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A staple is a type of two-pronged fastener, usually metal, used for joining, gathering, or binding materials together. Large staples might be used with a hammer or staple gun for masonry, roofing, corrugated boxes and other heavy-duty uses. Smaller staples are used with a stapler to attach pieces of paper together; such staples are a more permanent and durable fastener for paper documents than the paper clip.
The word "staple" originated in the late thirteenth Century, from Old English stapol, meaning "post, pillar". The word's first usage in the paper-fastening sense is attested from 1895. [1]
In ancient times, the staple had several different functions.
Large metal staples dating from the 6th century BC have been found in the masonry works of the Persian empire (ancient Iran). For the construction of the Pasargadae and later Ka'ba-ye Zartosht, these staples, which are known as "dovetail" or "swallowtail" staples, were used for tightening stones together.
The home stapling machine was developed by Henry Heyl in 1877 and registered under US Patent No. 195,603. Heyl's companies, American Paper-Box Machine Company, Novelty Paper Box Company, and Standard Box Company, all of Philadelphia, manufactured machinery using staples in paper packaging and for saddle stitching. [2]
The term "stapling" is used for both fastening sheets of paper together with bent legs or fastening sheets of paper to something solid with straight legs; however, when differentiating between the two, the term "tacking" is used for straight-leg stapling, while the term "stapling" is used for bent-leg stapling.[ citation needed ]
Modern staples for paper staplers are made from zinc-plated steel wires glued together and bent to form a long strip of staples. Staple strips are commonly available as "full strips" with 210 staples per strip. Both copper plated and more expensive stainless steel staples which do not rust are also available, but uncommon.[ vague ]
Some staple sizes are used more commonly than others, depending on the application required. Some companies have unique staples just for their products. Staples from one manufacturer may or may not fit another manufacturer's unit even if they look similar and serve the same purpose.
Staples are often described as X/Y (e.g. 24/6 or 26/6), where the first number X is the gauge of the wire (AWG), and the second number Y is the length of the shank (leg) in millimeters. Some exceptions to this rule include staple sizes like No. 10.
Common sizes for the home and office include: 26/6, 24/6, 24/8, 13/6, 13/8 and No. 10 for mini staplers. Common sizes for heavy duty staplers include: 23/8, 23/12, 23/15, 23/20, 23/24, 13/10, and 13/14.
No./name | Size | Width of Crown [mm] | Diameter | Leg (shank) length [mm] |
---|---|---|---|---|
No. 56 | 26/6 | 12.7 | 26 AWG (0.405 mm) | 6 |
No. 16 | 24/6 | 12.9 | 24 AWG (0.511 mm) | 6 |
No. 18 | 24/8 | 24 AWG (0.511 mm) | 8 | |
- | 13/6 | 10.0 | 13 AWG (1.828 mm) | 6 |
- | 13/8 | 13 AWG (1.828 mm) | 8 | |
23/6 | 13.0 | 23 AWG (0.573 mm) | 6 | |
23/8 | 13.0 | 23 AWG (0.573 mm) | 8 | |
23/10 | 13.0 | 23 AWG (0.573 mm) | 10 | |
23/12 | 13.0 | 23 AWG (0.573 mm) | 12 | |
23/15 | 13.0 | 23 AWG (0.573 mm) | 15 | |
23/20 | 13.0 | 23 AWG (0.573 mm) | 20 | |
23/24 | 13.0 | 23 AWG (0.573 mm) | 24 | |
No. 10 | 10/4 | 9.4 | 24 AWG (0.511 mm) | 4.5 |
No. 25 Bambi | 25/4 | 7.0 | 25 AWG | 4 (5/32") |
- | 21/4 | |||
No. 123 | 11.4 | 6.6 |
Stapleless staplers cut and bend paper without using metal fasteners.
There are few standards for staple size, length and thickness. This has led to many different incompatible staples and staplers systems, all serving the same purpose or applications.
24/6 staples are described by the German DIN 7405 standard.
