US1744373A

US1744373A - Box for filing index cards

Info

Publication number: US1744373A
Application number: US335928A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erich Walther
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-01-23
Filing date: 1929-01-29
Publication date: 1930-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1947-01-21

Description

BOX FOR FILING INDEX CARDS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 UUUUWUUU; m

I' to* mfk fa @EL a 17g/h W. ERICH BOX FOR FILING INDEX `GARDS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 :s sheets-sheet 2 Fig.

s E'UEU'EWE 11111111.1111. m

Fig. 4.

Jan. 2l, 193).

` Box F03 .FILING INDEX CARDS Fileaaan, 29, 1929 A s sheets-sheet s w. ERICH 1,744,373

Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES WALTHER ERICH, or BERLIN-HALENSEE, GERMANY BOX FOR FILING INDEX CARDS Application led January 29, 1929, Serial No. 335,928, and in Germany January 23, 1928.

Boxes for filing index cards have become known, so-called card indexes, which comprise a mechanism for selecting certain cards or card groups. y

These mechanisms are not quite perfectas some of them allow only the selection of a limited number of cards or card groups and others do not even allow the selection of an .individual card. The operation of such mechanisms is also rather difficult and complicated.

This invention has for its object to provide a card index of simple construction, reliable operation and fulilling all conditions,

so that the index 'ecards tol be mechanically selected, arranged at some distance from a side wall and from the bottom plate of the box and adapted to be shifted singly and in groups by means of selecting flaps or key rods at two adjacent side edges by exterior selecting keys, are shifted on lower key rods by said side key rods, a further selection being possible by the lower key rods which eiiect the lifting of the selected index card. Predetermined cards of one or several groups selected by shifting, can be returned by auxiliary key rods into the initial position or can be secured in this position by locking bars to prevent movement when othercards are shipped. i v

Several embodiment of the invention are illustrated, by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which z- Fig. l shows in longitudinal'sect'ion, the simplest form of construction. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are similar views showing each a modification, the-selecting possibility being increased by additional mechanisms.

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a box for 4 tiling index' cards built according to the invention. The several index cards have, besides the usual index tab m on the top edge, a laterally projecting tongue (1,1), c, d (Fig. l)

indicating a main group, and downwardly projecting tongues 1, 2. 3 on the bottom edge indicating a sub-group. The index cards are liled in a box c at a certain distance from the bottom late of the box and from one side wall of t e same. -In the side wall remote from the tongues a, b, c, d, auxiliary key bars L are arranged, adapted to be operated from the outside of the box so that vthey can be made to penetrate into thevgap lare situated under the spaces between the lower tongues.

The selection of oneorseveral main groups of index cards is effected by means of' the corresponding lateral key rods and tongues, .for example in Fig. 1 the rod b and the tongue b, by meansof which the main group B of cards is shifted to the .left a distance corresponding to the spacing m, between the cards and the wall of the box at that side so that the lower tongues of the cards in this group are brought above the lower key rods. To select from this selected main group the desired sub-group or sub-groups the corresponding lower key rods 3', 3 (two lower keyl rods being preferably provided for each sub-group) are lifted a distance y, whereby from the selected main group thoseindex S0 cards are selected which have the

lower ton ues

3, 3; these selected cards being lifted so t at they can be `easily removed from the box. Y

By lowering the lower key rods the single 8 5 cards or sub-groups are returned into the initial position, and the main groups are returned into the initial position by the auxiliary key rods L being pushed' inward.

The number of the lateral and lower selecting tongues and key rods depends evidently on the actual conditions.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 2 the lateral main group tongues a, b, c, d, e of the index cards Q, bear against one of the side walls of box K, in which side Wall the key rods 1a', b', c', d', e to be operatedl from the outside are arranged. 'The opposite edges 'of the index-cards, spaced the distance from the corresponding side wall of the box, 109

have each an incision I, II, III, IV or V for the subx-groups, to which the key rods I correspond. On the lower edge 'pairs of lifting tongues 1 to 5 are arranged adapted when .shifted` to the left to come intoA register with the lifting key rods 1 to 5. In each of the two side walls and in the bottom dplate of the'box a pair of auxiliary key ro s -W, L S is further arranged designed to move simultaneously all of the cards of any actually collected group.

