US2977599A

US2977599A - Vertical drop stapling machine

Info

Publication number: US2977599A
Application number: US842936A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Bernard Edward Shlesinger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-09-28
Filing date: 1959-09-28
Publication date: 1961-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-04

Description

April 4, 1961 B. E. sHLEslNGER, JR 2,977,599 VERTICAL DROP STAPLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR www fafa@ Jiffy/Mfg Je April 4, 1961 B. E. SHLESINGER, JR 2,977,599

VERTICAL DROP STAPLING MACHINE Filed sept. 28. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .April 4, 1961 B. E. sHLEslNGER, JR 2,977,599

VERTICAL DROP STAPLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent()Vi 2,917,599 Y vERrreAL DROP srAPLmG MACHINE Bernard Edward Shlesinger, Jr., 906 Bruce Lane, Annandale, Ya. Y

' Filed Sept. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 842,936

l1s claims. (ci. 1-106) This invention relates to an improvement invstapling machines, punches and the like of the type generally re-V ferred to as desk staplers or punches, in which the staplmg or punching action is 'caused to occur in a horizontal p ane.

Present machines are limited to the vertical. stapling of stacked sheets of the material to be bound bythe staples. The use of these machines in the process of s'tapling sheets in the manner that the sheets of a patent copy are stapled require the following steps: i

(l) Manually stacking the sheets into aligned order,

(2) Guiding the sheets into the proper spatial arrangement between the staple guide and the staple anvil, andV (3)1The actual stapling action by the stapler on a vertical p ane.

It is an object of this invention to providea `stapling machine which will effectively eliminate thesecond'step of the aforementioned staplng process. The'elimination of this step `will result in the saving of time and in the reduced expenditure 'of energy on the part of the operator.'

It is a further object of this invention to provide a stapling machine which is `equipped with arvertically adjustable paper support platefor varying the `distance from the edge of the stacked sheets at which the staple enters the sheets.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stapling machine which will have a horizontally acting staple driver which is coupled with an actuating mechanism operated by a vertically applied force.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a stapling machine which is composed of connected unitary `structures of essentially the same configuration, which stapling machine may be used to staple three ormore staples along the edge of a bundle of stacked sheets in one simultaneous operation. v i

Another object of this invention is to provide a stapling machine which may be manually or power operated and in which variatons of the combination of the unitary structures may be singly actuated through either a manual mechanism or a power driven mechanism.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example various embodiments of this invention:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a stapling machine embodying this invention and showing the stapler in rest position (solid lines) and in stapling-engagement (dottedlines) two sectional views are `shown one to show the spring ice arrangement and the other to` show the paper holding attachment of the anvil;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line -2` 2 with part` of the top of the stapler in sectional view;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a power driven variation of the stapilng machine in this invention;

Fig. 6 is a top elevation of a combination of two unitary. staplers operated by a single actuating mechanism; and

.Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the stapling machine in this invention.

The stapling machine as shown in Figures 1 and 7 com--l prises broadly a base member 10, a staple anvilt20, a rear nected re-entrant U-shaped groove members 16 (Fig. 3).V

These U-shaped members I6 which are integrally connected to the topmost edge of the side shoulders 14 have the bottom portions of the U-shaped'members 16 spaced from each other and the whole of the base member 10 being constructed so that a plane through the elongated underplate 12 is parallel to the plane through the topmost horizontal plates of the U-shaped groove'me'mbers 16. Base 10 has wedge-shaped foot pads 1'7 and 19 thereon.

The staple anvil'20 consists of a base plate 21 which is connected to the elongated underplate 12 of the base member 10 by a portion 22'through a vertical portion 23. To this base plate 21 at the two outer corners are `connected two vertical slide posts`24 which slidably engage the distal edges of front plate 25 to which is attached normally thereto a papersupport plate 26 which functions as the stop "for the sheets of material to be bound by the staple. A staple clinching anvil 27 is provided with the conventional staple clinchingV grooves and isconnected in a rigid fashion to the slide posts 24 (Fig. 4) and is provided with a rivet 27a which slides in slot 25a disposed in the center of front plate 25. An element of adjustability is included in the staple anvil 29 through the use of spring pin 28 secured to one of the side posts 24 and engaging the serrated edgev 29 of front plate 25. As the plate is raised and lowered by means of the bent-over portion of front plate 25 and a sufficient vertical force applied to this bent-over portion will result in the spring pin 28 jumping from one groove to the next in the serrated edge 29 thus providing a vertically adjustable paper support plate 26. Through this means the sheets of material to be stapled may be stapled at various distances from the edge ofthe bundle.

