US2656537A - Electrically operable stapler actuator - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1953 r J 2,656,537

ELECTRICALLY OPERABLE STAPLER ACTUATOR Filed Oct- 11, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jam? 655:.

ATTORNEYS INVENTOR:

Oct. 27, 1953 J. J. GEEL 2,656,537

ELECTRICALLY OPERABLE STAPLER ACTUATOR Filed Oct. 11, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T Jomv J. 6551. i 5 BY w ATJTORNEYJ Patented Oct. 27, 1953 ELECTRICALLY- OPERABLE ACTUATOR STAPLER John J. Geel, Charlotte, N. 0., assignor to Frances E. Shreve, Charlotte, N. 0.

Application October 11, 1950, Serial No. 189,535

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved electrically operable stapler actuator and more especially to a device adapted to receive a conventional hand operated stapling machine and which is provided with improved electrically operable means for actuating the conventional stapling machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide a stapler actuator which has means therein for adjustably holding various sizes of conventional staplers and which is provided with improved electrically operable means adapted to impart a positive driving action to the stapler to cause the same to operate upon an electrical circuit being completed to the electrically operable means.

Various attempts have heretofore been made to actuate a stapler by electrical means such as an electro-magnet or the like and these previous attempts have resulted in complicated and expensive devices for actuating the stapler, said devices being adapted to actuate only one type of stapler and embodying various levers and the like which frequently become inoperable and fail to impart a positive action to the stapler. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device of simplified construction which is adjustable to permit the same to be used with staplers of various types and sizes and which is provided with an electricsolenoid, said solenoid having a link connected thereto which is connected to one end of a bell crank pivotally mounted in the housing of said device, and the other end of the bell crank being provided with a roller adapted to rest upon the upper portion of a stapler, whereby upon electrical current being transmitted to the solenoid a positive movement will be eifected of the link moving the bell crank downwardly in a smooth positive stroke to impart 7 positive action to the stapler, and said device being constructed of a minimum number of parts for maximum durability.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an isometric view of the improved stapler actuator showing one type of a conventional stapler associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the improved actuator looking at the left-hand side of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the improved actuator;

V Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the actuator with the stapler removed therefrom and taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 2;

electrical energy Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of the improved actuator taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an isometric detail of the spring actuated means for holding the stapler in the improved device, a portion of the stapler being shown in phantom lines;

Figure 7 is an electrical diagram showing the circuit for the electrically operable stapler actuator.

Referring more specifically to the drawings the numeral lil broadly designates a base plate of the improved device which may be of any suitable construction such as stamped metal and which is preferably providedwith a plurality of feet II which may be of resilient material if desired. The base plate It! has an auxiliary or stapler holding plate l2 suitably secured thereto, as by welding, the stapler holding plate l2 preferably being substantially rectangularly shaped and having overall dimensions which are less than the overall dimensions of the bed plate Ill so that the stapler holding plate I2 may be positioned on the upper surface of the bed plate I0 leaving a portion of the upper surface of the bed plate l9 exposed around each edge of the stapler plate 2. The front portion of the stapler plate l2 has two upwardly bent portions I 3 and 14 adapted to receive the front end of a conventional stapler I5.

This invention may be used with various types and various sizes of staplers and for purposes of illustration the stapler l5 shown is of the type entitled Bostitch Model 353 embodying disclosures found in Patent Nos. 1,584,788; 2,037,334;

2,150,332; and Design Patent Number 91,242.

The stapler I5 is provided witha base It having an anvil H thereon and a hammer carrying arm 20 pivotally mounted at the end of the base 55 remote from the anvil I1 and carrying a hammer actuating arm 2| adapted to actuate a conventional hammer container within a housing 22 at the front portion of the hammer carrying lever iii. The housing 22 and the lever 20 also carry a plurality of conventional wire staples which are adapted to be moved by the hammer within the housing 22 to penetrate material placed between the housing 22 and the anvil I! and to staple said material together upon the hammer actuating handle 2! being moved downwardly in a conventional manner. It is an object of this invention to provide improved electrically operable means for actuating the hammer actuating handle2l by positively moving the same downwardly upon being applied to the means to be disclosed.

lguide plate 3| the rear portion of the hammer actuator 2I.

