US2912986A - File - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 17, 1959 oss 2,912,986

FILE

Filed Dec. 3, 1956 INVENTOR. JACK MOSS ATTORNEY United States Patent FEE Jack Moss, Dayton, Ohio Application December 3, 1956, Serial No. 625,914

1 Claim. (Cl. 129- 1) The present invention relates to files and more particularly to paper or bill files for oflice use, of the type which utilizes resilient holding loops, U-shaped or arched members designed to be inserted through holes or openings in papers to be filed.

Files of the above-mentioned types are generally made with two or more loops or bows of wire or similar material, each set a predetermined distance apart, and constructed to open or become disengaged for the insertion of each loop through a perforation in an item which is to be filed.

In accordance with the present invention, a file of this type is provided in which the document engaging loops or bows are easily variable or adjustable in size so as to accommodate greater or lesser number of papers to be filed, and at the same time the file is so constructed that the loops may be easily made available for insertion of the documents with simple and easy locking means provided for engagement of the loops in closed position. Additionally, means are provided for adjustment of the spacing of the loops in order to accommodate items having a different spacing between perforations.

These and other objects of the invention are more fully described and illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a file constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 1 but with the sheet engaging members in open position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse view partly in cross-section taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation taken from the bottom of Fig. l.

Positioned within and beneath base is an elongated spring member which may be normally linear, but is bent into a U-shaped member consisting of closed end portion 11 and arms 12 and 13 having open end. This spring member may be in the form of a closely coiled steel spring or in the form of a strip or other metal, or plastic, such as nylon, a principal requisite being that the member shall be flexible, resilient and having spring-like characteristics. Arms 12 and 13 project upward through an opening 14 in base 10, shown as a slot, although individually spaced holes or openings of other shapes may be provided. As shown in Fig. 2, each arm projects normally upward with the free ends of each exposed for insertion through corresponding perforations in an item to be filed. After the item is inserted over these arms, each is then bent into the form of a loop, as shown in Fig. 1, with the free end being inserted into opening 15 which, as illustrated, is in the form of a serrated slot. Due to the spring characteristics of the arms, each end presses against the opening 15 and is retained in engagement therewith in the form of a loop or arch of the desired size, each loop being held in position by the spring pressure of the end of the arm against the sides of the opening. Positive means may also be provided for main- 2,912,986- .Patented NOv. 17,, .1959

'2 taining the ends in engagement, such as screw clamps, spring clipsor the like. However, :suchp sitive means are not ordinarily required.

As shown'more particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, lateral adjustment of .the spacing of :theloo'ps is provided in order to accommodate a given spacing of the openings in items to be filed. This adjustment is obtained by means of a screw member 16 having separate right and lefthanded screw portions 16a and 16b, which screw is inserted through side walls 10a and 10b of base 10, as shown in Fig. 3. Each end portion of the spring member passes through openings 19 and 20 in blocks 17 and 18 which are threaded and through which the screw is passed, so that upon rotation of knob 21, arms 12 and 13 are drawn closer together or further apart as blocks 17 and 18 are moved parallelly by rotation of the respective screw portions. In view of the fact that openings 14 and 15 are in the form of slots, a wide range of adjustment is permitted.

The size of each loop formed by arms 12 and 13 may easily be adjusted to accommodate a varying number of items. For example, if it is desired to enlarge the loops, arms 12 and 13 are drawn forward through openings 19 and 2t) in blocks 17 and 18, thus bringing closed end 11 closer to the blocks. This will enlarge the length of the arms which extend through opening 14, and when these arms are bent to form loops by the insertion of the ends into opening 15, larger size loops are obtained. Similarly, when arms 12 and 13 are pushed through blocks 17 and 18 in the other direction, arms 12 and 13 which extend beyond opening 14- are shortened, providing smaller loops when the ends are inserted into opening 15. Thus, loops of any desired size may be instantaneously attained, as desired. In this way, a readily adjustable and expansible file is provided.

Where a predetermined fixed spacing is sufficient and no lateral adjustment is required, blocks 17 and 18 may be omitted, since all that would be required would be separate spaced openings in base 10 through which arms 12 and 13 project, with the adjustment in the size loops being made by drawing or pushing the arms of the flexible member through said openings. At the same time, corresponding separate openings may be provided in place of slot 15 for engaging the open ends of the loops. As indicated above, while two loops are generally preferred, one or several loops may be provided in the same manner.

It is to be understood that the above description is for purposes of illustration only, and obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

The inventor claims:

An arch filing device which comprises a single continuous elongated flexible resilient spring member bent to form a closed loop end and a pair of spaced arms with free ends, a base member, said loop end being supported in a horizontal position beneath said base member, means for slidably engaging each of said arms at an intermediate point removed from said end, said means comprising an opening in said base through which said arms project, each of said arms being bent upward at said intermediate point for insertion and removal of documents through openings therein through which the free ends of said arms may be introduced, and means for detachably engaging each of said free ends comprising an opening in said base spaced from said opening at said intermediate point said end engaging opening being spaced from said intermediate opening by a distance less than the length of said arm from the point of intermediate engagement to its free end whereby on engagement of said free end each of said arms forms an arch, each of said arches being held in position by the spring pressure of the end of the arm against said engaging opening, the height of each of said thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schmidmer Aug. 21, 1906 4 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Jan. 24, 1907 Great Britain June 9, 1921 Great Britain June 15, 1921 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1921 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1923 Germany Nov. 1, 1928 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1940

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