The cards (E) to be cut are drawn over a “reel” or “idler” (F, [Fig. 26],) at the back of the machine, and thence pass through openings in the base frame to the front of the machine, and over a square cylinder having a step-by-step rotary motion. By each quarter turn of this cylinder, the chain of cards is drawn forward sufficiently to bring a new card in the die. By the rising movement of the die (carriage), which takes place as soon as the intermittent feed of the cards has ceased, the card in the throat of the machine is carried up against the lower ends of the punches, and is cut or perforated by all such punches as have their upward movement prevented by the keys; while such punches as are not arrested by the keys are carried upward, and do not puncture the card. The pieces of card cut off fall through a throat or opening in the carriage (F, [Fig. 27],) into the hollow base frame, (A, [Fig. 27]), and can be taken out at the door, (A, [Fig. 26]).
It will therefore be apparent that the variations in the cards are produced simply by holding down different punches in successive punching operations. This is regulated by the original set of cards, (N, [Fig. 26]), which are passed over the pattern cylinder (O, [Fig. 26]). The latter has also a step-by-step rotary motion similar to the cylinder first described. Its four faces are covered with holes the same distances apart as the perforations in the pattern cards. This pattern cylinder is mounted in bearings in a carriage on the top of the machine, and is reciprocated back and forth between the successive rotary movements of the feed and pattern cylinders.
Fig. 26.
In the upper part of the machine are arranged what are termed selecting needles, (C, [Fig. 27]), which consist of wires arranged in horizontal rows, with their ends opposite to the pattern cylinder, and which are the same distance apart as the holes in the cylinder, so that if the cylinder were moved up by the carriage against the ends of the needles, the latter would enter the holes in the cylinder, and would not be moved longitudinally. There are the same number of selecting needles as punches in the machine—six hundred. When, however, a perforated pattern card is on the cylinder, and it is moved against the ends of the selecting needles, such needles as are opposite the perforations of the cards will enter them, and will not be moved, while such needles as are opposite the blank spaces of the cards will be moved longitudinally. [See [Fig. 27] for illustration.] At the reverse movement of the carriage, an “evener,” which is secured to it at the end opposite the pattern cylinder, strikes against the ends of all the needles so moved and pushes them back to their original position. Above each of the punches before described is a horizontal sliding key (D, [Fig. 27],) attached to a horizontal key-wire (D´, [Fig. 27]), and the 600 key-wires are arranged in horizontal rows below the selecting needles, and are each connected by a lever (B, [Fig. 27],) with the corresponding selecting needle. Consequently, a longitudinal motion of any selecting needle will move the key-wire with which it is connected in a reverse direction.
Fig. 27.