US2114259A - Punch - Google Patents

Description

A ril 12, 1938. c. D. TRUSSELL PUNCH Fiied June 1:5, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Clarence DTrusse/l AT ORNEY c. D." TRussEul PUNCH Filed June 13, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I. IHWHIII nan lIIHl I Ell/Mil mun U T g M Q L-z: R V I g T a \v I we i r I! Q gm iymv? T. 11 i l l' H w N am AT RNEY April 12, 1938.

C. D. TRUSSELL PUNCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Clarence D. Trussell BY w ME.

AT RNEY Filed June 13, 1935 Patented Apr. i2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUNCH Cisreneel).'lrusseli.lcughkcepsie,8.!.,assimorto-Trusseil company- Poughkeeplia N. Y, a causation of New York Application June 1:, ms, Serial No. cases 24 Claims.

This invention relates to power punches generally, but more particularly to punches such as accurately sage and punch the sheets and which will have a high production rate and can be economically operated.

Other particular objects of the invention are to enable the quick setting of the machine to operate on different size sheets and to cut different kinds and numbers of openings in the sheets.

Further objects and the noveifeatures of construction, combinations and relations of parts by which all such objects are attained, are set forth or will appear from the following specification.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrate one of the practical commercial embodiments of the invention. It should be understood however, that various structural changes and modifications may be made all within the true intent of the invention, as will be apparent from the broad scope of the claims.

- Fig. 1 is a broken. front elevation of a punch embodying the invention, for perforating sheets for loose leaf binders.

Fig. 2 is a View of machine.

Pig. 3 is a plan view substantially as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with the ram and other parts uncovered by removal of the top of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a broken horizontal sectional-view substantially as on the plane of line H of Fig. 2 and showing the parts as viewed from below the table.

Fig. 5 is a broken edge view of the table showing the back and side gages as registering a group of sheets.

the right hand end of this Fig. 6 is a broken vertical sectional view on a larger scale as on substantially the plane of line 6-8 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 7 is a broken part sectional front view. of

parts appearing after removal of the front plate of the machine. V

Fig. 8 is a broken view of the inner. face of the front plate and showing the mounting of the front ram guiding rollers therein- The base or frame of the machine here illustrated is shown in the form of a hollow pedestal l0, having a horizontal table supporting portion 1 i, and above that thespaced end portions ii, for the mounting of the ram and other parts.

The sheets are usually handled in a group or neck such as indicated at it. It is essential that the sheet or sheets be accurately r istered and located'with respect to the punch elements and in proper time to be acted on by such elements.

This is accomplished in the illustration through the coaction of two movable side gages and a back gage with a relatively fixed front gage.

In Fig. 3, the outer or movable back gage is indicated at ll, adjust aoly mounted on a slide l5, operating ina guide groove I6, in the top of the table I I, and the left and right hand side gages He indicated at II, I, adjustably mounted on slides 20, 2|, operating in opposed guideways 22, 23, in the. table top.

The fixed front gages are shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7, as a row of register pins 2!, set in the punch heads or holders 25, at the back' of the paper receiving recesses 28 therein.

The back and side gages are alike in having straight gaging edges 21, Fig. 5 of sumcient vertical extent to accommodate a group of sheets, with upwardly inclined inwardly projecting flanges II, to guide and direct the sheets against these cas ng edges. i

The side gages ll, is, are shown in Fig. 3 as of suflicient longitudinal extent to straighten and register any size sheet that might ordinarily be The adjustable mounting of the three movable v gages is the same in each case, involving the provision of the slide bars I5, 2., 2i, each with a central rib 2!, and the gages each with a groove 3l, to fit that rib, said gages also having portions 3i,' at opposite sides of the groove therein, riding in the guide grooves it, 22, 23, in which the slides are mounted. This construction assures the fix-- ing of the gages in proper relation on the slides and keeps them in alignment by guiding them in. the same grooves in which the slides operate.

