GB2205786A - "T-bar" suspension filing system - Google Patents

Abstract

A file arrangement is provided adapted to be used with a "T-bar" for a suspension filing systems. The arrangement comprises a file cover including a spine 11, a binder 15 mounted on the spine for releasably binding together the rear edges of sheets or pages 14 to be filed therein, and a "T-bar" 16 having its leg 17 attached directly to the spine. In one form "T-bar" has a flange 18 extending along the free edge of its leg, which is attached directly to the spine 11 at a point intermediate its width, in which case a reinforcement strip 19 may be attached along the inside surface of the spine. In another form (Figure 3) the leg of the "T-bar" is of bent shape to provide a flat strip part (20) adjacent its free edge for attachment to the face of the spine (11) and an intermediate angled strip part (21) dimensioned to position the head (22) of the "T-bar" in an approximately central position across the width of the spine. <IMAGE>

Description

'T-Bar" Suspension Filing Systems This invention relates to suspension filing systems of the kind in which papers, directories, or similar material are bound together in the form of a file of sheets or pages, and are suspended from a support via an elongated rigid tT-bar".

Such a system is used, for example, for computer print-out sheets, for which it is both efficient and space saving.

A typical known file arrangement for computer print-out sheets is shown in Figures 1A to D of the accompanying drawings. Referring to these Figures, the sheets 1 are bound together to form a file 2 by the rear edges of the pages being sandwiched between inturned edges 3 of outer covers 4, the pages or sheets being punched near to -their rear edges to provide aligned holes through which flexible plastics tie rods 5 can pass and be retained by clamps 6. The rear edges of the pages or sheets are not covered by a spine and, at an approximately central position over the thickness thereof, the leg 7 of the "T-bar" 8 is attached, said leg also having holes which align with the punched holes in the pages so that the tie rods 5 can pass therethrough.The head 9 of the"T-bar" then slides onto a support member comprising an inverted mating "T-slot" 10 to be retained thereby in a suspended condition.

Such an arrangement of attaching the wT-bar" has the disadvantage that the pages or sheets are not easy to read near to their rear edges unless the tie rods are unclamped and the pages loosened by partly unthreading the tie rods. With a bulky file, which is usual with an assembly of computer print-out sheets, this can lead to problems of preventing the sheets from falling out of the file.

Other binder arrangements are known, in which the pages or sheets retained therein can be more readily separated, eg the well known ring-binder. However, it will be appreciated that, with the known "T-bar" suspension system described above, a ring binder arrangement could not be used since the rings need to be supported on a rear edge cover which covers across the rear edges of the sheets or pages, and hence would prevent the leg of the "T-bar" being retained in the manner discussed above.

An object of this invention is to provide a file system incorporating a "T-bar" which can be readily adapted for a ring binder, or any other releasable binder arrangement, which is mounted on a rear edge cover.

According to the invention, a file arrangement adapted to be used with a "T-bar" for a suspension filing system, comprises a file including a rear edge cover, a binder mounted on the rear edge cover for releasably binding together the rear edges of sheets or pages to be filed therein, and a "T-bar", the leg of which is attached directly to the rear edge cover.

In one form, the "T-bar" has a flange extending along the free edge of its leg which is attached directly to the rear edge cover, at a point intermediate its width, in which case a reinforcement strip may be attached along the inside surface of the rear edge cover.

Alternatively, the "T-bar" may be formed with a leg which is of bent shape to provide a flat strip part adjacent its free edge to enable it to be attached to the rear face of the rear edge cover and an intermediate angled strip part which is dimensioned to position the head of the "T-bar" in an approximately central position across the width of the rear edge cover. An advantage of this alternative arangement is that, because the leg of the "T-bar" supports the weight of the file in shear, a reinforcement strip along the inside surface of the rear edge cover would not normally be required.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, two embodiments of file arrangement in accordance therewith will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which -Fig 1A to D are various views showing the known file arrangement discussed above, Figure 2 shows various views of the first embodiment, and Figure 3 shows various views of the second embodiment.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the file arrangement comprises a file having a rear edge cover, or spine 11, with side faces 12 which are extended to provide outer covers 13 for the file. Print-out sheets 14 are retained by a pair of releasable jaws 15 attached to the side faces of the rear edge cover.

In accordance with the invention, the "T-bar" 16 is attached directly to the rear edge cover 11, at a central position across its width, via its leg 17, and a flange 18 extending along the free edge of the leg. It will be noted that, in the embodiment, a reinforcement strip 19 is attached to the inside surface of the rear edge cover 11 to absorb the tensile stress thereon, which will occur when the file is suspended from its support. Preferably, the 'IT-bar" and strip are fitted simultaneously by studs, or other fasteners, fixed through the flange 18, rear edge cover 11 and strip 19.

Referring to Figure 3, in the second embodiment like parts are given the same references as for the first embodiment.

It will be seen that the file has a ring binder 15, and that the tT-bar" 16 is attached, via its leg 17, directly to a side face 12 of the rear edge cover 11. To effect this, the leg provides a flat strip part 20 near its free edge which is attached to the side face via studs, or similar fasteners. The leg is bent along its length -in two places so as to provide an angled intermediate strip part 21, dimensioned so that the head 22 of the "T-bar" is positioned substantially centrally of the width of the rear edge cover 11.

It will be appreciated that such a fixing arrangement enables the file to be support mainly in shear when suspended, and hence there is less need to provide a reinforcement strip.

It will also be appreciated that the "T-bar". arrangement would be particularly suitable for the "T-bar" suspension filing system described in my co-pending Patent Application No 87 .I..

Claims (5)

1. A file arrangement adapted to be used with a "T-bar" for a suspension filing systems, comprising a file cover including q spine, a binder mounted on the spine for releasably binding together the rear edges of sheets or pages to be filed therein, and a "T-bar" having its leg attached directly to the spine.

2. A file arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the "T-bar" has a flange extending along the free edge of its leg which is attached directly to the spine, at a point intermediate its width.

3. A file arrangement according to claim 2, wherein a reinforcement strip is attached along the inside surface of the spine.

4. A file arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the "T-bar" is formed with a leg which is of bent shape to provide a flat strip part adjacent its free edge for attachment to the face of the spine and an intermediate angled strip part which is dimensioned to position -the head of the "T-bar" in an approximately central position across the width of the spine.

5. A file arrangement constructed and adapted for use substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 2, or Figure 3, of the accompanying drawings.