US730399A - Card-index. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED. JUNE 9, 1903.

J. H'. RAND. GARD INDEX AHSLIOATION Hmm SEPT. e, 1902.l

N0 MODEL.

#571,@ SS'S UNITED STATES Patented d une 9, 1903.

PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES H. RAND, OF NORTHYTQNAVVANDA, NEW YORK.

CARD-JNDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lPkatent No. 730,399, dated'J-une 9, 1903. Application 'filed September 9, 1902. Serial No. 122,752. (No model.) 4

To @ZZ when@ t ntcty concern:

Tonawanda, inthe county of Niagara and State of New York,l have-invented new andi useful Improvements in Card-Indexes, of:

which the following is a specification. This invention relates to a card-index or record designed more particularly for use in mercantile vestablishments for-following up orders and accounts.

The object of my invention is the provision of a compact and convenient office appliance for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective View of my improved card-index. thereof. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of one of the cards. j

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts throughout the several views.

titions C are preferably provided at their up-V per edges with triangular index-tabse-such as are shown and described in Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, No. 691,177, granted to me JanuarylLh'lQOZ; but, if desired, the inldex characters may be printed or written on the front sides ofthe partitions, as in ordinary card-indexes. 'Y

Each of the record-cards B has suitable entry-spaces for the name and address of the customer and columns d d for the entry of the dates on which correspondence is received and answered. The cards may have additional columns d2, d3, and d4 for any other desired entries, and also lines or spaces for noting any remarks or other memoranda, as shown. At itsupper edge each recordcard is provided with a horizontal row of tabs e, which arenumbered ont-heir faces from l to 3l, respectively, each tab repre senting a day of the month. These tabs are so constructed that they can be'readily bent or otherwise displaced from their normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, and be restored to Fig. 2V is-a fragmentary cross-section,

'E x'tli'e'irformer position after being displaced.

rThey arepreferably' integral with the cards, as shown, and may be cheaply formed by Vmaking vertical saw cuts across the upper edges of the cards. All the tabsof the same .date standjn line with one another crosswise fof` the series of cards, or, in other words,

lengthwise 'of the box, the cards being fitted iso' closely between the side walls of the box that the corresponding tabs remain in proper register. To enable the different longitudi nal rows of tabs to be easily distinguished by looking down upon the cards, the upper edges of adjacent rows of tabs are preferably contrasted in color-for instance, the rows may be alternately red and green, or, say, every fifth row may be of the same color as the cards and the intermediate rows alternately red and green. Contrasting stripes are thus produced crosswise of the. series of cards, which serve as eye-guides or ieaders for readily tracing the row of tabs belonging to the same day of the month.

In the use of this card-index after entering the name and address of a customer on a card the same is placed in the proper alphabetical division of the index. Whenever a communication is received from-a customer its date of receipt is entered in the Received column of his card land the` date of the reply is likewise entered in the Answered column.

' If, for example,a number of customers are to be written to on the tenth of the current month the tabs numbered 10 on their cards are bent down,-as shown in Fig. 1. Every day the clerk in charge of the index casts his eye over the stripe corresponding to that date and withdraws all those cards on which the tabs are turned down, such tabsbeing easily distinguished by reason of the gaps or spaces left above the same. After communicating with the customers represented by the removed cards the displaced tabs are bent back to their former position and the cards are replaced in the box. Should it, for example, be determined to again follow up the same customers after an interval of ten days, in case they fail to reply in the meantime, the tabs on their cards numbered 20 are turned down before replacing the cards, and when that date arrives the cards are again removed and the customers notiied, and so on, until ICG the transactions are ended. In case a customers order or account is to be followed upsay a month or more hence-the tab corresponding to the date of the .month on which he is to be notified is turned down and the particular month is indicated by writing on the exposed face of the displaced tab the number of the month-for instance, the numeral 1, if the desired month is January, or the numeral 8, if the month is August.

I claim as my invention-Y- l. A cardindex or record, comprising a box or case, and record-cards arranged in the same one behind another, each of said cards being provided at its exposed edge with a row of displaceable tabs or portions and the co1- responding tabs of the various cards being arranged in alinement lengthwise of the index or record, whereby upon displacing any of the tabs in the same longitudinal line indicating-gaps are left in the exposed edges of those cards on which the tabs have been displaced, substantially as set forth.

2. 'A card-index or record having recordcards arranged one behind another and each provided at its exposed edge with a series 4of displaceable tabs numbered consecutively to indicate different days of the months, the corresponding tabs of the various cards being arranged in alinement crosswise of the cards, substantially as set forth.

3. A card-index or record comprising a box or case, division-cards bearing suitable index designations, and record-cards each provided at its exposed edge with a series of displaceable date-tabs, the corresponding tabs of the various record-cards being arranged in rows extending crosswise of thecards and the rows of tabs being provided at their exposed edges with means for distinguishing the same from adjacent rows, substantially as set forth.

4:. A card-index, comprising a box or case, division-cards bearing suitable index designations, and record-cards each provided at its upper edge with a horizontal row of datetabs numbered from l to 3l, respectively, and capable of being displaced from their normal position and restored thereto, the corresponding tabs of all the record-cards being arranged in rows extending crosswise of the cards and adjacent rows being contrasted in color, substantially as set ferth.

5. A'record-card provided along one edge with a row of displaceable date-tabs adapted to be turned out of their normal position for leaving indicating-gaps in the edge of the card, substantially as set forth.

6. A record-card constructed of pliable material and provided at one edge with a series of slits forming a row of displaceable datetabs, said tabs being numbered in consecutive order, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 12th day of August, 1902.

JAMES H. RAND.

Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, THEO. L. PoPP.

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