25 may thus have sliding movement sta r I se u n ppsi iqnsprings 35 and 36 and the and 53 of the housing 50 The stapler I5 is held in position on the stapler plate I2 by the front of the base It of the stapler l5 resting against the upturned portions I3 and 24 of the stapler plate I2 with the base I6 of the stapler I5 resting upon the upper surface of the stapler plate I2. A stapler holding bracket 25 (Figure ;6) is provided which .may be formed of any suitable material such as sheet metal or the like and which has a base portion 26 with upwardly extending flanges 21 and 28 at opposed ends thereof and an upwardly extending back piece 30 is provided with a laterally and forwardly extending guide 3| and support members 32 and 33 which extend from the upperopposed ends of the back plate 30 downwardly ends resting against the base plate 25. The rear end of the base It of the stapler I5 is adapted to fit on the upper surface of the base 26 pi the bracket 25 between the upstanding flanges 2'! and 2c and to be engaged by the back plate 30, the

being cut away as at 34 to receive Suitable tension springs35 and 36 are provided which aresecured at their front ends to the upstanding portions I3 and I4 of the stapler plate I2, respectively, as at 31 and 3B and the rear ends of the tension springs 35 and 35 are secured to the upstandingmembers 21 and 28 of the bracket 25 as at 40 and M, respectively.

It will thus be observed that the bracket 25 is connected to the front portion of the stapler and the bracket along the upper surface of the stapler plate I2. When the stapler I5 is placed in position on the device, the bracket 25 holds the rear end of the stapler I5 and urges the front portion ,of the base I5 thereof against the upstandin portions I3 and [4 of the stapler plate {2 to thus position the .BY u of t V movab e r ck 25, it is possible to use stapler of various sizes in this device and the tension springs 35 and 35 will hold the stapler in a secured position on the stapler plate I2.

Suitably secured to the base I0 at the rearmost portions thereof and adjacent opposed plate I 2 by the springs 35 and 35 sides of the stapler plate I2 are vertically disposed guides 42 and 43 each preferably being provided with flange portions 44 at the front and rear sides thereof The vertically disposed guides 42 and 43 may be formed integral with the stapler platel2 if desired or may be secured thereto and to the base I0 as by welding, if desired.

and haye their free h Means for supporting the electrically operable actuator means are provided comprising a housing having a top wall 5| and side walls 52 and 53 suitably secured thereto or formed integral therewith and depending therefrom in right-angular relation to the top 5I, the side walls 52 and 53 at their lowermost ends being of substantially the same width as the width of the vertically disposed guides 42 and 43 between the flange portions 44 and the side walls 52 and 53 being provided with a forwardly extending pro- ' iection 54 and 55, respectively, at the uppermost front portion thereof to provide an overhanging portion of the housing 50.

The width of the housing 50 is substantially equal to the distance between the vertically disposed guides 42 and 43 and the side walls 52 are mounted for vertical sliding movement in the guides 42 and 43. The side wall 52 is provided with at least one and disposed guides 32 ing; the flanges and GI permit vertical sliding adjustment of the housing 50.

A horizontal shelf or support member 63 having flanges 64 and 65 at the opposed edges therely midway of the vertical height of said hous- 64 and 55 being secured to the inner surfaces of the side walls 52 and 53 in any suitable manner as by welding. The horizontalshelf or support membe' 8?- provides a support for an electrically operable solenoid broadly designated at 18 whichincludes a solenoid coil II supported in a suitable bracket '12 secured to the horizontal shelf I53 as by bolts 13. The solenoid coil II surrounds a solenoid plunger I5 which is held in position within the solenoid coil II and in spaced relation to the interior thereof by a suitable guide i5. Wires TI and 18 withof ;is; secu red within the housing 50 substantialoperated switch 8i has a switch button 84 mounted therein for vertical sliding movement and which is normally held in open position as shown in Figure 7 by a spring 85 surrounding the same. he switch button 64 has a contact ,plate86 on the lower end thereof. The wire I8 leading from the solenoid coil H has its other endconnected toa contact point 81 adjacent the contact plate 85 of the switch 84. The wire 11 jeads to'one side S5 of suitable plug 9| adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy. The other side 92 of the plug 91 has a wire 93 connected thereto which has its other end connected to a contact point 94 adjacent the contact plate 86 of the switch button 84 whereby upon the switch button 34 bein depressed the contact plate 86 will contact the points 8'! and 94 to complete a circuit to the solenoid coil H, when the plug QI is connected to a suitable source of electrical energy.

A link I05 having a hook portion IOI adapted to fit over a pin I02 provided at the front end of the solenoid plunger 75 extends outwardly from the solenoid plunger I5 and is bifurcated as at I03.

