An Improved Book-stapling Machine.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Book-stapling Machine.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the Firm of Horn & Son, of 151 Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, (a communication to me from abroad by Joseph
Lynam, of San José California, United States of America, Inventor) do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This my invention relates to a new and improved book-stapling machine, and it
consists for the most part of the mechanism hereinafter described.
I provide a slotted table to support the sheets of paper. A staple forming device
consisting of a swinging anvil supports the staple-blank or plain wire in horizontal
position above the table, and has a width of supporting surface corresponding to the
size of staple to be formed. A pair of reciprocating jaws are secured outside of said
anvil and reciprocate against the sides thereof, and have edges to strike and turn
down the end portions of the blank against the sides of the anvil. Suitable grooves
in the inner faces of the reciprocating jaws take in the turned down portions, and a
vertically acting hammer reciprocating between said jaws drives the formed staple
and forces back the anvil from beneath it. A prong-clinching device beneath the
table and in the same plane with the driver bends over the ends of the staple when
driven through the paper. A wire feed and cutting device is arranged at one side of
the forming device above the table to feed and place a blank or cut off portion of
wire at right angles to said staple-forming device. The wire-feed consists of a stationary
carriage-guide and a reciprocating carriage having a rest or support for the wire. A
dog is pivoted to the carriage and which dog has a wire-gripping face set with
relation to the said rest. Suitable mechanism is connected directly to the said dog
above its pivot, to move the carriage, and a resistance spring is applied to produce
the required friction of the carriage on its guide.
Dated this 17th day of January 1890
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Book-stapling Machine.
1, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the Firm of Horn & Son, of 151 Strand, London,
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (a
communication to me from abroad, by Joseph Lynam of San José, California, United
States of America, Inventor) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to machines for forming and inserting staples, and particularly
to machines that are used in the book-binding trade to fasten together the leaves of
books and pamphlets with wire staples as a substitute for stitching.
The improvements that constitute my invention include certain improved mechanism
for feeding the wire and presenting a portion of suitable length to the staple-forming
mechanism, according to the length of staple required; also, certain novel construction
and combination of staple-forming devices, and in connection therewith a driver by
which the formed staple is driven or forced into the book; also, certain novel
mechanism operating beneath or on the opposite side of the book to turn the ends of
the staple and clinch them. It includes, also, the general construction and combination
of these parts, with certain operating mechanism producing an improved machine by
which a staple is formed, driven, bent, and clinched in the same plane, all as hereinafter
fully explained and set forth.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings that form a part of this Specification, the said
improvements and the manner in which they are constructed and arranged for
operation are clearly shown, and the same are referred to in the following description
by figures and letters.
Figure 1 of the drawings represents a front elevation of my improved machine with
a portion of the front plate and work-supporting table broken away to expose parts
behind.
Figure 2. is a front view, on a larger scale, of the wire-feed.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same mechanism, taken from the right-hand side
of Figure 2, and showing also parts of the staple-forming devices.
Figure 4 is a side elevation taken from the right-hand side of Figure 1 and on a
larger scale.
Figure 5 is a front elevation, with parts of the mechanism in section and the frame
and supporting parts broken away. In this view is shown the position of the parts
when bending back the points of the staple.
Figure 6 is a view of the cutting mechanism, taken from the right-hand side of
Figure 5, and through the section-line xx.
Figure 7 represents in perspective the parts that bend and clinch the points of the
staple after they are forced through the sheets.
Figure 8 is a cross-section taken vertically through these parts, showing their
several positions at the end of the operation.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of parts of the wire-feed, and
Figures 10 and 11 show details of the clutch mechanism for putting the machine
into and out of action.
A is the wire-feeding device, by which the wire is drawn from the reel X and fed
in measured quantity in an intermittent manner to the staple-forming mechanism.
B is the cutter that separates a piece of suitable length for the staple from the end
portion of the fed wire. These parts are arranged at one side of a pivoted anvil C,
that co-operates with a pair of vertically-moving jaws D D to form the staple, and in
suitable relation to these parts is arranged a vertically-sliding hammer E, that drives
the formed staple into the sheets Z on the table below.
Beneath the work-supporting table, and in the same plane with the forming and
driving mechanisms, are the remaining devices, that bend the points and finally clinch
them on the under side of the sheets. These parts consist of the pivoted dies H H
and the upwardly-acting hammer I.
