US2071767A - Loose leaf book - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1937. J, SCHADE 2,071,767

LOOSE LEAF BOOK Filed June 15, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Jo/wv ScHADE BY M9M ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1937. v JSCHADE 2,071,767

LOOSE LEAF BOOK Filed June 15, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JoH/v 60/441215 ATTORNEYS Iii Patented Feb. 23, 1937 LOOSE LEAF BooK John Schade, Holyoke, Mass, assignor to National Blank Book Company, Holyoke, Mass., a cor poration of Massachusetts Application June 15, 1934, Serial No. 730,684

4 Claims.

This invention isan improvement in loose leaf books. It has some of the features of a ring type binder combined with some of the features of a prong type binder. The combination is made i with the principal purpose of getting an improved book having a new and useful mode of operation. The structural features and their advantages will be clear as the disclosure is made.

I will first disclose the new mode of operation by reference to diagrammatic drawings and then disclose my preferred specific structure and also some variations in detail.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the book parts in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a like view of the parts as the book covers reach a predetermined limit in their opening movement when further movement requires the back of the book to break and turn inwardly on its central hinge;

Fig. 3 is a like view of the parts as the book reaches open or reading position with the back part turned inwardly Fig. 4 is a like view of the parts as the book reaches the position for filler changing position;

Fig.5 is a like view of the parts as the book covers reach a predetermined limit in their closing movement from open position after which further movement requires the back part to turn outwardly from its reading position;

Figs. 1 to 5 are diagrammatic views of the book parts to illustrate different positions in the new mode ofoperation.

Referring to Fig.1, indicating the book in" closed position, its parts are represented by a back made of stiff hinge plates 2 and 3 connected at hinge eye I, stiff covers 4 and 5 hinged at eyes 6 and i, curved metal prongs 8 and 9 designed to enter the same holes from opposite sides in punched filler sheets. Pairs of these prongs are spaced along the back of the book, Their curves are made with I as a center. Their length and overlap are indicated at 8' and 9. Their attached ends are carried rigidly by plates 2 and 3. ,The hinges 6 and Tare made in the Ti hinge eyes, as will be described, to permit only a limited turning movement of covers 4 and 5 relative to- adjacent back plates 2 and 3. The

and 2-. Itspurpose will be described.

When the book is completely closed (assuming it to be filled with punched sheets on prongs 8 and 9) its parts have the position of Fig. l.'

To open the book, covers 4 and 5 first move on limited hinges 6 and 1 to the position of Fig. 2. This leans part of the filling on cover 4 and part on cover 5. As previously stated, covers 4 and 5 cannot open further on hinges 6 and l; the latter binding in the position of Fig. 2 to prevent such further opening on these hinges.

In this position prongs 8 and 9 have not moved (from their positions of Fig. 1) as they are.

fastened to back plates 2 and 3. The latter have not moved. But in the opening movement from Fig. 2 to Fig.- 3, cover 5 and prongs 9 swing as a unit with weight and leverage to turn back plate 3 inwardly of the book. Likewise, cover 4 and prongs 8 acting as a unit turn back plate 2 inwardly of the book. The back of the book must then break inwardly from the position of Fig.- 2 to the position of Fig. 3. Otherwise stiff covers 4 and 5 could not fully open as their hinges 6 and 1 are arranged to prevent'opening further than in Fig. 2 unless back parts 2 and 3 turn on hinge or axis l. The movement of parts 2 and 3 lifts axis l to position as shown in Fig. 3.

The position of the book in Fig. 3 is a normal reading position with the book covers in substantially the same plane.

As the book parts are moved to reading position prongs 8 and 9 are moved with back parts 2 and 3. The prongs are curved with axis I as a center. Theirsuspended ends are overlapped and their other ends are fastened rigidly to the outer edges of back plates'Z and 3. So it is necessary for the prongs to swing with the parts from their position of Fig. 2 (which is the same prong position as Fig. 1) to their position of Fig. 3. By contrasting these two prong positions, it will be seen that the first one, Fig. 2, is a curved prong position with the prongs overlapped over almost their whole length and rather close to the back, to save space. The first prong position is a characteristic of prong binder books. The second position of the prongs 8 and 9,. Fig. 3, shows them almost in the form of a complete and, closed ring- This second prong position gives the prong arrangement a characteristic of a ring binder book. Their ends 8' and 9' are still overlapped enough to close the ring form in reading position. They each form one-half of what a whole ring would form and together in such position give the equivalent of a whole ring of a ring book binder.

The advantage is that in closed position my book has prong type binder advantages and in open position ring type binder advantages. Both are obtained by the new structure and mode of operation, as will now be understood by one skilled in the art.

