US2251614A - Loose-leaf binder - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1941. A. M. MARTIN 2,251,614

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l ZZUGVZZ OT 16 2 gaf /ed ff/farfz'n 1 y" K) a (/1 Aug. 5, 1941. A. M. MARTIN 2,251,614

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed Nov 9, '1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g A ry 671502" Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Alfred M. Martin, Park Ridge, 111. Application November 9, 1934, Serial No. 752,219

22 Claims.

This invention relates to loose-leaf binders, more particularly including binders of the class in which opposed sets of leaf-holding prongs of relatively slight arcuation are held for movement toward and away from each other.

The invention has marked utility in connection with relatively large binders of this type, many of which, for example, are of a size say thirteen by from sixteen to nineteen inches in area and from two to four inches thick. Loose-leaf binders are handled to a large extent by women or young girl clerks and tomaintain maximum efliciency it is essential that the binders be operated and handled with a minimum of efiort. Frequently the binders are mounted on tables or the like in relatively fixed supports, the binders and supports being separable or not as desired, as shown for example, in my prior Patent No. 1,722,810 of July 30, 1929.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a binder including a support which is a permanent part of the binder, serving advantageously as a back for the binder, which is always in proper position for use as a non-collapsible support, while at the same time is not relatively fixed with respect to the table. but is selfadjusting and readily adaptable to varying positions of the binder leaves to afford a flat writing surface on the leaves at all times.

The invention also desirably includes improved shift means whereby the binder may be used with a plurality of overlapping leaves, a portion of one leaf being visible below or above another leaf.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved and easily operable locking mechanism for automatically but releasably limiting movement of the prongs away from each other.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an end view of the binder in open position with the leaves substantially evenly divided;

Figure 2 is a partial end View similar to Fig. l, but somewhat enlarged and showing the self-adjusting position of the binder when a majority of the leaves are on one side thereof;

Figure 3 is a partial end view of the binder, further enlarged, when closed, the leaves being omitted;

Figure 4 is a partial plan view of the binder when open, the leaves being omitted, and showing the adaptation of the shift feature thereto, parts being broken away for convenience of description;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 6; and

Figure 6 is a partial view of the locking mechanism of Fig. 5 associated with the binder parts shown in section, and being a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction shown in the drawings, I have shown a binder comprising generally a back I0, cove-rs H and I2 and toggle mechanism l3 mounted on the back for carrying the opposed sets of prongs I4, 15 in separated or overlapping relation as desired, the binder being adapted to receive a large number of leaves It, which may be record sheets, cards or the like, the leaves being suitably perforated to be impaled on the prongs I4, [5. The back l3 constitutes also a support for the toggle device, when the binder is opened for use and particularly when the binder is placed in working position on the flat table top or rest surface [1.

In accordance with my invention, the back or support I0 as here shown, includes a flat metallic base l8 extending the length of the binder and of about the same width as the distance between the covers when these are closed as shown in Fig. 3. At each side, the base I8 is flanged upwardly to provide a pair of relatively short upstanding walls l9. Mounted for limited movement toward and from each other on the base 18, and in this instance each hinged along the upper edge of one of the upstanding Walls I9, are a pair of support members or side members which I have denominated as wings 20, each of these wings being hinged to its adjacent upstanding wall l9 as by the hinge pin 2| passing through the hinge knuckles 22 alternately formed integral with the wall and the wing respectively. To maintain the wings substantially upright with respect to the base but to permit a slight but limited movement of the wings toward and away from each other, or, in this instance that is a slight movement of each vring on one side of the line passing through the hinge 2i perpendicularly to the base l8, I have here shown the wings having depending portions extending downwardly below their hinges as at 23 to abut the inner face of the wall l9 at one limit of their movement and a stop 24 at the other limit, the stop 24 as here shown being an angular plate having its stop portion preferably at the same inclination as the extreme inclination of the wing and substantially co-terminous with the length of the base and spot-welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto in the vicinity of the upstanding wall I9.

The prong-holding means represented by the toggle device I3 is in two parts, 25 and 26, desirably of somewhat hollow box-like metallic f ormation, the two parts being hinged together on their adjacent lower inner corners as at 21, medially of the base 8, this hinge being similar to the hinges 2|, and the toggle parts and hinge extending substantially slightly less than the length of the base l8, so that the base projects beyond the toggle device as shown in Fig. 3, whereby these parts may internest in closed position of the binder.

