Improvements in or relating to Paper Punches.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Paper Punches.
A communication from abroad by THE OFFICE SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING
COMPANY, of Rochester, in the State of New York, United States of
America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates more particularly to a punch designed to produce two or
more holes or perforations simultaneously in a sheet or a series of sheets, and in
definite relation to the edge of the sheet.
It is intended more particularly for punching letter sheets and other papers
intended for application to the well known Shannon letter files and similar files in
which there are two filing arches or wires to receive the sheets.
The special aims of the present improvement are to simplify the construction,
reduce the cost of manufacture and adapt the device for punching through a
large number of sheets at one time.
on its
A flat rectangular base is cast complete in one piece, with two standards
top, and with a cavity or chamber in its under side. This bottom chamber, designed
to receive and retain the punchings, is closed by a removable bottom plate,
arranged to slide edgewise between undercut shoulders or lips, so that, although
held firmly in place, it may be readily withdrawn to discharge the contents of the
chamber.
Each of the standards is arranged to overhang the base plate at the forward
end, so that the edges of the sheet to be punched may be introduced beneath them,
and, in each of these overhanging ends, is mounted a vertically sliding solid punch,
the lower end of which is arranged to descend through a hole in the base-plate.
A flat steel plate is secured to the upper face of the bed-plate by a screw or
equivalent fastening and provided with holes or dies registering with the holes and
adapted to co-operate with the punches in producing the required perforations in
the sheets. The plate is projected at one end beyond the base and turned upward
to serve as a gauge or stop against which to rest the edge of the paper in order to
ensure the formation of the holes at the exact point required in the sheet.
Each of the punches is connected at its upper end by a horizontal pin to the.
lower end of a yoke, which partly encircles a horizontal bar or shaft provided with
an operating handle and sustained at its two ends by eccentrically located screws,
passing through the standards, so that, by turning the shaft to and fro, it causes
the yokes to raise or lower the two punches simultaneously. The shaft, which is in
effect an eccentric, is commonly made of a bar of round steel, its ends being
grooved circumferentially to receive the yokes. The yokes are punched from
sheet metal with a slot or opening in one side to admit of their being slipped over
the shaft. After being thus applied, they are slightly closed or compressed to
prevent their escape.
In place of the plate, any other suitable gauge may be employed to determine
the position of the sheet. The details may be otherwise modified as the skill or
taste of the mechanic may suggest, provided no material departure is made from
the construction and mode of operation herein described.
While two punches have been mentioned and, in most cases, it is proposed to
use the said two punches, it is inanifest that, where it is required to produce single

page_text: holes, one of the punches and its guide may be omitted without, in any manner,
affecting the construction or operation of the remaining parts. The invention
therefore contemplates single as well as double punches, guided and actuated by
the devices described.
Dated this 19th day of January 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Paper Punches.
A communication by THE OFFICE SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of
Rochester, in the State of New York, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates more particularly to a punch designed to produce two or
more holes or perforations simultaneously in a sheet or a series of sheets, and in
definite relation to the edge of the sheet.
It is intended more particularly for punching letter sheets and other papers
intended for application to the well known Shannon letter files and similar files in
which there are two filing arches or wires to receive the sheets.
The special aims of the present improvement are to simplify the construction,
reduce the cost of manufacture and adapt the device for punching through a large
number of sheets at one time.
In the accompanying drawings :-
Figure is a perspective view of the improved punch.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, one side being shown in vertical
section.
Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on the line a-x of Figure 2.
Referring to the drawings:-
A, represents a flat rectangular base cast complete in one piece, with two
standards a' on its top, and with a cavity or chamber a² in its under side. This
bottom chamber, designed to receive and retain the punchings, is closed by a
removable bottom plate a³, arranged to slide edgewise between the undercut
shoulders or lips a, so that, although held firmly in place, it may be readily
withdrawn to discharge the contents of the chamber.
Each of the standards a¹ a' is arranged to overhang the base plate at the
forward end, so that the edges of the sheet to be punched may be introduced
beneath them, and, in each of these overhanging ends, is mounted a vertically
sliding solid punch B, the lower end of which is arranged to descend through a
hole in the base-plate.
C represents a flat steel plate secured to the upper face of the bed-plate by a
screwe or equivalent fastening and provided with holes or dies c' registering with
the holes band adapted to co-operate with the punches in producing the required
perforations in the sheets. The plate C is projected at one end beyond the base
and turned upward as shown at.c to serve as a gauge or stop against which to
rest the edge of the paper in order to ensure the formation of the holes at the
exact point required in the sheet.
Each of the punches is connected at its upper end by a horizontal pin d to the
lower end of a yoke D, which partly encircles a horizontal bar or shaft E provided
with an operating handle e and sustained at its two ends by eccentrically located
screws e¹, passing through the standards a' a', so that, by turning the shaft to and

page_text: fro, it causes the yokes to raise or lower the two puuches simultaneously. The
shaft E, which is in effect an eccentric, is commonly made of a bar of round steel,
its ends being grooved circumferentially to receive the yokes D. The yokes are
punched from sheet metal with a slot or opening in one side to admit of their being
slipped over the shaft. After being thus applied, they are slightly closed or
compressed to prevent their escape.
In place of the plate C, any other suitable gauge may be employed to determine
the position of the sheet. The details may be otherwise modified as the skill or
taste of the mechanic may suggest, provided no material departure is made from
the construction and mode of operation herein described.
While two punches have been illustrated and, in most cases, it is proposed to
use the said two punches, it is manifest that, where it is required to produce single
holes, one of the punches and its guide may be omitted without, in any manner,
affecting the construction or operation of the remaining parts. The invention
therefore contemplates single as well as double punches, guided and actuated by the
devices shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The duplex paper punch consisting of the base-plate, its standards, the
sliding punches in said standards, the eccentric shaft sustained by the standards
and the yokes or links connecting the two punches with the shaft.
2. In a paper punch, the combination of a base-plate and a rigid standard
overhanging the same and integral therewith, a punch sliding vertically within the
standard, an eccentric connected to the standard, and a yoke or link pivotally
connected at one end to the punch and at the opposite end embracing the
eccentric.
3. In a paper punch, the combination of a standard, a sliding punch guided
therein, a circumferentially-grooved eccentric, and a yoke or link jointed to the
punch, provided with a side opening to receive the eccentric and contracted upon
the latter to prevent escape.
4. A duplex punch consisting of the base-plate having the standards and the
bottom chamber, the eccentric shaft, the links connected thereto, the punch
connected to the links and guided in the standards, and the gauge-plate fixed to
the bed-plate and provided with openings through which the punches act to
deliver the punchings into the base chamber.
Dated this 16th day of October 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant..