Signature machine

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE WHEREIN A WIRE STAPLE IS EMPLOYED TO JOIN SIGNATURES OR THE LIKE, A STITCHER HEAD THROUGH WHICH A WIRE IS ADVANCED TO A STAPLE FORMING AND STAPLE DRIVING POSITION, A RECIPROCAL CARRIER MEANS, GRIPPING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CARRIER MEANS FOR GRIPPING AND FEEDING THE WIRE DURING AN ADVACING STROKE OF SAID CARRIER MEANS, BIASING MEANS FOR BIASING SAID GRIPPING MEANS TO GRIP SAID WIRE, A RECIPROCABLE SLIDE MEANS MOVABLE TO A FIRST POSITION TO PRESENT A SLOT THEREIN IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID GRIPPING MEANS WHEREBY SAID GRIPPING MEANS IS BIASED TO CLAMP SAID WIRE AND MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION TO PRESENT ANOTHER SLOT THEREIN IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID GRIPPING MEANS WHEREBY SAID GRIPPING MEANS IS RETAINED IN AN OPEN POSITION AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID BIASING MEANS, ACTUATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID CARRIER MEANS AND SAID SLIDE MEANS TO CAUSE CLAMPING AND FEEDING OF SAID WIRE ON AN ADVANCING STROKE AND TO HOLD OPEN SAID GRIPPING MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID WIRE ON A RETURN STROKE, AND SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS FOR PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE MEANS TO SAID FIRST POSITION AND THEREBY PREVENTING FEEDING OF THE WIRE DURING AN ADVANCING STROKE OF SAID SLIDE MEANS AND SAID CARRIER MEANS.