Improvements in and relating to Cheque Punches.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1839
Specification Accepted, 25th May, 1389
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cheque Punches.
We, FRIEND WILLIAM SMITH Jr., SAMUEL STUART WILLIAMSON, and FREDERICK
JOEL LOCKWOOD, all residing at No. 580 Main Street, in the City of Bridgeport, in
the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of
America, Gentlemen, 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 :-
Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in check punches, and
has for its object to simplify the construction of said devices and to greatly facilitate
the adaptability of the same in practical use.
With these ends in view our invention
consists in the details of construction and combination of elements etc.
"
Referring to the accompanying Drawings-
Figure 1, a plan view of our improvement.
Figure 2, a front elevation.
Figure 3, is a side elevation.
Figure 4, is a central vertical section, the operating lever being in elevation.
Figure 5, is a section at the line a, a, of Figure 3.
A, is the bed, and, B, a standard, extending upward therefrom and rigidly secured
thereto. C, is a spindle journaled within said bed and standard so as to be capable
of a free rotary movement.
D, is a plate rigidly secured to the spindle, C, so as to revolve therewith, and, E,
is a tray pivoted at, 3, between ears, F, depending from said plate. G, are pins
extending from the plate, D, through the tray and terminating in heads, 1, between
which latter and the bottom of the tray are coil springs, 2, whereby the downward
movement of said tray is rendered resilient. The pins, G, pass loosely through the
tray and the heads, 1, limit the downward movement of the tray, the spring serving
to keep the latter in elevated or normal position.
H, H', are feed rolls journaled respectively in the plate, D, and tray, E, one above
the other. We prefer to use two sets of these rolls, one at each end of said plate
and tray in order to insure a constant and uniform feed movement, as will be clearly
understood from the description hereinafter to be given. The rolls, H, H³, are
normally in contact owing to the action of the springs, 2.

page_text: I, is a lever extending around the plate, 1), and pivoted at, 3, to the ears, F,
and, 4, are pins extending laterally from opposite sides of the tray, upon which pins
res fins, 5, which depend from said lever.
The function of this lever is to depress the tray so that the rolls, H, H', will bo
separated for the purpose of introducing a check, as will be presently set forth.
6, are ratchet wheels rigidly secured to the inner sides of the rolls, H.
J, is a pawl carrier resting on the plate, D, and having at each extremity pawls, 7,
which project into operative engagement with the ratchet wheels, 6.
K, is a bell-crank lever pivoted at, 8, to the plate D, the ends of said lever being
pivoted respectively to the carrier, J, and to a free link, L, so that it will be readily
understood that the reciprocation of said link in the direction indicated by the arrow
will effect a lengthwise reciprocation of the carrier, whereby the pawls, 7, will
operate to turn the ratchets, 6, and thereby revolve the rolls. 9, are bow-springs
which beat against the outer sides of the rolls, H, and serve as frictional detents to
prevent the reverse movements of said rolls while the pawls are returned to normal
position. 10, is a pin projecting from the plate, D, through a guide slot, 11, in the
carrier whereby the movement of the latter is rendered uniform and steady.
12, is a flexible flat spring secured to the plate, D, and bearing directly upon the
carrier, J. to further steady the movement of the latter, and to permit said carrier to
rise and fall with a spring action as the pawls ride over the teeth of the ratchet
wheels, 6, and drop into position behind succeeding teeth.
The mechanism consisting of the rolls, H, H³, ratchets, 6, pawls, 7, carrier, J,
guided as set forth, bell-crank, K, link, L, and detents, 9, constitute our.check feeding
means, and the insertion and step by step feed of a check is accomplished as follows:
The operator depresses the lever, I, inserts, the check between the rolls within the
space, 13, releases the said lever thereby causing the rolls to grip, the check, and, by
reciprocating the link, L, in the direction indicated by the arrow, effects the inter-
mittent revolution of said rolls, which latter by their movement feed the check step by
step.
We will now describe the means whereby the feed is operated and the punching
of the check affected.
M, is a head integral with or secured to the standard, B, and having vertically
extending therethrough pins, 14, capable of a free up and down movement. These
pins terminate at their upper ends in heads, 15, between which latter and the head, M,
are coil springs, 16, whereby the movements of said pins are rendered resilient and
the normal elevated position of the latter insured. The pins extend below the
head, M, and on their lower ends are secured the punches, N. O, is a guide
plate secured to the head, M, and provided with slots, 17, immediately in front of: the
pins, 14.
These slots have flared gates, 18, and at the lower ends of said slots and upon the
plate, O, are the signs or numbers-$. 0. 1. 2. 3. &c., which identify the punches.
P, is the die-bed secured upon or cast with the bed, A; and having a channel, 19,
through which the punchings drop from the die within the bed, A. Q, are the dies
secured on the bed, P, and adapted to register with the punches. R, is an L-shaped
operating lever, the heel end of which terminates in a pin, 20, fitting loosely within
a socket, 21, in the link, L. The knee of this lever is pivoted at, 22, within. the
spindle, C, and a spring, 23, secured to the lever by a pin or screw, 24, and bearing
at its free ends against the said spindle and lever, respectively, keeps said lever in a
norinal elevated position.
