US2261861A - Index system and means therefor - Google Patents

Description

' Nov. 4, 1941. G. A.- vsMlTl-if INDEX SYSTEM AND MEANS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 2l, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l h M BW@ Nov. 4, i941. G, A, SMITH 2,261,861-

INDEX SYSTEM AND MEANS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED sTaTas PATENT OFFICE.

INDEX SYSTEM AND MEANS THEREFOR Gordon A. Smith, Atlanta,` Ga.

Application September 21, 1939, Serial No. 235,974

7 Claims.

This invention relates to multiple cardindex systems and index cards to be used therein, and is particularly concerned with systems in Which a large variety of information is classied with respect to individual items so that the characteristics desired` with respect to an individual item may be lrapidly assimilated while at the same time visual indication is given summarizing the general characteristics of the item under consideration, thereby making an immediate conclusion possible from a mere glance at the associated cards in the system.

This is particularly true in connection with the examination of talesmen for jury service. One or more panels of jurymen are usually called at an opening session of court and must be examined rapidly under constant pressure from the court in order to obtain a jury. The data available to counsel must be summarized and presented in such a. way that evaluation thereof is possible by a mere glance since there is not generally suiiiy cient time available to study carefully the individual members of the venire.

Among the objects of the present invention is a multiple card index system supplying information with respect to one or more panels for jury service enabling the rapid evaluation of information available with respect to the members ofthe panel, so that counsel may at a moments glance determine whether or not a juryman should be permitted to serve or should be challenged.

Other objects include multiple index cards permitting such structures to be maintained.

Still further objects and advantages will appear from the more detailed description given below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given'by Way of illustration and explanation only, and not by way of limitation, since Various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In connection with that more detailed description, there is shown in the accompanying drawings; in

Figure 1, a plan View of one form of index card utilizable with the present system in unfolded relation to reveal the outer faces thereof; in

Figure 2, a view similar to that of Figure 1v of the card there shown exposing, however, the inner faces of the card; in

Figure 3, a plan view of a multiple card index system in accordance with the present invention; and in Figure 4, a perspective view of the index card of Figures 1 and 2 modied for use in accordance with the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, a series of index cards are associated together into a card index system. to supply information with respect to each of the members of aV jury panel which is available to counsel at the time of selection of a jury and which not only gives him all of the information necessary to determine the ap-titude of a particular jurymanv for service in the particular case at hand, but. Which also gives to counsel a visual indication or signal that may be comprehended by a mere glance with respect to any individuals' desirability for service in the particular type ofcase at hand.

For this purpose the system is made up with a series of index cards there being a cardsfor each member of the one or more jury panels lto be examined at a particular court` session. A list of jury panelsk is4 available from the clerk of the court and cards are accordingly made up and associatedr in the system as indicated in Figure 3, into groups in which each member of the panel is given a number corresponding with the number on the clerks list and the cards are segregated into groups corresponding with `the panels arranged by the clerk of the court. a juryman or prospective juryman is provided with the necessary information placed thereon by printing, by typewriting, by script, or in other Ways to be indicated below. Desirably the cards are associated together so that a small portion of each card is exposed successively in the order of the numbers of the jurymen segregated with respect to particular panels and lon the exposed portion of each of said cards there is in addition to the number designating lsuch juryman, an exposed visual indication of the desirability of such juryman'for service in the particular case. When the cards are associated in this way a mere glanceat the exposed portion of the cards held in some desirable holder, enables counsel to note in a mere glance. those jurymen who must be challenged under any circumstances, those who may be subject to challenge upon further questioning, and those that may desirably be used in the trial of the case.

Systems of this `character have not heretofore been available although various sanguine means have. been used to give data with respect to jury panels, yet such systems are of great importancel and perform amarked public service in that Each of these ycards then representingv they tend to insure the selection of fairer juries and to eliminate undesirable jury members.