Quick and simple adjustment of the gages on the operatim' slides is provided in the illustration, by having a series of spaced screw seats 32, .in each slide to take a clampscrew 33, extending down through a slot 34, in the gage, 'in the line'of adjustment. Upon loosening these screws, minor adjustments may be readily effected and for major adjustments, the clamp screws may be entirely removed and set in different screw holes in the slides. The slots ll may be of approximately the distance-between screw holes, so that considerable adjustment may be made-without having to take out the screws and preferably they will beat least long enough; in cooperation tending down from the slides through slots 41,

48, 49, in the table.

The three levers are inter-connected, so that motion imparted to one will accomplish move-.

ment of all three.

Lever 35 is the one which is mechanically operated in the present disclosure, it being shown as having a sprocket chain 58, connected therewith, extending down over a guide sprocket 5|, to the end of lever 52, pivoted on the stand at 53, and carrying a roll 54, in engagement with cam 55, on the end of a cross shaft 56, suitably journalled at the back of the pedestal. A spring 51 is shown connected with the cam lever to cause the roll to closely follow the cam. It will be noted that this construction is effective only to pull the gage operating lever 35, in the retracting or gage opening direction.

Movement of the gage levers in the reverse, closing direction is eflected in the present construction by coiled springs 58, 59, 68, connected with these levers and anchored to split abutment nuts 8|, 62, 63, adjustably clamped on the lower threaded ends of the pivot studs 38, 39, 48, by securing screws 64.

The inter-linking of the three gage levers is accomplished in the illustration by a link 65, pivoted at one end to the actuated lever 35 at a point 66, adjoining the chain connection 58, and

pivoted at its opposite end to an arm 61, extended beyond the pivotal center of lever 36, thus to effect reverse movements of the second lever; and by a roll 68 on an arm extension 69 of the first lever engaging an arm'extension 18 of the third lever 31, thus to effect retractive movement of the back gage in time with the spreading or opening movement of the side gages.

If desired, the closing movement of one of the side gages may be determined by a fixed stop, as by having the actuating lever for this gage engage a stop pin 1|, Fig. 4, on the underside of the table and in such case, the link connection 65 between the two side gage levers may have lost motion at one end as shown at 12, to permit suflicient independence of gage movement in the second side gage. The one way engagement at 68,

18, between the first side gage lever and the back gage lever 31, with proper adjustment of the back gage, leaves this gage member with a certain freedom of action in the gaging direction, independent of the first lever. The springs which close the gage levers may be independently set to properly cooperate in effecting the necessary inter-relation and if desired, a certain independence of operation, such as described.

The punch mechanism is operated from the same shaftwhich opens the gages. The cross shaft 56, which carries the gage cam 55, at one end, carries at its opposite end a crank 13, approximately at the center of the machine, Fig. 1, with which is engaged a pitman 14, pivoted at its upper end at 15, to the longer, rearwardly extending arm of a rocker 16. The pitman or crank rod 14, is shown as having an intermediate turnbuckle section 11; providing adjustment for locating the punch position as may be required.

The forward'shorter arm of the punch rocker has secured to it a series of spaced pivot blocks 18, receiving the tubular pivots 19, on which are hung the ram sections 88. These latter are indicated as operating between individual guide rollers 8|, at the front and a single long continuous guide roll 82, at the back. The ram sections are indicated as having in their lower faces the aligning undercut grooves 83, forming a continuous keyway for reception of the heads 84, of the punch plungers 85. These plungers are slidingly keyed at 86, in the punch blocks 25, and have suitably shaped punch elements 81, cooperating with the die plates 88, Fig. 6.

With this construction, the holders or blocks -may be shifted to various positions transversely of the machine and the punch plungers be engaged with different sections of the ram.

' To assure proper alignment of the punch blocks and aid in positioning same, they are shown as being grooved in their upper ends at 89, to receive a locating bar 98, carried by the front plate 9|, of the machine. The individual punch blocks are shown as having clamp screws 92, to grip this locating bar.

Clamp levers 93, engage over the base portions of the punch blocks and these are adjustably secured by holddown bolts 94, engaged in the undercut way 95, in the base of the machine.

