Stapling apparatus

Claim 3

An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said applying means includes an electromagnetic power device operatively associated with said bending means so that said bending means clinches the staple in response to said electromagnetic power device being actuated.

Claim 4

An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said electromagnetic power device includes: a solenoid coil have an aperture therein; and a solenoid armature mounted slideably in the aperture of said coil for movement by said coil when said coil is energized, said bending means being interconnected with said armature and being arranged to move therewith so as to affect clinching of the staple.

Claim 5

An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said bending means includes: a pair of pivotably mounted spaced apart clinching ears; and a clinching rod having an arcuate end portion in contact with said clinching ears with the end portion opposed therefrom being coupled to said armature so that energization of said coil moves said armature and said rod in unison, said rod moving so that the arcuate end portion thereof pivots said clinching ears from an initial position remote from the staple legs protruding through the articles to a position in engagement therewith for clinching the staple with a force that varies as a function of displacement in substantially the same manner as the force applied thereon by said armature.

Claim 6

An apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the arcuate portion of said clinching rod is concave.

Claim 7

An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said clinching ears include open ended slots with the concave end portion of said rod being positioned in the slots of said clinching ears so that when said clinching rod moves in one direction said clinching ears pivot from the initial position to the clinching position and when said rod moves in the opposed direction said clinching ears pivot from the clinching position to the initial position.

Claim 8

A reproducing machine of the type producing sets of stapled copies from a set of original documents, successive original documents advancing, in seriatim, from a supply source to an exposure platen for reproduction and then returning to the supply source in repeated cycles with the copies being stapled in sets and each set of copies corresponding to the set of original documents, wherein the improved stapling apparatus includes: means for driving a staple through the set of copies so that a portion of the staple legs extends therethrough; means for bending the portion of the staple legs protruding through the set of copies into substantial contact therewith so that the staple is clinched; and means for applying a force to said bending means which varies as a function of the distance said applying means translates, said bending means exerting a clinching force on the legs of the staple which varies as a function of the distance said applying means translates in substantially the same manner as the force applied thereon by said applying means.

Claim 9

A reproducing machine of the type producing sets of stapled copies from a set of original documents, successive original documents advancing, in seriatim, from a supply source to an exposure platen for reproduction and then returning to the supply source in repeated cycles with the copies being stapled in sets and each set of copies corresponding to the set of original documents, wherein the improved stapling apparatus includes: means for driving a staple through the set of copies so that a portion of the staple legs extends therethrough; means for bending the portion of the staple legs protruding through the set of copies into substantial contact therewith so that the staple is clinched; and means for applying a force to said bending means which varies as a function of the distance said applying means translates, said bending means exerting a clinching force on the legs of the staple which varies as a function of the distance said applying means translates in substantially the same manner as the force applied thereon by said applying means.

Claim 10

A reproducing machine as recited in claim 7, wherein said applying means includes an electromagnetic power device operatively associated with said bending means so that said bending means clinches the staple in response to said electromagnetic power device being actuated.

Claim 11

A reproducing machine as recited in claim 8, wherein said electromagnetic power device includes: a solenoid coil having an aperture therein; and a solenoid armature mounted slideably in the aperture of said coil for movement by said coil when said coil is energized, said bending means being interconnected with said armature and being arranged to move therewith so as to affect clinching of the staple.

Claim 12

A reproducing machine as recited in claim 9, wherein said bending means includes: a pair of pivotably mounted spaced apart clinching ears; and a clinching rod having an arcuate end portion in contact with said clinching ears with the end portion opposed therefrom being coupled to said armature so that energization of said coil moves said armature and said rod in unison, said rod moving so that the arcuate end portion thereof pivots said ears from an initial position remote from the staple legs protruding through the set of copies to a position in engagement therewith for clinching the staple with a force that varies as the function of displacement in substantially the same manner as the force applied thereon by said armature.

Claim 13

A reproducing machine as recited in claim 10, wherein the arcuate portion of said clinching rod is concabe.

Claim 14

A reproducing machine as recited in claim 11, wherein said clinching ears include open ended slots with the concave end portion of said rod being positioned in the slots of said clinching ears so that when said clinching rod moves in one direction said clinching ears pivot from the initial position to the clinching position and when said rod moves in the opposed direction said clinching ears pivot from the clinching position to the initial position.