US1303100A - Telephone-directory - Google Patents

Description

C. F.. MIDDLEBROOK.

TELEPHONE WHEN-CRY.

APPLICATION man :une 8.1916.

Patented May 6, 1919.

hj/vegrn WM .HTraR/vay UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

CHARLES F. MIDDLEBROOK,OF k13IN'GrI-IAM'ION', NEW YORK.

"DELEPHONE-DIREGTORY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed `Tune 48, 1916. Serial No. 102,510.

used more particularly on the standardsof desk phones, the main object beingto provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive device of this character capable of being.

easily and quickly placed upon the standard of any desk phone for turning movement, and also of receiving a relatively large number of the most frequently used names and numbers of subscribers for ready reference while awaiting response from the central oiiice.

I am aware that many devices have been proposed for this purpose, but I believe that I am the first to employ a multi-sided transparent case open at both ends and divided through one side to enable it to be easily and quickly placed upon the standard of a desk phone, in combination with separate placards bearing the names and numbers of the subscribers on each of its several faces.

@ther objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description.

Figure l is a perspective View ofv a desk phone showing my improved directory thereon. f

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2, Fig. l, omitting the telephone.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 3-3, Fig. 2.

As illustrated, this directory comprises a case -lhaving a multiplicity of, in this instance three, substantially fiat rectangular sides 2, all made of a single piece of Celluloid or similar comparatively inexpensive transparent material folded along transverse parallel lines equally distant from each other, and the ends brought together at one corner around the standard, as -aa, of the telephone -A- and secured together by any suitable fastening means, as eyelets.

- -3j-, thus producing, in this instance, a

triangularv case.

This case is preferably open at both ends and made of any convenient size, preferably of just suflicient interior area to receive the standard -aand permit the case to be turned thereon with the lower end resting upon the base, as -a/-, of the phone.

Patented May 6, 1919.

The lower edges of the several ysides of the case` are preferably crimped or'turned inwardly and upwardly to form supporting flange -4- for the lower edges of a series 1 of, in this instance three, separate placards -5- of paper, cardboard or other suitable material of substantially the same area as the corresponding sides of the case so as to lie closely adjacent to the inner faces thereof with the printed matter, indicating the subscribers7 names and numbers, facing outwardly so as to be readily visible through the transparent sides of the case, said flanges serving as stops to limit the' downward movement of the placards.

The object in making these cards separate from each other and from the case is to enable any one of them to be removed and replaced from the top without disturbing the others when it is desired to revise the list of names and numbers thereon.

The triangular form of case is found to be the most desirable for use with separate placards for the reason that the vertical edges of each card are.held in place by the adjacent edges of the other cards and by the acute angles at the corners which form vertical guides for the cards, thereby causing said cards to lie flatwise close to the flat transparent sides of the case without eXtra fastening means.

The anges -4-- at the bottom also serve to hold the cards flatwise against the inner faces of the side of the case, and'furthermore reinforce the entire case against buckling, and at the same time enable it to be turned more easily upon the base -a-.

The case and blankruled cards may be furnished to the subscriber flatwise, and afterward folded by the subscriber along prescribed lines and placed around the standard of the telephone, and then the meeting ends secured together by the eyelets -3-, whereupon the desired subscribers names and tele phone numbers may be written upon the cards which may then be inserted in place from the top downward within the case with the assurance that the lower edges will rest upon the flanges -4-.

If, at any time, it is necessary to revise the list of subscribers names and numbers on any one of the cards, it may be readily withdrawn upwardly from the interior of the case and either revised or replaced by another card without removing thecasefrom the standard.

What I claim is:

1. A telephone directory comprising a triangular case having transparent sides forming acute angle guides at the corners, and separate placards, one for each side, slidable vertically in said guides across the inner faces of the transparent sides. Y

2. A telephone directory comprising an upright triangular case having flat transparent sides and inturned flanges alongthe lower edges thereof, and number plates loosely inserted from the top downward across the inner faces of the transparent sides and having their upright edges engaging inthe angles of the caseand their lower edges resting on the underlying flanges.

3. lAl telephone directory comprising a single strip of transparent bendable material bent into triangular form and having its ends secured to each other to form an upright transparent case open from top to bottom, incombination with placards "slidable vertically across the inner faces of the transparent sides and guided in the acute angles at'the corners In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of May, 1916.

CHARLES F. MIDDLEBROOK.

'Witnessesz GF. CLEARY, HARRY C. WALKER.

Qonieeol this patent mayI beA obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the ,Gqmmisaiouen of latent,

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