IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING, PIERCING, PUNCHING, OR CUTTING PAPER, CARDBOARD, METAL, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest de Pass, of Fleet Chambers, 68, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING, PIERCING, PUNCHING, OR CUTTING PAPER,
CARDBOARD, METAL, AND OTHER MATERIALS." A communication from abroad
by Auguste Trouillet, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest de Pass at thic Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th August 1876.
ERNEST DE PASS, of Floet Chambers, 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING, PIERCING,
PUNCHING, OR CUTTING PAPER, CARDBOARD, METAL, AND OTHER MATERIALS."
A communication from abroad by Auguste Trouillet, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin,
Paris, France.
This Invention relates to apparatus for perforating, piercing, punching, or cutting
letters, numbers, words, or other characters or marks on paper, parchment, card-
board, metallic labels or plates, and other materials, and is especially useful in
preventing the insertion of other words, letters, or numbers, and for preventing
forgery; also for making counterfoils or countermarks which cannot be defaced or
obliterated; also for other useful purposes.
I proceed to describe apparatus for carrying the Invention into effect.
1st. "Apparatus for successive and symmetrical perforation."
2nd. "Apparatus for simultaneous perforation of marks or words entirely composed
or set up before being placed in such apparatus, and which are to be cut or per-
forated at one blow or stroke."
Apparatus for Nipping or Perforating at a Single Blow or Stroke.-This relates
to an apparatus known as a percussion press, and consists of two portions, an upper
and lower, which form nippers or clipping jaws and turn on a joint or axis. The
upper jaw carries the perforating or cutting tool or point, which is held in place
in a holder rivetted to such jaw. The lower jaw carries the matrix, to which it
is also rivetted and formed with an opening to permit the escape of the waste.
Guides are provided to direct the movement of the upper jaw, and a spring is

page_text: .
employed to restore it to position after the perforating operation is effected. The
perforator, punch, or piercer is cut or struck out of the piece from which the matrix
is made, so that they shall fit into each other exactly; and the jaws are also cut
or punched out by the ordinary cutting tools used in their manufacture.
Several of these apparatus may be grouped or joined together by placing them
side by side, and by giving to them a certain length allow of the alternate arrange-
inent of their handles or knobs without enlarging the body of the apparatus; but
these handles may be dispensed with, and a rod or other contrivance passed through
the upper jaw of each apparatus, so as to permit them all to descend at the same
time on receiving one stroke or blow. At each end of the lower portion or jaw a
projection or abutment may be attached thereto or formed thereon, so as to take
into gear with a double rack contrived in a box for their reception.
2nd. Description of two apparatus for successive and syinmetrical perforation,
and both with successive displacement of the table for holding the material to be
perforated, and with alternate displacement of the perforating tools. These
apparatus have for object to obtain the double methodical displacement of the
material to be perforated, and at the same time the displacement of the group of
the perforating tools in such manner that as soon as the figures, letters, signs, or
other marks to be perforated or punched, are indicated the material is brought
automatically in position to the place where it is to be successively cut, and each
of the corresponding perforators or punches is presented respectively under the
perforator or punch in accordance with distance, and ranging in line with the place
to be perforated.
1st. "Lever Perforating, Nipping, or Punching Apparatus."-This apparatus
rests on a plate carrying two sliding guides and a heel, on which is mounted a
"swan's neck," the whole acting as a framing for the apparatus. On the two
sliding guides a box receiving the perforating nippers is moved horizontally by
means of a lever terminating in a tooth sector which is in gear with a rack fixed
to the moveable box; and at its other end it terminates in a knob or button, to
which a pointer is attached for bringing forward the necessary perforating nippers,
in presenting successively the end of the pointer opposite one or other of the
graduated points on a dial plate bearing the marks to be punched or perforated.
