US3625408A

US3625408A - Electric stapler apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3625408A
Application number: US21984A
Authority: US
Inventors: Saichi Amakawa; Toshio Torigoe; Osamu Miyamoto; Akito Kawamoto; Yasuzo Hatazaki; Tadayuki Haruyama; Seiji Yokogawa; Hiroshi Kawai
Original assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
Priority date: 1969-03-25
Filing date: 1970-03-23
Publication date: 1971-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-07

Abstract

An electric stapler apparatus which automatically drives staples into sheets of paper, utilizing an electromagnet to provide the driving force. This electric stapler apparatus is an improvement over prior art apparatus of the type operative in such a manner that a microswitch is closed to energize an electromagnet when a switch lever is operated by sheets of paper to be fastener, and a staple-driving lever is actuated by the electromagnetic force of the electromagnet, said microswitch being opened by operation of the staple-driving lever.

Description

States atent Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priorities Saichi Amakawa Moriguchi-shi;

Toshio Torigoe, lHlirakata-shi; Osamu Miyamoto, Moriguchi-shi; Akito Kawamoto, Neyagawa-shi; Yasuzo llatazaki, Asahi-ku, Osaka; Tadayuki Haruyama, Neyagawa-shi; Seiii Yokogawa, Kadoma-shi; Hiroshi Kawai, Moriguchishi, all of Japan Mar. 23, 1970 Dec. 7, 1971 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Osaka, Japan Mar. 25, 1961 Japan Mar. 25, 1969, Japan, No. 44/28875; Mar. 25, 1969, Japan, No. 44/24525 ELECTRIC STAPLER APPARATUS 7 Claims, 15 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 227/131 [51] Int. Cl 1 r 1325c 1/06 [50] Field otScai-ch 227/131 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,423,002 1/1969 Hatazaki et a1. 227/131 2,957,174 10/1960 Oussani 227/131 3,282,489 11/1966 March 227/131 X Primary E.raminerCiranville Y. Custer, Jr, Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller and Mosher ABSTRACT: An electric stapler apparatus which automatically drives staples into sheets of paper, utilizing an electromagnet to provide the driving force. This electric stapler apparatus is an improvement over prior art apparatus of the type operative in such a manner that a microswitch is closed to energize an electromagnet when a switch lever is operated by sheets of paper to be fastener, and a staple-driving lever is actuated by the electromagnetic force of the electromagnet. said microswitch being opened by operation of the staple-driving.

lever,

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PATENTED DEC I 1 in SHEETSHFB ELECTRIC STAPLER APPARATUS The present invention relates to an electric stapler apparatus.

As an electric stapler apparatus which automatically drives staples into sheets of paper, utilizing an electromagnet to provide the driving force, US. Pat. No. 3,423,002, for example, discloses a type of apparatus which is operative in such a manner that a microswitch is closed to energize an electromagnet when a switch lever is operated by the sheets of paper to be fastened, and a staple-driving lever is actuated by the electromagnetic force of the electromagnet, said microswitch being opened by operation of the staple-driving lever.

However, the apparatus disclosed in the US. Patent is not entirely satisfactory with respect to the operational reliability and durability of the microswitch-actuating mechanism; means for positively fixing a fastening position adjusting lever; and the staple-drivingmeans, particularly the mechanism for driving staples in a correct position relative to the staplereceiving recess in the staple-clinching anvil and the durability of said mechanism.

The present invention is directed to an apparatus of the type described, wherein improvements are made so as to enhance the operational reliability and durability of the prior art apparatus and thereby to eliminate the drawbacks of the same.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electric stapler apparatus wherein a switch lever operated by sheets of paper to be fastened, a switch-pushing member operated by said switch lever to push a pushbutton of a microswitch for energizing an electromagnet and a switch-releasing member to release the pushing force of the switch-pushing member upon completion of the staple-driving operation are operatively associated with each other through the rotational motions of the respective component parts, thereby to obtain a reliable onoff operation of the switch and simultaneously to increase the durability of the individual component parts and prolong the service life of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a reliable stapledriving operation by regulating the relative positional relation of a staple guide case and a staple-driving lever, adjusting the position of staple container in the staple guide case and improving a hammer provided at the forward end of the staple driving lever.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a side elevation, partially cut away, of an electric stapler apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation showing the component parts of the switch mechanism of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the component parts of the switch mechanism;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the switchoperating portion of the switch mechanism shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the staple driving mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the staple guide case;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the staple guide case with a portion broken away and the rear portion shown in explosion;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the forward end portion of the staple guide case;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the rear portion of the staple guide case;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the forward end portion of the staple-driving lever;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the front portion of the staple container slidably received in the staple guide case;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the portion shown in FIG. 11, with a portion cut away;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the hammer at the forward end of the staple-driving lever shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the staple-clinching anvil; and

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the switch lever.

