US2138848A - Upright loose-leaf catalogue or file - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 6, 1938. D. RALsToN ET AL 2,133,848

UPRIGHT LOOSE-LEAF CATALOGUE OR FILE Filed Sept. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v m Q/ur/Qy D. @a/S/on Y 2 0/70 @e/fx m, M .Wgw a W 6% v (/ITr gEys Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UPRIGHT LOOSE-LEAF CATALOGUE R FILE Application September 22', 1937, Serial No. 165,004

28 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in loose-leaf catalogues or files adapted to maintain a large volume of data ready at hand for quickly locating and referring to selective items such, for example, as catalogue numbers, prices and descriptive information necessary in checking customers orders in mail order houses and the like. Equipment heretofore available has consisted principally of the well known tab-files and files embodying racks which support staggered, hang ing or fiat-lying cards. However, for an establishment handling many thousands of widely diversified items such equipment occupies far too much valuable space in proportion to the quan- 18 tity of information that may be contained therein, and, moreover, is cumbersome and ineflicient with respect to clerical production. That is, the volume of checking which may be effected by a clerk working with such equipment is bound by 0 definite limits of time and physical effort due to the necessity of shifting from one limited file to another and the multitude of exertions incident to manipulating the files. In addition, the initial cost and the expense involved in keeping the 25 equipment in order as well as the cost of effecting necessary revisions from time to time are financial burdens of no mean proportion.

A general object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid and other deficiencies of 30 the prior art by providing a novel inexpensive, highly efficient loose-leaf catalogue or file in which the leaves or pages are supported in upright forwardly projecting cantilever fashion to provide a large capacity, exceptionally compact 35 book-like arrangement making available at convenient arm's reach, and within the direct line of vision of a person sitting before the same, a huge volume of selective data such as catalogue numbers, descriptions of merchandise, colors, prices, 40 etc.

Another object resides in the provision of a loose-leaf catalogue or file of this character in which the leaves are supported by groups, each group having common supporting means, and the several groups are mounted in alinement in such a manner that they cooperate to produce what appears to be a continuous set of leaves, each leaf being swingable into position for the inspection of either side from the front of the file.

Another object is to provide an improved supporting rack in which a pair of rows of upright, axially spaced and alined pins or pintles are 55 mounted to receive spaced connecting hinges of improved form secured to the rear edges of the catalogue leaves.

Another object is to provide improved means for guiding the spaced supporting hinges of the catalogue leaves onto the supporting pintles. 5.

Still another object is to provide in such a supporting rack improved locking means for avoiding accidental displacement of the leaves from the pintles.

Another object is to provide a novel filing leaf 10 construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a catalogue file constructed according to the invention and mounted upon a Worktable.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the filing rack.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view partially in section of the rack taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale showing the construction of one of the hinge-guiding grooves.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective View of an improved hinge used to connect the leaves to the rack.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of a slightly modified form of file.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the leaves of the modified file.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 6.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, we have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail, the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that-we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

For purposes of illustration, a worktable It! is shown supporting a loose-leaf catalogue file constructed according to the present invention ineluding a rack, indicated generally by the numeral II, and a plurality of replaceable pages or leaves l2 which are supported along their rear edges to project forwardly from the rack cantilever fashion in substantially vertical planes.

These leaves may comprise suitably dimensioned manila cards upon which the essential data is printed or otherwise applied. The file is mounted near the rear edge of the top of the table with the leaves !2 easily available to one hand of a person sitting at the front of the table and who is writing or otherwise occupying the other hand upon papers lying in the substantial working space upon the table top in front of the file.

Generally speaking, the rack l l includes a pair of inverted V-shaped uprights l3 each secured to and forming with an individual base bar M a generally diagonal end frame. The end frames are connected together in spaced parallel relation by brace bars l5 secured between the rearwardly inclined legs of the uprights 3, and by spaced upper and lower bars I! and I8, respectively, secured one above the other horizontally across the front faces of the forwardly inclined front legs of the uprights. To secure the rack H in place upon the table, screws or the like I!) may be passed through the base bars M.

