US2080417A - Index device - Google Patents

Description

w. T. GoLLwlTzER 2,080,417

INDEX DEVICE May 18, 1937.

Filed Sept. l5, l934` Fig'. j

' whoa/Mu) Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE tgraph Corporation,

poration of Delaware Application September 1 (Cl. l29--16.8)

22 Claims.

This invention relates to means for indexing plates, cards, separators, etc., whereby they may be readily divided into two groups. This enables a set of address printing plates, for instance,.to be classified into a group which will be utilized in printing and a group which will be omitted as the set passes through the printing machine. More particularly, my index device is of the class knowny as a switch-tab comprising a projecting member pivotally mounted on the address plate and adapted to be swung into either of two positions so as to indicate either visually or to a mechanical selector the takeit-or-leave-it character of the plate at that time.

My invention is concerned with the combination of the switch tab and the specially formed plate carrying the same, as well as with the tab individually and the plate individually. Objects of the invention are to provide such' switch tab, and the plate portion carrying the same, so devised that the tab may be readily applied to the plate; and when applied, will remain rrnly affixed to the plate but at the same time may be readily shifted as desired from one position to the other and will hold itself in either set position against inadvertent displacement, and will not be liable to distortion in use.

Another object is to so arrange the parts that the plates equipped with such switch tabs will not be liable to interfere with each other, either when stored in a drawer or stacked in a printing machine. Another object is to so form the tab that, in either position, it may effectively cooperate with a corresponding portion of the selecting mechanism of an addressing machine.

To the above ends, I have provided by this invention a tab having a central tongue at its lower end, which is arranged for automatic pivotal engagement with a suitable keeper on the plate upon insertion of the tab. I have further provided on the tab an intermediately located spring tongue provided with a shoulder which is adapted to coact with either of two retaining shoulders on a strap carried by the plate along which such portion of the tab may move.

I have` provided the tab with a projection above the plate strap which forms a guide preventing any other plate being hung onto the strap, and I have formed the upper end of the tab in a manner enabling it to present an effective transverse abutment for the selecting mechanism. All of these characteristics will be more fully hereinafter explained in connection with. the drawing, which shows an approved form of my tab` and` plate.

by mesne assignments, to Addressograph-Mul- Cleveland, Ohio, a cor- 5, 1934, Serial No. 744,117

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a iront elevation of an address plate to which the tab is applied, theV index card of the plate being broken away to disclose the construction of the plate behind it; Fig. 2 is a perspective of the tab itself Figs. 3, 5.: 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of a portion of the plate, illustrating respectively the iront face with the tab applied, the iront face without the tab, and the rear face with the tab applied; Fig.

6 is a longitudinal section through a portion oi` wf the plate and tab, as indicated by the line 6-6 on Fig. 1; Fig. '1 is a section through the tab and plate along the central axis of the tab, as indicated by the line 1--1 on Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7, illustrating the tab in the act 15? of being shoved into plate.

The plate may be a mere separator, or it may be a` printing plate and have characters embossed or otherwise formed on I have shown it, however, as a carrying plate or frame l0 on which 20 is mounted a metal embossed printing plate A and an index card B. Suitable means are formed on the plate ID for retaining the printing plate and card in place. These need not be here described, except to state that the upper edge of 251 the plate is curled over at Il at the top, which feature performs the double function oi retaining the upper edge of the card and of stiifening the plate. Extending along the top portion of the plate, behind the index card, may be a series 30. of keepers l2 to receive ordinary index tabs, whereby the plates may be classified according to the position of such tabs.

Coming now to my invention, my tab, designated 20, is shown on what is ordinarily a much 35` enlarged scale in Fig. 2. It has at its lower end a tongue 2l, which has a semi-circular underedge as shown at 22. Concentric with this edge and located substantially at the junction of the tongue with the body of the tab is a small pro- 4@ jecting semi-circular offset or shoulder 23. This offset is `extending toward the iront face of the tab. Above the tongue and offset I make in the body of the vtab a downwardly formed approximately U-shaped cut 24, which leaves a spring 45 tongue 25, preferably of trapezoidal form, anchored at its lower end to the body of the tab and normally projecting toward its rear face. On the front face of t is tongue I make an indentation 26, which results in a projection 21 on the 50 rear face.

The plate which is to carry the switch tab described is formed with a pocket I5 to receive the tongue 22 and a strap l1, which extends across the body of the tab.

The pocket is made by 55a making a longitudinal slit in the plate, which is formed of two straight lines I3 parallel to the upper edge of the plate and an intermediate downwardly facingl semi-circular cut I4 connecting the straight lines. The metal of the plate below these cuts is forced rearwardly to provide the pocket, which is open at the front and has a semi-circular bottom I 5a.

shown. 'This strap has two holes I8 and I9 in it, either of which is adapted to be occupied by the projection 21 of the tab.

With the plate constructed as described, the tab is shoved manually downwardly into place, passing beneath the strap I'I and the lower end entering the pocket I5.

position is not liable to accidental displacement therefrom.

Accordingly, as the curled-over edge II of one plate would lie vvdirectly behind the projection 28 it iskept from encroaching on the space above the strap I 1 and hence cannot become entangled therewith.

sure the printing of that plate, and at D, a pin which when it engages the tab will cause the skipping of the plate. In order that one or the tab is in one position and another shoulder 32 which becomes parallel with it when the tab is in the other position. Thus, the tab may eiectively coact with the controlling pins C and D of the selector and there is no tendency of the on its pivot, as desired.

