US2684715A - Skip bar cutter - Google Patents

Description

July 27, 1954 R MYERS I l I 2,684,715

SKIP BAR CUTTER Filed April 16, 1952' 2 Sheets-Sheet l 46 M @FQ-'1- IN V EN TOR.

. Raglfr'lyod L. myers Qq'm w July 27, 1954 I R MYERS 2,684,715

SKIP BAR CUTTER Filed April 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 bo Pg- 5 l I 5,4 f@ 19 55 i l 'j' u 16 (t) l i fj K d 33 i Q0 '1HlllIllllllllllllllH-mIllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVIIII l IH l"5` 4I7` ,"IO D 5 30. /3`5"4"45 50 55 60 55 11/ I-l IN V EN TOR.

Ragmgyncl L. mgevs Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES @ATENT FICE SKIP BAR CUTTER Raymond L. Myers, Holden, Mass., assignor to The Wright Line, Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a skip bar cutter, and more particularly to a device for cutting notches in the edge of a bar which determines the position of the carriage in a key punch machine.

A key punch machine of standard type is used for punching holes in cards in desired locations according to data that is to be tabulated thereon. The skip bar has notches cut in its edge, corresponding with the tabular stops on a standard typewriter, which determine the location of the 'card positioning carriage. That is, the skip bar and associated mechanism on the machine insures that the card may be punched only in locations where one of the notches in the skipbear is positioned in a denite relation to the punch. The machine jumps or skips automatically'from one notch to another so that no time is wasted in moving the carriage to the next punching position. Thus the operator may punch the card in locations determined exactly by `these notches, and the card may not be punched when the high spots of the skip bar are located opposite the punch.

To make this skip bar, it has heretofore been required that the notches be cut relative to a scale marking on the card and that the operator use a sharp pointed scriber or stylus to mark the bar in locations related to the card markings where the punch marks are to be cut out. Thereafter the operator fastens the bar in a vise and les out the slots in accordance with the scribed markings. This is a laborious and time-wasting operation and requires considerable attention and skill on the part of the operator.

The primary object of this invention is to overcome that problem and to provide a cutting device which may be used readily and quickly -for punching the skip bar notches with precision.

For a standard machine it is required that `the skip bars have notches representing two levels or what are termed low and high bar cuts. A further object of this invention is to provide a device which will serve to cut both the high and low bar notches with accuracy.

Another object is to provide a simple device which will cut elongated notches readily and accurately. Further objects will be apparent in the following disclosure.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a typical skip bar having high and low bar notches as well as elongated notches cut in desired locations;

A, Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation of one form of a machine punch adapted for cutting the bar;

Fig. 3 is a disassembled sectional View of the skip bar and an associated scale bar which serve for locating the positions of the notches to be cut;

Fig. i is a top plan View of the machine work table with the bars located thereon in a high bar cutting position, this view being partly broken away to show the lever pivot;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 which shows the skip bar located for cutting a low bar notch;

Fig. 6 is a similar View with the skip bar arranged at an angle for cutting an elongated high bar notch; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view for cutting a short flat bottomed notch in a low bar position.

This invention pertains primarily to the manufacture of skip bars which are made of an easily cuttable material, such as a synthetic plastic or a resinoid cemented cloth or other iibrous material. A suitable plastic or resinoid may be a phenol formaldehyde condensation product, and the bar may be made of layers of cloth cemented together and embedded in the resinoid. This skip bar It is shown in Fig. 1 as a typical shape having all of the dilTerent types of notches out therein. It is removably aixed to a metal scale bar ll having a straight edge, with the scale edge and the operative edge of the skip bar in a parallel relationship and which are so arranged that the skip bar may have notches cut in it in accordance with positions indicated by the scale on the bar l l. To this end the scale bar Il may be made as a strip of steel or other suitable material and provided with desired markings adjacent its edge which correspond with the markings of the various positions on the tabulating card to be punched. The scale bar is provided with a rivet forming a projecting peg l2 adapted to t snugly in a locating hole 3 on the skip bar, and with a further projecting peg i4 to be tted into a slot I5 in the skip bar. The pegs are made of different diameters so that the skip bar can be located on the scale bar only in a proper position. As shown in Fig. 4, the skip bar projects laterally beyond the scale bar to an extent which provides for cutting the deepest notch needed. Thus the two parts may be locked together and moved as a unit although readily taken apart.

