GB2267672A - Paper punch - Google Patents

Abstract

A hole punch unit 1 for producing holes in sheets of paper for the purposes of the filing of the sheets in a file adapted for the retention of such sheets by rings, pegs, pins, posts or the like provided in the file, is adapted for retention within the file thereby to ensure that a hole punch is always available for use with the associated file without preventing normal closure thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

PAPER PUNCH This invention relates to paper punches.

Punches for piercing holes in paper required to be filed in conventionally sized files utilising rings, posts, pegs or the like for retaining the filed paper sheets within a file are well known.

These known punches are generally arranged to be able to pierc holes, usually in pairs, in the paper sheet to be filed at one or more of a number of standard hole separations lengthwise of an edge of the paper sheet or sheets to be filed.

The commonly known punches are frequently bulky in construction and are essentially considered to be items of office equipment totally separate from any file for the storage of hole punched paper sheets.

Furthermore, paper punches are relatively expensive and are the most commonly accepted mode of producing holes at the standard spacings in paper sheets for the purposes of filing such sheets.

As a result it is not normally the practice for a person to carry a hole piercing punch so as to have the latter conveniently available whenever and/or whereever it is desired to insert and retain a sheet of paper within a said file constructed such that the sheets are held in place by retaining rings, posts, pegs, or the like.

As is well known if such a punch is not available, a person often uses the sheet locating pins, posts, pegs or the like as convenient means for piercing the filing holes in the sheets. When filing holes are produced in this manner they are formed by merely tearing the paper with the result that the holes can be misplaced, too large, etc.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid such difficulties.

Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention a file for receiving papers by the engagement of holes provided in a sheet to be filed by rings, pegs, posts or the like provided in the file is arranged to house a punch unit which is adapted for insertion into and retention within the file thereby to ensure that a hole punch is always available for use with the associated file without preventing normal closure of the file.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention the punch unit includes a reference/guide portion by means of which the edge region of a sheet to be pierced can be positionally set in such manner as to locate the sheet for subsequent piecing by the hole punch means of the punch unit to produce filing holes at a desired location, and wherein the punch unit is retained in the file by engagement with the rings, posts pins or the like provided for paper filing.

Conveniently, the punch unit can be used as a punch whilst being in retaining engagement with the rings, posts pegs or the like of the file or following removal of the punch unit from the file.

For a better understarding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the acompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a punch unit incorporating the concepts of the invention; Figures 2A, 2B and 2C scheatically illustrate various positions at which a punch unit such as that shown in Figure 1 can be retained within a file; Figure 3 illustrates a sheet into which it is required to punch filing holes when positioned with respect to the punch unit for the hole punching operation; Figure 4 illustrates the sheet of Figure 3 when the latter has been filed (for convenience of illustration the punch unit has been removed); and Figure 5 is a sectional end elevation of the punch unit shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 the punch unit 1 shown therein includes a retaining bar 2 of rec!:angular cross section and of a length equal to that of a standard sized sheet of paper such as, for example, that known as A4 size in which holes 3 are formed whereby the unit can be engaged with the conventional rings, posts, pegs or the like 4 provided in a conventional file i.e., ring binder, lever arch file etc., (Figures 2A,3). A first punch part 5 extends laterally from the detaining bar 2. This punch part 5 is apertured by two holes 6 which are spaced apart by the conventional separation associated with filing holes in paper sheets intended for filing.

A second punch part 7 overlies the punch part part 5, this part 7 incorporating paper hole cutting inserts 8 of cylindrical form or thicker cylindrical sections 8 to the part 7-. The sections 8 have their free end faces shaped and formed in such tanner aseffectively to define a circular cutting edge 9. The sections 8 are separated by such distance that Lhey can engage with the adjacent hole 6 provided in the punch unit part 7 whereby on pushing the sections 8 to the position in which they engage the holes 6 any material that may be located between the two parts 5 and 7 is subjected to a cutting action by the cooperation of the insert cutting edges 9 and the adjacent walls of th* holes 6.

