IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BINDING BOOKS WITH. WIRE STAPLES
Year: 1881

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Henry Graham Thompson, of New Haven, in the County
of New Haven and State of Connecticut, United States of America, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BINDING BOOKS WITH.
WIRE STAPLES." A communication by Samuel E. Mower, of Milford, State
of Connecticut, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Graham Thompson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th July 1881.
HENRY GRAHAM THOMPSON, of New Haven, in the County of New Haven and
State of Connecticut, United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES
FOR BINDING BOOKS WITH WIRE STAPLES." A communication by Samuel E.
Mower, of Milford, State of Connecticut, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in machines or apparatus for binding
books with wire staples, and consists in the novel construction of the said machines
so that they may be used for binding books by hand or other power.
The machine, which is termed the power machine, is represented in Figures 1
to 10 of the accompanying Drawings, and the machine adapted to be operated by
hand is illustrated in Figures 11 to 20 of the said Drawings.
Referring first to the power machine :
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the said machine with the adjustable table on
which the work is supported, and
Figure 2 is a central vertical section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line ¹, x1, Figure 2, of the clutch mechanism by
which the machine is stopped and started.
Figure 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the said machine,
the cutters and tables being removed to show the mechanism more clearly.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the driver and clincher showing their operation
on the staple.
Figure 6 is a front view drawn to an enlarged scale showing the cams on the
end of the driving shaft for operating the clincher and driver, and also the device
for regulating the pressure on the wire in feeding the same to the cutters.
Figure 7 is a vertical section on the line 3, x, Figure 6, of the device for
regulating the pressure and the discs feeding the wire.
Figure 8 is a horizontal section drawn to an enlarged scale of the base of the
presser-foot, showing the spring-pressed guide for holding the staple whilst it is.
being driven.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the yielding guide for the staple placed on,

page_text: the presser-foot to hold and guide the staple whilst the same is being driven by
the driver.
Figure 10 is a front view partly in section showing the means employed to
straighten the wire whilst it is delivered to the cutters.
Referring to these Figures of the Drawings, A is the driving pulley which
revolves loosely upon the driving shaft B; the hub of this pulley A is provided with
recesses a, a, into which a pawl is adapted to enter; C is a clutch-disc secured to
the shaft B. This clutch-disc has hinged to it the pawl c, and a spring is inter-
posed between the said pawl and the clutch-disc to cause the said pawl c to engage
with the hub of the pulley A by entering one of the recesses a, a, and thus
connect the shaft B with the driving pulley. Connected with the pawl c and
extending outside the hub of the driving pulley is the wing c¹, which, when it
comes in contact with the spring-pressed bolt c², raises the pawl c out of the
recess a, thus disengaging the clutch and stopping the revolution of the shaft B.
As long as the aforesaid bolt ca projects the, driving pulley will revolve without
turning the shaft B, and the machine will be at rest; to start the machine, the
bolt must be withdrawn or drawn inward, and to effect this a bell crank
lever is connected by means of a fork and pin with the bolt c², and by means of
a rod to a foot treadle or similar device, so that as long as it is desired to run the
machine the bolt e² is held back by the depression of the treadle, and as soon as
the machine is to be stopped the said treadle is released and the bolt is pushed out
by the coiled spring behind it. The usual operation performed is to place the
book or other article into which the staple is to be driven in the proper position
on the table, withdraw the bolt c2 by means of the foot treadle or a lever
operated by one hand, thus allowing the pawl c to enter one of the recesses a, a, in
the hub of the driving pulley and instantly allow the bolt c² to shoot out so as to
intercept the wing c' of the pawl and disengage the same when one revolution has
been made, as in this machine at each revolution of the driving shaft B one staple
is cut, driven, and clinched. The book is then quickly moved to receive the next
staple, the bolt is again withdrawn, and the above described operation is repeated.
To the front end of the shaft B the double or compound cam D is secured." The
part e of this cam acts upon the clincher-rod E and forces the same down against
the action of a coiled spring e¹, and by suddenly releasing the said clincher rod
allows the same to rise suddenly and clinch the staple by a blow. The other or
forward part of the compound cam D operates the presser F and imparts to the
same a fixed or regular motion, and to the face of this cam the driver Ĝ is secured
by means of a link and crank pin as hereinafter described, so that positive motion
is imparted to the said driver.