The rear support 30 is attached to the opposite end of the base member 10 to which the staple anvil 20 is attached. This rear support consists ofthe following elements which are all integrally connected; a horizontal rectangular plate 32, two diametrically opposed side plates 34, two retainer plates 36, and end plate 38, and a spring housing 40. The horizontal rectangular plate 32 is disposedin a horizontal plane, parallel to the underplate of PatenteclApr. 4, 1961 said base member and above the topmost portion 16 vof the base member 10. The side plates 34 depend from the longitudinal edges of said horizontal rectangular plate 32 and are attached normal thereto. From the lowermost edges of each of these depending side plates 34 are integrally and normally connected the retainer plates 36 which are disposed in a plane parallel to a plane passing through said horizontal rectangular plate 32. The end plate 38 is connected normal to the major part of the rear support 30 and normal to the horizontal rectangular plate 32, the two depending side plates 34, and the two retainer plates 36. The end plate 38 integrally contacts the end of the base member 10 and the end of the rear support 30 by extending over the end areas of those two elements. The end plate 38 is further provided with a pivotal connection means 39 at the topmost part to be used for the anchoring of the actuating means 60.

The spring housing 40, containing major spring 41, of the rear support member 30 is integrally connected to the end of the rectangular plate 32 opposite the end connected to the end plate 38 and consists of a top plate 42 which is a continuation of the horizontal rect-angular plate 32, a stop plate 43 which is disposed integrally and normally to the end of the top plate 42, two vertical side plates 44 which are positioned along the longitudinal edges of the top plate 42 and are connected continuously from the end of the top plate furthest from the end plate 38 to within a short distance of the horizontal rectangular plate 32, two positioning members 45 (Fig. 3) which are integrally and normally connected to the lowermost edges of the two vertical side plates 44, and two runners 46 which are positioned normally and integrally from these inside edges of the positioning members 45. These runners are so constructed as to movably engage onto the topmost portion of the base member 10. The distance between the spring housing 40`and the remainder of the real support 30 is such as to provide for the restricted reciprocating movement of carriage 50 within this distance. The major portion of the rear support 30 acts as the backstop for this reciprocal motion and the spring housing 40 acts as the forward stop. Retainer plates 36 of the rear support are so positioned as to slidbly engage the U-shaped members 16, of the `base memer 10.

l The general appearance of the carriage 50 is that of an elongated box which is square in cross-section and has a slot running the entire length of the carriage positioned in the center of one of the sides. The carriage 50 consists of a cover plate 52 to which is attached at the lon# gitudinal edges thereof two integrally and normally connected body plates V53 to which are integrally and normally connected the two slide plates 54. The two slide plates 54- have their innermost edges separated as shown in Figure 7. Near the center portion of cover plate 52 there are stamped out so that they depend at right angles to the surface of the cover plate, spring stops 55 which engage the pair of secondary springs 74. At the end of the carriage 50 which is positioned between the spring housing 40 of the rear support 30 and the remainder of the rear support, there are three integrally and normally connected to the `body plate 53, retainer tabs 56. The cover plate 52 at this same end of the carriage is provided with two longitudinal slots 57 disposed from the vend of the carriage 50 a short distance into the cover plate 52. This pair of slots is to permit the motion of the actuating means 60 through the connecting links 66.

At the opposite end of the carriage 50 there 'is a staple opening 58 which is positioned so as to receive the staples from staple magazine 80 onto the staple driver guide 59 which is a small block positioned directly below the cover plate 52 under the staple opening 58 and is disposed below the underside of the cover plate S2 a distance great enough to permit sliding of the staple S. This. staple driver guide 59 may have a short extending portion in the form of an integrally connected plate connected on -a plane with Vthe topmost surface of the staple driver rest as shown in Figure 7.

As shown in Figure 3, the slide plates 54 of the carriage 50 engage the U-shaped member 16 in the topmost slots of the base member 10 in slidable engagement. The reciprocating motion of the carriage 50 along the U-shaped members 16 of the base member 10 is limited by the interaction of the tabs 56 with the spring housing 40 as a front rest and with-the remainder of the rear support 30 as a backrest.

