Abstract: A stapler includes a base, a head movably coupled to the base and including a magazine assembly, a driver mechanism operable to drive a staple from the magazine assembly, and a cartridge configured to receive a roll of staples, the cartridge cooperating with the magazine assembly to define an interface. The interface includes a channel of the magazine assembly configured to slidably receive a forward end of the cartridge, a non-latching-type engagement configured to inhibit sliding movement between the cartridge and the magazine assembly, and a latching-type engagement configured to retain the cartridge in fixed relationship to the magazine assembly.

Abstract: To adjust a length of each leg of a staple projected to a back side of sheets of paper 5 to be bound according to a thickness thereof. In an electric stapler containing a head portion 2 including a forming plate 12 that forms a straight staple 9a so as to be U-shaped and a driver plate 13 that ejects the formed staple, a cartridge including staple sheets stacked with multiple layers, and a stapler main body which supplies the staple sheet below the forming plate 12 and which contains a driving portion that drives the forming plate 12 and the driver plate 13 in the head portion 2, plural head portions 2 are provided in which the forming plate 12 and the driver plate 13 inside have width lengths different from each other, wherein each head portion 2 is attachable to and detachable from the stapler main body.

Abstract: Surgical stapling methods and tools which allow a surgeon to create several different predetermined amounts of tissue constriction using the same staple (11) loaded in such a tool (31). A stapling tool (31) holding one or more staples in an effector section (35) contains a mechanism for spreading the pointed ends of a staple to one of several spaced apart distances as controlled by an actuator-indicator (43). Depending upon the distance the pointed ends have been spread when the staple is implanted into tissue (51), the amount of constriction accomplished by the staple is varied. An improved staple construction (61) of increased rigidity is also shown.

Abstract: A staple cartridge is provided with: a refill which houses in a wound manner a staple sheet formed by coupling a plurality of straight staples and includes a guide passage for carrying out the staple sheet; and a cartridge body which includes a feeding passage for guiding the staple sheet carried out from the refill via the guide passage to a position of driving out by the driver. The guide passage is communicated with the feeding passage when the refill is attached to the cartridge body, and the refill is attached to and detached from the cartridge body from a direction different from a direction along which the guide passage and the feeding passage are communicated.

Abstract: A fastener delivery tool includes a belt including pairs of features for releasably engaging tines of respective fasteners in a relaxed state defining a loop. The tool includes a loading chamber for receiving a fastener from the belt, a retaining member for limiting movement of the fastener within the loading chamber, an ejection track communicating with the loading chamber, a handle including an actuator, and a tongue and pusher member coupled to the actuator. Activation of the actuator advances the tongue to transform the fastener from the relaxed state to a U-shaped constrained state, and advances the pusher member to direct the fastener from the loading chamber down the ejection track.

Abstract: A stitching head is provided for stitching books or printed products. The stitching head includes a supporter and a driver. The supporter has a corrugated supporter surface including first ridges and first grooves. The driver interacts with the supporter and has a channel and a corrugated driver surface which includes second ridges and second grooves. The first grooves and first ridges of the supporter mesh with the second ridges and first grooves of driver and the channel supports stitching material between the corrugated supporter surface and the corrugated driver surface. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A fastening apparatus for use in endoscopic surgery is provided and includes a fastener applicator having a first half-section and a second half-section. The first half-section includes a flat side having a first recessed region formed therein, the recessed region being configured and dimensioned to retain the plurality of vertically stacked fasteners therein. The second half-section includes a flat side having a second recessed region formed therein. The fastener applicator includes a fastener positioning spring attached to and flush with the first recessed region, wherein the fastener positioning spring is biased to extend beyond the first recessed region and the flat side of the first half-section; and a stop spring housed within the second recessed region, wherein the stop spring is biased such that when unrestrained the stop spring extends beyond the second recessed region and into the first recessed region.

Abstract: An exemplary method for surgically stapling tissue may include providing a surgical stapler that includes at least one staple, a pusher configured to hold at least one staple, a splay arm movable relative to the pusher, where that splay arm includes two spaced-apart splay tips, and a driver movable relative to the pusher; splaying at least one staple by plastically deforming the distalmost staple against the splay tips; and after splaying, closing at least one staple by plastically deforming the distalmost staple against the splay tips.

