Improvements in Machines for Binding Books and the like by Means of Wire Staples.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ANGUS GEORGE MACKAY, of 426 Quincy
Street, City of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of
America.]
Improvements in Machines for Binding Books and the like by
Means of Wire Staples.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to the class of machines which are employed for binding
books by means of wire staples driven through the book along the line of
binding.
And it has special reference to the mechanisms for feeding wire to the machine
and cutting the wire into blanks of the requisite lengths and other auxiliary devices
connected to the machine.
And the invention consists in an improved organization of a machine which is
superior in its operation of cutting the blanks from a continuous wire fed auto-
matically to the machine, and forming the staples from said blanks, and subsequently
driving said staples accurately into the book to be bound, and which machine is
equipped with convenient and efficient means for adjusting the wire-feeding and
cutting mechanisms to form staples of different sizes according to the book to be
bound and also possesses various other advantages over prior machines of this
class, all as hereinafter more fully described and summed up in the claims.
In the annexed drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wire-stitching machine embodying our
invention,
Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of that part of the machine which is above
the book-supporting table,
Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 1-1 in Fig. 2,
Fig. 4 is a front view of the head of the machine minus the face-plate,
Fig. 5 is a horizontal transverse section on line 6-6 in Fig. 4,
Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on line 2-2 in Fig. 3 viewed in the
direction of the arrow,
Fig. 7 is a top plan view of that part of the machine to which the wire-feeding
mechanism is attached, Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the same on line 3-3 in
Figs. 2 and 6,
Fig. 9 is an enlarged horizontal transverse section on line 4-4 in Fig. 2,
Fig. 10 is a face view of the mechanism for actuating the wire-cutter,
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the cutter-carrier,
Fig. 12 is a detached perspective view of the tumbler which transmits motion to
the cutter,
Fig. 13 is an enlarged inner face view of the case to which the anvil and staple-
supporter are connected,
Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are vertical transverse sections on line 5-5 in Fig. 13

page_text: showing the anvil and staple-supporter in the different positions assumed by them
in the operation of the machine,
Fig. 17 is an inner face view of the anvil with the wire-blank detainer connected
thereto.
Fig. 18 is a face view of the staple-former and staple-driver,
Fig. 19 is a detached perspective view of one of the staple-former plates
showing the attachment of the stop for arresting the inward thrust of the
wire-blank and
Fig. 20 is a detached face view of the supplemental face plate of the
machine.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts:
A denotes the standard or main supporting frame of the machine, which frame is
formed with forwardly extending arms A¹ A" disposed one above the other and in
the same vertical plane therewith.
On the lower arm A" is mounted the table or saddle F for supporting the book
to be bound, and to the upper arm A¹ are connected the mechanisms for forming
and driving the wire-staples employed for binding the book.
The upper arm Al terminates at its front with a vertically disposed hollow
head A containing the wheel B which is fastened to the end of the horizontal
shaft C which extends through the upper arm A' and has fastened to its rear end
the driving pulley B
The cap or face-plate A of the head A is provided in its inner side with a
vertical grooved in which slides the bar e, the lower end of which I desiguate the
staple-former which is provided with a vertical slot extending through said end.
At opposite sides of this slot are vertical plates e el fastened to the bar e and
provided in their inner edges with longitudinal grooves as shown at ein Fig. 5 of
the drawings.
Said staple-former receives intermittent reciprocating motion by a roller"
pivoted to the bar e and projecting into a cam-groove in the face of the
wheel B.
The bar e is formed with a vertical guide in which slides another vertical bar
which is connected to the wheel B by a pitman f¹ which transmits reciprocating
motion to the bar f
The point of connection of said pitman to the wheel B is in such a position in
relation to the cam-groove / as to cause the two bars e and to reciprocate
alternately for the purpose hereinafter explained.
111
The bar constitutes the staple-driver which has firmly secured to its lower end
a plate the vertical edges of which are formed with tongues / by which said
driver slides in the grooves el of the plate e".