In detail the actuating means 60 of the staple driving machine of the instant invention consists of a pressure button 62 and two pairs of supporting links 64 and 66 respectively. One end of the pair of supporting links 64 are connected to the pivotal connection means 39 on the end plate 38 of the rear support 30 while the other end of this same pair of supporting links 64 is pivotally connected to the underside of the pressure button 62. Adjacent to the connection of the pair of supporting links 64 is a second pivotal connection means disposed on the undersurface of the pressure button 62 adapted to contact the pair of supporting links 66 which have their opposite end pivotally connected to the end of the staple driver 70.

Staple driver 70 is disposed immediately below the cover plate 52 and immediately above top plate 42 of the spring housing 40 of the rear support 30. This staple driver consists of a unitary member having in addition to the driver portion a thickened back portion and a relatively thin narrow middle portion 72 which is of substantially smaller lateral dimension than the remainder of the staple driver and said narrow portion 72 being disposed in the center of the staple driver so as to provide openings along the edge of the driver, 70, for the pair of secondary springs 74. The back portion of the staple driver, 70, is equipped with a pivotal connection means 76 which engages the end of the pair of supporting links 66 of the actuating means 60.

The staple magazine 80 consists of a U-shaped bracket 82, the whole of this U-shaped bracket being placed within a larger bracket 84 and having the back of this smaller U-shaped bracket 82 integrally fixed to the inside surface of the back of the larger U-shaped bracket 84. The larger bracket 84 is provided with retainer lips 86, which provide a hold-in function for the staples S. The space on either side portion of the sides of the smaller bracket 82 and along the front portion of the sides of that bracket is designed to receive the staple S. The retainer lips 86 of the larger U-shaped bracket 84 partially enclose the back side of the staples S. This staple magazine 80 is positioned directly over the staple-shaped staple opening 58 of the carriage 50 and integrally at tached to the carriage 50 so that it moves simultaneously with the carriage. The staple magazine 80 is so positioned over staple opening 58 so as to provide free passage for the staples S, from the magazine 80 through the opening 58 and onto the staple rest plate 59.

The staples S are urged and held in pressure contact with the staple driver guide 59 through means of a spring attachment 90 which is composed of a casing which consists of two end cover plates and one curved housing plate 92; a non-rotating pin 93 which is centered and xedly attached to each of the two end cover plates 91, these two plates being separated the width of the curved housing plate 92; a flat strip coil spring 94, one end of which is integrally connected to the non-rotating pin 93. The main body of the spring 94 is coiled within the casing of the spring attachment 90 and on the opposite end of the spring 94 is connected a staple pusher 9S.

The staple pusher 95 consists of a connecting plate 96; a butterfly handle 97. This buttery handle 97 1s integrally and normally connected to the flat surface of the connecting plate 96 and is adapted to be engaged by the thumb and foretinger of the operator to load the staple cartridge with a new supply of staples when necessary. The staple pusher further consists of two depending pusher plates 98 which are shaped in cross section as angular S-shapes-and are integrally and normally connected to the connecting plate 96. This angular S-shaped configuration of the depending pusher plates 98 is adapted to enter the space created by the configuration o'f the enclosed U-shaped bracket 82 and the larger U-shaped bracket 84 of the staple magazine 80. Further, the staple pusher 95 has an end tap 99 which is connected at right angles to the connecting plate 96. This end tap 99 slidably engages the channel portion of the inside smaller U-shaped bracket 82 of the staple magazine 80.

Modifications Figure 5 shows essentially the same type of stapling machine as described in the above specification and as shown in Figures 1 and 7 except that the actuating means provided for here is a solenoid 100 connected to the staple driver 70 and is operated by a power source 101 through the switch 102. This switch 102 isactuated by the weight of the bundle of sheets 103 to be stapled together and thus providing an automatic stapling machine. The paper only needs to be placed in the space provided immediately in front of the staple stop 27 in order to be stapled due to the weight of the paper closing the switch 102 which completesv the circuit to solenoid 100 from power source 101, said solenoid 100 operating staple driver 70 which then shoves a staple S, through the bundles of sheets 103 and completes in one operation the entire staplingprocess.Y Y

