Posted 7 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
I don't actually remember where I found this nifty little old machine, (several decades ago) likely a garage sale or estate auction.
This is a BUMP PAPER FASTENER, that "MAKES THE TIE FROM THE PAPER". Made by the BUMP Paper Fastener Co. of LaCrosse, WI, this ingenious tool actually does *exactly that* -- it cuts a little sorta U shaped tab and a short slit in the sheets of paper to be joined when you squeeze its springloaded handles, then somehow threads the little tab back through the slit when the handles are released. The last pic hopefully shows how it does it, with front and back views of two side by side 'fastens' of a yellow and white sheet of paper, the tool having been turned around 180deg. between each pair of examples. In addition to the Company name stamped on the tool itself, there is also "PATD. 6-24-13". On the ends of the box it has an un-filled-in space which doesn't (since nobody wrote it in) tell what "number" this Fastener is, which might suggest there were actually other models/sizes of the machine available. (?)
If anybody knows any more about it, please share! :-)
Looks like a job for americanstationeer or Mystaples. Neat little device.
This was the earliest version of the plier-type stapleless stapler manufactured by both Bump Paper Fastener Co and the Clipless Paper Fastener Co. The earliest patents were jointly held. Bump made this off-and-on between 1910 until about 1950. The company name tells me it's no earlier than 1915 and my guess would be from the box that it was likely made in the '30's.
Thanks so very much to blunderbuss2, fortapache, racer4four, ttomtucker, and Caperkid -- and especially to fort and americanstationer for your comments!! americanstationer, I found a website which confirms all you've offered with the slight difference that it dates my machine as being post-1942 due to the dark gray metal it is made of, apparently the result of a production change brought about by the War Production Board.
I love learning on this site...and here is another great example.
Cool item :)
Thanks for posting!