Describing the electric stapler apparatus of the invention in detail with reference to the drawings, the apparatus includes a casing 1 made from sheet metal and a cover 2 firmly connected to said casing by means of a bolt 3. The cover 2 is provided at the front face thereof with a gap 4 through which sheets of paper to be fastened are inserted. A base member 5 has a pair of legs 6, 6' and another pair of legs 7, (only one of which is shown) extending downwardly with the lower ends thereof being bent inwardly and secured to the inside surface of the casing I. The base member 5 is provided at the front portion thereof with a staple clinching anvil 8 located in the gap 4 and a plate member I! which has formed therein a slot 10 for the fore-and-afi sliding movement of a switch lever 9 therein, said switch lever protruding into the gap 4 through said plate member. At the rear end portion of the base member 5 is provided a U-shaped bracket 15 which is riveted to said base member and to which a staple guide case 12 and a staple-driving lever 13 are pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 14, the front end of said staple guide case being located above the staple-clinching anvil 3 so that the stapleejection slit (not shown) in the staple guide case 12 is vertically aligned with the staple-clinching recess in the anvil 8 to be described later.

An electromagnet 16 is fixed to the underside of the rear portion of the base member 5 and an armature 17 is normally projected forward from said electromagnet. The armature 17 is retracted when the exciting coil of the electromagnet is energized. An opening I8 is formed in about the midportion of the base member 5 and a pair of ears 18a (only one of which is shown) extend downward from both sides of said opening. A pair of L-shaped crank levers 19 are pivotally connected at their central portions to the respective ears by a pin 20 .and one end of each of said crank levers 19 is pivotally connected to the forward end of the armature 17 of the electromagnet 16 by a pin 21 respectively. The other ends of the crank levers 19 are pivotally connected to the lower ends of rocking levers 22 by a pin 23 respectively, which rocking levers are pivotally connected to the staple-driving lever 13 at their top ends respectively.

On the front leg 6' of the base member 5 there is secured a bracket 25 of the shape shown in FIG. 2, to which an L-shaped switch-mounting plate 24 is fixed. A microswitch 27 having a pushbutton 26 is fixedly mounted on the upper portion of the L-shaped mounting plate 24. The mounting plate 24 has a pair of

upright arms

28, 23 formed at the end of the horizontal portion thereof and a switch-pushing plate 29 to push the aforesaid pushbutton 26 is rockably mounted on said arms 28, 28' by means of a pin 30.

The switch-pushing plate 29 is normally urged to rotate projects a counterclockwise direction by a spring 31 mounted on the pin 30 and an L-shaped switch-pushing member 33 is pivotally connected to a depending portion 32 of said switchpushing plate 29 by a pivot pin 34. The switch-pushing member 33 is constantly urged to rotate in a clockwise direction by a spring 35 mounted on the pin 34. A pushing plate 36 to directly push the pushbutton 26 is pivotally connected at its rear end to the L-shaped switch-mounting plate 24 by a pin 37. The pushing plate 36 has formed at its forward end a lug 38 which projects into a rectangular opening 39 formed in the switch-mounting plate 24, so that the pivotal movement of said pushing plate may be limited by the edge of said opening. The pushbutton 26 is located above the forward end of the pushing plate 36, while the top end of the upright portion 40 of the L-shaped switch-pushing member 33 is located below the same.

The switch-mounting plate 24 also has a switch-releasing member 41 pivotally connected thereto. The switch-releasing member 41 is provided in one end thereof with a slot 42 in which the pin 23 extending through the lower ends of the rocking levers 22 is loosely received. The other end 43 of the switch-releasing member 41 is in abutting engagement with the underside of the horizontal portion 44 of the L-shaped switch-pushing member 33.

On the other hand, the leg 6 of the base member 5 is formed with an elongate slot 45 to provide for sliding movement of an operating lever 46, while an elongate slot 127 is formed in the base member 5 to provide for sliding movement of a switchoperating lever 9.

The operating lever 46 has a T-shaped configuration and a pinhole 109 is formed at about the center of a leg 108 thereof as shown in FIG. 15.

The leg 108 of the operating lever 46 extends through an elastic locking spring 115, a retainer plate 47 and a plate washer 117 in the order mentioned and loosely extends I through the elongate slot 45 from the inside of the leg 6. As

shown in FIG. 15, the locking spring 115 has a rectangular hole 110 formed therein and an arcuately curved engaging claw 111 extending downwardly from the center thereof. The retainer plate 47 has a rectangular hole 112 formed in the center of the upper portion thereof and a joggled step 113 formed at the center thereof. It is also provided with a hole 114 through which the engaging claw 111 of the rocking spring 1 15 extends on the other side of the retainer plate with respect to the body of said locking spring. The switch-operating lever 9 is connected at its lower end to one side of the lower end of the retainer plate 47 by a rivet 48. The plate washer 1 17 is made of a synthetic resin and has a rectangular hole 116 formed therein.

