US2724832A

US2724832A - Staple applying mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2724832A
Application number: US381814A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert W Marano
Original assignee: Wilson Jones Co
Current assignee: Wilson Jones Co
Priority date: 1953-09-23
Filing date: 1953-09-23
Publication date: 1955-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1972-11-29

Description

Nov. 29, 1955 H. w. MARANO STAPLE APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 23, 1953 INVENTOR #ieee-pr M AfA/:MNO [j ('AMBY R ma AT'TORNEY 7 f4 .92 /960/2 M34, ya

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United States Patent O STAPLE APPLYIN G MECHANISM Herbert W. Marano, Summit, N. J., assigner to Wilson- Jones Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 23, 1953, Serial No. 381,814

7 Claims. (Cl. 1-3) The present invention relates to improved fastener applying devices and it relates more particularly to an improved stapler of the miniature type.

The stapler of the type most widely employed generally includes a base having a staple-clinching depression at the front end thereof, a magazine for holding a cartridge clip of preformed staples, means for feeding the staples to a driving zone immediately above the clinching depression, a staple driving blade and a handle for actuating the blade to drive the leading staple in the clip downwardly through the work piece and into the underlying depression to eect the clinching of the staple. These Staplers are available in many sizes from large models for industrial uses, through the desk size for oiice use, to the miniature type for general domestic and otce use. It is this latter miniature type of stapler having widespread applications with which the present invention is principally concerned. The conventional miniature type stapler is at its best a imsy device, diiicult to operate and load, inefficient and subject to frequent failures, inflexible and mechanically short-lived.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved fastener applying device of the miniature stapler type.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved miniature type stapler having a simple and convenient loading mechanism.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved miniature type stapler characterized by its ruggedness and efliciency in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved miniature type stapler which is inexpensive and long-lived and which is characterized by its versatility, compactness and ease of operation.

The above and further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein Figure l is a perspective view of the improved miniature stapler shown in operating condition;

Figure 2 is a perspective View showing the stapler in open loading condition;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through the mechanism of Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The present invention broadly contemplates the pro vision of a staple applying device comprising a staple magazine having a throat formed at its forward end and including means for advancing a staple into registry with said throat, an actuating handle hinged to said magazine and movable between open and closed positions relative thereto, latch means movable between lock and unlock positions for locking said magazine and handle into closed positions, and a strip of resilient material engaged by said handle at a point between the ends of said strip, said strip having a front leg and a rear A lce leg directed toward said magazine, said front leg defining a staple driving blade movable into registry with said throat and said rear leg engaging said latch and urging it toward its lock position.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the handle and the staple magazine are hinged at their rear to a base member whose forward end is tapered and pointed to serve as a staple remover and whose upper face has a clinching depression formed therein confronting the lower or discharge end of the staple throat. Spring means are provided to resiliently maintain the base, handle and magazine unit in separated position. The staple magazine is channel-shaped with its open face directed upwardly and is provided with a wall at its front end having vertically projecting laterally spacedlugs, forwardly extended at their upper edges. Immediately anterior to the front wall is a vertical member whose side edges are spaced from the side walls of the magazine to permit the passage of the staples and whose front face together with the confronting rear face of the front wall define the staple driving throat. A downwardly-directed, channel-shaped member forms the staple pusher which rides in the magazine channel and is urged forward by a helical compression spring. The latching member which also serves as a staple confining member, consists of a longitudinal strip having a raised forwardly directed arm projecting from its front end, which arm terminates in laterally projecting ears and is adapted to register with the space between the lugs on the magazine front wall to eect the locking action. The latch member is slidably mounted in the handle so as to be movable between open and closed positions. A curved resilient strip is secured to the actuating handle and is sprung and positioned so that its front end bears against the inner face of the magazine front wall and defines a driving blade and its rear end engages an upwardly projecting ear on the latch member to urge it to its rear lock position, and bears downwardly upon the latch member to urge the handle upwardly relative thereto. A retractor member, including a pair of laterally spaced arms terminating in hooks which engage corresponding laterally projecting ears on the pusher member, is hinged between a pair of upwardly directed ears in the after upper portion of the latch member, and is spring motivated so as to urge the opening of the magazine and handle and retract the pusher, thereby permitting the loading of the magazine.