The said lever extends forward above and beyond the guide-plate, O, and in cross-
diameter said lever is of such dimension as to fit easily within, the slots,. 17. Any
suitable knob, S, is secured to the outer end of this lever. Depending from the under-
side of this lever is a hook, 25, which extends forward immediately beneath, the
'heads, 15, of the pins.
By grasping the knob, S, the lever, R, spindle; C, plate, D, and parts carried
thereby, are swung in the arc of a circle, and in operating the punches it is. merely-
necessary to swing the lever, R, until it is above the particular punch torber operated,.

page_text: when the said lever is depressed thereby forcing the punch into proper engagement
with its corresponding die. When the knob is released, the spring, 23, will return
the lever to normal position, while the hook, 25, will insure the positive return of the
punch to its normal or elevated position. The springs, 16, are auxiliary in their
action and render the movements of the punches resilient. When the forward end of
the operating lever is depressed, the heel end thereof will be thrown rearward,
thereby operating the link, L, bell-crank, K, and carrier, J, to return the pawls, 7, to
normal position, and when said lever is elevated the said pawls will be operated
against the ratchets, 6, to turn the fe-rolls, FL, H, as and for the purposes herein-
after set forth. The most prominent features of our improvement are that the
punches and dies are stationary, while the check carrying and feeding mechanisms are
shifted in synchronism, and this will be readily understood when it is borne in mind
that the lever, R, and plate, D, are both secured to the same rock-shaft or spindle, C.
The described check punch is designed for use in cutting out from a bank check
or draft in figures the value of such draft as expressed on its face,. or, for cutting out
from any ticket, note or the like, any.desired figures or characters, the object being
to prevent the alteration of the expressed value or figures or characters, as might
otherwise be done if such were simply written or printed on the face of the check,
draft, note, or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is―
1. In a check punch, the combination with the rotary spindle, of the check carrying
and feeding mechanisms supported on a plate rigidly secured to the lower end of said
spindle, and a single operating lever also secured to said spindle, substantially as set
forth.
2. In a check punch, the combination of the bed having a standard projecting.
therefrom and terminating in a head, a series of dies supported on said bed, a series
of spring actuated punches mounted in said head, a spindle journaled within said bed
and standard, and an operating lever and plate secured to the top and bottom
respectively of said spindle, substantially as set forth.
3. In a check punch, the combination with a series of stationary punches and dies,
of the punch operating lever and the check supporting and feeding mechanisms
secured to the same rotary spindle, whereby the check is bodily carried to and fro
beneath the various punches, substantially as set forth.
4. In a check punch, the combination with a series of stationary punches and dies,
of a rotary spindle journaled within the body of the check punch a single operating
lever pivoted within said spindle and adapted to rotate therewith, a plate rigid with
said spindle, a tray pivoted to said plate, feed rolls journaled one above the other in
the plate and tray respectively, a spring adapted to keep the tray in elevation whereby
said rolls are normally held in contact, and means controlled and operated by the heel
of said lever for actuating said rolls, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with the rotary spindle and the operating lever and check
supporting mechanism revolving therewith, of the check feeding mechanism controlled
and operated by said lever, substantially as set forth
6. The combination of the rotary spindle, the plate D, rigid therewith, the tray, E,
pivoted beneath said plate, springs adapted to keep said tray and plate together and
render the downward movement of the tray resilient, feed rolls, H, H', journaled in
said tray and plate respectively, one above the other, ratchet wheels rigid with the
inner sides of the wheels, H, pawl carrier, J, resting on the plate, D, and having
terminal pawls, 7. projecting into operative engagement with said wheels, lever, K,
pivoted to the plate, D, and having its extremities pivoted respectively to the
carrier, J, and link, L, the operating lever pivoted within said spindle and having its
heel end engaging with the link, L, the dies secured upon the bed of the punch, the
resiliently acting punches mounted within the head, and the guide plate provided with
marked slots which identify the punches, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 7. The combination of the feed rolls journaled in pairs one above the other, the
ratchet wheels rigid on the inner sides of the lower rolls, the carrier having terminal
pawls engaging said ratchet wheels, the reciprocating link, the bell-crank lever
pivoted at its ends to said carrier and link respectively and having its knee pivoted
externally, and the operating lever connected at its heel end to said link, substantially
as set forth.
8. The combination with the operating leyer having a hook depending therefrom,
of the heads of the punch carrying pins, substantially
as set forth."
9. In a check punch such as described, the heads of the punch carrying pins, in
combination with the hook depending from the operating lever and extended in
normal position immediately beneath said heads, whereby when said lever is elevated
· said hook will abut against the heads and lift the latter to elevated position, substantially
as set forth.
FRIEND WILLIAM SMITH, JR.
SAMUEL STUART WILLIAMSON.
FREDERICK JOEL LOOK WOOD.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C..
Patent Agents.