On the outside of the leg 6, the leg 108 of the operating lever 46, projecting through the slot 45, further extends through a second synthetic resin washer 117 having a rectangular hole 116 therein, a washer-holding plate 119 similarly having a rectangular hole 118 therein and a spring plate 122 having a rectangular hole 120 therein and the opposite ends thereof flexed inwardly. A cotter pin 121 is inserted through the pinhole 109 in the operating lever 46 and the legs of said cotter pin is expanded, whereby the operating lever 46 is secured with the

washers

117, 117 in close contact with the elongate slot 45 under the elastic force of the spring plate 122. A lever-operating knob 51 is fixed to the outer end extremity of the leg 108 of the operating lever 46.

A sliding motion guide plate 123 is fixed to the inside wall of the leg 6 by

rivets

124, 124 below the elongate slot 45. The upper end of the guide plate 123 is flexed into an L-shape and formed with a corrugation 126 for engagement with the engaging claw 111 of the locking spring 115, while the lower end thereof is flexed into a U-shaped at 125 to guide the retainer plate 47 without a rattle.

The switch lever 9 having the lower end pivotally connected to the retainer plate 47 by the rivet 48 is normally held upright by engagement of an arm 49 of the lever 9 with the plate 29 which is biased counterclockwise by a spring 31 on a pivot pin 30 of the switch-pressing plate 29. However, when the operating lever 9 is tilted rearwardly by pushing the top end thereof, the arm 49 integral with said operating lever pushes down the sliding surface 50 of the switch-pushing plate 29, so that the depending portion 32 of said switch-pushing plate is moved upward to push the pushbutton 26 of the microswitch 27 through the L-shaped switch-pushing member 33 and the pushing plate 36. The top end of the switchoperating lever 9, extending upward through the slot 127 in the base member 5, projects into the gap 4 through the slot 10 fonned in the plate member 11.

A coil spring 52 is provided on the base member rearwardly of the opening 18, to urge the staple guide case 12 upwardly. A predetermined interval is maintained between the staple guide case 12 and the staple-clinching anvil 8 by the coaction of the spring 52 and a substantially U-shaped restricting plate 53.

The staple guide case 12 and the staple-driving lever 13 are arranged in the following manner: The staple guide case 12 having the rear end portion formed into a U-shaped configuration and the remaining portion into a substantially box-shaped configuration has a guide slit 54 formed in the top wall thereof and the forward end of the top wall is provided with an engaging projection 55. Centrally of the bottom wall of the staple guide case 12 is fonned an elongate arcuate depression 56 extending longitudinally of the case, for guiding a stopper 64 (FIG. 5) to be described later. a portion of the bottom wall of the staple guide case 12 is cut-bent to form an upright lug 58 at the rear portion of the elongate depression 56 and simultaneously an opening 59 is fonned in said bottom wall. The upright lug 58 is formed with a notch 57. Reference numerals 60, 60' designate a shaft bearing holes formed in the opposite sidewalls of the U-shaped portion of the staple guide case 12.

A staple magazine 61 has a U-shaped cross section and L- shaped cut-

bent lugs

63, 63 are formed on the front and rear portion respectively of the bottom wall thereof for fixing a U- shaped staple guide frame 62 thereto. A portion of the bottom wall the staple magazine 61 is cut away as at 66 (FIG. 9) at a location rearwardly of the cut-bent lug 63, so as to fonn a stopper lug 65 for fixing the stopper member 64 which has a U-shaped configuration and is formed with an elongate projection extending centrally of the bottom wall thereof. As shown in FIG. 7 the staple magazine 61 has the rear end portion of one sidewall thereof cut away and also has the bottom wall thereof cut away at the rear end to form a notch 67 and a projection 69 located rearwardly of said notch 67 and having a slanting surface 68.

The inside wall of the staple magazine 61 and the outside wall of the staple guide frame 62 disposed therein define therebetween

elongate channels

71, 71 for the sliding movement of a staple pusher 70 and a staple A therein. The forward ends 72 of the opposite sidewalls of the staple magazine 61 are flexed inwardly into L-shape and a Ushaped cover 73 is fixed to the outside surfaces of said flexed ends, said cover 73 having a guide member 73' for facilitating the insertion of papers as shown in FIG. 8.

Between the inside surfaces of the flexed ends 72 of the staple magazine 61 and the forward end of the guide frame 62 is formed a gap B to provide for passage of the individual staples A and a staple-driving member to be described later.

The forward ends of the opposite sidewalls of the staple guide frame 62 are provided with cut-

bent lugs

102, 102 each having a tapered surface 103 at the forward end of the top end surface thereof and the forward end surfaces of said cut-bent lugs are flush with the forward end face of the body of said guide frame 62, as shown in FIG. 12, to secure the gap 8. The tapered surfaces 103 serve to prevent the legs of the individual staple from moving backward when the unit staple at the forward end extremity of the staple A is severed from the other units, as well as to guide the legs A into the gap B to be driven by the staple-driving member along the end surfaces 104.

On the other hand, the staple pusher 70 has a taper 74 at the forward end of the top wall thereof and is also provided with an engaging member 75 adapted to abut against the aforesaid engaging projections 55 and a lug 77 having a hole formed therein. A spring guide rod 76 has the rear end fixed to the notch 57 in the lug 58, with the front end extending through the hole formed in the lug 77. A coil spring 78 is wound around the guide rod 76, by which the staple pusher 70 is constantly urged forwardly.

