US1626886A - Filing device - Google Patents

Description

May 3, 1927. 1,626,886

RL M. SMITH FILING DEVICE Filed Feb.2o. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 lll" i 33 u Y 24- 2f h u .25,

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HV'INESSES: A [N VENTOR gy- ATTORNEY Patented May 3, 1927.

RITTENHUSE M. SMITH, OE MOBILE, ALABAMA.

i FILING Application led February The present invention relates to card f'1l ing devices.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a device of the aforesaid type for filing cards in accordance with two kinds of data, which employs only a fraction of the space required in prior systems.

To this end the device comprises two series of index characters disposed at right angles to each other and means to support' a card to be tiled parallel to one series and ('ipposite a character of the other series, the cards being disposed in overlapping relation toeach other to permit a compact arrangement of cards in the lile.

. More specifically the invention comprises a container having two series of index characters disposed at right angles to each other, and. a series of cards each having an indicator at its upper edge. The cards are filed in the container parallel to one series of characters and opposite a character of the other series. The characters of the first series are spaced so that there are several characters in a distance equal to the length of a card and means is provided for posi.- tioning the cards parallel to the series of vcharacters with their indicators in line with a selected character of said series. For this `purpose the cards and container may be formed with .interengaging tongues and grooves.

The width of the container in the direction of the last-mentioned series of characters may be eqn al to the length of the series plus the length of one card. Thus, if there are ten 'characters in the length of one card, this additional space may be utilized for another series, such` for instance, as for indicating the months of the year and the series is `thirty characters long, then the width ot the container will be equal to the length of four cards. and although the `width .is only four cards it will be seen that thirty cards may be filed and spaced in this length.

.ii'iother feature of the invention resides in the provision of a movable index sl.idable along one series of index characters.

Another feature of the invention resides in the novel. form of filingcard employed.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a means of obstructing the withdrawal of the card from its position in the cabinet.

Other features of novelty and objects of DEVICE.

20, 1922. Serial No. 538,043.

the invent-ion will be apparent from the description taken in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view on a re duced scale of a filing device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

lFigure Q is a partial. sectional elevation, showing the finger of a card positioned in a slot;v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the container;

Figure 4 shows one form ofi the card attachment; i

Figure 5 shows a modified form of card; Figures 6, ,7, and 8, respectively, show modilied forms of the card attachment; and

Figure 9 shows a modified form of indi eating tab. v i

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the tiling device is shown as comprising a rectangular shell consisting of the four side membersl, 16, 17 and 18, the upper side of this shell being open. Preferably, the lower side of the shell is closed as by a bottom 19, although this bottom is not absolutely necessary. Spaced from the bottom and the'lower edges of the side pieces of the shell is a grid comprising` spaced parallel members or bars 20, the spaces between the same being indicated by the numeral 32.' In the form of the invention shown the grid is held spaced from the lower edges of the shell by the spacing blocks Q2. It will be obvious that the spacing blocks may vary in height so as to position the grid as desired relative to the lower edges of the shell. Any suitable -means may be provided for holding the grid' against movement toward the top of the shell. As shown for this purpose flat members 23 are secured to the sides 16 and 15 on the interior thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention shown the longitudinal space indicated by each of the indexcharacters for months and days' of the month preferably terminates on the center lines of adjacent bars so that the indicating end of each card for that index character is between the ends of the indicating space and thus the fact that it is indicated by that character is unmistakable. It will be apparent, however, that the invention is not limited to havingr the spacing of the characters equal to that of the bars providing only one transverse slot between adjacent bars for all cards indicated by the correslionding index characters since the functions and advantages of the invention in properly spacing,` in series and clearly indicating the cards for each index character could be secured by having a series of adjacent slots designated by a single index character.

rllhe present invention eniploys a special form ofcard. rl`hus, as clearly shown in the drawings, a positioning finger 35 projects from the lower edge of the card 33 and is adapted to be disposed in a slot 32 between the bars 9,0, and thus properly position the card. At its opposite or upper edge, the car is provided with an indicator. In the forni shown this indicator projects above the upper edge of the card as illustrated at 311-. Preferably, the positioning linger and indicator are provided on a reinforcing strip 36 secured to the edge of the card. In Sonie instances it is desirable to have the indicator of different colors or fornis. To this end the upper end of the binding; piece 36 niav be threaded as indicated at 37 and the indicator 34 provided with a ferrule internally threaded so thatI it inay be screwed on to the upper edge of the binding strip. ln this inanner various forins of colored indicators 34 inay be employed.

Another forni of the card is illustrated in Figure 5. in this modification two positioning` fingers 35 project frein the lower Vedge of the card and preferably these lingers 1re integral with a reinforcing strip on the bottoni edge of the card, and this strip niay be integral with the strip 3G at the vertical edge of the card. rThe card may be sufficiently pliable to allow the second linger to he inserted after the first finger is in place by bendingv the card slightly to allow the linger to slide through the slot.

lligrure G shows a modified forni of the positioning` finger having; two tonggues 35 on the saine side of the linger. rlhis forni of card inay be used when two grids are employed.

Figure 7 shows a positioning` finger which curved to prevent direct vert-ical withdrawal of the card froin the grid.

Figure 8 shows another inodiiication of the positioning linger havingal`shape end. the projections 35 extending;` at right anales on each side of the finger.