To the base of the front of the face-plate A is bolted or otherwise securely
fastened a case having its cavity adjacent to said face-plate. In said cavity is
supported the laterally movable anvil a preferably formed on the lower end of a
bar or hanger all which is pivoted at its upper end to the case.
Said anvil projects from the rear of the hanger and is held normally in the paths
of the staple-former e and staple-driver f. The top of said projecting anvil is
beveled or wedge-shaped so as to cause the descending staple-driver to force the
anvil out of its way.
The anvil a is provided with a transverse slot for the
reception of the wire-blank from which the staple is to be formed, said blank being
fed into a horizontal groove g in the case D as shown more clearly in Fig. 13 of the
drawings.
Immediately beneath the anvil a is the staple-supporter a¹ which is supported
yieldingly in both vertical and lateral directions to yield to the downward
movement of the staple-driver and to the contact with the book to be bound.
This staple-supporter we preferably pivot to the lower end of an arm a
which in turn is hinged to the top of the case D at 6 and is provided in its lower
end with a slot through which the pivot-pin of the staple-supporter passes, said
slot allowing said staple-supporter to move laterally independent of the arm a¹¹.

page_text: A suitable spring supports the staple-supporter in its normal position, and the
arm a is forced toward the case D so as to carry the staple-supporter into the
path of the staple-driver by the expansive force of a spiral spring surrounding
the outer end of a bolt d" which passes through an aperture in the arm all and is
fastened to the case D, said spring bearing at one end on a nut on the outer
end of the bolt at the opposite end on a washer seated on the exterior of the arm.
A set-screw passes through the arm all and is adjustably connected thereto
to cause it to project from the inner side thereof so that when the staple-driver is
raised to its utmost elevation and the arm a is in its normal position, the
aforesaid set-screw enters an orifice in the case D and pushes the anvil a to its
requisite position for carrying the next wire-blank under the staple-driver and
staple-former.
The operation of the described anvil and staple-supporter is as follows:
The staple-driver fin descending on the table F, forces the anvil a out of the
way and into the case D sufficiently to bring the slot of said anvil in range with
the wire-guiding groove g in the case and thus permit the next wire-blank to enter
the slot as illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16 of the drawings.
The staple-driver then raises and allows the anvil a to move back to its normal
position as shown in Fig. 14 of the drawings, and in this movement said anvil
carries the wire-blank to a position directly under and parallel with the bottom
edges of the staple-forming plates ee which edges are provided with grooves
by which to obtain a hold on the wire blank.
The staple-former then descends and by straddling the anvil a it bends down the
end portions of the blank and thereby forms the staple. As soon as this is effected,
the driver descends and in pushing the anvil out of the way, the staple becomes
released from said anvil and is forced down into the book supported on the table F.
In this operation the grooved edges of the plates el ell serve to hold the shanks of
the staple closely to the sides of the staple-supporter a¹ and guide said shanks so
as to prevent them from bending.
In this driving operation the staple-supporter yields to the downward pressure
of the driver as represented in Fig. 16 of the drawings.
In order to prevent excessive inward thrust of the wire-blank under the staple-
driver and former by the released anvil a we connect to the plates elle vertically
movable stops preferably of the form of metal strips disposed immediately back
of the staple-guiding grooves of the plates el ell and sliding in vertical grooves /
in said plates as shown in Fig. 19 of the drawings. A suitable spring connects
the metal strip to the plate ell and holds the strip normally in a position to
project below the bottom of the plate and arrest the lateral thrust of the wire-
blank imparted to it by the anvil a. In the descent of the staple-former the
strip of stops readily yield to the contact with the book so as to obviate injuring
the same.
To hold the wire-blank in position in the slot 6 of the anvil a until the staple-
forner has obtained a proper hold on said blank, we place horizontally across the
slot a wire-detaining finger c which extends through the back of the hanger all
and is movable vertically, and formed cylindrical or with a rounded or beveled
underside to allow the blank to pass under it.
