US2326029A - Filing system - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 3, 1943. M. GRUNT 2,326,029

FILING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 3, 1943. GRUNT FILING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 51, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 ness.

Patented Aug. 3, 1943 FILING SYSTEM; Max Grunt, Summit, Nil."

'3 Application October 31 I 9 means This invention relates to anarrangement .for

' keeping and filing records and more particularly.

to a supporting structure adaptable as a work desk simulating a more or less conventional ofiice desk including readily accessible and operable.

mechanism materially simplifying handling of records of variable thickness and weight.

' In record keeping, it is desirable that, wherever possible, loose-leaf or detachable leaf prepared sheetsbe employed .for ready ientry, shifting and filing and refiling. Depending upon the nature of the business to which the records may relate, not only may a plurality of readily accessible units or independent volumes be-desirable but these may vary considerably in weight and thick- Obviously, some of these records may'requirefrequent handling, while others may be employed at only intermittent periods where ref'erwith little time loss and expenditure ofeffort'on' the part ofthe record keeper or anyone inspectit isone object of the present invention to provide a readilyaccessiblecentralized arrangement simulating an oifice desk or table providing a compact unit providingboth for exterior visible filing and for concealed or inaccessible filing where it may be desirable to prevent inspection of certain recordsby unauthorized persons. To

this end, there is provided a desk in'general hav-" ing the appearance of a conventional ofiice'desk embodying a substantial work surface and a plurality of filing and utility drawers-which may, if-desirable, be secured and controlled from a central general utility drawer which may in turn be locked to secure all drawers in locked condition.

- Another object resides in the provision of comparatively simple filing mechanism having. features of ready attachment'to and detachment may have ready mobility relative to the desk for easier access for consultation, making of entries, removal, shifting and such other acts as may be from a master or main'supporting rack which lsinseriai No. 417,396

performed in the course of general. use so that an operator or user may bring the rack closer to him while seated at the desk or may shift the same away from him toprovide him with a work-1 keeping records if;necessary.orrexpedient. Thus, there isjprovideda movable main rack in the nature of an open face carrier preferably of a width equalito, slightlyless than oreven greater than the longitudinal extent or lateral width of the desk top. To avoid unduly limiting the. surface of ;therdesk top and thus provide a maximum workingsuriace, the rack is-shiftable on guide rails or tracks supported on. the desk top at the lateral edges. support to which one or moreflfiling unitsmay be readily applied and attached and which further mayprovide for quicklateral displacementto render any of the units shiftable to a position to ward thecenter or nearthecenter 'of the desk top. At the same time, the arrangement per-. mits of disposing the units on the rack remote from the operator so as to be out of the way when other routine ,matters may be more advanta ge'ously performed on a broad surface.

- A further object resides in, the provision of expansible unit lending'themselves for quick assembly ofj'filing forms and mounting and dismounting from the rack above mentioned. This is accomplished by readily variable length supporting studs or posts, quickly assembliable fastening elements for securing files together and to the rack, the latter securement or attachment also being effected in such a manner asto so support thelfiling" units that they may" be readily shifted to positions rendering any one accessible for opening or separating of individual file sheets in open b-ook fashion and this with a'miniinurn amount of eifort. Preferably, the attachment means joining the um'ts to the rackare arranged to providea fairly balanced mount 'so that only a fraction of the weight of the unit and contents need be bodily moved forjexposure of the files.

Another object is directed toemployment of the desk drawers for similar, filing and keeping racks having all the advantages of the visible or exposed files, yet, while providing for use of the entire interior of the drawers, Willnot render these drawers unduly bulky and awkward in h'andling. The arrangement provided "for drawer application is such thatonly slight modification of a conventionall constructed deskdrawer is necessary for itsaccommodation. j

A further object contemplates the provision of This carrier includes a suitable ment to or detachment from the rack or drawer may be effected. r

Other and further objects will appear from the following detailed description of several fpreferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a frontal elevation of a desk embodying a movable, visible, external surface support carrying filing units incorporating featuresof this invention; as well as drawers likewise including normally invisible filing units;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 with some of the filing-units removed and certain of the drawers opened toillustrate concealable filing units both file-containing and empty;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view takenl substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

i liiguree'is an enlarged elevation of adeta'ch: 'abie': filing" unit. embodyingv features of this in-- vention'with partsshown in section; t

' Figure-5. is aside elevation of ithe'unit shown.

in-Figure lg. s

Figure 6 is a fragmentary'section of one end of the filing :unit shown in'Figures-4 and 5,vthe. section being taken :along the line-6 6 of Figure. 5 I Figure 7is a further 'enlarged section of the c filing unit taken along'th'e' linefi-l of Figured;

' Figure=8 is a section'alongthe line 8---8: of'

