IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PERFORATING OR PUNCHING PAPER, CARD, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Whitworth, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PERFORATING OR PUNCHING PAPER, CARD,
AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 28th November 1853, and dated the 2nd June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Whitworth
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd June 1858.
1, JOSEPH WHITWORTH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PERFORATING OR PUNCHING PAPER, CARD,
AND OTHER MATERIALS" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in an improved combination of eccentrics or
cams, toggle joints, levers, punches, and dies for perforating or punching
paper, card, and other materials, and in apparatus by means of which
the perforations are effected at the required distances from each other.
My Invention is particularly applicable to perforating strips of paper
to be used in communicating intelligence by electric telegraph. For

page_text: this purpose certain punches are employed worked by eccentrics or
cams, which are driven by steam or other power, or by a treadle
actuated by the foot. The punches are connected with the eccentrics
or cams by toggle joints, upon which levers worked by the fingers of
the operator are made to act in such a manner that each punch is
lowered at pleasure, and effects the requisite perforations intended to
represent letters with ease and rapidity.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Whitworth in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 2nd December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOSEPH WHITWORTH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Whitworth, Her special licence
that I, the said Joseph Whitworth, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Whitworth, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR PERFORATING OR PUNCHING PAPER, CARD, AND OTHER
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joseph Whitworth, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE. that 1, the said Joseph Whitworth, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement (that is to say):
My Invention consists in an improved combination of machinery,
particularly applicable to perforating the paper used in communicating
intelligence by electric telegraph; and in order that my Invention
may be fully understood, and readily carried into effect, I will proceed
to describe the means pursued by me, reference being had to the two
Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a front elevation;
Figure 2, Sheet 1, a side elevation; Figure 3, Sheet 1, is a plan view
in section of part of the machine; Figure 4, Sheet 2, is a horizontal
section, showing the keys of the machine; Figure 5, Sheet 2, is a
section of the punches and parts in connection therewith; Figures 6,
7, and 8, Sheet 2, are different views of the die box; and Figure 9,
Sheet 2, is a vertical section, shewing the punches and dies with the
apparatus for actuating the same. The same letters of reference are
adopted in all the several Figures and Drawings to represent the same
parts. A, is the frame of the machine, having at its upper end the
bearings a, a, through which the shaft b, passes, which has on its
end the pulley B, which may be driven by steam or other power.
The shaft is eccentric in the part betwixt the bearings a, a, and
on the eccentric part is placed a front and back series of punch
levers c, c, d, d, having toggle joints at e, e, and connected at their
upper ends with the several punches 1, 2, 3; 4, 5, 6; 7, 8, 9. The
latter are oblong in section, and are placed side by side in a suitable
opening provided in the frame A, in which they are retained laterally
by the front plate C. but are free to move up and down in any
required order. The lower ends of the said punches are square,
and form three different sets, the respective punches 1, 2, 3; 4, 5, 6;

page_text: a
7, 8, 9, being grouped together. The front plate C, is fixed to the
frame A, by screws, and may be removed at pleasure. The upper
end of the front series of punch levers c, c, are jointed to the connecting
rods ff, the opposite ends of which are jointed at D, D, to the hand
levers F, which latter have a fulcrum g, at the back of the frame
common to them all, on which they move independently of each other.
The lower ends of the hand levers E, F, are brought to the front
of the machine, and terminate in a widened part forming the keys 10,
11, 12, and 13, on which the operator acts in the manner hereafter
described. The back series of punch levers d, d, are jointed at
h, h, to the lower connecting rods i, i, which are likewise connected
to the upper ends of a second set of hand levers F, F, having
fulcrum at j, on which they move independently of each other. Their
lower ends are likewise brought to the front of the machine in juxta-
position with the first-mentioned hand levers, and terminate in a
widened part forming the keys 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. A spring box G,
is attached to the frame A, having a plate k, screwed to it, through
both of which pass the vertical pins 7, 7, 7, which are notched at their top
ends to receive the hand levers E, E, F, F, to which they respectively
belong. m, m, are spiral springs which act against an enlarged part at
the top of the vertical pins 1, 1, and also against the plate k. The
vertical pins thus give lateral steadiness to the several hand levers
E, E, F, F, and the spiral springs m, m, press them upwards against
the abutment pin H, which stretches across the tops of the hand levers
E, E, F, F, and is secured at its end to the frame A. The die box I,
shewn separately in Figures 6, 7, and 8, Sheet 2, is made for convenience
in two parts, and fixed in a suitable opening provided in the frame A,
in which it is adjustable horizontally by the set and tightening screws
22, 22. At the top of the die box I, is the dic plate o, attached to the
die box by screws p, p. It is made in four parts, which may be readily
removed, so that the inner edges may be sharpened. The inner edges
of the die plate o, form three oblong slots 4, 9, 4, each corresponding in
length and breadth with the sets of punches 1, 2, 3; 4, 5, 6; 7, 8, 9,
immediately above it, in order that the punches may, when required,