The utility of such systems largely depends on the rapidity with which thev material-respecting any particular juror is classied and made available and more particularly in the combination of the series of cards which make such material available for the ventire panel or panels and at the same time give visual indications even to a fleeting glance of the general desirability of jurymen for particularcases.

A form of index card that may desirably-be employed in connection with the systems covered in the present case, is illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 4 of the drawings. For that purpose an index card is desirably employed which segregates the more permanent information with respect to an individual from information of a more confidential character and enables such information both general and confidential, to be utilized or distributed either separately or conjointly. If a two-part card is employed as is desirable, having front and rear portions, information may be placed on the inner face of the rear portion of the card and made available by windows on the front portion of the card, vwhich windows may be permanently punched through the front face of the card to expose such information or may be revealed by tabs marked out on the front face of the card and `adapted to be either removed entirely from the card or partially removed to expose the information carried on the back of such card. For some purposes, more particularly hereinafter set forth, means is provided to enable counsel examining such cards to indicate his own conclusion with respect to the desirability of an individual for jury service in the particular type of case athand so that if the cards are examined before appearance in court, counsels own signal indications will give him the basis on which to formulate a judgment with respect to jurymen. Y v

-An index card desirably employed in accordance with the present invention includes as shown in the drawings, a multiple index card having front and rear portions desirably hingedly` attached together. As shown inthe drawings,'. the multiple index card has portions A and B hingedly connected along the line 5 which desirably may be perforated in order to .enable ready detachment of the two portions of the card. The portion A indicates the face portion of the front of the card, while the letter B indicates the rear face of the back of the card. In Figure 2, the portion A indicates the inner face of the front part of the card, while the portion B indicates the inner face of the rear portion of the card. The variouscomponent members of the card are desirably supplied on their exposed or exposable surfacesV with record data arranged, tabulated and classified with respect to the jurors suitability for service in legal cases, particularly accident cases and criminal cases where the system has its primaryk utility.

In the body of the card there are defined areas 6, determined by lines of weakening or perforation 8. Similarly, along the bottom margin of the front member, areas 'I are defined by perforatedlines 9. It will thus be seen that areas 6 and;1 are susceptible of complete removal or ofa'partial separation from the body of the front member so' as to function as hingeable flaps or segments.l 1 i til aacfei On the inner surface B' of the rear member B delineated areas which desirably may be in color, although other indicia may be used, are placed thereon so that when exposed through windows or openings in the front part A of the card, visual indications are given with respect to certain data or characteristics of the individual jurymen. Any particular color schemes may be used for this purpose contrasting colors being employed in groups to differentiate markedly good and bad characteristics. Thus if a white card is employed colors such as red, yellow and green may desirably be employed, and utilized in much the way they are mentally associated today, green generally being used to indicate good characteristics, red bad characteristics, and yellow caution. Such a color arrangement with respect to any group characteristics gives immediate visual indication of the fitness of the individual under consideration. Thus in the color arrangement shown in Figure 2 on B', IIJ designates a yellow colored area positioned to correspond with areas 6 and I3 of front member A. It will be seen from Figure l that both lines of perforation are desirably employed in some instances and not in others, thus areas 6 are defined by lines of perforation, while area I3 is not so marked out although weakening perforations might be arranged isdesired. This difference in construction depends on the utilization to be made. In the area I3 the card will be punched through at an indicated point to expose a color area on B', whereas the areas 6 may be segregated one or more as desired to expose one or more portions of the underlying colored areas on the surface B. Similarly as indicated in Figure 2, the color scheme of red, yellow and green designated by numerals II, I0 and I2 respectively, is positioned to correspond with area I4 of the front portion A of the card, `as well as marginal areas 1.

It will be noted that each card gives all of the information that can be accumulated with respect to a particular individual enabling rapid judgment tobe made as to his tness for jury service. Such information desirably includes the record of cases in.which the juryman served and the verdict rendered and comments thereon, the record of any litigation in which the juror himself was involved, physical disabilities of the juror, his credit standing, education, employment, financial situation, character, lodge or church affiliations, indications as to the. source of the information obtained and means for summarizing the characterization of the individual,

both by counsel in the case and by others.