This finger we preferably connect to the lower end of a plate c' which slides
longitudinally in a vertical guide-groove in the outer side of the hanger all and
receives downward pressure by a spring c¹¹.
E represents the spool upon which is wound the wire from which the staples are
formed. Said spool is preferably mounted on a head A.
A guide E' conducts the wire to the feeding mechanism which is operated
automatically and in harmony with the operation of the staple-former and
staple-driver.
Said feeding mechanism consists of two rollers R R¹ disposed in the same plane
and with their peripheries in sufficient proximity to each other to grip the wire
passing between then.

page_text: Said rollers have affixed to them intermeshing gears i¹ by which they are caused
to rotate in unison.
The gear-wheel is fastened to a hollow shaft which is journaled on a
supporting shaft j passing longitudinally through said hollow shaft and mounted at
one end in a suitable bearing on a bracket & secured to a lateral extension of the
face-plate A and is journaled at the opposite end in a bearing on a bracket G
fastened to the back of said plate-extension as more clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the
drawings.
To the hollow shaft is also firmly secured the ratchet-wheel G¹ and on the
shaft is loosely mounted the gear-wheel H meshing with a gear H which is
either rigidly attached to or formed integral with the cam-wheel B and thus
partakes motion from the same.
To the gear His connected a pawl I which by engagement with the ratchet-
wheel G transmits rotary motion to the feed-roller R which by aid of the
companion-roller R' draws along the wire.
A guide I conducts the wire from said feed-rollers to the catter which severs the
wire and forms the blanks for the staples as hereinafter described.
In order to allow the wire to be fed at intervals and periods of different lengths
and thus form blanks for different sizes of staples to be formed, we employ a
suitable automatic feed-regulating device for controlling the feeding mechanism.
This feed-regulating device we prefer to form as follows:
The rear bracket G is either formed with or has rigidly attached to it a
shield J having a flange which covers about one-half of the peripheral face
of the ratchet-wheel G¹ and to the supporting shaft is fastened another
shield which also has a flange extending across and about half-way around
the periphery of the ratchet-wheel as more clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 8 of the
drawings.
The pawl has pivoted to its side a roller I" or is otherwise provided with a
suitable projection which during the rotation of the gear-wheel H mounts of the
aforesaid flanges of the shields and is thereby lifted out of engagement with the
ratchet-wheel G¹.
It will be observed that by turning the shield J₁ on its axis so as to cover a
greater or less portion of the periphery of the ratchet-wheel not covered by the
stationary shield J said ratchet-wheel is permitted to be turned a corresponding
shorter or longer distance by the pawl and the motion of the feed-rollers R R¹ is
varied accordingly.
For adjusting the adjustable shield and retaining the same in its desired position,
we attach to the front end of the shaft ja lever m by which to turn said shaft, and
in connection with said lever we employ a graduated segmental scale S which is
concentric to the shaft and transversed by the free end of the lever. Said scale
is formed of a segmental row of sockets in in the face-plate A1 and the free
end of the lever has projecting from it a spur adapted to enter the sockets. The
lever which also serves as an indicator may be made flexible to automatically force
the spur into the socket or the spur may be connected to the lever movably to and
from the scale.
This scale is made to correspond to a scale S' on the out N by which the book-
supporting table F is raised and lowered to allow the staple-former and staple-
driver to operate on books of different thicknesses. Said table being mounted on a
screw N1 passing through the nut N which is seated in a recess in the arm A" and
is thereby supported as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. An indicator n³ attached
to the arm A points to the scale ST.
The elevation of the table required for operating on the book to be placed
thereon is determined by inserting the edge of the book between the underside of
the arm A and a collar K attached to the lower end of the screw and then turning
the nut N until the inserted edges of the book is in intimate contact with the said
arm and collar.
Then by setting the lever m to a socket n opposite a number corresponding to

page_text: that pointed at on the scale S' by the indicator ', the before described movable
shield is set so as to regulate the wire-feeding mechanism for forming staples of
the requisite lengths for binding the book.
