GB2266117A

GB2266117A - Linking device

Info

Publication number: GB2266117A
Application number: GB9222337A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yin Hong Wong
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-16
Filing date: 1992-10-23
Publication date: 1993-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-23
Also published as: GB9208436D0; GB9222337D0; GB2266117B

Abstract

Two adjacent files 11 for magazines or other papers are linked together by a front linking device 12 and a back linking device 13. The front linking device 12 comprises a main plate 22 positioned against abutting front walls 17 and spanning the junction thereof, and two clip members 23 mounted side by side for holding together the two adjacent side walls 14 of adjacent files. The two clip members 23 comprise flat parallel members joined by a cross piece 24 to form a U-shaped structure. The clip members 23 are perpendicular to the main plate 22 and are mounted thereon by an extension 25 of the cross-piece 24. The cross-piece 24 is inclined to match inclined front edges 18 of the side walls 14. The back linking device 13 is of similar construction, but with a horizontal cross piece 24. An alternative linking device 12A may replace the front or back linking devices 12 or 13. <IMAGE>

Description

LINKING DEVICE The present invention relates to a linking device for linking together files for magazines or other papers, and to an assembly of two or more such files when linked together. It is known to store magazines or other papers in a file having two flat parallel side walls, a base, a back wall, and a front wall of height smaller than the back wall. Commonly the side walls have inclined edges rising from the lower front wall towards the upper back wall.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for linking together two or more such files.

According to the present invention there is provided a linking device for linking together two files for magazines or other papers, each file comprising two flat parallel sides, a base, a back wall, and a front wall of height smaller than the back wall, the linking device comprising a main plate for positioning against and spanning the junction of two abutting front or back walls of adjacent files placed side by side, and two clip members mounted side by side on the main plate for holding together the two adjacent sides of the said adjacent files.

In one preferred form the two clip members comprise flat parallel members joined together by a cross piece to form a U-shaped structure for clipping together adjacent sides of two adjacent files, the clip members being perpendicular to the main plate and spaced therefrom to allow the said front or back walls of the adjacent files to be positioned between the main plate and the clip members, the clip members being connected to the main plate by a continuation of the cross piece.

In an alternative form, the clip members comprise two flat members positioned in the same plane, each clip member being parallel to and spaced from the main plate and being joined to the main plate by a cross-piece to form with the main plate a U-shaped structure for clipping the clip members to the front or back walls of two adjacent files, the clip members being spaced apart to allow two adjacent sides of adjacent files to be positioned between the clip members perpendicular to the main plate.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention an assembly of at least two adjacent files for magazines or other papers, comprising: at least two files each comprising two flat parallel sides, a base, a back wall, and a front wall of height smaller than the back wall, the or each pair of adjacent files being positioned side by side with their side walls adjacent face to face; a back linking device comprising a main plate positioned against and spanning the junction of two abutting back walls of adjacent files placed side by side, and two clip members mounted side by side on the main plate for holding together the two adjacent sides of the said adjacent files; and a front linking device comprising a main plate positioned against and spanning the junction of two abutting front walls of adjacent files placed side by side, and two clip members mounted side by side on the main plate for holding together the two adjacent sides of the said adjacent files.

In one preferred form, the back linking device is of the form set out above in which the two clip members comprise flat parallel members joined together by a cross piece to form a U-shaped structure for clipping together adjacent sides of adjacent files. The front linking device may be of similar form, or alternatively may be of the form set out hereinbefore in which the clip member comprises two flat members positioned in the same plane each being parallel to and spaced from the main plate. Where the front linking device is of the first mentioned form, it is preferred that each side wall of a file has an inclined front edge rising from the front wall of the file towards the back wall of the file, and the cross piece of the front linking device is inclined to match the inclined side walls of the files.

The invention, at least in preferred forms, provides means for linking a number of files together to provide a tidy method of storing magazines and like papers, and providing greater stability for the files than is obtained when each file is standing on its own. Each file can easily be removed from the linked group as and when required.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a number of magazine files linked together by linking devices embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows one form of front linking device embodying the invention, in operation as shown in Figure 1; Figure 2A is a perspective view of the linking device of Figure 2, when separated from files to be connected, and Figures 2B to 2F are various views of the linking device of Figure 2A, taken, respectively, in directions B, C, D and F, in Figures 2A and Figure 2D; Figure 3 shows one form of back linking device embodying the invention, in operation as shown in Figure 1;; Figure 3A is a perspective view of the linking device of Figure 3, when separated from files to be connected, and Figures 3B to 3F are various views of the linking device of Figure 3A, taken, respectively, in directions B, C, D, E and F in Figure 3A and Figure 3D; Figure 4 shows one form of an alternative front linking device embodying the invention, in operation as shown in Figure 1; Figure 4A is a perspective view of the linking device of Figure 4, when separated from files to be connected, and Figures 4B to 4E are various views of the linking device of Figure 4A, taken, respectively, in directions B, C, D and E in Figure 4A and Figure 4D.

Referring to Figure 1, five magazine files 11 are positioned side by side and linked together by front linking devices 12 and 12A and by back linking devices 13.

Front linking device 12A is a modification of the front linking device 12.

