US3116737A - Magnetic loose leaf device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 7, 1964 J. J. KELLY, JR

MAGNETIC LOOSE LEAF DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 1961 Fig.5.

[Ill/[IA I w a a m I I lgl E INVENTOR. JOHN JOSEPH KELLY,JR. BY

ATTORNEY Jan. 7, 1964 J. J. KELLY, JR

MAGNETIC LOOSE LEAF DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mu Em WK H P w (m 0 J N H 0 J ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,116,737 MAGNETIC LGOE LEAF DEVICE John Joseph Kelly, Jr., Evanston, 111., assignor to Lakeside Central Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation Filed Sept. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 138,834 1 Claim. (Cl. 129-11) The present invention relates to loose leaf binders, and more particularly to magnetic sheet holding elements for such binders wherein there is incorporated locking means for securely retaining perforated loose sheets within the binder.

More specifically, the invention pertains to a relatively thin, fcldable and flat-opening binder having general ly flexible, integral cover and hinge portions, wherein the sheet holding element is carried by one of the cover portions or the hinge portion and serves to define and reenforce the hinge portion between the cover portions of a pair thereof in the closed position of the binder, and wherein the locking action of the sheet holding element is enhanced by the coaction of the cover portions therewith.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a magnetic loose leaf device of the true ring type which permits the insertion or removal of a sheet or sheets of paper located at any point within the binder without requiring the removal of the other sheets from within the binder.

As a salient feature hereof, I provide a ring construction which permits the top sheet or sheets of a plurality of sheets in a stack to be turned over or out of the way while working with a lower sheet of the stack.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to provide a simple, lightweight binder, susceptible of economical manufacture, which would permit the ready insertion and removal of sheets as well as provide for the fixed retention of the sheets therein. However, these attempts have failed to produce an inexpensive construction which would securely retain the sheets in position without employing complicated latching members usually involving springurged elements. Heretofore, to accommodate a rela tively large number of perforated loose sheets in a'thin type of binder, it has been necessary to employ a sheet holding element of such bulky construction as to preclude its successful and practical incorporation into a light, inexpensive binder.

In contradistinction, I have devised a novel device whereby these difiiculties and objections are overcome. I accomplish this by the provision of a device wherein a pivotal ring member carries projections which are receivable in complemental notches in the base of the device to establish a mechanical latch, when the device is in the closed position, whereby the magnet associated with the pivotal ring member serves only to hold this mechanical latch in its locking position rather than serving as the primary locking means.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a loose leaf binder of the relatively thin, foldable and flatopening type having generally flexible and integral cover and hinge portions operating in cooperative relationship with a more rigid sheet receiving element which serves both to receive and to retain the sheets for facile manipulation, and also to define the hinge outline and to reenforce the hinge portion between the covers in the closed position of the binder.

It is still another object to provide a loose leaf binder of the type described wherein there is incorporated readily operable locking means for permitting the introduction of perforated sheets to and the withdrawal thereof from the sheet receiving element and for securely retaining such sheets within the binder.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a 3,116,737 Patented Jan. 7, 1964 loose leaf binder of the character described wherein the action of the locking members associated with the sheet receiving element is augmented by magnetic means provided in the sheet receiving element.

To make the manufacture of my magnetic loose leaf device a more profitable undertaking, the mechanism embodying the essence of the invention has been engineered in a manner as to be simple in its construction so as to expedite economical large-scale production and assembly, the usual complexity of components having been reduced to offer a compact design representative of a fundamentally new concept in the combining and coacting of binder parts. Precision of relative dimensioning of parts as militates against inexpensive manufacture, simplicity of maintenance and care, and consistency of performance in practical use have been assiduously borne in mind in the development of the present invention.

Too, I provide a device of the above-mentioned character in which ruggedness and durability of construction are combined with simplicity of protection against usual but hard conditions of practical use.

As a further refinement of the present invention, I provide a structure wherein the unique features of design are inconspicuous and non-observable by the average eye so that the user is not made aware thereof.

Another important object hereof is the provision of an improved construction capable of being molded or formed in a very inexpensive manner and requiring a minimum number of tools or dies for its production, with the structure being such as to permit rapid quantity manufacture.

Other of the chief objects and purposes hereof are to provide advantageous structural and operational features in a device of the class to which reference has been made so as to oifer an apparatus having the following inherent meritorious characteristics; first, engineeringwise, a uniqueness in design of coacting parts Wherefor the components are coordinated for facile assembly and, when once assembled, are positively and securely retained in operative relationship so as to be not readily separable from each other, accidentally or otherwise; second, a susceptibility to easy installation; third, the provision of a construction which is well adapted to withstand the usage to which a magnetic loose leaf device is ordinarily subjected; and fourth, the provision of such other improvements in and relating to a device of the type above referred to as are hereinafter described and claimed.

Further objects are to provide a loose-leaf device conformable to the desiderata of the preceding paragraph and offering specific improvements in its various operating instrumentalities, which themselves are minimum in numher, so that it is simple and compact in accordance with the demands and desires of manufacturers and purchasers alike and so as to provide distinct advantages in that it is distinctive in its appearance, practical in its value, durable in its organization, reliable in its operation and efficient in its use.