A series of cards of the character referred to may be filled in with the data for the members of one or more jury panels and associated together in any desired holder to make them more readily usable and to give at a glance a general characterization of the individual juryman.l Thus as shown in Figure 3, a support is provided to which are hingedly attached a plurality' of overlapping support cards I5, desirably associated so that the lower marginal edges of each of the c'ards is exposed successively. Desirably a transparent strip I9 is attached to each of the support cards I5 to cover the exposed lowerl marginaledges and to provide a pocket on each of thesupport cards in which the multiple index cards may be pl-aced. The tranSparentstrips I9 may for this purpose be clipped as by clip I 'I to the support card I5, a pocket I8 thus being provided. The lower marginal edge of the index card is positioned in- .said pocket 'I8 so that when the cards are 'associated as indicated in Figure 3 with the lower marginal edges of the successive cards showing through the transparent strips, there is immediately available at a glance a general summarizing characterization of the jury-panel members arranged by numbers corresponding with the numbers of the jurymen on the clerks panel list and a general color or other visual indication of the fitness of the individual juryman as well as a similar indication by the individual attorney with respect to such juryman for the particular case.

In the operation or utilization of the device,

which in its preferred embodiment is arranged f as a jury index card, the available infomation is preferably typewritten in the spaces corresponding with the record data. Similarly, if so desired, the available facts are typewritten inthe areas defined by lines of perforation, such as areas 6 and 1. When it is deemed advisable not to reveal such information on its face, it is merely necessary to cut the lines of perforation on three sides to thereby attain a hingeable flap or segment which may be folded underneath the` outer surface of front element A,.to reveal merely a color indication. It will be noted that these flaps or segments are susceptible of receiving written matter on either the outer surface or the inner surface; in other words, it is possible to note on the inner surface of the segment or flap details in elaboration of the information apparent on the face of the flap or segment. Instead of providing the available information by typewritten matter on the segment, the device lends itself to supplying the typewritten matter on the inner surface B' corresponding to the window determined by the given flap or segment; thus details may be stated on the colored area in -back of segment B which corresponds to Judgment, whereas the flap per se serves as a concealing element. Whether or not the said flaps or segments per se bear written matter, it is apparent that they may be positioned so as to conceal details of a confidential nature; in the event that such details vary from time to time, the surfaces available for receiving typewritten matter, corresponding with given record data, make it possible to alter the index information without necessitating the use of a new card.

In the event that the information is of a permanent nature, the areas 6 or 'l may be completely removed to reveal the corresponding color indication. Conversely they may be retained in situ without tearing the lines of perforation, and bearing the available information. In this connection, it will be noted that the spaces designated as I3 and I4 correspond with colored areas on the inner surface of the rear element B; information of the type designated in these spaces is considered as of a permanent nature without subject to variation, and for this purpose areas determined by lines of weakening or perforation are not necessary. Therefore, when it is desired to record information in spaces I3 or I4, it is merely necessary to perforate or punch a hole I6 in front member A whereby the colored area on B becomes apparent as a permanent signal or record.

The area 1, shown as a segment o-r flap in per` spective view 4, functions similarly to areas or segments 6. These marginal indications are of material significance in view of the fact that,

as shown in Figure 3, they are apparent in a system of visible card indexing. Thus, if it is believed that a' particular person is peculiarly qualified as a juryman in injury cases, it is mere- 'ly necessary to remove the area 'I'corresponding with the data on B related thereto; as aresult thereof a green coloration becomes exposed with, if desired,y appropriate terminology printed or written thereon to indicate .in a visible index system, such as shown in Figure 3, that the person is Good injury cases. Similarly, in the event that a prospective juryman is rated by different attorneys, the attorney may supply his initials on a segment or flap '1, either surface, to conform with va predetermined coloration; .in the event that another attorney reaches a different conclusion, thefirst segment is folded back vinto'its normal position covering the previous coloration and the new rating coloration is exposed for 'service in the visible index system. Instead of initialing the flap or segment, the attorneys' identification may be written on the surface B contiguous to the applicable rating coloration.

