Cartridge fed stapler

A staple hammer for driving staples into a surface, said staple hammer comprising:

• a head and a handle;
• said head being for holding a staple driving mechanism, said head having a back wall and a front wall;
• said handle being a substantially cylindrical cartridge housing for holding a cartridge, said housing having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said housing being rotatably coupled to said back wall of said head;
• a cap for securing a cartridge in said housing, said cap being adapted to fit in said distal end of said housing;
• a cartridge for holding a plurality of rows of staples, said cartridge having a proximal end and a distal end, said cartridge being generally cylindrical, said cartridge having seven wells therein, all of said wells extending along a longitudinal length of said cartridge between said proximal end of said cartridge and a compartment within said cartridge adjacent to said distal end of said cartridge, a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth of said wells each having a U-shape in a plane transverse to the longitudinal length of said cartridge, each of said U-shaped wells being adapted for receiving a row of staples such that each of said U-shaped wells has a substantially linear top portion and two side portions extending away from said top portion, said side portions being oriented substantially perpendicularly to said top portion, each of said sides of said U-shaped wells extending toward an outer surface of said cartridge, said seventh well being generally circular and extending through said cartridge along a generally longitudinal central axis of said cartridge;
• a retaining disc for retaining staples in said cartridge, said retaining disc being adjacent to said proximal end of said cartridge, said retaining disc being generally circular, said retaining disc having two diametrically opposing peripheral apertures therein, wherein each of said apertures extends into said retaining disc from and edge of said retaining disc, a first of said apertures being V-shaped such that a pointed portion of said first aperture is directed toward a center point of said retaining disc, a second of said apertures being generally rectangular, said second aperture being adapted to allow exposure of only one of said U-shaped wells in said cartridge;
• a shaft for rotatably coupling said retaining disc to said cartridge, said shaft being connected to a central location on said retaining disc, said shaft extending through said seventh well in said cartridge between said distal end and said proximal end of said cartridge, said shaft having a distal end extending out of said seventh well, wherein said distal end of said shaft has a knob thereon for holding said retaining disc adjacent to said proximal end of said cartridge, said knob being disc shaped and having a diameter greater than a diameter of said seventh well of said cartridge;
• a compartment within said distal end of said cartridge for holding springs to urge staples toward said proximal end of said cartridge, said compartment having at least one spring for every U-shaped well in said cartridge, said springs having a first end affixed to said distal end of said cartridge, said springs having a second end having a pressure plate affixed thereto for pushing staples through said U-shaped wells;
• wherein said cartridge is placed in said housing such that said retaining disc is adjacent to said back wall of said head, said back wall of said head having a pin extending therefrom for insertion into said V-shaped aperture in said retaining disc;
• wherein said cap is placed on said distal end of housing such that said end of said cap is biased against said distal end of said cartridge;
• and
• wherein said cartridge is turned such that said second aperture in said disc exposes one of said first through sixth wells, said springs urging the staples through said second aperture and into said head adjacent to said first staple guide wall in said head.

A staple hammer for driving staples into a surface, said staple hammer comprising:

