US202732A - Improvement in bill-files - Google Patents

Description

UN'ITnDh STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS LEES, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN Bl LL-FILES.

Specifica-tion forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,732, dated April 23, 1878; application filed March 11, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Liens, of Chester, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Document or File Holders, of which thevfollowing is a specification:

4The object of my invention is to provide a. simple, cheap, and conveniently-portable device for holding documents or iles, so that the same shall be retained in their relative positions when not in use, and that any or all of them may be conveniently removed and replaced whenever desired.

`'lo these ends my improvements consist in the combination of a base-piece having side flanges, a vertical plate secured to one of the ends of the base-piece, and a movable clampingplate, which slides between guides secured at one end to the vertical plate and at the other to a support on the base-piece, and which may be adjusted at and locked in different positions, as desired, in the len gth of the guides, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an isometrical view of a document-holder embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, atransverse section of the same; Fig. 3, an isometrical view of one of my improved documentholders, showing another arrangement of the locking device; and Fig. 4, a transverse section of the same.

To carry out my invention, I provide a basepiece, A, which is preferably'of light sheet metal, and which has a vertical plate, A1, at one of its ends, said plate being either securedto or formed in one piece with the base piece. A similar but shorter plate or support, A2, is formed upon or secured to the opposite end of the base-piece, and the plates A1 and A2 are connected by the horizontal guide-bars B. The width of the base-piece A is slightly greater than that of the documents which it is designed to contain, and it is turned up at each side, so as to form longitudinal anges or stops a, between which the bottoms of said documents rest.

Wires or light bars 'may be substituted for the side anges, if deemed preferable.

A vertical clamping-plate, C, is fitted to slide between the guide-bars B, being retained thereon by proper loops or catches c, and rests at bottom on the base-piece. A bottom flange, c', should be formed upon one or both sides of the clamping-plate C, to prevent it from canting over out of its norfmal vertical position. A longitudinal series of openings or perforations, b, is formed in each of the guide-bars B, as close together as practicable, to receive the outer ends of two spring catches or bolts, e, which are tted in a case, E, secured transversely upon the clamping-plate, and are provided at their inner ends with thumb-pieces b, for moving them inwardly against the resist-ance of their springs, the tendency of which springs is to force the bolts into the perforations of the guide-bars.

It will be seen that by this arrangement the clamping-plate may be moved along the guide-bars and secured in proper position therein to correspond with the thickness of the series of documents or les to be inserted between it and the vertical end plate A1, and may be released from and returned to its position, to admit of the ready removal and replacement of one or more of the documents, as desired.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modification of the device by which the clamping-plate C is held in desired position. In this instance a series of notches or recesses, b2, is formed on the upper sides of the guide-bars B, instead of providing the bars with perforations b, as before described, and, in lieu of the sliding catches c, I employ vibrating catches or claws el, which are secured upon the ends of a transverse rock-shaft, El, mounted in bearings e2 on the plate C above the guide-bars, and provided with a thumb-piece, E2, at or near its center.

A spring, E3, is connected at its upper end to the thumb-piece E2, and at its lower to a hook or staple, e3, on the clamping-plate, its tendency being to draw the free ends of the catches c* into the notches b2 ofthe guide-bars, and there retain them until released by the application of pressure to the thumb-piece E2, and to a corresponding fixed piece, E4, secured upon the clamping-plate above the shaft El, which carries the catches.

Myimprovements are particularly adaptable to use in public oices, in which such facilities for the storage of series of documents of different descriptions must be provided as that any desired document can readily be obtained and replaced in its proper position Without the displacement of the others.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a document or le holder, abase-piece having vertical ends, united by notched or perforated guide-bars, combined with a movable clamping-plate, provided Wit-h spring catches or bolts to engage the notches or perforations of the guide-bars, substantially as set forth.

2. As a documentor le holder, a base-piece having side anges and vertical ends, united by notch ed or perforated guide-bars, combined with a movable clamping-plate, provided with a foot and spring catches or bolts to engage the notches or perforations of the guide-bars, substantially as set forth.

THOMAS LEES.

Witnesses:

J AMES C. BRoUGHToN, W. B. BRooMALL.

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