Improvements in Check Punching Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Check Punching Machines.
I, GEORGE OTIIMAN BROSNAIIAM, Junior, of Pensacola, County of Escambia,
State of Florida, United States of America, Bookkeeper, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved check-punch
arranged for conveniently punching the amount of a check both in letters and
numerals instead of writing the same to prevent persons from fraudulently erasing
the amount of the check.
The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same,
as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of
the same with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is a like view of the anvil-shifting
device in a different position from that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional
side elevation of the improvement on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a trans-
verse section of the same on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross section of
the anvil and shifting device therefor in the position corresponding to that shown
in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the perforating devices with one of the
letter dies depressed. Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the improvement on the line 88
of Fig. 4; and Fig. 9 is a plan view of a check, showing letter perforations.
The improved check punch is mounted in a suitably constructed casing A, sup-
porting at or near its middle two horizontally disposed partitions BB, of which
the lower partition B projects in front of the other partition 11 to form a table
for a check to rest on, it being understood that the partitions are placed but a
short distance apart, so as to hold the check in place during the perforating
process, as hereinafter more fully described.
In the partitions B 131 are fitted to slide longitudinally two sets of dies C and D,
of which the set of dies C is for perforating letters in the check (see Fig. 9) and
the other set of dies is for perforating the check with numerals, both perforations
indicating the amount of the check and taking the place of the amount as now
written in by hand in the body of the check. The sets of dies C and D are held
on a carriage E, fitted to slide on the partitions BB¹, so as to bring the desired
numeral or letter to a desired place on the check, as hereinafter more fully
described.
The dies C and D are provided with the lower or female dies C¹ D¹ and the
male dies C2D2, respectively, in the form of pins arranged to represent letters and
numerals and adapted to pass into apertures formed in the female dies C¹ D¹,
respectively. The male dies C212 are secured on spring-pressed stems C³ D³,
respectively, fitted to slide vertically in suitable guide-ways in the carriage E,
and the upper end of the said stems are adapted to be engaged by an anvil F

page_text: for pressing the male dies downward to force the pins thereof through the paper
into the female dies, it being understood that the said dies are normally held in
an uppermost position by the action of their springs. The anvil F is fitted to
slide transversely in a suitable guide-way formed in a lever F, fulcrumed on the
front end of the casing at 1%, and the said anvil F is shifted in the said lever F¹,
so as to stand either over the stem C3 or the stem D³ of the dies C and D. The
anvil is for this purpose pivotally connected by a link F3 with the arm F4 of
a bell-crank lever 15, fulcrumed on the lever F, at the outer end thereof, the
said bell-crank lever being triangular in cross-section, displaying on the sides the
legends "Letters and Figures." Thus when the bell-crank lever is in
the position shown in Fig. 2 the legend "Letters " is at the front of the lever,
thus indicating that the anvil F is over the set of dies C, and when said lever 15
is swung around to the position shown in Fig. 3 then the legend Figures" is
visible at the front of the machine to indicate that the anvil F is over the set of
dies D, as shown in Fig. 6.
From the carriage E depends a fork E¹, engaged by the inner end of a lever G,
fulcrumed on and fitted to slide on a longitudinally extending rod G¹, secured in
the sides of the casing A. The outer end of the lever G extends through an
opening in the front of the casing A, as is plainly indicated in the drawings, and
on this outer end of the said lever is formed a finger piece G2, adapted to be
engaged by a finger of the operator to press the lever or to slide the same longi-
tudinally on the rod G¹. On the outer end of this lever G is also secured a
pointer G³, indicating on graduations HH¹, of which the graduation H repre-
sents the letters of the alphabet corresponding to the letters formed by the pins
of the dies C, and the graduation H¹ represents the numerals from “0” to “9,"
the dollar mark, and a star, all corresponding to the numerals and corresponding
characters represented by the pins of the dies D. Thus when the pointer G³, for
instance indicates on the letter "F" on the graduation H then the die C repre-
senting this letter "F" is directly over the anvil F, provided the latter is in a
forward position. If the anvil F is in a rearmost position and the pointer G³
indicates on the numeral "7" of the graduation H¹ then the die D representing
the numeral "7" is directly under the said anvil F. Thus if the anvil F is
pressed, in the first case, the letter "F" will be perforated in the paper, and in
the second case the anvil F, pressing on the die D will cause a perforation in
the paper representing the numeral "7." The inner end of the lever G also
engages the under side of a lever frame I, fulcrumed at I¹, in the sides of the
casing A, and the rear end of the said lever frame is pivotally connected by a
link with the free end of the lever F¹, so that when the finger piece G² is
pressed downward after the lever G has been moved to the proper position--that
is, with the pointer indicating on the desired letter or numeral on the gradua-
tion H or Hthen a swinging motion is given to the lever-frame I to draw the
link 12 downward and swing the lever F in the same direction. The lever F¹
during this downward movement brings the anvil F in contact with the stem C³
or D3 of the corresponding die C or D representing the letter or numeral to
make the desired perforation in the paper. A spring 13 presses on the rear end
of the lever-frame I to hold the same normally in the position shown in Fig. 5
and to return the said lever-frame I' and the lever G to their former positions
when the operator releases the pressure on the finger-piece G
The link I, above mentioned, is also slidingly connected with a transversely-
extending lever J, fulcrumed at J on a bracket B2, attached to the partition B.