In order to facilitate the operation of introducing a newly supplied wire between
the feed-rollers R R we pivot the roller K' to a supplemental face-plate R"
which is hinged at 15 to the extension of the face-plate Aim.
Said supplemental plate can be swung away from the face-plate to separate the
two rollers sufficiently to allow the wire to be easily placed between them.
For locking the supplemental plate on the face-plate to retain the feed-rollers in
their requisite proximity to each other to grip the wire, we prefer to hinge to the
face-plate a metal strap o terminating at its free end with a laterally projecting
offset of provided with a screw-threaded eye through which passes a set-screw oll
bearing on a lug o formed on the plate R" as best seen in Fig. 7 of the
drawings.
Pp represent two pairs of rollers which straighten the wire and guide it to the
feed-rollers R R One pair p of said guide-rollers is pivoted to the face-
plate A and the other pair pl pt is pivoted to a bracket which is mounted on
the plate R and is adjustable toward and from the rollers pp to regulate the
distance between the two pairs. Said adjustability we preferably attain by
providing the horizontal foot of the bracket with a longitudinal slot q' for the
reception of the screw " by which the bracket is clamped on the plate Ras
shown in Figs. 2 and 9 of the drawings.
To render the adjustment more accurate, we employ a set-screw which passes
through a screw-threaded eye in a lug formed on the plate R", said screw
bearing on a similar lug formed on the bracket g.
s denotes the cutter which severs the wire and forms therefrom the blanks to be
hent into the form of staples.
In order to permit said cutter to be adjusted in its position to leave the blank
lying with the center of its length central on the anvil a, we place said cutter on a
suitable carrier L which is connected to the face-plate A and adjustable in
relation to its distance from the anvil a.
To effect this adjustment of the cutter-carrier simultaneously with the hereinbefore
described adjustment of the stop-motion of the feeding-mechanism, we pivot the
carrier in a suspended position to the face-plate A, and connect it to the
feed-regulating lever m by means of a rod m³ connected at one end to the carrier L
and having on its opposite end a rack m" engaging a toothed segment m which
is concentric with the shaft j' and either attached to or formned on the lever m to
turn therewith.
The lower portion of the carrier L has extending horizontally through it a
wire-guiding channel in one end of which is fastened the stationary cutter t
preferably of the form of a tubular plug which is screw-threaded externally and
inserted into a correspondingly screw-threaded socket in the carrier and in line
with the channel t. The outer face of said plug is flush with the exterior of the
carrier L to allow the movable cutter to pass across said stationary cutter.
The object of the described construction and attachment of the stationary-cutter
is to allow it to be moved when required for repairs or renewal.
"
The movable cutters is attached to a plunger s' sliding in a vertical guides"
formed in the carrier as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings. Said plunger
is intermittently depressed by means of a tumbler pivoted in the face-piate A
and provided at its inner end with a lug which is in the path of a cam formed
or attached to a rotary wheel, preferably the wheel B as shown in Fig. 10 of the
drawings, by which cam the tumbler is partially turned in one direction on its axis
during the rotation of the wheel.
The outer end of the tumbler has projecting from it a finger by which it bears
on top of the plunger s. The form of the tumbler is clearly illustrated in
Fig. 12 of the drawings.
To prevent the wire-blank from springing away from the side of the cutter at the

page_text: moment said blank is severed from the wire, we employ a yielding detent T in the
path of the end of the wire so as to come in contact therewith and hold the blank
back to a but with its opposite end against the side of the cutter s.
Said detent we preferably form of a prolonged metal plate which is pivoted in a
suspended position in a recess T' in the case D and having its lower end in the path
of the wire as shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination with the vertically movable book-supporting table, screw and
nut for raising and lowering the same, anvil, staple-former and staple-driver over
said table, wire-feeding mechanism, and a wire-cutter supported movably toward
and from said anvil, a feed-regulating device controlling the feed-mechanism, a
graduated scale indicating the elevation of the aforesaid table, and a correspon ling
scale indicating the effective position of the aforesaid feed-regulation device as for
the purpose set forth.