Each of the parts 25 and 26 of the toggle device, as here shown, includes an angular portion 28 and 29 respectively, which extend away from the parts 25, 26 at each side of the toggle and are hinged along the upper edges of the wings 20, respectively, as at 30 and 3 I, nearly but not quite at the upper edges of the angular portions 28, 29. It will be noted that the prongs I4, I are secured respectively to the angular portions 28, 29 of the toggle as by longitudinally extending plates 32, 33 suitably secured thereto as by spot-welding. Thus the toggle device and the prongs together roughly form somewhat of a parallelogram when the prongs are in extreme overlapped position, as shown in Fig. 3, the binder being then closed.

Since my improved device has particular utility in connection with a binder of the shift type in which the leaves on one of the sets of prongs may be shifted longitudinally of the leaves on the other set so as to selectively offset the upper or lower margins of the leaves with respect to each other for the purpose of visibility, I have provided improved means for this purpose. It will be noted first, as best shown in Fig. 4, that the hinge 30 connecting the toggle part 25 to one of the wings 23 includes the usual hinge pin 34, hinge lugs 35 which are integral with the wing 20 at this side of the binder, and hinge lugs 36 which are integral with a plate 31 forming a fixed part of the angular portion 28 of the toggle part 25. The hinge lugs 36 affixed to the toggle part 25 are shorter longitudinally of the hinge pin 34 than the hinge lugs 35 on the wing, thereby leaving spaces 38 therebetween, and similarly, the hinge lugs 39 integral with the toggle part 25 and forming a part of the medial hinge 21 are also shorter than the adjacent hinge lugs 4|] on the toggle part 25, leaving spaces 4| between these medial hinge parts. Because the hinge 3| connecting the toggle part 25 to its adjacent wing 20 does not have these spaces between the hinge lugs, the toggle part 26 cannot shift longitudinally with respect to the binder while, by reason of the hinge structure just described, the toggle part 25 is permitted to shift longitudinally of the binder and of the toggle part 26 the distance of the spaces 38 and 4| at each side of this toggle part, these distances being substantially equal and permitting relative shifting of the toggle parts a distance of say three eighths of an inch. Thus in a manner well known to the users of the shift type of binder, when the binder is opened a leaf or record sheet carried by the prongs l4 may be shifted to this extent with respect to a leaf carried by the prongs l5, the leaf then transferred from prongs M to the prongs l5 while the prongs are in partly overlapped position as shown in Figs. 1 or 2, and the toggle part 25 then shifted back to alinement with the toggle part 25. Or, as shown in Fig. 4, with the binder fully opened with the prongs out of overlapped relation, leaves may be inserted or removed and the prongs then shifted as desired. Thus since only one part of the toggle shifts, and that in only one direction from a given position at the limit of its alternative movements, it is not necessary for the operator to remember which part to shift and in which direction. To guard against the binder being closed with the toggle parts 25, 23 out of alinement, i. e. with the toggle part 25 shifted as shown in Fig. 4, for example, I provide registering means represented in this instance by the tongue 42 afiixed on the toggle part 25 on its wall which abuts a similar wall on the toggle part 26 in the vicinity of the medial hinge 21. When the toggle parts are in alinement and are moved toward each other to close the binder, the tongue 42 is received in an aperture 43 in the toggle part 26, this aperture being just large enough to receive the tongue.

