Hole punch

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For the industrial drilling of holes through many sheets of paper, see paper drilling.

A single and a 3-hole paper punch in front of a tape measure to show approximate size

A hole punch (known also as a hole puncher, paper puncher or perforator) is a common office tool, that is used to create holes in sheets of paper, often for the purpose of collecting the sheets in a binder.

1 Mechanism
2 Standards
3 Uses of hole punches
4 References

[edit] Mechanism

An illustration of how a hole punch works

A typical hole punch, whether a single or multiple hole punch, has a long lever which is used to push a bladed cylinder straight through a number of sheets of paper. As the vertical travel distance of the cylinder is only a few millimeters, it can be positioned within a centimeter of the lever fulcrum. For low volume hole punches, the resulting lever need not be more than 8 cm for sufficient force.

Two paper guides are needed to line up the paper: one opposite where the paper is inserted, to set the margin distance, and one adjacent side.

Hole punches for industrial volumes — hundreds of sheets — feature very long lever arms, but function identically.

[edit] Standards

[edit] International

An illustration of filing holes

The most common standard for the dimensions and location of filing holes punched in paper is International Standard ISO 838. Two holes with a diameter of 6±0.5 mm are punched into the paper. The centers of these holes are 80±0.5 mm apart and have a distance of 12±1 mm to the nearest edge of the paper. The holes are located symmetrically in relation to the axis of the sheet or document.

Any paper format that is at least 100 mm high (e.g., ISO A7 and larger) can be filed using this system. A printed document with a margin of 20 to 25mm will accommodate ISO 838 filing holes.

A four-hole standard compatible with ISO 838 but not specified by ISO 838 is widely used. The two middle holes are those defined by ISO 838, and so paper punched with the four holes can be filed in binders that are consistent with ISO 838. The two additional holes are located 80 mm above and below these. The use of two additional holes provides more stability.

[edit] North America

In the United States and, in part, Canada and Mexico, a three-hole standard is widely used. The holes are positioned symmetrically, with the centres 108 mm apart. The diameter of the holes is about 1/4 inch and their distance to the paper edge about 1/4 inch.

This standard can only be applied to paper formats that are at least 240 mm high. It is incompatible with ISO 838.

In the United States a two-hole filebinder standard is occasionally used. The holes are positioned symmetrically, with the centres 2 3/4 inch apart. This standard is incompatible with ISO 838.

[edit] Sweden

In Sweden, a four-hole standard called triohålning is almost exclusively used. The centres of the holes are 21mm, 70mm and 21 mm apart.

This standard is incompatible with ISO 838.

[edit] Uses of hole punches

[edit] Single hole punches

Hole puncher with one hole variety.

Single hole punches are often used to punch tickets, which indicates its credit has been used.

There are hole punchers that make holes of various geometric shapes, or silhouettes of objects or animals. These are used to punch decorative holes along the edges of pieces of paper, and for making confetti, when creating scrapbooks and other paper crafts.

[edit] Eyelet punch

A related office tool is the eyelet punch. This is a single-hole punch which also presses a metal fastening loop around the hole. It is used to permanently secure a few sheets of paper together which must not be separated or modified.

[edit] Multiple hole punches

Three different sizes of hole punchers with two hole variety.

There are hole punchers that make one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or eight holes at one time, the placement of which matches the spacing of the rings in a binder.

With a few exceptions, two-hole and four-hole punches consistent with ISO 838 are the norm.

In the United States the three-hole punch is most common. Less frequently seen is the two-hole filebinder punch.

There are office models available for the perforation of 1 to 150 sheets of paper, and industrial models for up to 470 sheets. Most multiple-hole and many single-hole punches accumulate the waste paper circles in a chamber, which must be periodically emptied in order to facilitate the continued operation of the punch.