2. In combination with the anvil, staple-former, staple-driver and their actuating
wheel, wire-feeding rollers, a wire-cutter connected to a carrier sustained movably
toward and from said anvil, a loosely mounted gear wheel receiving motion from
the aforesaid actuating wheel, a ratchet-wheel fastened to the axis of one of the
feeding-rollers, a pawl connected to the aforesaid gear-wheel, a stationary shield
covering a portion of the periphery of the ratchet-wheel, a revoluble shield
concentric to the ratchet-wheel, a lever secured to the axis of the revoluble shield to
adjust the same to cover a greater or less number of ratchet-teeth, and a rod
connecting said lever with the cutter-carrier to adjust the latter simultaneously
with the aforesaid shield.
3. In combination with the anvil, a staple-former, staple-driver and actuating
wheel of said driver, wire-feeding rollers geared to rotate in unison, a ratchet-
wheel fastened to the axis of one of said rollers, a shaft extending longitudinally
through said roller-shaft and revoluble independently thereof, a rotary gear-wheel
mounted loosely on said shaft, a pawl on said gear-wheel a stationary shield covering
a part of the periphery of the ratchet-wheel, a shield fastened to the aforesaid
internal shaft and extending across a portion of the periphery of the ratchet-
wheel, a lever fixed to the latter shaft, a graduated scale traversed by said lever
and provided with locking devices for retaining the lever, a toothed segment
turning with the lever, a cutter carrier movable toward and from the anvil and a
rod connected at one end to the cutter carrier and provided at the opposite end
with a rack engaging the segment as set forth.
4. The combination with the face-plate and feed-roller and guide-rollers pivoted
to said plate, a supplemental plate connected to the edge of said face-plate
adjustably toward and from the same, a co-operating feed-roller pivoted to the
supplemental plate, a bracket mounted on the latter adjustably toward and from
the aforesaid guide-rollers, and co-operating guide-rollers pivoted to said bracket
as set forth.
5. In combination with the face-plate, staple-former, staple-driver and rotary-
wheel operating said former and driver, a vertically reciprocating wire-cutter, a
cam on the aforesaid wheel and a tumbler pivoted to the face-plate and transmitting
motion from said cam to the wire-cutter situated respectively at opposite sides of
the face-plate as set forth.
6. In combination with the face-plate and a rotary wheel, a cam fixed to said
wheel, a carrier secured to the exterior of said face-plate, a wire-guide extending
through the lower portion of the carrier, a stationary cutter in one end of said
guide, a vertically movable plunger carried on the carrier, a cutter attached to said
plunger, a spring sustaining the plunger in its elevated position, and a tumbler
pivoted in the face-plate and provided at its inner end with a lug in the path of
the aforesaid cam, and a finger projecting from the outer end of the tumbler and

page_text: depressing the plunger by force derived from the engagement of the lug with the
cam as set forth.
7. In combination with the book-supporting table, staple-former, staple-driver
and anvil swinging in a plane at right angles to the movement of said former
and driver, vertically yielding stops connected to the staple-former and projecting
normally beneath the same immediately back of the staple-guide of the driver
to arrest at said guide, the wire-blank thrust thereto by the swinging anvil as set
forth.
a
8. In combination with the wire-feeding mechanism, wire-cutter, staple-former
and staple-driver, yielding detent in the path of the end of the wire to hold the
opposite end of the severed wire-blank against the side of the cutter and in its
central position in relation to the former and driver as set forth.
9. In combination with the staple-former and staple-driver, the case D, hanger a
pivoted to said case, anvil a formed on the lower end of said hanger, the arm all
hinged to the top of the case, the staple-supporter a pivoted to the lower end of
said arm,
the springs and forcing respectively said staple-supporter and
aforesaid arm toward the case, and the set-screw di attached to said arm and
passing through the case to push the anvil to a position to carry the wire-blank
under the staple-former and driver as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.