An inwardly extending lug 79 is formed on the inside surface of one of the side walls of the U-shaped rear end portion of the staple guide case 12 and a spring 80 is mounted on said lug 79 to urge the staple container 61 forwardly (FIG. 6).

A lever 81 holds the staple magazine 61 in position within the staple guide case 12 against the biasing force of the spring 80. This lever is pivotally connected to the undersurface of the rear end portion of the staple guide case 12 by means of a stud 82 having an eccentric step 82, so that the position thereof in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus may be adjusted within a predetennined range. At the forward end of the lever 81 is provided with an upright lug 83 which is in engagement with a hole 67 in the staple magazine 61. Reference numeral 81' designates a through-hole (FIG. 7) formed in the lever 81 for receiving the stepped land 82' of the stud 82.

In assembling the component parts described above, the staple magazine 61 having the cover 73 connected thereto and the staple pusher 70 fitted in the channels 71, 71' is inserted into the staple guide case 12 from the front end thereof and the guide rod 76 is fixedly mounted in the notch 57 of the lug 50. Then, the coil spring 78 is mounted on the guide rod 76 and the forward end of said guide rod 76 is loosely inserted into the hole in the lug 77 of the staple pusher 70.

The staple magazine 61 is urged forwardly by the spring 00, but the upright lug 83 of the lever 81, which is rotatably fitted to the rear portion of the staple guide case 12 by the eccentric stud 02 fixed in the hole 12, is engaged in the opening 67 in the staple magazine 61 through the opening 59, whereby said staple magazine 61 is secured within the staple guide case 12.

The staple-driving lever 13, as shown in FIG. 13, carries a substantially L-shaped staple-driving member 85 having a curved flexed portion 84 and a clamping plate 88 having the forward end 87 loosely received in a hole 86 formed in the vertical portion of the staple-driving member to take a load imposed on said driving member. The staple-driving member 85 and the clamping plate 88 are integrally connected with each other by means of rivets 89. The vertical portion of the staple-driving member 85 is movable to some extent in a vertical and fore-and-aft directions with respect to the curved flexed portion M. Reference numeral 90 designates a hole formed in the staple-driving lever 13 to allow the curved flexed portion 84 to project outwardly therethrough.

The staple-driving lever 13 is also provided at the central portion with a pin 91 to which the rocking levers 22 are pivotally connected and at the rear end with a spring 93 by which the driving lever is urged upwardly, said spring 93 being mounted on a pin 14 at its central portion, with the rear end thereof being supported by flexed

lugs

92, 92 provided at the rear end'of the staple guide case 12. The spring 93 is designed to be stronger in biasing force than the spring 52 which urges the staple guide case 12 upwardly. In order to prevent the staple guide case 12 from being pushed excessively upwardly by the spring 93, each of the rocking levers 22 is provided with perpendicular lugs 94 which are in abutting engagement with the bottom surface of the guide case 12.

On the outer surface of the leg 7 of the base member 5 is provided an operating member 95 which is supported by fittings 96 for sliding movement in the fore-and-aft direction. The operating member 95 is normally urged forwardly, with the rear end 97 in abutting engagement with the rear end portion of the lever 81 which is urged to rotate in a clockwise direction by a spring 98. When the operating member 95 is moved backward against the biasing force of the spring 98 by operating a handle 99, extending from the member 95 outwardly through an opening in the casing, the lever 81 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction about the stepped land 02' of the eccentric stud 82 and the upright lug 83 at the forward end extremity of the lever 81 is disengaged from the opening 67 in the staple magazine 61, so that said staple magazine 61 is ejected forward under the biasing force of the spring 00. Thus, the staple magazine 61 can be replenished with a new staple A. When the staple magazine 61 is ejected forward, the stopper member 64 engages the forward end of the elongate depression 56 formed in the bottom wall of the staple guide case 12, whereby the staple magazine 61 is prevented from moving off said staple guide case 12.

Reference numeral 100 designates a suction cup fixed to the lower end of each of the

legs

6, 6, 7, 7 of the

base member

5, and 101 designates a cord having one end connected to the exciting coil of the electromagnet 16 through the microswitch 2'7, with the other end extending outwardly of the casing 1 through the rear end thereof, to be connected to a power source. The staple-clinching anvil 8 has a recess 105 for clinching the unit staple therein by deforming the same, and is fixed on the front portion of the base member 3 by means of screws 107 extending through holes 106 in the anvil 8 and threaded into said base member. The position of the stapleclinching anvil is adjustable longitudinally and transversely within the range allowed by the oval holes 106.