The construction described enables any necessary adjustments and substitution of parts to be readily made. The front plate 9| is removably secured at 96, to the front of the side members I2,

of the frame and can be readily taken off to expose the sectional ram and adjustable punch blocks as at Fig. '1. The ram sections are deflnitely spaced by having the lugs 91, which receive the hinge tubes, fit closely in between the hinge blocks 18. Set screws 98,. are shown for fixing the ram sections, to the hinge tubes, so that the latter will pivot in the bearings provided in the hinge blocks. The hinge tubes, in more or less close fitting abutting engagement, Fig. 7, form a substantially continuous conduit and chamber for lubricant which may be supplied through an oil cup 99, or the like, Fig. 3, fixed in one end tube, the opposite end tube being suitably closed as by a plug I88. Oil grooves I8I, may be cut in the abutting ends of the hinge tubes to admit lubricant to the surrounding bearings in the intermepunch load. Screws I84, secure them in this keyed relation and enable quick and easy removal.

The front ram guiding rollers 8| are shown in Figs. 6 and 8 as positioned in bearings I85, formed in the inner face of the removable front plate 9|, and the punch block locating bar 98, is illustrated as secured to the inner face of this front plate below these bearings.

Angularly shaped guides I86, are shown as adjustably and removably secured by screws I81, Figs. 6 and '7, to the punch blocks in position to surely guide and strip the packs of sheets fed into the punches.

The back guide roll 82 for the ram sections is indicated as journalled at its ends at I88, directly in the side members I2. The shaft I89, on which the rocker is journalled is fixedly mounted in these same side members. The rocker 16, is indicated in Figs. 3 and 6, as chambered at II8, to hold lubricant for the bearing portions of the same riding on the supporting shaft I09.

The combined cam and crank shaft 56, is operated in the present disclosure from a short shaft III, Figs. 1 and 2, rimning from front to back of the machine and carrying a worm I I 2, in engagement with a worm gear II3, on shaft 56. ,At'the front, the worm shaft is shown as having a pulley or series of pulleys Ill, for belt drive from the motor 5,. and at the back this shaft carries a fly wheel I I I5. The two angularly disposed shafts are indicated as both journalled in the same worm gear casing III, which thus affords bearing support and lubrication facilities for both shafts. This arrangement is particularly compact with the drive from one shaft to the other, intermediate the ends of the shafts and the ends of the shafts exposed, the first one to carry the belt pulley and fly wheel and the secondflone to carry the ram operating crank and the gage operating cam.

A top board or plate I I8, is indicated as removably secured at 9, over the upper ends of the side members i2, as a cover for the rocker and ram mechanism. The ready removability of this top board provides quick access to these parts for inspection or other purposes and the removal of the front plate 9|, provides practically complete access to all the punch mechanism. After removal of the top member and loosening the screws 92, clamping the punch blocks to the locat ing bar 90, the front panel SI, may be released and then lifted up from the punch blocks and thus removed without disturbing the fastening down of the punch blocks on the base. I

The making of the ram in sections simplifies manufacture, since these parts are usually of hardened steel. The same is true of the sectional pivot tube and the pivot blocks for the ram.

Grooves I2 I, Fig. 3, are shown'provided in the table top for receiving the fingers in picking the sheets up off the table. The back and side gages open far enough tofreely receive the sheet or group of sheets forwhich theyhave been set and the'back gage quicklyadvances the sheet or sheetswhile the sidegages are registering and centering them.

By reason of this cooperative action, no special skill is required, it merely being necessary that the sheets be placed somewhere within the opened back and side gages. The parts are timed so that the punch comes down immediately the sheets are located, thus providing maximum production. The operator merely has to lay the sheets within the open gages and then remove the punched material. These are safe, easy operations that can be quickly performed. The machine is particu!- larly accurate because both side edges are gaged and because the gages yieldingly feel and square up the edges of the stack through the medium of the gage closing springs. The positive motion of the cam opens the gages and the parts preferably are set so that the cam will not delay or impede the gage closing movements efiected by the springs. Non-interference of this sort may be assured by actually having a certain amount of slack 'irn the gage opening" chain 50, in the gaging position of the parts, substantially as indicated inFig. 1.

