US1616624A - Index device - Google Patents

Description

Fei. s, 1927.

w. N. HOWARD INDEX DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sh@l Filed dan. so, 192e 1N VEN TOR. w/L//i/wv N. HOWARD vBY ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

PATENT ,or-FICE c WILLIAM N. HOWARD, OF

LGS ANGELES,\ CALEFORNIA..

INDEX DEVICE.

Application filed; January rlhis invention relates to a system and devices for maintaining number bearing cards in proper order and for enabling quick removal of a certain card when desired.

The general object of the invention is Vto provide an improved card file which will enable consecutively numbered cards to be readily classified or separated.

One of the specific objects of the invention is to provide a tile of consecutively numbered cards wherein the individual; cards each have a signal comprising a letter thereon and wherein the like signals are disposed back of each other in a stra-ight line.

Another object of the invention is to prof vide a. file comprising sets of numbered cards having visible signals wherein cards bearing numbers differing by multiples of twenty-five are placed with the signals in a straight line back of each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a consecutively numbered card file comprising a plurality of sets of twenty fiveV cards leach. wherein the upper portion of each card isv notched andl is provided with a signal and whereinthe signal is a letter.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevation of a file embodying the features of my in-l vention;

Fig'. 2 is' a view similar to Fig. l showing.

the cards of a hundred group whose signal is E; l

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing a single card;

Fig. 4c is an end view showing a plurality of cards; and

Fig. 5 is a chart showing the numbers ofl a hundred group used with each signal letter.

As stated, the general obj ect of the inyention is to provide an improved alphabetically signalled, numerically arranged card file. The cards embodying the features of my invention, which will be presently described, enable an operator to readily file numerically designated cards. Vith my invention any desired. cards may be quickly and .readily withdrawn from a file and it also visual- 30; 1926-. serial No. 84,858'.

ly indicates when any ofthe cards have been removed or are improperly filed'.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, I have shown a section of one hundred cards of a. card index at' 10.

Each such section comprises a plurality of' cards whichmay be numbered consecutively by numbers preferably placed' adjacent the top of each card as at ll. The cards are shown as arranged in sets of twenty-live as shown at l2., although other arrangementmay be madel without departing' from they spirit of my invention.

The cards are adapted for a number of different purposes as will bey obvious,A and among them I may mention the recording of automobile license plate numbers and 'the recording of information useful in the business of4 abstracting titles. ln-

3- the card shown is provided with information la thereon relating to a rca-l esuate transfer. rlhe cards may have blank forms printed thereon if desired. ln fact the use to which the cardsare putl forms no part of` my present invention which relates to a novel' system for Vfiling the cards and for distinguishing the individual cards in a file.

Each of the record cards of the group 'l0 is shown as provided with anotched portionl land adjacent this notched portion I show' a signal at 16. Between successive groups of one hundred cards l' may insert anum-A bered guide card" f7 if desired. rlhisguide may project above the cards as shown.

The file shown in the drawings includes. cards numbered consecutively from l to 100. The first card 1` is provi-ded with a signal shown at 18 in Fig. 1 as the letter A. The second card which is numbered 2 is provided with a signall B1 which is shown at 191 (Fig. l) as arranged slightly to the right of theV signal 1S'. The third card is numbered 3' and isy provided' with the signaly C@ The' next card numbered l hasy the signal"A D? as shown inv Fig. l and so on.

The arrangement described is continued until a complete setv of twenty-five cards isv provided. The purpose of this arrangement is so that four sets will provide a groupl comprisingr an -even hundred cards..

As there are twenty-six letters in the'- al phabet, with my use of letters as signals it becomes necessary that the use'of one letter as a signal be omitted. I now prefer to omit the letter I, although of course it will be understood that any other letter may be omitted if desired. It will also be under.- stood that instead of using the letters described I may use arbitrary arrangements of letters or groups of letters as desired.