The electric stapler apparatus of the invention constructed as described above operates in the following manner: Namely, when papers P to be stapled are inserted into the gap 4 at the front portion of the cover 2 and the switch lever 9 is pushed backward by said papers, the arm 49 of the switch lever 9 pushes the sliding surface 50 of the switch-pushing plate 29 downward, so that the flexed end 32 of said pushing plate 29 is moved upward to push the pushbutton 26 through the switchpushing member 33 and the pushing plate 36 and thus the microswitch 27 is closed. As a result, the electromagnet 16 is excited and the armature 17 is retracted under the electromagnetic force of said electromagnet. Therefore, the staple-driving lever 13 operatively connected to the armature 17 through the crank levers 19 and the rocking levers 22 is instantaneously moved downwardly.

In this case, the staple guide case 12 is moved downward against the biasing force of the spring 52 and the forward end of the staple magazine 61, located in the front portion of said staple guide case is brought into contact with the papers P on the staple-clinching anvil 8 at first, because the biasing force of the spring 93 which biases the lever 13 at its rear end so as to maintain a predetermined space between the forward ends of said lever 13 and said staple guide case 12, is stronger than that of the coil spring 52. Thereafter, the lever 13 is moved downward to drive the unit staple at the forward end extremity of the stick of staples A in the staple magazine 61 into the papers 1 by the staple-driving member and clinch the same in the recess of the staple-clinching anvil. Thus, the papers P are stapled together.

As the staple-driving member 85 reaches its lowest position, driving the staple into the sheets of paper P, the pine 23 connected to the crank levers 19 moves downward, causing the switch-releasing member 411 to rotate in a clockwise direction, so that the forward end 43 of said switch-releasing member 41 pushes the horizontal portion 414 of the L-shaped switch-pushing member 33 upward to rotate said switch-pushing member in a counterclockwise direction. Consequently, the upright portion 40 of the pushing member 33 is disengaged from the forward end 38 of the pushing plate 36 to release the pushbutton 26, whereby the microswitch 27 is opened. The electromagnet 16 is deenergized and the armature 17 returns to its original position, so that the staple-driving lever 13 is returned to the original angular position relative to the staple guide case 12 under the biasing force of the spring 93 and then both the staple-driving lever 13 and the staple guide case 12 are returned to their original positions by being pushed by the coil spring 52.

As stated above, the pushbutton 26 of the microswitch 27 is actuated through the pushing plate 36 and the pushing member 33. Therefore, even when the upright portion 40 of the pushing member 33 is moved back in a clockwise direction under the biasing force of the spring 35 after it has once been rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the lever 41 and disengaged from the switch-pushing plate 36 and the microswitch 27 has been actuated, the movement is blocked by the forward portion 38 of the pushing plate 36 and the pushbutton 26 will not directly be actuated by said pushing member 33. Thus, it is possible to secure a reliable operation of the microswitch by eliminating an erroneous operation otherwise caused by the return movement of the pushing member 33 and to avoid a damage to the pushbutton and hence enhance the durability of said microswitch.

The pushing member 33 is operated by the pivotal movement of the switch-releasing member 41 against the biasing force of the spring 35 as stated above but the biasing force of the spring 35 is only required to be strong enough to effect the return movement of the pushing member 33. Therefore, the shock given to the pushing plate 36 by the pushing member 33 in its return movement can be minimized and damage to the microswitch can be prevented, and consequently the mechanism can be maintained highly durable.

Since the switch-releasing member 41 is engaged with the pin 23 by receiving the latter in the notch 42 formed in one end thereof, the operation of said releasing member is positive and there is no possibility that the microswitch 27 is actuated only temporarily under the force of inertia created in the releasing member during pivotal movement.

Furthermore, according to the present invention the force exerted on the vertical portion of the staple-driving member 85 incident to the clinching operation is taken by the clamping plate 88 which is combined with the staple-driving member with its projecting forward end 87 being received in the rectangular hole 86 in the vertical portion of the latter. Therefore, the staple-driving member 85 will not be damaged even after repetitive staple-driving operations. In addition, since the staple-driving member 85 is slightly flexible in a fore-and-aft direction with respect to the curved flexed portion 84, it engages the inside surface of the forward end 72 of the staple magazine 61 under a suitable pressure and moves up and down within the staple delivery gap in a highly satisfactory manner, even if it is subjected to a slight deformation. This makes it unnecessary to produce the staple-driving member with high precision and hence facilitates the production of said staple-driving member.

it is also to be noted that according to the invention the distance between the staple-driving lever and the staple can be set accurately to provide for satisfactory driving of the staple, because the distance between the staple-driving lever and the staple guide case is maintained constant by the lugs 94 of the rocking levers 22 which abut against the undersurface of the staple guide case.

