US2186436A - Loose-leaf binder book - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OCT NOV

- INVENTOR.

Saul Shaler,

DEC.

m2 JULY AUG SEPT

MAY

JUNE

JAN

FEB

MAR

' ATTORNEY. 4

I V Patented Jan. 9 1940 2,186,436 LOQSEY-LEAFVBINDER noon 1 SauiShaler, Jacksonfleights, Long IsIand N. Y. r Aj uaubu ApriLH, 1939, Serial No. 267,793

"I1 18 Claims. (c1.4o- -1o4 1 This invention relates to books and is directed more particularly to loose-leaf binder books wherein means is provided for opening the book to any selected page in a simple andeificient 5 manner and without necessitating the fingering, of individual pages. The .book of the present invention may be employed as a telephone. or other index, register, perpetual calendar, docket, etc.,;

and when so used-has beencfound to possess a high degree, of efliciency and convenience.

I am-aware that it has heretoforebeen suggested to provide index devices adaptedtobe opened at predetermined points, but ,allof these devices have been of a bulky and cumbersome nature. They have' generally embodied a relatively heavy base to serve as a support for leaves hingedly superimposedthereon, with an overlying pivoted cover or lid carrying sheet engaging devices by'which agreater or lesser num er'oi such sheets may be selectively engaged sothat, when the lid is raised, the thus attached sheets are lifted therewith from the base to expose the predetermined underlying sheet. They have been expensive from the standpoint of manufacture and are intended primarily for desk. use.

'The present invention, in ,contradistinction, embodies a simple, economical construction which may be conveniently carried around in .the pocket of the user, as any other form of loose-' leaf binder book, and useful for ready reference. The book requires no heavy, cumbersome base or support and themovement of the pages of the book is independent of the book covers.

Speaking generally, the book of the present in-' vention, in its preferred form, comprisesa back 7 and associated coversof any suitable material or materials, which conveniently may be of paper, cardboard, leather or imitation leather, or a combination thereof. A loose-leaf binder element is mounted at the back of'the, book to which the covers are hin ed or with which they are" formed integral and this, loose leaf binder element supports the pages of the book in the usual manner on split rings which maybe sprung open or desired. The binder element, which is of metal, supports apage operator on which is slidablysupported a page, selector, adapted to be manually moved into the desired position to select the particular page which the operator desires. Through the manipulation of the page operator the book may be opened to the selected page. The page operator may,'if desired, bespring-actuated to is preferably 'associated'with the page selector closed for the addition or removal of pagesas move it into page opening position and means i to lock the page operator in the position which it normally takes when the book is closed. When the page selector is moved to page'selectingposition, it is by, this movement unlocked,'so"-*that thepage operator can beeither manually or 5 spring actuated to open the book to-the page selected. In this respect, the present invention differs greatly from all prior indices 0'! registers wherein a selection ofia page is-fir'st accomplished by a'member .mountedon ja cover'orlidand 10 wherein the latter is thereafter released or --unlocked, sojth'at movementof" the cover ork'lid will move the sheet.

, An important feature of this-inventior'iresides in the fact that it em odies, in the main; standam loose-"leaf binder parts to "whicrijcertain ad- 'uncts or accessories 'a're' 'added to facilitat' the opening of the book 'toaa' predetermined page. I In fact, the invention may be so cohstituted'that it maybe detachably associated withany fap- '20 propriat e loose-leaf binder book without requiring change or modification ofjthefstructure hi the latter. This is possible because the page operatin'gdevices; of this inventionare supported I on the metal binding" element of the-book', independently'oi the'jbook covers and function wholly independently'of such covers. Thispermits me 1 to mount on the interior of either or bothof said covers, conventional collapsible'pockets in which cards andother loose paper's'jmay'be carried and to which access may be had "without-i movement of the page operating'devices." I am also'thus enabled to supplement 'the indexed pages ofthe book-by a number of memopag'es to be useclbr referred to without requiring movement of said page operating devices. f e The invention thus provides a more complete arrangement than heretofore'produced'in connection with mechanicalindices or'the likeand accomplishes all-"the results of prior devices as well without necessitating cumbersome and bulky,

structures embodyingn'umerous. and complicated working parts v which are liable to get out of order or break. ,My ,device',"; in contradistin'ction, is extremely simple andbecause of its fuse of standard construction may be manufactured and: sold with marked economy'over prior cle\'riei,-v

of this general class;