The front of the hollow base is shown as having a hinged door I20, providing ready access for belt changing or other-purposes. If'desired, the back of thebase may be closed in to cover the rocker spirit of theinvention and within the broad scope of the following claims. Thus instead of the row of pins 24, the front gage may be formed by a continuous bar either fixedly or adjustably secured at the back of the paper receiving groove 26, in the punch heads or holders 25. Also the stripper may be a rigid piece secured in the top of the paper receiving recess, instead of an angularly bent piece of spring metal, such as indicated at I06, in Fig. 6.

At times, particularly for some special work, it may be desirable to convert the machine from an automatic to a fixed gage press. This may be accomplished in the present disclosure by simply retracting one of the side gages and securing it in such retracted position, where it and the other connected side gage and back gage will not be affected by the gage operating cam.

In the construction illustrated, there is provided 'a shouldered hand screw I22, Fig. 3, which, after the left hand slide 29 has been retracted, can be inserted through an opening I23, in that slide into a screw seat I24, in the table. position, this slide will be withdrawn beyond the extreme limit of retraction ordinarily accomplished by the cam and lever mechanism. Consequently, this and the other gage slides will stand still while the cam 55 and the lever 52 oscillated thereby simply operate idly, the chain 50 permitting this idle oscillation.

In order that the hand screw I22 be alwa available for the quick conversion of the machine from automatic to fixed gage operation, the front panel SI is shown as having a screw seat I25, for this screw in position above the left hand gage slide, so as to be readily associated therewith.

The securing of one gage slide, through the interconnection of the slide operating levers at the underside of the table, effects the securing of. all three gage slides.

Consequently any one or any combination of the three gages may then be employed in using the machine, the gage or gages to be used being. secured in desired adjusted relation on its or their slide or slides.

The fly wheel H6, at the back of the machine may be used as a hand wheel for turning the machine over in making preliminary adjustments of the gages and other parts. Operation of the gages from the same mechanism which drives the punches assures proper cooperation and timing and the structure is such that punches and gages may be readily set for different desired operations. 7

While the operation of the gages issuch as to require no special care, other than to place the sheets within the open gages, the combined In such operation of punch and gages is such that for the most eflicient results the operator should have in convenient reach a stack of sheets to be punched and, in equally convenient position, a holder to receive the punched sheets. .Accordingly, the machine is preferably equipped, as indicated particularly in Figs. v1 and 3, with a so-called stacker I26, at the right hand side of the feed table II, for holding a supply of sheets in orderly arrangement to be quickly grasped by one hand and a receiving stacker I21, at the opposite'side of the table in position to hold and stack the sheets which have been punched.

These supply and receiving stackers are mounted soas not to interfere with the operations of the gages and this is accomplished in the present disclosure by securing them on clamps I28, I29, slotted at I", to fit over the opposite 7 edges of the table and provided with screws I3I, by which they may be held in variously adjusted angular relations on the table. As shown particularly in Fig. 1, the body portions of these clamps are high enough to support the stackers above the level of the gages, so as not to interfere with the operation of the gages even in the maximum opening adjustments of the latter.

By preference, the stackers are open sided boxes, such as illustrated, having flat bottoms I32, and two angularly related back and end walls I33, I34, arranged as in Fig. '3, on convergent inclines toward the punch head and with the open front and outer ends toward the operator who ordinarily is stationed directly in front of the table in-line with the gages.

To aid the operator in grasping the top sheets without disturbing the rest of the stack, the supply stacker may be constructed with the back wall I33, inclined forwardly, so as to offset the top of the stack toward the operator, substantially as indicated. This arrangement also enables the operator to readily and quickly select the desired number of sheets for each punch operation. Also as indicated in Fig. 3, the end wall I34, of the feed or supply stacker need not be full length, to give greater clearance for the quick removal of the sheets'from the top of. the stack. This same construction may be followed in the receiving stacker.

