Abstract: A staple driving device comprising a nosepiece assembly including a rigid structure having opposed flat side surfaces defining the sides of a drive track for guidingly engaging the legs of a leading staple during the driving movement thereof, a forwardly facing flat surface extending between the side surfaces for guidingly engaging the rear surface of a leading staple during the driving movement thereof, and longitudinally extending surfaces defining an opening of a staple-shaped configuration extending forwardly into communication with the drive track defining surfaces, and a rigid member mounted on said rigid structure forwardly of said staple-shaped opening for (1) translational movement in a direction parallel with the movement of the staple driving element between a locked operating position and a raised unlocked position and (2) pivotal movement between the raised unlocked position and a forwardly extending open access position, the rigid member having (1) staple stop surfaces facing rearwardly when the

Abstract: A multi-axis machine tool or the like employing controls for an open loop stepping motor system of two or more axes in which variable frequency feedrate clock pulses are generated to ultimately control the speed of the various stepping motors. The frequency of the feedrate clock pulses is modified in accordance with programmed information; additional information defines the tool path which can either be straight line or circular arc segments and characteristically the feedrate clock pulse generation means increases pulse frequency at the beginning of a segment in such manner as to increase motor speed in accordance with system inertial limitations from a speed below to a speed above the slewing rate of the stepping motors. Thereafter upon sensing a predetermined distance from the end of the segment, pulse frequency is reduced to reduce the stepping motor speed below the slewing rate.