US2550597A - Ring binder - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE RING BINDER Edwin M. Phillips, East Orange, NJ. Application December 17, 1945, Serial No. 635,504

. following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certainembodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in

which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views .and in which:

. Fig. 1 is a plan View of thebacking and ring member of a binder detached, with parts of the construction broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the backing and ring member in assembled relationship to each other.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the structure V shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 3 showing another adaptation of my invention;' and Claims. (01. 129'-1) gated'aperture I? adjacent the fold it, the apertures i5 and i? being of the same length and in common alinement. The ring-forming strip ll,

from which ring members are formed, has at one end laterally extending retainer flanges IS. The other end portion has a U-shaped cut 2U,'forming a lock element 2|, having a contracted end portion 22 which is adapted to enter the aperture i l. Said end portion of the member II has a fold 23 and the first named end of the member has inwardly of the flanges a fold 2d, forming the bends or corner portions as designated by the fold reference characters in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

In assembling theparts ill and H, the flanges l2 and it are extended upwardly in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2 on the folds i5 and i3.

1 Then the end 25 of the ring member I i is passed sheets to be attached to the binder.

fmountings are well known in the art, no showing Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs.'2 and 3 showing the adaptation of Fig. 5.

The present invention constitutes a continua-- tion-in-part of the structure disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 635,503 filed Dec. 17, 19- 15, now Patent No. 2,495,180 dated Jan. 17, 1950, in

' which prior application, a one-piece structure of the binder is disclosed.

. one form of construction employing a backing or mountingstrip I!) and a ring-forming strip H. The backing strip has on opposed side edges longitudinally spaced flange members. 62 and i3 and the number of these flanges employed will depend 1;

upon the number of rings to be used in construct ing the binder device. The flange 12 has a small central aperture 14 adjacent the fold l5 thereof and an elongated aperture is adjacent the outer edge of the flange. The flange i3 has an elonoutwardly through the aperture ii. The strip is passed over the'top of the backing is and said end 25 is then passed inwardly through the aperturelt sufficiently to allow the contracted end 22 of the lock element'ili to snap downwardly into the aperture !4. Before this operation takes place, it will be understood that the members ii are passed through the apertures in perforated A these is thought to be necessary.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, 1 have shown a slight modification, wherein the backing strip it is provided with flange portions 52, it, both 5 of which have elongated apertures 26 and 2? adjacent the folds 28 and 29. At 30 is shown a strip forming a ring member. This strip has laterally extending flanges (ii, at one end thereof, similar to the flanges l9. Adjacent these flanges, the strip has a fold line 32. The other end portion 33 of the strip has a U-shaped cut 34, which forms a tongue or retaining member 35, the latter having an upwardly curved retainer or stop portion 36 whichis formed in the member and is adapted to yieldably pass through the aperture 26 in moving the ring into closed position, as shown in Fig. 4 and, at the same time, this construction will provide a forcible withdrawal or the end portion 33 to provide what might be termed a'loose-leaf constructionfacilitating attachment and detachment of perforated leaves as and when required without the need of inserting an instrument for disengagement of a lock menaber, as would be the case with the disengagement of the lock member 2i and flexure thereof in position to pass outwardly through the aperture i6.

Aside from the difference in structure, heretofore defined, the structure in Figs. 3 and i will be opthe flange erated in the same manner, as that shown in Figs.

1 and 2. In Figs. and 6 of the drawing, I have shown a further adaptation of my invention in which a backing or mounting strip ill" is employed and has, at side edges, flanges :2 i3",

i2" having an elongated aperture 31 adjacent the fold 38: The flange iii has an elongated aperture longer than the aperture 37 and arranged adjacent the fold ll At l! is shown a strip for forming the ring members of the binder. This strip has, at one end, the laterally extending flanges 32, similar to the flanges l9 and 3 l. Adjacent the flanges 42 is a fold line 43.