Each magazine file 11 comprises two side walls 14, a base 15, a back wall 16, and a front wall 17 of height smaller than the back wall 16. The side walls 14 have inclined front edges 18, which rise from the lower front wall 17 towards the higher back wall 16. Each inclined front edge 18 joins a horizontal top edge 19 of its side wall, approximately two-thirds of the way towards the back wall 16. As shown in Figure 1, adjacent files 11 are positioned with their side walls 14 adjacent to each other face to face. Front walls 17 abut each other at junctions 20, and back walls 16 abut each other at junctions 21.

Referring to Figures 2 to 2F, adjacent files are linked together at the front by a front linking device 12 which comprises a main plate 22 and two clip members 23.

The clip members 23 are flat parallel members joined together by a cross piece 24 and are arranged for clipping together adjacent side walls 14 of adjacent files. The clip members 23 are perpendicular to the main plate 23 and are spaced therefrom by the thickness of the front walls 17 of the files. The clip members 23 are connected to the main plate 22 by an extension 25 of the cross piece 24.

In operation, the main plate 22 is positioned against abutting front walls 17 of the files, and spans the junction 20 between the front walls 17. The linking device clips the two adjacent side walls 14 together by the clip members 23, and locates securely against the front walls 17 by the main plate 22 spanning the junction 20. The cross piece 24 is inclined to match the inclined front edges 18 of the side walls 14, so as to fit snugly on the side walls.

Referring to Figures 3 to 3F, each back linking device 13, has a structure generally similar to the front linking device 12, in that it has two parallel clip members 23 and a main plate 22 at right angles to the clip members 23.

The clip members 23 are joined by a cross piece 24, and are linked to the main plate 22 by an extension 25. In the case of the back linking device 13, the cross piece 24 is horizontal, to match the horizontal portion edge 19 of the side walls 14. In operation the main plate 22 spans the junction 21 of adjacent back walls 16, and the clip members 23 hold together adjacent sides 14 of adjacent files 11.

Referring to Figures 4 to 4E, there is shown an alternative front linking device 12A. The front linking device 12A comprises 2 clip members 23A which are flat members positioned in the same plane, each clip member 23A being parallel to an spaced from the main plate 22. Each clip member 23A is joined to the main plate 22A by a cross piece 24A to form with the main plate 22A a U-shaped structure for clipping the clip members to the front walls 17. The clip members 23A are spaced apart by a rectangular channel 26 to allow two adjacent side walls 14 of adjacent files to be positioned between the clip members 23A perpendicular to the main plate 22. It will be appreciated that the front linking devices 12A may be used also as back linking devices. All the linking devices can be made of wood, plastics material, or metal.

Claims

1. A linking device for linking together two files for magazines or other papers, each file comprising two flat parallel sides, a base, back wall, and a front wall of height smaller than the back wall, the linking device comprising a main plate for positioning against and spanning the junction of two abutting front or back walls of adjacent files placed side by side, and two clip members mounted side by side on the main plate for holding together the two adjacent sides of the said adjacent files.

2. A linking device according to claim 1 in which the two clip members comprise flat parallel members joined together by a cross piece to form a U-shaped structure for clipping together adjacent sides of two adjacent files, the clip members being perpendicular to the main plate and spaced therefrom to allow the said front or back walls of the adjacent files to be positioned between the main plate and the clip members, the clip members being connected to the main plate by a continuation of the cross piece.

3. A linking device according to claim 1 in which the clip members comprise two flat members positioned in the same plane, each clip member being parallel to and spaced from the main plate and being joined to the main plate by a cross-piece to form with the main plate a U-shaped structure for clipping the clip members to the front or back walls of two adjacent files, the clip members being spaced apart to allow two adjacent sides of adjacent files to be positioned between the clip members perpendicular to the main plate.

4. An assembly of at least two adjacent files for magazines or other papers, comprising: at least two files each comprising two flat parallel sides, a base, a back wall, and a front wall of height smaller than the back wall, the or each pair of adjacent files being positioned side by side with their side walls adjacent face to face; a back linking device comprising a main plate positioned against and spanning the junction of two abutting back walls of adjacent files placed side by side, and two clip members mounted side by side on the main plate for holding together the two adjacent sides of the said adjacent files; and a front linking device comprising a main plate positioned against and spanning the junction of two abutting front walls of adjacent files placed side by side, and two clip members mounted side by side on the main plate for holding together the two adjacent sides of the said adjacent files.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 in which the back linking device is a linking device as set out in claim 2.

6. An assembly according to claim 4 or 5 in which the front linking device is a device as set out in claim 3.

7. An assembly according to claim 4 or 5 in which the front linking device is a device as set out in claim 2.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 in which each side wall of a file has an inclined front edge rising from the front wall of the file towards the back wall of the file, and the cross piece of the front linking device is inclined to match the inclined side walls of the files.

9. A linking device for linking together two files for magazines or other papers, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, and Figures 2 to 2F, or with reference to Figure 1 and Figures 3 to 3F, or with reference to Figure 1 and Figures 4 to 4E.

10. An assembly of at least two adjacent files for magazines or other papers, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, and with reference to any one or any combination of Figures 2 to 4E.