US2160267A - Container for papers, cards, and the like - Google Patents

Description

May 30, 1939. w. B. GRISWOLD CONTAINER FOR PAPERS. CARDS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 24, 1957 w. d 1 R v V 0. W E T n m m w o T WBM T I Au 4 m e IR M H z Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE CONTAINER FOR PAPERS, CARDS, AND THE LIKE tion of Delaware Application June 24, 1937, Serial No. 150,070

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in containers for papers, cards and the like, and more particularly to a tray, drawer or file for such work pieces.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to enable a user to quickly refer to the particular card or work piece from among the number contained in the file, without necessitating removal of the card from the file.

Other objects supplementing the foregoing are the provision of a skeleton file holder which enables the user to quickly fan out and thumb or leaf through the contents; and the provision of novel means to releasably clamp the sheaf of papers, cards or other work pieces in place in the file in such manner as to leave the indexed portions or ends of the individual pieces free for quick and rapid inspection.

A further object co-acting with the latter of the two preceding objects is the provision of a locking file or container for work pieces, which normally holds the work pieces against removal either singly or in groups, but which permits ready manipulation to release the contained work pieces when it is desired to insert additional work pieces, or remove any of the contents.

Still another object is the provision of a combined clamping and follower means of novel design, which will not flex the free ends of the work pieces forwardly, and is readily shifted to confine or to release the contents of the tray or file.

These and other objects and advantages will be more fully explained hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims. A

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodimen of the invention, illustrating its use with a pack or sheaf of cards;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the relative positions of the combined clamp and follower; and the abbreviated front end wall, or front stop;

Fig. 3 is a view from the left side, showing the interior of the container, and partly broken away toshow the latching means which holds the work piece locking means effective;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the follower slide; and

Fig. 5 is a view in reduced size of a card suitably notched to accommodate the locking means with which the container is provided.

As one of the objects of this invention is to pro- I vide a tray, d awer, or container for work pieces,

so arranged that the work pieces, while held firmly in a compact pack against removal, are, nevertheless, easily inspected with all the rapidity of which the user is capable, there has been contrived a skeleton holder, including a base or bot tom l0, preferably a fiat rectangular plate of any suitable material, as metal, one edge of which may be fianged or upturned, as at l l, to form the only substantial side wall of the container which, in the selected illustration, is the right hand wall.

A short or abbreviated wall 12 is secured in the angle between the base l and flange H and at the front edges thereof, to form the front stop against which the work pieces are pressed.

The front stop extends partway only from the right hand wall I I towards the free and unencumbered left hand edge of the base, and may be of any suitable material. In the present instance, the front stop is of wood secured along its adjacent edges by screws l3 or other fastenings to the right hand wall and to the base.

The side wall H, which conveniently extends the full length of the base I0, is longitudinally slotted intermediate its upper and lower edges, as at M. and a guide rail extends parallel with and throughout the length of the slot, the opposite ends of the rail projecting past the ends of the slot and being secured to spacing blocks !6 mounted on the outer face of the side wall H beyond the ends of the slot, but preferably, in line with the longitudinal axis of the slot.

A chambered clamping slide !1 having a substantially U-shaped body to embrace the rail I5 is slidably mounted for longitudinal adjustment along the rail, the inner free ends of the upper and lower side walls of the slide having inturned shoes 18 taking over the longitudinal edges of the rail to maintain the connection between the slide and rail. An arm I 9, which may be forked, as shown, though this is not essential, has its free ends secured to the respective side walls of the slide, and extends through the slot M to a point approximately in line with the center of the short front stop l2. Preferably, though not necessarily, the arm I9 irrespective of its form, is somewhat resilient.

At its inner end, the arm is provided with an eye 20 to loosely encircle the neck of a headed stud 2|, the opposite end of which stud carries a follower 22, which, as shown, may consist of a flat round disk.