Reference is now made to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the numeral 10 generally designates an actuating handle, 12 a staple magazine, 14 a staple confining member and latch, and 16 a base. The actuating handle 10, shaped for convenient handling and use and attractive appearance, includes a longitudinally and vertically extending strip-like wall 18 joining the corresponding edges of a pair of laterally spaced

vertical walls

19, 19, the lower rear corners of which terminate in depending ears 22 having opposite openings formed therein. The base member 16 consists of a llat strip 24 having vertically projecting laterally spaced walls 26 along its rear side edges, said walls having holes formed therein which engage a pin 28 mounted in the Openings formed in the handle ears 22 to provide a hinged connection between the handle 10 and the base 16. The forward end of the base 16 is pointed and tapered, as at 17, to permit its use as a staple remover and has formed in its upper face a clinching depression 30.

The staple magazine 12 consists of a channel member having a bottom wall 32, side walls 34, an open top, and a front wall 36 of greater height than the side walls 34. Projecting upwardly from the top of the channel front wall 36 are a pair of laterally spaced forwardly inclined lugs 38. A pair of opposing holes are formed 'in' the rear 'portion of the channel side Walls 34, which holes engage the pin 2S which permits the swinging of the magazine 12 independent of the handle 10 and the baseV 16. Disposed on the front inner face of the channel base 32 are a pair of longitudinally spaced

vertical ears

40 and 42 respectively, the ear 4tl'being spaced from the channel front wall 36 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the staple to define with the front wall 36 a staple driving throat 44 having a discharge opening 46'formed at its base in the channel bottom wall 32 and for the width of the channel. A third vertical ear 4S projects upwardly from the rear end of the channel bottom wall 32 and longitudinally opposing holes are formed in the ears 42 and 43 which support ya feed guide rod Sil above and parallel to the channel bottom wall'32.

A pusher member 52 is likewise roughly channel shaped having a transverse top wall and depending laterally spaced side walls which abut and ride along the inner faces of the magazine channel side walls 34. An intermediate and a rear downwardly directed transverse ear '54 yand 56 respectively are positioned on the pusher top wall and have holes formed therein which slidably engage the rod Si) to thereby movably retain the pusher 52. A helical compressing spring 58 is mounted on the rod 50 and is entrapped between the confronting faces of the pusher ear 56 and channel magazine ear 48 to urge the pusher forward. Also formed on the top wall of the pusher 52 are a pair of opposite outwardly projecting'lugs 60 whose purpose will be hereinafter set forth.

A leaf spring 64 has a front end 65 affixed to the base 16 and is upwardly rearwardly inclined having its other end 67 bearing against the magazine bottomfwall 32 resiliently to support the staple magazine and the discharge opening 46 thereof in a position above the staple clinching depression 30.

YThe latch and staple confining member 14 is a strip extending along the base of the handle and when in normally locked position is disposed directly above the staple magazine 12. Positioned on the latch member 14 adjacent its front end is an integral upright 66 having an integral forwardly directed arm 68 terminating in laterally extending lugs 75l. When the latch is in locked position, the arm 68 registers with the space between rthe lugs 38, the front faces of which engage the upper rear edges of the lugs 7i) thereby to maintain the handle 10 and magazine 12 in locked position. Depending from the rear of the latch member 14 is a pair of ears 70 having elongated openings 72 formed therein which engage the pin 2S and permit the longitudinal sliding of the latch member 14 and its rotation about the pin 2S.

A substantially U-shaped strip 74, formed of spring or resilient material, has its cross arm aixed to the under face of the handle wall 1S by means of a rivet 76. The front depending leg '78 of the strip 74 defines a staple driving blade whose lower edge confronts the upper opening of the staple throat 44 and is adapted to travel therethrough upon depression of the actuating handle'lt) to effect the staple driving stroke. An elongated slot 8) is formed in the strip leg 78, the latch arm 68 passing through the slot S0, said slot being of a length at least equal to the stroke of the staple driving blade. The rear leg 82 of the spring strip 74 is rearwardly and downwardly inclined and bears against the top face' of' the latch member 14 and is engaged at the rear facey of its lower end by a forwardly inclined ear 34 projecting upwardly from the latch member 14. vThe spring leg 82 serves the dual purpose of urging the latch memberto its lock position and urging the actuating handle 10 and the staple driving blade to their retracted positions. 'The rear of the latch member 14 terminates in a depending linger piece 86 to permit the manipulation of the latch member 14.

