Apparatus for stapling and creasing paper articles in transit

Stapling apparatus comprising:

• a. continuously moving staple forming and carrying means for forming U-shaped staples from individual cut wire lengths and for presenting the staples to moving signatures carried in a transit path to be stapled, and for inserting the staples into the moving signatures, said staple forming and carrying means including a plurality of stapler links supported on a movable stapler link carrier, said stapler links carried by and cyclically movable relative to a chain assembly that travels repetitively about a continuous closed path including said transit path, said stapler link including a movable wire handling mechanism movable by a cam arm extending from the link, said wire handling mechanism having clip means for receiving and retaining a length of wire, and a die for forming a staple from the wire, said apparatus including first cam surface means engageable with the cam arm for drawing the clip means into the die to bend the wire and form a staple, and second cam surface means engageable with the cam arm for pushing said staple from said stapler link into the paper articles;
• b. continuously moving staple clinching means cooperable with the moving staple forming means for clinching the staples after they have been inserted into the moving signatures and while the signatures are moving along the transit path, said staple clinching means including a plurality of anvil links supported on a movable link carrier for cooperation with respective stapler links, said anvil links including a pair of opposed, pivotable clinch plates for engaging and bending respective legs of a U-sahepd staple to clinch a staple in position on a signature;
• and
• c. actuation means for pivoting said clinch plates.

Stapling apparatus comprising:

• a. continuously moving staple carrying means for carrying U-shaped staples and for presenting the staples to moving signatures carried in a transit path to be stapled, and for inserting the staples into the moving signature, said staples carrying means including a plurality of stapler links supported on a movable stapler link carrier, said stapler links carried by and cyclically movable relative to a chain assembly that travels repetitively about a continuous closed path including said transit path, said stapler link including a movable wire handling mechanism movable by a cam arm extending from the link, said wire handling mechanism having clip means for receiving and retaining a length of wire, and a die for forming a staple from the wire, said apparatus including first cam surface means engageable with the cam arm for drawing the clip means into the die to bend the wire and form a staple, and second cam surface means engageable with the cam arm for pushing said staple from said stapler link into the paper articles:
• b. continuously staple clinching means cooperable with the moving staple carrying means for clinching the staples after they have been inserted into the moving signatures and while the signatures are moving along the transit path, said staple clinching means including a plurality of anvil links supported on a movable link carrier for cooperation with respective stapler links, said anvil links including a pair of opposed, pivotable clinch plates for engaging and bending respective legs of a U-shaped staple to clinch a staple in position on a signature;
• and
• c. actuation means for pivoting said clinch plates.