The bars IT and I8 are preferably of rectangular cross section and each is provided near the forward edge of its upper face with a permanently anchored longitudinal row of equally spaced upright pins or pintles 20 which may be formed of suitable resilient metal such as piano wire and which are preferably of uniform predetermined length in each row. The pintles of each row are substantially axially alined with corresponding pintles of the other row so as to form cooperative pairs or sets for receiving with a downwardly sliding motion the tubular, sleevelike yokes 2! of a pair of spaced hinges 22 (to be hereinafter more fully described) which is affixed to the rear edge of each leaf I 2. Each set of pintles 20 has a capacity of several hinges whereby to provide a common support for a corresponding group of leaves l2.

As may be seen to best advantage in Fig. 3, the pairs of hinges 22 on the leaves I 2 of each group while of identical spacing longitudinally of the leaf edges, are placed in staggered relation to the hinges of the associated leaves b-y yoke-length degrees so that all of the leaves in each group will lie with their top edges in a substantially common plane after the group has been mounted. Moreover, the spacing between :pintles is calculated to avoid gaps between the groups of leaves and to allow an equal amount of working room for each leaf when the rack is loaded with a full complement of leaves in each group, the loaded rack taking on very much the appearance of a large open book having relatively stiff pages and supported with its back generally upright.

To facilitate insertion of the hinges 22 upon the pintles 20, the spacingbetween the upper ends of the pintles of the top row and the upper ends of the pintles of the bottom row is somewhat greater than thespacing between the extreme lower ends of the yokes of the pair of hinges on each page i 2. As a result, the upper hinge yoke 2! must be partially inserted before the lower hinge yoke 2| will reach the top end of the lower pintle 20, as shown in Fig. 3. This successive insertion permits rapid mounting of the leaves by avoiding the necessity of simultaneous attention to both hinges in guiding the hinge yokes 2! into place.

Desirably, the upper faces of the bars I! and i8 are also spaced slightly farther apart than the lower ends of the hinge yokes 2i whereby the upper hinges of the leaves 12 support the principal weight of the leaves; and the lower hinges will be relieved of weight axially of the yokes 2| and serve principally to maintain the relative position of the lower portions of the leaves. In this manner friction is reduced and possible slight inaccuracy in placement of the hinges upon a leaf will not cause buckling or jamming of the leaf after the same is in place.

Mounting of the catalogue leaves I2 is also aided by the provision of means for guiding the hinge yokes 25 onto the upper ends of the pintles 20. To this end a similarly constructed horizontal guide bar 23 is mounted in coacting relation behind the upper end portions of each row of pintles, the upper bar 23 in the present instance being carried by upright supporting straps 2 extending above the topsof the end frame upright I3. In the front face of each bar 23 is a series of parallel Vertical grooves 25, semi-cylindrical in shape and of a diameter to receive the hinge yokes 2| therein. The bars 23 are so located that the upper ends of the pintles 2E1 engage only in the lower portions of the grooves 25, and each groove has in such lower portion a short annular constriction 2'! against which bears the end portion of the associated pintle (Fig. 4). This constriction 21 is so located that the extreme end of the pintle projects thereabove, and it provides a sufficient reduction in the groove diameter to permit insertion of the wall of the hinge yoke 2| between the end of the pintle and the wall of the groove. At each side of the constriction 21 is a sloping approach 28.

In placing one of the hinges 22 upon any selected one of the pintles 20, the hinge yoke 2! is inserted into and held in the groove 25 above the end of the pintle and is then moved axially downwardly to carry the edge of the yoke into surrounding relation to the pintle, the pintle yielding as the yoke passes the constriction 21 and snapping back thereafter. In removing the hinge, the action just described is reversed. It will be apparent that through this arrangement very little attention and skill are required in mounting the leaves I2 upon the rack and the rack can be loaded with great speed.