The shaft F is the principal operating-shaft of the machine, and from it is actuated
the wire-feed, cutter, anvil, and forming-jaws above the table G, and the remaining
mechanism beneath the table, through the medium of cams and levers as hereinafter
described in detail.
The wire-feed is constructed as follows:-
The fixed rail K at one side of the frame supports the reel X and forms a track for
the carriage A. This part slides back and forth on the rail in feeding the wire, and
is operated by the mechanism illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, consisting of a
face-cam P* on the shaft F and the rocking lever M that is pivoted at m³ to a fixed
arm on the frame and is connected at the lower end m² to the pivoted dog A². This
part A is attached to the front of the carriage at m², on which point it is free to move
under the vibrations of the lever M, and its bottom face below the pivot m is rounded,
and also serrated or roughened to bite and firmly hold the wire. A foot or
projection a¹ beneath the dog forms a flat ledge or surface to hold the wire directly
under the dog and in position for the rounded end to grip the wire when the top of
the dog is drawn forward or toward the frame, the part a¹ being an extension of the
lower portion of the carriage. The lever M has a horizontal member Mx, extending
from the centre of movement m³ over the cam P*, and also below this part an
adjustable armi M³, sliding in a slotted collar me and held by a set-screw m².
ends of these two parts M and M5 set in the path of the cam P* and give the two
movements to work the grip and the carriage. The upper arm when raised by the
cam throws the lower end of the lever inward, and this motion, acting first on the
The

page_text: pivoted dog, causes it to grip the wire, after which the carriage is drawn forward
by the continued movement of the lever. By the length of such movement of the
carriage a longer or shorter portion of wire is drawn from the reel and fed to the
bending mechanism, and the same is regulated by setting the lower arm M³ to meet
the cam sooner or later in its rotation, the effect of which is to make the backward
stroke of the feed-carriage longer or shorter, and consequently set the starting-point
of this part on the rail K¹ either nearer to or farther from the front, thereby affecting
the length of the feeding movement. In the backward movement the dog A2 strikes
a stop-pin on the carriage, so that the motion of the lever then acts directly on the
carriage to run it back. In the operation of these parts the wire is carried from the
reel under the spring-plate Y, which is a curved piece fastened to an arm Y* at
the back of the reel-bracket and at the free front end y² bearing on the ledge or
projection y³ of a block Y, secured under the bracket. This block has a recessed
face and apertures through its ends for the wire to pass forward to the feed-carriage,
and attached to the front within the recess it is provided with a wire-straightening
device consisting of an adjustable pin or stud Y, that may be either up or down with
respect to the line of wire running through the apertures in the block, by means of
which it will be seen that the wire is drawn straight in passing over this part Y'. In
passing from the reel the wire is carried under the spring Y and thence forward
between the end of the spring and the block Y through the straightener to the feed-
carriage. The office of these parts is to take the bend or coil out of the wire and
prevent it from springing back out of the machine while the feed-carriage is running
back. The spring Ms fixed to the bottom of the carriage, bears continually against
the fixed rail K, and is applied in this manner for the purpose of producing a suitable
degree of friction or resistance to cause the dog A2 to bite firmly on the wire before
the carrier begins its forward movement, as otherwise the feed-dog would simply slip
on the wire without drawing it forward. The spring MB is therefore regulated to
produce the necessary amount of resistance to the carriage at the beginning of the
feed-motion.
The cutting device is composed of the stationary blade 6', that is set in the front
of the bracket K³, Figure 6, and the vibrating jaw B, having the cutting-dise b²,
fixed in the face adjacent to the stationary cutter. These parts are arranged in front
of the feed-carriage, or between it and the staple-forming mechanism, and are fastened
on the rail Kat suitable distance from the anvil, according to the length of wire
required for the staple. The jaw B is pivoted at 63 and its upper end sets in the
path of the projection B on the face of the disc N, by which the cutter is worked.
The wire rests in the slit 6 and is held up to the cutter by the spring-tongue 67. The
wire is gripped between the anvil and the bending-jaws D D at the time the cutter is
separating a portion of suitable length for the staple, and the positions of the staple-
blank thus held by these parts is such that the ends of the wire project an equal
distance beyond either side of the anvil to give the prongs the same length.