This lever Jis pivotally connected with a pawl Ja pressed on by a spring Ja
and engaging ratchet-teeth K', formed on a feed-roller K, journaled in suitable
bearings on the partition B, with the upper surface of the said roller flush with
the top surface of said partition B. Directly above this feed-roller K is arranged
a second feed-roller L, journaled in bearings L', fitted to slide vertically in
guideways attached to the upper partition B¹, and said bearings are provided
with upwardly extending rods L2, pivoted on the sides of a lever N, extending

page_text: longitudinally and fulcrumed at one end at N¹ to one side of the casing A, as
is plainly indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. The free end of the lever N is pivotally
connected by a link N2 (see Fig. 8) with a transversely extending lever N,
fulcrumed at N on the forward end of the casing A, the rear end of the said
lever being pivotally connected by a link N5 with a lever N, extending through
a slot in the forward end of the casing to carry on this outer end a finger-
piece N8, adapted to be engaged and pressed by the operator.
presses on the link N to hold the several parts normally in the position shown
A spring No
in Fig. 8-that is, holding the roller L down close on the paper between the
feed-rollers K and L.
Now when the lever G is pressed and a swinging motion is given to the
levers I and F¹ to actuate the corresponding die by the anvil F, as above
described then a downwardly swinging motion is given to the lever J to cause
the pawl J to glide over the ratchet-teeth K. Now when the lever G is released
and the several parts are returned to their former positions, then the lever J is
caused to swing upward, and the pawl Ja now turns the feed-roller K, so as to
move the paper longitudinally from the right to the left to bring another unoccu-
pied space under the dies. The downward swinging motion of the lever G is
limited by the said lever striking on notches G, formed in the front of the
casing A, as is plainly indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, the said notches being of a
like depth, with the exception of the last one, G5, which is but one-half the depth
of the notches G4. The notch G5 is engaged when the lever G has been shifted
to its outermost position at the right-hand side for spacing between two words in
the amount to be written. When the lever G is now successively pressed and
released, the pawl J2 moves the roller K the distance between two teeth instead
of between three teeth K, as is the case when the lever is pressed into any of the
other notches G. Thus when the lever G is pressed down to the bottom of a
notch G the paper is moved the width of one character, letter, numeral, or the
like indicated on the graduations HH', and when the lever G is pressed to the
bottom of the notch G³ then the paper is shifted about one-half the width of a
letter, numeral, or the like to form the proper space between two words.
In order to limit the rearward movement of the check when introduced in the
machine and bring the line of the check on which the amount is to be written
directly under the corresponding die C or D, I provide a longitudinally extend-
ing stop-bar 0, arranged between the two partitions BB in the rear of the
dies D. This stop-bar is provided at its ends with rearwardly-extending
arms 0, pivotally connected with the upper ends of levers 02, fulcrumed at 0
on the sides of the casing and pivotally connected with a forwardly-extending
bar O, extending through an opening in the front of the casing A, to the out-
side thereof, the outer end of the bar O being provided with a knob 05, adapted
to be taken hold of by the operator to shift the said bar 0 inward or outward to
move the stop bar O forward or rearward between the partitions B and B¹, accord-
ing to the size of the check or lines thereon.
In order to gage the position of the stop-bar 0, I provide the forward end of
the bar 04 with a graduation 06, reading on the front face of the casing A. This
graduation indicates the distance from the top of the check to the line on which
the amount is to be perforated and this distance corresponds to that between the
forward edge of the stop-bar 0 and the corresponding dies D or C.
