Abstract: A manually powered rotary tool includes improvements to size, drive direction input, drive speed, assembly, strength, and cost. A handle is mounted high in the housing to provide a vertically compact tool. A selector switch controls a spiral ratchet mechanism from outside the housing to better enclose the mechanism and provide improved access to the selecting operation. The ratchet mechanism uses a lateral moving selector bar for effective operation with the external selector switch. The spiral ratchet gears are configured for die cast manufacturing. Various components are of one-piece construction and designed for simplified assembly.

Abstract: A miniature spring-actuated stapler includes a tapered, flat power spring to store energy and eject staples. The power spring pivots at a rear of the stapler housing and includes three co-extensive arms terminating near the striker. As the L-shaped handle of the stapler is pressed, it acts on the center arm of the power spring to deflect it downward while the outer arms deflect upward. The arms are integral at a rear end and the outer arms are linked to the striker at the front. A tapered, flat reset spring disposed generally parallel to the power spring is used to reset the internal action. The housing includes open top and rear areas with the handle providing the enclosure thereof. A base assembly is slidably attached at a bottom of the stapler with an open position exposing a staple-loading chamber.

Abstract: A compact, electric, spring energized desktop stapler having a unitized housing providing both an external movable enclosure and a support frame for internal parts is disclosed. The internal power train is preferably elongated with the motor at the rear, a gear set toward the center, and low profile lever and power spring assembly at the front. The lever engages a striker with a normal upper rest position where the power spring is deflected and energized. A cam roller mounted to a final gear holds down the rear of the lever until the system is activated when the final gear rotates and the cam roller rolls off the end of the lever. In the unitized body, the base is pivotally attached to the body at the rear. A base lever selectively links to a cam roller or equivalent structure to move the body downward toward the base during a cycle.

Abstract: A spring-energized stapler having a pliers type configuration, wherein papers and like items are fastened at a front end and the stapler is normally gripped and squeezed at a rear end. A compact mechanism and independent handle linkages provide a compact overall shape in a high efficiency action. An upper handle is pivoted at a front, top of a housing with a pressing area spaced at least one half the handle length away from the upper handle pivot. A lower handle includes a multi-segment cam link to a base to provide a minimal gripping distance with a large clamping force at an anvil. A simplified front-loading mechanism provides a compact, low cost assembly. A release latch holder is located behind the striker for a compact front end.

Abstract: A pliers is adjustable between at least two distinct selectable size ranges. A movable pivot pin is held stable in a selected recess of a slot in both loaded and unloaded conditions. A lower jaw is adjustable between a small and a large size range. A multifunction spring is movably attached to a body to both firmly bias a lower jaw and handle to an open position and to retain the pin in a constant selected pivot position of the body for normally used conditions. The pliers include a familiar function and compact shape without additional bulk from the structures of the improved features. Only a simple wire form is required to provide the improvement of the invention in a preferred locking pliers embodiment.

Abstract: Power spring configurations for a spring energized fastening device includes a compact double torsion power spring and two opposed compact single torsion springs. Simplified structures to hold the springs in a stable pre-loaded position are disclosed. Each coil has forward extending arms including an angled portion and forward vertically coincident portions. The double torsion spring has a self-locking crossing geometry to hold a pre-loaded rest position. The opposed two springs have a bridge and a mandrel to hold the rest position. A lever presses arms of the spring between a striker and the coil including a compact nesting condition. A tab of the striker extends forward to provide a release edge and a positioning torque bias upon the striker.

Abstract: A hole punch device that reduces the force required to create a hole in papers or other sheet media. A punch element of the hole punch device includes a locally sloped or indented floor to create a bend in the sheet media as it is punched to create an enlarged, oval hole. The punch pin may include an expanding sleeve surround the pin that forms a larger diameter during the cutting stroke and springs back to a smaller diameter during a pull out stroke. A coiled torsion return spring is positioned remotely from and non-coaxially with the punch pin. A keyed pin and support frame arrangement ensures a predetermined rotational orientation of the pin for sequential cutting for reduced cutting force. A long lead-in surface in the frame helps installing sheet media into the feed slot of the punch element.