The notches represented on the top portion of the bar in Fig. 1 are cut by means of a punch lli (Fig. 2) which is mounted for vertical reciprocation in a suitable punch press. The punch i6 is shown as a long member of a uniform substantially rectangular cross section, but with slightly rounded corners so as to make a better cut in the plastic or fibrous material of the skip bar. This elongated cutter or punch it is vertically reciprocable in a triangular slot in the press frame Il' and held therein by two straps I3 and I9 bent to provide triangular' grooves and suitably attached to the frame Il, as by set screws. The lower strap is shaped to provide a downwardly projecting pointer 2t located exactly opposite the front corner of the punch It, which thus serves as an indicating guide. The punch projects above the retaining framework to a posi tion where it is engaged by a handle lever 2| pivoted at 22 on a pin on the lever by a bearing in the upwardly projecting lug 23 of the frame. The near end of the lever 2| rides in a vertical slot behind the retaining lug 2c on the frame. By lifting the lever to a vertical position, it may have its pivot pin 22 inserted in the bearing hole in the upright 23. A spring 25 surrounds the shank of the punch or cutter i6 between a shoulder 26 on the U shaped front portion of the frame and a collar 2l iixed on the cutter and tends to hold the cutter in an upward position against the weight of the hand lever. When the skip bar is to be punched, a downward blow on the end of the handle lever 2l will thrust the punch downwardly with sun cient force to cut the required notch in the skip bar. For that purpose the skip bar is on the table 3i! of the frame of the punch device. The table is provided with a suitable opening therethrough so shaped that the punch may enter it and insure severing the skip bar niaterial. The punch press may also be provided with a U shaped member 3| projecting downwardly beneath the table 3i! which has a suitable screw clamp 32 for clamping the table 36 onto any suitable surface, such as a table or desk. Various constructional features may be employed by a mechanic skilled in the art for mounting and operating the punch press.

A primary feature of this invention lies in cutting the high and low bar cuts or notches on the skip bar. A low bar cut is a deep notch, such as the notch 33 (Fig. l) and a high bar cut is a more shallow notch, such as the notch 3ft. The bottoms of all high bar notches are to lie in a given plane parallel with the front edge fil of the skip bar, and the low bar notches are out to a deeper plane parallel with the first. To that end, the punch press is provided with a movable and replaceable steel bar 35 which has two downwardly projecting cylindrical rivet pins 3G and 3'! (like the corresponding parts on bar il) which are adaptedv to be mounted in holes 3B and 39 (Fig. 5) drilled in the top of the table 30. These holes hold the bar in a forward position with its front edge 45 serving as a straight edge for holding and guiding the straight front edge 4l of the skip bar that is to have high bar notches cut therein. That is, the assembly of scale bar and skip bar, which have previously been clamped together, may be laid against the front locating edge 4i! oi the iixed bar 35 with the skip bar on the bottom and resting on the table Sil, and then the assembly may be moved as desired relative to the pointer 2E! which is in front of and indicates the center front edge of the substantially rectangular cutter it. Hence, if the scale bar is located with one scale marking opposite that point 20, then the skip bar may have a notch cut in its exposed or projecting portion in an exact position which will correspond with a like numbered position on the card that is to be subsequently punched by the key punch machine. Thus, by moving the scale bar and its projecting skip bar to various positions, notches may be cut as required.

These locating holes 38 and 33 provide for cutting high bar or shallow notches. If a deeper or low bar notch is to be cut, such as the notch 33 (Fig. l), then the locating bar 35 is moved back so that its pegs 36 and 3'.' fit into two holes d2 and 43 respectively that have been drilled in the top of the table 39 of the machine. A center line through these holes is spaced by an exact distance back of a line passing through the centers oi the front holes 35 and 3'! so that the skip bar and its scale bar may be moved forward towards the punch and the punch will therefore cut a deeper notch. Hence, to cut shallow or deep notches, the locating bar is adjusted to either a front line position as indicated in Fig. 4 or to the rear line position of Fig. 5 for cutting a low bar deep notch 33.

For certain uses of the key punch machine, it is desired that the notch be elongated or extend for a considerable distance along the skip bar, such as the notches d5 (Fig. l). To this end, l provide the table Bil with a further sell 0f holes 13'! and it (Fig. el) arranged at 45 degrees to the center line of holes 3B and 39, which are adapted to determine a front or high bar cut and other holes d and E which determine low bar cuts. The center lines of holes :il and llii and oi holes 5.3 and 53 are parallel, as shown particularly in Figs. l and 5, and they are so arranged that the movable locating bar 35 may have its projecting pegs or pins 36 and 3i located in one ci these two sets of holes in the table top 35i. in that case, the skip bar and its scale be turned into the positions of Fig. 6 or 7 or substantially at 45 degrees to its positions oi Figs, 4 and 5. Thus, when the punch is operated, its side :tace 5:2 will punch a flat or straight line surface parallel with the front edge of the skip bar. Thus, if one is to make the elongated shallow high bar notch l5 at the left hand end of Fig. l, two notches are punched in the end positions of that elongated notch while the skip bar is in the front position of Fig. 4. When all such end notches have been made as required, the locating bar 35 and the assembled skip bar and scale bar are moved into the position of Fig. 6 so that by operating the handle of the punch press the flat edge 52 of the punch can be made to punch the straight edge end portion of the bottom part of the notch 45. Then the bar is moved far enough along to punch a second or third portion and thus cut out the uncut part between the end notches that denne the position of the elongated notch 1.5. lf it is desired to cut an elongated dat edged notch in a low bar position, such as the portion 53 of Fig, 1, then the locating bar is moved from the first set of holes lil' and i8 to the second or rear set of holes ai! and 5t (Figs. i and?) so that the skip bar is moved closer toward the center of the punch, and operation of the punch will cause it to cut the flat surface of Fig. 1 as is indicated primarily in Fig. '7.