Accidental removal of the leaves 12 from the rack is avoided by locking means associated with the lower guide bar 23, in the present instance comprising an elongated locking bar 29 which is mounted slidably upon the upper flat face of said guide bar for movement into obstructing relation to the upper ends of the guide grooves 25 therein (Fig. 5). To connect the locking bar 29 in operative position, it is provided on its back face near each opposite end with a quadrangular, longitudinally elongated retaining and guiding frame 30 which is internally dimensioned to fit about the front leg of the respective adjacent end frame upright 13 of the rack and permit longitudinal movement of the bar a distance equal to the width of said leg. Suchlongitudinal movement in one direction (to the left as shown in Fig. 5) is effective to move the bar into locking position, a stationary cam 3| on the forward wall of the frame 30 engaging the leg of the support l3 and shifting the bar forwardly into obstructing relation to the tops of the grooves 25 as an incident to such movement whereby to prevent the lower hinges 22 of the leaves 22 from being accidentally dislodged. To shift the bar out of locking position it is merely necessary to move the same in the opposite longitudinal direction and push the same backwardly away from the grooves 25.

Because of the rearwardly inclined axes of the tudinal strip 35 to receive the hinges 22.

pintles 20, the leaves l2 have a tendency to swing gravitationally to either side of a true vertical plane, thus simplifying manipulation of the leaves when searching for data contained in the file. The extent to which the leaves may swing to either side is preferably limited to relieve the strain thereon which is incident to their rubbing together, the pintle bars. I! and 8 being provided at their extremities with extensions 32 which project diagonally forwardly and serve as rests for engaging the outermost of the end groups of leaves.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. '7 to 9, inclusive, the file is provided with leaves 33 which are fashioned as expansible pockets for receiving loosely inserted matter, suchas cards or pages of data. It will be apparent that a file thus equipped will have a large capacity for printed or written data and will be of advantage .in that it will not be necessary to remove the leaves when it is desired to change or replace the contents.

Upon reference to Fig. 8 it will be observed that the pocket leaves 33 are constructed to expand bellows fashion and may be formed of two paper sheets connected in face-to-face relation or of a single paper sheet folded double, providing sides 33 and 33 The two sides of the pocket leaf are secured together along the lower and rear edges, the lower margins thereof being creased a short distance inwardly and parallel to the edge as indicated at 34 to facilitate expansion, and the rear margins being secured permanently together to form a narrow, inexpansible, longi- The upper and front edges of the sides 33 and 33' are open and the front edges have staggered outwardly projecting tabs 36, one on each side of the leaf. Said tabs serve not only as indices but also as convenient finger engageable means by which the pocket may be caused to gape for receiving matter to be filed. Below the tabs the front margins of the sides are cut away as indicated at 3? to expose the forward margins of supported cards or papers so that the same may be conveniently grasped for withdrawal.

The hinges 22 which are used to connect the catalogue leaves i2 and 33 to the filing rack H are of a novel construction and may be produced i and applied inexpensively from thin sheet metal strips. As shown in Fig. 6 the improved hinge comprises a pair of elongated generally fiat legs" 38 extending from the yoke 2| which are preferably no wider than the length of said yoke to avoid overlapping with the hinges of immediately adjacent pages mounted upon the same pintle 20. The legs 38 are adapted to extend inwardly along and lie fiatwise against opposite sides of the leaf margin to clamp the same therebetween, the yoke lying with its axis parallel to the edge of the leaf and serving to hold the outer ends of the legs together. The opposite or inner ends of the legs are held together by a prong 39 which projects from one of the legs through the leaf margin broadside to the leaf edge and into an aperturein the opposite leg. Although the hinge legs 33 engage only a relatively small area of the leaf margin the prong 39 is located far enough inwardly to avoid tearing out of the engaged portion of the margin when the leaf is subjected to unusual strains. The end of the prong is bent over against the apertured leg to secure the hinge against removal.

