-spaced, upstanding frame members fixed with respect to said presser plate, fulcrum means spanning the space between said frame members and carried by said members upon fixed axis, and a lever having a stitch engaging toe, said lever being formed with a slot elongated in the direction of length of said lever and supported on said fulcrum means by passage of said fulcrum means through said slot, said presser plate being formed with an opening therethrcugh to permit passage of said lever toe therethrough and said presser plate further being substantially V-shaped in cross section, the

apex of the V being upwardly directed and being intersected by said opening.

10. In combination, an anvil of substantially inverted V cross section adapted to support the saddle region of a saddle-stitched book, a presser plate of corresponding cross section adapted to rest upon the saddle region of such a book when the latter is supported on said anvil, said p-resser plate being formed with an opening therethrough intersecting its apex and adapted to register, when said presser plate so rests on a book, with a stitch seated in said book, frame members fixed to said presser plate on opposite sides of said opening projecting beyond said presser Plate apex, fulcrum means supported by, and spanning the space between, said frame members upon an axis fixed relative to said frame members, and a lever having a stitch-engaging toe projectible through said opening, said lever being provided with a slot therethrough elongated in the direction of length of said lever, said fulcrum means being seated in said slot to support said lever for oscillatory and transaxial movement about said axis.

11. In combination, an anvil of substantially inverted V cross section adapted to support the saddle region of a saddle-stitchedbook, a presser plate of corresponding cross section adapted to rest upon the saddle region of such a book when the latter is supported on said anvil, said presser plate being formed with an opening therethrough intersecting. its apex and adapted to register, when said presser plate so rests on a book, with a stitch seated in said book, frame members fixed to said presser plate on opposite sides of said opening projecting beyond said presser plate apex, fulcrum means supported by, and spanning the space between, said frame members upon an axis substantially parallel with said presser plate axis and fixed relative to said frame members, a lever having a stitch-engaging toe projectible through said opening, said lever being provided with a slot therethrough elongated in the direction of length of said lever, said fulcrum means being seated in said slot to support said lever for oscillatory and transaxial movement about said axis, and guide means supported by, and spanning the space between, said frame members, said guide means being seated in said lever slot and being movable relative to said frame members as said lever oscillates about said fulcrum axis, said guide means coacting with said lever and with said frame members to restrict movement of said lever axially of said fulcrum means.

12. A stitch puller comprising frame means, a fixed fulcrum supported on said frame means, a lever having a stitch-engaging toe, said lever being formed with a slot elongated in the direction of length of said lever and supported on said fulcrum by engagement of said fulcrum in said slot, guide means for said lever likewise engaging in said slot, said guide means being movably supported in said frame means for movement relative to said frame means and said fulcrum during swinging movement of said lever about said fulcrum, a finger pivotally mounted on said lever and overlying said toe, and means for forcibly pressing said finger toward said toe to grip a stitch engaged by said toe.

13. The stitch puller of claim 12 including means resiliently urging said finger away from said toe.

14. A stitch puller comprising frame means, a fixed fulcrum supported on said frame means, a lever having a stitch-engaging toe, said lever being formed with a slot elongated in the direction of length of said lever and supported on said fulcrum by engagement of said fulcrum in said slot, guide means for said lever likewise engaging in said slot, said guide means being movably supported in said frame means for movement relative to said frame means and said fulcrum during swinging movement of said lever about said fulcrum, a finger pivotally mounted on said lever with one end overlying said toe, said lever having a handle remote from said toe, a trigger pivotally supported on. said lever near said handle, and a link pivotally connected with said finger and said trigger whereby movement of said trigger toward said handle swings said one finger end toward said toe to grip a stitch engaged by said toe.

15. A stitch puller comprising frame means, a fixed fulcrum supported on said frame means, a lever having a stitch-engaging toe, said lever being formed with a slot elongated in the direction of length of said lever and supported on said fulcrum by engagement of said fulcrum in said slot, guide means for said lever likewise engaging in said slot, said guide means being movably supported in said frame means for movement relative to said frame means and said fulcrum during swinging movement of said lever about said fulcrum, a finger, pivot means supported on said lever adjacent said toe and supporting said finger intermediate its ends with a portion of said finger on one side of said pivot means overlying said toe, a spring carried by said lever and engaging a portion of said finger on the other side of said pivot means to urge said first-named finger portion away from said toe, said lever having a handle remote from said toe, a trigger pivotally supported on said lever near said handle, and a link pivotally connected with said last-named portion of said finger and with said trigger whereby movement of said trigger toward said handle swings said finger, against the tendency of said spring, to move said first-named finger portion toward said toe to grip a stitch engaged by said toe.

16. A stitch puller comprising frame means, a fixed fulcrum supported on said frame means, a lever having a stitch-engaging toe, said lever being formed with a slot elongated in the direction of length of said lever and supported on said fulcrum by engagement of said fulcrum in said slot, guide means for said lever likewise engaging in said slot, said guide means being movably supported in said frame means for movement relative to said frame means and said fulcrum during swinging movement of said lever about said fulcrum, a finger pivotally mounted on said lever and having a bifurcated end overlying said toe, the furcations of said finger end registering with the lateral edge regions of said toe, and means for forcibly pressing said finger end toward said toe to grip a stitch engaged by said toe.

ES'ION L. SELBY.

REFERENflES CITED The following references are of record in-the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,166,419 Allan Jan. 4, 1916 1,908,175 Osborne May 9, 1933 2,266,12 l Lyon Dec. 16, 1941 2,329,562 Stensrud Sept. 13, 1943

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