Improvements in Machines for Punching Numbers and the like on Cheques and other Documents.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 190
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Punching Numbers and the like on
Cheques and other Documents.
I, JAMES BRADY Corner of York and Washington Streets Brooklyn County of
Kings, State of New York, United States of America, Mechanician do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This improved paper perforating and numbering machine belongs to the class of
machines used for cutting the figures out of checks, drafts, bonds and other monetary
paper, but it has been planned for a greater scope and variety of work and usefulness,
such as cutting both the dollars and cents, or the pounds and shillings, bushels,
barrels, pounds or tons, in warehouse or grain receipts, bills of lading, coal or grain,
or other weight tickets and both the number of shares, par values of stock certificates,
etcetera, and for cutting the dates in important papers by numbering the day, month
and year, etcetera ; and has been designed with special reference to simplicity of
construction and great speed of operation. The simplicity of the parts contributes
greatly to the cheapness and convenience of operating this machine.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this speci-
fication:-
Figure 1 is a top view of the improved numbering machine, the handle being bent
over in position for shipping.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, the handle being in operating
position.
Figure 3 is a front view of the machine, with the handle bent back as in Figure 1,
so as to be out of sight.
Figure 4 is a plan view with the upper part of the frame and the punches
removed.
Figure 5 is a front view of the paper holder and connected parts.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the pivot sleeve, or drum, and centering spring.
Figure 7 is a side view of the handle detached.
Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view with cover removed, taken in the opposite
direction to Figure 2, and, for sake of clearness showing only parts of the stationary
frame which would be cut by the plane of section.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the clamp plate operating lever.
The stationary frame of the machine is almost entirely case. It consists of the base-
piece 1, of approximately triangular shape, with rounded front; a standard 2, at
rear, extending forward from the standard and cover and supporting horizontal
arcuate bars 5. In these bars are formed the vertical bearings of a series of
punches 6. The series are in an arc of a circle whose centre is at the pivot-pin 7,
which is fixed to the base-piece just forward of the standard 2. Each punch bears
on its lower end a character corresponding to a die 8, a number of which are fixed
in arcuate series to the base-piece immediately under the bearing bars 5.
The die-plates may be of customary rectangular or the represented slightly tapering
form. The base-piece is hollowed under them to permit the paper to pass out freely
as shown in Figure 2. The punches are held normally in their uppermost position
by spiral springs 9, and are arrested in their upward movement by stop-pins 10,
which come in contact with the under edge of a plate 11 fixed to the rear of the
upper bearing-bar 5. The upper edge of plate 11 which projects above the bar 5 in
comb-shaped as at 11 to receive horizontal flat fingers 12 fixed to the rear of the
punches and serving to guide the latter so as to prevent their rotation and ensure
their proper alignment and register with the dies when once the latter have been set,

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Characters on the flat fingers 12 correspond to those on the several punches to which
said fingers are attached, thus serving to indicate to the operator the particular
punch which it is desired to depress.