To secure the hinge against pivotal movement about the prong 4i and thus avoid movement of the yoke 2| longitudinally of the associated edge of the leaf, means such as a plurality of elongated parallel indentations or crimps 4| is formed longitudinally of one of the hinge legs 38 adjacent to the yoke 2| and adapted when the hinge is attached to the leaf to penetrate the extreme marginal edge thereof (Fig. 9). Asa result the hinge will hold fast against cantilever force imposed axially of the yoke 2| incident to inserting the hinge upon one of the supporting pintles' 25 as when moving against the approach 28 in the guide groove 25 and also against ordinary strains imposed during use of the leaf.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides an ingenious loose-leaf catalogue o: file in which an enormous mass of data, far in excess of prior devices, can be made available within easy arms' reach of a person sitting before the same. It may be mentioned, by way of example, that one use for which this file has: been found eminently suited in practice is in checking customers orders against mail order catalogue listings of a complete line of general merchandise. A single'such catalogue may contain approximately forty-eight thousand listings, and with prior filing equipment it was wholly impractical for a single clerk to check against the complete listings. With the present file, however, not only every item of a complete current general catalogue but also every item of an immediately preceding catalogue, as well as the additional listings of occasional supplementary catalogues, flyer bulletins, etc., which may total over one hundred thousand separate items, can be made instantly available at the finger tips of one hand of the pricing clerk leaving the other hand of the clerk free to be otherwise occupied. For this purpose the rack may be equipped with from one hundred to two hundred p'intles to a row, every alined set of pintles supporting six card leaves approximate-- ly ten by fourteen inches in size. By varying the size and capacity of the catalogue or leaves various other and similar purposes may be efficiently accommodated, the apparatus being quite adaptable in this respect.

Other outstanding advantages of the invention reside in the. simple and easy manner in which the leavesmay be loaded and unloaded; the looking of the leaves against accidental dislodgrnent; and the simple sturdy construction which permits the invention to be manufactured at low cost and which assures continuous, unusual dependability in use.

A method of and means for mak ng and applying the hinges to the catalogue or file leaves is set forth in our copending application Serial No. 198,978, filed March 30, 1938.

The copending application of one of the joint applicants herein, Otto Felix, Serial No. 23,540, filed May 27, 1935, is directed broadly to the type of hinge disclosed herein.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination with a worktable of substa tial depth, an upright loose-leaf catalogue or file having a plurality of spaced upright pintles arranged in uniform order and supporting in forwardly projecting cantilever fashion a mass of individual leaves swingab-le about the axes of the respective pintlesin the manner of the pages of'a book, said file being mounted back from the front edge of said table so that an ample working area will be had in front of the file within which one hand of a person sitting up to the front of the table may be occupied upon loose papers or the like While the other hand is used to work the leaves, and means for securing the file fixedly in position with respect to the table.

2. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file, a generally upright rack having a pair of horizontal bars in spaced relation one above the other, a row of upstanding pintles carried by each of said bars, the pintles of each row being indi vidually generally alined with the corresponding pintles of the other row, and leaves having spaced hinges along their rear edges for pivotally engaging said pintles to support the leaves in forwardly projecting cantilever fashion.

3. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file, a plurality of leaves arranged in face-to-face book-like fashion, individual hinges attached to the same edges of all the said leaves, means for supporting said leaves in upright forwardly projecting cantilever fashion to make the pages available within convenient arms reach and in the direct line of vision of a person located in a position before the same, said means including a plurality of members each of which is adapted to coact with and provide common support for the hinges of a small group of said plurality of leaves in a manner to give the effect of a continuous set of leaves and permit each leaf to be swung in a generally horizontal plane for inspection of either side thereof by the person located in front of the file, and means at the opposite ends of the booklike set of leaves for holding said leaves generally forwardly within convenient range for manipulation but permitting sufficient clearance to swing selected leaves apart for inspection as aforesaid.

4. In a loose-leaf catalogue file of the character described, in combination, a plurality of catalogue leaves forming a group to be mounted together, each of said leaves having spaced upper and lower hinges along the rear edge thereof, said hinges being placed upon each of said leaves in staggered relation with respect to the hinges of the other leaves of the group to avoid overlapping when the leaves are in marginally alined face-to-face relation and having annular connecting sleeves adapted to coact in endwise bearing engagement with the sleeves of adjacent hinges, and a generally upright supporting structure for the group of leaves including a pair of axially spaced and alined elongated upright pintles for respectively receiving all of the sleeves of the upper and lower hinges of the entire group of leaves.