These foregoing objects and other incidental ends and advantages will in part be obvious and apparent and will in part be more fully pointed out as the nature of the invention is better understood in the progress of the disclosure below. To the end of attaining these objects and advantages and others hereinafter reasonably appearing, it will be explained that the invention consists substantial- 'ly in the combination, construction, configuration, location and function of parts, as herein described in detail.

It will be apparent, however, that the physical embodi ment delineated, albeit the preferred exemplification, is only indicative of but one of the multiplicity of ways in and purposes for which the principles of the invention may be employed. Same is submitted as a best known embodiment of the invention in accordance with the patent statutes and is given with a view to illustrating and explaining the precise nature of the principles of the invention and their embodiment for practical use, in order that others skilled in the art to which the invention pertains may be enabled to adapt and modify them in numerous variations and modifications, each as may be best adapted to the conditions of any particular use.

The invention reverted to is not restricted or confined to said embodiment and same is not intended to be exhaustive of, nor limiting of, the spirit or scope hereof. That is, the precise construction of the figures of the drawings need not be slavishly followed as, of course, the loose-leaf device may have to be adapted or alternatively constructed or modified in accordance with any specific use contemplated therefor. Such adaptations and/ or alternative constructions and/ or modifications are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and purview and range of equivalence of the below subjoined claim, there being no intent to have this invention limited to or circumscribed by any specific details.

The objections of the invention are susceptible of attainment by use of constructions different in certain respects from that disclosed, such as minor changes and variations in dimensions, shape, form, proportion, integration, cooperation of material and/ or type of subassembly and accessory, all without departing from the underlying principles, salient features, scope and spirit hereof.

While all of these objects are attainable in the preferred and disclosed embodiment, it is to be understood that, by utilizing the invention only in certain of its aspects, certain of the objects may be attained individually or in sub-groups without necessarily attaining all of the objects. That is, while the advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when :all of its features and instrumentalities are combined, useful embodiments may be produced involving less than the whole.

The characteristic features which I consider to be novel with my invention, as to its construction and organization and as to its methods of manufacture and operation, will be better understood from a consideration of the following detailed description forming a part of this specification, when read in conjunction with the illustrations in the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are employed to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a magnetic loose leaf binder device embodying the essential features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the magnetic loose leaf device shown in FIG. 1, same being shown in the opened or sheet receiving position;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the magnetic loose leaf device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a modified form of the invention.

In the following description and in the appended claim, various components and details thereof will be identified by specific names for purposes of convenience. Although specific terms and expressions are employed for purposes of identifying various components, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. The phraseology or terminology herein employed is not for the purpose of limitation. They are not intended to exclude any reasonable equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof.

With continued reference now to the drawings, which illustrate typical embodiments of the invention for the purpose of disclosure and form a part of this specification, I have shown a loose leaf binder comprising complemental cover portions 19 and 12 joined by an integral hinge portion 14 with the cover and hinge portions being separated by scored lines or folds 16 therebetween to provide, when in the folded condition, a bounding area of substantially the height of a sheet receiving element generally indicated by 18. The cover and hinge portions of the binder are preferably formed of a light, flexible material such as paper-board, leather, fabric, plastic sheet, or the like.

The sheet receiving element 18 is adaptable for securing sheets within the assembly and comprises a base plate 25; of either a light metal or plastic which may be suitably secured to one cover portion of the binder internally thereof by any conventional securing means such as rivets 22.

By means of the construction shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings, the weight of filler paper disposed within the binder 'will be in the direction indicated by the arrow a in FIG. 4 when the binder is in use or when it is being carried in the closed position. Thus, no stress will be applied to the locking means, subsequently to be described, during normal handling, or if the binder should be dropped or the like.

Alternatively, and as illustrated in FIG. 6, the sheet receiving element 18 may be secured to a hinge portion 114 intermediate cover portions and 112 of a binder as by rivets 122. By means of this arrangement, the weight of filler paper within the binder will be in the direction of the arrow b in FIG. 6, whereby no stress will be applied to the magnetic latching means of the "device, subsequently to be described. Further, with this construction, when the covers are closed they will prevent any disengagement of the aforementioned magnetic latching means which might occur should the binder be jarred or dropped.

The base plate 24) of the sheet receiving element 18 will be seen to comprise a main body portion 24- provided with a recess 26 therein which recess is bounded at its opposite ends by a pair of hinge brackets 23.

A touch plate 30 of suitable metal is disposed in a recess 32 of appropriate size provided in the main body port-ion 24 of the lbase plate.

Longitudinal'ly-spaced, vertically upwardly extending posts or pins 34 are disposed forwardly of the main body portion 24 of the base plate 20 and will be of appropriate size to receive a sheet or sheets of perforated paper thereon.

A ring carrier generally indicated by 40 is disposed within the recess 26 of the body portion 24 and is pivoted to the said body portion by means of ears 42 extending outwardly from the ring carrier and receivable in suitable notches or cut-outs 44 provided in the brackets 28 of the body pontion 24, whereby said ring-carrier is pivotal relative thereto.