Abstract: A spring energized stapler includes a “high start” design wherein a striker has a rest position above the staple track. A handle is pressed to energize a power spring while the striker remains stationary. At a predetermined position of the handle, the striker is released to eject a staple. A subassembly of a cage and the power spring provides a preload to the power spring in the rest position. The subassembly is separately movable from the handle to allow a handle pressing end to move farther than the striker's distance of travel. The handle includes a movable pivot location to enable enhanced motion of the handle pressing end. Alternatively, an optional lever links the striker to the power spring to provide leverage upon the power spring. A release latch may be mounted in front of the striker to be engaged by the lever or the handle.

Abstract: A stapler selectively uses enhanced leverage to break a glue bond of a staple to separate the staple from a rack of staples in the stapler. The staple does not press a working surface during this operating stage. The extra leverage stage occurs through a minority of total handle travel, preferably via a pivoting lever linked to the striker at one end and the opposite end traversing between inner spaced apart ribs underneath the handle. A remaining non-leveraged handle travel stage ejects a staple out from the stapler body against a working surface. A track supports staples from an underside of the top of the staples. The track includes an outward extending bottom support for at least one staple on the track to prevent rotation of a short rack of staples.

Abstract: A spring-energized stapler having a pliers type configuration, wherein papers and like items are fastened at a front end and the stapler is normally gripped and squeezed at a rear end. A compact mechanism and independent handle linkages provide a compact overall shape in a high efficiency action. An upper handle is pivoted at a front, top of a housing with a pressing area spaced at least one half the handle length away from the upper handle pivot. A lower handle includes a multi-segment cam link to a base to provide a minimal gripping distance with a large clamping force at an anvil. A simplified front-loading mechanism provides a compact, low cost assembly. A release latch holder is located behind the striker for a compact front end.

Abstract: A spring-energized stapler having a pliers type configuration, wherein papers and like items are fastened at a front end and the stapler is normally gripped and squeezed at a rear end. A compact mechanism and independent handle linkages provide a compact overall shape in a high efficiency action. An upper handle is pivoted at a front, top of a housing with a pressing area spaced at least one half the handle length away from the upper handle pivot. A lower handle includes a multi-segment cam link to a base to provide a minimal gripping distance with a large clamping force at an anvil. A simplified front-loading mechanism provides a compact, low cost assembly. A release latch holder is located behind the striker for a compact front end.

Abstract: A pliers is adjustable between at least two distinct selectable size ranges. A movable pivot pin is held stable in a selected recess of a slot in both loaded and unloaded conditions. A lower jaw is adjustable between a small and a large size range. A multifunction spring is movably attached to a body to both firmly bias a lower jaw and handle to an open position and to retain the pin in a constant selected pivot position of the body for normally used conditions. The pliers include a familiar function and compact shape without additional bulk from the structures of the improved features. Only a simple wire form is required to provide the improvement of the invention in a preferred locking pliers embodiment.

Abstract: A spring energized stapler includes a “high start” design wherein a striker has a rest position above the staple track. A handle is pressed to energize a power spring while the striker remains stationary. At a predetermined position of the handle, the striker is released to eject a staple. A subassembly of a cage and the power spring provides a preload to the power spring in the rest position. The subassembly is separately movable from the handle to allow a handle pressing end to move farther than the striker's distance of travel. The handle includes a movable pivot location to enable enhanced motion of the handle pressing end. Alternatively, an optional lever links the striker to the power spring to provide leverage upon the power spring. A release latch may be mounted in front of the striker to be engaged by the lever or the handle.

Abstract: A hole punch device that reduces the force required to create a hole in papers or other sheet media. A punch element of the hole punch device includes a locally sloped or indented floor to create a bend in the sheet media as it is punched to create an enlarged, oval hole. The punch pin may include an expanding sleeve surround the pin that forms a larger diameter during the cutting stroke and springs back to a smaller diameter during a pull out stroke. A coiled torsion return spring is positioned remotely from and non-coaxially with the punch pin. A keyed pin and support frame arrangement ensures a predetermined rotational orientation of the pin for sequential cutting for reduced cutting force. A long lead-in surface in the frame helps installing sheet media into the feed slot of the punch element.