V The present invention va so provides a; highly efiicient construction fora perpetual calendar or docket, wherein opposing faces of adjacentpages of. the book have delineated thereonispaces correspondingto the twelve months of the year,

whileeach two opposing .faces' of suchadjacent pages are appropriate to one particular day of u in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate different practical embodiments of the invention, but the illustrative, only, and not of the invention.

tion in opened position.

.-Fig ure 2 is a section on the line 2- 2 of ure 1.

Figure-Ii shows a page layout appropriate "for use as a perpetual calendar or docket.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a simplified form oftheinvention.

; Figure 5, is afragmental detailed perspectiveview, of one bracketof Figure 4.

\ Referring tothe drawings, I'and 2 indicate the front and back covers of a book, which. may be integral with or hingedto' the back 3. These parts may be of any'suitable material or a combination thereof. The back cover 2 is somewhat wider than the front cover I of the book to provide a projecting portion. indicated at 4 in Figure l and on this. projecting portion is a column of characters. 5 in the form 'of letters, such as the letters-of the alphabet or numerals indicating the daysof the month'and/or'oth'er indicia pres-.- ently explained. f g

The back'of the book 3 supports a page binder, indicated generally at 6,'which maybe ofthe substantially conventional. form used in looseleaf binders and "comprising a hollow metal'housing I supporting split rings 8 conventionally springac'tuated' as is common in loose-leaf binders to be snapped open and closed for the purpose of engaging or disengaging the perforations 9 ofa plurality of book pages I0.

These pages III are cut away at their upper and lower. edges in the vicinity of the binder 6 to provide space for mounting brackets in the form of twin lugs. II which may be attached to or stamped from the housing I of the binder. Through these twin lugs arepassed' rivets I2 andon these rivets are pivotally supported the opposite ends of apage operator I3. This operator maybe made from a strip of sheet metal bent into substantially-U-shaped, bail form with right; angle cornersand of a size to extend around themargins of the free edges of the several pages of the book, so that the longitudinal portion ll of the page operator is straight and parallel to the lateral free edges of the pages and spaced closely with reference thereto.

Onthis longitudinal portion II is s'lidably supported a page selector I5. The page selector [5 has its upper and lower edges bent over the corresponding edges of the portion I4, as indicated at I6, so as to mount the selector for sliding movement thereon. In practice, the selector is preferably pre-formed and slipped onto: the portion I4, while tongues I"! at'the end of this portion are bent into the dotted line position indicated in Figure 1, after which these tongues I! are 'bent back ,into the plane of the stock from which they are formed in order to lock the selector against disengagement.

point in the direction of the free edge of the cover and will thus be cooperative with the column of figures or letters 5 when the book is closed; The pagelifter extends in the opposite direction, so as to be directly'adjacent the inner face of the back cover 2 and underlie all of the construction therein shown is to be understood as g as defining the limits J -alongtheirvertical free edges for progressive Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowine a looseleaf binder book embodying the'present inven ,for, cooperative relation with the page lifter 20,

pages of the book when the book is closed. The several pagesof the book are cut away at 2I distances from the top down, so that successive portions of the consecutive pages are presented I preferably mount on the inner face of the back cover. a retainer .23, so shaped and located that, when the book is c1osec'l,.the page selector I5 maybe moved into a position to engage beneath the offset end 24 of this retainer for the purpose of locking'the page operatorvin closed book position.- When this locking means is provided, the cut away portions of thepages and the d'esignations'ofthe column 5 should be such that the pointer will indicate a lockedposition and no particular page will be selected. The retainer 23 is shown as positioned about midway. of .the height of the book, although it may be positioned near either the top or the bottom ifdesired. The

