Abstract:
A micro adjuster laterally moves a paper punch die. A modified fixed bracket with a larger fine-threaded hole is used to retain a hollow micro adjuster screw which is engaged by the fine threads of the bracket. The retaining screw that attaches to the die now does so by being inserted through the hollow body of the micro adjuster screw and out of a clearance hole at the distal end. Fine lateral adjustments of lateral alignment between the paper to be punched and the die can now be performed by moving the die laterally.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to paper punch dies for making holes in sheets of paper.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Automatic punches such as the Punchmaster 3120™ from Spiel Associates, Inc. are used primarily to punch a row of holes adjacent to the edge of a sheet of paper to facilitate binding, such as by using a spiral coil. The holes are punched by aligned pins which move in unison down and through the paper, thereby imparting punched holes therein.  
           [0003]    One time consuming task during set-up is to center the punch pattern of the holes to be punched with respect to the edge of the paper. To facilitate the initial adjustment as well as subsequent fine adjustments, a left side guide and a right side guide are used together with scales imprinted with paper width sizes, which are useful for initial setting. The guides are set on either side of the paper sheets to guide them properly in a centrally aligned manner through the punching die.  
           [0004]    While other suitably rigid and stress-resistant materials may be used, typically, the punching die is made of cast iron.  
           [0005]    These side guides are used to put the proper side forces on the paper so as to eliminate lateral shifting without undue buckling. Since each edge must be adjusted separately, any slight lateral shifting of one guide to adjust the hole pattern centering must be accompanied by a corresponding shift of the opposite side guide while maintaining proper side forces. Therefore all of these adjustment parameters are interactive.  
           [0006]    This adjustment process is iterative and tedious. Since punch dies have slight variations in their alignment on different machines, the process must be repeated every time a punch die is changed. Of course, the process must also be repeated every time the paper width is changed.  
         OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an adjustment mechanism for accurately aligning a paper punch die with the sheets of paper to be punched with holes by the paper punch die.  
           [0008]    It is also an object of the present invention to minimize adjustment of a paper punch die during extended use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In keeping with these objects and others which may become apparent, the present invention provides a micro adjuster for laterally moving the punch die in alignment with the sheets of paper to be punched.  
           [0010]    Normally a plurality of punch pins are provided to punch a plurality of holes in the sheets of paper, for example, along a side edge having a hole pattern for insertion of a fastener, such as a plastic or metal spiral coil of a spiral bound book, or rings of a loose leaf ring binder. However, even a single punch pin can be used if the sheets of paper are to be held by a single fastener, such as a corner clip. Moreover, the present invention can also be used just for aligning pages together needing a single cover page, having a single cut-out window for viewing a title on a page underneath the first cover page with the window.  
           [0011]    The present invention can be used to punch holes that need to be accurately aligned, for example, a double loop wire binding, plastic comb binding, a VELO® machine binding, calendar holes and many other applications for aligning holes in sheets of paper.  
           [0012]    The present invention is an improvement over earlier machines which lock the punch die laterally in a fixed position by attaching it to a fixed end bracket with a retaining screw.  
           [0013]    In contrast, in the present invention, a modified fixed bracket with a larger fine-threaded hole is used to retain a hollow micro adjuster screw which is engaged by the fine threads of the bracket. The retaining screw that attaches to the punch die now does so by being inserted through the hollow body of the micro adjuster screw and out of a clearance hole at the distal end. In this manner, fine lateral adjustments of lateral alignment between the paper to be punched and the punch die can now be performed by moving the punch die laterally.  
           [0014]    This is done by loosening the punch die retainer screw and using the disk shaped knurled wheel on the end of the micro adjuster screw. A wrench, such as a long allen wrench, is then used to retighten the die retaining screw. Then test punches can be made and a quick readjustment performed if required.  
           [0015]    All this is done without touching either of the side guides at the edges of the paper. Therefore, the paper side guides are used only for initial set-up whereby the paper is approximately centered, and adjustment for proper side guidance forces is performed. Fine lateral adjustment of the hole pattern is performed by moving the punch die laterally using the micro adjuster of this invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    The present invention, can best be understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a prior art hole punch die;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a top plan view detail of a prior art automatic punch showing the relation of the punch die to the paper being punched;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2A is a top plan view detail of a prior art automatic punch for a cover page with a cut-out window to be punched out by a single, large punch pin, showing the relation of the punch die to the paper being punched;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a detail view of a round hole pattern in a sheet of paper when the left margin of the hole pattern is narrower than the right margin of the hole pattern of the hole-punched paper, wherein the margin is the distance from the first or last hole to the top or bottom of the sheet of paper;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3A is a detail view of a single hole in sheets of paper such as a wall calendar having a hole in the bottom of each month page, for flipping a used calendar month page and hanging the used calendar month page on a calendar holding nail, to expose the next, subsequent calendar month page beneath, wherein the bottom hole is shown at the top of the flipped calendar month page;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a detail view a of rectangular hole pattern in a sheet of paper where a wide die is used;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the die insertion port at the side of a prior art automatic punch, for insertion of the hole punch die described in FIG. 1 therein;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view detail of a prior art fixed die retention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 is a side elevational view detail of the micro adjuster of this invention; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 8 is a central crossectional side elevational view of the micro adjuster thereof. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art punch die  1  used for punching hole patterns in paper. The fixed portion  2  of punch die  1  has several notable features and includes the stripper plate on top with engagement wings  9 , a spacer plate which creates paper window  5  (through which paper is passed at opening  11 ) and a base portion with guidance channels  8 . The pin bar/pin holder  3  is moved up and down by the punch mechanism as guided by guide posts  12 . Both the proximal end  6  and the distal end  7  have threaded holes  10 . On one end, hole  10  is used to accept a temporary handle to aid in inserting or removing punch die  1  from an automatic punch; on the opposite end, the corresponding hole  10  is used to laterally fix and retain punch die  1 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a top view detail of a prior art automatic punch with punch mechanism housing  20  containing punch die  1  as retained laterally by fixed bracket  21  and retaining screw  22 . Paper  23  is moved in direction  33  through punch die  1 . At the left edge of paper  23  is edge guide  24 , left scale  25 , left adjuster shaft  26  and left adjuster knob  27 . The corresponding right edge components are edge guide  28 , scale  29 , shaft  30  and knob  31 . Thus edge guides  24  and  28  can be used to properly guide paper  23  in direction  33  by providing optimal side forces. These guides are also used to center paper  23  relative to punch die  1 , which is fixed laterally in this prior art illustration. Punch die  1  is inserted and removed in the direction shown by arrow  32  by sliding laterally through a die port in the side housing  20  of the automatic punch.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 shows a sheet of paper  40  with a row of round punched holes  41 . In FIG. 3, the hole pattern is narrower than pager sheet  40 , but it is not centered laterally; here dimension “L”, representing the distance between the left side of paper sheet  40  and the left-most hole of holes  41 , is smaller than dimension “R”, representing the distance between the right side paper sheet  40  and the right-most hole of holes  41 . This disparity between side dimensions “L” and “R” is typical of the small misadjustment that usually has to be corrected.  