With a little care in handling the book, with the mode of operation described one could open it to read and not have the parts move far enough to open the prongs as far as that shown in Fig. 4. But I prefer to supply a latch, which will be described, to normally hold the movement of the parts between the positions of Figs. 1 and 3.

To change filler sheets my book parts are moved from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4. It will be clear that this movement is permitted with the covers in the same plane by merely pushing the covers toward one another in such plane. The back plates 2 and 3 will then turn relatively to the covers through the limited movement permitted on hinges 6 and I. It is the same small movement on these hinges as before mentioned with respect to the differences in relative position between covers and back plates in Figs. 1 and 2. The arrangement makes it unnecessary, in changing the filler, to bend the covers beyond wide open reading position, which of course could be done (and in fact is done if the book is held in one hand to change sheets with the other hand), to bring prongs 8 and 9 out of overlapping position.

When the book is closed from reading position of Fig. 3, the covers 4 and 5 first lift (and carry the sheets resting on them) between the positions of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5. They move through the small limit permitted by hinges 6 and 1 before starting to move plates 2 and 3 and prongs 8 and 9. This takes up the slack between the prongs and their punched holes and leans the filler sheet packs against the prongs. Then from each side, the cover, its sheet pack, its adjacent back plate, and its attached prongs, all move as a unit up to the position of Fig. 2. This kind of assembled unit movement on each side of the hinge I, is particularly important because it takes place against gravity. It takes place without relative movement between the prongs and the sheets on the prongs. The lifting movement of the cover does not cramp the sheets on the prongs. It avoids tear and wear on the sheets, particularly at the holes. And it makes the closing of even very heavy and thick book fillers a neat operation. The final closing movement is from Fig; 2 to Fig. 1, a very small movement.

The features in my arrangement and mode of operation have been described with particular reference to what I desire in large heavy loose leaf books. There are some features in the arrangement that can be easily dispensed with in lighter and smaller capacity books, as I will point out later.

I will now describe my preferred structure whose mode of operation is the same as that already described in the diagrammatic views.

Fig. 6 is an end view of my book with contents, drawn on a reduced scale from a finished book having prongs giving the equivalent of two and a half inch ring binder capacity;

Fig. 7 is a side View of the same book;

Fig. 8 is a section at 8-8 of Fig. 7 showing the connection of the covers with the book back;

Fig. 9 is a section at 9-9 of Fig. '7 showing the way the prongs are fastened to the back plate;

Fig. 10 is a detail view showing one back plate with one of the latch parts (the movable one);

Fig. 11 is a like view showing the other back plate with its latch part (the stationary one) Fig. 12 is a detail top view of portions of the latch parts in latched position and when the book is in the position of Fig. 3;

Fig. 13 is a like view with parts in unlatched position and the book moving towards the position of Fig. 4 from that of Fig. 3;

Fig. 14 is a detail view showing a modified form of cover and back connection.

In constructing my preferred form I desire to give a simple appearance to the book and to save space, so the book in the users hands will have a simple and compact appearance. I accomplish this object, as well as the mechanical operation 'of the book, in one way by the particular arrangement of parts now to be described.

Each back plate 2 and 3 has its outer edge bent upwardly into a hook-shaped flange or flat sided hinge eye l6 and I1, see Fig. 8. I cut slots 20 in the top outer edge of these flanges to receive spaced tongues 2| of flat metal hinge strips 22. These tongues 2| are bent inwardly so that they contact the under side of their cooperating flange when strips 22 turn from vertical to a small cutwardly inclined angle (the position of Fig. 2). (Tongues 2! could be made straight and then abut the vertical wall of the flange as a stop.) The covers 4 and 5 are stiff and they are riveted to the-metal strips 22 so that when the latter are vertical the squared off bottom edges of the stiff covers will rest flat (they are better shown in the drawings, Fig. 8, slightly separated) on top of the hinge eyes or flanges I6 and I1. These cover edges prevent the inward turning of the hinge strips 22. Their outward turning is limited to the angle a, see Fig. 2, by tongues 21 hitting against the under side of flanges l6 and H, see Fig. 8. This is one way to provide for the limited and small hinge movement between covers 4 and 5 and back plates 2 and 3, to which I referred in describing the diagrammatic views and the mode of operation.

This particular way of constructing the outer hinges has an advantage in stiffening the outer edges of the back plates 2 and 3, so as to make the latter of thinner sheet metal than otherwise could be done. The stiff cover board indicated acts as one stop (the inward one) for the limited hinge movement. The arrangement enables me to locate the outer face of each cover in substantially the same plane as the outer side of the hinge and the edge of the back plate, see Fig. 9. Thus, the outer cover face of the book can be covered by a single decorative strip 30 lying quite smooth all over the outside area and passing around to cover the adjacent back plate, without a break. This decorative strip, made of leather or flexible material, will bend back and forth at the slight angle necessary for the limited hinge movement adjacent the corners without making an appreciable joint. Fig. 8 shows all the cover material and the side hinges located to save space, as the space result is substantially the same as if the covers went straight down to the plane of the back plates. The space used for the side hinges is no more than allowed by the thickness of the cover material. And the construction shown is not only very strong but also has the advantage of hiding the side hinges.