In the United States, the specifications for non-medical industrial staples are described in ASTM F1667-15, Standard Specification for Driven Fasteners: Nails, Spikes, and Staples. A heavy duty office staple might be designated as F1667 STFCC-04: ST indicates staple, FC indicates flat top crown, C indicates cohered (joined into a strip), and 04 is the dash number for a staple with a length of 0.250 inch (6 mm), a leg thickness of 0.020 inch (500 μm), a leg width of 0.030 inch (800 μm), and a crown width of 0.500 inch (13 mm).
Staples are most commonly used to bind a stack of individual paper pages. A mechanical or electrical stapler may apply them by passing them through the paper pages and then clinching the staple legs that protrude from the bottom of the page stack.
When using a stapler, the papers to be fastened are placed between the main body and the anvil. The papers are pinched between the body and the anvil, then a drive blade pushes on the crown of the staple on the end of the staple strip. The staple breaks from the end of the strip and the legs of the staple are forced through the paper. As the legs hit the grooves in the anvil they are bent to hold the pages together. Many staplers have an anvil in the form of a "pinning" or "stapling" switch. This allows a choice between bending in or out. The outward bent staples are easier to remove and are for temporary fastening or "pinning".
Most staplers are capable of stapling without the anvil to drive straight leg staples for tacking.
There are various types of staples for paper, including heavy-duty staples, designed for use on documents 20, 50, or over 100 pages thick. There are also speedpoint staples, which have slightly sharper teeth so they can go through paper more easily.
Staples are commonly considered a neat and efficient method of binding paperwork because they are relatively unobtrusive, low cost, and readily available.
Large staples found on corrugated cardboard boxes have folded legs. They are applied from the outside and do not use an anvil; jaw-like appendages push through the cardboard alongside the legs and bend them from the outside.
Saddle stitch staplers, also known as "booklet staplers," feature a longer reach from the pivot point than general-purpose staplers and bind pages into a booklet or "signature". Some can use "loop-staples" that enable the user to integrate folded matter into ring books and binders.
Outward clinch staples are blind staples. There is no anvil, and they are applied with a staple gun. [3] When applied, each staple leg forms a curve bending outwards. This is in part caused by the shape of the crown, which is like an inverted "V", and not flat as in ordinary staples. Also, the legs are sharpened with an inside bevel point, causing them to tend to go outwards when forced into the base material. These staples are used for upholstery work, especially in vehicles, where they are used for fastening fabric or leather to a foam base. These staples are also used when installing fiberglass insulation batts around air ducts- the FSK paper sheathing is overlapped, and the two layers are stapled together before sealing with tape.
Staples are used in various types of packaging.
Construction staples are commonly larger, [5] have a more varied use, and are delivered by a staple gun or hammer tacker. [6] Staple guns do not have backing anvils and are exclusively used for tacking (with the exception of outward-clinch staplers used for fastening duct insulation). They typically have staples made from thicker metal. Some staple guns use arched staples for fastening small cables, e.g. phone or cable TV, without damaging the cable. Devices known as hammer tackers or staple hammers operate without complex mechanics as a simple head loaded with a strip of staples drives them directly; this method requires a measure of skill. Powered electric staplers or pneumatic staplers drive staples easily and accurately; they are the simplest manner of applying staples, but are hindered by a cord or hose. Cordless electric staplers use a battery, typically rechargeable and sometimes replaceable. [7]
Surgical staples are used for the closing of incisions and wounds, a function also performed by sutures.
A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal, or to crush rock. Hammers are used for a wide range of driving, shaping, breaking and non-destructive striking applications. Traditional disciplines include carpentry, blacksmithing, warfare, and percussive musicianship.
In woodworking and construction, a nail is a small object made of metal which is used as a fastener, as a peg to hang something, or sometimes as a decoration. Generally, nails have a sharp point on one end and a flattened head on the other, but headless nails are available. Nails are made in a great variety of forms for specialized purposes. The most common is a wire nail. Other types of nails include pins, tacks, brads, spikes, and cleats.
A zipper, zip, fly, or zip fastener, formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing, luggage and other bags, camping gear, and many other items, zippers come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors. In 1892, Whitcomb L. Judson, an American inventor from Chicago, patented the original design from which the modern device evolved.
A stapler is a mechanical device that joins pages of paper or similar material by driving a thin metal staple through the sheets and folding the ends. Staplers are widely used in government, business, offices, work places, homes and schools.