The clincher-rod E, which is operated by the came as above stated, is surrounded
by the aforesaid coiled spring e¹ which is compressed by the action of the said
came upon the rod E. The shape of the said cam is shown clearly in Figure 6.
To the said clincher rod E the bracket e is secured by means of a clamp-screw, and
to the face of the said bracket e the clinching plate e³ is attached; the end or
upper surface of the clincher-plate is curved so as to bend the ends of the staple as
shown. The presser F for the greater portion of its length surrounds the driver,
and on its upper end it is provided with the arm which bears upon a coiled
spring, as shown in Figure 2. f2 represents a roller attached to the presser F and
adapted to bear against the periphery of the cam f; this roller is caused by the rotation
of the said cam to carry the presser downward, the upward movement of the said
presser being effected by the aforesaid spring bearing against the arm f'. The
driver G is connected with the crank ping on the face of the cam D by the link g',
60 that positive reciprocating motion is imparted to the said driver at each rotation
of the shaft B.
His the cutter-plate pivotted or hinged on the pin which extends laterally,
and is provided near its end with a thumb-piece, so that it can be readily removed
to permit a cutter plate of a different width, and adapted to cut the wire for a
different length of staple to be substituted. Adjacent to Figure 1 I have shewn in

page_text: rear view two sizes of cutter-plates H, which may be employed on the said
machine. The upper end of the cutter plate is provided with a hole for the passage
of the screw h¹, whose end enters a groove in the driver when the latter descends,
and is forced outward at the end of the groove when the said driver ascends or
before its completes its ascent, thus forcing the upper end of the hinged cutter.
plate outward and the lower end inward to cut the wire.
As the motion of the driver and the presser are positive, and the extent of their
downward movement or reciprocation is not capable of variation, it becomes
necessary to make the table on which the work is to be connected or secured
together adjustable to suit various thicknesses of. work. The table I is therefore
made so that it can be adjusted vertically by means of the set-screw i, and is
secured in the desired position by the clamp-screws it, i'.
Cutter-plates of different widths may be employed on the said machine, as above
stated, so that one cutter plate may be exchanged for a wider or narrower plate to
adapt the machine to cut the wire in longer or shorter pieces, and thus to vary the
length of the staple; this change of one cutter plate for another however affects
the length of the two legs of the staple only, so as to adapt it to the varying
thickness of the work or pieces of material to be secured together, and does not
affect the width or space between the legs of the said staple. The staples,
irrespective of the length of their legs, are bent over the same anvil by the
descending presser in the ordinary manner, the devices for bending the staple and
delivering the same under the driver forming no part of the present Invention.
On varying the length of the wire to be used to form the staples it becomes
necessary to regulate the length of wire fed forward at each revolution of the
machine; this is accomplished by the mechanism shewn most clearly in Figure 4,
in which is a pin projecting from the driver G, and K is a segmental rack
provided with the slotted arm in which the said pink moves. The reciprocation
of the said driver imparts partial rotation to this segmental rack K. This rack
gears with another segmental rack L pivotally connected with the shaft of the
feed roll M, and at each reciprocation of the driver these two racks are turned a
fixed distance or part of a revolution. The feed roll M is provided with a ratchet
wheel and the segment L with a pawl, so that as the driver rises the said pawl
will slide over the ratchet teeth, and the moment it descends the said pawl will
engage with the ratchet wheel and turn the feed roll M so as to deliver a given
length of wire. Now considering that this whole motion will deliver wire just
long enough for the widest cutter-plate, or for staples with the longest legs for
which the machine is adapted, it will become necessary to shorten this motion
when a narrower plate for shorter staples is to be used, and for this purpose a
shield or rider is employed. This shield or rider is so adjusted as to allow the
pawl to slide over the shield a part of its oscillation, and enter the ratchet teeth at
the point where, when it has completed its motion, the proper length of wire shall
have been delivered. By the adjustment of this shield any length of wire less
than the length of the oscillation of the pawl can be delivered to the cutter
plates.