A further advantage of the invention is that the stapler apparatus can be assembled in a manner to ensure smooth operation of the staple-driving member 85 because the gap between the forward ends of the staple magazine 61 and the staple guide case 12 can be adjusted by operating the eccentric stud 82 by which the lever 81 to hold the staple magazine 61 is pivotally connected to the rear end portion of the staple guide case 12.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric stapler apparatus of the type comprising a base member provided with a staple-clinching anvil on the forward end portion of the upper surface and having an opening formed in substantially the center thereof, a staple-driving lever and a staple guide case pivotally connected to the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base and being normally hoisted so that the forward ends thereof may be spaced above said staple-clinching anvil, an electromagnet fixed on the rear end portion of the undersurface of said base member, links operatively connecting the armature of said electromagnet with said staple-driving lever through said opening in the base member so as to cause a downward movement of said staple-driving lever upon energization of said electromagnet, a microswitch having a pushbutton and fixed on the forward end portion of the undersurface of said base member, and a switch lever provided on one side of said microswitch in such a manner as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and having the top end protruding above the base member on one side of said staple-clinching anvil so as to be tilted rearwardly by sheets of paper to be stapled, wherein a switch-pushing plate having a sliding surface on one side for sliding engagement with an arm provided at the lower end of said switch lever and a switch-pushing member on the other side is provided between said microswitch and said switch lever in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis, said switch-pushing member being adapted to push the pushbutton of said microswitch and being normally urged to rotate rearwardly, said switch-pushing plate being normally urged to keep said sliding surface in engagement with said arm of the switch lever; and further a switchreleasing member is provided between said link and said switch-pushing plate in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement, with the rear end in engagement with said link and the forward end being located below a rearwardly extending arm of said switch-pushing member, said forward end of the switch-releasing member pushing said arm of the switch-pushing member to cause said switch-pushing member to pivot forwardly upon completion of the driving operation of said stapie-driving lever, said staple guide case an said staple-driving lever having the rear ends thereof pivotally mounted on a pivot pin so that the forward ends thereof are movable up and down, said pivot pin extending across the opposite sidewalls of a U-shaped bracket fixedly mounted on the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base member, said staple guide case and said staple-driving lever being biased by a spring mounted on said pin so that their forward ends are held apart from each other, rocking levers constituting parts of said links and having the upper end pivotally connected to substantially the center of said staple-driving lever so that said rocking levers are rocked by said staple-driving lever in a substantially vertical direction, said rocking levers being provided with stopper lugs for abutting engagement with the undersurface of said staple guide case, said staple guide case having a staple magazine longitudinally slidable therein, a spring at the rear end portion of said staple guide case to urge said staple magazine forward, and a latch lever pivotally connected to the rear end portion of said staple guide case by means of an eccentric stud to hold said staple magazine in said staple guide case against the biasing force of said spring.

2. An electric stapler apparatus of the type comprising a base member provided with a staple-clinching anvil on the forward end portion of the upper surface and having an opening formed in substantially the center thereof, a staple-driving lever and a staple guide case pivotally connected to the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base and being normally hoisted so that the forward ends thereof may be spaced above said staple-clinching anvil, an electromagnet fixed on the rear end portion of the undersurface of said base member, links operatively connecting the armature of said electromagnet with said staple-driving lever through said opening in the base member so as to cause a downward movement of said staple-driving lever upon energization of said electromagnet, a microswitch having a pushbutton and fixed on the forward end portion of the undersurface of said base member, and a switch lever provided on one side of said microswitch in such a manner as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and having the top end protruding above the base member on one side of said staple-clinching anvil so as to be tilted rearwardly by sheets of paper to be stapled, wherein a switch-pushing plate having a sliding surface on one side for sliding engagement with an arm provided at the lower end of said switch lever and a switch-pushing member on the other side is provided between said microswitch and said switch lever in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis, said switch-pushing member being adapted to push the pushbutton of said microswitch and being normally urged to rotate rearwardly, said switch-pushing plate being normally urged to keep said sliding surface in engagement with said arm of the switch lever; and further a switchreleasing member is provided between said link and said switch-pushing plate in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about an axis with the rear end in engagement with a pin on said link and the forward end being located below a rearwardly extending arm of said switch-pushing member, said forward end of the switch-releasing member being pivotally rotated in clockwise direction to push said arm of the switchpushing member to cause said switch-pushing member to rotate in counterclockwise direction upon completion of the driving operation of said staple-driving lever.

3. An electric stapler apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said staple guide case and said staple-driving lever have the rear end thereof pivotally mounted on a pivot pin so that the forward ends thereof are movable up and down, said pivot pin extending across the opposite sidewalls of a U- shaped bracket fixedly mounted on the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base member, said staple guide case and said staple-driving lever being biased by a spring mounted on said pin so that their forward ends are held apart from each other, and rocking levers constituting parts of said links and having the upper ends pivotally connected to substantially the center of said staple-driving lever so that said rocking levers are rocked by said staple-driving lever in a substantially vertical direction is provided with stopper lugs for abutting engagement with the undersurface of said staple guide case.

4. An electric stapler apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said staple magazine has fixed in the rear end portion thereof a U-shaped stopper member having the outside surfaces of the opposite sidewalls thereof in intimate contact with the inside surfaces of the opposite sidewalls of said staple guide case and provided on the bottom surface thereof with an elongate longitudinal projection extending outwardly through the bottom wall of said staple magazine, while said staple guide case is provided in its inner bottom surface thereof with a longitudinal groove to limit the movable range of said stopper member, and said stopper member serves to limit the rearward movement of a staple pusher.

