Everything about Staple Fastener totally explained
» This article is about the fastener. For other uses, see Staple.
A
staple is a type of two-pronged
fastener, usually
metal, used for joining or binding materials together. Large staples might be used with a
hammer or
staple gun for
fencing,
masonry,
roofing and
cardboard boxes. Smaller staples are used with a
stapler to attach pieces of paper together; such staples are a permanent and durable fastener for paper documents, unlike the
paper clip.
The legs of a staple can be allowed to protrude out the back side and folded over to provide greater binding than the friction of straight legs. (Note: The term "stapling" is used for both fastening with straight or bent 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 when being contrasted with "tacking".)
Staples in the Home
The most common staples are used with paper. They are almost exclusively applied with a mechanical
stapler which clinches the legs after they pass through the paper. Staples of this type are used with a desktop stapling machine.
When stapling with 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're 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 in Business
The large staples found on corrugated cardboard boxes have folded legs, but they're applied from the outside and don't 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 are used to bind pages into a booklet or "signature". Some, such as the Ring King, can also use "loop-staples" that enable the user to integrate folded matter into ring books and binders.
Staples in Medicine
Surgical staples are used for the closing of incisions and wounds, a function also performed by
sutures.
Staples in Construction
Construction staples are commonly larger, have a more varied use, and are delivered by a
Staple gun or
Hammer tacker.
Staple guns don't have backing anvils and are exclusively used for tacking. They typically have staples made from thicker metal, Some staple guns have round heads for fastening small cables, for example phone or cable TV, without damaging the cable. Faster and easyier 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 requres a measure of skill. Powered electric staplers or Pnumatic staplers drive staples easily and accuratly they're the most simple manner of applying staples, however are hindred by a cord or hose.
History
In ancient times, the staple had different functions. Large metal staples dating from the 6th century BC have been found in the masonry works of
ancient Iran. For the construction of the Pasargadae, these staples, which are known as the "swallowtail staples," were used for tightening stones together.
The home stapling machine was developed in
1877 and registered under US Patent No. 195,603.
Advantages
- Most kinds of staples are easier to produce than nails or screws.
- The crown of the staple can be used to bridge materials butted together.
- The crown can bridge a piece and fasten it without puncturing with a leg on either side, for example fastening cable to wood framing.
- The crown provides greater surface area than other comparable fasteners. This is helpful with thinner materials.
Staple Specifications
In the
United States, the specifications for non-medical staples are described in
ASTM F1667-05, Standard Specification for Driven Fasteners: Nails, Spikes, and Staples. A typical office staple is designated as F 1667 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, a leg thickness of 0.020 inch, a leg width of 0.030 inch, and a crown width of 0.500 inch.
Modern staples for a paper stapler are made from
stainless steel wires glued together and bent to form a long strip of staples.
Outside the United States, office staples are often described as 24/6 or 26/6, where the first number is the
gauge of the wire, and the second number is the length of the shank (leg) in millimeters.
Stapleless staplers cut and bend paper without using any metal fasteners.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Staple Fastener'.
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