The other end portion 44 of the strip 4! is of less width than the main body portion of the strip to pass through the smaller aperture 31. This end portion, inwardly of the end, has two L-shaped cuts i5 and at opening through side edges of the strip and forming two yieldable lock or retainer members ll, which extend outwardly beyond the side edges of the end portion 5d and are adapted to yieldably pass through the aperture 3? to retain the end portion M. against displacement and retaining the resulting ring member li upon the upper surface of the backing or mounting if)", as clearly seen in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

The strip fill has a fold line 48, adjacent the cuts at and t6, and in like manner, the strip has a fold line as adjacent the end of the member 35. These folds, as well as the fold 2-3, in

conjunction with the folds 2 32 and as, produce the semi-circular ring construction of the menrbers l i, 38 and ll, as is clearly illustrated in Figs.

2, 4 and 6 of the drawing.

By constructing the binder unit as in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 of separate parts, the construction cost of each part is materially simplified in minimizing waste and, further, facilitates packing and shipment of the parts in a package of relatively small size, it being understood that each part may be packed separately or units of the two parts may be combined with the parts ii, for example, disposed upon the upper surface of the parts iii.

Each part 55, it, it will have as many proiecti'ng apertureo flanges at the sides thereof as will be required to produce the number of rings on each binder unit. In all instances, a part only of each part ill, at, is" is shown in order to simplify the present illustration.

By constructing the parts separately in the manner above referred to, this construction also lends itself to the formation of the binder of diiierent materials. For example, the backing or mounting part may be composed of fibre and, the part forming the ring member's, formed of plastic material. On the other hand, it will, of course, be apparent that common materials can be employed and, by separate formation, different thicknesses can be employed in the associated parts in the same material. The present construction also lends itself to using materials of different colors, so as to produce attractive effects, as and when several colors would be desirable.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A ring binder of the class described comprising a mounting part having oppositely arranged dg flanges at side edge portions thereof, -iorming part detachable with respect to tr e first part, said ring-forming part having means at one end engaging one of the flanges in retaining said end against movement outwardly through said flange, the other end portion of the ring part being adapted to be passed through an aperture in the other opposed flange in forming, in con junction with the mounting part, a closed ring construction, means on the last named end portion of said ring part engaging the second named flange to retain the ring part against accidental opening, said last named means comprising a yieldable lock element movable toward and from one surface of said ring part, and said lock element engaging an aperture in the second named. flange in providing further coupling engagement of the ring part with the first named part.

2. A ring hinder or" the class described comprising-a mounting part having oppositely arranged coupling flanges at side edge portions thereof, a ring-forming part detachable with respect to the first part, said ring-forming part having means at one end engaging one of the flanges in retaining said end against movement outwardly through said flange, the other end portion of the ring part being adapted to be passed through an aperture in the other opposed flange in forming, in conjunction with the mounting part, a closed ring construction, means on the last named end portion of said ring part engaging the second named flange to retain the ring part against accidental opening, and said last named means comprising yieldable loch elements at side edge portions of the ring part and yieldable laterally.

A ring binder of the class described comrising a mounting part having oppositely arranged coupling flanges at side edge portions thereof, a ring-forming part detachable with respect to the flrst part, said ring-forming part having means at one end engaging one of the flanges in retaining said end against movement outwardly through said flange, the other end portion of the ring part being adapted to be passed through an aperture in the other opposed flange in forming, in conjunction with the mounting part, a closed ring construction, means on the last named end portion of said ring part engaging the second named flange to retain the ring part against accidental opening, and said last named means comprising a laterally yieldable lock clementon said ring part.

l. A ring binder comprising an elongated mounting part and a plurality of ring forming strips, said mounting part comprising a flat member having raised transversely alined apertured side flanges, the strips having at one end means engaging flanges at one side of said mounting part in retaining the strips against displacement therefrom in one direction, the other end portions of the strips being adapted to pass through opposed apertured flanges at the other side of said mounting part in forming, in conjunction with the mounting part, closed ring members on one surface of said part, said last named end portions including local elements formed from and movable relatively to said end portions for retainingthe ring members against displacement from the mounting part, the end portions of said strips being acapted to bear on the upper surface of the flat member of said mounting.