To releasably limit opening movement of the toggle device, to automatically limit separation of the prongs in the first instance, I have provided improved locking means therefor. Hitherto locking means for this purpose has been located between the toggle parts which has too frequently meant that the locking device has been under tension when in use and has been difficult to operate without first moving the toggle parts slightly together. This is difiicult to do when these heavy binders with their large number of leaves or record sheets are in open position, while attempting to operate the locking mechanism with one hand. Accordingly, I have here located the locking device in a novel position between the longitudinally fixed toggle part 26 and its adjacent wing 20, this novel position for the locking device also having the further advantage of preventing any interference of the locking means with the longitudinally shiftable toggle part 25. It will be noted that separation of the prongs i4, i5 (which requires upward movement of the medial hinge 27) may be temporarily limited to keep the prongs in overlapping relation even when the binder is open, by limiting rotation of the toggle part 26 on its adjoining wing 20, and means for accomplishing this in this instance include a hooked latch 44 suitably secured to the righthand wing 29 as by a plate part 45 spot-welded to one of the metallic laminations making up this wing, the latch projecting toward the toggle part 26 and, to accommodate itself to the rotation of the toggle part, being advantageously curved on an are having its center in the vicinity of the hinge 3|. This latch enters into the box-like toggle part 26 through an opening ts in its adjacent side and the opening is normally partially closed by a keeper 6? which engages the hooked portion 48 of the latch Mi. The keeper 4'! is movable and as here shown is a part of a locking bar 45 carried within the toggle part 26 and slidable longitudinally thereof under guide lugs 55. The locking bar 59 is normally urged to locked position by a compression spring 5| bottomed at one end against an angular abutment plate 52 and at its other end pressing the locking bar, there being a projecting finger 53 on the locking bar which enters the convolutions of the spring to keep it in position. For retracting the locking bar, it is desirably continued to the end of the binder nearest the operator by means of an extension 54 which terminates in a thumb-piece 55. Thus, as the binder is opened, the toggle device opens with the binder sufficiently to permit the leaves or record sheets to lie flat as shown in Fig. l, but complete separation of the prongs is temporarily limited by the locking means just described so as to maintain them in overlapped position while it may be desired to transfer leaves from one set of prongs to the other. When it is desired to insert or remove leaves, the locking means may be released by pressure upon the thumb-piece 55 to permit the toggle device to open further with the prongs in spaced-apart relation as shown in Fig. 4. When the toggle parts are moved together again, either while the binder is open by slight pressure upon the prongs (as in Figs. 1 and 2) or when the binder is closed (as in Fig. 3) the locking means thereupon comes into operation again automatically, the nose of the latch being of cam formation to temporarily wedge the keeper out of the way. The toggle part 26 may be further apertured as at 56 to prevent interference with the hook by providing room for the nose of the latch.

It will be understood that when the locking means just described is released and the toggle device fully opened as shown in Fig. 4;, the medial hinge 2'! is at its greatest distance from the base [8 of the binder back which constitutes the support for the toggle, and further that in all positions of the toggle this medial hinge moves in a plane which is perpendicular to the base 3. Free movement of this medial hinge is permitted by the provision for hinging the toggle parts to the wings and also by the further provision of hinging the wings 20 to the base I8 for limited rotation thereon. It will be understood that if rotation of the wings 20 on ,the base were not I limited the back would collapse and fail to support the toggle device in operative position at all times.

The covers I! and I2 are hinged to the toggle parts and 26 respectively as at 51, 58, outwardly of the pivot points 30, 3| there being, in this instance, a plate 59 suitably secured between the angular portion 29 for example (Fig. 6) and a plate Gil forming an operative part of the angular portion of the toggle, the plate 59 carrying the hinge knuckles for the cover hinge 58, as best shown in Fig. 6, at the right-hand side of the binder, the cover hinges at the other side being similarly arranged. Thus when the covers are spread apart their weight exerts levera e on the toggle which desirably tends to move the medial hinge 21 vertically and the further weight of the leaves tends to maintain the toggle in equilibrium with the prongs in somewhat but not completely overlapped relation so that leaves can be readily thrown from one set of prongs to the other.

The covers H and [2 are of rigid material so as to afford a flat surface support for the leaves l6, but are so constructed as to not have sharp edges which might scratch the table or desk [1 and are preferably faced with leather or the like. Also the binder back I0 is desirably overlaid with wear-resisting but non-scratching material such as hard rubber or the like, as at 6| on the wings 2i}, and 62 on the base I8. The corners of the material '62 on the base are desirably rounded as at 63 so that the base may tilt readily as in- 'dicated in Fig. 2 to accommodate itself to the greater proportion of the leaves l6 being upon one side of the binder. Formerly, even in binders of this type, when the support has been maintained relatively fixed with respect to the table or desk I! and the majority of the leaves IBhave been on one side of the binder, they have had to assume a somewhat arcuate position to accommodate themselves to the arcuation of the prongs, but by permitting the back to tilt readily, as I have here disclosed, and the prongs to thus adjustthemselves to the position of the leaves, the leaves may lie quite flat, affording an unbroken writing surface such as 64 (Fig. 2-) on the left-hand leaves. At the same time, the lefthand toggle part 25 may be readily shifted 1ongitudinally (provided the toggle device be opened sufiiciently to move the prongs I5 out of engagement with the leaves on the left-hand side of the binder). It will be understood that in this shifting of the toggle part 25 longitudinally as already described, the leaves on the left-hand side of the binder and the cover member II, in this instance, move with the toggle part 25 and the prongs M, while the toggle part 26, prongs l5, leaves It and cover l2, on the right-hand side of the binder, remain relatively stationary.