Referring to Fig. 9, each prong 8 and 9 has its inner end riveted, welded, brazed, or otherwise permanently fastened to its adjacent back plate. Each prong is supported by passing nearly vertically from the back plate through a slot in the side hinge eye. The edges 3| of this slot prevent side strains from tipping the prong over to strain the joint at the back plate. So I can make'the back plate'of thinner metal than if it alone had to support the prong fastening joint. As each prong rises abovethe hinge eye it lies in a slot 32 cut out of the cover material. (In the book size shown there are three pairs of prongs.) The metal hinge strip 22 underlies this slot outwardly of each prong. And so very strong pressure of the covers against the sides of the prongs in whatever position they are, will not bulge the covers at adjacent points on the outside. This bulging of covers by prong or ring pressure is an objection in many types of ring books. By locating the prong joint and that part of the adjacent prong curve within the space desirable for the thickness of the cover material and its underlying hinge construction, I save space in the book, being able to make the book thinner for a given capacity than would otherwise be the, case. This will be clear from Figs. 8 and 9 and a comparison with the modification of Fig. 14.

It should be noted that the parts described generally have more than one function. The cover arrangement acts as one stop for the hinge, Fig. 8. The top hinge plate 22 acts as a protector against prong pressure bulging of cover material. Each bottom hinge part I6 and I1, acts to brace its back plate against bending and to support its row of prongs against tipping sidewise. And all these parts are built in with a real economy with respect to the space used and so as to hide the limited hinge at each corner where the covers join the back. The arrangement gives the book good mechanical structure and a simple, smooth appearance.-

When space and appearance are not so much desired I can use the modified construction of Fig. 14.. In this there are flexible strips 4|, as leather, bound to the covers and clamped between the legs of an upstanding double flange 42 at the edge of the adjacent back plate. Each cover has spaced studs 43 riveted to it and each stud passes through a slot 44 in the flange and a head on the stud keeps flange and cover together while allowing a small lost motion between the distance the cover needs to move (the limited hinge movement) with respect to its adjacent back flange plate. The studs 43 tip and engage the ends of their slots 44 as the cover goes through the limited hinge movement. Except for this movement the covers and their adjacent back plates must move together and on the hinge line I in the middle line of the book back, exactly as described in the diagrammatic views.

Referring to Fig. 10, the movable latch part is shown. It is mounted centrally of its back plate 3. It is a flat U-shaped plate 50, pivoted at the bottom 5| for a limited movement determined by slot 52 and the stationary pin 53. A spring 54 tends to hold the movable part in the position shown. It is moved by finger pressure on the tab 55 at the top and at one side. The unlatching movement is against the spring pressure.

Referring to Fig. 11, the stationary latch part 55 is mounted and fixed on the other back plate 2 in position to cooperate with part 50. The latch parts are shown in Figs. 8 and 14 in their cooperating position, and not in all views where they might be seen. When the back plates bend back to the position of Fig. 3, the latch parts are tipped and slanted so they are diflicult to show completely in such position. But their co-- operation can be understood from the detail views Figs. 12 and 13 and Figs. 8 and 14.

In Fig. 12 the top of the latch parts are shown in latching position as when the book is opened from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3. In the former position the latch parts are indicated in Fig. 14, while Fig. 12 indicates them for the book position of Fig. 3. When the ,book opens, as in Fig. 3, the latch parts at the top of parts 50 and 60 contact as in Fig. 12. The top ledge 51 of fiat plate 50 contacts with the overlapped top ledge BI of fiat plate 60. These ledges at their overlapped edges in this position are in the same plane. So the abutments provided by the contact of the overlapped edges prevent further opening movement of plates 53 and 63. The latter are fastened to back plates 2 and 3 so when they turn on hinge I to the position of Fig. 3 the latch abutments contact (Fig. 12) and prevent further opening movement.

When it is desired to change filler sheets the forefinger and thumb of one hand can straddle the latch and press finger pieces 55 and 55 close enough together (which is permitted by pivot BI, Fig. 10) for ledges 51 and GI to come out of the overlapping contact, parallel with hinge I,

shown in Fig. 12 and move to that of Fig. 13, at right angles to hinge I. In the latter figure it is seen that plates 50 and permit turning with hinge I as plates 50 and 60 fold together for the book to take the position of Fig. 4.