N is a roll between which and the feed roll M the wire passes; this roll is
supported in the fixed bearing n. To ensure the positive delivery of determined
lengths of wire the rolls M and N must exert pressure upon the wire and hold the
same firmly. To insure this retention of the wire and regulate the pressure
thereon, I support the shaft m of the feed roll M in the sleeve M' which is loosely
fitted in a bearing (see Figure 6), and insert the screw m² provided with a conical
end into the frame at right angles to the axis of the said sleeve m', the centre of
the said screw m² being practically on a line with the upper line of the sleeve m³,
so that by turning the screw in one direction its conical end will force the sleeve m!,
and with it the feed roll M downward against the roll N with great force, and
when turned in the opposite direction will withdraw the conical end and allow
the sleeve m¹ and roll M to be raised. A clamp nut is provided to secure the
screw m² in the desired position.

page_text: Wire may be taken from a large roll or reel of wire and fed to this machine
automatically by the feed roll M, but such wire is liable to be bent, and requires
to be straightened before the wire is formed into staples, and for this purpose I
place the grooved disc or perforated cylinder O in the path of the wire and adjust
the same, so that the wire is deflected from the direct path and is held firmly
against the side of the groove, which has the same effect on the wire as that
produced by drawing the same through such a groove placed at an angle to the
line of the wire.
In all machines for binding books with wire staples, whether by hand or other
power, it is important to guide the staple until it is driven, so as to prevent the
upsetting of the legs of the staple and injury to the book as well as to the machine.
In Figure 2 I have shewn below the cutter-plate H a case P containing a bolt
surrounded by a coiled spring; the end of this bolt has two bevelled guides which
are encountered by the descending driver, and are forced inward against the
pressure of the coiled spring as the driver descends. In Figures 8 and 9 the same
.device is shewn enlarged and with a staple resting on the bevelled guides, p being
the spring pressed bolt contained in the case P, and p', p¹, the bevelled guides.
When it is considered that the legs of the staples (see Figure 9) are guided in
grooves in the presser, it will be apparent that when the driver descends on the
staple the spring-pressed bolt to which the guides p¹, 21, are secured, or of which
they form the projecting ends, will be forced back as the driver descends and
forces the staple into the work, so that until the staple is driven the legs will be
sustained on all sides and cannot bend under the force of the driver; thus a staple
can be driven through any material softer than the staple itself without being
bent.
In practising this Invention I prefer to attach the cutter R to the frame, and to
form the cutter acting in connection with the outer end of the cutter-plate H
concave or channelled, so that the short ends of wire which are fed further than
the width of the cutter plate, and which are cut off at this place will not adhere to
the cutter and get under the cutter plate, but will be pushed forward by the
succeeding ends and discharged at the end of the channel.
..
The machine constructed as above described will deliver the wire to the cutters
automatically, will cut the wire, bend the staple, compress the material, drive the
staple, and clinch the same, all at one revolution of the driving shaft B, and can
only make one revolution unless the operator keeps the bolt c2 withdrawn, when
the machine will continuously perform all these operations at each revolution of
the said driving shaft. With this machine a very large amount of work can be
accomplished with but little labor, all of the parts of the said machine being strong,
simple in construction, and durable, and by making the table adjustable all the
other parts of the machine may be operated by strong fixed connections, so that
the durability and easy running of the machine are ensured.
In the hand machine the table and the clinching device are fixtures, and the
presser is constructed to accommodate itself to the variation in the thickness of
the books to be bound. This machine, as above stated, is illustrated in Figures 11
to 20 of the Drawings, in which
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the said hand machine showing the various
parts in their relative positions when the actuating lever is raised and the material
to be secured together can be inserted to receive the staple.
Figure 12 is a front view of part of the machine drawn full size, portions of the
frame and the front plate being removed to show the operating parts more
clearly.
Figure 13 is a vertical section showing the parts in their relative positions when
the actuating lever is raised to its highest point.
Figure 14 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the front cover showing
the wire cutting lever provided with circular cutters and the anvil over which the
staple is bent.
Figure 15 is a perspective view of the presser and staple bender showing the cut

page_text: | length of wire placed ready for bending, and a bent staple placed ready to be driven
by the descending driver.
Figure 16 is a front view of the anvil plate and a fixed plate provided with
bevelled horns or guides by which the arms of the staple are held so as to enter
the groove under the driver, as shown in Figure 15.
Figure 17 is a view of the end of the driver showing the convex end thereof
bearing on the centre of the staple, and thereby holding the ends of the staple
against the sides of the driving groove.