A bell crank I55 is pivotally mounted in a bracket I06 adjustably secured to the top plate 5I of the housing 50 and the bell crank I05 has an arm a which depends from the bracket I06 and has its lower end positioned between the bifurcated end portion I53 of the link I00 and is pivotally secured therein as by a pin I08 penetrating the bifurcated portion I03 of the link I00 and penetrating the lower end of the arm I05a of the bell crank I05. The bell crank I05 also has an arm I051) which extends downwardly at an angle from the pivot point and is provided with a laterally extending portion IIO having downwardly extending projections III and I I2 at the opposed ends thereof in which the opposed ends of a roller I I3 are rotatably mounted.

. 'The bracket 1% in which the "bell crank I05 is pivotally mouhtedmay be of any'suitable construction and ii desired the bell crank I06 may be pivotally secured directly to the under surface of the top plate of the housing 58. Tue bracket I05 is preferably adiustably mounted in the top plate SI of the housing 51] and comprises a base portion I is having downwardly extending lugs 12! and I22 between-Which the bell crank I05 is pivotally mounted as by a pin or bolt I23. The base I29 of the bracket M16 is provided with bolts I24 and I25 penetrating the same which also penetrate suitable longitudinally extending slots I25 and I21, respectively, in the top plate 5I of the housing 50. Adjustment of the-bolts I 2% and I25 thus'permits longitudinal adjustment'of the bracket I55 for positioning the bell crank H in any desired position. 1

It will be observed in Figures 1 and 3'that when a stapler I5 is positioned in the apparatus as heretofore described theroller 'I I3 on thebell crank arm I952) will be positioned in contact with the upper surface of the hammer actuating arm 25, the hammer actuating arm being held in the position shown by conventional spring means, not shown. After being depressed, the hammer actuating arm will thus move back to its raised or normal position as shown in Figure 1, which-movement will return the bell crank "35 to the position shown in Figure 1 after each operation. The hammer actuating arm 21' thus holds the bell crank arm I851) in the desired position and through the link H10 the solenoid plunger I5 is held in position out of the electrical field of the solenoid coil II.-

Upon a circuit being completed to the solenoid coil TI, an electrical field is set upcausing the solenoid plunger to move within the solenoid coil 1! or from left to right in Figures 1, 3 and 4 thus moving the link I00 and thebell crank I05 to press the roller II3 downwardly against the upper surfaceof the hammer actuating member 2! to depress the handle actuating member 2! to actuate the hammer to staple goods'positioned between the hammer and the anvil I1. "Upon each depression of theg'foot switch button 84, a circuit will be completed to again actuate the hammer in the stapler I5 and it is thus seen that an operator may thus be positioned before the improved staple actuating device and pass material through the same using both hands and may actuate the stapler by depressing the foot button switch 84, to thus increase the amount of work that can be performed by the stapler I5.

The provision of the bell crank 35 and the single link it!) gives a positive actuating force to the hammer actuating member 2! upon movement of the solenoid plunger 15, and this is effected with a minimum number of movable parts.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a descriptive and generic sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. An improved electrically operable stapler actuator adapted to receive a stapler having a base portion with an anvil thereon and a hammer actuating member, said improved actuator comprising a base portion, means on said base "portion for holding said stapler, a housing said housingand depending therefrom, a link "connecting saidsolenoidplunger with one arm 10 I of said bell crank, the other arm of said bell crank being" in engagement with the hammer actuating member of said stapler, switch means *If or'completing an electrical circuit to said solenoid to move saidsolenoid plunger and to cause movement of saidbell crank to thus move the hammer actuating member of the stapler'down- 'wardljto actuate 'said stapler.

2; An improved stapler actuator comprising a base, means for holding a stapler on said base,

said stapler having an actuating member, a

housing secured to said base and extending partially-'over -said-stapler, said housing having a solenoidsecured therein above said stapler provided with'a solenoid plunger, a bell crank pivotally secured to said housing and depending therefrom in superposed relation to said stapler,

a'single link connecting said bell crank and said solenoid'plunger, said bell crank having means thereon engaging the stapler actuating member; and means for completing an electrical circuit to said solenoid to move said solenoid plungfed to receive 'astapler having an anvil and a hammer actuating member, improved means for actuating saidstapler comprising said stapler actuator base having a housing secured thereto and extending'upwardlyand having a horizontal portion disposed above part of said stapler, a double-arm bell crank pivotally secured at the juncture of its two arms to said horizontal portion, a solenoid secured to a portion of the housing which is higher than said stapler, said solenoid having a solenoid plunger therein, a link pivotally connected to said sole- 'noid plunger and pivotally connected to one arm of said bell crank, the other arm of said bell crank engaging said hammer actuating member, and switch means for completing an electrical circuit to said solenoid to move said plunger to, in iturn, move said bell crank for actuating said stapler.