5. A ring binder comprising an elongated mounting part and a plurality of ring forming strips, said mounting part comprising a flat memher having raised transversely alined apertured side flanges, the strips having at one end means engaging flanges at one side of said mounting part in retaining the strips against displacement therefrom in one direction, the other end portions of the strips being adapted to pass through opposed apertured flanges at the other side of said mounting part in forming, in conjunction with the mounting part, closed ring members on one surface of said part, said last named end portions including local elements formed from and movable relatively to said end portions for retaining the ring members against displacement from the I mounting part, the end portions of said strips being adapted to bear on the upper surface of the flat member of said mounting, and said lock elements being disposed within side edge portions of the strips.

6. A ring binder comprising an elongated mounting part and a plurality of ring forming strips, said mounting part comprising a flat member having raised transversely alined apertured Side flanges, the strips having at one end means engaging flanges at one side of said mounting part in retaining the strips against displacement therefrom in one direction, the other end portions of the strips being adapted to pass through opposed apertured flanges at the other side of said mounting part in forming, in conjunction with the mounting part, closed ring members on one surface of said part, said last named end portions including local elements formed from and movable relatively to said end portions for retaining the ring members against displacement from the mounting part, the end portions of said strips being adapted to bear on the upper Surface of the flat member of said mounting, and said lock elements being arranged at side edge portions of the strips.

7. A ring binder formed from sheet material, said binder comprising an elongated flat mounting part, side edges of said mounting part having longitudinally spaced transversely alined pairs of upwardly extending apertured flanges, the apertures of one of said flanges registering with the upper surface of said mounting part, ring forming strips, end portions of said strips being adapted to pass through the apertures of said pairs of flanges, means at end portions of said strips engaging said flanges in forming, in conjunction with said mounting part closed rings thereon, one end portion of the strips having means forming a positive engagement with one flange in each pair, the other end portion of the strips having yieldable elements formed from the material thereof and movable relatively thereto, and said yieldable elements engaging the other flange in each pair in retaining the strips in closed ring formation on the mounting part.

8. In'binders of the class described, an elongated flat binder part having a pair of apertured flanges arranged at side edge portions of said part and projecting in the direction of the upper surface of said part, a ring adapted for mounting on the binder part, said ring comprising an elongated strip, one end portion of the strip being arranged on the upper surface of said part and having flanges engaging the apertured flange at one side of the binder part to retain said end against displacement from the flange in one direction, the other end portion of the strip being adapted to pass through the aperture of the til flange at the other side of the binder part and extending onto the upper surface thereof, and a yieldable lock element cut from the material of the last named end portion of said strip and adapted to move relatively thereto to engage the second named apertured flange in retaining the strip in closed ring arrangement on said binder part.

9. In binders of the class described, an elongated flat binder part having a pair of apertured flanges arranged at side edge portions of said part and projecting in the direction of the upper surface of said part, a ring adapted for mounting on the binder part, said ring comprising an elongated strip, one end portion of the strip being arranged on the upper surface of said part and having flanges engaging the apertured flange at one side of the binder part to retain said end against displacement from the flange in one direction, the other end portion of the strip being adapted to pass through the aperture of the flange at the other side of the binder part and extending onto the upper surface thereof, a yieldable lock element cut from the material of the last named end portion of said strip and adapted to move relatively thereto to engage the second named apertured flange in retaining the strip in closed ring arrangement on said binder part, and said element being disposed Within side edge portions of the strip.

10. In binders of the class described, an elongated flat binder part having a pair of apertured flanges arranged at side edge portions of said part and projecting in the direction of the upper surface of said part, a ring adapted for mounting on the binder part, said ring comprising an elongated strip, one end portion of the strip being arranged on the upper surface of said part and having flanges engaging the apertured flange at one side of the binder part to retain said end against displacement from the flange in one direction, the other end portion of the strip being adapted to pass through the aperture of the flange at the other side of the binder part and extending onto the upper surface thereof, a yieldable lock element cut from the material of the last named end portion of said strip and adapted to move relatively thereto to engage the second named apertured flange in retaining the strip in closed ring arrangement on said binder part, and said element being disposed at a side edge and being yieldable laterally.

EDWIN M. PHILLIPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date

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