5. A loose-leaf catalogue file comprising, in combination, a generally upright frame, spaced generally horizontal upper and lower bars mounted upon said frame and each having anchored thereto a longitudinal series of upright pintles, each pintle of each series being substantially axially alined with a pintle of the other series, and a plurality of hinged catalogue leaves removably supported in substantially vertical planes for horizontal swinging movement by each pair of alined pintles.

6. A loose-leaf catalogue file of the character described comprising, in combination a generally upright frame, a pair of horizontal bars mounted in spaced relation one above the other along the front of said frame, a series of elongated upright pintles upon the upper face of each bar, each pintle of each series being axially alined with a corresponding pintle of the other series, a group of hinged catalogue leaves supported in forwardly projecting upright cantilever fashion by each pair of alined pintles to be manipulated in the manner of the pages of a book, and end rests projecting diagonally forwardly from the ends of said bars for engaging the outer leaves of the end groups to hold the leaves in generally forwardly projecting relation.

7. A loose-leaf catalogue or file construction of the character described comprising, in combination, a. rack including spaced end supports having base means for securing the same upon a worktable, a pair of spaced horizontal bars mounted one above the other upon said supports ina rearwardly inclined plane, each of said bars having a plurality of upstanding rearwardly inclined pintles substantially axially alined with the respective pintles of the other bar, a plurality of removable leaves supported by said pintles in forwardly projecting relation to said rack, the inclination of said pintles tending to effect an overbalance of said leaves to either side of respective vertical planes through said pintles, and means at the opposite ends of said bars for engaging the endmost leaves to hold all of said leaves in generally forwardly projecting relation.

8. A loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described comprising, in combination, a supporting structure, and a pair of axially spaced and substantially coaxial pintles carried by said structure and projecting in the same direction to receive thereon the axially spaced connecting sleeves of a pair of hinges connected to a catalogue leaf, the spacing between the receiving ends of said pintles being somewhat greater than the spacing between the approaching ends of the hinge sleeves so as to permit partial insertion of one sleeve upon the outermost pintle before the remaining sleeve reaches its pintle.

9. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described, upright supporting means, a pair of spaced horizontal bars mounted one above the other upon said supporting means, an upstanding longitudinal row of pintles anchored to the upper face of each of said bars, the upper ends of the lower row of pintles being spaced below the upper bar and standing in substantial alinement with corresponding pintles of the upper row so as to receive the respective upper and lower coaxial connecting sleeves of the spaced hinges of catalogue leaves to be supported thereby, the spacing between the upper ends of the pintles of the top row and the upper ends of the pintles of the bottom row being somewhat greater than the spacing between the extreme lower ends of the hinge sleeves whereby the upper sleeve will be partially inserted upon the upper of said pintles before the lower sleeve reaches the lower of said pintles.

10. In a file of the character described, a supporting structure, a leaf having a pair of substantially spaced hinges connected to one edge thereof, said hinges having coaxial sleeves substantially parallel with said edge of said leaf, and a pair of pintles carried by said structure in substantially axial alinement and pointing in the same direction, the spacing between said pintles being such that one of said hinges can be initially applied to the outermost pintle followed by application of the other of said hinges incidental to axial movement of said hinges toward the points of said respective pintles.

11. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue I by the uppermost hinge will rest upon and. the principal weight of the leaf will be carried through such hinge by the uppermost of said supporting means.

12. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described, a leaf having a connecting hinge including a sleeve, leaf supporting means including a pintle for receiving said sleeve, and means associated with the free end of said pintle and defining a groove for receiving and guiding said sleeve onto said pintle as an incident to movement of said sleeve longitudinally therein toward said pintle end.

