GB2044679A - Suspension Rail for File Folders, and File Folder Provided Therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

A suspending rail (9) for file folders (15) has a blade of rectangular cross- section, comprising a central blade portion (10) and, at the two opposed ends thereof, respective suspending hooks (11). The hooks are provided, on opposed lateral sides (18) thereof, with nesting means (20,21). The construction is such that the nesting means (20, a stud) provided on each hook of juxtaposed armatures and the adjacent nesting means (21, a cavity) provided on an adjacent hook of said armatures are complementary and adapted to cooperate with each other. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Armature for Suspended File Folders, and File Folder Provided with Such Armature The present invention is related to an armature for file folders adapted to be suspended between two parallel horizontal slide-guides. The invention is also related to a file folder provided with such armature.

Suspended file folders constituted by a rectangular sheet of cardboard or the like folded back on itself generally comprise armature rods affixed to each one of the sheet edges parallel to the folding line, the end of said rods forming suspending hooks adapted to be supported by said slide-guides.

In many cases such rods are affixed to the edges of the associated file folder sheet by riveting.

It is known furthermore to provide removable attaching means to the edge portions of adjacent file folders, with a view to constituting a continuous filing assembly extending between the two slide guides.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a suspending armature for a file folder which is particularly inexpensive and simple, and which can be used in a most flexible and easy manner.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a file folder equipped with such armature.

With these and other objects in view the present invention is directed to an armature for suspended file folders supported between two parallel horizontal slide guides, said armature being constituted by an elongated blade of rectangular cross-section having, at each one of its two ends, which define between them a central blade portion, a suspending hook provided, at its two opposite sides, with nesting means, the nesting means provided on any given one of a plurality of juxtaposed armatures and the adjacent nesting means provided on any adjacent one of said armatures being complementary and adapted to cooperate with each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the complementary nesting means are constituted, respectively, by at least one stud and at least one corresponding cavity, said stud and cavity having, for example, a circular crosssection.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the armature is constituted by a single piece, e.g.

a piece made of injection-moulded plastic material, said hooks and said nesting means being obtained directly during the moulding process.

Preferably said central blade portion of the armature has, over a length corresponding to that of the associated file folder, cross-sectional dimensions smaller than those of said hooks, thus allowing the free edge portion of said folder to be folded back over said central blade portion with a view to fixing said end portion of the folder without defining a material thickness greater than that of the hooks.

The invention will be described hereinafter in a more detailed manner with reference to the appended Figures which are given by way of illustration, but not of limitation.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a detail of one embodiment of the present invention, including a portion of the file folder associated to the armature shown, the complementary nesting means being clearly visible.

Fig. 2 shows two adjacent armatures in the nested position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the edge portion of a file folder and the associated armature, provided, in accordance with the present invention, with a locating rider.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rider of Fig.

3, said rider being shown prior to being engaged onto the fromt edge of the file folder in accordance with another mode of utilization of said rider.

Fig. 5 schematically illustrates the initial phase of the constitution of a continuous filing assembly, two suspended file folders being shown as being equipped with armatures according to the present invention, and one of said file folders being provided with a locating rider used as indicated in Fig. 4.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the armature according to the invention comprises a blade 9 of a generally elongated configuration, said blade including a central blade portion 10 and, located at the two opposite ends thereof, two hooks 11 allowing the armature to be suspended on two horizontal parallel slide guides 14 (cf. Fig. 5).

Hooks 11 are defined each by a recess 13 provided in the lower face or edge of blade 9.

Over a length corresponding to that of a file folder 1 5 which is to be suspended, the central blade portion 10 of the latter has a reduced crosssection, i.e. a cross-section having dimensions smaller than those of the cross-section of hooks 11, thus defining a shoulder 1 6 in the zone of transition between hook 11 and the central blade portion 10.Due to this reduced cross-section no excess thickness will result, with reference to the contour of hooks 11, when the file folder 1 5 is attached to the armature, e.g. by folding back the free edge portion 1 7 of said folder over said armature with a view to fixing said edge portion onto the surface of the folder by gluing or any other convenient means, whereby a tubular armature receiving space is provided; furthermore, the file folder is maintained longitudinally between shoulders 1 6.