retainer is particularly useful if there is associated withthe. page actuator, springs .25. These springs arecoiled about the rivets I2 with one with the retainer 23. The page lifter 20 and the offset portion 24 of the retainer may be respectively provided withca projection 29 and a depression 30 to preclude inadvertent movement between them when they are engaged.

In Figure l the pages of the book are shown as ruled in such manner as to render the book appropriate for use as a telephone index or the like and consequently the characters ,5 and 22 comprise letters of the alphabet, with a designation 3Iindicating "locked position of the page l fter. In Figure 3 the ruling of the pages is such asto render the book useful as a perpetual calendar or docket.' Here, each page is divided into six spaces,*so that facing pages will collectively embody twelve spaces consecutively des ignated according to the months of,the calendar "year, while the designations 22' correspond to the numerical days of the month. The column 5 in this case is numbered I'-3I to correspond and theindication 3I locked remains the same.

'When the book is opened to any particuular page, in the construction of- Figure 3, it will disclose, for example, the 15th day of the month for each and ail of the twelve month s of the year. This arrangement possesses many advantages, particularly inthe business and professional .fields is slid along the portion ll of the page operator was where one must keep track of obligations. a

The book of the present invention may be made either with or without the springs 25 and these springs are preferablyomitted, when the arrangement of Fig.3 is employed and they may of course be likewise omitted with the layout of Fig. 1. In any eventthe springs have no connection with either of the covers. They are merely interposed between the binder 6 and the'page operator I3. The covers are associated with the' binder in the usual manner and have no connection with the springs nor have they any connection with the pageoperator I3, except when the page litter is locked to the retainer '23 which is mounted on the back cover. i I I v x In use, the book is closed in the usualjmanner and, if the springs 25 are-embodied in the construction, the selector is moved into a position to engage the page lifter with the retainer and thus the page operator is locked to the back cover although the pages themselves may be freely turned if desired. When the book is to be opened the finger piece I8 is gripped between the thumb'and forefinger, and the page selector future events or until the pointer I9 registers with the designation in the column 5 which indicates the pagedesired. If no springs 25 are incorporated, the operator then opens the book by manuallyswinging the finger piece in a direction to open the book, the frontcover I having been-previously opened or not as desired for it has no connecera-tor is swung over on the pivots .oi the binder 6, the page lifter 20 will engage the proper page and cause the book to open at the right place.

If, however, the springs 25 are incorporated, the user need not manually swing the page oper-x ator for, after it is released from the retainer, it will tend to open'the book, and this before the selection of the desired page h'asbeen accomp1 ished. Consequently, it is essential for the user to hold the 'flnger piece after he has unlocked the pagelifter from the retainer and until a he has movedfthe' page selector to the point U necessary to select the desired page, and if the a finger piece is then released, the springs will open thebook without any manipulation of any a part of'the' structure. Mere release bythe fingers initiates the operation, The purpose of the retainer, therefore, when used with the springs, is merely to hold the page operator in a position to'operate such pages assmay be manually selected after the page;operatorhasrbeen unlocked. In other words, the springs do-not move the pages *up on' the unlocking of thelpage lifter or until the point of separation of the pages has been thereafter manually qdetermined. Hence when the book is in normally closed position-, the'page lifter is always left in the same locking position from which, by sliding movement, it is released and moved to a page select ing position 'for the purpose of subsequently opening the book at the selected place'when the, operators fingers areremoved from the finger piece. When the pages are moved, they simply. swing about the rings of the binder 6 on which they are supported and the movement of the pages from one position to the other isaccornplishedrby the page operator I3 which ismounted on and carried by the binder 6. The cover I has Qnothing to do with'the'operations of the memnot be cut away as much if at all.'