Abstract: A stitching head is provided for stitching books or printed products. The stitching head includes a supporter and a driver. The supporter has a corrugated supporter surface including first ridges and first grooves. The driver interacts with the supporter and has a channel and a corrugated driver surface which includes second ridges and second grooves. The first grooves and first ridges of the supporter mesh with the second ridges and first grooves of driver and the channel supports stitching material between the corrugated supporter surface and the corrugated driver surface. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated stapler that has a single selectively operable adjuster operatively associated with a staple leg diverter. The single selectively operable adjuster is constructed and arranged to be adjusted within a range of leg deflecting positions to affect the lateral movement of the staple leg diverter. The different leg deflective positions effects an amount to which the diverter will deflect the legs of the driven staple during a drive stroke. A single operation of the single selectively operable adjuster both moves the adjuster and retains the adjuster in an adjusted position within the range of leg deflecting positions.

Abstract: A forming plate and a driver plate are held at a front portion of a path of supplying connected staples in a laminated state. A staple in a C-shape formed at an inside of a strike out path formed between a front end face of a supply path and a back face of the face plate arranged on a front side of the supply path is pressed to supply to inside of the strike out path toward the face plate by a pusher urged by a spring. The staple is struck out by the driver plate. The pusher is made to constitute a first pusher, and a second pusher for pressing a leg portion of the staple to the face plate is aligned to be arranged to a side of a staple strike out port of the first pusher.

Abstract: An electric stapler is operated by the steps of: a paper bundle pinching step of relatively moving a table part (10) and a driver unit (3) and also pinching a paper bundle (19); a staple separation step of folding a staple into U-shape by a forming plate (8) and also separating the folded U-shape staple (22) from a staple sheet (20) by moving a driver (7); a penetration step of penetrating legs (24) of the staple (22) into the paper bundle (19) by further moving the driver (7); a clinch step of inward folding the legs (24) penetrating through the paper bundle (19) by a clinch device (5); and a paper bundle releasing step of releasing the paper bundle (19). A relative movement of the table part (10) and the driver unit (3), the forming plate (8), the driver (7), and the clinch device are powered by a single motor (13). A driving speed of the motor (13) in the steps excluding the penetration step and the clinch step is slower than the driving speed of the motor (13) in the penetration step and the clinch step.

Abstract: An electric stapler includes a stapler main body and a driver assembly which is attachable and detachable with respect to the stapler main body. The driver assembly includes a forming portion having a forming plate for forming a staple into a U shape, a driver portion having a driver plate for striking the U-shaped staple into papers, a slide block portion which slidably guides the driver portion, and a slide guide case portion. The slide block portion, the driver portion and the forming portion are integrally incorporated in the slide guide case portion.

Abstract: One example of a surgical stapler may include a pusher, at least one generally planar staple, where the pusher holds at least one staple, and a splay arm that includes spaced-apart splay fingers extending generally distally, where at least one splay finger includes a splay tip extending therefrom, and where relative motion of said pusher and said splay fingers causes said at least one said splay tip to engage and then splay at least one said staple. Another example of a surgical stapler may include a plurality of staples positioned out of contact with one another; a pusher that engages each staple; and at least one splay tip, each splay tip configured to contact a distal surface of the distalmost staple.

Abstract: To provide a staple using insertion-cutting blades that are manufacturable inexpensively, by which the strength of the insertion-cutting blades that are necessary when penetrating binding sheets is secured and the penetration of a staple through the binding sheets is executed reliably. The stapler is constituted by including a handle, a frame and a base. The frame is provided, in the vicinity of the front edge portion of a feeding path through which the interlinked staples are fed, with a driver executing the penetration of the staple with respect to the binding sheets. Punching blades are mounted respectively on the right and the left of a staple push down unit at the lower edge portion of the driver main body portion. Each punching blade has a predetermined length and is provided with a blade edge at one edge portion.

Abstract: In a sheet stitching apparatus in which a wire W reeled out from a wire reel 5 is cut only a predetermined length, the cut wire is bent into a U-shape and driven into a set of sheets S, both ends of the U-shaped wire are bent and the set of sheets are stitched, there is provided a detector 10-15 arranged for movement according to a change in a degree of bending of the wire guide 4 effected by a change in a remaining amount of the wire of the wire reel 5 for detection of a change of position of the wire guide effected by a pull-in operation of wire by the stitching head 2.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for applying fasteners during endoscopic surgery. The apparatus vertically stacks fasteners in a fastener applicator which is detachable and replaceable from a handle portion by a rotational locking system. The fasteners are applied by moving them to a driving channel by a biased fastener positioning spring as a slide is retracted; the slide is then advanced until it engages a fastener in the driving channel and drives the fastener over an anvil. During advancement of the slide a biased stop spring is forced back into a recess thereby allowing the next fastener to move forward in the storage channel; the slide is then retracted, freeing biased ejector springs to kick the formed fastener off the anvil; finally the slide is further retracted, until the fastener positioning spring is once again free to move the distal-most fastener from the storage channel into the driving channel.