Each hook 11 is provided on its opposed lateral sides 1 8 with complementary nesting means 20 and 21 adapted to cooperate respectively with corresponding complementary nesting means provided on adjacent armatures.

In the embodiment shown the nesting means comprise a stud 20 having a cylindrical configuration and a cavity 21 having also a cylindrical configuration and a diameter substantially equal to that of stud 20. The stud is aligned on cavity 21 provided in the opposed surface of the hook.

Preferably the armature is provided, on a given surface thereof, with a stud 20 on one of the hooks 1 and with a cavity 21 on the other hook; on the opposite surface of the armature, this arrangement is reversed; this arrangement, symmetrical with reference to the centre of the armature, is advantageous in that it allows the armature to be mounted on the file folder in any longitudinal orientation.

Thus when mounting a continuous row of file folders on the slide-guides 14, each end of each armature of any folder is assembled in a nested condition to the adjacent ends of the armatures associated to the adjacent folders (cf. Figs. 2 and 5).

The adjacent ends of the armature of one given file folder may also be assembled to each other by nesting when it is desired to close said folder.

According to the invention, a locating rider 20 may also be provided, such rider being made, for example, of a shaped element of plastic having the form of pincers one arm 21 of which has a straight or rectilinear section, while the other arm 22 of the pincers is provided with an inwardly inclined edge portion 23.

The inner space defined by the thus shaped pincers is substantially equal in thickness to the total thickness of the file folder in the area of the central part of the armature.

Thus it is possible to place rider 20 on the edge of the file folder (cf. Fig. 3) without substantially deforming said rider, the inwardly inclined edge portion holding the said rider in its desired position.

The dorsal portion 25 of the rider defines a surface adapted to receive a label or any other convenient coloured or non-coloured indicating means.

Rider 20 may also be put onto the vertical edge 26 of a file folder; it is advantageous to provide a retaining protruding portion 27 adjacent said vertical edge by folding back the corresponding edge portion of the folder sheet, whereby such retaining portion cooperates with the inwardly inclined edge portion 23 of the rider (cf. Figs. 4 and 5).

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described herein; various modifications may be envisaged by those skilied in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended

Claims (7)

claims. Claims

1. A suspending armature for file folders adapted to be suspended between two parallel horizontal slide-guides, said armature having the general shape of an elongated blade of rectangular cross-section having, at each one of its two ends defining between them a central blade portion, a suspending hook provided, at its two opposed sides, with nesting means, the nesting means provided on any given one of a plurality of juxtaposed armatures and the adjacent nesting means provided on any adjacent one of said armatures being complementary and adapted to cooperate with each other.

2. A suspending armature according to claim 1, wherein said complementary nesting means comprise a stud and a cavity, respectively.

3. A suspending armature according to claim 2, wherein said stud and said cavity have a circular cross-section.

4. A suspending armature according to any of claims 1, 2, or 3, which is constituted by a single moulded piece.

5. A suspending armature according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein said central blade portion has, over a length corresponding to that of the associated file folder, a cross-section the dimensions of which are smaller than those of the cross-section of said hooks.

6. A file folder provided with an armature according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said armature is mounted onto an edge portion of said folder by folding back said edge portion over said central blade portion and fixing the thus folded-back edge portion onto the adjacent part of the file folder.

7. A file folder according to claim 6, further comprising a locating rider having the form of pincers the arms of which are placed and elasticaliy fixed on the folded-back edge portion of the folder, the distance between the arms of the pincers corresponding to the total thickness of said edge portion, and one of the arms of said pincers being terminated by an inwardly inclined retaining edge portion.