This ready adaptation of the binder parts to the leaves, to afford the smooth fiat'working surface 64, for example, while still normally maintaining the prongs in partly overlapped position, is contributed to not only by the provision permitting tilting of the back [8 as already described, but, in addition, by the articulation of the wings 20 to the base l8 at the points 2| spaced above the base l8 and not coplanar therewith. Thus the corners 63 are unobstructed to permit the binder to roll freely thereon, while at the same time the wings 2!! are permitted the maximum rotation necessary while being prevented from collapsing in one direction by the upstanding walls l9 and in the other direction by the stops 24 which are desirably inclined to lie parallel with the wings when they are in their maximum spread-apart relationship as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. It will be understood that as the binder is opened to the position shown in Fig. 1, the wings 20 are permitted to move apart at their upper edges their maximum distance, while as the toggle is opened still furtherto the position shown in Fig. 4, the distance between the hinges 30 and 3| decreases again and the wings 20 are permitted to move together accordingly.

It will be noted that, during all movements of the medial hinge 21, the hinge moves vertically up and down at all times with respect to the table-top I1 and in a plane which may vary as to the table top but is always normal to the base l8, which assures that the toggle is at all times supported in equilibrium on the base through the intermediation of the wings 20 even though-the base may be tilted as shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, when the binder is open with the medial hinge elevated, for example as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each part (25 and 26) of the toggle device is carried as by a fulcrum support on its wing,

20. as in this position the toggle part, being intermedially pivoted, has portions extending on each side of the pivot point (the hinge 30 or 3|). The weight of the toggle acts as a balance on one side of this pivot point and at least a portion of the weight of leaves and cover tends to exert a leverage on the other side of said pivot point. Thus a remarkably improved ease of operation is obtained, no more than a slight effort being necessary to open and close the binder and to place the leaves in suitable working position.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the details of construction shown for purposes of exemplification. Furthermore, it is not essential that all features of the invention be used conjoi-ntly, as various combinations and sub-combinations may be advantageously employed.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of prong-holding means in the form of a two-part toggle device having a medial hinge, opposed rows of prongs carried by said means to move toward and away from each other when the binder is open and the medial hinge is moved in vertical directions, supporting means for the toggle device, side hinges connecting the toggle at each side to the supporting means, means on the medial hinge and one of the side hinges permitting one part of the toggle device to shift on the supporting means longitudinally of the other part of the toggle device, said supporting means comprising a base and a pair of upstanding wings hinged to the base, the toggle device being hinged to the supporting means in the region of the upper edges of said wings, means limiting the movement of the wings toward and away from each other, and releasable locking means carried jointly by the other part of the toggle device and the said wing to which that part of the toggle device is hinged.

2. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of prong-holding means in the form of a toggle device having a medial hinge, opposed rows of prongs carried by said means to move toward and away from each other when the binder is open and the medial hinge is moved in vertical directions, supporting means for the toggle device, side hinges connecting the toggle at each side to the supporting means, and means on the medial hinge and one of the side hinges permitting one side of the toggle device to shift on the supporting means longitudinally of the other side of the toggle device, said supporting means comprising a base and a pair of upstanding wings hinged to the base, the toggle device being hinged to the supporting means in the region of the upper edges of said wings, and interengaging means between each of the wings and the base permitting the wings to have limited movement toward and away from each other.

3. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of prong-holding means in the form of a two-part toggle device having a medial hinge, opposed rows of prongs carried by the toggle device to move toward and away from each other when the binder is open and the medial hinge is moved in vertical directions, supporting means for the toggle device, side hinges connecting the toggle device at each side to the supporting means, means on the medial hinge and one of the side hinges permitting one part of the toggle device to shift on the supporting means longitudinally of the other part of the toggle device, and releasable locking means having parts carried respectively by the other part of the toggle device and the adjacent side of the supporting means, for limiting relative rotation of the toggle device and supporting means.

4. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a normally flat base, relatively short upstanding walls at each side of the base, an upstanding wing pivotally mounted along the upper edge of each of the upstanding walls respectively for limited movement thereon, prong-holding means in the form of a two-part toggle device having a medial hinge, opposed rows of prongs carried by the toggle device to move toward and away from each other when the binder is open and the medial hinge is moved in vertical directions, each part of the toggle device being pivotally mounted along the upper edge of one of the wings, the said medial hinge and the pivot of one of the toggle parts on its wing being arranged for longitudinal movement of that part of the toggle device with respect to the other part, releasable locking means having interengaging parts carried respectively by said other part of the toggle device and its adjacent wing releasably limiting upward movement of the medial hinge, and a cover member hinged to each of the toggle parts.