A magnet 46, best seen in FIG. 5 is disposed in a suitable aperture providcd in the ring-carrier and is retained within the ring-carrier by a pair of pole- pieces 48 and 50 and a keeper plate 52.

The keeper plate 52, which serves to retain the aforedescribed magnet assembly in position, may either be cemented to the ring carrier or, if desired, may be heat sealed in place by deforming the vertical edges of the aperture in which it is disposed within the ring-carrier.

The entire magnet assembly just described will be further retained in its position within the ring-carrier 40 by means of a longitudinally extending ring wire 54 which extends between a pair of longitudinally-spaced substantially arcuate binding rings 56 and 58' respectively which extend outwardly from the ring-carrier 40.

In the closed position of the sheet receiving element 18, the free end of each binding ring terminates above the base plate 20 substantially diametrically opposite to the point where the secured end of the ring emerges from the ring-carrier 40 and, as may be seen from a consideration of FIG. 2, the free end of each binding ring will be in contact with the upper extremity of each of the posts 34.

A pair of longitudinally spaced locking tongues as and 62 are provided 'on the vertical forward face of the ringcarrier 49 and are receivable in the closed position of the device in a pair of complemental notches 64 and 66 provided in the rearward wall of the main body portion 24 of the base adjacent the recess 26.

In the operation of the magnetic loose leaf device, the ring-carrier 461 is swung from the opened position of FIG. 3 to the closed position of FIG. 1, with the ears 42 of the ring-carrier pivoting within the notches 44 provided in the brackets 28 of the base, whereupon the touch plate 3%) and the outer pole piece 50 are brought into contact and within the magnetic field of the magnet 48, and the locking tongues 60 and 62 are nested in the cut- outs 64 and 66 provided in the maimbody portion 24 of the base.

To move the ring-carrier from the closed to the opened position, a rearward pressure may be exerted on the ringcarrier by the fingers to withdraw the locking tongues as and 62 from their nested position within the cut- outs 64 and 66 and to release the touch plate 30 from its contact with the pole pieces 48 and 5t), whereupon the ring-carrier may be swung upon the pivots 42 to the opened position.

By reason of the arrangement just described, perforated sheets may be placed upon the vertical posts 34 and the ring-carrier may be rapidly closed or opened without the possibility of damaging the sheets, it being apparent that the rings 56 and 58 are aligned with the posts in order to establish a firm contact therewith.

It will also be observed that the locking tongues 60 and 62, rather than the magnet 46, serve as the primary locking means, thus insuring against accidental or unwanted opening of the loose-leaf device.

Thus, the magnet 50 and the touch piece 30' may be said to constitute supplemental locking means to produce a positive locking action between the ring-carrier 40 and the base plate 20.

It is believed that the gist of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further analysis thereof at this point is considered unnecessary, as I have, in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, described the construction and principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I believe to represent the best embodiments thereof, to the end that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of its generic and/ or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and other changes, modifications and alterations as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, are reasonably contemplated, the invention being susceptible of such without departing from its real spirit or underlying principles.

The protection which is sought for this invention is covered by the language of the above specification and the spirit represented thereby.

The claim is desired to include within the scope thereof all of said suitable variations, modifications and equivalents by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means. Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as detenmined by a proper interpretation of the prior art and the scope of the *subjoined claim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent herein as broadly as possible.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

In a holder for a stack of paper sheets having a pair of openings extending therethrough adjacent one of the edges thereof and a cover on which the stack of sheets is supported, the improvement comprising, a magnetic loose-leaf device including a sheet-receiving element having a base plate secured to the cover and a longitudinallyrecessed main body portion extending upwardly from said base plate, said recess being bounded at its opposite ends by a pair of hinge brackets extending rearwardiy from said main body portion, a pair of posts projecting upwardly from said base plate forwardly of said main body portion and receivable in the openings in the stack of sheets, a longitudinally-extending ring-carrier pivotally connected to the hinge brackets of said main body portion and receivable in the recess therein in the closed position of the cover, a pair of longitudinally-spaced notches in said main body portion adjacent said recess, a pair of complemental locking tongues on said ring-carrier engageable in said recesses in said main body portion in the closed position of the cover, magnetic means in said ring-carrier and a coacting touch plate in the recess of said main body portion of said base plate engageable with said magnetic means in the closed position of the cover, and ring means in said ring-carrier including a longitudinally-extending ring wire embracing said magnetic means and connecting a pair of longitudinallyspaced substantially arcuate binding rings having free ends engageable with the projecting upper ends of said posts in the closed position of the cover, said magnetic means and said locking tongues securing said ring-carrier against said sheet-receiving element and said rings against the projecting ends of said posts in the closed position of said loose-leaf device whereby the stack of sheets are trapped on said posts.

References (lited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 749,021 Boykin Ian. 5, 1904 921,931 Weizenback May 18, 1909 1,797,447 Savidge Mar. 24, 1951 2,954,034 Osteen Sept. 27, 1960

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