The work pieces 23 of oblong form, are inserted between the inner face of the front stop l2 and the inner face of the follower 22 with one of the longer sides of each work piece resting on the base I0, after which, the slide ll is manually advanced along the rail l5, with its arm 19 and follower 22, towards the front wall [2, until the follower as it advances, clamps the pack of work pieces between itself and the rear face of the front Wall, with sufiicient force to hold the Work pieces frictionally in position.

If the arm 19 is resilient, the slide I! may be advanced slightly ahead of the follower, after the latter has been arrested by the resistance of the pack of work pieces to further compression, so as to apply spring pressure to the follower to hold the work pieces in position in the tray or file.

Also the loose connection provided by the eye 20 and stud 21, between the arm and follower, enables the follower to automatically conform to the plane of the rear face of the pack of work pieces, the enlarged head of the stud preventing disconnection of the arm l9 and follower 22, and the eye encircling the neck of the stud, affording a limited universal movement to the follower relatively to its arm, as well as enabling the eye to fit closely against the rear face of the follower, to hold the latter up to the work.

It is necessary to maintain the slide H in any of the positions to which it may be adjusted when clamping the sheaf of work pieces between the follower and the front stop, to which end, the side walls of the slide embrace a double dog 24, (Fig. 4), lying parallel with, and toothed to engage complementary teeth 25 formed along the outer face of the slide-supporting rail l5. Thus, the holding dog 24 is loosely confined between the body of the slide l1 and the rail IS, the toothed face of the dog having a countersunk hole formed therein to accommodate the head of a connecting fastening, as a screw 26, tapped into the inner reduced end of a quick-acting bolt 21 threaded through the body portion ofthe slide l1 and bearing a flanged finger wheel 28 at its outer end. The reduced inner end of the bolt is journaled in the correspondingly reduced end of the hole in the dog 24. A spring 29 coiled about the projecting end of the threaded bolt 21, with its opposite ends anchored to the finger wheel 28 and to the slide I 1, respectively, turns the bolt in clockwise direction to hold the teeth of the dog engaged with the teeth 25 of the rail I5, and thus prevent the resilience of a compacted sheaf or pack of work pieces from crowding the follower 22 and slide l1 backwardly after the follower has been adjusted to hold the sheaf or pack snugly pressed against the rear face of the front stop l2.

To release the dog 24, the operator simply turns the finger wheel 28 and bolt 21 counter-clockwise against the tension of the spring 29 to withdraw the dog from engagement with the teeth of the rail l, and by the same action, shoves or pushes the wheel and with it the slide 11, arm l9 and follower 22, away from the sheaf of work pieces. Immediately upon relieving pressure on the finger wheel, the spring 29' snaps the bolt 21 around in clockwise direction, to reengage the teeth of the dog 24' with the teeth 25 of the rail l5.

One of the many uses to which this invention may be put is as a holder or file for operation cards.

Such a file is kept by manufacturers and comprises a number of cards, each of which bears the manufacturers part number, as indicated at the upper left hand corner of the card shown in Fig. 5, beneath which is listed the various kinds of operations or steps performed on the part, to-

gether with other pertinent information regarding dimensions, grade of metal or what not, where necessary.

Thus, an operation card, after reciting the identifying number in the upper left hand corner, might list a series of operations, as follows:

Blank Pierce Shave Etc.

These operations are subject to change, as are the dimensions, shapes, gauge and kind of metal, or what not, because the part may be itself improved, or better and less expensive ways of machining the part, may be developed.

The operation cards outline the standard procedure to be followed in the process of making the part, and the cost of such part is based on the material, labor, and time consumed in its production.

Hence the cards are often consulted, new cards added as the manufacture of additional parts is assumed, and other cards substituted for those originally filed, as shorter or less expensive methods of operation are developed.

In view of the above, it is' desirable, first, to arrange the trays or containers for such cards in the best known manner to afford ready inspection thereof, to enable the operator to quickly and easily locate the operation card relating to any particular part which is to be made.

This requirement is satisfied by the skeleton form of the container, the cards being clamped at their right hand ends between the front stop and the follower plate, all unnecessary walls being omitted, including the usual front wall which has been cut down to the least possible size consistent with the area of the work pieces to be filed in the container, so as to expose a large area of each card, the exposed area bearing the identification and much of the information relating to the subject so identified.

