Stapler
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:StaplerKM.jpg A stapler is a tool that binds together sheets of paper or other materials by driving a thin metal staple through the sheets and folding over the ends to secure the paper. It is commonly found in offices or other places that process large amounts of paper.
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Precursors to the modern stapler
The first stapler in recorded history was from 18th century France. The legend says that the handmade stapling machines or fasteners were developed for King Louis XIV of France in the 1700s. The insignia of the royal court was inscribed with each staple, as required. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.westgroton.com/staplers/stapler_history.html |title=The History of the Stapler |accessdate=2006-03-10}}</ref>.
The growing uses of paper in the 19th century created a demand for an efficient paper fastener<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officemuseum.com/staplers.htm |title=Antique Staplers & Other Paper Fasteners |accessdate=2006-03-10}}</ref>. Modern paper fastening devices started with the patent of the first paper fastener on September 30, 1841 by Samuel Slocum. This crude device stuck pins on paper to fasten them.</P> Unfortunately, a thorough examination of Slocum's patent drawing and description would indicate that this machine was not a paper fastener at all, but a machine that stuck a number of pins to paper for the purpose of packaging them in quantity. Historically, Samuel Slocum's lifes work was the development and sell of pins. His invention was solely for purpose of marketing the pins that he manufactured.
On August 7, 1866, the Novelty Paper Fastener was patented by the Patent Novelty Mfg Co. It allowed a single staple to be loaded and was used to mainly bind papers or books, but also carpet, furniture or boxes. Staples for the fastener were manufactured by the P.N. Mfg Co. in several sizes: 3/16 inches, 1/4 inches, 3/8 inches, and 1/2 inches.
On July 24, 1866, George W. McGill was awarded U.S. Patent No. 56,587 for a small, bendable brass paper fastener, the precursor to the modern staple. On August 13, 1867, he received U.S. Patent No. 67,665 for a press to insert the fastener into paper. He showed his invention at the 1867 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, and continued to work on these and other various paper fasteners through the 1880s. On February 18, 1879, Patent No. 212,316 was given for the McGill Single-Stroke Staple Press. This device weighed over two and a half pounds and was able to load a single 1/2 inch wide wire staple at a time and drive it through several sheets of paper.
Image:Clipless.jpg In the late 1800’s and up to today a small number of devices were developed and patented that punched paper and or folded paper to fix sheet together without a physical clip. One early example is the Clipless Stand Machine (made in Newton, Iowa) that was sold from the 1880’s into the 1920’s (illustration at left). It created a tongue in the paper that was folded back around to hold the paper together. Bump’s New Model Paper Fastener was competing technology that work on a similar cutting and weaving technology.
Methods of stapling
Image:Stapler.jpg Image:Heavy-duty-stapler-firestone.jpeg Image:Heavy-duty-stapler.jpg
Permanent fastening
This is by far the most frequently used method of stapling. It is used for permanently binding items by driving the staple through and bending over the staple inwards to clinch it. Clinches can be standard or flat, with the standard being slightly rounded, and flat being completely adjacent to the paper in order to stack documents more neatly.
A staple remover is a simple device that can remove staples fastened in this manner, by using a pair of interlocking curved claws that slide under the staple's bent-over ends and bend them back out.
Tacking
This method is used for fastening objects to larger objects, generally bulletin boards or walls. Some office staplers have a base that can be folded out of the way so that staples can be driven directly into an object without use of the anvil. Heavy-duty tacking with larger staples is done using a staple gun.
Pinning
This method is by far the least known and utilized use of the stapling methods. It is used to temporarily bind documents or other items, often cloth or clothing, for sewing. In order to pin, the anvil must be shifted so that the staple bends outwards instead of inwards. The staple binds the item with relative security, but can be easily removed by pulling the staple along the plane of the paper. This method varies between staplers, as some anvils need to be simply pushed forward to allow pinning, while others must be rotated. Some staplers implement pinning by bending one leg of the staple inwards, while bending the other outwards. Some modern staplers do not even include support for pinning.
Saddle Stapling
Saddle staplers have an inverted "V" shaped saddle for stapling pre-fold sheets to make booklets. Image:SaddleStapler.jpg
Electric staplers
Electric staplers are used for a wide variety of office, reprographic and packaging applications. They offer speed and uniformity for repetitive stapling.
Surgery
Surgical, or skin, staplers are frequently used as substitutes for suture. These resemble standard staplers but have smaller jaws. The staples, made from surgical steel, are typically supplied in disposable, pre-sterilised cartridges.
Famous staplers
- A well-known stapler is the red Swingline stapler from the movie Office Space. It is the prized possession of office worker Milton Waddums, who is pushed towards insanity partially due to his stapler being confiscated by boss Bill Lumbergh. Though Swingline did not actually manufacture a red stapler at the time, the movie's subsequent popularity created a demand for them. Swingline began offering red staplers in 2004.
- In an episode of South Park, previews for an in-flight movie poke fun at actor Rob Schneider's ridiculous film characters; one such preview finds him being cast as a stapler.
- In the film Batman Begins, a ninja Bruce Wayne uses a stapler instead of a gun to get information out of Sgt. Gordon.
References
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External links
- The Stapler Exchange -- The First Web page dedicated to Antique and Vintage Fasteners.
- Adhere This -- The First Newsletter dedicated to Antique and Vintage Fasteners.
- The Stapler Database -- The biggest serious website totally about stapler information
- Understanding Your Stapler -- A Glossary of Stapler Terms
- The Virtual Stapler
Stapler manufacturers
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