US2183231A - Loose-leaf binder - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 12, 1939 i PATENT o FFicE f LOOSE-LEAF 'BINDER y clarence' D. Trusseii, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to Trussell Manufacturing Company, Pough- -y keepsie, N. Y., a corporation of Newl York Application November 16, 1938, Serial No'. 240,655

2. Claims.

The? invention disclosed herein relates to binders of th'e'type in'which the binder rings are in the form of cooperating prongs `carried by spring tensioned `toggle plates. f f

Special" objects of the invention are to' enable qui'ckand easyclosingfof such bindersv and the securing ,of-the binder in the position to which itis operated. Further, to provide lsuch securing means in,a form which may be readily released when desiredto Voperate the binder in the reverse relation'.v f p v f l Other .objects are v.to llighten the weight, simplify and reduce theoost and to promote smooth easy operationof the binder. y, f

. The foregoing and other'desirable objects are attained in the present invention byA the novel features of construction, combinations and relations ofgparts Vhereinafter described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawing and covered .in the claims.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates one practical comfil) inercial embodiment of lthe invention. rThe structure however may be modified and changed as regards the present illustrationy all within the true intent of the invention, as broadly defined in the claims.

lig. 1 Lis a broken and part sectional plan view of the ring metal.

Fig. 2 is an end view, illustrating the lower end in Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View on substantially the plane of line 3`3 of Fig. k1. i

Fig. 4 is a side View With part of thelspring cover plate broken avvayandv in longitudinal section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged broken sectional detail v as onk line 5 5, Fig. 2, showing the latch parts engaged, and Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the latch released.

The ring metal forming the subject vof theltionship by a spring cover plate I2, provided with downturned confining flanges I3, I4. The coverplate is notched` in its opposite edges at I5, to provide free clearance for the ring forming prongs.

To insure smooth easy toggle action, the outer edges ofthe togglefplates are notched at opposite edges of the ring f ,orrning'prongs as indicated at I6," in register with the slots I5, in the cover plate. This notching of the edges of the plates in addition v,to assuring free clearance for the ,Y prongs, segregates the intermediate edge por- /5 tions I'I, between the notches which then act as a seriesof llongitudinally spaced separate inde--r pendent bearings, 'rocking in the rsidechannels behind the confining flangesof the coverplate.

vTo enable` quick,y easyand positive ring opening and ring closing movements, opp-ositely acting finger levers are provided at the opposite ends of the ring metal. One pair of opposed finger levers designated- I8, project straight up from the toggle plates at one endl of the binder, to serve, .when pinched togethento rock the plates in a ring closing direction and the other pair of finger levers I9, projecting from the plates in crossed relation at the opposite end of the binder, serve when pinched together to rock the plates in a ring closing direction.

Some means are desirably provided for securstantially as indicated in Fig. 2. kAlso these cooperating locking shoulders are so disposed that A have been squeezed together, sufficiently to bring the ring forming prongs together in firm engagement. Engaged thus under tension, the locking shoulders of the opening levers are held so and will not shake loose or accidently release the toggle plates.

While the locking means described isl positive and secure in its holding action, it may neverrtheless be quickly and easily released by a simple they will engage only after the' closing levers I8,

rotative or twisting pressure on the levers I9 in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 6, which will tend to spring one away from the other, thus to relatively shift the companion shoulders into fully separated condition, where the levers may then be freely actuated to effect opening of the rings. The levers therefore'preferably are made of spring material or have sufficient spring action to permit yielding of onein respect to the other as the outwardly projecting lug on one slides over the face of the other into engagement in back of the locking shoulder and to permit the necessary twisting action for effecting release of the companion locking elements. For such reasons, the opening levers may be made ofharder spring material, and be attached to the ends of the toggle plates by spot Welding or thelike, in the manner indicated at 22, in Fig. 4.

What is claimed is:

l. A loose-leaf binder, comprising toggle plates engaging on a common toggle center, said plates being mounted for rocking movement andcarrying cooperating ring forming elements, linger levers projecting each from a plate at one side ci the toggle center to the opposite side of said toggle center in crossed overlapping relation and having nger grips at the ends of the same spaced in the closed position of the ring forming elements so that the plates may be rocked to the open ring position by pinching said spaced finger grip ends of the crossed finger levers toward each other, the crossing portions of said finger levers having abrupt locking shoulders located intermediate the finger grip ends and the points of attachment of said levers to the plates and disposed to register in the position of said levers in the ring closed position of the toggle plates, one of said locking shoulders being offset from the general plane of the lever` carrying the same into the plane of the locking shoulder on the other lever to thereby stand in opposition thereto in the closed condition of the rings and said finger levers being sufficiently yieldable to enable clearance of one locking shoulder from the other being effected by relative twisting movement applied to the finger grip ends of the levers as a preliminary to the pinching action required to impart ring opening movement to the toggle plates.

2. A loose-leaf binder, comprising toggle plates engaging on a common toggle center, said plates being mounted for rocking movement and carrying cooperating ring forming elements, iinger levers projecting each from a plate at one side of the toggle center to the opposite side of said toggle center in crossed overlapping relation and having finger grips at the ends of the same spaced in the closed position of the ring forming elements so that the plates may be rocked to the open ring position byv pinching said spaced finger grip ends of the crossed finger levers toward each other, the crossing portions of said nger levers having abrupt locking shoulders located intermediate the iinger grip ends and the points of attachment of said levers to the plates and disposed to register in the position of said levers in the ring closed position of the toggle plates, one of said locking shoulders being offset from the general plane of the lever carrying the same into the plane of the locking shoulder on the other lever to thereby stand in opposition thereto in the closed condition of the rings and said finger levers being suiciently yieldable to enable clearance of one locking shoulder from the other being eected by relative twisting movement applied to the nger grip ends of the levers as a preliminary to the pinching action required to impart ring opening movement to the toggle plates, said finger levers being of substantially at sheet material With the crossed portions in oversliding relation and said oiset locking shoulder being provided by an integral lug portion struck out of the sheet material of the lever carrying the same.

' CLARENCE D. TRUSSELL.

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