I claim: 1. The combination of a plate to be indexed be pivotally connected to the plate and having a spring tongue adapted to shoulder.

5. The combination of a plate having an offset portion to provide a pocket open on one face and coact with either at the top, an offset strap formed on said plate out of the material thereof a short distance above the pocket and on the same iace oi the plate and provided with two shoulders, and a tab adapted to extend across the strap and to have its lower end occupy the pocket, said tab having a projection adapted to engage the lower edge of the material of the plate between the pocket and strap and having a spring tongue adapted to coact with either shoulder or the strap.

6. The combination oi a plate having an offset strap adjacent the upper edge and a keeper below the strap, a tab adapted to extend across the strap and have its lower end pivotally anchored in the keeper, said tab having a spring tongue carrying a projection and the strap having two holes adapted to be respectively occupied by the projection according to the position of the tab.

7. The combination of a plate having an ofiset strap adjacent the upper edgeV and an upwardly facing pocket below the strap and offset from the same side of the plate, and a tab adapted to extend across the strap and have its lower end occupy the pocket and be pivotally anchored therein, said tab having a spring tongue carrying a projection and the strap having two holes adapted to be respectively occupied by the projection according to the position of the tab.

8. The combination of a plate having a strap near its upper edge and a tab extending transversely beneath said strap and limited in position thereby, said tab having a projection above the strap adapted to form a camming guard with reference to the strap.

9. The combination of a plate having an upwardly opening pocket and astrap above the pocket, both the pocket and strap being offset from the plate on the same side thereo, and a tab extending transversely beneath the strap and having a tongue at its lower end occupying the pocket, and a projection formed on the tab directly above the strap to form a guard therefor.

10. A tab having a head at its upper end and formed adjacent its lower end into a central tongue with a projecting shoulder abrupt toward the head of the tab and located adjacent the junction of the body and tongue, whereby the tab may be pivoted.

ll. A tab having means for pivotally attaching it near its lower end to a retaining device and having intermediately a spring tongue carrying a projection adapted to coact with recesses in the retaining device.

12. A plate to be indexed having a pocket depressed from the material of the plate and open toward one face of the plate and open toward the upper edge of the plate, the plate having a strap depressed from the material oi the plate on the same side as the poclet and between the pocket and the edge ci the plate, the material of the plate between the strap-depression and the pocket having its lower edge recessed at the pocket, and the strap having a pair of openings through it whereby a tab with a lower shoulder and an intermediate projection may be pivotaliy mounted in the pocket and have the projection engage either opening of the strap.

13. The combination of an index tab and a member to be indexed, the tab having at its lower end a centrally located tongue provided with a projection extending normally from the face oi the tongue, the upper edge oi the projection being abrupt while the lower portion thereof merges with the face of the tongue, and the member to be indexed having a recess adapted to be occupied by the projection in a manner to prevent the ready removal of the tab while allowing it to swing on a pivot formed by the projection and recess.

14. The combination of a plate to be indexed and a tab adapted for pivotal attachment thereto, said tab having adjacent its lower end a projection merging at its lower end with the plane of the tab and at its upper end normally presenting an abrupt shoulder out o the plane of the tab, the plate having a recess adapted to be occupied by the projection, whereby the tab may be readily inserted and will thereupon become pivotally attached to the plate.

15. The combination of a plate to be indexed, having an upwardly opening pocket with an arcuate bottom, a tab having a central tongue correspondingly rounded at its lower end, and adapted to occupy the pocket and coact with the bottom thereof to prevent inward movement of the tab, and means for preventing outward movement of the tab while allowing it to swing back and forth.

16. A plate to be indexed having a pocket formed by offsetting the material of the plate, said pocket being open at one face of the plate and toward the edge of the plate, the portion of the plate which denes the top of the pocket being recessed in its nlower edge.

1'?. The combination of a plate to be indexed and an index tab, comprising a single strip of metal extending across the edge of the plate and pivoted adjacent its inner end directly to the plate and adapted to swing through an angle while still projecting across the edge of the plate, means carried by the plate adapted to engage the tab between its pivoted end and its free end for holding it in either of two extreme positions, the outer end of the tab being recessed at a reentrant angle by substantially straight edges.

18. The combination of a member to be indexed provided with a pocket and an index tab whose lower end occupies the pocket, said tab comprising a single strip formed adjacent its lower end with a centrally located projection connected with one face of the tab above the lower end thereof and inclining away from the tab toward the upper end thereof, so that the projection merges at its lower edge with the plane of the tab and at its upper edge presents an abrupt shoulder and coacts with the member to be indexed above its pocket to form a pivot.

19. A tab formed at its lower end into a central tongue with a rounded lower edge and a projection formed on the face of the tongue and being out of the plane thereof at the upper edge of the projection, said projection merging at its lower end with the plane oi the tongue and having an abrupt rounded upper edge.

20. A tab made of a single piece of material and having at its lower end a central tongue materially narrower than the body of the tab and a shoulder projecting from the face of the tab adjacent the junction of the body and tongue, the upper edge of the shoulder being rounded and the lower end ci the tongue being rounded, whereby the tongue is adapted to occupy a pocket in the member to be indexed while the projection may pivotally coact with a recess in the member above the pocket.

21. A tab made of a single piece of material and having at its lower end a central tongue materially narrower than the body of the tab and a shoulder projecting from the face of the tab adjacent the junction of the body and tongue, the upper end of the tab being recessed by an obtuse re-entrant angle.

22. The combination of a plate to be indexed der edges and connected at its ends integrally with the plate by portions which stand at an

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