the Severance or Division of the same.
Year: 1885

page_text: the Severance or Division of the same.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE PERFORATION OF PAPER
" to be as follows:-
FOR FACILITATING THE SEVERANCE OR DIVISION OF THE SAME
This invention relates chiefly to a web, strip or sheet of paper provided with
lines of perforations formed across it, at intervals, in such a manner that lengths
or pieces may be very easily detached from the said web, strip or sheet one at a
time by a slight strain upon the paper by the hand.
•
Heretofore paper has been provided with either round or square perforations,
the bars connecting the lengths being of such character that when a strain is
brought upon the paper to separate a length therefrom the pull must be so great
that two or more lengths will frequently become detached in the attempt to separate
one. This is due to the fact that the bars or connections between the lengths resist
the pull owing to their position and arrangement.
•
By means of this invention only a slight. pull is required to tear off the end
length, the bars or strips connecting the lengths being biassed, so as to offer but
little resistance to the pull. The other lengths do not feel the strain as the
operation is more of a tearing of the web strip or sheet from one side to the other
instead of a direct pull which is required when the connecting bars are constructed
as heretofore.
t
According to the said invention the perforations or openings are so made that
the bars stand diagonally or obliquely to the edge of the web, strip or sheet of
paper in which they are formed. This obliquity of the bars is obtained by making
the punches of the required shape.
These diagonal bars between the lengths are weaker than bars made as heretofore
at right angles to the ends of the lengths which they connect. Aspull on the paper

page_text: so perforated causes a tearing of the bars in such a manner that the length comes
off before the strain can make itself felt on the remaining lengths to any perceptible
extent.
An advantage of this invention is that the length will always be torn off at the
line of perforations, and never partly along the line of perforations and partly
through the adjoining sheet as frequently occurs in the old method of perforating.
This invention is also applicable to cheque and receipt books, to postage stamps,
and in other cases in which it is desired to readily detach the leaves or pieces
without tearing them.
i
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Perforation of Paper for Facilitating
the Severance or Division of the same.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 to the perforation of paper for facilitating the severance
or division of the same."
Heretofore in perforated sheets or strips of paper, the perforations have been
either round or square, the bars or portions of paper between the perforations
being at substantially right angles to the line of perforations and thus in the most
favourable position for resisting tensile strains, so that considerable force is
required to sever a piece of paper. This is very disadvantageous, especially in a
strip or band, which is divided into short lengths by transverse rows of per-
forations, as when a stress or pull is exerted upon the end of the paper two or
inore lengths will frequently become detached in the attempt to separate one.
According to this invention I obviate this objection by forming the perforations
in the novel manner hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 shews in elevation a strip or band of paper in the form of a roll, and
perforated according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a front view shewing some of the perforations with the bars drawn
to an enlarged scale.

page_text: a is a strip or band of paper; b, b are the perforations; and c, c are the bars
between the perforations.
As shewn, the said perforations are made in the form of a rhombus, so that the
bars or portions c of paper remaining between the perforations are biased or
inclined relatively to the line of perforations. But the perforations may be of any
other suitable shape provided the bars c are inclined to the line of perforations as
shewn.
When the perforations are made in this manner, only a slight stress is required
to tear or sever the paper, so that the liability of more than one length being
severed at a time is greatly lessened.
This invention, although specially described with reference to a strip or band of
paper, is also applicable to cheque and receipt books, to postage stamps, and in
other cases in which it is desired to readily detach leaves or pieces without tearing
them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, 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 above described improvements, consisting in forming the holes or per-
forations in the paper in such a manner that the bars or portions left between the
holes are biased or inclined to the line of perforations, substantially as, and for the
purpose, set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.