Patent ID: 7422134

Claim:
A stapler for driving successive staples into a workpiece, each staple having a crown and legs extending from opposite crown ends, the stapler comprising: a portable structure defining a drive track; a magazine assembly carried by said portable structure and constructed and arranged to feed successive leading staples from a supply of staples contained within said magazine assembly into said drive track; a staple driving member mounted in said drive track for movement through successive cycles including: (1) a drive stroke during which a leading staple fed into said drive track by said magazine assembly is moved by said staple driving member outwardly of said drive track and into a workpiece; and (2) a return stroke; a biased staple leg diverting member carried by said portable structure for biased movement laterally out of said drive track against a bias thereof, and into said drive track with the bias thereof; said staple leg diverting member having leg diverting surfaces configured and positioned to divert the legs of a staple being driven by said staple driving member outwardly with respect to one another; wherein a magnitude of the bias on said staple leg diverting member to move said staple leg diverting member laterally into said drive track determines the extent of outward deflection of the legs of the staple being driven; and an adjustment mechanism for changing the magnitude of the bias on said staple leg diverting member and therefore an extent of outward deflection of the legs of the staple being driven.