US1859689A

US1859689A - Loose leaf binder

Info

Publication number: US1859689A
Application number: US407727A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter F Wolf
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-11-16
Filing date: 1929-11-16
Publication date: 1932-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1949-05-24

Description

May 24, 1932. w, WQLF' I 1,859,689

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Original Filed Nokr. 16, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 MLTER F %4 F.

By @Mwm.

A itorney May 24, 1932. w. F. WOLF ,689

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Original Filed Nov. 16; 1929 2 Shegts-Sheet 2 55 In ven for A itomey Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES WALTER F. WOLF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed November 16, 1929, Serial No. 407,727. Renewed February 24, 1932.

This invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders and has particular refer ence to a binder post lock therefor.

The primary object of the invention resides in abinder look by which the top binder cover may be held in a clamped position against the bound sheets and which may be rapidly released for the removal of the cover to apply or remove sheets to and from the binder posts.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a binder post lock which embodies the ball-clutch and release principle, that is, the balls provided in a ball-carrier are wedged into clamping engagement with the blnder post, but may be released therefrom by outward movement of the carrier, which move: ment is imparted thereto by the actuation of a slide member operatively connected therewith in a novel manner to release the balls upon sliding of the same in one direction, and

for permitting them to effectively grip the post upon movement of the slide member in an opposite direction, the slide member remaining in the position to which 1t 1s manually moved after each actuation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball clutch and release lock for binder posts in which the ball-carrier is provided with a head having its under side beveled for engagement by the opposed lugs carried by the forked ends of an actuating slide mounted upon the binder clamplng bar, the lugs riding against the beveled surface of the head when engaged for the purpose of moving the ball-carrier from a locking pos1- tion to a release position.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder equipped with my improved binder post lock and showing the lock in looking position.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the binder with the top cover removed and showing the binder locks in unlocking position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view with parts broken away in section showingthe binder lock in looking position.

Figure 4 is a similar view, but showing the lock in a released or unlocked position.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 10 designates a loose leaf binder of the usual well-known construction which includes a back cover 11 hingedly connected to the base clamping bar I mg bar 16. Mounted in the clamping bar 16 at any desired interval depending upon the space between the binding posts 13 are wedge blocks 17 provided with conical shaped bores 18, the top of each wedge block extending above the top surface of the clamping bar 16 and being closed by a plate 19, the said plate having an opening 20 there in for a purpose to be presently explained.

Slidably mounted in each of the wedge blocks 17 is a ball-carrier member 21 which comprises a tubular body 22 through which a binding post 18 is freely slidable, the lower end of the tubular body 22 being provided with an external enlargement 23 which provides a shoulder between which and the plate 19, an expansion spring 24 is interposed. T he spring 24 tends to urge the bal carrier member 21 inwardly for a purpose to be presently explained. The enlarged portion 23 of the ball-carrier .member is provided with sockets 25 which open to the inner and outer walls of the tubular body and which have balls 26 seated therein. From the description thus far, it will be seen that the spring 24 tends to move the ball-carrier member inwardly sothat the inclined wall of the conical shaped bore 18 causes theballs 26 to be wedged into engagement with the binding post 13 to which the binder lock is connected.

For the purpose of actuating the ball-carrier member 21, I provide the top of the tubular body 22 with an enlarged head 27, the under side of which is beveled as at 28. Slidably mounted upon the clamping bar 16 adjacent each of the ball-carrier members is an actuating slide 29, the body of which is provided with an elongated slot 30 for the passage of a pin 31 fixedly mounted in the clamping bar 16, while the outer end of the said pin 31 is provided with-a head 32 for maintaining the slide member fiat against the top of the clamping bar 16. The opposite ends of the slot 30 and the pin 31 coact to limit sliding movement of the actuating slide in opposite directions. One end of the member 29 terminates in a fork or yoke 33, and bent upwardly from the branch arms of the yoke are upstanding humps or lugs 34 which are oppositely disposed with respect to each other and the tops of which are rounded for bearing engagement with the beveled face 28 of the under side of the head 27. The lugs 34 are disposed opposite to each other so as to apply an even pressure to opposite sides of the head 27 during a bahrelease operation, and when the actuating slide 29 is moved to the limit of its movement to releasing position, the lugs 34 are disposed in alinement with the axis of the binder post as shown in Figures t and 5 of the drawings. The other end of the actuating member 29 terminates in an inclined upwardly extending finger-piece 35 which may be grasped by the thumb and forefinger of the hand during actuation and when the said actuating member is moved to ball-release position, the top binder cover 16 may be lifted free of the binding post to the position shown in Figure 2 by the same grasp of the finger-piece 35.

