GB2159789A

GB2159789A - Assemblies of staples

Info

Publication number: GB2159789A
Application number: GB08414306A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Umberto Monacelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-06-05
Filing date: 1984-06-05
Publication date: 1985-12-11
Also published as: GB8414306D0

Abstract

Only one limb, e.g. a leg 19, of each staple in an assembly of staples 15 is connected to the corresponding limb of adjacent staples by means of a breakable but flexible element, e.g. a strip or wire, so that the assembly may coiled to form a compact package. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Assemblies of staples This invention relates to assemblies of staples for use in a staple driving apparatus.

In the following specification, the term "limb" is used to mean broadly any member of a staple element, i.e. the crown portion of either leg extending therefrom.

For some time now, nail fasteners have been interconnected by various means to enable a series of fasteners to be coiled. This has the great advantage over stick type packages that a large number of fasteners can be confined in a relatively small package. The coiling of nails or other headed fasteners is readily accomplished since they are usually spaced to accommodate the heads, thereby allowing the interconnection material liberty to flex.

Staples present a greater problem since they lack a headed portion and are conventionally interconnected with their limbs in abutment. A bonding agent such as glue is applied to both leg extensions from the crown thereby making the clip rigid for both ease of handling and ability to feed in or on a straight track. The quantity of staples which can be loaded in this manner is obviously limited.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a staple package which whilst compact contains a relatively large quantity of staples.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a staple assembly comprising a plurality of staples connected in series by a breakable bond characterised in that said breakable bond is present only on one limb of each staple, whereby the staples can be formed in a coil.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a staple assembly comprising a plurality of staples, said staples having three members including crown portion and two transverse substantially parallel extensions therefrom, interconnected in series by breakable material, characterised in that said material is bonded to only one said member, and in that said breakable material is flexible in areas not bonded to said member, whereby said assembly can be deformed such that members without said material bonded thereto can be separated to allow coiling.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a staple magazine containing a staple assembly according to said first or second aspects.

Another aspect of the invention provides staple driving apparatus having the staple magazine of said further aspect.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a staple package according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of a staple with flat material bonded to one limb; Figure 3 is an end view of a staple with two wires welded to one limb; Figure 4 is a plan view of a group of staples being formed into a coil.

Fig. 1 shows a coil of staples 1 5 each of which has a crown 1 6 and two legs 1 8 and 1 9. The staples are held in series by flexible material 22 bonded to the external side of one leg 1 9 only. The opposite leg 1.8 has no material applied and is therefore free to separate from the next staples in the series. The size of the coil and number of revolutions depend on the size of the staple 1 5 and the staple driving apparatus in which the coil is to be placed.

In use; a driver of the driving apparatus strikes the crown portion 1 6 of the leading staple thus moving it transversely through a driving throat into a workpiece. As the staple is driven, the material 22 fractures between the driven staple and the next staple in line.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, a single staple 1 5 is shown made in the conventional manner having three limbs including a crown portion 16 and legs 18 and 19. The crown 16 is connected via shoulders 1 7 with legs 1 8 and 1 9 which extend transversely from the crown 16 and are substantially parallel. The ends 20 of the legs are pointed for entering a workpiece. Each point 20 may be formed in various shapes depending on the workpiece into which the staple is to be inserted. The "chisel" point shown is shown by way of example only and other shapes of point may also be employed.

Staples 1 5 are placed in series having the crown portion 1 6 and legs 1 8 and 1 9 aligned with the respective crown and legs of the next staple in series. To hold the staples in series, material is bonded to the external surface of one limb, e.g. leg 1 9 intermediate the shoulder 1 7 and the point 20. As shown in Fig. 2, the material 21 may be a continuous band of synthetic plastics material film of sufficient width to maintain the crown portions 1 6 in a longitudinal plane when adhesively bonded to legs 19.

Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 3, the material may comprise a first strip or wire 22 welded intermediate the shoulder 1 7 and the point 20 and a second strip or wire 23 welded intermediate the first strip or wire 21 and the point 20. The spacing of the first and second strips or wires should be sufficient to hold the legs 1 9 of the series of staples substantially parallel.

The materials shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are flexible (non-rigid) and are bonded to the legs 1 9 thermally, chemically, or mechanically depending on the composition of the material 21, 22 or 23.

As shown in Fig. 4, the material 21 is affixed to the external surface of leg 1 9 and is capable of flexing in the area between the bonded portions in an arcuate shape. The opposite legs 18 are separated from one another since there is no interconnecting material present. The staples in series can therefore be shaped into a coil as shown in Fig. 1.

Although the present invention illustrates the material 21 as a plastic film adhesively bonded and materials 22 and 23 as metallic wire welded to the leg 19, other materials and affixing methods will be obvious to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, the invention is applicable to staples of narrow or wide crown. It may also for example be applied to staples as illustrated in European Patent Application No.

81 102 956.0.

In addition, although the bonding material is preferably applied to the legs of the staples, it is also conceivable and within the scope of the present invention to apply the material to the staple crowns and to coil the staples with thier legs extending radially of the coil.

It will be appreciated that in accordance with the invention an assembly of staples may be formed into a coil whereby a magazine of staple driving apparatus may contain considerably more staples than with use of a stick-type staple package.

It is recognized that the coil could become large in diameter, but this would not be a problem in many cases where the stapling apparatus is part of a stationary piece of machinery which may be either automatic or semi-automatic.

Claims

1. A staple assembly comprising a plurality of staples (15) connected in series by a breakable bond characterised in said breakable bond is present only on one limb (16,18,19) of each staple (15), whereby the staples can be formed into a coil.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said breakable bond is present on a leg (19) of each staple (15).

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said breakable bond is provided by elongate material secured to said limb.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said material is a strip (21).

5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein said strip is of synthetic material.

6. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said material is a wire (22,23).

7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein two spaced parallel wires (22,23) are provided.

8. An assembly according to any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein said material is adhered to the limb by an adhesive or a thermal bond.

9. An assembly according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the or each wire is secured by welding.

10. A staple assembly comprising a plurality of staples, said staples having three members including crown portion and two transverse substantially parallel extensions therefrom, interconnected in series by breakable material, characterised in that said material is bonded to only one said member, and in that said breakable material is flexible in areas not bonded to said member, whereby said assembly can be deformed such that members without said material bonded thereto can be separated to allow coiling.

11. A staple assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 2. A staple magazine for staple driving apparatus containing a staple assembly according to any one of the preceding claims formed into a coil.

1 3. Staple driving apparatus having a magazine according to claim

1 2.