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the tail. On installation, the deformed end is called the shop head or buck-tail.
A staple gun or powered stapler is a hand-held machine used to drive heavy metal staples into wood, plastic, or masonry. Staple guns are used for many different applications and to affix a variety of materials, including insulation, house wrap, roofing, wiring, carpeting, upholstery, and hobby and craft materials. These devices are also known as trigger tackers.
A fastener or fastening is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together. In general, fasteners are used to create non-permanent joints; that is, joints that can be removed or dismantled without damaging the joining components. Steel fasteners are usually made of stainless steel, carbon steel, or alloy steel.
A treenail, also trenail, trennel, or trunnel, is a wooden peg, pin, or dowel used to fasten pieces of wood together, especially in timber frames, covered bridges, wooden shipbuilding and boat building. It is driven into a hole bored through two pieces of structural wood.
A staple remover is a device that allows for the quick removal of a staple from a material without causing damage. The best-known form of staple remover, designed for light-gauge staples, consists of two opposing, pivot-mounted pairs of thin, steep wedges and a spring that returns the device to the open position after use. Although a simple metal wedge can be used for the same purpose, and although some staplers feature such a wedge at their hinge end, use of the wedge tends to tear fragile papers.
A nail gun, nailgun or nailer is a form of hammer used to drive nails into wood or other materials. It is usually driven by compressed air (pneumatic), electromagnetism, highly flammable gases such as butane or propane, or, for powder-actuated tools, a small explosive charge. Nail guns have in many ways replaced hammers as tools of choice among builders.
A brass fastener, butterfly clips, brad, paper fastener or split pin is a stationery item used for securing multiple sheets of paper together. A patent of the fastener was issued in 1866 to George W McGill. The fastener is inserted into punched holes in the stack of paper, and the leaves, or tines, of the legs are separated and bent over to secure the paper. This holds the pin in place and the sheets of paper together. For few sheets of paper, holes can be made using the sharp end of the fastener.
An impact wrench is a socket wrench power tool designed to deliver high torque output with minimal exertion by the user, by storing energy in a rotating mass, then delivering it suddenly to the output shaft. It was invented by Robert H. Pott of Evansville, Indiana.
A Hammer stapler is a tool used for securing a variety of thin plastic and paper sheet building materials against flat surfaces by tacking a staple using a high velocity slapping motion similar to that of swinging a hammer. Typically the shallower the staple, the better hold its grip on the surface is.
Adhesive tape is one of many varieties of backing materials coated with an adhesive. Several types of adhesives can be used.
A screw gun is similar to a power drill, but designed specifically for driving screws. A screw gun looks like a drill, but has a "nose" instead of a chuck. The nose holds an interchangeable 1⁄4-inch (6.4 mm) shank bit, commonly known as a tip. The most common types of tips are 1 inch (25 mm) No. 2 Phillips, T25 Torx, and flatheads. The nose on either type of screw gun can be adjusted to countersink screws to the desired depth. The user must apply pressure to the bit to engage the clutch and drive the screws.
A wooden box is a container made of wood for storage or as a shipping container.
Morris Abrams (1908–1981) was the founder of Arrow Fastener Co., Inc., a manufacturer of fastening tools that has been a subsidiary of Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial since 2017.
Stanley Bostitch, previously and more commonly known as simply Bostitch, is an American company that specializes in the design and manufacture of fastening tools—such as staplers, staple guns, nailers, riveters, and glue guns—and fasteners—such as nails, screws, and staples. Its product range covers home, office, like the pencil sharpener, construction and industrial uses, like the power tool.
A rail fastening system is a means of fixing rails to railroad ties or sleepers. The terms rail anchors, tie plates, chairs and track fasteners are used to refer to parts or all of a rail fastening system. The components of a rail fastening system may also be known collectively as other track material, or OTM for short. Various types of fastening have been used over the years.
Corrugated box design is the process of matching design factors for corrugated fiberboard or corrugated plastic boxes with the functional physical, processing and end-use requirements. Packaging engineers work to meet the performance requirements of a box while controlling total costs throughout the system. Corrugated boxes are shipping containers used for transport packaging and have important functional and economic considerations.