On the bar O, at the graduation 06, are arranged collars 07, with set screws
or other fastening devices to hold the bar in place after once adjusted to a
certain size check.
The operation is as follows: The check to be perforated is introduced over the
artition B and passes between the two partitions B and B at the time the
inger-piece N8 is pressed, and the feed-roller L is lifted a suitable distance above
he top of the feed-roller K to allow of passing the check transversely between
he partitions until the rear end of the check abuts against the stop-bar O. The
perator then releases the pressure on the finger-piece Ne to allow the feed-

page_text: The
roller L to come down upon the check. The operator now moves the lever G
longitudinally on the rod G¹ until the pointer G³ indicates on the first letter on
the graduation H corresponding to the amount to be written. For instance, if
the amount of the check is five dollars then the operator first moves the pointer G
to the letter "F" on the graduation H, so as to bring the die C representing the f
letter "F" directly under the anvil 1, which now stands in a forward position,
with the bell-crank lever F³ at the left, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.
operator now presses the finger-piece G² to impart a swinging motion to the lever-
frame I to actuate the anvil F, as previously described, so as to depress the
dies C and cause a perforation in the check corresponding to the letter "F."
(See Fig. 9). When the lever G is released, the several parts move back to
their former positions, as above explained, and the operator now shifts the
lever G until the pointer G³ stands on the letter "I of the graduation H.
The operation is then repeated-that is, the lever G is pressed downward to the
bottom of the notch G to cause the anvil F to press the die representing the
letter "I." The operation as above described is repeated that is, the lever is
shifted longitudinally to bring the pointer successively to the letters "V" and
"E," and then to the spaces marked at the right hand end, so as to shift the
check as described, without making a perforation, and then successively to the
letters DOLLARS," the lever being pressed after each shifting, as above
explained, to cause a perforation in the check representing five dollars. When
this has been done, the lever F5 is swung to the right to shift the anvil F over to
the dies D, and then the lever G is shifted longitudinally to bring the pointer G³
to the numeral "5" on the graduation H', after which the lever is pressed to
cause the anvil F to force the die D representing "5" downward to make such
perforation in the check at the proper place. It is understood that the other
desired characters may be represented on the graduation and the corresponding
dies, as indicated in the drawings.
"
Now it is evident that by the arrangement described the amount perforated in
the body of the check, both in letters and numerals, is not liable to be erased or
changed in any manner by unauthorized persons without destroying the check
or rendering the fraud easily detected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A check-punch comprising a carriage fitted to slide longitudinally, a set of
perforating letter-dies held on the said carriage, a set of perforating numeral
dies held on the said carriage, means for shifting the carriage, and a slidable
anvil adapted to engage the corresponding die of either set of dies, substantially
as shown and described.
2. A check-punch comprising a carriage fitted to slide longitudinally, a set of
perforating letter-dies held on the said carriage, a set of perforating numeral dies
held on the said carriage, means for shifting the carriage, a slidable anvil
adapted to engage the corresponding die of either set of dies, and means, sub-
stantially as described for shifting the said anvil from one set of dies to the
other, as set forth.
3. A check-punch comprising a carriage fitted to slide longitudinally, a leve
for imparting longitudinal motion to the said carriage, a set of perforating letter
dies held on the said carriage, a set of perforating numeral-dies held on the said
carriage, an anvil adjustably held to engage either set of dies, and means fo
connecting the said anvil with the said lever for shifting the carriage, substan
tially as shown and described.
4. A clieck-punch coniprising a carriage fitted to slide longitudinally, a leve
for imparting longitudinal motion to the said carriage, a set of perforating
letter-dles held on the said carriage, a set of perforating numeral-dies held o

page_text: the said carriage, an anvil adjustably held to engage either set of dies, and
means for connecting the said anvil with the said lever for shifting the carriage,
and a pair of feed rollers for shifting the check step by step, one of the rollers
being actuated from the mechanism connecting the said anvil with the said lever
on the return stroke of the latter, substantially as shown and described.
5.-In a check-punch the combination with two sets of dies of an anvil-lever
adapted to swing, an anvil slidable on the said lever, and a handled lever under
the control of the operator and connected with the said anvil, to shift the latter
from one set of dies to the other, as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of September 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.