         [0030]    Normally a plurality of punch pins are provided to punch a plurality of holes in the sheets of paper, for example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, along a side edge having a hole pattern for insertion of a fastener, such as a plastic or metal spiral coil of a spiral bound book, or rings of a loose leaf ring binder.  
         [0031]    However, as shown in FIG. 2A, the present invention can also be used just for aligning pages together needing a single cover page  23  with a single cut-out window “W” for viewing a title “T” on a sheet of paper  23  underneath the first cover page  23  with the cut-out window “W”.  
         [0032]    Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3A, even a single punch pin can be used to impart a single hole  40   a , if the sheets of paper  40  are to be held by a single fastener  40   b . For example, a calendar month page  40  of a wall calendar may have a hole  40   a  in the bottom of each month page for flipping a used calendar month page and hanging the used calendar month page on a fastener such as a calendar holding nail, to expose the next, subsequent calendar month page beneath. FIG. 3A shows a calendar holding nail  40   b  inserted within the bottom hole  40 , now at the top of the flipped calendar month page  40 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 shows a pattern of rectangular holes  45  which extend beyond the edge of paper sheet  44 . Here dimension “L” representing the distance between the left-most hole of punched holes  45  is larger than dimension “R” representing the distance between the last edge of the right-most holes of holes  45  and the right side of paper sheet  44 . With proper lateral alignment, the pattern would look symmetric and dimension “L” should be equal to dimension “R”.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 shows a side elevational view of hollow die changing port  50  in the side housing of the automatic punch. Recesses  53  and  54  in side channel guides  51  and  52  respectively hold punch die  1  at wings  9 . Similarly, protruding bosses  55  and  56  guide and hold die  1  at channel  8 . Punch mechanism engagement channel  60  surrounds pin bar/pin holder  3  and reciprocates it up and down to punch holes.  
         [0035]    All of the various engagements retain punch die  1  and prevent it from rotating or moving up or down or sideways. As shown in FIG. 6, it is bracket  21  with bolt  22  inserted through clearance hole  59  and threaded into threaded hole  10  that retains punch die  1  laterally and therefore fixed within the automatic punch however. This is a prior art illustration. For example, FIG. 6 is a side view detail showing the relationship of prior art punch die  1  to bracket  21 , machine base  65  and socket head retaining screw  22  in hole  10  as in a prior art system.  
         [0036]    In the current invention, bracket  21  is replaced.  
         [0037]    For example, FIG. 7 shows the corresponding view in the current invention, which depicts micro adjuster  67  in place. It includes hollow threaded micro adjuster screw  68 , with fine external threads  70  engaged with threaded fixed bracket  66 , which is attached closer to the edge of machine base  65 . Hollow threaded micro adjuster screw  68  has a knurled hand adjustment wheel  69  at its proximal end and open clearance hole  75  at an opposite distal end. Punch die  1  is attached to the end of screw  68  by retaining screw  22 , extending through clearance hole  75  and into punch die  10 . For lateral adjustment of punch die  10 , hollow threaded micro adjuster  68  is threadably advanced or retracted with respect to threaded fixed bracket  66 , thereby changing the position of die  10  with respect to sheet pages  40  or  44 , which are depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 herein.  
         [0038]    As punch die  1  is laterally adjusted, punch die  1  is moved in position with respect to sheets of paper  40  or  44  for proper alignment of punch die over sheets of pages  40  or  44  for punching holes therein.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 8 is a crossectional view showing socket head attachment screw  22  emerging from clearance hole  75  at the distal end of micro adjuster screw  68  and engaging with threaded hole  10  in punch die  1 . An actuator, such as a long shaft T-handle allen wrench  77 , is shown engaged with screw  22  after passing through the hollow center  76  of adjuster screw  68 . Allen wrench  77  is used to initially insert screw  22  through adjuster screw  68  to attach die  1  to the end of adjuster screw  68 . It is also used to loosen slightly or to tighten screw  22  to permit adjustment of punch die  1  laterally by turning wheel  69 . After screw  22  is tightened, punch die  1  is fixed to machine base  65  and micro adjuster screw  68  is prevented from turning.  
         [0040]    It is further noted that various modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention, as noted in the appended Claims.