Abstract: An electric stapler includes a stapler main body and a driver assembly which is attachable and detachable with respect to the stapler main body. The driver assembly includes a forming portion having a forming plate for forming a staple into a U shape, a driver portion having a driver plate for striking the U-shaped staple into papers, a slide block portion which slidably guides the driver portion, and a slide guide case portion. The slide block portion, the driver portion and the forming portion are integrally incorporated in the slide guide case portion.

Abstract: A stapler both forms and drivers staples from connected staple blanks retained in a magazine. The stapler includes a driver and a former. The former eliminates jams caused by the last staple in a magazine becoming rotated prior to being formed and struck by having the capability of simultaneously forming a staple being struck and the staple blank connected to the staple being stuck.

Abstract: A closure device for an arteriotomy includes an elongate tube having a distal opening. The elongate tube has least two opposing longitudinal slots and a pair of opposing corners defined where each slot meets the distal opening. A staple is disposed within the tube, the staple having at least two opposing legs aligned with the at least two slots. Each slot is pinched together adjacent the distal opening such that the opposing corners of each slot converge to cover the tip of the respective staple leg to guard the staple tips against contact with the tissue track. The corners of each slot are separable to permit the respective staple leg to pass there between.

Abstract: A stitcher system includes a stitcher mechanism for stitching collations of documents and adapted to form stitches from a conductive wire moved into the stitcher mechanism. A non-conductive spool is mounted for rotation on a spindle. A conductive wire is wound on the non-conductive spool. The conductive wire has a tail end adjacent to the non-conductive spool and a lead end remote from the spool. The spool rotates when the conductive wire is moved into the stitcher mechanism to provide conductive wire to be used by the stitcher mechanism to form stitches. A sensing circuit is provided with a circuit path that includes the conductive wire wrapped on the non-conductive spool and a conductive member mounted to engage the wire. The sensing circuit path becomes open when the conductive wire is not wrapped on the non-conductive spool to thereby detect an out of wire condition.

Abstract: A surgical stapler may include a staple, a pusher that holds the staple, a driver, and a splay arm, where motion of at least one of the splay arm and the pusher relative to the other may cause the splay arm to contact and then splay the staple, and wherein the driver may deform the staple against the splay arm to close the staple. Splaying the staple may be performed by plastically deforming the distalmost staple against splay tips on the splay arm. Closing the staple may be performed by plastically deforming the distalmost staple against the splay tips.

Abstract: A method for surgically stapling tissue may include providing staples in a first configuration, plastically deforming at least one staple to a second configuration different from the first configuration; and then plastically deforming at least one staple to a third configuration different from the first configuration and the second configuration. The deformation of a staple from the first configuration to the second configuration may be performed by splaying the staple. The staple may be splayed by a splay arm or other suitable structure or mechanism.

Abstract: A stitching apparatus for manufacturing stitching wire staples, in particular annular eyelet staples, for stitching stacked sheet materials, includes a stitching head basic body having a driver for driving the stitching wire staples into the stacked sheet materials in a downward movement of the driver. A former shapes the stitching wire staples, in particular annular eyelet staples. The former is pivoted away during the downward movement of the driver. A wire clamping lever is mounted pivotably in the former. The wire clamping lever has a control element which runs on a control cam in such a way that the former is supported as a result in the upward movement of the driver, with the result that the former is pivoted-in in the upward movement to a different point than the pivoting-out of the former in the downward movement.

Abstract: A guide piece 19 that enters between both legs 2b of a staple 2 is formed integrally on a pusher 16 that pushes a staple 2 as formed into a striking passage 12, an inclined surface 20 that engages with a staple 2 to operatively retreat the pusher is formed on the guide piece 19 to be positioned thereon so as not to engage with the staple 2 until tip ends of staple legs 2b penetrate through sheets, and a driver plate 7 and a forming plate 6 are set to operate out of phase relative to each other so that the forming plate 6 begins forming of a non-formed staple 2a after staple legs 2b struck out have penetrated through the sheets.