The clamp constructions permit the stackers to be quickly removed and replaced and enable either one or both stackers to be readily set at diflerent angles and in different positions on the table to best suit a. particular operator and in accordance with size of sheets, etc. This arrangement of supply stacker at one side of the gages and receiving stacker at the opposite side, enables an operator to quickly remove the desired number of sheets and place them within the gages, with one hand, and then with the other hand to pick up the punched sheets and lay them in reversed order in the receiving stacker, thus keeping the sheets in the original order. In the receiving stacker they may be quickly trued up at any time by simply pressing on the exposed corner of the stack in that holder.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a reciprocating punch, .a fixed front gage associated therewith, a movable back gage for advancing material to said front gage, movable side gages for engaging opposite side edges of the material and common mechanism for operating said three movable gages and said punch in timed relation, including a single shaft having a crank connection at one end with the punch and a cam connection at the opposite end with the movable gages, said shaft worm intermediate its ends engaging said worm gear and a' drive pulley on one end and a fly wheel at the opposite end of the same.

2. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of a gage slide, mechanical means for shifting same in a gage retracting direction, spring means for yieldingly shifting said gage slide in the opposite, gage closing direction and means for securing said gage slide retracted in a position beyond the range of operation of said mechanical gage opening means.

3. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of a material supporting table, a movable gage operating thereover, actuating means for said gage, said gage having a separable relation to said actuating means, a readily removable member for holding the gage stationary and separated from said actuating means, said member being removably associated with said gage and a support for said removable member adjacent said table for holding said member when not in service in readily accessible position, convenient to said gage.

4. A p oh of the character disclosed, comprising n combination a rocker, a ram pivotally connected therewith, guide means for said ram, 9. locating bar carried by said ram guide means, punch blocks grooved to receive said locating bar and thereby definitely positioned with respect to said ram, means for securing said punch blocks at different positions along said locating bar, plungers in said punch blocks engageable with said ram in said different positions along the locating bar, material gaging mechanism adjustable in respect to said punch plungers and common means for operating said separately adjustable punch and gage mechanism in definitely timed relation.

5. In a punch of the character disclosed, a frame having side members, a rocker. journalled between said side members, a roll journalled between said side members, a ram pivoted to said rocker and guided at one side against said roll, a front plate secured to said side members over the ram, a roller journalled on said front plate for confining the ram against said roll, a table connected with said side members, a movable gage operating over said table and common means for actuating said rocker and movable gage in definitely timed relation.

6. A punch of the character disclosed, comprising a reciprocating ram, 9. headstructure in which the ram is guided, a rocker mounted in said head structure for operating said ram, punch blocks, punches in said blocks detachably engageable with said ram, means for positioning and securing the outer portions of said punch blocks in said head structure, means .for adjustably securing the inner portions of said punch blocks in saidhead structure, front gage means carried by said punch blocks, movable side and back gages in cooperative relation to said front gage means and common drive means for actuating said rocker and movable gages in definitely timed relation. I

7. In a punch, a table, a front stop for gaging material on the table, a punch element for operating on material against said front stop, opposed side gages mounted for sliding movement over the table, a back gage slidingly mounted on the table in opposition to the front gage, interconnected levers at the imderside of said table and connected with said movable back and side gages, independently tensioned springs acting on said levers for shifting the back and side gages in a material gaging direction and mechanical means connected with one of said levers for operating the gages in the reverse direction.

8. In a punch, a table, a front stop for gaging material on the table, a punch element for operating on material against said front stop, opposed side gages mounted for sliding movement over the table, a back gage slidingly mounted onthe table .in opposition to the front gage, interconnected levers at the underside of said table and con- 'nected with said movable back and side gages,

the gages in the reverse direction, the table having guide channels therein and said gages including slides operating in said channels and gage elements adjustably secured on said slides.

9, In combination, a work table, movable gages for positioning work on said table, levers pivoted beneath said table and connected with said gages, springs operating on said ,levers for effecting movement of the gages in the material gaging direction, a cam, a lever operated thereby, a flexible connection from said lever to one of the gage levers for shifting the latter in a gage retracting direction and connections between the gage levers, whereby movement of the one lever by said flexible connection will impart movement to another of the gage levers. I

10. In combination, a work table, studs at the underside of said table, levers pivoted on said studs, spring abutments adjustably secured on connected with said levers.

