Improvements in Paper Fasteners.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paper Fasteners.
I, SAMUEL HENRY, CROCKER of 172 Fleet Street, London, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved paper fastener and is intended to provide a
fastener which will be less expensive than that commonly employed, and which can
be more easily affixed to or removed from the papers.
The fastener is stamped from a small strip of thin metal, which is bent over upon
itself at about the middle. This central portion is slightly reduced in width,
allowing the strip to be bent more easily and with greater accuracy. One arm of
the strip near its end is cupped or recessed on that face opposite the other bent
ärm, and a small pointed portion is stamped out from the other arm towards. this
recess and bent downwards. The fastener is applied by placing the papers between
the two bent arms which are then pressed together by the finger and thumb. The
pointed portion being opposite the cupped portion, passes easily through the sheets
of paper and enters the recess, the latter giving a small free space at the back of
the papers, enabling the point to penetrate more readily. The arms can easily be
parted and the papers released, by inserting a finger nail under either side. and
raising it.
The pointed part may be formed at the end of the strip or a small pointed piece
may be stamped out a short distance from the end and turned down towards the
recess. The arms in this latter case, will be of the same length and the fastener
will be easily applied and removed. It is not intended that the pointed part
piercing through the papers shall be turned over upon the papers to secure the
same, as is the case in other paper fasteners, and this permits of the fastening being
very easily detached from the papers when necessary, while at the same time the
security of the papers when the fastener is affixed is ensured by the fact that the
pointed portion has passed through the whole of the sheets, and entered into
the recess arranged to receive it.
With this fastener the edges of the papers can be brought level by pressing them
against the central portion or bend, and the hole made is much less than that of the
common fastener, thus preventing any disfigurement when the papers are unfastened.
There is also no necessity to cut a slit when a number of sheets is used, and no
danger of the pointed part entering the fingers after piercing through the papers.
Dated this 25th day of April 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paper Fasteners.
I, SAMUEL HENRY CROCKER of Fleet Street, London, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
40 particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—―
This invention relates to an improved paper fastener for securing a number of
papers together, and is intended to provide a device which will be less expensive

page_text: than those commonly employed, and which can be more easily affixed to or removed
from the papers without disfiguring them as is done now.
The fastener is stamped from a sheet of thin metal, which is bent over upon itself
at about the middle forming two arms. From one arm of this strip at or near the
end, is stamped a small spike or pointed portion projecting towards the other arm.
The latter arm is cupped or formed with a recess of any suitable shape so placed
This
that on the two parts being pressed together, the spike will enter the recess.
recess is the main feature of the invention, in combination with the spike and special
form of the fastener, and allows the fastener to be applied by pressing the arms
together with the finger and thumb, causing the spike to penetrate the paper and 1
enter the recess without fear of the point entering the finger. The recess at the
same time provides a small free space at the back of the papers, immediately
opposite the point of the spike, enabling the latter to penetrate easily and pass
through all the sheets before entering the recess.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, which illustrate my invention and various
modifications of the fasteuer, and in which like letters of reference indicate like parts
throughout.
Fig. 1 shows the blank from which the fastener is formed,
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the partially formed fastener, Fig. 3 a similar view
of the fastener complete,
Figs. 4 and 5 are sections respectively of the partially formed fastener, and the
complete fastener applied to the papers,
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modification,
Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a perspective view and a section of a slightly
different form of my invention,
Figs. 9 to 13 are perspective views of other modifications.
A blank A is stamped out from a thin piece of metal as shown in Fig. 1 the
central part a being preferably narrower in order that when bent over as shown in
the perspective views it may be more easily and accurately applied. From one end of.
this blank is stamped out the small tongue or spike B, preferably a short distance
from the extremity, a V shaped portion being turned up to form the spike. At a
corresponding point in the other half of the blank a depression C is formed by
bulging or stamping out the, metal. In the finished fastener 'the arms are left
sufficiently open to enable the papers to be pushed between the spike and the
opposite arm, before the arms are pressed together. The finger and thumb only are
required with this fastening, as it is made of as soft metal as the spike will allow,
and with as little spring or resiliency as possible. Providing for this simple
method of attachment is an important feature in my invention, and the papers can
be secured much nearer to their margins than by the ordinary fasteners having
bent back legs.
'
When the fastener is applied, by pressing the two arms together by the finger
and thumb after the insertion of the papers, the spike B passes completely through
the latter and enters the cavity C as shown in Fig. 5 without danger of entering
the finger or thumb. The arms can easily be parted to remove the fastener and
release the papers by inserting a finger nail under either side and raising it. It
is not intended that the spike shall be turned over upon the paper to secure the same,
as is the case in other paper fasteners, and this permits of its easy removal, while at
the same time the security of the papers when the fastener is affixed is ensured by
the fact that the pointed portion has passed through all the sheets and entered the
recess arranged to receive it. With this fastener the edges of the paper can be
brought level by pressing them against the central portion or bend, and the hole
made is much less than that of the common fastener, thus leaving little disfigure-
ment when removed. There is also no necessity to cut a slit in the papers when it
is required to fasten together a number of sheets.
In Fig. 6 the spike B' is formed at the extremity of the fastener instead of being
stamped out nearer the middle.

page_text: In the device shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the edges a¹ of the recessed side are
slightly turned up to give a larger bearing surface for the thumb or finger to press
upon, should the raised portion be found inconveniently prominent.
The depression C¹ shown in Fig. 9 is of channel form, made by bending the
upper half of the fastener into a U shaped cross section longitudinally. According
to Fig. 10 the channel is formed laterally or across the strip. In Fig. 11 a small
portion C is pressed out into an arched form, to make the necessary cavity or
recess.
In the modification shown in Fig. 12 the depression C is made of considerable
size, and two spikes B, B' are employed, one at the extremity, and the other nearer
the middle or bend. Fig. 13 also shows a double arrangement, each side being
formed with a depression and a spike.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) An improved paper fastener consisting of a strip of thin sheet metal bent or
doubled over to form two arms, one of which is provided with a spike projecting
towards the other arm and this second arm is provided with a depression formed by
bulging or bending out the metal, into which the point of the spike can enter,
substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(2.) An improved paper fastener, formed from a blank of thin sheet metal, the
middle portion of which is reduced in width, bent or doubled over at that portion
and formed on one side with a projecting spike, and on the other with a depression
into which the spike can enter when applied to the papers, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
(3.) An improved paper fastener, stamped from a metal blank doubled over at
the middle, and formed with a depression on one side and a spike stamped from the
other a short distance from the extremity, substantially as described and shown in
Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings.
(4.) In an improved paper fastener of the kind heretofore described, the spike B¹
formed at the extremity of one of the arms as shown in Fig. 6.
(5.) The modification of my improved fastener shown in Fig. 9 in which the
depression is formed by bending one side into channel shape longitudinally.
(6.) The improved fastener illustrated in Fig. 10 in which a transverse channel
shaped depression is formed by bending the metal of one side.
(7.) The modification of my improved fastener shown in Fig. 11 in which the
depression is formed by cutting and partial stamping out a portion of one side and
bending it into an arched form.
(8.) The improved fastener illustrated in Fig. 12 having 2 spikes on the same
Bide, one at the extremity and the other nearer the bend or middle both taking into
a depression in the other side.
(9.) The improved fastener shown in Fig. 13 having two spikes and two
corresponding depressions, a spike and depression on each side.
01
& M. 1904
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.