5, The structure of claim 4 wherein the corners of the binder between the base and the short upstanding walls are rounded to permit ready tilting of the base and the toggle device on one of said corners when a majority of the binder leaves are moved onto one of the rows of prongs.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein the locking means is operative only to releasably limit upward vertical movement of the medial hinge to move the prongs apart.

7. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of prong-holding means in the form of a toggle device having a medial hinge, opposed rows of prongs carried by said means to move toward and away from each other when the binder is open and the medial hinge is moved in vertical directions, supporting means for the toggle device, side hinges connecting the toggle at each side to the supporting means, a pair of covers hinged to the toggle device at each side respectively apart from the said hinges connecting the toggle device to the supporting means, said side hinges engaging the toggle device below the points where the covers are hinged whereby the covers when spread apart, tend to rotate the toggle device.

8. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a normally flat base, relatively short upstanding walls at each side of the base, an upstanding wing pivotally mounted along the upper edge of each of the upstanding walls for limited movement teward and away from each other, means providing. for said limited movement of each wing including a depending portion on the wing lapping the inner face of the said wall and a stop on the base spaced apart from the wall in the path of the depending portion, prong-holding means in the form of a two-part toggle device having a medial hinge, each side of the toggle device being pivotally mounted along the upper edge of one of the wings, opposed rows of prongs carried by the parts of the toggle device to move toward and away from each other when the binder is open and the medial hinge is moved in vertical directions, the said medial hinge and the pivot of one of the tog-gle parts on its wing being arranged for longitudinal movement of that part of the tog-gle device with respect to the other part, releasable locking means carried jointly by said other part of the toggle device and its adjacent wing for releasably limiting upward movement of the medial hinge, said locking means including a rigid hook on the wing received in an aperture in the toggle part and a movable keeper carried by the toggle part in the path of the hook, and a cover member hinged to each of the toggle parts.

9. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a toggle device having a medial hinge, a support for said toggle device including a base and a pair of upstanding wings, the toggle device being hinged to said wings respectively to permit movement of the medial hinge in a direction normal to the base, and locking means carried jointly by the toggle device and one of said wings for limiting movement of the medial hinge in one direction. V

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein th looking means includes a hooked catch mounted on the wing, and a yieldingly mounted keeper carried by the toggle device normally spring-pressed into the path of the hooked portion of the catch to engage the hook, said keeper having an extension for moving the keeper against the action of the spring to permit withdrawal of the catch.

11. The structure of claim 9 wherein the looking means includes a hooked catch mounted on the wing, an aperture in the toggle device receiving said hooked catch and a yieldingly mounted keeper carried by the toggle device and normally spring-pressed to partially close said aperture, said keeper having an extension in the form of a bar for moving the keeper against the action of the spring to permit withdrawal of the hooked catch.

12. The structure of claim 9 wherein the locking means includes a hooked catch mounted on the wing, an aperture in the toggle device receiving said hooked catch and a yieldingly mounted keeper carried by the toggle device and normally spring-pressed to partially close said aperture, said catch being curved on a radius having its center substantially coincident with the hinge point of the toggle on the wing.

13. A loose-leaf binder, comprising in combination, spaced-apart side members, a toggle device permanently suspended on said side members, the side members being relatively movable toward and from each other at the points where the toggle device is attached thereto respectively, a base permanently attached to the side members and upon whichat least one of the side members is mounted to rotate, said base extending transversely of the side members a less distance than the maximum spread of the side members when rotated apart by the movement of the toggle device, and interengaging means carried by the base and said rotatably mounted side member in the region of said side member for maintaining the side member substantially upright with respect to the base while permitting limited rotation of the side member, said base having rounded corners whereby the entire structure is free to rotate on a rest surface without disturbing the relationship of the side members and toggle device.

14. A prong binder having a normally troughlike toggle device having a medial hinge at the bottom of the trough and side hinges along the upper edges of the trough and a rigid cover flexibly connected to each side of the toggle device by said side hinges, said binder comprising in combination a normally horizontal rigid base and a pair of upstanding rigid members carried by the base and forming with the base a substantially trough-like receptacle in which the toggle device is normally nested, said upstanding members being proportioned to engage the toggle device proximate but slightly below the flexible connections between the covers and the toggle device, at least one of said upstanding members being mounted on the base for limited lateral movement of the upper edge thereof relative to the other members to provide for free up and down movement of the medial hinge, means limiting said relative movement of the upstanding members, hinge pins connecting the toggle device at the sides thereof to the upstanding members respectively, said upstanding members when spread apart to the limit of their relative lateral movement being farther apart at their upper edges than the width of the base.