11. A combination as in claim 10, in which said connecting means between the levers includes mechanism imparting definite movement to all the gages in an opening direction and permitting independently variable movement of the gages in the closing direction.

12. A punch of the character disclosed, comprising in combination a hollow base, a motor in the bottom of said base, a rearwardly extending shaft journalled in the base and having a drive connection from the motor on the forward end of the same, a fly wheel on the rearward end of said shaft, a worm on the shaft intermediate the ends of the same, a cross shaft at the back of the base having a worm gear intermediate the ends of the same in mesh with said worm, a crank on the inner end of said worm gear shaft at a substantially central portion of the machine, a cam on the outer end of said shaft, a rocker mounted in the upper portion of the machine, a

pitman connection from said rocker to said crank, a ram operated by said rocker, a punch element connected with said ram, a lever operated by said cam, a front gage associated with the punch, movable side and backgages in oooperative relation with said' front gageand connections from said cam lever for imparting movement to said movable side and back gages.

. 13. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of a front stop for gaging material, a back gage for advancing material to said front stop, opposed side gages for positioning material laterally with respect'to said front stop and back gage, levers connected with said mov-' able back and side gages, independently tensioned springs acting on said levers for shifting the back and side gages in a material gaging direction, mechanical means connected with one of said levers for operating the gages in the reverse relation and connecting means between the levers for forcing definite movement to all the gages in the opening direction and for permitting the independently variable movement of the gages in the closing direction.

14. In a machine of the character disclosed, a work table, a movable back and opposite side gages operable thereover, a stop for limiting the closing movement of one of said side gages, spring means for shifting said side gage to the extent permitted by said stop, mechanical means for shifting said side gage in the reverse direc-' tion, spring means for shifting the other side gage and back gage in the closing direction and connections from said mechanical operating means for opening said other side gage and movable back gage, said connections having lost motion to permit independent closing movements of said other side gage and back gage.

15. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of a feed table, oppositely operating slides on said feed table, side gages adjustably connected with said oppositely acting slides, a slide between said oppositely acting slides and operating at a right angle thereto, a back gage adjustably connected with said right angle acting slide and means for actuating said slides to bring said back and side gages into cooperative relation with material on said feed table.

16. In a machine of the character disclosed, a feed table, movable back and side gages operable thereover, a stop for definitely limiting the closing movement of one of said gages and operating means for said gages including connections with lost motion enabling movement of one gage independently of said fixed movement of said first mentioned gage.

17. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of a feed table for supporting a stack of superimposed sheets, a front gage at the forward edge of said table for positioning the forward edges of a stack of sheets advanced over the table, oppositely operating reciprocating slides at the sides of said feed table, side gages connected with said oppositely acting slides for registering the side edges of a stack of sheets on the table, a reciprocating slide at the back of the table and operating substantially at a right angle to said side gage slides, a back gage connected tioning the forward edges of a stack of sheets on the table, oppositely acting gages at the sides of the table having substantially straight vertical edges for gaging the side edges of a stack of sheets and having upwardly inclined inwardly projecting flanges to confine and direct the sheets against said substantially straight vertical gaging edges, a back gage between and operating substantially at a right angle to said side gages and having a substantially vertical edge for engaging the back edges of a stack of sheets and advancing the same to said front gage and means for actuating said oppositely acting side gages and said back gage in definitely timed relation.