13 is a swing pivoted on the pin 7 and carrying all the operating parts of the
machine except the punches. 14 is the handle for depressing the punches. It also
serves for moving the check or other paper to be punched, under the series of
punches, for lifting the clamp when it is desired to place the paper in position and
for actuating the step-by-step feed as will be more fully described further on. This
handle has its inner end pivoted on a horizontal pivot 36 at the forward end of a
rigid arm 15 of swing 13. in such a manner that it is capable of vertical movement
on the said arm, but so that it will turn said arm and the rest of the swing 13
around the pivot 7 when the handle is moved from side to side. 16 is another arm
at the bottom of the swing 13. It carries a plate 17 which serves as the lower
clamping jaw of the paper. The plate 17 is cut away. at 18 (Figure 5) and the
upper peripheries of guide-rollers 19 project slightly through it. These guide-rollers
are journalled on a cross bar 20 on the outer end of arm 16. A third arm 21 of the
swing 13 supports the upper clamping jaw or plate 22. The said plate has a strip 23
at its forward edge with a hole 23 to allow the punch to pass and an upturned
lip 23 to direct the paper proper place when being inserted. At its rear the plate
has lugs 24 which are turned up at opposite ends of cross-bar 25 carried by
arm 21 and are pivoted to said bar (and consequently to the swing 13) by pins 26
projecting outward from the ends of said bars 25. 27, 28 are the upper feed and
guide-rollers arranged immediately over the rollers 19 and supported on the upper
or vertically movable clamping plate 22. The said plate is cut away to permit
the passage through it of the lower peripheries of the said rollers. The roller 27
in connection with the roller 19 immediately under it, serves as a guide roller in
feeding the paper throngh the jaws of the clamp. Its trunnions are hung upon a
plate spring 29 having a single rivet at one end for fixing it to the clamping-
plate 22. This arrangement enables the roller 27 to press lightly, but firmly, upon
the paper and also enables it to be slightly turned about the rivet of the spring 29
to adjust it so as to feed the paper precisely as desired. 28 is the feed-roller proper.
It is of large size and its shaft 30 is journalled at one end to lip 31 turned up from
the plate 22, and at its other end to the cross-bar 25 of arm 21. This rear journal
is made sufficiently loose, or is so rounded, that it will not prevent a slight deflection
of the shaft 30 from the horizontal when the latter is raised by the lifting of
clamp plate 22. Near the rear end of shaft 30 is fixed a ratchet wheel 32. 33 is
a spring-pawl with its lower end pressed against the ratchet-wheel 32 by an arm 34,
fixed to the cross-bar 25. This arm is bifurcated or slotted so as to pass on both
sides of the pawl and thus to not only hold it against the ratchet-wheel when the
pawl is in its most depressed position, but to prevent it from coming in contact with
the wheel in its uppermost position. The amount of travel given to the ratchet-
wheel by the pawl is thus fixed. The upper end of the pawl is hinged to a short
lever 35, which, in turn, is pivoted on the pivot 36 of handle 14. On the forward
side of its pivot, the lever 35 has lip 37 projecting under the handle 14. The
plates 17, 22, with the rollers supported thereon, form the clamp for the paper or
other matter which is to be perforated.
While the handle 14 is capable of being turned back around its pivot 36, so as to
rest in a seat consisting of a slot 38 having circular end 39 for the knob in the top
of the machine, as shown in Figure 1, it may, also, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 5
and 8, be turned over so as to ride immediately over the punches and bear upon
the lip 37 of lever 35. When in this position, if depressed on to the top of any
punch 6, it will thrust the latter down, and, at the same time, turn the lever 35 about
its pivot, so raising the pawl 33. Thus, as the handle 14 rises to release the punch,
the lever 35 will follow it, its rear end being drawn down by spring 40 connected to
said rear end by link 41 (see Figure 9). This downward movement of the rear end
of the lever 35 forces down the pawl 33, and, by turning the ratchet-wheel 32,
operates the feed.

page_text: The spring 40 is bent around a pin 42 on swing 13, and then passes down and
behind a pin 43 on arm 21 of said swing 13. It thus holds on to said pin 43 the
coil of a spring 44, whose one end passes forward and is bent over so as to rest
freely upon the shaft 30, and whose other end is bent upward so as to bear against
the rear side of pin 42 immediately outside of the coil of spring 44 which surrounds
said pin. These two springs thus serve to hold each other on to their separate
abutment pins. The end of spring 44 hearing on shaft 30, not only serves as a
brake or drag for said shaft and consequently for the feed, but acts to press said
shaft and the clamping plate 22, from which it is supported, downward, so that the
latter will bear upon the paper which is between the feed-rollers with a yielding
pressure.