Figure 6 shows an alternate configuration of the stapling .machine of the instant invention and in this configuration pressure button 62 of the actuating means 60 actuates a plurality of staple drivers 70, as shown here, two staple drivers. The action of this configuration of the instant stapling machine is that by depressing the pressure plate 62 the supporting link 105 is caused to move the push ring 106 in a forward direction. The staple drivers are mounted in carriages 50, in the same manner as set forth in Figs. 1 and 7 and the forward motion provided by pusher rod 107 is similar to the motion provided by supporting link 66 of the actuating means 6 0 of Figs. 1 and 7. As vertical force is applied to pressure button 62, the force is transmitted into horizontal motion through supporting link 105 and caused to move push ring 106 in a forward direction. Rear supporting link 104 is pivotally connected at both ends thereof and acts as the fixed supportfor said pressure button. As shown in Figure 6, `a turn-buckle 108 is rotatably mounted on the inside of push ring 106 and is connected to the two pusher rods 107 to provide a lateral adjustment for those rods. As the turnbuckle 108 is rotated the oppositely threaded portions 109 of the pusher rods 107 are pulled closer together or moved further apart depending on the direction of rotation. As pusher rods 107 are moved outwardly (for example) the4 carriages 50 are also moved outwardly by reason of the movement of the sliding plates 110 to which the carriages 50 are attached. These tworsliding plates 110 are disposed in slidable engagement Within vbase bracket 111 and these plates-are supported on their outer corners by pads 117-. Depended. Vfrom base bracket 111 is rear support 30.

The operation of the slapling machine The o-peration of the instant invention is as follows: Pressing the pressure button 62 as shown in Figures `.l and 7 after placing the sheets of material to be stap-led on the paper rest plate 26, the carriage 50 is caused to move forward by reason of the force applied to the pressure button 62 acting through the pair of secondary on either side of said drive The opposite end of spring 41 rests against theend plate*l 43 of the spring housing 40. The frontmost portion of the carriage 50 is thus urged into contact with the bundle of sheets to be stapled and at this point furtherv force applied to pressure button 62 causes the pair of sec ondary springs 74 to compress as the staple driver 70 moves forward. The pair of secondary springs 74 being compressed between the rear portion of the staple driver and the-spring stops 59. The staple driver 70 thus moves forward against the spring action of both the secondary springs 74 and the major spring 41 and into contact with'the staple S which is alined adjacent to the topmost surface of the staple rest 59 and the front end of the staple driver 70 then shears the staple S away from the remaining column of the staples and forces the staples S through the sheet of material to be stapled. The action of the staple once through the paper is that of being folded and compressed in the conventional manner against a staple clinching anvil 27.

The carriage 50 as it slides along the U-shaped members 16 of the base member 10 is confined in this move-V ment by the action of slide plates 54 engaging the longitudinal slots of these U-shaped members 16. Through-V out this operation the rear support member 30 is rigidly vfixed to the base member 10 through the connection of end plate 38 with the ends of both the base member 10 and the rear support 30. In addition, the rear support 30 is anchored by means of retainer plates 36 engaging the U-shaped members 16 of the base member 10.

It is also to be noted 'that the actuation means of Figure 5 may be, employed to actuate a plurality of staple drivers 70 as shown in Figure 6 and further to be noted that the word plurality as used herein means any number greater than l and is not limited to'two staple drivers as depicted in Figure 6.

While the invention has been described in connection with different embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains,.and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall Vwithin the scope of the invention or the limits of the appending claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member, an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuating means mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base-member, a iirst spring means mounted within a portion of said base member and reacting between said base member and said carriage, said first spring means mounted entirely Within said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within said carriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver, said first and second spring means in close proximityrto one another, whereby when said actuation means is activated said carriage first moves forward until movement is restricted by said anvil and then said staple driver moves forward to perform the stapling action.

2. A stapling machine asin claim 1 wherein said second spring means includes a pair of coil springs mounted 3. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member, an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuating means mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of s'aid slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, said base member having a rectangular under plate horizontally disposed, side shoulders perpendicularly connected to said under plate along the longitudinal edges thereof, U-shaped groove members integrally connected to the topmost edge of said side shoulders, said U-shaped groove members connected to said side shoulders by one of the open edges thereof and having the sides disposed horizontally and said U-shaped grooved members having a bottom portion thereof spaced from each other, said carriage having slide plates disposed in said U-shaped members for sliding engagement of said carriage upon said base member.

4. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member, an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuating means mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, a rst spring means mounted within a portion of said base member and reacting between said base member and said carriage, said first spring means mounted entirely within said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said 'staple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within said carriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage, said vertically mounted anvil comprising a plurality of integrally connected plates connected to the underside of said member through one of said connected plates, two vertical slide posts integrally and normally attached to one of said plates, a front plate slidably engaging said slide posts, a paper support plate disposed normally to and connecting said front plate, a staple clinching anvil rigidly connected between said side posts, said anvil having staple clinching grooves therein, said front plate having a serrated edge, and one of said slide posts having disposed therein a spring urged pin positioned to engage said serrated edge for holding said front plate from vertical motion, whereby when said actuation means is activated said carriage first moves forward until movement is restricted by said anviliand then said staple driver moves forward to perform the stapling action.

5. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally eX- tending base member, an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuating means mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, a first spring means mounted within a portion of said base member and reacting between said base member and said carriage, said tirst `spring means mounted entirely within said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within said carriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage, said stapling machine having a rear support connected to said base member, said rear support comprising: a horizontal rectangular plate disposed parallel to the plane of said base member, two diametrically opposed said plates depending normally from said horizontal plate and integrally attached thereto, two

retainer-plates attached normally and integrally to said side plates at the lower edges thereof, an end plate vertically disposed and integrally contacting the rearmost edges of said rectangular plate, said side plates, and said retainer plates, and the rear end of said base member, and a spring housing integrally attached to the front end of said horizontal rectangular plate, said actuating means connected to said rear support, whereby when said actuation means is activated said carriage tirst moves forward until movement is restricted by said anvil and then said staple driver moves forward to perform the stapling action.

6. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally eX- tending base member, a staple anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member and having slidably axed thereto a paper support plate, a rear support member connected to said base member at the other end thereof, an actuating means mounted on said rear support, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said rear support, and a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable Aindependently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, said staple driver pivotally connected to said actuating means, a spring housing integrally connected to said rear support and containing a major spring, said spring resiliently restricting the slidable motion of said carriage between said rear support and said spring housing, said staple driver having associated therewith a pair of secondary springs, said slidable carriage having disposed therein a pair of springs stops, the forwardmost end of said pair of secondary springs resting against said spring stops, said pair of secondary springs restricting the motion of said staple driver with respect to said carriage, a staple magazine vertically disposed upon said slidable carriage and operating to force staples into the path of said staple driver, whereby upon said actuating means being activated said staple driver is thrust forward and in turn imparts forward motion to said carriage which in turn compresses said major spring while moving forward relative to said base member, upon said carriage being restricted at the forwardmost end of its motion by said staple anvil further forward motion is imparted to said staple driver by reason of said pair of secondary springs compressing, allowing said staple driver to move forwardly relative to said carriage and into stapling action.

7. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member, an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuating means mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, a first spring means mounted Within a portion of said base member and reacting between said base member and said carriage, said rst spring means mounted entirely within said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within said carriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage, said carriage consisting of a cover plate horizontally disposed and spaced above said base member, two body plates depending integrally and normally from the longitudinal edges of said cover plate, two slide plates integrally and normally connected to said body plates at the lower edges thereof and having a space between the innermost unconnected edges thereof, a pair of spring stops depending from the bottom side of said cover plate, a staple opening in one end of said carriage, a plurality of retainer tabs at the opposite end of said carriage and depending normally from said body plates and said cover plate, two longitudinal slots disposed on either side of the uppermost of said retainer tabs, and a staple driver guide disposed within .said carriage below said staple opening, whereby when said actuation means is` activated said carriage first moves forward until movement is restrictedby said anvil and then said staple driver moves forward to perform the stapling action.'

'8; A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending `base member, an anvil vertically mounted on one end, of said base member, an actuating means mounted ori the opposite end of said base member, a carriage` mountcdonsa'id base member and horizontally slidable with respecttthe'reto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driver d isposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, a first spring means mounted within -a portion of said base member and reacting between said base member and said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within said carriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage, said actuating means consisting of a first pair of supporting links pivotally connected to said base member at one end thereof, a pressure button pivotally connected to the other end of said first pair of supporting links, atsecond pair of supporting links pivotally connected to said pressure button by one end thereof, said second pair of supporting links being pivotally connected by the other end thereof to the rearmost end of said staple driver, said pressure button disposed in a horizontal plane and presenting a surface for the application of vertical force, whereby when said actuation means is activated said carriage first moves forward until movement is restricted by said anvil and then said staple driver moves forward to perform the stapling action.

9. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member, a staple anvil vertically mounted on said base member, a carriage mounted on said base member Vand horizontally slidable with respect thereto, a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, and means for electrically actuating said staple driver, a first spring means mounted wholly within a portion of said base member and reacting between said base member and said carriage, said first spring means mounted within said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver, a second spring means mounted wholly within said carriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver, said first and second spring means 4in close proximity to one another, whereby when said actuation means is activated said carriage first moves forward until movement is restricted by said anvil and then said staple driver moves forward to perform the stapling action.