A pair of laterally spaced opposing upright ears 88 extend upwardly from in the latch member 14 rear of the ear 84 and support between them a transverse hinge pin 9i). A pusher retractor member is provided and includes a pair of laterally spaced forwardly projecting arms 92 with their inner faces next to the side walls 34 of the magazine 12 and joined at their rear by a transverse vertical cross piece 94 and terminating at their front ends in depending rearwardly facing hook portions 96. The hook portions 96 engage `the laterally projecting lugs 60 in the staple pusher 52. A pair of opposing holes are formed in the arms 92 adjacent the cross piece 94, which holes engage the pin to provide a hinged connection between the latch member 14 and the retractor member. A torsion spring 98 is mounted on the pin 90 and has one arm bearing against the lower edge of the cross piece 94 and its other arm bearing against the upper surface of the latch member 14 to urge the hook ends of the retractor arms 92 downwardly.

Theoperation of the improved staple driving device is apparent from the above description. By bearing upon the ear S6, the latch member 14 is slid forward to unlock position against the pressure of the spring leg 82 wherein the lugs 70 are carried out of engagement with the ears 33. The retractor arms 92 are rotated counter-clockwise by the torsion spring 98 and concurrently separates the staple magazine 12 and the actuating handle 10 which carries the latch member 14, and draws the pusher member 52 to its fully retracted Iposition thereby compressing the helical feed spring 58 as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. The staple magazine is thus open and exposed and may be loaded with a cartridge of staples. Thereafter,the staple magazine 12 and actuating handle 10 are returned to their closed position as shown in Figures l, 3 and 4 rof the drawings. The pusher side lugs 60 are released by the retractor member permitting the pusher 52 to advance the staples to the staple throat 44, the retractor arms 92 being held in their upper position by resting upon the pusher side lugs 60. The stapling operation is effected by placing the work piece between the staple throat discharge opening 46 and the clinching depressions 30 and pressing down upon the actuating handle 10. .Initially the magazine is urged downwardly against the opposing of spring 64 to engage the work piece between the confronting faces of the staple magazine 12 and the base 16. Thereafter, the actuating handle 10 and driving blade 78 are carried downwardly against the upward pressure of the leaf spring leg 82, the driving blade bearing against the lead staple pushing it through the throat 44 into the work piece and against the clinching depression 3d) to thereby close the staple. Upon completion of the work stroke, the actuating handle 10 is released and the various parts are returned to their original positions as shown in Figures l, 3 and 4 of the drawings, and another staple is advanced by the pusher member 52 into the driving throat 44.

While there` has been described and illustrated apreferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

l. A staple applying device comprising a staple magazine having a throat formed at its forward end and including means for advancing a staple into registry with said throat, an actuating handle hinged to said .magazine and movable between open` and closed positions relative thereto, latch means carried by said handle and movable relative to said handle between lock and unlock positions Land releasahly engaging a portion of said magazine to lock said magazine and handle Ainto closed position, and a strip of resilient material engaged by said handle at a point between the ends of said strip, said strip having a front leg and a rear leg directed toward said magazine, said front leg defining a staple driving blade movable into registry with said throat and said rear leg engaging said latch and urging it toward its lock position.

2. A staple applying device in accordance with claim 1, including a base member hinged at its rear to the rear of said magazine, said throat having a lower discharge opening and said base member having a clinching depression formed in its upper face confronting said discharge opening.

3. A staple applying device in accordance with claim l, wherein said latch means is provided with a finger portion disposed rearwardly of said magazine.

4. A staple applying device in accordance with claim l, wherein said latch means includes a slideable strip extending substantially the length of said magazine and is hinged to said actuating handle, and said rear leg bears against said slideable strip to urge said latch strip rearwardly into lock position and said handle upwardly to retracted position relative to said latch strip.

5. A staple applying device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said magazine is provided with a front wall having a pair of laterally spaced upwardly and forwardly directed lugs and said latch strip is provided with an elevated forwardly directed arm terminating in laterally projecting ears, said latch strip being slideable between positions wherein said ears are alternatively disposed forward of said lugs and below said lugs, said positions defining said lock and unlock positions.

6. A staple applying device in accordance with claim 4, including a retractor arm hinged at one end thereof to said latch strip, a staple pusher slideably disposed in said magazine and spring means in said magazine urging said pusher toward a forward position, the free end of said retractor arm engaging said pusher whereby to retract said pusher along said magazine when said actuating handle is moved to magazine open position.

7. A staple applying device in accordance with claim 4, including a retractor arm hinged at an end thereof to said latchl strip, a staple pusher slideably disposed 2,624,046 Nyberg Ian. 6, 1953