US2671391A - Means for compiling and justifying columns of written matter - Google Patents

Description

Bnventor March 9, 1954 v. c. HEYBOURNE MEANS FOR COMPILING AND AJUSTIFYING COLUMNS OF' WRITTEN MATTER Filed April 20, 1950 Patented Mar. 9, 1954 MEANS FOR COMPILING AND JUSTIFYING COLUMNS IOF WRITTEN MATTER Victor C. Heybourne, Tonawanda, N. Y., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1950, Serial No. 157,056

Claims.

The present invention relates to visible index cards of the type which have hitherto been used for many years in connection with indexing systems and which have fixing lugs cut out from the card to be distorted rearwardly for engagement behind latterally directed marginal flange portions of a runway. The cards are thus slidably carried by the runway in nested overlapping relationship and the lugs are so placed that those of each card cooperate with the bottom edge of its cooperating immediate under card to determine the degree of overlap of the nested cards. In general, the overlap is such that a narrow top margin strip of each under card, suiilcient to accommodate one or perhaps a few lines of written matter, is exposed beyond the top edge of the card which overlays it. The runways are usually mounted on panels or other carriers and, when the cards are wide, two or more runways may be provided in spaced parallel relationship on each panel.

Examples of such cards, the mounting means and the operating technique are described, for example, in the prior U. S. Patents numbered: 1,048,056, 1,048,057 and 1,048,058 patented December 24, 1912; 1,628,124 patented May 10, 1927, and 1,675,331 patented July 3, 1928.

In recent years cards of the class above described have been found to have a very useful embodiment in the reproduction of printed matter by the offset and letterpress methods from plates obtained by photographing a panel built up line by line from typewritten cards. Such an embodiment is described in the copending application of CharlesV M. Ehnes, Serial No. 81,124 filed March 12, 1949, and that of Donald A. Gunn, Serial No. 129,826 filed November 28, 1949, now Patent No. 2,635,607 of April 21, 1953.

The procedure described in the aforesaid applications lends itself exceptionally well to the compilation of parts catalogs, schedules, telephone directories, etc., and lists of statistical records, the contents of which may require to be varied from time to time in respect of individual items to incorporate changes or corrections and to accommodate newly inserted matter or substituted matter without interfering with the general format of the various panel layouts. In such embodiments it is sometimes required, in the .interest of general neatness that the column v'heights of the written matter of the various columns or pages are required to be all the same.

For example, in building up columns for a telephone directory, the top line of the various adjacent" columns will be properly aligned trans- 2 versely across the page but the bottom lines will not necessarily be so. The finished result is then lacking in neatness and general tidiness, and

many of the telephone companies insist that the l columns be justified to avoid it.

The invention is essentially concerned with a method of, and with the provision of means for justifying columns of cards of the class described and it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view looking on the face of a card of a well known type of the class described, but adapted according to the invention, for use with an elevating strip for justifying purposes.

Fig. 2 is a plan view fragmentarily showing a runway with three cards engaged on it in their normal nested relationship without justifying.

Fig. 3 is a plan view looking on the face of an elevating strip according to the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view looking on the face of a card like that of Fig. 1 with the elevating strip engaged therewith to provide a justifying stage in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing the effect of a single stage of justifying.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of justifying assembly operating in a manner similar to that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a nested pair of adjacent cards of a further modified type adapted for justifying by the provision of alternative intermembering means. n

The card generally indicated by the reference numeral I0 in Fig. 1 is of rectangular form having an upper edge Il, a lower edge I2, and side edges I3 and It, respectively. Laterally spaced die-cuts l5 are provided to define the intermembering tongues I6 which can be flexed to engage under the laterally directed flanges of a runway so that the nested cards extend over the face of the runway, as seen in Fig. 2; the whole technique being in accordance with that described in the aforesaid prior patents and applications. The cards are also usually provided with a faintly ruled pale blue line l1 which serves as a guide for typewriting so that a line of typewritten matter can be accurately placed in the marginal strip l 8 across the top of the card. The line Il is such that whereas it is sufciently apparent to serve as a line guide for typing, it will not normally be reproduced when a card assembly is photographed for reproduction, for not only is it so faint that there is not sufficient contrast between the color of the line and the -color 3 of the card to be reproduced by any normal photographic process, but also it is generally intended that in a normally nested assembly of cards, the position of the typing guide line I1 coincides with, and is therefore obscured by, the upper edge of the overlying adjacent card.