19. In a machine ,of the character disclosed, the combination of a feed table for supporting a stack of superimposed sheets, a front gage at the forward edge of said table for positioning the forward edges of a stack of sheets advanced over the table, oppositely operating reciprocating slides at the sides of said feed table, side gages connected with said oppositely acting slides for registering the side edges of a stack of sheets on the table, a reciprocating slide at the back of the table and operating substantially at a right angle to said side gage slides, a back gage connected with said back slide, means for enabling relative adjustment of said gages to effect registration of all four sides of a stack of sheets deposited on the table between the opened gages, actuating means for said reciprocating slides operating to close the side gages toward each other and to close the stack of loosely superimposed sheets, a front gage at the forward edge of said table for positioning the forward edges of a stack of sheets advanced over the table, oppositely operating reciprocating side gages having substantially vertical edges extending upwardly from the table surface for registering the side edges of a stack of sheets on the table between said side gages, a reciprocating back gage operating substantially at a right angle between said side gages and having a substantially vertical edge rising from the table surface for engaging and registering the back edges of a stack of sheets in the act of advancing said sheets to the front gage, operating mechanism for said side and back gages, including means for approaching the side gages as the back gage advances the sheets to the front gage, resilient means for relatively closing the side gages and a fixed stop for limiting the. closing movement of one of said side gages.

21. In a machine of the character disclosed,

vthe combination of a feed table for supporting a stack of loosely superimposed sheets, a front gage at the forward edge of said table for posi-' surface for engaging and registering the back edges of a stack of sheets in the act of advancing said sheets to' the front gage, operating mechanism for said side and back gages, including means for approaching the side gages as the back gage advances the sheets to the front gage, resilient means for relatively closing the side gages,

a fixed stop for limiting the closing movement of one of said side gages, a punch located to operate on a stack of sheets so registered and advanced over the feed table and operating means for lowering said punch as the sheets are positioned and registered against said front gage and for raising said punch as the gages are opened.

22. A machine for feeding, accurately registering and punching a stack of registered sheets, comprising a stationary feed table, a front gage at the forward edge of said feed table for positioning the forward edges of a stack of superimposed sheets on the table, a punch overstanding said front gage for operating on a stack of sheets registered against said front gage, oppositely operating reciprocating side gages at opposite sides of said feed table, a reciprocating back gage between and operating at substantially a right angle to said side gages, said movable side gages and back gage having substantially vertical edges rising from 'saidtable surface for registering a 5 plurality of superimposed sheets deposited on the table between the opened gages, means for operating said side gages and back gage to advance and register a stack of sheets on the table in definite position against the front gage and operating 10 means for lowering the punch as the stack of sheets is registered against the front gage and for raising the punch to release the stack of sheets upon opening movement of the gages as described.

23. A machine for feeding, accurately register- 15 ing and punching a stack of registered sheets, comprising a stationary table for supporting a stack of loose sheets, a front gage at the forward edge of said table for definitely positioning the forward edges of a stack of sheets on the 20 from said front gage, reciprocating side gages 25 operating oppositely over said stationary table in front of said back gage, means for operating said back gage to advance a stack of sheets deposited on the table into engagement with said front gage, means for'advancing said side gages 30.

toward each other to register the opposite side edges of a stack of sheets on the table thus advanced by the back gage and means for lowering the punch as the stack of sheets is so advanced and registered and for raising the punch 35 in definitely timed relation to the opposite sheet releasing movement of said reciprocating gages.

24. A machine for automatically feeding and registering a loose stack of sheets and for punching the stack when registered. in accurately 40 aligned order, comprising a stationary table for receiving and supporting a loose stack of the sheets deposited loosely thereon, a front gage at the forward edge of said table for definitely positioning the forward edges of such a stack of 43 sheets on the table, a punch overstanding said front gage for operating on such a stack of sheets when registered against said front gage, a reciprocating back gage movable over said stationary table toward and away from said. front gage,

oppositely disposed relatively movable side gages over said stationary table at the front of said movable back gage, means for reciprocating said back gage to advance a stack of sheets so deposited on the table into engagement with said front gage and to retract said back gage away from the front gage to provide space on the table in front of said back gage and between said front and back gages for reception of a loose stack of sheets, means for effecting relative approach and separation of said side gages toward and away from each other to register the opposite side edges of a stack of sheets on the table between the front and back gages and to open to leave space on the table for a loose stack of sheets between timed relation to the opposite stack disengaging relative opening movement of said gages.

CLARENCE D. 'I'RU'ssELL.

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