The object of these forrns is to obstruct the withdrawal of t-he iinpjer frein the grid, thus prcventii'ip; the card from bein;r unintentionally inoved out of position. To this end the linger is either broadened at one or more points transversely to the bars of the grid to width which will cause the broadened point to resist beine' raised through the slot, or the linger is curved transversely to the bars of the `grid. One illustration of such a curve is shown in Figure 9, but the invention is not limited to any particular location of the curve along the finger,

or to any particular type of curve or projection.

lllhen the card is positioned in the grid1 and a linoadened portion of the linger has been lowered. through the slot, and it is desired to rernove the card` the member may, if the linig" is at any point below the bars too lnoadl'l'or jiiassing upward'.j tln'oujrh the slot, be slipliily turned .so as to perniit the linger to pass upwardly through the slot.

ln. einpinyin;Y the present inrcntirni the card 33 is filed between a pair of partitions parallel to the saine and with its positioning?r linger in a slot 32 such as will bring the indicator 'l-lin line with one of the characters of the series extending; parallel to the partitions. ln the forni of the invention illustrated one series of characters, namely that extending perpendicular to the bars 2O consists of inenibers l to 31, to represent the days of the nionth and also the abbreviations for the twelve inonths of the year.

The other' series of characters is shown as the letters of the alphabet. These letters are sliown on the upstandinp tabs on the partitions illustrated in Figi'. l. llt will he understood, however' that the invention not limited to either of the fornis of character shown, lilith the characters shown the cards niay be tiled alphabetically according' to the naine or subject n'iatter, tor example, and also filed in accordance with the date, say the date that the matter to he brought up for action. The cards coniing` up for action during' the current. month may be tiled in line with any of the characters freni l to 3l. Matters comingup during fut-ure nienths will have their cards filed under one of the months indicated by the nionth characters i-it. ln case the month characters are too close to the right hand end of the partition to pci-init filing' of the card with its face forward, the card may he withdrawn and reversed so as to bring; the index finger directly in line with the .inonth character. Preferably, an index is slidably mounted to inove along` the series of characters 2f) on the top edge of the container'. As shown, this index comprises a U-shaped ineniber having legis 42 one of which appears in Fig. l while the other lies behind the index scale. straddling` the channel bar and a projection -l-l struck up from the base o t the U ineinber providing,l the aj'ierture ri through which the characters of the series may be viewed. This index inay be moved along to indicate the current day of the current inonth and all cards in line with the index will be takenv out at the beginning oi each day. lt will he understood that the indiaY nurnerals on the side of the box and on the partitions are in aiinenient parallel with the t es of the box. A similar index 41 inay be provided as indicated in Figure l and positioned at the left of the first-mentioned index so that the cards may be positioned :for the days of the subsequent month up to the day correslionding to the current day o'l' the current month. lt will be noted that the grid in use is in fixed position in the container and serves as the support 'for the cards and that the iaciug sides oit the adjacent transversely extending bars form facing spaced longitudinal alnitnients on opposite sides of slots 32 to cooperate with a downward projection from a card thus preif'enting longitudinal displacement of the cards Awhen in adjusted position. The longitudinal distance apart oi' the adjacent slots and thc adjacent pairs ot' abut-ments, the length of the longitudinal space indicated by each of said index characters and the distance between adjacent index characters of the series constitutes in each case only a small traction oi the normal length of the well-known cards ordinarily used in card indexes. 'l`l1e',prin'1ary purpose and function of this structural arrangement is to permit any selected set ot' cards of like size to be placed in a predetermined longitudinal position in the container with a visible predetermined part of each card of' the set, for example its upper end edge or an upwardly projecting indicator, in the same transverse plane as other cards of the set and to space the adjacent sets longitudinally of the container by only a small fraction ot' the length of the card, those of one set partly overlapping those of a number of the next succeeding sets in the series, thuseifecting a great reduction in thenecessary length of the container to distinctly exhibit and identify a given number of sets of cards. The arrangement is furthemore such that when a set of cards has been placed in adjusted position as above indicated, and held against longitudinal displacement, the said visible predetermined parts of each card in the set will be between the transverse planes through the endsof a space indicated by one oi said longitudinally arranged index characters and thus that set will be distinctively indicated by that character. In the particular form shown. each slot or pair ot tacing abutments is between the ends ofI the space indicated by an index character and the predetermined distinctive visible parts of the cards are directly above them and also between said transverse planes, but it is et' course obvious that this specific forni is not necessary to secure the functions and results stated. The several partitions permit arrangement of the cards according to subject matter or names, while the slotted grid enables one to file the cards between the partitions according to date, thus providing for longitudinal as well as transverse separation and classification of a large number of cards. It should be noted that the structure of the container is very simple embodying a iew parts and none likely to get out ot' order and that a series of simple physically similar and indistinguishable cards may with the greatest easebe vplaced in it in such positions that by this mere location of a particular card in the container two characteristics of the data on that card may be determined from the index characters. In other words, the'cards are distinctively classified in two respects, notwithstanding the it'act that they are assembled in a minimum of space with cards of' different classifications in cont-act with each other and all are visible at one time. No special attachments to distinguish cards are necessary since the S0 entire operation consists merely in placing the cards in position by hand and removing them by hand when desired.

As shown by the above drawings, the projection when below the slot and bars, S5

obstructs the upward passage ot' the finger B6, so that though the card may be lifted upwardly, it retains its specified place in the device.

It will be understood that although the invention has been described as a card-filing device, the term card is used to apply to any sheet material, envelope, book or folder.

Although a specific form of the invention has been described in detail, it is to be undei-stood that the invention is not thus limited, but includes modifications and changes which come within the scope of the appended'claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: v

A card filing device, comprising in combination a grid of spaced parallel bars, a pair oi parallel side members supporting said grid, disposed perpendicular to said bars. at opposite ends thereof, one of said members being provided with a series of index characters each vertically above a space betweenl two grid bars, and cards each having

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