In practice, assume that the binder lock is in a locking position as shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings and it is desired to remove the top binder cover 15 for the insertion of new sheets to the binding post 13 or the removal of sheets from the binding post. In locked position as hereinbefore mentioned, the balls 26 are in wedging engagement with the binding post 13 and the actuating slides 29 are disposed in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. To remove the top cover, the operator grasps the finger pieces 35 of the actuating slides 29 and proceeds to slide them outwardly, thus causing the lugs or humps 34 to wedge beneath the heads 27 of the ball-carrier members, due to the beveled surfaces 28 provided on the under sides of the heads. This wedging action causes the ball-carrier members to move upwardly against the action of the springs 24L, thus releasing the balls 26 from their gripping engagement with the respective binding posts. The parts have now been moved to the position shown in Figures 2, 5, and 1 of the drawings, and by lifting upward, the operator may remove the top binder cover 15 and its supporting parts clear of the binding post as shown in Figure 2, whereupon additional sheets may be added to the binder or other sheets removed there- IIOIn.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that l have provided a binder post lock which involves the principle of the ball grip and. release and by which the gripping action of the balls is arrested by the actuation of a slide member fixedly tarried to the clamping bar of the binder cover operatively associated with the spring-actuated ballcarrier. it will also be observed that when the actuating slide members are moved to ball-released position, they remain in such position to permit the binder cover to bereplaced to the binder after having been removeo th refrom without further action, and when replaced, it is only necessary to actuate the slide members inwardly toward each other, whereupon the springs 24: automatically depress ball carriers to allow the inclined walis of ;e wedge blocks to again force the balls 2Q into gripping engagement with the respective binding posts.

i'iavin g thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a loose leaf binder having a post, a cover provided with a clamping bar, a bind erlocl: device carried by said clamping bar for cooperation with said post of the binder, said binder-lock device comprising a Wedge block mounted in said clamping bar and having a conical wedging face, a plurality of balls arran ed to cooperate therewith, a springactuated ball-carrier for urging said balls into engagement with said wedge face, an enlarged head on said ball-carrier having its under side beveled, and a slide member mounted on said clamping bar, one end of which is forked, and upstanding lugs on the forked ends of said slide member for wedging enga ement with the beveled under face of said head for shift-ing said ball-carrier and said balls into a position of disengagement.

2. in a loose leaf binder having a post, a cover provided with a clamping bar a binder-lock device carried by said clamping bar for cooperation with said post of the binder, said. binder-lock device comprising a wedge block mounted in said clamping bar and having conical wedging face, a plurality of balls arranged to cooperate therewith, a ballearrier mounted slidably in said wedge block for supporting said balls, an expansion spring acting upon said ball-carrier to urge said balls into engagement with said wedge face, said ball carrier extending beyond said wedge block and being provided with an enlarged head, the under side of which is beveled, an actuating member slidably mounted on said clamping bar, and means on said actuating member engageable with the beveled under side of said head for shifting said ball-carrier outwardly against the action of said spring to release said balls from engagement with said wedge face.

3. in a loose leaf binder having a post, a cover provided with a clamping bar, a binder-locl; device carried by said clamping bar for cooperation with said post of the binder, said binderdock device comprising a wedge block mounted in sait clamping bar and having a conical wedging face, a plurality of balls arranged to cooperate therewith, a ball-can rier mounted slidably in said wedge block for supporting said balls, an expansion spring acting upon said ball-carrier to urge said balls into engagement with said wedge face, said ball-carrier extenoing beyond said wedge block and being provided with an enlarged head, the under side of which is beveled, an actuating member slidably mounted on said clamping bar, and means on said actuating member engageable with the beveled under side of said head for shifting said ball-carri =r outwardly against the action of said spring to release said balls from engagement with said wedge face, said means including opposed rounded humps rising from said actuating member.

ll. in a loose leaf binder having a post, a cover provided with a clamping bar, a binder-lock device carried by said clamping bar for cooperation with said post of the binder, said binder-lock device comprising a wedge block mounted n said clamping bar and having a conical wedging face, a plurality of balls arranged to cooperate therewith, a ballcarrier mounted slidably in said wedge block for supportin g said balls, an expansion spring acting upon said ball-carrier to urge said balls into engagei'nent with said wedge face, said ball-carrier extending beyond said wedge block and. being provided with an enlarged head, the under side of which is beveled, an actuating member slidably mounted on said clampin bar, means on said actuating member engageable with the beveled under side of said head for shifting said ball-carrier outwardly against the action of said spring to release said balls from engagement with said wedge face, said means including a fork on one end of said actuating member for straddling said ball-carrier, opposed rounded humps rising from the branches of said fork, and an upwardly extending finger-piece at the opposite end of said actuating member.