The material to be punched or perforated is placed on a travelling table on the
framework, to which it is secured by nippers or pressers, the heel of such nipper
resting on a spring, and thus exercising a certain pressure on the material. The
nipping or perforating apparatus is brought into operation by means of a lever
working two cams, one of which presses on the upper jaw of the apparatus and the
other moves the table by means of a pawl and ratchet arrangement attached to a
rod on which is mounted a pinion in gear with a rack under the table. To tako
them out of gear a rod is drawn out and the table is brought back to its former
position by hand, and by then releasing the rod a spiral spring restores the pinion
in place.
2nd. "Hand Punching Apparatus with Perforating Punches."-In this apparatus
a series of spring punches is mounted in a frame, which also carries the corre-
sponding matrices; and it is capable of sliding or travelling by means of a rack in
gear with a pinion mounted on a shaft and passing through the framework. It is
also provided with a pointer and graduated dial or quadrant bearing marks corre-
sponding to those on the punches. The table is caused to move at each blow or
punching operation by a click and pawl arrangement mounted on the shaft
carrying a pinion or wheel which is in gear with the rack attached to the table.
The pawl terminates at its upper end in a fork, which receives its movement from
a bent arm carrying a rod, on which is fixed the knob or handle for working the
apparatus. The lower part of this rod passes through a support fixed to the frame-
work, and it abuts against the upper part of the spring punches. A spring restores
the knob to its normal position.
Apparatus for Simultaneous Perforation."-This apparatus has for object the
composing or setting up of the desired words, charactors, or marks to be perforated,

page_text: and in perforating them at one stroke or blow. It consists of a bed plate, on which
are two swan's necks, and between which is mounted a cam terminating in a lever
or handle, such cam working a cam shaped piece centered at the heel of the swan's
necks and acting on the upper jaw of the nipping apparatus herein-before described.
In this apparatus the material to be perforated or punched remains fixed on the
bed plate by means of spring blades; and the nippers carry the punches or per-
forators and matrices which have been previously set up or arranged in a box
contrived in the bed plato.
"Disc Perforating Apparatus" Perforouse á molettes.-The object of this
apparatus is to compose numbers, words, figures, or other characters or marks to be
perforated by means of an upper and lower set of notched discs, and to perforate
such marks at one stroke or blow by pressing the upper set against the lower set.
The apparatus consists of a fixed frame, on which is centered a moveable frame.
The lower frame carries the table, and a series or set of hollow notched discs
bearing the matrices with the desired marks, and revolving on an axis passing
through the frame. The upper series or set of notched discs carries the perforators
or punches and revolves on an axis in the moveable fraino.
The lower notched discs are flush or level with the top of the table, which is
slotted to allow the upper discs to come in contact with the lower ones. Imme-
diately below the table is a series of racks corresponding in numbor with the discs,
and in gear with pinions rivetted to these discs. These racks bear the same marks
as are in the matrices and punches, and when such marks are brought in a straight
line with a line marked on the table they form the mark to be perforated.
Motion is transmitted from the lower discs to the upper discs by means of pinions
in gear with racks, which are in communication with other pinions mounted on the
axis of the upper discs. Pawls and springs keep the notched discs in place. The
notched discs are brought into action by a lever and connecting bar or piece fixed
to the moveable frame, and which on being operated on causes the discs carrying
the punches to descend and to enter the matrices, thus producing the perforation
in the interposed sheet of material. The moveable frame is kept in its normal
position by a spring working connecting rods attached thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the Conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Ernest de Pass in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th February
1877.
ERNEST DE PASS, of Fleet Chambers, 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING, PIERCING,
PUNCHING, OR CUTTING PAPER, CARDBOARD, METAL, AND OTHER MATERIALS."
A communication from abroad by Auguste Trouillet, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin,
Paris, France.
This Invention has for object improvements in apparatus for perforating, piercing,
punching, or cutting paper, parchment, cardboard, metallic plates, and other like
materials, such apparatus cutting with a cutting tool or punch, all the letters,
words, characters, or figures composing a mark, and in such way as to form
an unalterable countermark, whether it be for the amount of a bill or cheque paid,
or to be paid, and with the necessary signs of limitation, so as to prevent one or
more figures being added to the number cut. To obtain the result sought two
different modes of operation are described.
1st. To perforate successively different figures or letters to be cut, and by means
assuring to the successive cuttings a symmetrical position.
2nd. To compose or set up entirely the mark before the perforating operation,
and to cut at one and the same time all the figures, letters, words, or characters of
which such mark is composed.

page_text: 1st CLASS.
Apparatus for Successive and Symmetrical Perforation, Simple Perforation, Per-
cussion Nippers, Hand Press, or Stamp.-I call "percussion "nippers, hand press,
or stamp, the rudimentary apparatus of which Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side elevation, and by means of which I obtain the perforation of
figures, numbers, letters, words, or signs by interposing between the upper and
lower jaws the sheet of paper, parchment, cardboard, sheet or leaf of metal to be
cut, and in causing the cutting punch to penetrate the matrix very quickly. The
matrix is cleared out conically from below to permit the waste to pass away from
the cuttings.
Instead of uniting the jaws by means of a rod and corresponding holes I
unite them by means of hinges in order to have more space for the passage of
the material to be cut and also to avoid the wear of the holes. The jaws are
preferably made of steel, and are themselves the result of a cutting. By the
ordinary cutting tool I adjust the waste of this cutting, which becomes the punch
pon a punch holder C, which is itself fixed on the upper jaw or branch A. The
other or lower jaw or branch B carries the matrix M, out of which the punch p
has been cut, and from which it takes its form exactly. To strengthen the lower
jaw I rivet it on a second matrice, thicker than the first, and in which is cut a
larger letter or figure in order that the cuttings shall not remain in the matrix.
To avoid the shifting of the jaws on their axis the heel of each of them is in
form of a vertical and round check with the largest possible diameter. These
cheeks have half the total thickness, and are united by a rod or axis O. The two
jaws or branches A, B, are guided as near as possible to the end, where the
perforation is effected by means of a vertical guide F uniting them one with the
other. The jaws are kept apart by a spring R, which causes the upper jaw to rise
as soon as pressure is removed.
If this apparatus should be used separately it carries on its upper jaw a handle
or knob E on which it is struck when to be worked. If several of them, however,
be grouped together one at the side of the other the jaws or branches must be so
lengthened and arranged as to permit of the alternate placing of the handles
without enlarging the body of the apparatus.
If these apparatus should be grouped in a fixed or moveable manner, as in the
apparatus to be described herein-after, and be brought into pressure by a cam or
other appliance placed therein the handle E is dispensed with, as is also the base
L, L. These jaws are lengthened at each end at B, B, and fixed on by screws or
other convenient means in the divisions of a double rack contrived in the box
destined to receive them.
Successive and Symmetrical Perforation.-The two apparatus which I am about
to describe have both the successive shiftings of the table in such manner as to
bring the material automatically to be perforated in the position assigned to the
placing of each of the successive cuttings and the alternate shiftings of the
perforating tools. But if the result is the same in these two apparatus the
perforating tools differ, also the means and the pieces employed.
1st. Lever Apparatus with Perforating Nippers.-Figure 3 is a plan, Figure 4 a
side elevation partly in section taken on the line A, B, of Fig. 3, and Figure 4* is
an enlarged view in detail of the click and pawl arrangement. This apparatus
rests on a bed plate A, A, carrying two sliding guides A¹, A', and a heel, on which
is mounted a swan's neck A, the whole serving as a frame. On the two sliding
guides A, A, is a box B for receiving the punches and matrices or the nipping

page_text: perforators, such box being moved horizontally by the lever D turning on the
axis d. For this purpose the lever terminates at one of its extremities in a toothed
sector E, which takes into gear with a rack F fixed in the thickness of the move-
able box B, whilst its other extremity terminates in a working handle or knob G¹
provided with a needle or pointer G, which brings up the necessary porforating
nipper by presenting successively the end of the needle before one or the other of
the graduated points on a limb or circular dial Y, carrying all the numbers, letters,
words, or signs to be perforated.
