Stapler having detached base

1. A stapler with a detached base comprising:

a base supporting an anvil and a first magnetic element;

a stapling assembly for ejecting staples from a magazine port, said stapling assembly supporting a second magnetic element, said second magnetic element being positioned on said stapling assembly for magnetically coupling said base to said stapling assembly to align said anvil with said magazine port; and

a spring member biasing said first magnetic element from a first position in which a contact surface of said first magnetic element is substantially aligned with a plane of said anvil, and a second position in which said contact surface is spaced from said plane.

2. The stapler of claim 1 , said stapling assembly comprising:

a magazine for receiving a bar of staples interconnected in a readily separable manner; and

a selectively actuatable ejector for driving successive staples out of said magazine through said magazine port.

3. The stapler of claim 2 , said stapling assembly further comprising:

a handle movably mounted to said magazine, motion of said handle relative to said magazine actuating said ejector.

4. The stapler of claim 1 , wherein said first magnetic element comprises first and second magnets supported on said base in a spaced relationship, and wherein said second magnetic element comprises third and fourth magnets supported on said stapling assembly in a corresponding spaced relationship.

5. The stapler of claim 4 , wherein said first and second magnets are positioned to expose opposite magnetic poles for coupling to said stapling assembly.

6. The stapler of claim 1 , wherein said base comprises a cantilevered beam and said first magnetic element is supported on said cantilevered beam.

7. The stapler of claim 1 , wherein said first magnetic element comprises a first permanent magnet and said second magnetic element comprises a second permanent magnet.

8. The stapler of claim 7 , wherein each of said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element comprises a plurality of permanent magnets.

9. The stapler of claim 8 , wherein at least two of said plurality of permanent magnets are positioned along a line extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of a magazine of said stapling assembly.

10. The stapler of claim 1 , said base further comprising an alignment guide visually indicating an approximate location where a staple will be placed if driven by said stapling assembly.

11. The stapler of claim 1 , wherein said second magnetic element is fixed in position relative to a longitudial axis of the stapling assembly.

12. A stapler with a detached base comprising:

a base supporting an anvil and a first magnetic element;

a stapling assembly for ejecting staples from a magazine port, said stapling assembly supporting a second magnetic element, said second magnetic element being positioned on said stapling assembly for magnetically coupling said base to said stapling assembly to align said anvil with said magazine port; and

the first magnetic element comprising an annular magnet wherein said anvil is positioned interior to said annular magnet, said anvil defining a plurality of radially extending crimping surfaces.

13. A stapler with a detached base comprising:

a base supporting an anvil and a first magnetic element;

a stapling assembly for ejecting staples from a magazine port, said stapling assembly supporting a second magnetic element, said second magnetic element being positioned on said stapling assembly for magnetically coupling said base to said stapling assembly to align said anvil with said magazine port; and

wherein said base comprises a first friction pad and said stapling assembly comprises a second friction pad, said first and second friction pads being positioned on said base and said stapling assembly to cooperatively limit movement of any sheets therebetween while driving a staple from said stapling assembly and against said anvil of said base.

14. A stapler comprising:

a base supporting an anvil and a first magnetic element, said first magnetic element being resiliently biased for displacement from a first position in which a contact surface of said first magnetic element is substantially aligned with a plane of said anvil, and a second position in which said contact surface is spaced from said plane;

a lower handle body supporting a magazine for receiving a bar of staples interconnected in a readily separable manner, said lower handle body supporting a second magnetic element cooperable with said first magnetic element to align said anvil with a port of said magazine;

an upper handle body movably connected to said lower handle body, said upper handle body supporting an ejector for driving successive staples of the bar of staples out of said magazine;

a first friction pad supported on said base; and

a second friction pad supported on said lower handle body in position to cooperate with said first friction pad to limit movement of any sheets therebetween while driving a staple from said magazine and against said anvil of said base.

15. The stapler of claim 14 , said lower handle body further comprising an alignment guide visually indicating an approximate location where a staple will be placed if driven from said magazine.

16. The stapler of claim 14 , wherein said first magnetic element comprises at least two permanent magnets positioned along a line extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of said magazine.

17. The stapler of claim 14 , wherein said first magnetic element comprises at least two permanent magnets positioned along a line extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said magazine.