5. In a loose leaf binder having a post, a cover provided with a clamping bar, a binderlock device carried by said clamping bar for cooperation with said post of the binder, said binder-lock device comprising a wedge block mounted in said clamping bar having a conical bore therein, a tubular ball-carrier slidably mounted in said conical bore, a plurality of balls mounted in said ball-carrier having their peripheries extending beyond the inner and outer side walls of said ball carrier, a shoulder plate surrounding the exterior of said tubular ball-carrier, an expansion spring interposed between one end of said tubular ball-carrier and said shoulder plate to urge the balls into engagement with the walls of said conical bore, an enlarged head on the outer end of said tubular ball-carrier, the under side of said head being beveled, an actuating member slidably mounted on said clamping bar, one end of said actuating member being forked, rounded opposed lugs rising upward from the forked portions for bearing engagement with the beveled under side of said head upon sliding of said actuating member in one direction for moving said tubular ball-carrier outwardly to release said balls from a clutching position.

6. In a loose leaf binder having a post, a cover provided with a clamping bar, a binder-lock device carried by said clamping bar for cooperation with said post of the binder,'said binder-lock device comprising a wedge block mounted in said clamping bar having a conical bore therein, a tubular ballcarrier slid-ably mounted in said conical bore, a plurality of balls mounted in said ballcarrier having their peripheries extending beyond the inner and outer side walls of said ball-carrier, a shoulder plate surrounding the exterior of said tubular ball-carrier, an expansion spring interposed between one end of said tubular ball-carrier and said shoulder plate to urge the balls into engagement with the walls of said conical bore, an enlarged head on the outer end of said tubular ball carrier, the under side of said head being beveled, an actuating member slidably mounted on said clamping bar, one end of said actuating member being forked, rounded opposed lugs rising upward from the forked portions for hearing engagement with the beveled under side of said head upon sliding of said actuating member in one direction for moving said tubular ball-carrier outwardly to release said balls from a clutching position, an angular finger-piece extending from the opposite end of said actuating memher by which manual sliding may be im parted thereto and by which the cover may be lifted when said actuating member is in a ball-release position.

7. In a loose leaf binder having a post, a cover provided with a clamping bar, a binder lock device carried by said clamping bar for cooperation with said post of the binder, said binder lock device comprising a wedge block mounted in said clamping bar having a comcal bore therein, a tubular ball-carrier slidably mounted in said conical bore, a plurality of balls mounted in said ball-carrier having their peripheries extending beyond the inner and outer side walls of said balLcarrier, a shoulder plate surrounding the exterior of said tubular ball-carrier, an expansion spring interposed between one end of said tubular ball-carrier and said shoulder plate to urge the balls into engagement with the Walls of said conical bore, an enlarged head on the outer end of said tubular ball-carrier, the under side of said head being beveled, an actuating member slidably mounted on said clamping bar, said member having an elongated slot therein, one end of said actuating member being; forked, rounded opposed lugs rising upward from the forked portions for bearing engagement with the beveled under side 01 said head upon sliding of said actuating member in one direction for moving said tubular ball-carrier outwardly to release said balls from a clutching position, and means for limiting sliding movement of said actuating member in opposite directions including a headed stud secured to said clamping bar and extending through said slot.

8. In a binder. binder posts, a clamping bar, clutch mechanisms carried by said clamging bar for clutching; engagement with the respective binder posts, each of said clutch mechanisms including a headed member PIOVlClQCl with an under bevel face, and means on said clamping bar for releasing said clutch mechanism and for holding the same in released position, said lastmeans including a slidable cam member engageable with the bevel face of said headed member.

9. in a binder binder posts, a clamping bar slidable on said binder posts, clutch mechanisms carried by said clamping bar for clutching engagement with said binder pests, each o said clutch mechanisms including a headed tubular body slidable along its adjacent post provided with an under bevel face and cam members each slidably mounted upon said clamping bar for engagement with the beveled face of a respective one of said bodies to actuate said bodies when said cam members are moved into operative engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER F. WOLF.