The material to be perforated is placed on a table H, and is fixed thereto by
means of a holder or nipper X, the heel of which carries a flat spring, and forces
this holder or nipper to exercise a certain amount of pressure on the material, and
also keeps it held down on the table.
When the perforating apparatus is brought to its place under the cam K, as seen,
this cam is acted upon (which imparts pressure to the nipper engaged) by means of
a working lever J turning around its axis S. This lever has a two-fold purpose,
and produces, 1stly, pressure on the perforating nipper, and 2ndly., the shifting or
displacement of the table carrying the material to be perforated in such manner
that the cuttings shall be equidistant and in line. For these purposes it carries
two cams K and L, the first of which K, acting on the punch, produces the per-
foration after the second L has produced the shifting of the table. In acting on
the fork of the lever N* articulated at the point n this fork carries in its move-
ment the connecting rod O terminating in a sliding click and pawl arrangement Z
which acts in its turn on the ratchet P, which transmits a circular movement i the
shaft Q, carrying a pinion R in goar with the rack I fixed to the table H, and
transmits to it the driving gear of the lover J. The movement of this table may
take place at will from left to right (as shewn in the Drawings) or vice versa,
according to the respective position given to the click arrangement and to the
toothing of the ratchet P. As, after a certain number of perforations, the table
arrives at the end of its travel, a stud V on the shaft Q on being drawn out will bo
sufficient to throw the pinion R out of gear, and when out of gear the table H
must be brought back to its starting point by sliding it by hand from right to left
(with its rack I which is attached thereto) on the plate or platform B¹ forming a
body with the frame A and on the end of the box B. For this purpose the table
His mounted in grooves on the platform B¹, and is fitted so as to slide on the end
of the box B. When the table is in this position the stud V is released, and the
spiral spring a mounted on the shaft Q, carrying the pinion R, brings it back and
throws it into gear again with the rack I on the table.
In the plan, Figure 3, the punches are mounted on the upper jaws of the nippers
M like those described above and shewn at Figure 2, but without the knob or
handle E, and the matrices are on the lower jaws with an opening N for clearing
out the cuttings.
2nd. "Hand Punching Apparatus with Perforating Punches."-Figure 5 is a
front clevation; Figure 6 is a side view, partly in section; and Figure 7 is a plan.
This apparatus rests on two frames, one of which is fixed, and the other moveable.
The fixed frame A forms at once a horizontal support for the table M and for the
moveable frame B. It also carries a swan's neck A111, which carries a rod C
mounted on a spiral spring, and terminates in a handle C¹, on which it is struck by
the hand to lower the rod C, the end of which finds itself successively in coincidence
with the punches P¹, P², P³, &c., belonging to the moveable frame B, if the sliding
in Q, Q, of this moveable frame B be co-ordinato for this purpose. The moveable
frame B slides on the parts Q, Q, on the fixed frame A under the impulse of the
shaft F, on which is keyed the pinion R in gear with the rack D fixed under the
frame B. The shaft F, which is worked by the handle N, carries a needle or
pointer K, which as soon as the handle is turned presents itself before the letters or
figures to be perforated, which are engraved in semicircle on a segment K¹ set or
placed vertically before it and on the frame A. The segment K', rack D, pinion R,
and needle or pointer K are respectively mounted in such manner that when the

page_text: needle K comes exactly opposite the letter or word engraved on the segment K',
and indicates the one that is to be perforated the cutting punch carrying this letter
or word is brought under the knob or handle C¹ (such position not being shown in
Figure 5, where the cutting punch carrying the star (*) is in coincidence with the
handle or knob, whilst the needle K is before the 6 engraved on the segment).