Figures 18, 19, and 20 are sectional views of the clinching plate showing the
staples in contact with the same, Figure 20 representing the staple turned inward
until the ends are at or nearly at right angles to the curved surface of the plate,
when by the exertion of additional pressure the staple is bent, as shown in dotted
lines. Figure 18 represents the effect of the plate on the staple after it is so bent,
and Figure 19 shows the ends of the staple driven into the material and the staple
firmly clinched.
In these Figures A represents the base or table on which the paper or other
material to be secured together is placed; B is a hollow standard, to which and
within which the various parts of the machine are secured; C is the front plate
constructed so as to be readily removed to give access to the interior parts; D is
the wire cutter hinged to the plate C on a pin provided with a thumb piece, so
that it can be readily withdrawn and the cutter removed; E is the actuating lever,
by the vertical movement of which all the various parts of the machine are
operated, so that at each downward motion a length of wire is delivered, a staple
formed, and a staple driven, whilst at each upward motion a length of wire is cut
off; F is the feed-lever by which the wire is fed, and G is the spool containing the
wire from which the staples are formed; H is the staple former and presser; I is
the driver provided with a bevelled surface or cam, against which an arm projecting
from the-hinged cutter D bears, so that in ascending the driver forces the upper
end of the cutter outward and the lower end inward to cut the wire, whilst in
descending the opposite motion is performed and the wire is free to enter the
groove of the cutter to be cut on the next ascent of the driver; K is the clinching
plate.
Referring now more particularly to the details of the machine, reference is made
to Figures 12, 14, and 15, in which the circular steel cutters a, a, are shown; these
cutters consist of short cylinders of steel, each of which is held in place by a screw,
the cylindrical cutters on the cutter-plate D having their axis at right angles-to
the cutters on the face of the machine, each cutter can be turned on its axis when
the cutting edge becomes worn and a new cutting edge presented, so that the one
set of cutters will last a considerable length of time. In a machine such as that
represented, and which is intended more particularly for use in offices and not under
the care of a mechanic, the use of these cutters is an important improvement on
this class of machines. The cylindrical cutters are ground to a true face on both
ends, and when in time the whole of one circular end has been worn the other face
can be presented and used around its whole periphery.
b is the anvil over which the wire staple is bent by the projecting sides h, h,
of the presser H; this anvil 6 forms part of the front plate C, and is provided with
the extension b which forms a guide for the staple and holds the same under the
driver until it has entered the material to be bound together; c' is a spring secured
in the front plate C; the lower end of this spring bears on the formed staple and
holds the same until the driver in its descent compresses the spring c' and forces
the staple downward to drive the same.
To the lower end of the presser H the plate is secured, this plate being pro-
vided with bevelled horns or guides; the inner face of the said plate h¹ is slotted
so as to receive the anvil b and form a bearing for the extension b¹, as shown in
Figure 16. Considering now that the presser H has in descending bent a staple
over the anvil b, which staple is held by the spring c¹ (as shown in Figures 14, 15,
and 16), then as the presser ascends the horns or guides of the plate h¹ will come

page_text: in contact with the ends of the staple, and will force these ends against the anvil b.
The driver I now ascends independently of the presser and a new piece of wire is
cut, pushing the first staple into the groove under the driver by which it is driven.
In machines as previously constructed the staple would not readily enter under
the driver and would become cramped, so that the operation of the machine was
stopped and the staple had to be removed, causing loss of time and annoyance to
such an extent that such machines were not adapted for practical and general
use.
To feed the wire to the machine automatically I provide the actuating lever E
with the cam e, and the feed arm F with the cam f, and provide both of these with
springs, by which they are returned to their points of rest after they have been
operated. When now the actuating lever E is moved downward the cam e comes
in contact with the cam f and moves the end of the arm F towards the cutters, and
when the actuating lever is raised the arm F returns to its place of rest against the
adjustable stop formed by a screw, which can be turned and made to project more
or less so as to regulate the length of wire to be fed to the cutters.
To simplify the construction of the machine and facilitate the adjustment of the
wire in the same, I provide the lower part of the arm F and the frame C with the
hinged pawls d, and hold the same with a spring against the plates d¹ so that the
wire will be firmly held in one direction and free to pass between each of the
pawls and plates in the opposite direction; the ends of each plate d' are slotted so
as to guide the wire and retain the same under the pawl.
