US3869957A — Self-clinching staple

Claim 1

Independent Claim 253 words

A one-piece self-clinching staple of metallic flat wire stock including a transverse bight section, and an elongate leg section forming an integral continuation of said bight section at each extremity thereof, each of said leg sections extending downwardly from said bight section and lying in a plane substantially normal with respect thereto, said leg sections including entering and trailing portions each including wider surfaces and narrow, longitudinally extending edge surfaces, said trailing portions being in the vicinity of said bight section and comprising a portion extending substantially in a straight line with the wider surfaces thereof in faced parallel relation, the portion of each leg section extending axially beyond said trailing portions being twisted about its longitudinal axis in such a direction as to provide an entering portion with the wider surfaces thereof lying in a common longitudinal plane substantially normal to the longitudinal planes defined by the wider surfaces of said trailing portions and to the transverse bight section, the free end of the entering portion including a relatively sharp point to facilitate initial penetration of a worksheet, said point being formed by a pair of said longitudinally extending side edge surfaces terminating at an aPex, one of each pair of edge surfaces extending for a greater axial distance from the apex at an angle to the plane of the trailing portion than the other of said pair of side edge surfaces to provide a cam surface for effecting automatic clinching movement of said leg sections when driven through a work sheet.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 253 words

A one-piece self-clinching staple of metallic flat wire stock including a transverse bight section, and an elongate leg section forming an integral continuation of said bight section at each extremity thereof, each of said leg sections extending downwardly from said bight section and lying in a plane substantially normal with respect thereto, said leg sections including entering and trailing portions each including wider surfaces and narrow, longitudinally extending edge surfaces, said trailing portions being in the vicinity of said bight section and comprising a portion extending substantially in a straight line with the wider surfaces thereof in faced parallel relation, the portion of each leg section extending axially beyond said trailing portions being twisted about its longitudinal axis in such a direction as to provide an entering portion with the wider surfaces thereof lying in a common longitudinal plane substantially normal to the longitudinal planes defined by the wider surfaces of said trailing portions and to the transverse bight section, the free end of the entering portion including a relatively sharp point to facilitate initial penetration of a worksheet, said point being formed by a pair of said longitudinally extending side edge surfaces terminating at an aPex, one of each pair of edge surfaces extending for a greater axial distance from the apex at an angle to the plane of the trailing portion than the other of said pair of side edge surfaces to provide a cam surface for effecting automatic clinching movement of said leg sections when driven through a work sheet.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 253 words

A one-piece self-clinching staple of metallic flat wire stock including a transverse bight section, and an elongate leg section forming an integral continuation of said bight section at each extremity thereof, each of said leg sections extending downwardly from said bight section and lying in a plane substantially normal with respect thereto, said leg sections including entering and trailing portions each including wider surfaces and narrow, longitudinally extending edge surfaces, said trailing portions being in the vicinity of said bight section and comprising a portion extending substantially in a straight line with the wider surfaces thereof in faced parallel relation, the portion of each leg section extending axially beyond said trailing portions being twisted about its longitudinal axis in such a direction as to provide an entering portion with the wider surfaces thereof lying in a common longitudinal plane substantially normal to the longitudinal planes defined by the wider surfaces of said trailing portions and to the transverse bight section, the free end of the entering portion including a relatively sharp point to facilitate initial penetration of a worksheet, said point being formed by a pair of said longitudinally extending side edge surfaces terminating at an aPex, one of each pair of edge surfaces extending for a greater axial distance from the apex at an angle to the plane of the trailing portion than the other of said pair of side edge surfaces to provide a cam surface for effecting automatic clinching movement of said leg sections when driven through a work sheet.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 253 words

A one-piece self-clinching staple of metallic flat wire stock including a transverse bight section, and an elongate leg section forming an integral continuation of said bight section at each extremity thereof, each of said leg sections extending downwardly from said bight section and lying in a plane substantially normal with respect thereto, said leg sections including entering and trailing portions each including wider surfaces and narrow, longitudinally extending edge surfaces, said trailing portions being in the vicinity of said bight section and comprising a portion extending substantially in a straight line with the wider surfaces thereof in faced parallel relation, the portion of each leg section extending axially beyond said trailing portions being twisted about its longitudinal axis in such a direction as to provide an entering portion with the wider surfaces thereof lying in a common longitudinal plane substantially normal to the longitudinal planes defined by the wider surfaces of said trailing portions and to the transverse bight section, the free end of the entering portion including a relatively sharp point to facilitate initial penetration of a worksheet, said point being formed by a pair of said longitudinally extending side edge surfaces terminating at an aPex, one of each pair of edge surfaces extending for a greater axial distance from the apex at an angle to the plane of the trailing portion than the other of said pair of side edge surfaces to provide a cam surface for effecting automatic clinching movement of said leg sections when driven through a work sheet.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

A self-clinching staple of metallic flat wire stock as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is provided to limit the extent to which the leg sections may be driven through a work sheet.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

A self-clinching staple of metallic flat wire stock as set forth in claim 2, wherein the means for limiting the extent to which the leg sections may be driven through a work sheet comprise shoulder means located in the vicinity of said bight section.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

A staple as set forth in claim 1, wherein the entering portion includes a pair of converging edges of unequal lengths.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

A staple as set forth in claim 4, wherein the longest camming surface of each leg faces away from each other to enable the leg sections to be clinched toward each other when driven through a work sheet.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-03-10	1978-09-09	1979-03-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-03-10	1982-09-09	1983-03-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-03-10	1986-09-09	1987-03-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Self-clinching staple

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