Should it be determined to retain one card as strictly confidential while the others `serve for purposes of information, as above indicated,

members A and B are separably attached to eachk other by virtue of the perforated line 5. In this connection, it should be noted that the innersurfaces of the multiple card are available for recording of information; therefore, each card may be complete as to the respective types of details, namely, confidential information and general information.

, It will thus be seen that the invention provides a multiple card index of compact proportions, and which is particularly serviceable in connection with the cataloging of confidential and general information. The device is particularly effective for the purpose of recording variable or confidential information as well as providing changes in corresponding signal indications. It is particularly iiexible in usage, and is especially efficient in a visible card index system. Furthermore, the device affords the possibility of innumerable combinations of signal indications not heretofore attainable, especially because of the provision of indexing areas defined by lines of weakening or perforation.

`I-Iaving thus set forth my invention, I claim: 1. An index card comprising superimposed front and rear members, the front member be-` ing provided both within its body removed from its margins and also at its lower marginal portion with means partially detachable for uncovering and exposing any selected one or more of a series of variegated predetermined areas of the rear member, the latter carrying indicia indicating varying qualities with respect to some characteristic to be indicated, the uncovering and exposing means being adapted to indicate selectively the chosen quality of said characteristic, as desired.

2. A multiple index card comprising a front member provided with record data and a multiplicity of corresponding delineated blank spaces on its outer surface, asimilar rear member integral with and hingeably attached to the said front member, and a multiplicity of means in said blank spaces of said front member which may receive written matter and be variably positioned by partial detachment and bending relfront member at the said blank spaces which may be moved to expose an indication froma selected portion of the said areas of indicia.

4. A multiple index card comprising a front member provided with record data and corresponding delineated blank spaces on its outer face, a similar rear member integral with and hingeably atached to thev said front member, and areas in the said blankspaces determined by lines of perforation, which areas may receive Written matter and may be completely removed or variably and concealably positioned relative to the said front member.

5. A multiple .index card comprising a front member provided With record data and corresponding delineated blank spaces on its outer face, a similar rear member integral with and separably and hingeably attached to the said front member, variegated areas on the inner surface of the said rear member' corresponding with said blank spaces, and means in the front member at the said blank spaces which may be moved to expose a variegated area from a selected portion of the variegated areas of the inner surface of the rear member.

6. A multiple index card for supplying information with respect to members of jury panels said card comprising a front member provided with record data to indicate varying qualities with respect to a characteristic pertinent to jury duty and a multiplicity of corresponding blank spaces on its outer surface, a similar rear member integral with and hingeably attached to the said front member and comprising variegated portions to indicate varying qualities with respect to acharact'eristc pertinent to jury duty,

`and Vaiin'ultiplioity of partially detachable areas comprising selective means carried in the blank spaces of said front member which may receive written matter and may be variably positioned relative to the said front member to indicate fselectively a number of predetermined qualities with respect to a, particular venireman.

7. A multiple index card for supplying information with respect to members of jury panels said card comprising a front member provided vvithl record data to indicate varying qualities with respect to a characteristic pertinent to jury duty vand a multiplicity of corresponding blank vfront member at the said blank spaces comprising areas determined by lines of perforation said areas being adapted for receiving written matter to indicate a quality with respect to a characteristic pertinent to jury duty, said perforation delineated areas constituting selective means carried on the front member of said card and being adapted for complete removal or to variable and concealable positioning relative to the front member to expose a color indication from a selected portion ofthe variegated colored areas of the inner surface of the rear member thereby to indicate selectively a number of predetermined qualities with respect to. a particular venireman.

GORDON A. SMITH.

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