4. In a stapler actuator having a base portion adapted to receive a stapler having an anvil and a hammer actuating member, improved means for actuating said stapler comprising said sta pler actuator base having a housing secured thereto adjacent one end thereof, said housing extending upwardly to a point higher than the top of said stapler and having a horizontal portion extending over a portion of said stapler, a bell crank having a long arm and a short arm and being pivotally mounted on said horizontal portion of said housing and depending therefrom, the long arm of said bell crank engaging said hammer actuating member, a solenoid secured to an upper portion of said housing and having a solenoid plunger therein, a link pivotally connected at one end to said solenoid plunger and pivotally connected at its other end to said short arm of said bell crank, and means for closing an electrical circuit to said solenoid coil to cause movement of said solenoid plunger to pivot said bell crank to actuate said stapler.

7 .5. In a stapler actuator having a base portion adapted toreceivea stapler having an anvil and a hammer actuating member, improved means for actuating said stapler ,comprisingzsaid stapler actuator base having an inverted U-shaped housing secured thereto with the web portion thereof positioned at a point higher than said stapler, said housing having .a horizontal shelf portion spaced from the web :portion thereof, a double-arm bell crank pivotally mounted at the juncture of its arms-on the web portion of said housing, a solenoid coil mounted on the horizontal shelf portion of said housing and having a plunger therein, a link pivotally connecting said solenoid plunger with one of said bell crank, the-otherarm of said bell crank engaging said hammer actuating member, and means for momentarily energizing said solenoid to cause said plunger to move said bell crank to actuate said stapler.

6. In a stapler actuator having a base adapted .to receive .astaplerhaving an anvil and a hammer actuating member, improved means for actuating said stapler comprising a housing having a horizontally disposed web portionandspaced depending leg portions, the lower ends of said leg portions being secured to said base, said horizontally disposed web portion being positioned at a point higher than said stapler, a double-arm bell crank pivot-ally secured at the juncture of its arms to the horizontally disposed web portion of said housing, a solenoid coil secured to said housing and said solenoid having a solenoid plunger therein, a link pivotally connecting said solenoid plunger with one of the arms of said bell crank, the other of the arms of said bell crank engaging said hammer actuating member, and means for momentarily energizing said solenoid to move said plunger and said bell crank to actuate said stapler.

7, In a stapler actuator having a base adapted to receive a stapler and also having a housing and a solenoid supported thereby and bell crank means secured to the housing and to the solenoid and engageable with said stapler for actuating the same, means for holding a stapler on said base comprising a flange secured to said base and Number against which the front portion of the stapler abuts, a bracket adapted to receive the rear portion of the stapler, and spring means connecting said flange with said bracket and normally urging said bracket toward said flange.

8. In a stapler actuator for staplers having a base portion and an actuating member pivotally secured .to said base portion, said stapler actuator having a base and ,a housing extending upwardly from said base and' a bell crank and a solenoid secured to said housing for moving said bell crank into engagement with said-actuating member, means for adjusting said stapler actuator to accommodate staple-rs of varying sizes comprising a pair of spaced guide members having their lower ends secured to said base adjacent one end thereof, said housing having a top wall and side Walls, said side walls being slidably mounted in said guide members and screw means penetrating said guide members and said side walls to hold the same in a desired adjusted position.

9. In astapler actuator for staplers havingan anvil and ;a hammer actuating member, said stapler actuator having a base and a housing extending upwardly from said base and a bell crank and a solenoid secured to said housing for moving said .bell crank into engagement with said hammer actuating member, means for adjusting said stapler actuator to accommodate staplers of varying sizes, comp-rising a pair of guide members mounted on said base, said housing having a horizontal web portion and depending leg portions, said-leg portions being adiustably mounted on said guide members, said horizontal web portion of said housing having a bracket adjustably secured thereto, said bell crank being pivotally mounted in said bracket, wherebysaid bell crank may be adjusted horizontally and said housing may be adjusted vertically relative to said guide members to thus accommodate different size staplers.

JOHN J. :GEEL.

References Cited inythe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,940,980 Svenson Dec. 26, 1933

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