It wilt; be. notedy that. the lower extremities of the deecutslidefine yspaced .straight horizontal portions I9 extending transversely across the card, which portions I9 cooperate with the lower edge of a cooperating adjacent .under .,card. Thus, as seen in Fig. 2, which .shows an"` interengaged series of three cards on a" short broken off portion of runway generallyindicatedibythe reference numeral 20, the tongues, of` thelfcard III, which is the lowermost and outermost of the series, are not visible from'the .faceof .thel assembly because they are engaged behind the laterally directed flanges 2I of the runwayfand, furthermore, because the immediately adjacent -sunder=card :=I.0a\, allowerpart of which is visible @through the `.die-cuts J5, is engaged between the rbasic-ofthe;cardIIl and the face of the runway.

.-Thedower part of the card .Ia .is thus visible through the die-cuts ,I5 with its lower edge I2a engaged against` the straight horizontal portions -.I,9,;see\.1*?ig.v 1,1of the die-cuts to dene the ex- .ftent 4.off exposure :of lthe top` marginal portion 43a.. Location ofthe cardA Illa in the lateral sense is assuredl by the vfact that'its tongues (not seen in Fig. 2) are engaged under the flanges 2l with the straight vertical portions 22 (see Fig. 1) of thediecuts accurately/abutting the outside edges v.125! ofszthe :runway yiianges. The third card Illb, the.-lower edgesIZb of which is just lvisible in Fig. 2through:the.diecuts I5, and each subse- .quent..card of the series, is similarly located in relation to its .immediately cooperating over card. It will `thus y'be seen from Fig.` 2 that the upper edges I I, :I Iafand 4I Ib ofthe respective cards I0, :Illa and IDb: are equally spaced and that the top :marginalqstrips -I8, Hmzy and |81)v are therefore equal. 1 The; cards moreover, being slidably nested on thefrunways; can be separated longitudinally lof; the-runways tofpermit the insertion of additionalmards, or for substitution, and, when the .ffinalffpanelformat has been achieved, the assemblyds masked,as described for example in the aforesaid application of Ehnes, for photographing.

@-.As so farfdescribed, the ,procedure is well known 4 andwthe` :onlyudiiference which the cards, ac-

cording to the present invention, have over the .hitherto knowncards is in the provision of means .for-justifying the height of columns on a runway or thematter of consecutive panels so that the topfandrbottom lines of adjacent vcolumns or,` pages are accurately. aligned in the finished z'reproduction. `In that respect it` will beappreciatedv that any discrepancy will manifest itself` yin` the bottom line of a column or page being .out on alignment with respect to the bottom line AOfitsadjacent column or page to the extent of theheight of the line` of type vor print plus a eertainamount ofthe normal line` spacing or, vin other words, .tof an amount corresponding to the depth of exposure of the completefcard top margin I8. Thereare some. cases, for example, in atelephone directory where the last item at the bottom ofthe `page happens to be a multiple line @insertion` which ought not to be` broken up and continued-on. the, next column or page in which the discrepancy may amount to a whole number multipleirof top margin width :518. 5 For `.conven- 4 that two adjacent columns have been built up on their respective runways and it is found that if the top lines are properly aligned the respective bottom lines will be out of alignment to the extent of one full top margin I8. Any attempt to absorb that discrepancy by increasing the exposure offu any :single-*margin I 8 `Twill noticeably l spoil the wholefformatloflthe fpage 4or column,

r f duction.

It Visrwlththelmeans for justifying the card columnsfthatthe invention is essentially concerned,.and..such means will now be described.