10. A stapling machine as defined in claim 9 wherein, said electrical actuating means is actuated by the weight of the material to be stapled.

l1. A stapling machine as defined in claim 9 wherein, said electrically actuated staple driver means is placed in series with a switch and a power source, said switch being actuated by the weight of the material to be stapled.

12. A stapling machine comprising a horizontal base, a plurality of staple anvils connected to one end of said base, a plurality of staple drivers connected to said base and operating in a plane parallel to the plane of said base member, means for reciprocably actuating said staple drivers, said actuating means reciprocable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said base member, said horlzontal base comprising a centrally disposed base bracket, two sliding plates disposed in a slidable engagement with said base bracket, corner pads disposed on the under side of said sliding plates, and a rear support member connected to one end of said base bracket.

13. A stapling'machine comprising a horizontal base,

Y l ul() l arplurality of staple anvils connected to one end of said base, a plurality ofstaple drivers connected to said base and operating in a plane parallel to the plane of said base member, means for reciprocably actuating said staple drivers, said actuating means reciprocable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said base member, said actuating means comprising a rear supporting link pivotally connected to said horizontal base, a pressure button pivotally connected to said real-'supporting link at the other end thereof, a front supporting link having one end thereof pivotallyconnected to said pressure button, a push ring connected to the other end of said front supporting link, a turnbuckle rotatably mounted inside said push ring, one end`of each of two pusher rods adjustably connected to said turnbuckle, the opposite end of said rod pivotally connected to said plurality of staple drivers, said turnbuckle laterally adjusting said pusher rods, said staple driver and said staple anvil.

14. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member, a staple anvil vertically mounted on oneend of said base member for receiving staples movable in a horizontal plane, a rear support member connected to said base member on the end opposite the staple anvil end, an actuating means pivotally mounted on said rear support, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said rear support member, a staple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, said actuating means pivotally connected to said staple driver for translating vertical force applied to said actuating means into horizontal force which then causes said staple driver to move in a horizontal direction, a spring housing integrally connected to said rear support atthe end closer to said staple anvil by an extension of the top of said rear support, said spring housing containing a first spring, said spring resiliently restricting the reciprocable motion of said carriage between said rear support and said spring housing, said staple driver having associated therewith a pair of secondary springs, said slidable carriage having disposed therein a pair of spring stops adapted to contact the forwardmost end of said secondary springs for providing a forward abutment for said springs, a portion of said staple driver providing a rearward abutment for said pair of springs, said pair of secondary springs providing for the resilient motion of said staple driver with respect to said carriage, and a staple magazine vertically disposed upon said slidable carriage and operating to forcey staples into Vthe path of said staple driver from a vertical direction.

15. In a horizontal stapling machine having a horizontally extending base member, a staple anvil vertically mounted on one end of said` base member for receiving staples movable in a horizontal plane, a rear support member connected to said base member on the end opposite the staple anvil end, an actuating means pivotally mounted upon said rear support, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said rear support member, the combination comprising a staple driver having a narrowed mid portion connected to said actuating means at the end opposite the end connected to said rear support, a spring housing integrally connected to said rear support at the end closer to said staple anvil by an extension of the top of said rear support, a first spring contained in said spring housing and reacting between the frontmost portion of said spring housing and the rearmost end portion of said carriage, said carriage resiliently slidable through the distance between said spring housing and said rear support, a pair of secondary springs positioned in the spaces on either side of said narrowed mid portion of said staple driver, said carriage having a pair of said spring stops depending from the under surface 11 12 thereof providing for forward abutments for said pair References Cited in thele of this patent of secondary springs, said pair of secondary springs reacting between the rear portion of said staple driver and UNITED' STATES PATENTS said spring stops to provide for resilient reciprocable mo 333,943 Greenland J an. 5, 1886 tion of said driver with respect to said carriage, whereby 5 1,152,719 Epstein Sept. 7, 1915 said rst spring is initially compressed upon the actuation 1,344,441 Christensen June 22, 1920 of said actuating means to urge said carriage into forward 1,797,497 Francher Mar. 24, 1931 position, said secondary springs compressing upon further 2,403,947 Oussani July 16, 1946 actuation of said actuating means after said carriage has 2,651,775 Sasser Sept. 15, 1953 reached its forwardmost limit, said staple driver forced 10 2,899,679 Allen Aug. 18, 1959 forward as said secondary springs are compressed. 2,905,941 Cook Sept. 29, 1959