The construction and arrangement of the parts that form the staple-bending
mechanism will be understood from Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 8. The part C, which I have
designated the "anvil," is composed of two segment-shaped plates fixed together in
upright and parallel position at proper distance apart, according to the length of the
body of the staple to be produced, and they are attached by a pivot-bolt C³ to the
stationary foot K on the lower part of the frame K. At this point of attachment one
of the plates has a rearward extension C, setting beyond the pivot and under a stop-
lever C, that is pivoted at c on the frame K and rests against a surface-cam Pon
the principal shaft. The top edges of the plates C are straight, as seen at c*, and the
bottom edges are curved so that they are somewhat like a quadrant in shape; but the
straight top edge that supports the wire-blank is longer from pivot to point than
the vertical distance from pivot down to the heel. The coil-spring draws the anvil
up into position, and the lever holds it rigidly in place while the jaws D D are
moving downward and bending the ends of the wire. At the end of this operation the
lever C is thrown out to release the anvil, and this part then turns on its pivot under
the pressure of the hammer upon the body of the staple, which drives the points

page_text: through the sheets on the table beneath. The spring Cat this time acting against
the pressure causes the anvil to turn gradually on its pivot toward the table, so that
the staple moves down the inclined top edge, which comes finally to a vertical position
as the anvil is forced back in this manner from under the staple as the top sheet is
reached. The movements of the locking-lever are properly timed to hold the anvil
while the points of the staple are being bent and then to release it for the driving
mechanism to act.
The upright slide-bar D¹, on which the jaws D D are fixed, is set in guides d², that
are parts of a movable plate, in the frame immediately behind the face-plate K³, and
by means of a set-screw K³, properly placed for the purpose, the guides are adjusted
horizontally either forward or backward in the frame K, the parts d² at the top and
bottom of the movable plate being set in slots in the frame. The object of this feature
of adjustment is to change the position of the jaws D in order to work different thick-
nesses of wire. The jaws are provided with two or more sets of grooves in their inner
faces, varying in size from the thinnest or finest wire to the coarsest wire that will be
worked in the machine, and the hammer E, that fits and works in one set of grooves,
will be removed and another hammer having splines Ex of suitable size to fit the set
of grooves to be used will be substituted for it. Vertical movement is given to the
slide-bar by the grooved cam D³ on the bar and the roller-stud D₁ on the face of the
disc N. The jaws move downward closely against the sides of the anvil, and at
the end of their stroke coming down against the sheets of paper on the table they
remain at rest until the staple is driven. The prongs of the staple are thus confined
in the grooves and guided while the hammer drives them into the work. In this last-
mentioned operation the jaws act also as a guide for the hammer as the splines Ex on
its sides fit in the grooves between the jaws. The cam E2 fixed on the shaft F,
operates the slide-har E³, on which the hammer is fixed, as shown in dotted lines,
Figure 5. In the joint operation of these parts the anvil is held in position while the
jaws bend down the prongs, and then as the hammer forces the staple into the work
the anvil is released and is pressed back from under the staple as the pressure upon its
top edge causes it to turn on its pivot. Both the jaws D D and the curved bottom
edge of the anvil are pressed down upon the paper at this time, so that the staple
between them is always entered properly and driven squarely. When the staple is
thus formed and driven to place, the parts return and the hammer and jaws remain at
rest while the next blank or portion of wire is being fed and cut. During the feeding
the anvil is held with its outer end slightly depressed or with its top edge about hori-
zontal, so that the wire shall slip easily over it and between the straight edges and the
bottom of the jaws that stand somewhat above them, and then as the cutter is about to
act the anvil is brought into position shown in Figure 3, that throws the wire back
toward the heel or lower part of the straight edge, and also slightly elevates it. These
two positions are brought about by the movements of the stop-lever C and the
spring C, attached to the back of the anvil, the lever being thrown out by the cam P
and returned by gravity. The longest portion of the cam-surface is set to strike and
throw out the lever immediately before the anvil begins to move under the action of
the hammer E and to hold the lever back while the anvil rises, and then to release the
lever just before the anvil reaches the horizontal position, so that the bent end of the
lever sets in under the back of the anvil. In this position the anvil is held while
the feed is working, and then the short projection of the cam throws out the lever
sufficiently to cause it to drop into position above the extension C³, and thus lock the
anvil while the wire is being cut and bent.
