US1130096A - Sorting and filing case. - Google Patents

Description

B. B. MGSHEE SORTING AND FILIN E.

. PPPP I0 IIIIIIIII 1) MAY 14, 1908.

1, 1 30,096. Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

' 2 SSSSSS s EEEE 1.

INVENTOR WITNESSES; ma

B. E. MGSHEBHY- SORTING AND FILING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1908.

1,1 39,6966 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

2 SHEET$SHEBT 2,

INVENTOR WITNESSESJ $021M? 9 THOLOMEW E. MOSHEEHY, OF NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 1'0 J. C. BLAIR COANY, 0F HUNTINGDOH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SORTING ANDFILING CASE.

Epeciflcatioa of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1.915..

tain new and useful Improvements in Sort ing and Filing Cases, of which the followingjs a specification.

his invention relates to sorting and fil ing cases and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

The object of the present invention is provide a convenient means for use in filing letters'or other papers, either alphabetically or according to some other determined sys-' term.

The invention is principally directed to the provision of a suitable supporting de vice or rest for a file, which supporting device may bea part of the file if desired, or may be separable therefrom, so that it may be used in connection witha series of files if desired. It is customary to file letters, bills and other papers in filing cases which are approximately of book form, and in the use of such a file it is customary to place it on a table, or other support and after each letter is selected to turn to the proper letter of the alphabet or other index to file the letter. The operation of filing has not heretofore been at allconvenient for the reason that such files do not lie flat when opened and practically require the use of two hands to manipulate them.

According to my invention, I provide a rest for files of this type which is adapted to hold the file in any of its open positions without requiring to be held by the user, thus leaving both hands free for filing purposes. The rest is so constructed that the file may be used in a position to face the user, whereby its use is rendered more convenient.

My invention also comprises certain other features which will hereinafter ,be referred to. v

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein l have illustrated one form of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred construction. Fig. 2 is a simi- 'liir view showing the file opened. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a side elevation.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section of a modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 to f the drawings,

let A indicate my .improved rest or support as a whole. As shown, it com rises a hollow body formed of pasteboar and having an oblique supporting surface a for the back of the file, which is indicated at B. The rest A is also provided with a second supporting surface I) which is inclined at an angle of about 45 from the vertical, andwhich is adapted to form a support for one side of the file. In. the construction shown the supportin surfaces a and b are adapted to hol the e in a tilted position. These surfaces are preferably made continuous, that is to say, of card board, metal or the like. This is not essential, however, since any constructibn which provides supports for.

the back and side of the file falls within the invention, even though such supports may consist merely of wires or strips. An important feature of the invention is the provision, beyond the supporting surface a, of an auxiliary support for the cover c, of the file B, when the latter is in its open condition. In the construction shown, the auxiliary support (which is lettered d) is" formed as a continuation of the supporting surface a, being extended in substantially the same direction as the latter. ihe efiect of this construction as shown in Fi 2, is that the cover in its open position is held slightly out of the horizontal so that the leaves e of the file cannot tilt over and discharge their contents. It is obvious that v the support of may however be otherwise constructed.

The rest A may itself be supported in any suitable way. Preferably it is formed with a bottom portion f which extends the full length of the device from front to rear, so that the rest may be placed upon a table or other surface in use. Other means of support may, however, be provided, such as eyes 9 g by which the rest may be hung from a wall or the like. Or the rest may, if desired, be screwed directly to. the wall or any other support. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, in case it is desired to lighten the rest the rear portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 may be omitted as indicated in dotted lines in this figure or as shown in full lines in Fig. 6. In this case, in order to preserve the stability of the structure a weight it may be provided in the base 1", as shown in Fig. 6.

My invention is particularly adapted for no use as a temporary sorting device for clasof the file, said supports being in rigid consifying papers alphabetically or otherwise, nection with said base, and a tiltinf suppreliminary to finally filing them away. For this purpose, it is preferable that t and rest be formed inseparably. This may be easily accomplished in the present construction by merely gluing or-otherwise fastening the back of any suitable file to the supporting surface a of the rest. The invention is, however, equally advantageous as a support or rest for use in connection with separate files. In the construction shown,'the file is securely held in all of its positions without being connected to the rest. In use there is no danger of slipping or other displacement of the"file and no liability of the filed letters slipping out of their places when the maximum quantity of letters or the like, which the file 1s capable of holding, is approached.

To accommodate round back files the supporting surface a may be made curved as shown at a in Fig. 6.

It will be seen that the device provided by my invention is adapted to hold a file or other like device in a position in which both of the covers'of the file gif a separate file is used) are maintained in such position that they do not tend to close after the file is opened, and that the pages or leaves of the filc hold their positions when turned over one or the other of the covers. This insures that when the user turns to a certain page the file maintains its open position at such page so that it does not require any attention on the part of the operator to maintain a given position of the file. This practically leaves both hands free for filing purposes and results in a great gain in the speed with which papers may be filed. In use the file and rest may be placed in a position with their ends toward the user, or with their front portions toward him, as may be most convenient. Ordinarily, however, the front position'is desirable in that the hands may be used more naturally when in this position.

While my invention is perhaps of greatest advantage in connection with an index or other sub-divided filing device, it may be used in any other connection if desired.

While I have shown and described in detail several forms of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto as various modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A rest for file's or the like having a. base upon which the device is supported,

ing a cover on one side thereof, a sup port a adapted to swing from sai firstnamed support over to said last-named support, and the latter being adaptedto maintain said support 0 in an outwardly extended position.

2. The combination of a rest for a file having a base upon which the device is supported, an upwardly and rearwardly'im clined support adapted to support the side of a file, a shorter support inclined away from the horizontal and adapted to support the back of the'file and a tilting su port a hinged within the outer edge of tie lower support and adapted to be held by the latter in an open position.

3. The combination of a file having a series of leaves united together, and means for holding said file having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined supporting surface adapted to support the leaves of the file in an inclined position, andv a lower supporting surface also upwardly inclined for supporting the back of the file, and a foldable means adapted to he opened to an upwardly inclined position for supporting the opposite side of the file, and means for holding said foldable means in such position.

4. The combination of a file having a series of leaves disconnected at their sides and united at their backs, and means for holding said file having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined supporting surface adapted to support the leaves of the file in an inclined position, a lower supporting surface also upwardly inclined for supporting the back of' the file, a .foldable means for supporting the opposite side of the file, and a support I) for holding said foldable means in its extended position.

5. A combined file and support, compris rting surface on the other side thereo an. upwardly inclined supporting surface at the back thereof, and a supporting surface adapted to hold said cover in an open position.

6. A rest for files or the like having a base upon which the device is supported, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined support adapted to support the side of a file, a shorter support inclined upwardly fromthe horizontal and adapted to support the back gfa file, and a weight located near such ase.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed by name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BARTIIOLOMEW E,- MCSHEEHY.

Witnesses:

FRED WHITE, E. V. Mamas.

Images