Who Invented the Stapler
Staplers are a must have in any office building or job where large amounts of paper need to be secured. They have many uses and come in many shapes, colors and styles. But have you ever wondered who invented the stapler and how the design has changed since then? Read on to find out.
Who Invented the Stapler?
The first recorded stapler as such was in 18th century France where it was said to have been used by King Louis XV and to be inscribed with his personal seal. Then in 1866 George W McGill developed a small, bendable, brass fastener that could be used with paper. Later in that same year he invented the machine that could insert the bendable brass clip into paper. He showed his invention at the 1867 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His work continued on the stapler and in 1879 a patent was granted for the Mc Gill Single-stroke paper press. This “stapler” could load a single ½ inch wide wire stable and had the ability to bind several sheets of paper. However this invention was not even close to the modern day version of the stapler that you and I use every day. It weighed over 2 and ½ pounds and could only load a single staple at a time.
The Modern Day Stapler
As with most inventions there is a lot of conflicting evidence as to who created the first version of the product. It is commonly recognized that the first version of the modern stapler was created by the B. Jahn Manufacturing Co. in 1905. They issued the first stapler that contained an entire row of staples not just a singular version. However, there is also evidence for the invention of a stapler like the ones we use today by a John Munford. This man sold it to his employer for a small profit and thus never received recognition for his invention. The first electric models were sold in the 1950’s. Regardless of who invented the modern stapler it would be hard to imagine what office life would be like without them.
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