Figures 2 and 3 show the arrangement of these parts more particularly. The
parts that bend and clinch the ends of the staple are located beneath the table G, and
consist of the pivoted dies H H and the hammer I. The construction and operation
of these parts will be understood clearly from the detail views, Figures 7 and 8. The
dies are pivoted at h¹¹ to the front of the stationary plate K, and set upright directly
under the staple-driving hammer, with their inner edges meeting in the centre at
the top over the clinching-hammer. In this position the inner edges H² stand vertical
and parallel, and the hammer is of suitable width to fit and slide smoothly between

page_text: them; but the inwardly-extending heads H, setting over the hammer, are curved, so
that the end of the hammer will readily throw them apart and pass between them in
the upward stroke,. as illustrated in Figure 8. The top face of the hammer is
grooved, and also that of the dies H, to properly turn the ends of the staple, and as
the dies when closed present a concave bed or surface under the work the points of
the staple are regularly and evenly turned in as they are forced against this surface
by the driving mechanism above, and are finally clinched by the upward stroke of
the hammer I. The dies are held together by the spring H³, that keeps them pressed
against the sides of the hammer. This arrangement serves to hold the dies rigidly
in position while the staple is being driven through the work, as the hammer is at
rest during that part of the operation, and its head or wider part sets partly below
and partly above the line of the pivots ¹, as shown in Figure 7. The support for
the work is fixed on the end of the upright tube T, that is held in the bracket KⓇ
on the front of the standard K, and the hammer-rod 12 to the upper end of which
the hammer is fixed by the screw * is carried through the tube and connected at
the lower end to the lever L. This lever is pivoted at I in the frame, and is attached
at the inner end to the upright rod L2, which is acted on by the cam S on the main
shaft F. Connection of the lever with the hammer-rod is made by a sliding collar R,
confined between the nut R' on the screw-threaded end of the rod and the coil-
spring R2, that is placed on the rod between the collar and a fixed collar 13, near the
upper end. By this means the quality of the blow, as well as the position of the
hammer, can be regulated to the work, according as a long or short staple is to be
driven. The tube that carries the table or work-support is held in the guides furnished
in the bracket K, but is set on the coil-spring T, that bears at the bottom on the fixed
surface K, and at the top against the adjustable nut R³ on the tube. The position of
the table is thus regulated according to the thickness of the work by setting the
nut R³ up or down on the tube. The triangular table shown in the drawings is fixed
in position with the slot g in its apex in line with the bending-dies, which set about
level with the top of the slot, and the plate K³, that supports the dies, has the table G
fastened to it at yx and is itself fixed on the end of the tube T at Z', as shown in
Figures 4 and 5. At one side of the bracket K an arm K³, standing upright and in
close relation to the plate K5, forms a guide for this vertically-sliding part and keeps
it in line against any tendency to turn when the tube T or the hammer is being
adjusted.
The machine is arranged to be driven by power from a line of shafting by means of
belting and pulleys, and is furnished with a clutch W to connect and throw off the
pulley V. Suitable connection of the clutch is made with a foot-lever U at the
bottom of the standard, as shown in Figures 1, 10 and 11.
This clutch mechanism as shown in detail at Figures 10 and 11, consists of a
barrel w keyed or otherwise fixed to the operating shaft F of the machine. Passing
through this barrel is a bolt w' said bolt having a plate w² with an inclined face fixed
upon one end thereof. The bolt al projects through the end of barrel w and engages
with the hub of the pulley V which runs loose on the shaft F, a spring w³ on the
bolt w keeping the end of the bolt in engagement.
The treadle U of the machine is depressed while the machine is running, but when
it is desired to stop the machine the pressure is removed from the treadle and a
spring u on the rod u¹ raises the said rod u and the upper end is forced between the
plate on the end of the bolt and the barrel w drawing out the bolt and disengaging
the pulley V.