By these two selecting arrangements selection of single index cards or of lgroups of cards lcan be carried out in different manners.

The operations are as follows:

I Single selection-By shifting a key rod c of the main group selectors for instance by depression of its keyl all cards of the corres onding group are brought into register with tile pairs of lifting key rods 1 to 5-. By shifting a left key-rod lfor instance IV -all other sub-groups are pushed back into their initial position and merely the cards of that sub-group of the main group which have the incision IV remain above the lifting key rods. By operating a pair of the lifting key rods, for instance 1', the index card Q, of the Subv group IV of the main group c can be selected by vertical parallel displacement.

II. Sub-group selection-In this case the A pair of auxiliary key rods S is operated instead of the pair of lifting key rods 1 so that the entire Sub-group IV of the main group c is' lifted.

III. Main group seZect1on.-After the operation of the main group key rod c this whole group can be lifted out by means of the auxilia rods S.

IV. ombz'ned seZect' ons.-By operating several main group keys corresponding subgroups of different main groups can be brought into register with the pairs of lifting key rods corresponding. Sub-groups of all main groups may be selected further by operating the auxiliary rods W and corresponding single index cards of different sub-groups of all main groups may be selected by operating the corresponding ke rods.

The selected index car's can be brought again all together by returning the auxiliary key rods S into the lower position and shifted back all together into the initial postion by operating the left-hand auxiliary ke rods L.

It will readily be observed that ue to the number of selecting keys of each group, great accuracy may be obtained in selecting a card or cards. It is further possible to utilize also for the selecting, the upper card edge, by mounting riders on the same.

For certain cases, it might be desirable to mechanically retain in their initial position iredeterminedcards which are not required.

Vith this object in view incisions 1^', r2 are arranged inthe lateral tongues a, Z) of the index cards as shown in Fig. 3. With these incisions 1' engage locking bars o', o2 which mi ht be cou led in a convenient manner'with t e key r s a', b2 These locking bars o only release the incision 7' in the tongues a, b, c ofthose cards which have to be moved by the catches so that only these cards can be shifted. v

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 4 each card has at the point of the lateral edge which stands opposite to the lateral tongues a, b an incision a2, b2 Each of the ,ke -rods a', b', is further coupled with a ey rod a, b3 in the opposite side wall by means not shown in such a manner that the two corresponding rods, move simiiltaneously into the box. In this manner only those cards can be positively shiftedthe key rod-for inst-ance 0-of which is operated as all other index cards are retained in the initial position by the counter catch c3 shifted at the same time.

Fig. 5 shows in perspective view a box for mounting said cards in spaced relation to one side wall of the box and to the bottom plate of the same, said index cards having at least one tongue at two adjacent edges, in combination with lower key rods in said box, key rods in the side wall of the box corresponding to the side edge of the card having a tongue, said lateral key rods adapted to shift selected cards over the lower key rods so that a further selection of cards can be lifted from said selected cards by said lower key rods.

2. In a-box for filing index cardsfas specified in claim 1, in combination with the selecting key rods in one side wall of the box, auxiliary rods in the opposite side wall of the box for returning the selected cards into thel initial position.

3. In a. .box for filing index cards, as specied in claim 1,1n combination with the selecting key rods in one side wall of the box, auxiliary key rods in the opposite side wall of 'the boxfor returning the selected cards into the initial position, and auxiliary key rods in the first-mentioned side wall of the box in which said selecting key bars are arranged where-by primary selection of cards of all the main groups may be effected and corres onding single index cards of different su -gi'oups of said main groups may be selected.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTHER ERICH.