PUN 
<0 break or burst asunder in very dangerous 
situations, when it was extremely difficult, 
and sometimes impracticable to repair the 
chain. Of late, however, some consider- 
able improvements have been made by Mr. 
Cole, under the direction of Captain Ben- 
tiiick. The chain of this machine is more 
simple and mechanical, ^and less exposed to 
danger. It appears to have been first ap- 
plied to the pump by Mr. Myine, to ex- 
haust the water from the caissons at Black- 
friar’s Bridge. It was thence transferred 
to the marine by Captain Bentick, after 
having received some material additions to 
answer that service. Tlie principal supe- 
riority of this pump to the former is, 
1. Tliat the chain is more simple and easily 
worked, and consequently less exposed to 
injuries by friction. 2. That the chain is 
secured upon the wheel, and thereby pre- 
vented from jerking back when charged 
•with a column of water. 3. That it may be 
easily taken up and repaired when broken 
or choked with ballast, &c. And, 4. That 
it discharges a much greater quantity of 
water with an inferior number of men. 
This has been proved by experience, when 
two men (instead of four) discharged a tun 
of water in fifty-five seconds. 
PUNCH, an instrument of iron or steel, 
used in several arts for the piercing or stamp- 
ing holes in plates of metals, &e. being so 
contrived as not only to perforate, but to 
cut out and take away the piece. The 
punch is a principal instrument of the metal 
button-makers, wafer-makers, patch-makers, 
shoe-makers, &c. 
PUNCHEON, a little block or piece of 
steel, on one end whereof is some figure, 
letter, or mark, engraven either in creux or 
relievo, impressions whereof are taken on 
metal, or some other matter, by striking it 
witli a hammer on the end not engraved. 
There are various kinds of these puncheons 
used in the mechanical arts; such for in- 
stance are those of the goldsmiths, cntlers, 
pewterers, &c. The puncheon, in coining, 
is a piece of iron steeled, whereon the en- 
graver has cut in relievo the several figures, 
arms, efiigy, inscription, &c. that are to be 
in the matrices, wherewith the species are 
to be marked. Minters distinguish three 
kinds of puncheons, according to the three 
kinds of matrices to be made ; that of the 
effigy, that of the cross, or arms, and that of 
the legend, or inscription. The first includes 
tlie wiiole portrait in relievo : the second 
are small, eardi only containing a piece of 
the cross or arms ; tor instance, a fleur-de- 
PUN 
lys, an harp, a coronet, &c. by the assem^ 
blage of all which the intire matrice is form- 
ed. The puncheons of the legend only 
contain each one letter, and serve equally 
for the legend on the effigy side and the 
cross side. 
Puncheon is also used for several iron- 
tools of various sizes and figures, used by 
the engravers in creux on metals. Seal- 
gravers particularly use a great number for 
the several pieces of arms, &c, to be en- 
graven, and many stamp the whole seal from 
a single puncheon. 
Puncheon is also a common name for 
all those iron instruments used by stone- 
cutters, sculptors, blacksmiths, &c. for the 
cutting, inciding, or piercing their several 
matters. Those of sculptors and statuaries 
serve for the repairing of statues when ta- 
ken out of the moulds ; the locksmiths use 
the greatest variety of puncheons ; some for 
piercing hot, others for piercing cold; some 
flat, some square, some round, others oval, 
each to pierce holes of its respective figure 
in the several parts of locks. 
Puncheon, in carpentry, isva piece of 
timber placed upright between two posts, 
whose bearing is too great, serving, to- 
gether with them, to sustain some large 
weights. This term is also used for a piece 
of timber raised upright, under the ridge of 
a building, wherein tlie little forces, &c. are 
jointed. 
Puncheon, is also used for the arbor, or 
principal part of a machine, whereon it 
turns vertically, as that of a crane, &c. 
Puncheon is also a measure for liquids, 
containing an hogshead and one third, or 
eighty-four gallons. 
PUNCTUATION, the art of dividing a 
written composition into sentences, or parts 
of sentences, by points or stops, for the pur- 
pose of marking the different pauses which 
the sense requires. 
The comma (,) represents the shortest 
pause; the semicolon (;) a pause double 
that of the comma ; the colon (;) double 
that of the semicolon; and the period (.) 
double that of the colon. The precise du- 
ration of these pauses must depend on the 
degree of slowness or rapidity observed in 
reading; but the proportion between them 
should be ever invariable. 
In order to determine clearly the applica- 
tion of the points, it is necessary to distin- 
guish between a simple sentence and a 
compound sentence. A simple sentence 
contains only one finite verb : as, “ Virtue 
refines the affections,” A compound sen- 