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. In a stapling-machine, the combination of a slotted table to support the sheets, a
staple-forming device consisting of a swinging anvil to support the staple-blank in
horizontal position above the table, having a width of supporting surface corresponding

page_text: to the size of the staple to be formed, a pair of reciprocating jaws setting outside of
said anvil to reciprocate against the sides thereof, and having edges to strike and turn
down the end portions of the blank against the sides of the anvil, and grooves in the
inner faces to take in the turned-down portions, a vertically-acting hammer recipro-
cating between said jaws and adapted to drive the formed staple and force back the
anvil from beneath it, a prong-clinching device beneath the table and in the same
plane with the driver, and a wire feed and cutting device arranged at one side of the
forming device above the table to feed and place a blank or cut-off portion of wire at
right angles to said staple-forming device, substantially as described.
2. In a stapling-machine, the combination of the swinging anvil held rigidly in
position during the forming operation while the ends of the blank are being bent
squarely and released and allowed to swing from beneath the staple during the driving
operation, and the vertically-reciprocating jaws arranged outside of said anvil to work
in close relation to the sides thereof, and having grooves in the inner taces to take in
and confine the bent prongs of the staple, substantially as described.
3. In a stapling-machine, the combination of the swinging anvil C, spring C7, stop-
lever C, operating as described, to hold and release the anvil, the reciprocating
jaws D D, adapted to bend the staple-blank over the anvil, and the driving-hammer E,
arranged to work between said jaws and to force back the anvil from under the staple
during the driving operation, substantially as described.
4. A staple-forming device consisting of a swinging anvil having a blank-supporting
face of equal width to the length of the staple to be formed, a pair of bending jaws
embracing and reciprocating outside of said anvil at right angles to the supporting-
face and in close relation to the sides of the anvil, and having grooves in the inner
faces to take in the bent portions of the staple, and the driver moving in the same
plane with the said jaws and in the grooves thereof above the staple and adapted to
force out the formed staple and throw back the anvil from beneath it, substantially as
described.
5. In a staple forming and driving mechanism, the combination with staple-bending
jaws and a driving hammer, of the swinging anvil and mechanism, substantially as
described, whereby the anvil is held in position to receive the staple-blank during the
feeding operation, and is set and locked to hold the blank while the jaws are bending
the prongs, and is finally released and allowed to turn and be pressed back from under
the formed staple by the stroke of the hammer, as specified.
6. The swinging anvil C, having a straight top face to support the staple-blank,
vertical sides over which the prongs of the staple are bent, and a curved bottom edge
set for operation with relation to the work-supporting table, as described, in combina-
tion with the reciprocating jaws having grooves for confining and guiding the prongs
of the staple, and the driving-hammer arranged for joint operation, as specified.
7. In a staple-forming mechanism, a pair of reciprocating jaws formed of two
parallel plates with a space between them corresponding to the length of staple to be
formed, and having vertical grooves in their inner faces, in combination with a staple-
blank support of corresponding width of blank-supporting surface, which is adapted to
present the blank to said jaws while they descend and bend the prongs, and then
swing or move outwardly from beneath the staple as the latter is pressed down,
substantially as specified.
8. In a staple forming and driving machine, the combination of staple-forming
jaws and a driving-hammer adapted to place and drive the formed staple and then
remain in position to hold it down while the clinching is being done, and the
clinching dies and hammer arranged for operation, as described, to turn and clinch
the prongs of the staple.
9. The wire-feed consisting of the stationary carriage-guide, reciprocating carriage
having a rest or support for the wire, the pivoted dog with wire-gripping face set with
relation to the said rest, as described, mechanism connected directly to said dog above
its pivot to move the carriage, and a resistance-spring applied to produce the required
friction of the carriage on its guide in the feeding movement, as specified.

page_text: 10. In combination with the wire-feed and the blank-supporting anvil, the stationary
cutter 61, the vibrating jaw B, having a cutter 62 and means whereby said jaw is
actuated with respect to the movement of the wire-feed, as specified.
11. In a stapling-machine, the combination of staple forming and driving mechanism,
a yielding table or support for the sheets to be bound, and a reciprocating clinching-
hammer operating in an upward direction through a slot in the table and capable of
adjustment to regulate the intensity of the blow, substantially as specified.
12. In a stapling machine, the combination of the staple forming and driving
mechanism, of a clutch consisting of a barrel fixed to the operating shaft, a loose pulley
on said shaft, a bolt and spring for connecting said barrel and pulley together with a
treadle and rod adapted to withdraw the said bolt, the whole operating substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1000
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.