The user will hold the tray or container in his right hand, and thumb or rifii'e the exposed free ends of the cards with his left hand, bending the left hand ends in either direction to impose the desired resilience in the group of cards, and letting the cards spring back one by one as they escape past the thumb, scanning the identifying symbol on each card until he finds the one he wishes to consult.

The clamping of the right hand ends of the cards between the front stop, permits this rifiling or fanning action.

Obviously, if the tray or container is full of cards, or nearly so, the user may leaf through them in successive group's, though the index hereinafter referred to, will direct him to the section wherein is located any particular card of whose identifying symbol he is aware.

By latching the follower where adjusted, the cards are frictionally held against removal, and the riflling or fanning operation is facilitated.

Obviously, if the cards could be readily pulled out, a careless user, after locating the desired card, could and would remove it from the file and carry it to his bench, desk or elsewhere, in which event, it might not be returned to its proper place in the file, and would certainly be missing, if another, wishing to refer to the same card, should resort to the file while the first user had the card on his desk.

To minimize the likelihood of occurrence of the above objection, the tray or container is equipped with means to lock properly formed cards against accidentally dropping out and against intentional withdrawal effected by simply pulling on the The rib 3|! may be of any convenient shape,

as semi-cylindrical, in cross section.

A key or looking rib 3|, which may be similar in cross sectional area to the rib 3!], but inverted in position, carries a pair'of parallel, radially and laterally extending arms 32, (Fig. 2), connected, respectively, to the upper leaves of a pair of hinges 33, the lower leaves of which are secured to the right side wall near the upper free edge thereof, in spaced relation to correspond with the arms 32, and in such manner that the floating locking rib or key 3| may swing over onto the upper edges of the inner or right hand ends of the pack of cards 23.

As shown in Fig. 5, the inner or right hand upper and lower edges of each card are recessed, as at 34, to conform to the cross-sectional areas of the upper and lower locking keys or ribs 33 and 3|, which ribs seat in the aligned recesses in the cards, and while such recesses are shown as lying in the same vertical plane, this is not essential, as they may be out of line vertically, relatively to each other, providing the locking ribs 30 and 3| occupy a corresponding relation.

This out-of-line relation would prevent the insertion of a card rear side foremost, or in faced position.

The forward end of the floating locking rib 3| projects beyond the front end of the stationary rib 30, to extend over the upper edge of the front stop I2 and seat in a recess 35, (Figs. 1 and 3), formed transversely across the upper edge of the stop.

The transverse recess 35 intersects or meets the upper end of a vertically extending groove 36 formed in the outer face of the front stop to accommodate a latching member 31, which, as shown, may be formed of a resilient metal tongue housed withinthe groove and fastened at its lower end to the front stop l2, its free upper end being hooked to engage over the flattened front end of the floating key 3|.

The latch 31 holds the floating rib 3| fitting in the upper recesses of the cards, in locking posi tion relatively thereto, and the floating rib, when pressed downwardly, causes the notches in the lower edges of the cards to fit snugly over and maintain their locking engagement with the stationary rib 30 on the base ll] of the tray or container.

With the parts in the positions described, the

cards 23 are locked against removal or displacement.

Whenever it is desired to remove an obsolete or incorrect card, and substitute another therefor, or to add additional cards to the file, it is only necessary to release the latch 3?, swing upwardly the floating locking rib 3|, and withdraw the follower 22 from its position wherein it com presses the pack of cards, after which the desired card or cards may be removed, by lifting upwardly to clear the stationary rib 30, and then pulling them either upwardly or endwise to the left of the holder, and others substituted or added. e

To supply additional rigidity to the floating key 3|, as well as' to protect the latter against injury, a brace plate 38 may extend between and be secured to the outer faces of the upper leaves of the respective hinges 33, and the location of a particular card may be indicated by applying an index 39 of the contents of the tray to the outer face of the brace plate, which index may be removably held in place by clips 40 of well known form.