A further brake is provided by the plate spring 45 rivetted to plate 22 at one end
and bearing upward at the other under the ratchet-wheel 32. These means effectively
prevent the feed-wheel from being further thrown than it is positively moved by
the depression of pawl 33. The butt of handle 14 has a cam-shaped projection 46
(see Figure 7) which, when the handle is raised so as to stand vertically over its
pivot 36, impinges against the upper end of a lever 47. This lever is pivoted at 48
to a lug or lugs on the forward end of the arm 15 of the swing 13. At its lower
end, the said lever is connected to a rod 49, which is bent under the shaft 30 of the
feed-wheel. The impingement of the cam 46 on the upper end of lever 47 rotates
it about its pivot, and lifts the rod 49, and, with it, the clamping-plate 22 on which
the shaft 30 is supported.
"
It is preferred to have the swing 13 return normally to a position central of the
series of punches, as shown in Figure 4. To this end, the upper arm 15 of said swing
has a vertical pin or lug 50 which occupies a space between the two ends of a spring 51,
coiled on a drum 52 which is rigid with swing 13 and surrounds the upper end of the
pivot 7. 53 is a plate rigidly fixed to the top of pivot 7 (see Figures 2, 4 and 8) and
having a lip 54 also arranged between the ends of spring 51. The turning of the
swing 13 around its pivot will cause the lug 50 to deflect one or other of the ends of
spring 51 the other end of said spring being retained by the lip 54 of plate 53 which
thus serves as an abutment for the spring. It will be seen that this action occurs in
whatever direction the swing 13 is swung, and that the tendency of the deflected spring
will be to return the said swing to central position. 55 is a plate which covers and
hides from view the front of the punches, their springs and bearing bars. Its upper
edge is crenelated or comb-shaped, as shown, its projections 56 being rounded so as
to direct the handle 14 centrally on to any punch it is desired to depress. A sharpened
edge 57 on the under part of the handle, on the portion of said handle immediately
above said projections, assists this action. The fingers 12, which guide the punches,
may be fixed to the forward instead of the rear side of the punches, and be guided
by the comb 56. The handle must be thick, and, in this event, the plate 11 is
dispensed with. 58 is a spring bearing under the cam 46 on handle 14, so as to keep
it from springing up too far after releasing a punch. The spring is held by passing
around a stud 59 behind lug 50 and down under arm 15.
The normal position of my machine is with the hand-lever extending forward over
the punches and facing the operator. To operate it, the lever is grasped between the
thumb and fore-finger, lifted enough to permit placing the paper under the clamping-
plate, then swung to the right or left on the desired character, as indicated by the
corresponding dial-character on the flat-finger, or plate 12, and without releasing the
lever is depressed upon the punch, lifted and depressed again, or swung successively
to the next desired characters; the lever, as it is depressed and raised, automatically
operating the feed and spacing mechanism in time for the next character, and, finally,
the lever is lifted. sufficiently to permit the paper to be withdrawn.
This simple means of operating with only a single hand-lever grasped but once and
returned to the end, adds much to the speed and convenience of this machine and such
speed and convenience are often indispensable, it being a fact that the use of perforating
machines in places where they are most needed, has often been prohibited by the length
of time required to operate them.

page_text: In the drawings I have shown punches for making the characters £1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 0,
but it is of course understood that other may be added or substituted
for these. The employment of a punch bearing the character * is useful. Such a
character may be used alone or in connection with the $or £emplyed, it being
especially a convenient sign for separating day, month, and year, pounds, shillings
and pence, or dollars and cents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of the base-piece 1, the pivot-pin 7, the dies 8 arranged in
arcuate series concentric with said pin, the punches 6 supported in similar series over
said dies, the swing 13 turning on said pivot-pin and carrying a clamp, and handle 14
pivoted on said swing and projecting forward and overhanging the said series of
punches, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of the stationary frame, the arcuate series of dies and punches
mounted thereon, the swing pivoted at the centre of said series of dies and pnnches
and having its forward end movable immediately in rear of said punches, and a handle
at the forward end of said swing overhanging said punches and pivoted so as to fold
back over the frame, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of the stationary frame, whose cover has a seat as shown, the
series of punches mounted on said frame and the punch operating handle pivoted
immediately in rear of said punches and adapted to be folded back into said seat,
substantially as set forth.
