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Grades K–2 · Machines

How does a stapler hold pages together?

A staple is a small piece of metal with a top bar and two legs. Inside a stapler, a moving part pushes one staple down toward a stack of pages.

M52 visual explanationThree pictures show one staple changing shape. Its legs pass through pages, and the curved grooves in a hard plate bend them below the paper. The top bar and bent ends hold the pages together.A staple changes shapeA shaped plate bends the legs below the pagesBeforeStraight legsThroughLegs below paperBent endsPages heldThe top bar and bent ends hold the paper.

In the diagramA staple changes shapeA shaped plate bends the legs below the pagesBeforeStraight legsThroughLegs below paperBent endsPages heldThe top bar and bent ends hold the paper.

Three pictures show the same staple before, during and after its legs bend. The final picture shows how the top bar and bent ends hold the pages.

The legs pass through the paper. Under the pages is a hard plate with curved grooves. It is called an anvil. The grooves guide the legs inward as they bend.

Now the top bar is above the pages and the bent ends are below. The paper is held between them. The stapler joins the pages by changing the staple’s shape.

About this explanation

Starting knowledge: Recognizes paper pages and the top and bottom of a stack.

Sources

  • Bostitch Office — What is a Flat Clinch Stapler?
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