13. In a catalogue or file construction of the character described, in combination, a flexible pintle mounted to receive the connecting sleeve of a leaf hinge, means associated with a portion of the free end of said pintle for guiding the sleeve into place thereon, said means including a groove of a diameter to receive the hinge sleeve substantially coaxially therein and of a length to cradle said pintle end portion in a limited end section thereof and extend substantially beyond the extremity of said pintle, and a narrow constriction in said end section of said groove to hold said pintle end portion away from the wall of said groove a sufiicient distance to permit passage of the sleeve into encircling relation to said pintle between said wall and said pintle end portion, the flexibility of said pintle enabling the same to yield and permit movement of the encircling sleeve past said constriction.

14. A loose-leaf catalogue or file comprising, in combination, a rack including a bar having a row of spaced pintles projecting therefrom for receiving the connecting sleeves of catalogue leaf hinges to be supported by said rack, and a guide bar mounted in coacting relation with the extremities of said pintles and having a series of parallel grooves coinciding with said pintles for properly locating the hinge sleeves for reception by said pintles upon relative axial movement therebetween.

15. A loose-leaf catalogue or file comprising, in combination, a rack including a bar having a row of spaced pintles projecting therefrom for receiving the connecting sleeves of catalogue leaf hinges to be supported by said rack, a guide bar mounted in coacting relation with the extremities of said pintles and having a series of parallel grooves coinciding with said pintles for properly locating the hinge sleeves for reception by said pintles upon relative axial movement therebetween, and a locking bar movably mounted upon said guide bar and adapted to be shifted into obstructing relation to said grooves to prevent the hinge sleeves from becoming accidentally dislodged.

16. In a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described, in combination, a plurality of leaves having a pair of spaced hinges along one margin thereof, a rack having means thereon including two rows of upstanding axially spaced and alined pintles to receive the respective hinges of said leaves and support the latter in upright planes projecting forwardly cantilever fashion, means associated with the lower row of pintles for guiding the lower hinges of said leaves onto such pintles, and selectively operable means for preventing accidental removal of said hinges past said guiding means.

17. A loose-leaf catalogue or file construction of the character described comprising, in combination, a catalogue leaf, a hinge secured to one margin of said leaf and having a pair of flattened elongated legs extending longitudinally inwardly in clamping relation on opposite sides of said leaf, a prong on one of said legs penetrating said leaf and bent over against the other leg to hold the inner ends of said legs fast upon the leaf, a sleeve-like yoke lying parallel with the edge of the leaf and connecting and holding the outer ends of said legs in clamping relation against said leaf, a supporting rack for said leaf including a pintle for receiving said yoke pivotally, means for'receiving and guiding said yoke onto said pintle, and means projecting from one of said legs into the extreme edge of the leaf margin adjacent to said yoke and supplementing said prong for holding said hinge against displacement relative to said leaf as a result of strains imposed thereon in said guiding means.

18. In a sheet metal hinge structure for a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described, a pair of flattened legs to grip the margin of a leaf therebetween, means for securing the inner ends of said legs together, a yoke connecting the outer ends of said legs together in grip- 'ping relation, and a plurality of elongated indentations in one of said legs adjacent to the yoke extending at an angle from the yoke and projecting toward the opposite leg to penetrate the margin of the associated leaf.

19. In a loose-leaf catalogue or file, in combination, a large rectangularly shaped leaf, a pair of hinges secured permanently and fixedly in spaced relation to a narrow marginal strip of said leaf and having coaxial sleeves parallel with the edge of said margin, and supporting means for said leaf including a pair of substantially axially spaced and substantially alined upright pintles for receiving said sleeves to hold the leaf in upright forwardly projecting cantilever fashion to swing about the axis of said pintles.

20. In a file of the character described, a leaf adapted to be supported in a vertical plane for pivotal movement about an axis parallel with the rear edge thereof, said leaf comprising a pair of fiat sides connected together along the bottom and rear edges thereof and expansible bellows fashion to receive material to be filed therebetween, a relatively narrow'inexpansible marginal strip extending longitudinally along said rear edges, a pair of spaced hinges secured fixedly and permanently to said strip and having coaxial connecting sleeves parallel with the edge of the strip for engaging supporting pintles, and means to facilitate manual separation of said sides in expanding the same.

