Paper punch

A paper punch comprising a base having a platen, sides, and an upstanding back, a die bar formed with die holes spaced at intervals supported by said base, a throat formed in said die bar, a punch bar, means guiding said punch bar for reciprocation toward and away from said die bar, said punch bar being formed on its underside with cavities at the same intervals as said die holes, a punch pin for each said cavity biased for movement with said punch bar and having a pin formed on its lower end with a die cooperable with said die holes to punch holes in sheets in said throat and spring means biasing said pin and said punch bar away from said die bar, said die bar being formed with bores aligned with said die holes, a handle having a lever at its forward end and a first hook at its rearward end, a second hook formed on said back engageable with said first hook forming a means for pivotal movement of said handle relative to said base when said lever is depressed, means on a lower surface of said handle to transmit pivotal movement of said lever to rectilinear movement of said punch bar and said pins against the force of said spring means, said lever, said punch bar and said punch pins being movable downward toward said base a first distance when said lever is depressed directly toward said base, said first hook interfitting inside said second hook a second distance less than said first distance, whereby, when said handle is pressed rectilinearly downward toward said base said second distance, said hooks disengage from each other, an upward pivotal movement of said handle relative to said base when said hooks are disengaged removes said handle from said punch, said punch bar being removable from said punch when said handle is removed, and any one or more of said punch pins being removable from said die bar when said punch bar is removed from said punch.