Abstract: A staple-forming and inserting apparatus 10 is provided having an apparatus 22 for movement of the cutter box 20 to allow automatic variations in staple length for one or more staple-forming and inserting apparatus 10 said staple-forming and inserting apparatus 10 being provided with a staple crown 105 supporting shoe 56 to permit supported insertion of the staple into the workpiece the device 10 having blades 50a, 50b for pinch-cutting of the staple wire 72 to provide chisel ends to legs 101 of stable 100 device 10 have key and rail construction to allow the operating drive 16 and bender 18 rails to travel on keys 32 that may be replaced to avoid wear on drive 16 and bender 18 rails and replacement of the rails and a floating bender rail 18 that prevents overstrike and damage to knives 50a, 50b.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device having a removable staple cartridge is disclosed. The cartridge includes a first opening in the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the a staple and an aligned second opening to allow the lead staple to move therethrough. The staple cartridge also comprises a fixed blocking surface on the housing member and a traveling blocking surface on a feeder shoe. The traveling blocking surface is sized so that the feeder shoe moves relative to the fixed blocking surface while moving the staple. The feeder shoe is further shaped so that, when the trigger member is actuated when no staples remain in the staple cartridge, the staple former is not blocked by the feeder shoe.

Abstract: A staple forming mechanism having at least first and second configurations. The staple forming mechanism including a bend surface having a first surface width in the first configuration and a second surface width in the second configuration for forming staples having first and second crown sizes, respectively. The forming mechanism also includes at least two side portions spaced apart by a first former width in the first configuration and by a second former width in the second configuration. The side portions cooperate with the bend surface to form the staples. A stapler includes the forming mechanism and a driver including a driving surface having a first driver width in the first configuration and a second driver width in the second configuration for driving the staples of the first and second crown sizes into a stack of papers.

Abstract: A staple forming mechanism having at least first and second configurations. The staple forming mechanism including a bend surface having a first surface width in the first configuration and a second surface width in the second configuration for forming staples having first and second crown sizes, respectively. The forming mechanism also includes at least two side portions spaced apart by a first former width in the first configuration and by a second former width in the second configuration. The side portions cooperate with the bend surface to form the staples. A stapler includes the forming mechanism and a driver including a driving surface having a first driver width in the first configuration and a second driver width in the second configuration for driving the staples of the first and second crown sizes into a stack of papers.

Abstract: A staple-former (11) in a stapler (1) that uses a driver blade (10) to drive staples (17), preferably into a sheaf of paper (16). The stapler contains a magazine (7) of staple blanks (8). A feed device (6) advances staple blanks onto an integral bending die (15) for bending into staple shape. Each staple has a first and a second leg (18, 19) and a crown portion (20). The staple-former (11) includes first and second leg-bending parts (24, 26) and crown-forming part (28). A staple forms when a drive device (12, 13, 14), moves the leg-bending parts (24, 26) and the crown-forming part over the bending die (15) causing a staple blank (8) to assume a staple shape. The staple-former then reciprocates to its starting positions, the staple advances to the driver blade (10), and a biasing element (32) urges the crown-forming part (28) away from the staple-former (11).

Abstract: An electric stapler includes a clinching mechanism and an anvil device. The clinching mechanism bends protruding legs of a staple to fasten objects together. The anvil device includes a stationary frame, a cover and a sliding anvil mechanism. The cover is mounted on the stationary frame and has a through hole through which the legs of the driven staple protrude. The sliding anvil mechanism is mounted in the stationary frame and includes a first and a second anvil device. Each of the anvil devices includes a sliding anvil. The sliding anvils are driven toward the through hole to bend respectively the legs in the through hole. Consequently, the sliding anvils completely bend the legs protruded from the bottom of the objects to keep a person handling the stapled object from potential injury.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a stapler for forming staples according to a thickness of a stack and clinching the stack with at least one of the formed staples.

Abstract: A fastener driving tool having a reciprocating driver blade and a nosepiece, and being configured for sequentially feeding fasteners to the nosepiece for engagement by the driver blade for subsequent driving into a workpiece, each fastener defining a plane, further includes a deformation formation in the nosepiece configured for engaging a portion of each of the fasteners so that upon impact of the fastener by the driver blade, the engaged fastener portion is deformed in a direction transverse to the plane to define a deformed portion, the deformed portion configured for providing a clamping force upon at least one of the workpiece and a workpiece material being secured to the workpiece. A fastener is provided for use in such a tool and includes a crown configured so that, upon impact with at least one of the workpiece and the workpiece material, the crown has a nonlinear configuration.