Thus in Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that the -card LII); is provided with a horizontally extending slot 25 in the center of the card between the die-cutsIE. The slot 25 isadapted` andarranged for lthe-'receptionqof a tongue `25 extending from the top edge oftheelevatinglstrip121 (see Fig; 3). 'Theelevating stripv 2l is of such depth that whenfthe notch 26. is fully engaged vin the lslot 25 `of the card asseen.inFigl44,v;'the

vating. strip.- is usedtheexposed` upper; marginal portion ofthe card withlwhich.it.is.associated `is increased. .l Thusfin" Fig. f-vwherevfan elevatingstrip isshown associated with the :card .Illb, the extent of exposure of the. top. marginal` strip I8b isslightly, greatenzthan that of the` strips .I8 and Ia. The fact that the typing guideline ITb is exposed beyond theupper edge I2a`ofthe card vIlla is immaterial because; as hereinbefore stated-the typeguidelineris of:such amature that itV will not be discernible in the finishedfreproduction.

It should beinoted. that the elevating strip21 must be ,applied overthe facerv of .thecard with which dit is directly. associatedV inw order to..leaye the xinglugs.. I6 free to bedistorted rearwardly for engagement withthe runway flanges .-23.

It is a preferred feature .of the .inventionv that the'elevating strips' 21 shoulclbe somewhat wider than/the cards. in order.that,.as. seen in FigsLA and 5, an edge-portion 29.shal1 be visible .beyond the edge ofthe card forsignalling theposticn ofthe elevatingstrips. The Aedge portion .2Q-fis also preferably ruled. with aseries-of pa1el.b1ue lines sothat whereasrit isapparent to'thenaked eye, it,'like thetyping guideVv linel'l; will .not-.be discernible. in .theiinislied reproduction,

.It should beenoted` that the verticaloisetprcvided at each justifying stagemust alwaysbeof the -order of .a small. fraction .of each` sirg1e1'line spacing. margin I tk which. has to be absorb'edin justifying.. aY column. ",Thus, with. a. normal. exposure of Aeach-.top.marginto the. extent,f,of,.,-for

. example 1/5 a. singlelineshortagein a column .can be concealedby increasingthe-linespacing ,'15 exposure-:officewmzldsmncer sdmilamcreum- :arrangeurl stances, call for sixjustifying stages increasing top margin exposure at six points spaced substantially equidistantly throughout the length of the column.

The modified construction shown with reference to Fig. 6, operates in the same way as that already described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5, and the sole difference which the Fig. 6 construction presents over that already described, is that in the Fig. 6 construction the elevator strip 21 has a pair of tongues 26', each for engagement with a cooperating slot formed in the card I. That feature is useful in order to obtain more satisfactory alignment in the wider range of cards.

The further modified construction shown with reference to Fig. 7, provides for increasing exposure of a card top margin without necessitating employment of a separate elevating strip. To that end, the modified card I0 of Fig. 7 has, in addition to the die-cuts I" with their straight horizontal and vertical portions I9" and 22", respectively, knife cuts 30 each spaced between its adjacent die-cut and corresponding lateral margin substantially as shown. The knife cuts each define a tongue portion 3| which can be bent out of the plane of the card about a line joining the lower extremities of the lateral portions of the knife cuts to provide an alternative location for the lower edge of a cooperating under card different from that provided by the straight horizontal portions I9. Thus, in normal use, the straight horizontal portions I9" are engaged by the lower edge of a cooperating under card to define a standard exposure of card top margin, but when, as seen in Fig. 7, a justifying stage is required, the top marginal exposure of the immediately cooperating under card I0 is increased by engaging the bottom edge of the under card Ill"l with the hinge line of the tongues 3|, which, being at a different height relative to that of the straight horizontal portions I9, provides the appropriate variation of top marginal exposure.

It is to be understood that where the expression a small fraction has been yused in relation to the difference in top margin exposure provided at each justifying stage, the fraction has unity as its numerator, and its denominator represents the number of times the justifying stages are required to be repeated, heightwise of a column, effectively to conceal each single line spacing to be absorbed in justifying the complete column. Thus, in the instances hereinbefore specied 1&5" represents 1/5" of the normal exposure for each top margin I8 and hence five justifying stages are required. Similarly l/gg" is 1/6 of a normal 1/6 top margin exposure and requires six justifying stages effectively to conceal each single line difference. In general a dierence more than 1A of the normal top margin line spacing exposure at each justifying stage is liable to be too conspicuous, and though, theoretically, the justifying stages could occur .between each line, there is in practice a limit beyond which repetition of the justifying stages is useful and commercially practical. Thus not only does excessive repetition become tedious but also, it is apt to result in the fractional differences at each justifying stage becoming so impr-acticably small that the cards would have to be manufactured and finished to a degree of accuracy which would be diflicult to achieve for ordinary commercial use. The term small fraction may ltherefore be dened as between the limits Vs to 115.