It will now be appreciated that one may leave the skip bar in the position of Fig. 4 and cut all of the high bar notches as required, and then move the locating bars 35 to the second position of Fig. 5 and cut deeper notches or low bar cuts. Then the locating bar 35 may be moved to the i5 degree position of either Fig. 6 or Fig. 7 to cut the elongated shallow ordeep portions of. the notchesas needed.

Various modifications may be made in this device for cutting notches in the straight edge of a dat skip bar. For example, the guide bar 35 may be movably mounted on the table 30 by interchanging the pegs and holes of the two parts or by otherwise adjustably swiveling or mounting the bar, as will be understood. Primarily, that guide bar 35 provides a straight edge against which the removably assembled unit of the skip bar and its associated scale bar may be held manually and slid along to any desired position as indicated by the scale marker 20. The scale bar l I and the skip bar i 9 have straight edges adapted to be held in parallelism so that they may be adjustably moved along that locating or guide bar 35 and be held in a proper position for outting the notch. The steel guide bar 35 has a notch 54 of suitable shape and dimensions, so that the guide bar may be moved lengthwise between the two positions of either of its sets of peg holes so as not to interfere with the operation of a cutting tool. That cutting tool has its two front faces arranged preferably at right angles to each other, and in that case the locating holes 4'? to 55 are arranged to provide center lines for the Various sets of holes which are parallel with the side face 52 of the cutter so as to make the hat bottomed notch. It will be understood that the line connecting the centers of holes 58 and 39 is parallel to the center line connecting the centers of holes 42 and 43. Similarly the center Yline oi the set of holes ll'! and 48 is parallel to the center line of holes 49 and 59. The two sets of holes are oiiset longitudinally of the guide bar 35, but this merely requires moving the guide bar lengthwise as well as laterally to position it as required. The guide bar is readily slipped into place behind the cutting tool i6 and oriented as needed.

The operation of the device has been described and need not be amplied. By this device it is now possible to cut a skip bar accurately and quickly, in accordance with markings on the scale bar which match those of the card to be punched on the key punch machine. After making all needed shallow notches for the position of Fig. 4, the guide bar may be moved to any of the positions of Figs. 5, 6 and 7 and the notches then completed. Y

It will now-be appreciated that the above disclosure of a preferred embodiment of this invention is not to be interpreted as imposingY limitations on the appended claims.

I claim:

l. .A skip bar notching device comprising a reciprocable cutting tool having two cutting edges arranged at an angle for cutting a notch, a straight edged skip bar, a Itable for supporting the skip bar opposed to the tool, means for reciprocating the tool to out the bar, a straight edged scale bar, means for removably attaching the two bars as an assembled unit having their straight edges parallel and the skip bar projecting laterally beyond the scale bar by at least the depth of a notch to be out, a guide bar which provides a straight edge against which the assembled unit may be slidably held on the table, locating members on the guide bar, parts on the table cooperating with the locating members which hold the skip bar alternatively only in one of four fixed positions, two for holding its front edge in parallel positions and so located that a V- shaped notch of one of two 'depths may be cut in the skip bar, and two for locating the bar at a fixed angle relative to the V notched positions and only at one of two distances relative to and parallel with the straight side of the cutter so that the cutter may out an elongated notch whose bottom edge is straight and parallel with the front edge of the skip bar, and a marker for locating the scale bar relative to the cutting tool.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the guide bar has two ixably spaced projecting pegs and the table has four sets of aligned holes for positioning said pegs only in one of said four positions, two primary sets having their center lines parallel and arranged to locate the guide bar edge alternatively in one of two parallel positions for cutting either deep or shallow V-shaped notches in the skip bar, and the other two sets of peg holes having their center lines parallel and arranged at an angle to the primary sets and parallel with one cutting edge of the tool so that a shallow or a deep iiat bottomed notch may be out in the skip bar.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 118,419 Wood Aug. 22, 1871 352,683 Everest Nov. 16, 1886l 1,531,287 Jensen Mar. 31, 1925 1,594,155 Dunfey July 27, 1926 1,736,143 Townsend Nov. 19, 1929 2,076,436 Nelson Apr. 6, 1937 2,192,531 Grady Mar. 5, 1940 2,502,056 Million Mar. 28, 1950

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