US1721529A - Filing case - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 192 M. H. POINDEXTER 1,721,529

.' FILING bAsE Filed June 6, 1927 8 a 4 6 \J, P17400670 021' Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARLIN HATFIELD POINDEXTER, OF NEXVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FILING CASE.

Application filed. June 6,

My invention relates to filing cases for holding papers and the like in classified or orderly arrangement for convenient reference, and particularly to partitions "for use in filing cases of this character.

In filing cases of the character referred to the papers or the like are stacked-on edge and it is customary to provide several independent partitions of stiff paper mainly for the purpose of separating the papers into groups which are indexed on said partitions. In order to provioe for convenient reference to any of the papers it is necessary to leave the latter assembled or stacked. within the tiling case or container in a loose condition and as a result the papers and the partitions would slip down within the case and become disarranged. hly invention has for its object to obviate this objectionable feature and to otherwise improve the construction of filing cases and more esspecially the partitions thereof. To these ends I have provided an improved tiling case having the peculiar features of construction and mode of operation set forth in the following description, the novel 1i1 tures thereof being particularly pointed out and defined in the claims at the close of the description. My invention further consists in providing a novel partition for filing cases more particularly described later.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of one of the drawers or containers of a filing-cabinet, the same being constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is aplan view of one end portion of the partition shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a filing case constructed in accordance with my invention and embodying a dilterent form of partition from that shown in Fig. 1.

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of the partition of the filing case shown in Fig. 3.

The container 1 of the tiling ease illustrated in Fig. 1 is herein shown as the drawer of a filing cabinet, said drawer being constructed, as usual, with a front wall indicated by dotted lines at 2, two side walls 3, 3 and two bottom boards 4:, 4, the latter being separated at the middle of the drawer to provide the bottom of the latter with a longitudinal slot 5 within which is arranged the usual retaining rod 6.

1927. Serial No. 196,938.

The particular novelty of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 resides in the partition 7 with SGVQl'ill of which the drawer 1 may be provided. This partition 7 is made from an approximately rectangular piece of sheet-metal oi. awidth slightly less than the width of the interior of the drawer 1 and of a height greater than the sides 3, 3 of the drawer. The lower edge of this sheet-met al. partition 7 is provided at its middle with a tab or tang 8 which projects down into the slot 5. This tang 8 is made at its middle with an aperture or hole 9 to receive the retaining rod 6 around which it fits loosely.

Each side marginal portion of the sheetmetal partition 7 is moulded to provide upon one side of said partition a vertical groove 10 preferably extending from top to bottom of said partition, and upon the opposite side thereof a vertical rib 11. As will be clear this moulding of the marginal portion of the sheet metal partition 7 very et :tectually stittens the latter thus permitting the use of quite thin sheet-metal from which to produce the partition. The main purpose, however,.of thus moulding each side marginal portion of the sheet metal partition is to provide the latter with means to interlock with a vertically adjustable spring clip rest 12.

Each spring clip 12 is made with a pair of oppositely disposed spring arms 13 and Lt to embrace and grip the side marginal portion of the partition, the former being made with a transverse rib to occupy the groove 10 and the latter being made with a transverse socket or groove 16 to be occupied by the rib 11. As will be clear the grip of the two arms 13 and 14; upon the partition 7 serves to frictionally hold the clip in adjusted position while the engagement of the rib 15 and socket 16 with the groove 10 and rib 11, respectively, not only interlocks the clip withv the partition so that the former will not readily be displaced endwise but this engagement also serves to hold the clip at right angles to the side edge of the partition.

Between the two arms 13 and 14 of clip 12 and at the outer ends thereof is provided a transverse abutment'bar 17 which by engagement with the side edge of the par tition positively holds the outer end of the clip a certain desired distance away from the side edge of the partition 7.

Each partition of the file may be constructed as described and will include two the drawer, and it will be clear that since the outer ends of the clips 12 are extended beyond the planes of the front and back side faces ofthe partition they will support the latter in a vertical position.

The top edge of the partition 7 may be provided with an upwardly extending tab or tang 18 to receive, as usual, suitable indicia. In practice, I finish the partition by lithographing the side surfaces thereof with the indicia, or any other desired printed matter, upon the same with the result that the partition is both ornamental and serviceable and will notbe injured or defaced by handling as has heretofore been the case with partitions made from wood, cardboard or the like.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have illustrated another form of partition 19 wherein the side rests are constituted by integral side lugs 20, 2 each of which has its lower edge curled or bent to form an approximately cylindrical lower portion 21, Fig. 4, the distinguishing feature of which is that it does not present a knife edge to engage the tops of the sides 3, 3 of the drawer and thereby interfere with free movement of the partition thereon, but affords an edgeless bearing surface for engagement with the top of the sides 3 so as to provide for free movement of the partition thereon. lVhile the clips 12, 12 are made of spring sheet-metal and rest edgewise upon the tops of the sides of the drawer, nevertheless the outer ends of these clips being extended. laterally well beyond the planes of the front and back surfaces of the partition, said clips each cover or engage an extended surface as to provide for free'sliding movement of the clip on the top of the side of the drawer.

The form of partition shown in Figs. 3 and 4; of the drawing can be used only with a drawer having sides of a particular height but the form of partition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 provides for vertical adjustment of the clips 12 to adapt the partition to the height of the sides 3 whatever the same may be. Therefore, this form of partition shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to be produced separately a new article of manufacture and sold for incorporation in filing cabinets or cases that are already in use.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A partition for filing cases including a body consisting of a single piece of sheetmetal provided at each side edge thereof with a shoulder for directly engaging one side wall of a container, said shoulder being made from sheet metal bent laterally so that it is of greater width than the thickness of said body.

2. A partition for filing cases including a body of sheet-metal having opposite parallel side edges and shoulder-providing clips engaged with said opposite edges and adjustable vertically on said partition.

3. A partition for filing cases including a body of sheet metal having its opposite side marginal portions each moulded to provide a vertical groove upon one face of the partition and a vertical rib upon the opposite side thereof, and a pair of spring shoulder-providing partition-supporting clips embracing and interlocking with said moulded side marginal portions with provision for vertical adjustment. i

4-. A partition for filing cases comprising a body of sheet metal having opposite parallel side edges and having its opposite side marginal portions each moulded to provide a vertical groove upon one face of the partition and a vertical rib upon the opposite side thereof, and a pair of shoulder-providing partition-supporting clips each made with a pair of spring arms embracing one of said moulded side marginal portions and interlocking with said groove and rib thereof.

Signed by me at Boston, county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, this 26th day of May, 1927.

MARLIN HATFIELD POINDEXTER.

Images