In each group of one hundred cards there will be four cards bearing the same signal. These cards bearing the same signal will bear numbers thereon which differ from each other by multiples of twenty-five. For instance, in Fig. 2 I show cards numbered 5 30, 55 and 80. Each of these cards bears the. signal letter E shown at 16, and it will be noted that the numbers 5, 30, 55 and 80, on these cards dier from yeach other by twenty-five and that each card in the set differs from all the other cards in the set by numbers which are a multiple of twentyfive.- For instance, v5 differs from 30 by 25, while 5 differs from 8O by 7 5; both multiples of twenty-five."

An experienced operator operates these cards to select or file the desired number. For instance, the operator will quickly learn that the car numbered 30` is the second E cardin the set. In a similar manner the operator will learn that the card numbered 91 is the last Q card in the set.

However, in ord-er tofacilitate use of the v cards either by a novice or by one who uses them infrequently, I prefer to print upon the cards numbers shown at 20 in y Fig.. 2. These numbers may preferably appear near the signal 16 and the numbers are those which correspond to those `present in the tens and vunits columns of the cards bearing the same signal.

I prefer to distinguish the signals E, K, I),

U, and Z `which are the signals for the cards whose numbers are even ves and even tens since with a distinguishing mark the operatorkcan very quickly pick out the desired cardsby first referring to the distinguished part. I now prefer to color the overlapping portions of the cards bearing the signals E, K, l?, U, and Z for this purpose.

*The cards in each set yare preferably of the same size and they ma;7 be arranged with the sets stepped, as shown, or they may be arranged with the top of the signals all in the same plane.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided an improved signal and grouping system for lnumerically numbered cardswhich is extremely simple, which will enable` a card to be readily removed or replaced in the proper position and wherein the absence of a card will be readily detected by the absence ofthe signal.

I-Iaving thus described myv invention, I claim: n

1. In a filing and indexing device, a plurality of cards each lia-ving an identifying I very quickly' number thereon, each of said cards also having a signal thereon, said signal being a letter, all cards which have the same signal having identifying numbers thereon differ ing by multiples of 25. i

2. In a filing and indexing device, a plurality of cards consecutively numbered, each ofy said cards having a signal thereon, said signa-l being a letter, all cards which have the same signal having numbers thereon differing by multiples of twenty-five, Said cards being arranged with the saine signals disposed in straight lines.

3.7In avfiling and indexing device, a plurality of cards bearingconsecutive numbers, said cards each having a normallyl visible signal displayed thereon, the signalvisible on each card being a letter, the cards bearing numbers having certain arbitrarily chosen,characteristics having the same letter as a signal. l

4. Asset of cards numbered consecutively, said cards each having a visible signal thereon, the cards whose numbers differ rby multiplesof twenty-five Vhaving the same signal visible thereon.

5. A set of cards numbered consecutively, said cards being arranged 'in multiple sets of twenty-five with a letter displayed on each card as a signal and with the cards which bear numbers which are `multiples of twentyive having their signals disposed at the right for the purpose ofl indicating the different sets, the signals being arranged in straight lines with the same signal displayed in each ine.

6. A set of cards numbered consecutively,-

said cards being arranged in multiple sets of twenty-five with a letter displayed on each card as a signal and with the cards which bear numbers which are multiples of twentylive having theiry signals disposed atthe right for the purpose of indicating the` different i sets, the signals being arranged in straight lines with the same signal displayed in each line, the cards'whose signals are arranged in any one line having numbers thereon diEer'- ing from each other successively by twentyfive.

7. A set of consecutively numbered cards, said set comprising a plurality of groups of twenty-five cards each', said cards being notched at onexcorner and having a letter visible thereon as a signal, the cards whose numbers end in 01, 26, 51, and 76 having the letter A as a signal, the cards whose.-

numbers end in 02, 27, 52 yand 77 having the letter B as a signal, with the arrangement repeated in order and with the letter Iomitted, said signals which are the same being arranged in straight lines back of each other.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my Signature. i M

` WILLIAM N. HOWARD.

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