Use of the index renders unnecessary rifl'iing through the entire pack of cards, the user being directed to the approximate location of the particular group of cards which includes the special card to which he wishes to refer.

By housing the latches 31, the trays or containers may be piled on one another, and stored in pigeon holes, or cabinets without damage to, or release of the latches.

Changes may be made in the form and ar-. rangement of the several parts described, and certain of the features may be omitted, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

For example, in the illustrated embodiment; the upper edges of the cards or work pieces 23, the front stop l2 and the side Wall all lie in the same horizontal planes, but the front stop and side wall may be higher than the height of the work pieces to protect the upper edges of the cards.

Or, in some instances, either or both locking keys 3!) and 3| together with the hinges 33, brace plate 38 and latch 31 could be omitted.

Attention is directed to the fact that the base ll! of the holder is free and unobstructed except for the one side wall H and the front stop l2, which, together with the base, form a triangular pocket for the work pieces.

The entire left side edge, the entire rear edge, and most of the front edge of the base are unobstructed to enable free manipulation of the work pieces while still held firmly against accidental or intentional removal.

The holder may be used to contain folded papers documents or other flat materials, but in the case of folded papers and documents, the

locking keys would be omitted, preferably.

What is claimed as new, is:

1. A skeleton file, including a base to support the longer edge of a pack of flexible work pieces; a wall substantially equal in height to the widths of the work pieces, and with which one end of each work piece is aligned; a short front stop stationarily mounted on the base to expose the identifying data on the leading work piece; means to retain the work pieces in a pack, each work piece being notched on its upper edge; means to releasably enter the notch in the upper edge of each work piece to lock it against removal; andmeans to releasably hold the retaining means effective.

2. In a file or container, the combination of a base or support; a side wall; a front stop a key stationarily mounted on the support; a floating key mounted on the side wall and shiftable to a position overhanging the base or support; a work piece notched on its upper and lower edges to afford seats for the stationary and floating keys, respectively; means .coacting'with the front stop to hold a plurality of such work pieces in a pack on the support; and means to latch the floating key .in effective position.

3. The combination with a file or holder, having a base, and a side wall at substantial right angles :thereto; of a work :piece notched at its opposite edges; a stationary key mounted on and extending along the base adjacent the side wall, the work piece being placed in the file with the notchjin its lower edge fitting over the stationary key; a second key mounted on the side walland shiftable into and out of the notch in the upper edge of the work piece; and means operable upon the shiftable key tohold the latter in parallelism with the stationary key, and thus lock the work piece against endwise disconnection from the keys.

4. In a file for containing work pieces notched on opposite edges; the combination with a base and a. side wall; of a pair of parallel, rigid work piece-retaining bars, one of which extends along the base in position to be accommodated in the notch in one edge of the work piece, and the other of which is mounted on the side wall to shift into and outof the notch in the opposite edge of the work piece while-maintaining parallelism with the remaining retaining bar at all times.

5. In a file for containing work pieces notched on opposite edges; the combination with a base and a side wall; of a pair of parallel, rigid work piece-retaining bars, one of which extends along the base in position to be accommodated in the notch in one edge of the work piece, and the other of which is mounted on the side wall to shift into and out of the notch in the opposite edge of the work piece, one end of the last-named retaining bar projecting beyond the corresponding end of the remaining retaining bar; and means releasably engaging the projecting end to latch the shiftable retaining bar in effective position, and thereby retain the pack of work pieces engaged with the remaining retaining bar.

6. In a file for containing work pieces notched on opposite edges; the combination with a base and a side wall; of a pair of parallel, rigid work piece-retaining bars, one of which extends along the base in position to be accommodated in the notch in one edge of the work piece, and the other of which is mounted on the side wall to shift into and out of the notch in the opposite edge of the work piece; a front stop; and means to confine the pack of work pieces between itself and the front stop.