Abstract: A staple forming mechanism having at least first and second configurations. The staple forming mechanism including a bend surface having a first surface width in the first configuration and a second surface width in the second configuration for forming staples having first and second crown sizes, respectively. The forming mechanism also includes at least two side portions spaced apart by a first former width in the first configuration and by a second former width in the second configuration. The side portions cooperate with the bend surface to form the staples. A stapler includes the forming mechanism and a driver including a driving surface having a first driver width in the first configuration and a second driver width in the second configuration for driving the staples of the first and second crown sizes into a stack of papers.

Abstract: In an electric stapler which includes: a passage (4) formed in a magazine portion (2) of the stapler body (1), for attaching and detaching a staple cartridge (3); and sheet staples (a) accommodated in the staple cartridge (3), wherein both side portions of the lead staple (a1) and the following staples of the sheet staples (a) are successively bent and stricken, a staple detection sensor (7), both sides of the end of the actuator (8) of are tapered, is arranged so that both side portions can be directed to an entrance of the passage (4) and the end of the staple detection sensor (7) can be engaged with an upper or a lower face of the sheet staples (a) of the staple cartridge (3) attached into the passage (4). The actuator (8) is swung and tilted in the perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction of the passage (4) and biased by a spring so that it can obliquely rise at all times.

Abstract: A staple forming mechanism having at least first and second configurations. The staple forming mechanism including a bend surface having a first surface width in the first configuration and a second surface width in the second configuration for forming staples having first and second crown sizes, respectively. The forming mechanism also includes at least two side portions spaced apart by a first former width in the first configuration and by a second former width in the second configuration. The side portions cooperate with the bend surface to form the staples. A stapler includes the forming mechanism and a driver including a driving surface having a first driver width in the first configuration and a second driver width in the second configuration for driving the staples of the first and second crown sizes into a stack of papers.

Abstract: A staple driver (9) is provided, which is adapted to be mounted in a stapler for driving staples into a sheaf of papers (11) in order to drive, in a striking motion, the legs of a U-shaped staple (10) through the sheaf of papers (11). The driver (9) has a plate-shaped portion (13) with an edge surface (14) which is arranged, in the striking motion, to be applied and pressed against the web portion of the staple (10). The staple driver (9) has pointed projections (12) which are arranged to engage, in the striking motion, with the web portion of the staple (10) in front of the legs of the staple. The edge surface (14) of the driver (9) extends in its longitudinal direction along an outwardly curved arc.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a stapler for forming staples according to a thickness of a stack and clinching the stack with at least one of the formed staples.

Abstract: A driver unit of a vertically slidable type is constructed by mounting a staple cartridge to a cartridge holder so as to freely slide in a vertical direction, and by urging the staple cartridge toward a clincher unit opposed thereto by a spring. When a clincher sleeve has descended to push the staple cartridge, the staple cartridge will move up and down in parallel, and accordingly, a relative angle of a clincher to a driver plate will not change.

Abstract: Staple forming arrangement (11) forming part of a stapler (1) in which a workpiece (6), primarily a sheaf of papers, is stapled together. The arrangement includes a bending punch (15), which is driven by a drive mechanism (12,13) and which bends elongated staple blanks (8) over a bending cushion (15). The staple blanks, which are stored in a magazine (7) in the stapler and are fed to the bending cushion by an integral feeding device (14), are bent essentially into a U-shape having a crown (24) and a first leg (25) and a second leg (26), respectively and whereupon the bending punch is withdrawn from the bent staple by the drive mechanism. After the withdrawal of the bending punch from the bent staple, the bent staple is fed by the feeding device to a staple guide channel (27) in which the staple is driven by a drive blade (17) incorporated in the stapler into the multi-piece workpiece in order to staple the pieces together.

Abstract: The invention proposes a staple-forming apparatus which is intended for stapling machines for forming staples and may be designed to be smaller than priorart apparatuses. This is achieved according to the invention in that a locking bar (9) for locking a pusher in the forming apparatus during the operation of forming the staple is fitted in a moveable manner in the pusher and a fixed stop (13) for the locking bar (9) is provided on the housing (2) of the staple-forming apparatus.

Abstract: A clip device is provided which is capable of clipping a sheet bundle with more than a predetermined clipping force independent of the thickness of the sheet bundle. This clip device is equipped with a cartridge for housing a plurality of substantially flat clip plates, a slider for feeding the clip plates from the cartridge into a predetermined position, a bending mechanism for bending the clip plate into a shape in which only point end portions are closed and also a rear portion is bulged, and a widening mechanism for clipping a sheet bundle by opening the point end portions of the bent clip and then inserting the sheet bundle into the opened point end portions.