In the claims:

1. In an index or ille, a card retaining strip adapted to present a pair of outwardly directed flan-ges, a plurality of index cards slidably mounted thereon, each card being provided with a pair of inwardly directed tongues struck out of said card and extending inwardly from a marginal portion thereof, said tongues having inwardly directed tab portions for engagement beneath said flanges, each card having portions of said margin at the base of said tongues in a fixed relation to lthe adjacent edge of said card, said cards engaging in oiiset interengaged relation on said strip, said portions at the base of said tongues and said adjacent card edges offsetting adjacent cards in internested relation to expose the opposite margin of each card in visible index relation, the combination of means connected to one of said cards adjacent said tongues in offset relation to said portions at the base of said tongues, said means engaging the marginal portion of an adjacent card and spacing said one card and adjacent card a different amount in overlapped relation from that provided by said portions at the base of said tongues, said means being concealed by said cards in assembled relation and providing means for justifying the spacing of said cards on said strip.

2. Card column justifying means as set forth in cl-aim 1 characterized by the fact that, for engaging an elevating strip with a card, the cards are transversely slotted for the reception of complementary tongue means extending from the upper edge of the elevating strips.

3. For column justifying of cards of the class described each having an upper edge, a lower edge, and lateral edges joining said upper and lower edges and including die-cuts having transverse portions accurately positioned relative to said lower edge for cooperation with the lower edge of an immediately adjacent under card to determine the normal extent to which the upper edge of an under card projects beyond the upper edge of an immediately overlying card when the cards are installed in their nested relationship; a justifying insert cooperatively en-gageable with an under card to mask the lower part of said undercard and project beyond the lower edge and also beyond one lateral edge, whereby the lower edge of said justifying insert cooperates with said die-cut to achieve a greater than normal extent of exposure of the top edge of an under card beyond its immediate overlying neighbor, whereas the lateral projection of said justifying insert beyond the lateral edge indicates the position of said inserts lengthwise of a column.

4. A card of the class described having a top edge and a bottom edge parallel therewith, and primary cuts defining intermembering tongues bendable out of the plane of the card for intermembering cooperation with an adjacent under card, the lower extremities of said primary cuts being equidistant from said bottom edge to dei-lne, when said tongues are bent out of the plane of the card for intermembering -with an adjacent under card, adjacent under card locating means for locating the bottom edge of a cooperating adjacent under card in spaced parallel relationship with respect to said bottom edge of said card and thereby to determine a normal degree of exposure of the top of said under card beyond said top edge of said card; said card also having supplementary cuts defining upwardly extending supplementary tongues, the lower extremities of which supplementary cuts serve. when said sup- `piementary tongues are bent out of themlne of the bard, toxprovidendjacent under card-alternative locating` means spaced from gaid ybcittom edge or said cardwa distancediff ;erentfr9m the spacing ofq-the lower extremitiesmf, Said Pfmarfy;

cuts from saddlowen-.edgeiof-:said card tothe.

top marginal portion. ofeach under 4,card bemindy thefupper edge of; its cooperating immediately underlying card corresponding to a predetennined desirednormal linespacing, the method of adapting said individual cards fonwlumn justifying which consists in providing ysaid cards withaJter-v` native intermembering meansso offset` from. said rstmentioned intermeibering meansthat when.

any -peir 0f -adJacent nested .cardsis intermem: beredr by ymeans of said alternative. .inter-n1exnb,erf-` ing means a. justifying stage is providedatwhich the normal top merg-in exposure isyeried to the extent of .a email traction (as .hereinbefqre defined) Oisaid llllllliil lllfspcmg' -eXDOBun whereby column justifyingV can `be achievedy by repeating the justifying sten as menytimee in a, column smay be required tu reise saidfraction tovunityforeach unit linespace tube absorbed justifying.

VICTORC. w

References Cited in the le of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS

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