US1478762A - Card index - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 25, 1923. 11,478,762 R. c. RUSSELL CARD INDEX Fi'led Feb. 10, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,478,762 R..c. RUSSELL CARD INDEX Dec. 25, 1923.

Filed Feb. 10. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet Z Patented Dec- 25, 1921;.

ROBERT C. RUSSELL, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARD INDEX.

Application filed February 10, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. RUssELL, a citizen of the United-States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card Indexes; and I do hereby declare the following to, be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention'relates to improvements in card indexes, objects of the invention being to facilitate the firm securin'g of the cards in the drawer or holder and yet permit the ready removal or insertion of cards; to avoid necessity for the use of tabs on the, cards or specially constructed guide-cards, but to utilize certain of the cards of the index as guide-cards; to provide means which will operate tohold such selected'cards as guidecards, in proper oflsetpositions; to so construct the'fillers as to facilitate the insertion of index cardswi'thout undue conflict with said fillers, and to providemeans whereby the series of cafdswill be prevented from buckling when tightly clamped together.

Withthese and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as herelnafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying-"drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a card index embodymg my invention. Figure 1 is a plan Figure 2 1s a view omitting the cards.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view; v view of one of the index cards. Figure 4 is a view of one of the fillers. Figure 5 is a view of one of the anchor plates or fillers. Figure 6 is a detail view of a portion of one form of filler, and Figure 7 includes fsiilrlnilar details of two modified forms of the 1 represents a holder for the cards of a card index and, in the present instance is shown in the form of a drawer or slide. The drawer is provided in its bottom and centrally between its sides with a longitudinal slot or opening 2, at respective sides of which metal plates 3-3 are secured and these plates i overlie the side portions of said slot or openmg. At one si e of one of the plates 3, a strip 4 (preferably of metal) is secured to the bottom of the drawer and is provided at one edge with an upwardly projecting flange of Allegheny d Serial No. 443,852.

5,said strip being so located that its flange 5 W111 be disposed an appreciable distance from theleft hand side of the drawer. The rawer may also'be provided near its side edges with strips 6 secured to the bottom of said drawer'to of the index.

The cards 7 have the names of persons indicated thereon near their upper left hand corners and these cards will be so arranged that the names .will be properly grouped. Each card is provided in its lower edge between its center and one end with a slot 8. One card of each group may be utilized for assist in supporting cards 7 a guide-card for the group by moving it lat- A erally so that its slotted portion will engage over the flan e 5 and be held thereby in such lateral or 0 set position, while the other cards of the group Will lie between the right hand side of the drawer and said flange. It will be seen from this arrangement that the flange 5 constitutes locking means for the offset or guide-cards of the index and also an abutment for other cards of the several.

groups. In this way the provision of'tabs on the cards or specially bonstructed guidecards will be avoided. Fillers 9 are provided for properly spacing the various cards and groups of cards of the index and are provided with notches 10 to engage the "flange 5 and also with depending portions 11 forming a slot 12 between them,-said depending portions enteringthe slot or opening 2 in the bottom of the drawer and the slots 12 permitting the passage of a clamping rod hereinafter described. Each filler is provided with a beveled upper edge which maybe formed with two faces extending upwardly and inwardly from the respective faces of the filler, as indicated at 13, Figure 6, or said beveled edge may extend from one face to the other of the filler, as indicated at 14, Figure 7, or the upper edge of the'filler may be rounded as shown at 15, Figure 7. .By thus constructing the fillers, the insertion of the index cards will be facilitated and conflict with said fillers when the index cards are being inserted will be avoided, as a portion of the upper edge of each filler will be separated from its neighbor.

A rod 16 extends through the slot or opening 2 in the bottom of the drawer and is mounted to turn freely in suitable bearings at respective ends of said drawer,one end of said rod being provided at the front end of the drawer with a knob 17 to facilitate its manipulation. The rod 16 is-threaded as at 18 and 19,-0ne of said threaded portions having a right hand thread and the other a left hand thread. Clamping bars 2021 are disposed transversely within the drawer and provided with depending por tions 22 to enter the slot or opening 2 and these depending portions are provided at respective ends with lugs 23 which underlie the metal plates 3 3 and are guided by the latter. The clamping bars are provided with suitable openings in which internally threaded sleeves 24 are secured and through these sleeves the threaded portions of the rod 16 pass. It will be observed that when the rod 16 is turned the clamping bars will move in directions toward each other and the index cards and fillers will be firmly clamped together.

At suitable intervals throughout the series of cards, metal anchor plates or fillers 25 are located. Each of these anchor members may consist of a strip of sheet metal having depending portions 26 with an opening 27 between them for the accommodation of the rod 16 and said depending portions are provided with lateral lugs 28 to underlie the inner edge portions of the plates 3. When the cards and fillers of the index are clamped, those which lie adjacent o the anchor members will have frictional connection with the latter and said anchor members being connected with the plates 3, as above explained, the plurality of cards and fillers will be prevented from buckling while being clamped.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a card index, the combination with a holder and a pluralityof index cards therein, of a flange or rib extending longi ally disposed or offset and engaging said rib or flange and the other cards of the several groups being disposed between said rib or flange and the opposite side of the holder.

2. In a card index, the combination with a holder, index cards therein, and means for holding said index cards in place, of fillers for spacing the index cards, each of said fillers having its upper edge formed to provide entering spaces between said fillers.

3. In a card index, the combination with a holder, a plurality of index cards therein and means for holding said cards in place, of fillers for spacing the cards, each of said fillers having a beveled upper edge.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT c1 RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

JAMES P. RUSSELL, BELLE WILHELM,

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