Stapler of the Week Archive- Bump & Clipless Paper Fasteners

Bump Paper Fastener Patent Jul 21, 1914 black metal finish

Clipless Paper Fastener Patent August 2, 1910 chrome metal finish

These paper fasteners are the most recent additions to my collection. I first referenced these fasteners in the Stapler of the Week entry for the Chadwick Stapleless Stapler. As stated before, I have been fascinated by the stapleless fastener ever since I stumbled upon their existence. Whether they were created to conserve staples or just to compete with the stapler industry, they did not catch on the way one might think they should. Perhaps the fact that the process was a far less reversible than stapling is behind it not being a common household item. These two hand-held examples were also accompanied by desktop models which resembled staplers of the time.

The process by which the paper is fastened is I think exactly the same. It is more visible on the Clipless model. One can see what appears to be a smaller punch with an eye like a needle and then a larger chisel shaped punch. As you can guess, the larger punch creates the tab and the smaller punch the hole which the tab slips in. When the fastener is fully depressed, the tab is slipped into the eye of the smaller punch. As the fastener is released and the punches withdraw from the paper, the tab is pulled through, fastening the paper together.


Excerpt from the Stapler of the Week, September 10, 2007.

Stapler of the Week Archive - Chadwick Stapleless Stapler

Chadwick Stapleless Stapler chrome finish with rust accents

So, this isn't technically a stapler. But, when I started learning about the world of stapleless staplers, I had to have one. My first pursuit was after a stapleless paper fastener made by the Bump Fastener Company from La Crosse, Wisconsin. There was also the Clipless Paper Fastener Company of Newton, Iowa, who eventually bought out Bump. Above is pictured a Chadwick Stapleless Stapler , which functions on the same principle. A hole and a tab are punched after which the tab is folded into the hole fastening the paper together without a staple.

Excerpt from the Stapler of the Week Archives, May 11, 2007