Apparatus for preparing wire pieces for a stapling machine

An apparatus for preparing wire pieces from a wire for a stapling device which staples together multi-page printed products, such as newspapers, magazines and the like, the apparatus comprising:

• a wire piece dispenser having a supply mechanism and a cutting mechanism, the supply mechanism including a feed mechanism which supplies a wire in a step-wise manner, in a supply direction, to the cutting mechanism, the cutting mechanism performing a cutting operation wherein the supplied wire is cut into wire pieces;
• a receiver member disposed downstream of the cutting mechanism, the receiver member receiving a wire piece cut from the wire by the cutting mechanism;
• the receiver member including a groove-like recess, the recess aligned with the supply mechanism and configured to surround with tolerance the starting region of the wire piece, the opening of the recess configured to allow the free passage of the wire piece;
• a take-over member for taking over and transporting the wire piece from the receiver member, the take-over member adapted to move past the receiver member substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the wire piece and close the opening of the recess as it moves past;
• and
• the movement of the take-over member and the receiver member synchronized such that the take-over member closes the opening of the recess as the takeover member moves past the opening of the recess at the latest by the end of the cutting operation.