The History Of Stuff, Part 3

Staplers

In primitive societies many methods were used to secure paper. The ancient egyptians used a gel comprised chiefly of alligator dung, whilst in Rome they favoured slaves. Neither of these methods survived the Dark Ages, although some claim that this is what monks were invented for.

In 1873 with the Industrial Revolution firmly underway and air conditioners yet to be invented, the British Patents office became overwhelmed with the amount of patents flying around the room whenever they opened the windows. Most patents of the time were voluminious multi-page documents, of which the pages were not bound. After the invention of aluminium made the bauxite paperweights of the day far too expensive for patent clerks, an alternative solution had to be found. In co-operation with the Admiralty (who had been suffering similar problems when opening portholes) the Patent Office advertised for tenders for a new method of collecting sheets of paper.

The competition was won in 1876 by the reknowned engineer Kingdom Isalbard Brunel, with his System To Attach Paper Lightly, Easily and Regularly. This was later shortened to today's 'stapler'.