Ajax Stapler

Ajax Die & Tool Company
Racine, Wisconsin

The Ajax Die and Tool Company made one stapler.   This machine was made almost entirely of steel stampings.   It is a simple rear loading stapler that does not unhinge for tacking, nor does it have a moveable anvil to enable it to be used for pinning.

The Ajax Stapler was covered by two patents (patent numbers 2239935 and 2239963), both issued in 1941.   The patents state that the object was "to provide an effective, durable, and foolproof stapling machine that may be inexpensively produced".

One interesting design feature (on an otherwise nondescript machine) is the "U"-shaped spring in the front of the stapler the purpose of which was to prevent double feeding staples when the plunger was partially depressed.  When the plunger is not depressed far enough to complete the stapling process, the spring pushes the unused staple back up, preventing the staples from double feeding on the next cycle.

The Ajax Stapler

While these staplers are rather plain, they are not common.   In fact, the one in the picture is the only one I've seen.   I found it at an antiques fair in Brimfield, MA, remembered that I'd seen it in the patent record while I was researching this site, and I bought it for $5.   This illustrates one of the reasons why I like to collect staplers: You can buy a (probably) rare patented device for five bucks.

UPDATE: I've since seen several of these for sale in online auctions, however they are far from common.

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