GB2235159A

GB2235159A - Box file with plastics paper clamp

Info

Publication number: GB2235159A
Application number: GB8919221A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reginald J Cannings
Original assignee: K P PLASTICS
Current assignee: K P PLASTICS
Priority date: 1989-08-24
Filing date: 1989-08-24
Publication date: 1991-02-27
Also published as: GB8919221D0

Abstract

A box file has a spring biased paper clamp (10) with mounting (12), hinge (14) and clamping (16) portions formed integrally in a common plastics moulding. The clamp has anchorage holes (26) for locating a coil spring (34) providing an over centre action. <IMAGE>

Description

PAPER STORAGE FILE This invention relates to files for storing paper.

A widely used file construction takes the form of a rigid box of fibre-board or similar material, provided with a hinged lid. Within the box is a metal paper clamp often taking the form of a metal mounting plate, a wire frame mounted pivotally in the mounting plate and a compression spring acting between the wire frame and the mounting plate.

Sheets of paper are inserted in the file by lifting the wire frame to an over centre position. When released, the spring biased wire frame clamps the paper in a neat stack.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved box file with a paper clamp which can be manufactured more cheaply and which permits of improvements in styling.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a box file for storing sheets of paper, comprising a box with a lid and a spring biased paper clamp acting to hold sheets of paper within the box in a stack, characterised in that the paper clamp comprises a mounting portion adapted to be secured to the box, a hinge portion and a clamping portion hingeable relatively to the mounting portion through flexure of the hinge portion, the mounting portion, hinge portion and clamping portion being formed integrally in a common plastics moulding.

In one form of the invention, integral anchorage points are provided respectively on the mounting and clamping portions for the location of a coil spring therebetween.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a spring biased paper clamp for use in a box file according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the clamp of Figure 1 with the spring omitted; and Figure 3 is a partial side view to an enlarged scale of the clamp of Figure 1; The spring paper clamp comprises a polypropylene moulding 10 in which are defined a mounting portion 12: a hinge portion 14 and a clamping portion 16 respectively.

The clamping portion 16 has a flat upper surface which can receive informative or decorative material. There is provided a peripheral down turned flange 18 which tapers in depth toward the hinge portion 14. A rib 20 is provided around the end of the clamping portion remote from the hinge portion 14 to facilitate lifting of the clamping portion. Two stiffening flanges 22 extend generally the length of the clamping portion 16 and straddle a lozenge shaped aperture 24 which extends through the hinge portion 14 and into the mounting portion 12. Spring anchorage holes 26 are provided at opposite ends of the aperture 24, one in the clamping portion 16 and one in the mounting portion 12.

As shown best in Figure 3, the hinge portion 14 is provided with a transverse recess 28 of radius approximately lmm reducing the material thickness in this region to approximately 0.5mm. As will be appreciated, the clamping portion is thus able to hinge relatively to the mounting portion through flexure of the hinge portion 14.

The mounting portion 12 has side lugs 30 and 32 provided with holes for riveting or similar fitting of the mounting portion to a box file. A tension spring 34 has hooks at its two ends received in the anchorage holes 26. In use of the described paper clamp, the mounting portion is secured, for example by riveting, to the wall of a box file. The arrangement is such that the clamping portion has two stable positions; one in which the free end is urged through tension in the spring into engagement with the base of the box file; the other, on over-centre position in which paper can be added to the file with no impedance from the clamp.

The novel construction of paper clamp according to this invention enables production costs to be reduced whilst providing an end product which can be made more aesthetically pleasing than the traditional wire and sheet metal clamp. By appropriate choice of plastics material and colour, by shaping (particularly) the clamping portion 16 and by the printing, adhesion or other provision of decorative matter on the flat upper surface of the clamping portion, a wide range of visually pleasing effects can be achieved. The upper surface of the clamping portion can also carry informative material which may be fixed in content, such as the manufacturer's trade mark, or variable in content, such as an index label on which brief details of the file content can be written by the user.

It should be understood that this invention has been described by way of example only and a variety of modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. As has been mentioned, different materials and shapes can be selected for the plastics moulding. The described tension spring can be replaced by other spring elements and the method of fitting the mounting portion can be varied to suit the box file.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A box file for storing sheets of paper, comprising a box with a lid and a spring biased paper clamp acting to hold sheets of paper within the box in a stack, characterised in that the paper clamp comprises a mounting portion secured to the box; a hinge portion and a clamping portion hingeable relative to the mounting portion through flexure of the hinge portion, the mounting hinge and clamping portions being formed integrally in a common plastics moulding.

2. A box file according to Claim 1, wherein integral anchorage points are provided respectively on the mounting and clamping portions for the location of a coil spring therebetween.

3. A box file according to Claim 2, wherein the paper clamp is formed with an aperture intermediate said integral anchorage points to accommodate the coil spring.

4. A box file according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping portion has a generally flat upper surface adapted to receive informative or decorative material.

5. A box file according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping portion is provided with a projecting rib, remote from the hinge portion, to facilitate lifting of the clamping portion.

6. A box file according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting portion is provided with holes for riveting or similar fitting of the mounting portion to the box.

7. A paper clamp for use in a box file for storing sheets of paper, the clamp comprising a mounting portion adapted to be secured to the box file, a hinge portion and a clamping portion hingeable relatively to the mounting portion through flecture of the hinge portion, the mounting hinge and clamping portions being formed integrally in a common plastics moulding.

8. A box file substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.