• a head and a handle;
• said head being for holding a staple driving mechanism, said head having a generally hollow interior, said head being elongate and having a top wall, a bottom wall, two opposing side walls, a back wall and a front wall, said back wall having a generally circular bore therein, wherein an edge of the bore defines a shoulder, said shoulder being adapted to receive a portion of said handle, said front wall having a height greater than said back wall such that an obtuse angle generally between 90 degrees and 145 degrees is formed by the juncture of said top wall and said back wall, said head having a longitudinal axis defined by a line extending from said front wall to said back wall;
• a pivot shaft for rotating a connecting member, said pivot shaft being mounted to each of said opposing side walls of said head, said pivot shaft being orientated perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis of said head, said pivot shaft being located approximately adjacent to said front wall and said top wall;
• a connecting member for connecting a driving plate and a striking hammer to said pivot shaft, said connecting member being rotatably coupled to said pivot shaft, said connecting member having a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to said connecting member, wherein said pivot shaft is generally located at a longitudinal midpoint of said connecting member, said connecting member having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is substantially adjacent to said front wall of said head;
• a striking hammer for striking a surface when said head is moved toward said surface, said striking hammer being rotatably coupled to said first end of said connecting member, said striking hammer extending away from said connecting member toward said bottom wall, said striking hammer being generally rectangular and generally extending from one of said opposing walls to another one of said opposing walls such that said striking hammer has a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said housing, said striking hammer being guided by two spaced walls extending from said bottom wall toward said top wall, said striking hammer extending through a first aperture in said bottom wall, said first aperture being located between said spaced walls;
• a second aperture in said bottom wall for delivery of a staple, said second aperture being generally between said first aperture and said back wall;
• a driving plate for driving staples into said surface through said second aperture, said driving plate being coupled to said second end of said coupling member, said driving plate extending from said coupling member toward said bottom wall;
• a first staple guide wall, wherein said first staple guide wall is located adjacent to said second aperture such that said second aperture is between said first staple guide wall and said bore in said back wall, said first staple guide wall being mounted on said bottom wall and extending toward said top wall generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said housing;
• a second staple guide wall, said second staple guide wall being oriented generally perpendicular to said first staple guide wall, said second staple guide wall being fixedly mounted to each of said opposing walls of said head, said second staple guide wall extending between said bore in said back wall of said head and said first staple guide wall, a first end of said second staple guide wall being substantially adjacent to said first staple guide wall and defining a space therebetween adapted for receiving said driving plate, said second staple guide wall being spaced a distance from said bottom wall of said head approximately equal to a height of a staple;
• a recoil spring for pulling said second end of said connecting member toward said top wall of said head, said recoil spring being coupled to said second end of said connecting member and an interior surface of said top wall, said recoil spring urging said second end of said connecting member toward said top wall such that said driving plate has an end situated in said space between said first and said second staple guides to define a resting position of said driving hammer;
• wherein said recoil spring biases said first end of said connecting member towards the bottom wall of the head such that the striking hammer extends to an exterior of said head through said first aperture to further define said resting position;
• wherein an execution position is defined by said end of said striking hammer being located substantially adjacent to said first aperture, said second end of said connecting member being adapted to drive said end of said driving plate to a point substantially adjacent to an exterior surface of said bottom wall;
• said handle being a substantially cylindrical cartridge housing for holding a cartridge, said housing having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said housing having a lip thereon adapted for coupling to said shoulder of said head, said proximal end of said housing being rotatably coupled to said head, said distal end of said housing having an interior surface having threads thereon adapted to receive a cap, said distal end of said housing having an exterior surface having padding thereon;
• a cap for securing a cartridge in said housing, said cap being adapted to fit in said distal end of said housing, said cap having a top portion, a middle portion and an end portion, wherein a surface of said top portion of said cap is knurled, wherein a surface of said middle portion of said cap has threads thereon adapted for coupling to said threads in said housing, wherein said end portion of said cap extends into an interior of said housing when said cap is screwed into said housing;
• a cartridge for holding a plurality of rows of staples, said cartridge having a proximal end and a distal end, said cartridge being generally cylindrical, said cartridge having seven wells therein, all of said wells extending along a longitudinal length of said cartridge between said proximal end of said cartridge and a compartment within said cartridge adjacent to said distal end of said cartridge, a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth of said wells each having a U-shape in a plane transverse to the longitudinal length of said cartridge, each of said U-shaped wells being adapted for receiving a row of staples such that each of said U-shaped wells has a substantially linear top portion and two side portions extending away from said top portion, said side portions being oriented substantially perpendicularly to said top portion, each of said sides of said U-shaped wells extending toward an outer surface of said cartridge, said seventh well being generally circular and extending through said cartridge along a generally longitudinal central axis of said cartridge;
• a retaining disc for retaining staples in said cartridge, said retaining disc being adjacent to said proximal end of said cartridge, said retaining disc being generally circular, said retaining disc having two diametrically opposing peripheral apertures therein, wherein each of said apertures extends into said retaining disc from and edge of said retaining disc, a first of said apertures being V-shaped such that a pointed portion of said first aperture is directed toward a center point of said retaining disc, a second of said apertures being generally rectangular, said second aperture being adapted to allow exposure of only one of said U-shaped wells in said cartridge;
• a shaft for rotatably coupling said retaining disc to said cartridge, said shaft being connected to a central location on said retaining disc, said shaft extending through said seventh well in said cartridge between said distal end and said proximal end of said cartridge, said shaft having a distal end extending out of said seventh well, wherein said distal end of said shaft has a knob thereon for holding said retaining disc adjacent to said proximal end of said cartridge, said knob being disc shaped and having a diameter greater than a diameter of said seventh well of said cartridge;
• a compartment within said distal end of said cartridge for holding springs to urge staples toward said proximal end of said cartridge, said compartment having at least one spring for every U-shaped well in said cartridge, said springs having a first end affixed to said distal end of said cartridge, said springs having a second end having a pressure plate affixed thereto for pushing staples through said U-shaped wells;
• wherein said cartridge is placed in said housing such that said retaining disc is adjacent to said back wall of said head, said back wall of said head having a pin extending therefrom for insertion into said V-shaped aperture in said retaining disc;
• wherein said cap is placed on said cartridge such that said end of said cap is biased against said distal end of said cartridge;
• and wherein said cartridge is turned such that said second aperture exposes one of said first through sixth wells, said springs urging the staples through said second aperture of said disc and into said head adjacent to said first staple guide wall in said head.

A staple hammer for driving staples into a surface, said staple hammer comprising:

• a head and a handle;
• said head being for holding a staple driving mechanism, said head being hollow, said head having a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of opposing side walls, wherein said back wall of said head having a bore therein being adapted to couple to said handle, said staple driving mechanism being generally adjacent to said front wall of said head;
• said handle having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said handle being coupled to said bore in said back wall of said housing;
• a cartridge for holding a plurality of rows of staples, said cartridge being adapted to be removably placed within said staple hammer between said distal end of said hammer and said driving mechanism, wherein at least one spring is located within said handle, said spring being adapted to urge the rows of staples toward said staple driving mechanism;
• a pivot shaft for rotating a connecting member, said pivot shaft being mounted to each of said opposing side walls of said head, said pivot shaft being orientated perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of said head, said longitudinal axis defined by a line extending from said front wall of said head to said back wall of said head, said pivot shaft being located approximately adjacent to said front wall and said top wall;
• a connecting member for connecting a driving plate and a striking hammer to said pivot shaft, said connecting member being rotatably coupled to said pivot shaft, said connecting member having a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to said connecting member, wherein said pivot shaft is generally located at a longitudinal midpoint of said connecting member, said connecting member having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is substantially adjacent to said front wall of said head;
• a striking hammer for striking a surface when said head is moved toward said surface, said striking hammer being rotatably coupled to said first end of said connecting member, said striking hammer extending away from said connecting member toward said bottom wall, said striking hammer extending through a first aperture in said bottom wall;
• a second aperture in said bottom wall for delivery of a staple, said second aperture being generally between said first aperture and said back wall;
• a driving plate for driving staples into said surface through said second aperture, said driving plate being coupled to said second end of said coupling member, said driving plate extending from said coupling member toward said bottom wall;
• and
• a recoil spring for pulling said second end of said connecting member toward said top wall of said head.