US2624940A - Card punch - Google Patents

Description

Jan- 13, 1953 LE ROY M. OSBORNE ET AL 2,624,940

CARD PUNCH Filed Feb. ll, 1949 Patented Jan. 13, 1953 CARD PUNCH Le RoyM. Osborne, San Rafael, andBerger- StockfletlipParadisefGove, Calif. y

Application February 11, 1949, Serial-Nol`7'5z777 2 claims. (ci. sii-.229

. 1A Our invention relatestomeans `for cuttingor removing'a portion of material from a sheet such as a card, paper andthe like-and is'particularly concerned-with a punch forfaccurately removing a portion of a sheet or card from a predetermined location.

While numerous forms of punches for use by hand have heretofore been available, none of them, sofarI as We know, is of general use in accurately providing a specially removed portion from the margin or edgerof a card or the like, particularly if' accuracy in location of the removedportion is essential and particularly insofar as the transverse location is concerned. Thismatter becomes off considerable importance when punched cards are utilizedfor the purpose of recording or representing data and is a vital factor when the location ofthe punched out por.- tions, both transversely. and longitudinally is relied upon in representing or storing the data.

CTI

Itis therefore an object of our invention to provide a hand punch for use ony cards or the like which does not require any change in technique or knowledge of an operator for its use, but does provide an accurate punched out portion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a card punchin which the positioning or location of the punch, both transversely and longitudinally with respect to a designated part of a card or the like, is easily and almost automatically effectue-ted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a card punchl in which punches can be made in accurate positions and locations with regard to each other not only longitudinally and transversely but also in the rotary or polar sense.

A- still further object of the invention is tq pro. vide a generally improved card punch.

Other objects together with the foregoing are attained'in the preferred embodiment of the in. vention illustrated' inthe accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective ofA a punch constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a view to an enlarged scale of the punch shown in Figure l, portions being broken away'v to reduce the size of the gure and some parts being illustrated in a longitudinal crosssection.

Figure 3 s a cross-section, the plane of which is indicatedY by the line 3-3 of Figure 2, the view being to a stillfurther enlarged: scale and showing only the; actua-1 perforating or cutting part of thepunch mechanism.

In,4 its preferred form, the-card punch of thev invention comprises a pair of levers pivoted to- 2,n getherformovement betweenan open position and aV closed position. Oneofthefleverszis provided With a generally planar platform having a pair of laterally spacedl abutments having coplanar front faces upstanding from each side of the platform and between them leaving space in the platform forran aperture disposed'between or in part between the abutments themselves. The otherlever ofthe pairis formedwith-fa,.-cutfV ting head on it which in the openpositionof the punch is free vandclear-of Ythe apert-urerbut which in the closedpositionV of thepunch extends-.into and rather closely-v occupies.- the aperture.-V vIn addition, the cuttingy headhas formed on it a projection,- preferably disposed betweenthelateral sides: of the headv andnearthe abutment Walls on the first lever and located. irisuch a way with respect to the cutting head-thatit serves as a positioning. device for a card tobe punched. The extension. orprojection. is so. disposed' and located andis ofV such a, dimensionthat. it never moves out ofthe aperture but always, in .both openv and closedpositons of thelpunch, extends intothe mentonedaperture.

While the paper punchof the inventionisap: plicable to many different, uses and is. embodied in variantiprms dependingi in part, upon such different uses, it hasbeen. successfully embodied and employedu as shownhenein and especiallrfor. use in connectionwith. a card of. the type. dis: closed in our @Depending application entitled Punch Card, ledebruary 1.1.., 1.94.9, With .Sell No'75,7'78. v

` The punch card,lpart ially, illustrated hereinin FigureI 3,- isa sheet 6 of suitable material yliaviifig an edge 'l` or' margin formed not only with1 angenf eral rectilinear boundary 8 but alsowith indentations 9' or-scallops or cut-out-portions locatedjace curately with respectV to* eachv other laterally, or transversely ofthe card and extending intothe edge? of the card a predetermined distance. The card usuallyY carries' further indicia, v not uillus-'- trated`- herein becausethey form`no part ofthe present invention; but which are 'relatedbypos'i tion to thenotched ori scalloped portions 9. The form ofthe card and its normal indicia are'such thatlsome of the card'is cut awayV or punchedoutfrom the edge in order to alterordesignate the` indiciaf or display and thereforeto alteror' change thedataindication of the card.

In accordance. with our invention, we utilize the' accurate relationship between the. indicia ilzresentV on the card (iv and the inden'tatiorisfer notches: 9 in connection-with our-punchlto aff j fd' an; 635%. Quick. and. accurate fdataindicatingcard structure.

The punch itself, for this purpose, includes generally a pair of levers I2 and I3 of the customary sort, crossed and articulated bv a pivot pin I4 in the usual fashion. The contour of the levers adjacent the pivot I4 is such that in one position, an open position, a stop I6 on one of the levers is engaged by a stop I1 on the other lever to limit their opening movement. The levers are normally urged into such open position by a coil spring I8 situated between the handles and held in position by projections I9 and 2I thereon. As so formed and arranged, the levers are movable between an open position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a closed position in which the handles of the levers I2 and I3 are close together.

In accordance with the invention, one of the levers. for example the lever I2, adiacent the pivot connection I4 is bifurcated or forked to provide a side wall 22 and a side wall 23. These walls are extended forwardly and downwardly to provide sides of a compartment 24 formed in the handle for the reception of punched out portions of cards. The lever is also provided with a rearward wall 26 for the compartment and in which a fastening 21 is fixed to secure in rotated position a cover plate 28 adapted to form the lower boundary of the compartment 24. A finger proiection 29 assists the user in swinging the plate 28 to one side when the contents of the compartment 24 are to be discharged.