7 In a file for containing work pieces notched on opposite edges; the combination with a base and a side wall; of a pair of parallel, rigid work piece-retaining bars, one of which extends along the base in position to be accommodated in the notch in one edge of the work piece, and the other of which is mounted on the side wall to shift into and out of the notch in the opposite edge of the work piece, one end of the last-named retaining bar projecting beyond the corresponding end of the remaining retaining bar; a front stop against which the pack of work pieces is pressed, the projecting end of the shiftable retaining bar extending over the upper edge of the front stop; and a latching means housed in the front stop to engage the projecting end of the shiftable retaining bar, when the bar is in looking engagement with the work pieces, and thereby retain the work pieces engaged with the remaining retaining bar.

8. In a file for holding work pieces notched on opposite edges, the combination with a base; and a front stop; of a side wall, the work pieces arranged on edge, and extending perpendicularly to the side wall; follower mechanism to confine the work pieces between itself and the front stop; a retaining key extending along the base to be accommodated in the notch in one edge of each work piece; a rigid retaining key mounted on the side wall to shift into and out of the notch in the opposite edge of each work piece; and means to releasably hold the shiftable retaining key in looking position.

'9. In a file for work pieces, the combination with a base; and a front stop; of a slotted side wall, the'work pieces arranged on one edge, and extending perpendicularly to the side wall; a support on the side wall, arranged parallel with the slot; mechanism adjustable longitudinally of the slot to confine the work pieces between itself and the front stop, the mechanism including a slide on the support; means to lock the slide in any of its adjusted positions; a resilient arm mounted on the slide; and a follower mounted on the free end of the arm, in line with the front stop.

10. In a file for work pieces, the combination with a base; and a front stop; of a slotted side wall; a toothed rail extending longitudinally of the slot and mounted on the outer face of the side wall; .a slide adjustable along the rail; a follower supported by the slide to confine the work pieces between itself and the front stop; a toothed dog carried by the slide to co-act with the teeth of the rail; and a rotatable bolt threaded in the slide and to which the dog is connected, for shifting the dog into and out of effective relation with the teeth on the rail.

11. A card or document file, including a base to support the work pieces on the longer of their edges; a side wall extending along one edge of the base and of a height substantially equal to the width of the work pieces; a stationary, abbreviated front wall extending a short distance along an adjacent edge of the base and arranged at right angles to the side wall, so that the data applied to the left hand face of the foremost work piece is exposed; and a follower projecting from and supported by the side wall, to oppose the abbreviated front wall, the work pieces being clamped between the front wall and follower.

12. In a file for work pieces, the combination with a base; and a front stop; of a longitudinally slotted side wall; and a follower supported by the side wall and including a clip slidable along the slot; an arm projecting from the clip into line with and opposed to the front stop; and a plate loosely mounted on the free end of the arm to co-act with the front stop in clamping the work pieces therebetween.

13. In a file for work pieces, the combination with a base; and a front stop; of a longitudinally slotted side wall; and a follower supported by the side wall and including a clip slidable along the slot; a resilient arm projecting from the clip into line with and opposed to the front stop; and a plate loosely mounted on the free end of the arm to co-act with the front stop in clamping the work pieces therebetween.

14. In a paper file adapted to hold work pieces of widths or lengths greater than their heights, the combination with a base of a width substantially corresponding to the widths or lengths of the work pieces; a single upstanding side wall mounted adjacent and extending along one side edge of the base with which it is substantially co-extensive, to enable one end edge of each work piece to be aligned therewith, the longer bottom edge of the work piece resting on the base; a front wall stationarily arranged along the front edge of the base, at right angles to the side wall,

and of materially less length than the length of the front edge of the base, and the widths or lengths of the work pieces; and a follower opposed to the front wall and slidable along the Side wall, to co-act with the front wall in holding the work pieces clamped in place in the file, whereby the free ends of the work pieces opposite from the ends aligned with the side wall are unconfined for a portion of their lengths and protrude beyond the free ends of the front wall and the follower, to enable the work pieces to be fanned out.

ANNE W. GRISWOLD, Emecutrix of the Estate of William B. Griswold,

Deceased.

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