The projections 62 and 58 will hold the latch parts out of latching position for the movement necessary for the back plates and latch plates to fold together. Spring 54 (Fig. 10) tends to hold the latch parts in the position of Fig. 13, while the folding up takes place. Fig. 13 shows the position of the latch parts started from latched position to the opened position of the book for changing sheets, as in Fig. 4, but the latch parts are not at the end of such movement.

After the book covers and back plates are moved back from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 3 the latch parts will spring back to their latched position of Fig. 12. This is their position when the book is wide open for reading as in Fig. 3. From this position the prongs 8 and 9 cannot again open from overlapped position until the latch is again opened by the users fingers.

The projections 58 and 62 (Fig. 12) enter holes I3 and I2 respectively in back plates 2 and 3, so the latch parts can flatten out as indicated in Fig. 8 when the book is closed and yet have bearing length desired in the latch operation. When the book is closed it is desired to keep the hinge I oif the surface on which the book may rest and so the back plates 2 and 3 make a slight inward angle when the book reaches the completely closed position. This is slightly exaggerated in the modification of Fig. 14. It shows that metal hinge I will normally be kept out of desk or table top contact.

The latch is preferably located in the middle portion of the book back on the inside to better take the strain; its finger pieces 55 and 56 underlie the paper on prongs 8 and 9. When they rise up from prong to ring form the finger pieces rise up with and immediately adjacent to the hinge. In this position it is a simple matter to support the open book on one hand and manipulate the latch and change sheets with the other hand. This is an improved feature of my book Even with a heavy book one can change filler sheets and manipulate the loose leaf structure with greater ease than customary types of loose leaf structure. For example, the ordinary ring book requires opening of the ring structure by using both hands. My improved book can merely rest on one hand; a finger touch of the latch with the other hand permits the prongs to open for changing sheets; and the hand which opened. the latch is free to change sheets while the book is still held by the other hand. It is only necessary to start the closing operation to have the latch reengage- The weight of the book parts will open it if permitted to act and the relatching is about as simple as the release.

In all modifications the advantages of a new mode of operation are secured and the books can be manipulated with improved convenience while saving space and avoiding structural complications.

I could go on and compare the improved type of book with ring books and prong books of the customary types, but as the invention has been fully disclosed this comparison will be proper at a later time in the prosecution or protection of the invention. I

What I claim is:

1. A loose leaf book comprising a back hinged in the center line and adapted to bend backwardly on itself, curved prongs extending through slightly less than above the back and a tached to opposite side edges of the'back in pairs, the prongs of each pair adapted to enter the same holes from opposite sides in a loose leaf filler and when the book is closed overlap substantially their entire length, covers hinged adjacent the side edges of said back with a small and limited movement at their hinge joints and arranged so that when each cover is opened it moves only a short distance independently of the back and then carries its adjacent back part so as to bend backwardly with the other back part until the book is wide open for reading, said prongs on the back parts being only slightly overlapped when the back parts are in book reading position. a

2. A loose leaf book comprising a back having a hinge joint along its center line and stiff hinge plates extending from each side of the hinge joint to the side edges of the back, prongs fastened to said plates at their side edges, those on one edge adapted to enter the same holes of a loose leaf filler from opposite sides to prongs on the other edge, said prongs curving over the book back with a radius substantially equal to the width of a hinge plate and with the prongs long enough to extend into overlapping relation with opposite prongs at all times except when the hinge plates are folded substantially one against the other, stiff book covers one hinged at each back plate edge, a joint for the hinged connection to limit the relative movement between the covers and the back plates between a right angle relation and enough more than a right angle relation for the covers to lie in the same plane when the back plates are folded together enough to move the prongs into only slightly overlapped relation all for the purpose described.

3. A loose leaf book comprising substantially identical halves hinged together along the center line of the book back, each half made of a hinge plate for the back part, a stiff cover and curved prongs fastened at the edge of the plate near the cover and extending about twice the width of the plate, a limited hinge joining the cover and its back part, so as to require the cover and its back part to move together and prevent them from ever lying in substantially the same plane, whereby the book halves must move on their common central hinge to fold the book back inwardly and outwardly when the covers are moved respectively to open and closed position.

4. A loose leaf book comprising a two-part centrally hinged back portion, loose leaf filler retaining members on the back portion operable into cliiferent positions by hinged movements of the back portion, side hinges along the outer edges of the back portion, covers each mounted on top of and in the same plane as the adjacent side hinge, the outer surface of the covers, hinges and back portions being smooth and an unbroken covering, strip smoothly attached over such surfaces on each side of the center line of the back portion so as to hide the side hinges, said side hinges being limited in their movements so as to require the covers to move with their adjacent back parts during the major opening and closing movements of the book.

JOHN SCHADE.

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