page_text: pass through their respective oblong slots. J, J, are three die levers,
each having a projection at its upper end equal in width to one of the
punches. They are all placed on a fulcrum », formed in the die box I,
and each is free to move independently of the other. The other end of
the die levers J, J, is curved, and brought in contact with the respective
hand levers E, E, F, F. One die lever is placed in the centre of each
oblong slot 4, 9, 4, and their action being at right angles, the projection
at their upper ends may, if required, be passed across the said oblong
slots so as to form a partition in the centre, leaving a square opening
on each side of the die levers J, J, instead of the oblong slots. 5, is a
guard of thin metal fixed by screws at the back to the die plate o, and
having three oblong slots corresponding with those in the die plate o.
The front of the guard s, is open, and there is sufficient space between
it and the die plate to admit the material to be perforated. K, and L,
are two dividing levers placed inside the frame A, having a fulcrum at
M, and are connected together at their front ends by the bar t, which
lies immediately under and stretches across the several hand levers E, F,
so as to be depressed and raised simultaneously with any one or more
of them, the raising being caused by the spring N, pressing against the
said levers. At the opposite end of the dividing lever K, are two
pallets u, v, which alternately take into two of the teeth of the escape-
ment wheel O, keyed on the shaft w. The distance between the points
of the two pallets u, v, is a little greater than the distance between the
points of two teeth of the escapement wheel O. P, is a barrel placed on
the shaft w, having a cord Q, wound around it, which is taken over
pulleys, and has a weight, as in a clock, which weight is not shewn in
the Drawing, as it is well understood. The barrel P, is free to revolve
on the shaft w, and has attached to it at one end the spur wheel R,
geering into a pinion a, keyed on a second shaft y, on which is also
placed the fast and loose pulley S, for raising the weight by steam or
other power, and its opposite end is made square to receive a winch for
ifting the weight by hand, if desired. T, is a ratchet wheel also keyed
to the second shaft y, and beside it is a second spur wheel U, through
which is fixed the pall Z, taking into the ratchet wheel T, by which the

page_text: second spur wheel U, is turned. This latter geers into a second pinion
Two bevel wheels *,, are keyed at
a, keyed on the first shaft w.
opposite ends of the shaft w, geering into corresponding bevel wheel
cc, keyed respectively on the two shafts V, V, placed at right angles
to the shaft w; on the opposite ends of the shafts V, V, are keyed the two
lower rollers W, W, on which the paper d*, or other material to be per-
forated is laid, and immediately above are two other rollers X, X, swung
on arms e, e, from fulcrums f, f, screwed into the frame A. The
centre pins g, g, of the rollers X, X, are extended through them, and
two india-rubber band springs h, h, are placed round the centre pins
gg, from which they can be easily taken and replaced when necessary.
The mode of operation of the mechanism above described and illus-
trated by the Drawings referred to is as follows:-
The operator places the paper, card, or other material to be perforated
between the guard s, and the die plate O, and also between each of the
upper and lower rollers W, and X, which latter he is enabled to do by
raising the upper rollers X, by hand. A rapid rotary motion is im-
parted to the shaft b, which by its eccentricity gives a vertical recipro-
cating action to the several punches 1, 2, 3; 4, 5, 6; 7, 8, 9, in a
plane above the paper, card, or other material to be perforated.
In order to effect the perforations the operator presses down with his
fingers any one or more of the keys 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,
18, which, by the incans described, brings the corresponding punch
levers c, and d, into or near the vertical line which lowers the plane of
action of the punches in connection therewith, and the eccentricity of
the shaft b, causes the said punches to pass through and perforate the
paper, card, or other material interposed between the guards, and the
die plate o. The operator then raises his fingers from the keys he
had depressed, and the pinches in connection with them ascend to their
original plane of action by the upward pressure of the springs m, on
the hand lever E, F, against the abutment pin III.
During the downward movement of the hand levers E, F, the top
pallet, is liberated from a tooth in the escapement wheel O, and
before it is liberated the lower pallet v, is moved to within the influence

page_text: of another tooth to check the escapement wheel in turning. During
the upward movement of the hand levers E, F, the spiral spring N,
presses up the dividing lever K, and the lower pallet is then liberated
from the tooth in the escapement wheel which it had previously been
put into, and the escapement wheel, by the means described, makes a
portion of a revolution, in doing which it imparts the same to the several
bevel wheels,, and through them to the rollers W, X, between
which the paper, card, or other material is placed, so that the latter is
traversed forward the requisite distance to receive a fresh perforation.
The strips of paper used in communicating intelligence by electric or
magnetic telegraphs are required to be perforated with square and
oblong holes, either separately or combined, so as to represent the
letters of the alphabet. In order to perforate an oblong slot or slots
the operator presses with his fingers any one or all the keys 13, 16,
and 10, cach of which brings down with it one of the three sets of
punches 1, 2, 3; 4, 5, 6; or 7, 8, 9. The die levers J, J, J, which
had previously formed a partition across the oblong slots q, q, q, in the
die plate o, are withdrawn before the punches have entered the material
to be perforated. The fingers being then taken from the keys the
punches and die levers resume their former position. In order to
perforate a square hole or holes the operator depresses the key or keys
14, 15, 12, 11, 17, and 18, each of which brings down its corresponding
punch, the die levers J, J, J, in this case remaining across the oblong
openings.
When my improved machinery is used for perforating the cards of
jacquard engines, or for other purposes, it is evident that the distances
between and the shape of the punches must be varied to suit the par-
ticular object for which the perforated material is required.
By the above-described mechanism the combination of square and
oblong slots required to represent all the letters of the alphabet may be
perforated at one operation by the hands of the operator. The hands
of the operator have not to exert the force necessary to perforate and
traverse the paper, as to effect the former he has only to move the
toggle jointed levers into a line with the punches, and in the latter to
move the pallet beyond the tooth of the ratchet wheel.

page_text: It will be seen that the distinguishing feature of this Invention is to
enable the operator to perform at one operation any suitable combination
of holes required to represent letters of the alphabet or other objects,
and that the operator is releived from baving to exert the force necessary
for perforating and traversing the paper, card, or other material.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Whitworth, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of December, One thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOSEPH WHITWORTH. (L.S.)