Abstract: The invention proposes a staple-forming apparatus which is intended for stapling machines for forming staples and may be designed to be smaller than prior-art apparatuses. This is achieved according to the invention in that a locking bar (9) for locking a pusher in the forming apparatus during the operation of forming the staple is fitted in a moveable manner in the pusher and a fixed stop (13) for the locking bar (9) is provided on the housing (2) of the staple-forming apparatus.

Abstract: A motor driven stapler has a holding mechanism for holding parts of the legs of a staple penetrated and projecting from a pile of sheets. The parts of the legs of the staple penetrated and projecting from the pile are clinched by a clinching plate after holding the same by the holding mechanism.

Abstract: A stapling arrangement of a stapling and gathering machine includes a stapling carriage which is seated on a machine frame and travels with a gathering chain for stapling printed products carried by the gathering chain. At least one stapling head travels with the stapling carriage and with a bending device. A drive mechanism is provided for the stroke of the stapling carriage and the strokes of a shaping element and a punch of the stapling head. The drive mechanism includes a first drive for the stroke of the stapling carriage, and a second drive for the strokes of the shaping element and the punch, and for a movement of the bending device. The first drive can be exchanged independently of the second drive for adaptation to the pitch of the gathering chain. The stapling arrangement can also be converted quickly and easily to a different chain pitch by a semi-skilled operator.

Abstract: A gathering and stapling machine includes a gathering chain for conveying printed products and having a variable chain pitch. A stapling device staples the printed products that are conveyed on the gathering chain. A drive device includes a first gear for driving the stapling device, a second gear for driving the gathering chain and a change-over device connected to the first and second gears and having at least two fixed turns ratios.

Abstract: A cassette (10a, 10b, 11), which contains juxtaposed wire staple blanks releasably interconnected to form at least one strip (8) of staple blanks, is adapted to be used in a stapler for driving staples into an object, such as a sheaf of papers. The stapler comprises a base and a stapler head movable in relation to the base. The cassette accommodates a reciprocating staple shaper (20), adapted to successively shape the staple blanks of the strip (8) into U-shaped staples, and a reciprocating staple driver (19), adapted to successively release the thus-formed staples from the strip (8) and drive them into an object. The cassette has a front wall (11) in which the staple shaper (20) and the staple driver (19) are displaceably guided, as well as recesses through which projections on the staple shaper and the staple driver project, so as to engage, when the cassette is mounted in the stapler head, a drive mechanism (4) arranged in the stapler head to reciprocate the staple shaper and the staple driver.

Abstract: A supply wire cassette is removably mounted on the face plate of a wire stitching machine head. The cassette carries a rotatable reel of wire from which wire is unreeled over a flexible, resilient brake lever through a check pawl and a guide tube, which guides the unreeled wire along an arcuate, wire-straightening path to an outlet at a cutter on the head. A wire holder is removably mounted on the cassette housing and holds the free end thereof in position at the outlet until the cassette is mounted on the face plate to ensure that the wire passes through the feed mechanism of the head. Actuation of the feed mechanism withdraws wire from the cassette, pivoting the brake lever to unbrake the supply reel. When a predetermined length of unreeled wire accumulates in the cassette housing, the brake lever is biased back into braking engagement with the reel. A sensor including a switch removably mounted in the cassette housing indicates when the supply reel is nearly empty.

Abstract: A binding device accomplishes the transverse binding or stapling of product elements in a folding apparatus that is situated downstream from a rotary printing press. One or more binding cylinders are supported for rotation with, and with respect to, a binding cylinder support which is cooperatively positioned with respect to a collection and counter-cylinder. The binding device minimizes vibrations and maintains staple-forming elements within the binding cylinder.

Abstract: An aircraft defueling system includes a fuel jettison port (10) extending between the bottom side of a fuel tank (11) an the exterior of an aircraft. The port is sealed with a glass closure (12). A cylinder (13) with a piston (17) therein is positioned above the glass closure. A pressurized inert gas bottle (23) is connected to an expandable chamber (28) between the top ends of the cylinder and the piston. A metering port (27) is arranged on the side of the cylinder below the piston. Just prior to an unavoidable crash, a valve (25) on the gas bottle is opened to force the piston downwardly, so that the glass closure is broken by a conical bottom extension (18) on the piston. The piston is moved past the metering port. The inert gas is released into the fuel tank through the metering port, so as to pressurized the fuel tank and rapidly jettison the fuel through the port.