21. In a loose-leaf catalogue or file construction, in combination, a supporting struture, pintles mounted upon said structure, and means associated with the free extremities of said pintles for receiving the connecting sleeves of the hinges of leaves to be supported by said pintles to guide the sleeves onto the pintles.

22. A loose-leaf structure comprising, in combination, supporting means, a rigid member supported by said means and having an alined row of spaced pintles projecting therefrom, and means also supported by said supporting means in rigid spaced relation to said member and coacting with the extremities of said pintles to receive and to guide the sleeves of loose-leaf hinges substantially coaXially onto the respective pintles.

23. In a loose-leaf structure, in combination, supporting means, pintles mounted upon said supporting means, means associated with the free extremities of said pintles for receiving the connecting sleeves of loose-leaf hinges to guide the sleeves onto the pintles, and means for restraining movement of the connecting sleeves of the hinges past said guiding means after the sleeves have been received upon the respective pintles.

24. A loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described comprising, in combination, a supporting structure, a pair of axially spaced and substantially coaxial pintles carried by said structure and projecting in the same direction to receive thereon the axially spaced connecting sleeves of a pair of hinges secured to a catalogue leaf, the spacing between the receiving ends of said pintles being somewhat greater than the spacing between the approaching ends of the hinge sleeves so as to permit partial insertion of one sleeve upon the outermost pintle before the remaining sleeve reaches its pintle, and means associated with the free extremity of at least the innermost pintle to receive said remaining sleeve for guiding the same onto this pintle.

25. In combination in a loose-leaf structure of the character described, supporting means including a pintle projecting therefrom, a leaf to be supported by the structure, a hinge upon said leaf including a sleeve to engage said pintle, means associated with the extremity of said pintle to receive and guide said sleeve onto said pintle, and means for connecting the hinge to said leaf in a manner to hold the hinge substantially against displacement relative to the leaf in spite of strains that may be imposed upon the hinge in said guiding means as an incident to mounting the leaf.

26. In a hinge structure for a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described, an elongated strip of hinge material doubled upon itself to provide a pair of opposed legs, the yoke portion of the strip which joins said legs being of annular sleeve-like form to receive an upright pintle, one of said legs having an aperture near its free end, the other leg having a struck out prong to pass through the margin of a catalogue leaf and into said aperture to secure the hinge permanently in place upon such margin with the edge of the margin located adjacent to the periphery of and parallel to the axis of the yoke portion, and a plurality of elongated indentations in one of the legs located with their ends close to the periphery of the yoke portion and extending angularly therefrom, said indentations projecting toward the opposite leg so that when the legs are in gripping engagement with the leaf margin said indentations will bite into the edge portion of the margin to hold the hinge against displacement longitudinally of said edge in spite of axial pressure upon said yoke.

27. In combination with a worktable of substantial depth, an upright loose-leaf catalogue or file rack having a plurality of spaced upright pintles arranged in uniform order and supporting removably -in forwardly projecting cantilever fashion a mass of individual leaves swingable about the axes of the respective pintles in the manner of the pages of a book, said rack being mounted back from the front edge of said table so that the forward edges of the leaves will be within convenient arms reach of a person sitting up to the front of said table for working the leaves and so that an ample working area will be free in front of the rack within which one hand of the person may be occupied upon loose papers or the like while the other hand is used to work the leaves, and rests for holding the end leaves of the mass of leaves in a generally forward direction to limit sidewise swinging of all of the leaves within a fixed range but permitting sufiioient separation between any two leaves to examine the opposed faces thereof conveniently.

28. An upright catalogue or file of the character described comprising, in combination, a plurality of groups of leaves, a leaf-supporting rack structure adapted to be mounted upon a work table or the like and including means adapted for supporting each group of leaves as a unit in generally upright forwardly projecting relation at the front of the rack structure, and means for removably connecting said groups of leaves to their respective supporting means in general alinement to produce a multiple-group set of leaves, said connecting means being so constructed that any leaf of the set can be swung substantially like the leaf of a book into position for the inspection of either side from the front of the rack.

HURLEY D. RALSTON. OTTO FELIX.

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