The clinching plate K forms that part of the table A on which the material to
be secured together rests, and its peculiar configuration produces novel and advan-
tageous effects on the staple. The said plate has a raised rim or edge 1 forming
a parallelogram of the length shown in connection with the staples in Figures 18,
19, and 20, and of the width shown in Figure 13; this width is practically equal
to the thickness of the staple. A groove is thus formed having a raised edge 1, 1,
on which the sheets of paper are compressed by the follower, and the staple is
driven through this tightly compressed paper or other material, striking first the
concaves 2, 2, which cause the ends of the said staple to slide towards the convex
centre 3 until the ends of the staple are at or nearly at right angles with the
surface of the plate, when the wire will bend, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 20.
The bent ends now follow the curved surface 2, as shown in Figure 18, and enter
the material, as shown in Figure 19, and are thereby firmly clinched and secure
the sheets together. It will be readily understood from the above description
that during the driving of the staple the material is firmly compressed on all sides
around the said staple between the end of the presser and the raised edge 1.
L is an adjustable guide against which the material to be bound is held; this
guide can be readily adjusted by drawing the same in or out, and can be quickly
secured in the desired. position by means of the clamp screw l.
The driver I is connected by means of a link, as shown in Figure 12, with the
actuating lever E, whereby a positive motion is imparted to the said driver which is
followed up until the staple is driven home and clinched. The presser is not
directly connected, but has a yielding connection consisting of the rod o around
which the spring
is coiled; this rod o passes through a bracket on the rear of
the presser, and the strain of the spring p is particularly resisted by the coiled
spring 9 on the lower end of the rod o, which also acts as a cushion against the
presser when the actuating lever is raised: The presser can thus adjust itself to
the thickness of the material independently of the driver, which can be forced down
to complete the driving and clinching, and the stored up force of the spring p will
assist the raising of the actuating lever.
This machine is designed, as above stated, for hand use in offices, it may be
conveniently used by an unskilled person, and is not liable to get out of order.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. In a power machine for binding books with wire staples, the combination

page_text: with the driving pulley having the recesses a, a, of the clutch disc provided with
the pawl, having the wing c¹ and the bolt 2 adapted to disengage the said pawl as
above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination with the shaft B of the double cam D secured to the end
of the said shaft and constructed to operate the clincher, the presser, and the driver,
as above described.
Third. The combination with the clinching rod provided with the bracket e² and
the clinching plate e³, of the coiled spring e¹ and the cam e adapted to compress the
spring and suddenly release the clincher so as to clinch the staple with a blow, as
above described.
Fourth. In a power machine for binding books with wire staples, the combination
with the presser and driver having fixed limits of reciprocation, of the adjustable
table I adapted to be secured in the desired position, as herein described, and for
the purpose specified.
Fifth. The combination with the driver and the segmental racks K. and L, of the
feed roll M connected with the said racks by the pawl and ratchet mechanism
constructed to feed the wire to the cutter plate, as above described.
Sixth. The combination with the fixed roll N of the feed roll M supported in
the sleeve m' and the screw m² provided with a conical end adapted to regulate
the pressure on the wire, as above described.
Seventh. The combination with the wire feeding device and the cutters of the
disc O provided with a channel set at an angle to the feed channel of the wire, and
adapted to straighten the latter, as above described.
Eighth. In a hand machine for binding books with wire staples, the combination
with the staple bending and driving devices of cylindrical cutters adapted to cut
the wire for the staples, as above described.
Ninth. The combination with the presser and the driver of the clinching plate K
having the raised edge 1, the concaves 2, 2, and the convex surface 3 adapted to
bend the ends of the staple inward, as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Tenth. The combination with the presser having the shoulders h of the anvil b
provided with the projection or extension 61, as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Eleventh. The combination with the presser H of the plate h¹ provided with the
horus or guides, and the anvil b adapted to bend the ends of the staple against the
anvil, and guide the same under the driver, as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Twelfth. The combination with the mechanism for supporting the legs of the
staple after it has left the anvil upon which it has been formed, and whilst it is
being driven through the paper or other material, of the mechanism for feeding the
wire and for cutting the same into the proper length for forming the staple to be
used, the mechanism for the formation of the said staple, the mechanisin for com-
pressing the paper or other material while the staple is being inserted, and the
mechanism for driving and for clinching the same, all substantially as above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry C. Thompson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
HENRY GRAHAM THOMPSON. (L.S.)