Abstract: A stapler selectively uses enhanced leverage to break a glue bond of a staple to separate the staple from a rack of staples in the stapler. The staple does not press a working surface during this operating stage. The extra leverage stage occurs through a minority of total handle travel, preferably via a pivoting lever linked to the striker at one end and the opposite end traversing between inner spaced apart ribs underneath the handle. A remaining non-leveraged handle travel stage ejects a staple out from the stapler body against a working surface. A track supports staples from an underside of the top of the staples. The track includes an outward extending bottom support for at least one staple on the track to prevent rotation of a short rack of staples.

Abstract: A spring energized stapler includes a “high start” design wherein a striker has a rest position above the staple track. A handle is pressed to energize a power spring while the striker remains stationary. At a predetermined position of the handle, the striker is released to eject a staple. A subassembly of a cage and the power spring provides a preload to the power spring in the rest position. The subassembly is separately movable from the handle to allow a handle pressing end to move farther than the striker's distance of travel. The handle includes a movable pivot location to enable enhanced motion of the handle pressing end. Alternatively, an optional lever links the striker to the power spring to provide leverage upon the power spring. A release latch may be mounted in front of the striker to be engaged by the lever or the handle.

Abstract: A staple remover device having first and second opposed, elongated jaws extending from a lower end of the remover toward an upper end of the remover. The jaws are pivoted to the remover at the upper end. With the remover in a substantially perpendicular orientation above a horizontal work surface, the first jaw moves toward the second jaw, actuated by a user's finger pressure. A handle extends along the remover device, the handle being normally operationally fixed to a jaw by a link including a latch, and at a pre-determined position of the first jaw to the second jaw, a release rib of at least one jaw causes the latch to suddenly de-link the handle from the jaw, wherein the de-linked handle moves in relation to the jaw and moving the handle in relation to the jaw causes the other jaw to rise, lifting out the staple.

Abstract: A hole punch device that reduces the force required to create a hole in papers or other sheet media. A punch element of the hole punch device includes a locally sloped or indented floor to create a bend in the sheet media as it is punched to create an enlarged, oval hole. The punch pin may include an expanding sleeve surround the pin that forms a larger diameter during the cutting stroke and springs back to a smaller diameter during a pull out stroke. A coiled torsion return spring is positioned remotely from and non-coaxially with the punch pin. A keyed pin and support frame arrangement ensures a predetermined rotational orientation of the pin for sequential cutting for reduced cutting force. A long lead-in surface in the frame helps installing sheet media into the feed slot of the punch element.

Abstract: A stapler selectively uses enhanced leverage to break a glue bond of a staple to separate the staple from a rack of staples in the stapler. The staple does not press a working surface during this operating stage. The extra leverage stage occurs through a minority of total handle travel, preferably via a pivoting lever linked to the striker at one end and the opposite end traversing between inner spaced apart ribs underneath the handle. A remaining non-leveraged handle travel stage ejects a staple out from the stapler body against a working surface. A track supports staples from an underside of the top of the staples. The track includes an outward extending bottom support for at least one staple on the track to prevent rotation of a short rack of staples.

Abstract: A spring-energized stapler having a pliers type configuration, wherein papers and like items are fastened at a front end and the stapler is normally gripped and squeezed at a rear end. A compact mechanism and independent handle linkages provide a compact overall shape in a high efficiency action. An upper handle is pivoted at a front, top of a housing with a pressing area spaced at least one half the handle length away from the upper handle pivot. A lower handle includes a multi-segment cam link to a base to provide a minimal gripping distance with a large clamping force at an anvil. A simplified front-loading mechanism provides a compact, low cost assembly. A release latch holder is located behind the striker for a compact front end.