This invention relates to stapling machines. For some purposes it is common to secure components together by means of a series of staples, an example being the securing of ceiling materials - e.g. laths, boarding or insulating material - to ceiling joists. When the number of staples required is large, the securing operation is laborious and time-consuming, especially when working over a substantial area free from natural resting places for tools and staple supplies (as when working on the under-side of a ceiling), and also difficult.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of stapling machine by the use ^' of which the securing operation can be performed in a simplified and convenient manner. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a stapling machine which comprises a feedway for feeding a supply of staples to a delivery position in succession, a staple outlet leading from the delivery position, a plunger mounted for reciprocation from a withdrawn position through a driving stroke and a return stroke, the driving stroke of the plunger being arranged to drive a staple, which has been fed to the delivery position, through the outlet to penetrate material to be stapled and the return stroke being arranged to return the plunger to the withdrawn position and permit the next

staple from the supply to be fed to the delivery position for driving through the outlet by the next driving stroke of the plunger, a power-driven actuator for producing the driving strokes in response to a power supply, means movable in response to movement of the machine relative to the material and means actuated by the movement for controlling the supply of power to the actuator and thereby generating the driving strokes.

The machine is used by holding it against material to be stapled in a position and moving it so that the outlet passes along a straight or curved line of stapling positions. As the machine moves, the controller automatically generates the driving strokes to drive successive staples into and through the material. in a preferred arrangement, the movable means is rotary means arranged to be rotated by movement of the machine. Material engaging rollers are preferred to wheels as the rotary means. Two rollers, with the outlet positioned therebetween gives a very stable, and therefore * easily operable, arrangement. The rollers can be arranged to enable the machine to set down staples with their non-inserted portion running parallel to the direction of movement of the machine or transverse to it.

An actuator of the electrically driven type is preferred. The controller is conveniently a micro-switch. For simplicity of operation, the feedway is advantageously supplied from a magazine adapted and arranged to hold a plurality of supplies of the staples for supply to the feedway in turn. Each of the supplies may be in the form of a set of the staples adhesively secured together in contact to form a channel-like assembly.

According to a preferred construction, the magazine is adapted to hold the supplies in stacked relationship with one supply being fed to the feed-way by sliding relative to the next supply and in which means are

provided for compressing the supplies together so that when one supply has been consumed from the magazine the next supply is positioned for entry to the feedway. By positioning the compressing means adjacent to the feedway, each supply of staples supports the next supply of staples for as long as the former is entering the feedway. Then, when the whole thereof has entered the feedway, the next supply is brought into position for entrance to the feedway in its turn without discernible interruption. For moving the supplies of staples from the magazine and the feedway, a delivery plunger is preferably provided, the delivery plunger conveniently having a locus of movement extending through the magazine to the feedway for driving the supplies from the magazine into the feedway. The delivery plunger is preferably resiliently loaded and is also preferably providing with a flexible withdrawal member by which it may be withdrawn clear of the magazine.

The following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings is given in order to illustrate the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a single staple.

Figure 2 shows a stapling machine according to the invention, in front elevation, Figure 3 shows the machine of Figure 2 in side elevation, and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic drawing showing the result of using the apparatus.

The staple shown in Figure 1 is in the form of a steel strip formed to provide a flat top part 1 with the leg parts 2 extending from its ends as shown. Leg parts 2 are formed at 3 to provide sharp edges for penetrating material to be stapled on the application of penetrating forces applied in the direction of arrows 4 to the top part. Such staples are provided in an assembly of channel section produced by securing a series of the staples

together by an -adhesive, preferably a thermoplastic adhesive, applied to the faces 5 and 6 (only edges of the latter are shown).

A set of these staple assemblies 7 is loaded into the magazine of the machine of Figures 2 and 3, provided in the form of a pair of upstanding channel members 8 and 9. Channel member 9 has web parts 10 and 11 of unequal size to facilitate loading. A cover 12 loaded by a tension spring 20 compresses the set of assemblies into position on a feedway 14 in the form of a pair of parallel flat bars which extend to the position of a plunger 15 from the distal side of the magazine.

Between them the bars of the feedway provide a track for a staple driver 16 having an upwardly directed engaging part 17 for engaging the last staple of a staple assembly and driving the assembly, and other staple assemblies fed in advance thereof to a stop part immediately beyond plunger 15.

Tension spring 13, on reaching the region of the plunger 15 is reversed by passage around an internal roller, not shown, and returns to terminate at an anchorage 18. By this arrangement, it is ensured that the staples are driven the whole of the way to the position of the plunger 15. This applies even when only the final staple remains.

When a staple assembly has left the magazine it is followed by the driver 16. By pulling on a cord 19 to stretch the spring 13 and return the driver, the driver is returned for driving the next staple assembly into the feedway 14. Spring 20 operates to bring this assembly into position. By having the upper end 20a_ of spring 20 secured at 201D instead of at the central position shown in Figure 3, the driving force of the spring is increased in the region 21. This arrangement can give improved operation when the staples are provided in short assemblies, e.g. assemblies which have been broken

accidentally from the assemblies as supplied for use.

The stapling operation itself is achieved by electrical operation of plunger 15 by mechanism 22. This is basically a commercially available apparatus designed to actuate the plunger 15 to give a single stapling stroke on manual operation of a trigger switch 23 by an operator holding and locating the apparatus by a handle 24.

In the present apparatus, the switch 23 is modified to provide a continuous electrical supply when pressed. Two mountings 25 and 26, one on either side, are provided with rollers 27 and 28 positioned to allow the machine to be traversed in use with the. staple delivery outlet 29 positioned in working relationship with the (usually extensive) material to be stapled. Mounting 26 carries a microswitch 30 having a plunger 33 which runs in a groove 31 formed in roller 28. Groove 21 is given an increased depth at 32 (Figure 2) which, when entered by plunger 33 once per revolution, actuates the apparatus to drive a staple by plunger 15. Other equivalent mechanisms may be used, including simply exchangeable means enabling the frequency of stapling operation (for a given machine speed) to be varied, thus varying the staple spacing.

Figure 4 shows diagrammatically a piece of material 34 secured over a material 35 by the apparatus. The top parts 1 of the staples are visible. The staples have been applied at equal intervals by means of the apparatus of Figures 2 and 3 which has been run over the exposed face of material 34 in direction 36.