The compartment is likewise bounded by a forward wall 3i, having a rounded nose 32. This extends to merge into an upper platform 33 not only providing an upper boundary for the compartment 24 but also providing a generally planar platform 34 approximately radial to thel axis oi the pivot pin I4. Part of the upper wall 33 is not co-planar with the forward platform 34 but rather is raised slightly, although it tapers rearwardly, to provide a forward ledge 36.

The upper wall 33 is not continuous but rather is interrupted or perforated or pierced to provide a through aperture 31 extending from the platform 34 into the compartment 24 and extending between the side walls 22 and 23. Preferably, the aperture 31 is given a standard contour, for example circular cylindrical, and in effect merges with the ledge 36. In order to afford a special or desired contour of the aperture for punch purposes. the upper wall 33 itself in its forward portion, at least, is somewhat enlarged to provide a socket 38 into which is pressed and positioned a female cutting member 39 having a circular cvlindrical outside contour but having a special inner cutting contour 4I, in this instance substantially a para-bola.

The parabolic cutting edge 4I is of such an extent that it is disposed laterally between the side walls 22 and 23, and extends longitudinally into the space 42 between the walls 22 and 23. Stated differently. the side walls 22 and 23 extend forwardly with respect to the planar platform 34 beyond the confines of the opening 4I and in fact end in upright faces 43 and 44 which are co-planar transversely of the card punch and extend substantially perpendicular to the planar face of the platform 34 so that the forward wall ends 43 and 44 serve accurately as abutments or stops.

The other lever I3 of the punch has a central finger 46 disposed between the side walls 22 and 23 and projecting forwardly between such walls to a point adjacent the aperture 31. The forward end of the finger is provided with an enlarged cutting head 41 having in a transverse crosssection a suitable shape, generally a parabolic contour approximately to nt the parabolic aperture 4I. While the shape illustrated in Figure 3 is preferred, other suitable and complementary shapes of the cutting head and of the die 39 can be readily provided. The cross-sectional shape of the cutting head 41 is extended as a surface of revolution about the axis of the pivot pin I4 so that as the handle I2 and I3 are squeezed together by the user, the cutting head 41 can move from its first or open position, entirely out of the aperture 31, into a second or closed position in which at least part of the cutting head extends into the aperture 31 or into the general zone of the die 39.

In the normal, open position of the punch, a card placed on the planar platform 34 and thrust toward the pivot pin I4 does not contact the cutting head 41 at all and is not stopped until it reaches the abutments 43 and 44. That relationship affords a longitudinal alignment between the card edge and the punch and provides for a. definite depth or longitudinal dimension of cut.

In accordance with our invention, we provide additional means for accurately positioning a card. Such means include a projection 5I depending from the cutting head 41 and in fact forming part of it in usual manufacture. The projection 5I in cross-sectional contour is preferably comparable to the die and, as shown, is of parabolic shape. It is of a sufficient extent always to have at least a portion lying within the aperture 31 below the cutting die 39 so that some part of the projection 5I is always in the path of a card inserted into the punch and being moved toward the abutments 43 and 44. The projection 5I is not itself a cutting member as its forward or leading edge is rounded parabolically as shown in Figure 3 especially. It is disposed equidistantly between the side walls 22 and 23 and extends in part ahead of the abutment walls 43 and 44 and in part behind them.

In the usual use of this punch, a card of the sort shown in Figure 3 is introduced into the space between the upper and lower levers, that is between the cutting die 39 and the enlarged head 41 until a notch 9 or scallop or cut-out portion of the card is in engagement with the projection 5I. Such interengagement between that projection and the card not only serves in addition to gage the depth of the punch to be made in the edge of the card but especially locates the punch laterally or transversely with respect to the card. Furthermore, in the initial engagement of the card with the punch, as soon as the card is in abutment with the walls 43 and 44, no rotation or polar movement of the card is possible. Except for a vertical motion, therefore, the card is exactly and entirely positioned. Since the notches 9 are slightly larger than the nose or leading edge 0f the projection 5I, even an unskilled operator simply by moving the punch along the straight edge of the card until the appropriate notch is encountered and then forcing the card and punch slightly closer together can readily locate the punch and the card with extreme accuracy both longitudinally and laterally comparable to the parabolic outline 4|. During that time, the depending projection 5l slides or in effect rotates against the notch 9 in the card thus maintaining the cards position from the time of original positioning of the card entirely through the cutting operation. It is thus not possible to displace the card and spoil the cut as to accuracy by accidently shifting or moving the punch as the cutting operation is progressing. As soon as the projection 41 has passed entirely into the cutting die 39, a part of the card has been severed and falls into the compartment 24 for later removal. Upon the severance of the portion corresponding to the outline 4l, the card itself is entirely free from the punch and the two are then readily separated.

We claim:

1. A card punch comprising a. pair of levers pivoted together for movement between an open position and a closed position, the first of said levers having a planar platform and a pair of laterally spaced transversely aligned abutments upstanding from said platform, there being an aperture in said platform in part disposed between said abutments, a cutting die mounted in said aperture flush with said platform, the second of said levers having a cutting head thereon in said open position being out of said die and in said closed position extending into said die, and a projection on said cutting head at the side adjacent the lever pivot and extending into said aperture outwardly of and between said abutments.

2. A card notching device, comprising: a pair position said notching device in predetermined position along the edge of said card.

"LE ROY M. osBoRNE.

BERGER. STOCKFLETH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 395,342 Nakashjian Jan. 1, 1889 1,667,985 Parnell May 1, 1928 1,909,360 Jorgenson et al. May 16, 1933 2,058,719 Pigman Oct. 2'7, 1936 2,224,226 Jensen Dec. 10, 1940 2,404,985 Rembold July 30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 130,494 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1929

Images