5. An electric stapler apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said staple magazine is composed of a U-shaped main body and an inverted U'shaped staple guide member fixedly mounted in said main body with a staple passage clearance defined between the sidewalls of the former and the sidewalls of the latter, and further at the forward end of said staple magazine is formed a clearance for the passage of the individual staple therethrough under the driving force of said staple-driving member and barrier walls are provided below said clearance to restrict a longitudinal and transverse movements of the individual staple being driven.

6. An electric stapler apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch lever is pivotally connected to a retainer plate having fitted thereto a locking spring having an arcuate engaging claw and said retainer plate is longitudinally slidably mounted on a leg of said base member, said engaging claw of the locking spring being in pressure engagement with a corrugated edge of a guide plate so as to hold said switch lever in an optional position relative to the paper-stapling position.

7. An electric stapler apparatus of the type comprising a base member provided with a staple-clinching anvil on the forward end portion of the upper surface and having an opening formed in substantially the center thereof, a staple-driving lever and a staple guide case pivotally connected to the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base and being normally hoisted so that the forward ends thereof may be spaced above said staple-clinching anvil, an electromagnet fixed on the rear end portion of the undersurface of said base member, links operatively connecting the armature of said electromagnet with said staple-driving lever through said opening in the base member so as to cause a downward movement of said staple-driving lever upon energization of said electromagnetic, a microswitch having a pushbutton and fixed on the forward end portion of the undersurface of said base member, and a switch lever provided on one side of said microswitch in such a manner as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and having the top end protruding above the base member on one side of said staple-clinching anvil so as to be tilted rearwardly by sheets of paper to be stapled, wherein a switch-pushing plate having a sliding surface on one side for sliding engagement with an ann provided at the lower end of said switch lever and a switch-pushing member on the other side is provided between said microswitch and said switch lever in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis, said switch-pushing member being adapted to push the pushbutton of said microswitch and being normally urged to rotate rearwardly and switch-pushing plate being normally urged to keep said sliding surface in engagement with said am of the switch lever; and further a switchreleasing member is provided between said link and said switch-pushing plate in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement, with the rear end in engagement with said link and the forward end being located below a rearwardly extending arm of said switch-pushing member, said forward end of the switch-releasing member pushing said arm of the switch-pushing member to cause said switch-gushing member to iv ot forwardly upon completion of the rrvrng operation 0 sard staple-driving lever, said staple-driving lever being provided at its forward end with a staple-driving member consisting of a substantially L-shaped spring plate having a round flexed portion and a aperture formed in the vertical portion thereof, said staple-driving member being fixed to the forward end portion of said staple-driving lever at its horizontal portion by a clamping plate having the forward end projecting into and received in said aperture in said vertical portion.

should read UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 08 DatedDecember 7, 1971 In ent -(s) SaiChi et a].

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Claim for Convention Priority, the first priority date --March 25, l962 instead of March 25, 196i.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents RM Poms) (10-69) USCOMM-DC B0375-P69 a U 5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I959 0-356-33

Claims

1. An electric stapler apparatus of the type comprising a base member provided with a staple-clinching anvil on the forward end portion of the upper surface and having an opening formed in substantially the center thereof, a staple-driving lever and a staple guide case pivotally connected to the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base and being normally hoisted so that the forward ends thereof may be spaced above said stapleclinching anvil, an electromagnet fixed on the rear end portion of the undersurface of said base member, links operatively connecting the armature of said electromagnet with said stapledriving lever through said opening in the base member so as to cause a downward movement of said staple-driving lever upon energization of said electromagnet, a microswitch having a pushbutton and fixed on the forward end portion of the undersurface of said base member, and a switch lever provided on one side of said microswitch in such a manner as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and having the top end protruding above the base member on one side of said stapleclinching anvil so as to be tilted rearwardly by sheets of paper to be stapled, wherein a switch-pushing plate having a sliding surface on one side for sliding engagement with an arm provided at the lower end of said switch lever and a switch-pushing member on the other side is provided between said microswitch and said switch lever in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis, said switch-pushing member being adapted to push the pushbutton of said microswitch and being normally urged to rotate rearwardly, said switch-pushing plate being normally urged to keep said sliding surface in engagement with said arm of the switch lever; and further a switch-releasing member is provided between said link and said switch-pushing plate in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement, with the rear end in engagement with said link and the forward end being located below a rearwardly extending arm of said switch-pushing member, said forward end of the switch-releasing member pushing said arm of the switch-pushing member to cause said switch-pushing member to pivot forwardly upon completion of the driving operation of said staple-driving lever, said staple guide case an said stapledriving lever having the rear ends thereof pivotally mounted on a pivot pin so that the forward ends thereof are movable up and down, said pivot pin extending across the opposite sidewalls of a U-shaped bracket fixedly mounted on the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base member, said staple guide case and said staple-driving lever being biased by a spring mounted on said pin so that their forward ends are held apart from each other, rocking levers constituting parts of said links and having the upper end pivotally connected to substantially the center of said staple-driving lever so that said rocking levers are rocked by said staple-driving lever in a substantially vertical direction, said rocking levers being provided with stopper lugs for Abutting engagement with the undersurface of said staple guide case, said staple guide case having a staple magazine longitudinally slidable therein, a spring at the rear end portion of said staple guide case to urge said staple magazine forward, and a latch lever pivotally connected to the rear end portion of said staple guide case by means of an eccentric stud to hold said staple magazine in said staple guide case against the biasing force of said spring.