affecting the operations of this part. The back cover 2 merely serves to carry the column of identifying indicia Sfandjthe retainer 23. V

.In practice, .1 preferably include at the back of the book and between the last page "and'the cover. asheet ofcardboard-or other material f3I whichmay be mounted .on the rings 8'orsecured to the back coverand this serves 'as'a spacer} to leave a space between the last page and theoover in which the pagelifter may travel without engaging with any of thepages, asthe' senator;

is slid along theportion Il'of. the page" operator;

In the constructionsof Eigu'resf i and 5, I have 7 .shown a simplified form of construction, without,

the locking means and without, springs; associated with the page operator. In this construction,

thepresentinvention is illustrated to be asso to; brackets struck up from or permanently mounted u-ponthernetal binder [6, as inthe previous figures, it ismounted onbrackets 32, each of which is provided at its base'with a spring clip 33, so shaped and proportioned :that'it can be sprung. over ,i the metal binding 5 of the looseleaf binder. The opposite ends of the pageoperator are pivoted to the brackets 32 by eyelets 34,

so that by simply springing the spring clips 33 into engagement. with ametallic binder of a loose leaf hinder, the present invention-may be associated therewith. The indexed pages I Itemployed in thisbook are the same as described in a connection with the previous figures,,although the corners of the pages adjacent the binderneed The operation of the indexed pages IIIi's wholly independent of both of the coversI and 2 .and "I may thus provide on the interiors ofeither one or both or the front and back covers a collapsible envelope 35 adapted to hold detached papers for the indexed pages IIIKI may also incorporate into the book'a number of additional memorandum pages,-price lists or 'catalogue'iIIi sup:

ported by the rings 8 and access'may be hadito these pages or to the envelope without operation of the page operator and bysimply opening the front cover while the book remains otherwise invention opens through 180 degrees, so that both facing pages ofthe book may be read with equal facility, whereas in" previous designs of index, it has been common to open the book for only approximately 90 degrees which .makes readyreference. Between the front cover and it difficult to read the upstanding page, much eless to write thereon. 7 a The foregoing detailed description setsforth the invention in its preferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims. I

Having thusfully described the invention, what I clair'n' as new and desire ,tosecure by Letters Patent is:

portinga plurality of pages for swinging movemjenapsaid pages beingprogressively' cut; away along their freeedges to provide a succession of projecting portions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movement with the pages, and a page selector, mounted-on the page book to such page;

operator and manually slidable thereon, to en-' gage'with a'selected page, whereupon swinging movement of the page operator will open;the

2. 'A book comprising a back, front and back cover hingedly connected to the back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting aplurality of pages for swinging movement, said pages being progressively cut away alongtheir free edges to provide a succession of projecting portions, brackets positioned adjacent the opposite ends of'the binder, a bail-like page operator pivotally supported on said brackets and loosely'embracing the free edges of the pages, and a-page selector slidable on' said page operator and having a projecting page lifter movable therewith into cooperation" with any particular page projection, whereupon pivotal movement of the page operator will open the book to the selected page.

3.'A book comprising a back; front'and back covers hingedly connected to the back, ablnder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting-a plurality of pages for swinging move ment, said-pages being progressively cut away along their free edges to provide a succession of projecting portions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movement with the pages, apage selector, mounted on the page operator and manually slidable thereon, to engage with a selected page, whereupon swinging move ment of the page operator will open the book .to such page, and resilient means operatively connected with the page operator to swing the latter in a page opening directionafter the page selector has been moved into cooperative relation with a selected page.