15; In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a flat base of a pair of relatively laterally movable upstanding members carried by the base, means limiting relative lateral movement of the upper edges of said upstanding members toward and away from each other while maintaining said members upstanding, prong-carrying means intermedially pivoted on each of said members respectively, one of the prong-carrying means being arranged for limited longitudinal movement with respect to the other prong-carrying means, and a cover member hinged to each of the prongcarrying means apart from said pivot point.

16. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a fiat base of a pair of laterally movable upstanding members carried by the base, means limiting relative lateral movement of the upper edges of said upstanding members toward and away from each other while maintaining said members upstanding, prong carrying means intermedially pivoted on each of said members respectively, and a cover member hinged to each of the prong-carrying means apart from said pivot point, the upper edges of the upstanding members when spread apart to the limit of their permitted relative lateral movement being farther apart than the width of the base.

17. In a loose-leaf binder having a unitary combined binderback and support, the structure including a base carried by the binder adapted to lie normally on a table top or the like, laterally movable upstanding members carried by the base, means limiting relative lateral movement of the upstanding members toward and away from each other While maintaining said members upstanding, prong-carrying means carried by each of the upstanding members respectively, each of said prong-carrying means being hinged intermedially to one of the upstanding members and having a rigid portion capable of extending outwardly beyond said hinge when the prong-carrying means is swung outwardly therefrom, said hinge constituting a fulcrum support for the prong-carrying means when the prong-carrying means is rotated on the support, and a cover member hinged to the portion of each prong-carrying means which extends outwardly beyond the first-mentioned hinge whereby when the prong-carrying means are partially rotated outwardly on the supporting members at least a portion of the weight of the covers exerts a slight leverage tending to further rotate the prong-carrying means.

18. In a loose-leaf binder having a unitary combined binder back and support, the structure including a base carried by the binder adapted to lie normally on a table top or the like, laterally movable upstanding members carried by the base, means limiting relative lateral movement of the upstanding members toward and away from each other while maintaining the members upstanding, a two-part toggle device having a medial hinge and comprising a pair of prongcarrying means carried by the upstanding members respectively, each of said prong-carrying means being hinged intermedially to one of the upstanding members and having a rigid portion capable of extending outwardly beyond said hinge when the prong-carrying means is swung outwardly therefrom, said hinge constituting a fulcrum support for the prong-carrying means when the prong-carrying means is rotated on the support, and a cover member hinged to the portion of each prong-carrying means which extends outwardly beyond the first-mentioned hinge whereby when the prong-carrying means are partially rotated outwarcfly on the supporting members at least a portion of the weight of the covers exerts a slight leverage tending to further rotate the prong-carrying means.

19. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a binder back having a base and a pair of upstanding members carried by the base, a two part toggle device pivoted on said upstanding members, a rigid cover hinged to each side of the toggle device, and prongs carried by the toggle device, the toggle device Where so pivoted being hinged to the said upstanding members respectively between the prongs and the hinges for said covers whereby the upstanding members constitute permanent fulcrums for the toggle device, a row of prongs being mounted along one side of but relatively close to each fulcrum and a cover being hinged relatively close to but on the opposite side of said fulcrum.

20. In a loose leaf binder, a binder back, a prong carrying plate slidably secured to said binder back, and an outer cover member hinged to said prong carrying plate whereby said prong carrying plate may be slid by manipulation of said outer cover member.

21. In a loose leaf binder, a binder back, 9. prong carrying plate slidably secured to said binder back, an outer cover member hinged to said prong carrying plate, said prong carrying plate being slidable by manipulation of said outer cover member, and a plurality of ears on said binder back adapted to limit the sliding movement of said prong carrying plate and said cover member.

22. In a loose leaf binder, the combination with a binder back having a base and a pair of upstanding members carried by the base, of prong-carrying means pivoted on said upstanding members, a cover member hinged to said prong-carrying means, and a row of prongs carried by said prong-carrying means, the prongcarrying means being hinged to one of the upstanding members between the hinge for said cover and said row of prongs whereby the said last mentioned upstanding member constitutes a permanent fulcrum for the prong carrying means hinged thereto, the said cover member being hinged on one side of the said fulcrum and the said row of prongs being mounted on the opposite side thereof. 7

ALFRED M. MARTIN.

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