The two parts 5,7 are resiliently loaded to the open position shown in Figures 1 and 5 by resilient means or as is shown in the Figure 5 by stop means 10 preventing closure of the parts one against the other unless pressure is exerted to produce such closure. Thus the punch parts 5 and 7 are normally relatively positioned as shown in Figures 1 and 5. When it is desired to punch holes in a sheet of paper the edge of the sheet is introduced between the two punch parts 5 and 7 and the part 7 is pressed down towards the part 5 thereby pushing the ends 9 of the inserts into the holes 6.

The sheet to be punched is positioned with respect to the punch unit at the location necessary correctly to locate the holes to be punched therein by setting the sheet to a desired position with respect to the length of the bar 2.

The bar 2 is either of sich length that on aligning the end 11 of a sheet 12 with an end 13 of the bar 2 the sheet is automatically correctly so positioned with respect to the punch parts 5.7 that the holes 14 in the sheet will be produced at the desired positions in the sheet.

Alternatively the bar can b suitably marked to indicate the requsite settings for a sheet with respect to the bar and thus the punch parts 5 and 7 or the bar is suitably marked.

It will be appreciated that the punch unit of the invention can be formed from any convenient material i.e., plastics metal and/or combinations of plastics and metals.

In the case of file constructions utilising a bar like paper retaining and locking arrangement the locking arrangement can be integrally incorporated with the punch; unit of the present invention. That is, the punch unit and locking arrangement can be produced as a moulded combination.

It will also be appreacited that the bar 2 can be calibrated to provide a ruler or similar means providing indications of length.

From the forgoing it will e appeciated that the concepts of the present invention provides for a paper punch construction which is able to be permanently left within a paper file thereby providing at all times the file user with the facility of enabling the punching of the filing holes into the sheets to be filed.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS.

1. A hole punch unit for producing holes in sheets of paper for the purposes of the filing the sheets in a file adapted for the retention of such sheets by the engagement of holes provided in a sheet to be filed with rings, pegs, pins, posts or the like provided in the file, the punch unit being adapted for insertion into and retention within the file thereby to ensure that a hole punch is always available for use with the associated file without preventing normal closure of the file.

2. A hole punch unit as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the punch unit is provided with means enabling the punch unit to be retained in the file by engagement with the rings, pegs, pins, posts or the like provided in the file.

3. A hole punch unit as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the means enabling the punch unit to be retained in the file by engagement with rings, pegs, pins, posts or the like is arranged to engage with those provided in the file for the retention of the paper sheets in the file.

4. A hole punch unit as claimed in claim 1, 2-or 3, and wherein the punch unit includes a reference/guide portion by means of which the edge region of a sheet to be pierced can be positionally set in such manner as so to locate the sheet for subsequent piercing by the hole punching means of the punch unit as to produce filing holes at a desired location in a sheet.

5. A hole punch unit as claimed in claim 2 or 3, and wherein the engagement of the punch unit with the file is such that punch unit can be used as a punch whilst being in retaining engagement with the rings, pegs, pins, posts or the like of the file.

6. A hole punch unit as claimed in claim 2 or 3, and wherein the engagement of the punch unit with the file is such that punch unit is utilisable following removal thereof from the file.

7. A hole punch unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unit includes an elongate retaining bar of a length at least equal to that of a standard sized sheet of paper, therebeing holes provided in the bar whereby the bar can be engaged with the sheet retention means of a file, a first punch part extending laterally from the retaining bar, this part being apertured by two holes spaced apart by the conventional distance associated with filing holes in paper sheets intended for filing, a second punch part arranged to overlie the first punch part and including paper cutting means engageable with the holes in the first punch part, and means for resiliently loading the two punch parts to a relatively open position to permit the insertion of a paper sheet therebetween, the arrangement being such that on inserting a sheet of paper between the open parts and subsequently closing the two punch parts such that the paper cutting means are caused to engage in the holes in the first punch part and in so doing pierce holes in the sheet.

8 A hole punch unit constructed and arranged to operate substantially ss hereinbefore described with reference to the accomapnying drawings.