US2275373A - Document case - Google Patents

Description

March 3, 1942. P, D. BARRETT DOCUMENT CASE INVENTOR Pau/D. Barre/i Filed Jan. 31, 1940 Patented Mar. 3, 1942 DOCUMENT CASE I Paul D. Barrett, San Francisco, Calif., assignor of one-half to Lois B. Crown, Washington, D. 0.

Application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,567

1 Claim.

My invention relates to means for receiving and storing in order flat papers, documents, pamphlets, charts, maps and the like, and is concerned especially with such a document case which will occupy a very small space when not in use, yet which is effective to present any of the contained documents readily for use and which likewise will serve as a work table on which such documents, maps, papers and the like can be spread for reference.

An object of my invention is to provide a document case which is readily fabricated and which is relatively inexpensive.

Another object of my invention is in general to improve document cases.

In its preferred form, the document case of my invention includes a baseboard adapted to be secured to an upright, such as a wall, and being provided with a ledge. Hingedly mounted with respect to the baseboard is a cover which is substantially coextensive with the baseboard and is adapted to move from closed position against the baseboard to open position at an angle to the baseboard in which position it is retained by support means such as chains, the

cover being surrounded by side boards with which co-operate means for urging the contained maps, documents and the like against the cover for permanent positioning.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the document case of my invention in open position, showing various documents in position in the interior thereof; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective, on a slightly smaller scale, showing the document case of my invention in closed position.

Although the document case of my invention is susceptible of utilization under many difierent circumstances and in a variety of environments, it is ordinarily exceedingly useful inside a room having a sufiiciently substantial wall so that there can be mounted thereon and secured thereto, either temporarily or permanently, a baseboard 6. This baseboard can be fabricated of appropriate material, and conveniently is of wood, finished in an appropriate manner to harmonize with its surroundings.

Along the upper edge of the baseboard 6 there is secured an overhanging ledge I adjacent which in its closed position a cover 8 is adapted ably fastened for such movement by means of a plurality of hinges 9 parts of which are secured to the baseboard B and the other parts of which are preferably secured to one side wall II of a plurality of such side walls I2, I3 and I4 which are disposed on the marginal edges of the cover 8.

To hold the cover in an established open position and preferably in substantially a horizontal plane, there is secured to the baseboard 6 a pair of supporting chains I6 and I! which are also secured to the side wall I2 and which are so located as to be disposed within the compartment defined by the baseboard 6, the cover 8 and all of the side walls II, I2, I3 and I4 when the cover is in closed position. In such closed position the cover is temporarily retained by a pair of fasteners I8 and can be locked by a padlock I9 engaging a suitable pair of fastenings ZI secured to the ledge I and the side wall I3 respectively.

In order to retain documents and comparable material within the compartment when the structure is closed, and in order that they will not be unduly dislodged when it is being opened and is retained in open position, I provide a plurality of retaining means. Spanning the side walls l3 and I4 adjacent the side wall I is a panel 23 which extends part way toward the side wall l2 and in efiect forms a pocket 24 within which material can be inserted. On the side Walls I3 and I4 I provide a pair of wedges 26 with which co-operate cams 21 located at the opposite ends of a .bar 28 of sufficient length to span the cover and adapted to be pressed or urged toward the interior of the cover 8 so as to clamp papers and documents therebetween firmly in position, the co-operation of the cams 21 and the wedges 26 serving to accommodate papers and documents of different thicknesses and sizes.

In addition to the foregoing, I provide clamping means constituted by a pair of plates 3| and 32 which are substantially identical so that but one need be described. The plate 3|, for example, is a rectangular member connected by a pair of hinges 33 to the side wall I2 and adapted in one position to lie immediately over any document or documents on the cover 8. To retain the plate 3| in such closed position, and also to retain it in open position as shown by the plate 32 in Fig. 1, I provide a pair of springs 34 and 36. Each of the springs 34 and 36 is at one end connected to one of two staples 31 located adjacent the free end of the plate 3| and at the other end fastened on the opposite side of the axis of the hinges 33 by a suitable fastening (not shown) in a recess 38 cut in the side wall I2. This location of the springs 34 and 36 is efiective to urge I the contents are available when the closures 1-8 are operated and the lock I9 is opened. At that time the cover 8 moves downwardly into its horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1, being supported by the hinges 9 and the chains, l6 and IT. The various documents which are positioned therein are held either within the pocket 24 orv by the bar 28 or by the leaves 3| and 32. Upon release of these members, or the appropriate one or ones of them, the documents can be removed and can be spread upon the table formed by the interior of the cover 8 for perusal.

I claim:

A document case comprising an upstanding baseboard, a ledge extending along the top thereof, a cover, side walls upstanding from the margins of said cover, hinges connecting. one of said side walls and said baseboard, fasteners for holding another of said side walls adjacent said ledge, wedges on remaining ones of said side walls, a bar extending across said cover, and cams on said .bar for engaging said wedges to force said'bar against said cover when advanced.

PAUL D. BARRETT.

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