4. A book comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connected to the back, a binder mounted on the interior'of the back and supporting a plurality of pages for swinging movement,-said pages being progressively cut-away along their free edges to provide a succession of projecting portions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movement with the pages, a page selector, mounted on the page operator and manually slidable thereon, to engage with a selected page, whereupon swinging movement of resilient means operativeiy connected withthe page operator to swing the latter in a page open ing direction after the page selector has been moved into cooperative relation with a selected page, and means for holding said resilient means in restraint when the book is closed and the page selector is in a predetermined position.

5. A book comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connected to the back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting a plurality'of pages for swinging movement, said pages being progressively cut away along their free edges to provide a succession of projecting portions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movement with the pages, a page selector, mounted on the page operator and manually slidable thereon, to engage with a moved into cooperative relation with a selected page, and means mounted on the back cover and on the page selector for holding said resilient means in restraint when the book is closed and the page selector is ina predetermined position.

6; Abook comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connected to the back, a binder mounted on the interiorof the back and supporting a plurality of pages for swinging movement, said pages being progressively cut away along their free edges to provide a succession of-projecting portions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movement with the pages, a page selector, mounted on the page operator and manually slidable thereon, to engage with a selected page, whereupon swinging movement of' the page operator will open the book to such page, indicia upon the projecting portions of the respective pages'to individually identify said pages, corresponding indicia similarly placed on one of the covers, and an indicator on the page selector cooperating with the indicia on the cover to facilitate the positioning of the page lifter with respect to a selected page.

7. A, book. comprising a back, a front cover hinged to one side of the back, a back cover hinged to'the other side of the back, a loose-leaf binder mounted on the interior of the back, and page seiecting means mounted on the binder.

8. A book comprising a back, a front cover hinged to one side of the back, aback cover hinged tothe other side of the back, a loose-leaf bindermounted on the interior of the back, pages supported by the loose-leaf binder, and page selecting means also mounted on the binder, said book being adapted to open through 180 degrees.

9. A book comprising a back, a front cover hinged to one side of theback, a back cover hinge'd' to the other side of the back, aloose-leaf page selecting means for the indexed pages also mounted on the binder, said front cover and additional pages being hingedly movable without requiring movement of the page selecting means. 7 I

11. A book Comprising aback, front and back covers hingedly connected to the back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting a plurality of pages for swingingmovement, 2. page operating member pivoted to said back for swinging movement, and means for locking the page operating member to the back cover, the front cover being pivotally movable with respect to the back cover and the page op- V crating member While the page operating member remains locked against pivotal movement'to the back cover.

'12. A book comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connected to the back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting a plurality of pages for swinging movement. a page operating member pivoted to said back for swinging movement, a page selector mounted on the page operating member, and

means on the back cover engaging the page selector for locking the page operating member to the back cover, said front cover being movable from closed to open position while the page operating member remains locked to the back cover. I

13. A book comprising covers, a page operator mounted for swinging movement between the covers, pages also mounted between the covers and operable selectively by the page operator, I

and a spacing member also pivotally movable between the covers for spacing the rearmost page from the back cover.

14. A book comprising .a loose-leaf binder, covers hingedly associated therewith, and pages car- 1 ried by the binder, in combination with page operating means detachably supported on the for pivotal movement upon said binder, and means also carried by the frame to select and engage a predetermined page of the book to open I the book to such page when the page operating said frame for detachably mounting theisame frame is pivotally moved with respect to the a binder on which it is mounted.

16. An accessory for loose-leaf binders com prising page selecting and turning means includ- I inggspring clips adapted to be detachably en-- gaged with a binder and pivotally supported thereon, and a page turning frame carrymg'a manually operable pagev selector.

17. A book comprising a back, covers hingedly connected to the back, and a page turning frame mounted independently of the coversand having thereon a slidercarrying' a page selector, a l0cking member and an indicator.-

18. connected to the back, and a page turning frame mounted independently of the covers and having thereon a slide carrying a page selector, 9.

with and forming part of the slide.

SAUL SEALER.

locking member and an indicator,'a1l integral v c I book comprisinga back, covers hingedly

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