The object of the frame B in form of swan's neck which, as before said, is
moveable on the frame A, is first to bring and to present alternately the perforating
punches under the handle or knob C¹. These punches, marked P*, PO, P9, P8, P7,
P6, P5, P4, P3, P2, and P¹, and seen in Figure 5, are straight punches with two
diameters, and with 3, 4, or more sides. They are secured or held vertically, and
in the same line in the swan's neck. Each of them is mounted in a socket which
enters the swan's neck, and is surrounded in its socket by a spiral spring which
forces it to rise when the end of the rod C does not force it to descend. The lower
end of each punch carries in relief the numbers, letters, or signs to be perforated.
2nd. The moveable frame B also carries at its base a number of matrices cor-
responding with those of the punches. The matrices represented at Figure 7 are
lettered *m, Om, 9m, 8m, 7m, 6m, 5m, 4m, 3m, 2m, and 1m; these matrices and
cutting punches are formed like the matrices and cutting punches herein-before
described, and they are adjusted so as to coincide perfectly two by two, and in such
manner that when the rod C strikes the cutting punch P¹ (Figure 6) it penetrates
the matrix M³, and perforates with the Figure 1 the material placed between them.
The material is carried by the table M, which moves with slight friction in front of
and flush with the matrices on the fixed frame A by means of a pinion S in gear
with a rack E fixed under the table M; this pinion S is keyed on the shaft G,
which is supported at one of its extremities at Z, and carries a ratchet X at its
other extremity, supported by a square A¹, A", fixed to the frame A; this ratchet
causes the shaft G to turn, and imparts rotary movement to the pinion S (which
effects the shifting of the table), when it will be forced to turn by the pawl of the
sliding click arrangement d, similar to the arrangement Z shewn in Figures 3, 4,
and 4*, herein-before described; this click and pawl arrangement seen in Figure 6,
terminates in a fork a, a, in such manner as to receive motion by the lengthening
at L of the arm T, which is connected to the rod C. This lengthened portion of
the arm T is surrounded by a spiral spring, which causes the fork to rise; in this
fork the spring is enclosed, and in causing the fork to rise it raises and throws out
gear the pawl of the click arrangement d, and this pawl induced by its own
spring will engage in the next tooth of the ratchet X at the first stroke on the knob
or handle C¹.
of
As the table should be in position before the cutting punch desconds in the matrix
the bringing of the ratchet into gear and the rotation of the shaft G should for an
instant precede the contact of this punch with its matrix.
For the sliding adjustment and working of the moveable table M and the spring
frisket W, which presses the material on the table, it is necessary to return to the
description relating to the moveable table (Figures 3 and 4) belonging to the pre-
ceding apparatus, and as the throwing out of gear of the table, which takes place in
the second apparatus just described, by pushing the button Y belonging to the
shaft G; the bringing into gear again is offected by the back motion produced on
the shaft by the spiral spring V.
Straight cutting punches can be adapted to the first lever punching apparatus,
and a lever to the second or hand punching apparatus, with straight cutting
punches.

page_text: 1st. Perforators (with moveable nippers) acting at the same blow or stroke on a
group of nippers representing the number or mark to be perforated. Figure 8 is a
side elevation; and Figure 9, a front view..
This apparatus rests on a base or frame A; two uprights B, B, crossed by two
round headed screws C hold the working lever D, the part E of which forms a cam.
When the lever D is acted on the cam E exerts pressure on the piece F, which is
articulated at f, and cominunicates this pressure to all the nippers G. A spring / keeps
the piece F always raised, whilst a second spring i holds the upper jaw of the nipper
raised to allow the sheet of material to be perforated to pass between the matrices,
and a slotted blade j prevents the material from rising with the cutting punches;
this slotted blade is also in the preceding perforator, and in the following one.
this apparatus the material to be perforated, punched, or cut remains fixed on the
table, and the nippers G, G, carry the punches and matrices arranged beforehand in
a chamber contrived in the base or frame of the apparatus to receive them, according
to the number to be perforated.
