US2865377A - Utility prong metal - Google Patents

Description

5 w. E. QCHROER ETAL 2,865377 UTILITY PRONG METAL Filed April 30, 1956 United States Patent Cfiice 2,865,377 TY QNG ME A? assigno'rsjto Loose Leaf. Metals Qomgaiiy, Louis,

The present invention, relates generally.,.to,loose leaf metals, and more particularly tolocking and release mechanism for loose leaf metals of' the hinged multipo i n t pe.

n i the prese nv n io a p e d em odiment, includes an arcuate cam member mounted upon one prong supporting membenof a hinged utility prong metal, and an arcuate lock bracket and, a reciprocable rin -b n etehfl em e manne upon he other prong supporting member of said metal. The cam member and lock bracket are disposed in relation to each other, so that they substantially overlap in one extreme position of movement and are entirely separated in the other extreme position of movement.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel locking mechanism for loose leaf binder metals which is effective in multi-positioning the metal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel locking mechanism for loose leaf binder metals, which will permit the binder metal to be closed without manipulation of the locking mechanism, but which requires releasing action to open to the selected position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel locking mechanism for loose leaf binder metals, which is positive in action, and which has all the parts thereof within the binder metal, thereby minimizing accidental release and breakage.

Other objects are to provide a novel locking mechanism for loose leaf binder metals, which is of sturdy construction, hence, will function indefinitely without repair, which may be readily manipulated by a user, and which otherwise fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

The foregoing objects and advantages, and others, will be apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a utility prong metal incorporating the present invention, a cover being shown in broken lines;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof, a cover and sheets being shown in broken lines;

Figure 3 is a rear view thereof on a larger scale;

Figure 4 is a front View thereof on a still larger scale, the novel locking mechanism being closed, the center prongs being broken away for clarity;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, the locking mechanism being in intermediate position;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, the locking mechanism being in released position;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are transverse vertical cross-sectional views taken on substantially the lines 77, 88, and 99 of Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a transverse, vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 10-10 of Figure 5;

Figure 11 is a transverse, vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 11-11 of Figure 6;

Figure 12 is a view of the flat blank from which th latch member is formed;

Figure 13 a m efla lank. r mzw iqhnha lock. bracket is formed;

Figure 14 isa view ofthe flat blank from whiclpthe cam is formed, and

Figure. 15 is view. of the latching end .of thedatch, mem r. e ain n R t n n mken t to conserve space.

Referring to the drawing. mQI P. al:tit1 l a 11 y..byfigfqlfi ence, numerals, 20 indicates, ge'nerally a. utility 'pron g metal, andl22 refers. to the novel lockingn echanism. mounted there on, l i i 'The metal 20 includes angle members 24 and..25 .con-, nected by. a piano hinge. 26,, each of. which supports spacedprongs 27. In 'FiguresI and 2,. cover members and removablisheets (are. ,shown. by broken, lines.

The locking mechanism 22 includes an, arcuate, cam. 32 ecu ed by..rivets 33 [to the mefmber 25,. an ,areuate lockfbracket ,35. ,s'curedjto the member 24. by. rivets I 36,, and, .a latchfmember 38 ,moun tedfpn the member 24 ,for. reciprocation ion rivets 39.. l

The camw32 includes a slot 41,: a .ca m. edge 42 leading to ,the slot 41, astopfshoulder .43, and..a..cam. edge .44, leading to the shoulder, 45,. Theseafeatures. are .clearly shownin Figure 14. The lock bracket 35 includes a slot 45 (Fig. 13).

The latch member 38 has a thumb tab 46, elongated openings 47, a cut-away 48 in one side, a vertical tab 49, and a vertical tongue or flange 50 at one end (Fig. 12). The openings 47 receive the rivets 39. Within the cutaway 48 is a helical tension spring 52, one end of which is anchored to the tab 49 and the other end of which is anchored to a tab 53 struck out of the member 24. The tongue 50 extends upwardly into the slot 45 of the lock bracket 35. The spring 52 biases the latch member 38 into the longitudinal relationship shown in Figures 46.

In use, the locking mechanism 22 normally maintains the members 24 and 25 of the metal 20 in the position of Figure 4, the locked relation. The tongue 50 is in the slot 41 of the cam 32. To release, the thumb tab 46 of the latch member 38 is pushed inwardly to free the tongue 50 from the slot 41. Thereupon, the metal 20 may be pivoted to the full open position of Figure 6, if the thumb tab 46 is held inwardly, or to the intermediate position of Figure 5 if the thumb tab 46 is immediately released once the tongue50 leaves the slot 41.

In the full open position of Figure 6, sheets may be removed from or placed on the prongs 27. In the intermediate position of Figure 5, the sheets may be readily worked on or viewed, yet remain on the prongs 27.

To close the metal 20 from the position of Figure 6, the members 24 and 25 are pivoted towards each other. The tongue 50 is automatically guided by the cam edges 44 and 42 into the slot 41, the locked position. If desired, the metal 20 may be left in the intermediate position of Figure 5.

It is manifest that there has been provided a novel locking mechanism which fulfills the objects. and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claim which follows.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a loose leaf metal including two prong supporting members, prongs mounted on each supporting member, means pivotally connecting said prong supporting members so that said supported prongs are mov able in arcs from open position to overlapping closed nted. D c.- 23. 58;

ii Q,

\1 position, an arcuate cam member secured to one supporting member intermediate the ends thereof including a strip portion in arcuate form transversely spanning a portion of said one supporting member, an arcuate bracket secured to the other prong supporting member intermediate the ends thereof and in operative opposed relation to said arcuate cam member including a strip portion in arcuate form transversely spanning a portion of said other supporting member, said bracket overlying the arcuate cam member when said prong supporting members are in position with the prongs in closed relation, said arcuate cam member being disposed between the bracket and said supporting members when the prongs are in closed relation, said arcuate cam member and said bracket being in separated relation when said said prong supporting members are in position with the prongs in open relation, an elongated latch member mounted on the supporting member to which said bracket is secured for longitudinal reciprocative movement transversely of said bracket and said cam member, said latch member having an angularly directed tongue at one end and a thumb piece at the other, said bracket including a transverse slot in a plane parallel with its supporting member, said tongue being disposed in said transverse slot of said bracket, said cam member including a transverse shoulder, a cam surface at each side of said shoulder, and a transverse slot spaced from said shoulder in a plane parallel with its supporting member, said cam surface between said shoulder and said transverse slot in said cam member leading from the inner end of said shoulder to the open end of said transverse slot to guide the latch member tongue from the shoulder into the transverse slot, said tongue engaging said transverse shoulder in one position of said supporting members and engaging in said transverse slot of said cam member in another position of said supporting members, and spring means biasing said latch member longitudinally outwardly and said tongue towards engagement with the closed end of the bracket slot, said cam surface of said cam member between said shoulder and said slot of said cam member providing automatic guide means to direct said latch tongue from shoulder engaging position to slot engaging position upon closing movement of said supporting members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,091,189 St. Louis Aug. 24, 1937 2,247,397 Oman July 1, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 708,742 France May 4, 1931 724,926 France Feb. 5, 1932

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