4. In a numbering or perforating machine, the combination of a clamp, feeding
mechanism, a series of punches, and a handle overhanging said punches and having
operating connection with the feeding mechanism, with the paper clamp support and
with the vertically moving member of the clamp, whereby the same lever operates the
punches and feeding mechanism and shifts and opens the clamp, substantially as
set forth.
5. The combination of a clamp, feed mechanism, a handle, and clamp-opening
and feed-operating levers arranged in. connection with said handle so that move-
ment of the handle in one direction will operate the feed mechanism, while
movement of it in the opposite direction will open the clamp, substantially as
set forth.
6. The combination of a swing, a clamp carried thereby a lever connected
to the movable member of the clamp and a handle pivotally mounted on said
swing and adapted to operate said lever and open the clamp, substantially as
set forth.
7. The combination of the swing, the clamp carried thereby, the lever 47
pivotally mounted on said swing and connected to the upper member of said clamp,
and handle 14 also pivotally mounted on said swing and having cam 46 for operating
said lever 47 and opening the clamp, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of the feed-operating lever 35 and the handle 14 independently
pivoted on the same axis and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of a swing carrying a clamp and feed mechanism, a feed-
operating lever mounted on said swing and a handle also mounted on said swing
independently of said lever and adapted to impinge against and move said lever at one
end of its movement and to be turned back out of the way of said lever at the other
end of its movement, substantially as set forth.
10. The combination of swing 13, a clamp carried thereby, feed mechanism on said
clamp, lever 35 pivoted to an arm of said swing and having lip 37 and connection
with the feed mechanism, and the handle 47 also pivoted on the arm of said swing
and adapted to impinge on said lip, substantially as set forth.
11. The combination of a hinged clamping plate 22 a feed shaft 30 carriel thereby
and a spring 44 bent over said shaft and serving as a brake while pressing down the
said shaft and the clamping plate carrying it, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 12. In a numbering and perforating machine, the combination of a clamp, feeding
mechanism and its operating lever, the swing 13, having studs or pins 42, 43, and the
springs 40, 44 connected with the feed-operating lever and the paper clamp, said
springs being wound on the studs 42 and 43 respectively and each having its stationary
end bearing against the stud or pin whereon the other spring is wound and outside of
the latter, whereby the said springs hold each other in position, substantially as
set forth.
13. The combination of the swing 13, the clamping plate 22, feed-shaft 30, connecting
rod 49 bent under the same, lever 47 connected to said rod and pivoted on said swing
and handle 14 also pivoted on said swing and adapted to operate said lever 47,
substantially as set forth.
14. In a numbering or perforating machine, the combination of an arcuate series
of corresponding dies and punches, a swing pivoted concentrically with said series,
and bearing a clamp and punch-operating mechanism and a spring wound on a fixed
abutment and having its ends projecting on opposite sides of a projection or part of
said swing, whereby the said swing is brought automatically to a predetermined
position when released on either side thereof, substantially as set forth.
15. In a numbering and perforating machine, the combination of the arcuate series of
dies and punches, the clamp-carrying swing pivoted concentrically therewith, and having
its forward end moving directly in rear thereof, and a handle pivoted on the forward
end of said swing projecting forward and overhanging said punches, and directly
operating them, substantially as set forth.
16. In a numbering and perforating machine, the combination of the punches
having flat guide fingers with characters thereon corresponding with those on
the punches, and the comb-shaped guide plate for said fingers substantially as
set forth.
Dated his 24th day of February 1800
bia 24th day of February 1800
day February
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.