User:DavidB4/workspace
The following is personal workspace. Once content is ready, I will migrate it to the appropriate location. I may use this for any number of purposes, but generally it will be used for drafts.
Please to not change the value of this content. If you see a typo or some other small problem, feel free to change this. For anything else, please ask first. Thanks!
Staple (fastener)
A staple (from Old English stapol[1]) is a fastener which is usually made of metal. It is used to attach multiple objects, or bind one or more loose objects to a solid one. Most modern staples are thin strips or wires which are punched into or through material. However, other kinds exist, such as Dovetail Staples used in ancient construction.
History
Since at least 1200 A.D., people have been trying to attach sheets of paper. The first known method was by using melted wax and ribbon to attach the upper left corner of pages. In the 18th century, King Louis the XV, was provided with a stapler of sorts, which was made by hand. According to legend, the king's staples were forged from gold, encrusted with precious stones, and bore his Royal Court's insignia.[2]
For those who must live withing lesser means, a more practical staple was patented in 1866. However, this "paper fastener," created by the Novelty Manufacturing Company, could only hold one staple. Also, this device only punched the staple through the paper--it did not bend the legs.[2]
Paper staples
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Paper staples are the most common kind of staple used today. This kind of staple (and most others) is made of metal and consists of a crown (the top), a pair of legs (the sides), and teeth at the bottom, which are the ends of the legs. These are loaded into a device which punctures the paper with the staple, and bends the legs either inward or outward.
Construction staples
Ancient construction sometimes used dovetail staples to attach stone blocks to one another. These were created by carving out a grove in stone, then pouring molten metal into it. However, modern construction uses a much smaller variety, much like paper staples in form. Modern staples are bent metal fasteners which are usually placed using a staple gun or staple hammer (a.k.a. hammer tacker). They are often used to hold wires, so it is not uncommon for them to have an insulation coating or a plastic strip to help protect the wires.
Surgical staples
If a person's (or sometimes animal's) skin gets cut so that it separates, it becomes very difficult for the injury to heal. For this reason, the two sides are pressed against each one so that healing is expedited. This is sometimes done with one of several special threads or strings, which is used to sew the sides together. In other cases, especially after surgery, staples are sometimes used.