In
This apparatus requires as many pairs of nippers as there are letters or orders of
unity in the word or number to be perforated.
2nd. Disc Perforator (Perforeuses à Molettes).-Figure 10 is a side view partly
in section, and Figure 11 is a front view partly in section.
The object of this apparatus is to compose the number to be perforated by means
of two sets of notched discs turning together at the same time, and to perforate at
a single blow the whole number thus composed by pressing the upper sets of discs
carrying the punches on the lower ones carrying the matrices after the sheet of
material to be perforated has been interposed between them. This apparatus rests
on two frames A bound together by stays a, and by the table B, the whole forming
the lower and stationary frame. A second frame C, which is moveable, is arti-
culated at c.
In the lower stationary frame is a row of discs D, carrying the matrices, and
turning around an axis d; the top of each of these discs presents the numbers,
letters, words, or signs to be perforated, and is flush with the top of the table B,
which is slotted for this purpose. The discs D are hollow, so as to allow the cuttings
to be cleared out. On the side of each disc is mounted a pinion E.
In the moveable upper frame is mounted a row of discs F carrying the punches,
and turning on an axis f; also on the side of each of these discs is mounted a
pinion G. Immediately below the table B, on which the material remains fixed, is
à series of racks X, X, X, corresponding in number with the discs, and in gear with
the pinions E riveted to the discs D. On their upper face and at the outer end in
front of the table these racks carry engraved on them at convenient distances the
letters, figures, numbers, words, or signs identical with those carried in the matrices,
and they are so adjusted that the letters which are in line with a line of reference
placed in front of the table repeat those which form the top of the discs which they
command, so that it suffices to place in line on the racks the letters, numbers, &c.,
to be perforated, so that the different discs of the lower series or row present the
same lotters, numbers, &c., on their top.
These racks, at the same time as they act on the discs D, act on a series of
pinions H (one for each disc), which communicates motion to the other racks I, I,
adjusted in the upper moveable framework, and which act on the pinions G, by
which they drive the upper disc F.
The discs D and F being in place two springs J, each armed with a V shaped
piece, enter the notches in the discs, and hold them in position. During the working
of the discs these springs J may be kept raised by an outer handle communicating
with a double connecting rod acting on a chape or forked piece containing the
whole of the V shaped pieces and springs.
The working of the dises is effected by means of a lever K articulated at the
point &, which belongs to each side of the machine, to a lateral piece fixed on the
lower stationary frame, on which the lever K also takes its fulcrum. This lever is
lengthened at 4, and at this point it is articulated to a connecting rod L acting on

page_text: the moveable frame C, on which pressure is exerted and forces it to descend as soon
as the lever K is brought in the vertical position. The notched discs with their
punches are brought down by the movement of the upper moveable frame which
holds them, and they penetrate the discs carrying the matrices, thus perforating the
sheet of material placed between.
A spring R acting on a horizontal cross bar, and carrying two connecting rods S
attached to the moveable frame keeps the frame constantly raised whilst at rest.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho
same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus described
under the first head of the Specification, and illustrated at Figures 1 and 2 of the
annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus de-
scribed under the second head of the Specification, and illustrated at Figures 3, 4,
and 4* of the annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus described
under the third head of the Specification, and illustrated at Figures 5, 6, and 7 of
the annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus described
under the fourth head of the Specification, and illustrated at Figures 8 and 9 of the
annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus described
under the fifth head of the Specification, and illustrated at Figures 10 and 11 of the
annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus
for perforating, piercing, punching, or cutting paper, cardboard, metal, and othor
like materials, as herein-before described and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness thereof, I, the said Ernest de Pass, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
ERNEST DE PASS. (L.S.)