2. An electric stapler apparatus of the type comprising a base member provided with a staple-clinching anvil on the forward end portion of the upper surface and having an opening formed in substantially the center thereof, a staple-driving lever and a staple guide case pivotally connected to the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base and being normally hoisted so that the forward ends thereof may be spaced above said staple-clinching anvil, an electromagnet fixed on the rear end portion of the undersurface of said base member, links operatively connecting the armature of said electromagnet with said staple-driving lever through said opening in the base member so as to cause a downward movement of said staple-driving lever upon energization of said electromagnet, a microswitch having a pushbutton and fixed on the forward end portion of the undersurface of said base member, and a switch lever provided on one side of said microswitch in such a manner as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and having the top end protruding above the base member on one side of said staple-clinching anvil so as to be tilted rearwardly by sheets of paper to be stapled, wherein a switch-pushing plate having a sliding surface on one side for sliding engagement with an arm provided at the lower end of said switch lever and a switch-pushing member on the other side is provided between said microswitch and said switch lever in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis, said switch-pushing member being adapted to push the pushbutton of said microswitch and being normally urged to rotate rearwardly, said switch-pushing plate being normally urged to keep said sliding surface in engagement with said arm of the switch lever; and further a switch-releasing member is provided between said link and said switch-pushing plate in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about an axis with the rear end in engagement with a pin on said link and the forward end being located below a rearwardly extending arm of said switch-pushing member, said forward end of the switch-releasing member being pivotally rotated in clockwise direction to push said arm of the switch-pushing member to cause said switch-pushing member to rotate in counterclockwise direction upon completion of the driving operation of said staple-driving lever.

3. An electric stapler apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said staple guide case and said staple-driving lever have the rear end thereof pivotally mounted on a pivot pin so that the forward ends thereof are movable up and down, said pivot pin extending across the opposite sidewalls of a U-shaped bracket fixedly mounted on the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base member, said staple guide case and said staple-driving lever being biased by a spring mounted on said pin so that their forward ends are held apart from each other, and rocking levers constituting parts of said links and having the upper ends pivotally connected to substantially the center of said staple-driving lever so that said rocking levers are rocked by said staple-driving lever in a substantially vertical direction is provided with stopper lugs for abutting engagement with the undersurface of said staple guide case.

5. An electric stapler apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said staple magazine is composed of a U-shaped main body and an inverted U-shaped staple guide member fixedly mounted in said main body with a staple passage clearance defined between the sidewalls of the former and the sidewalls of the latter, and further at the forward end of said staple magazine is formed a clearance for the passage of the individual staple therethrough under the driving force of said staple-driving member and barrier walls are provided below said clearance to restrict a longitudinal and transverse movements of the individual staple being driven.

7. An electric stapler apparatus of the type comprising a base member provided with a staple-clinching anvil on the forward end portion of the upper surface and having an opening formed in substantially the center thereof, a staple-driving lever and a staple guide case pivotally connected to the rear end portion of the upper surface of said base and being normally hoisted so that the forward ends thereof may be spaced above said staple-clinching anvil, an electromagnet fixed on the rear end portion of the undersurface of said base member, links operatively connecting the armature of said electromagnet with said staple-driving lever through said opening in the base member so as to cause a downward movement of said staple-driving lever upon energization of said electromagnetic, a microswitch having a pushbutton and fixed on the forward end portion of the undersurface of said base member, and a switch lever provided on one side of said microswitch in such a manner as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus and having the top end protruding above the base member on one side of said staple-clinching anvil so as to be tilted rearwardly by sheets of paper to be stapled, wherein a switch-pushing plate having a sliding surface on one side for sliding engagement with an arm provided at the lower end of said switch lever and a switch-pushing member on the other side is provided between said microswitch and said switch lever in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis, said switch-pushing member being adapted to push the pushbutton of said microswitch and being normally urged to rotate rearwardly and switch-pushing plate being normally urged to keep said sliding surface in engagement with said arm of the switch lever; and further a switch-releasing member is provided between said link and said switch-pushing plate in such a manner as to make a pivotal movement, with the rear end in engagement with said link and the forward end being located below a rearwardly extending arm of said switch-pushing member, said forward end of the switch-releasing member pushing said arm of the switch-pushing member to cause said switch-pushing member to pivot forwardly upon completion of the driving operation of said staple-driving lever, said staple-driving lever being provided at its forward end with a staple-driving member consisting of a substantially L-shaped spring plate having a round flexed portion and an aPerture formed in the vertical portion thereof, said staple-driving member being fixed to the forward end portion of said staple-driving lever at its horizontal portion by a clamping plate having the forward end projecting into and received in said aperture in said vertical portion.