Figure l;- s 1 V Figure' 9aisi-an enlarged side elevation of a' drawer embodying features of this invention with a p'OltlOIlillflleof lILSGCtiOll;

' taliligure 1G is'anenlarged fragmentary elevation of aa supportingbraclze't or plate associated with I the; drawer structure shown in Figure 9; and

Figure ll is analternative-quickly manipulatable: supporting connection for the individual units employed in attaching'theseunits toa oom- IdlGl'l support:

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

@tliere is discloseda desk 23 having-a preferably flames side 2 and side depending drawer carry-' ing sections Z-E terminating in floor engaging legs E3 *Thesese'ctions 22' may be suitably united'by 1 connecting portions-2'4 and 25,"the former serving as a foot-rest, while the latter; disposed'ad'jacent teand under the top Ei'may serve-'asfa' wide drawersupporting" element carrying a general utility 'drawerfi. Drawer ITIGmay-be provided with a*pu1lknjob 2-7 and, if desired, with any type of suitable-or conventional key lock 28 whereby the drawer maybe secured in closed positionfrom unauthoriaedoperation or opening.- j j'Side sections -22fmayeach be provided with one or more drawers 23', which while shown preferablyas of uniform size, need not be'so, the size,

. and. locked to prevent access to. the contents thereof except by an authorized person.

LIhe exterio'rly accessible Visible filing apparae v tus conforming "to the present inventioncomprises a movable; traveling support or. rackgeherally -indicated.'at 33' comprising abo'ttom 3|,

y 2,526,629 a quick detachable, simply operable pivotal con- I nection for the filing units'so that quick attach-* a vertically directed back wall 32 and end walls 33 and 34 suitably secured to both bottom and back wall, thus leaving the carrier or rack open at the front (that is, toward a file operator or desk user) and top. Disposed on the top and preferably extending along both ends thereof fore and aft are tracks 35 of channel section (although some other preferred design might be employed) such tracks being suitably secured to the top in any desirablemanneni although screws or bolts 36 are illustrated. The ends of therack Eli are provided on the under side with a pair of aligned rollers 3? carried byvbrackets 58 either formed integrally or attached to the bottom in any suitable orldesired manner. The rollers are of a size and shape best suited for accommodation to the tracks 35; Obviously, other types of suitably comp'lemental tracks and rollers may be employed. as long as they provide for proper guidmg of the rack without any accompanyin binding. Approximately midway) of the-end" walls 33 and. 3 -liadjacent the near; edges thereof (the edges nearest 3:, user), thereissecuredw a: transverse substantialrod ea whichaprovides' for 'aitwo-fold purpose; that of substantia'llyrbracingthe end walls .of the rash and serving'zas' azrail .for? axpurpose which; will ibe mo'rer fully-apparent? herein:-

after. a v

For filing units generally indicated at ifli theret is -provided: a: novel arrangement; consisting:- in;

' sockets ie;- of readily interchangeable: extension".

studs? i=1 whichma'yini turnhave threadedire' duced 1 ends 48; f or 'theireoeption' of 1 either: furthen uniform? extension studsor (as: shown' in*. Fig- 1 .366574; 5 and 6);terminalistuds' lii thertop and bettom ones or whichrmay havareduoed' endsiib whilet-the center: one; E9. has" a' reducedineol: 5J1

. adj acent its-1- free: end? which: in: turn terminates in a head 52. The studs; and-1 their: extensions; if: employed; serve as. binding: postsgfor: filing: sheetssfifi s-uitably perforated-for threadingatlieres 0112. Thereduced: ends 5d and ii-hreceiveithereom a; limiting loan 53: providedwith complemental: recesses orapert-ures- 54" for ends 583 and: 211 611:- larged aperture 5 5 suflicient tospass .the; headxi2i. Aperture 55.-isso airange'd: with respect to: apertures 5 and theme-ad: 57Z-lis:se disposed assto pere mit threading; of: the: bar 53: over the? head: and" ontolthereduced; portion 51 so 1 as to require: VflI'J-J tical upward-shifting of the bar before threadingi of apertures 5%; over ends Thus, .upon? thread? ing of the bar upont-heireduced free ends. (xii-the studs, the lower edge'of-lapertureti engagessthe; under side. of: the reduced? portion; 5|" providing-z rigidity for the binding-post assembly-sandal: the: same time not'disturbing theparallelism= or. the; plurality of posts. A catch-plate 5%:havingrside edge-flanges file embraoinglthez edges of: ban 53%for; slidable movement/thereon, .as;providedadjacentitsiloweredge with; downwardly directed: slot. or: notch 58 of a width adapting it for frictionalenzgagement with the reduced portion 5i of extension 49; behind: head 52 and. such: engagement; presents'a detachable yet-t rigid connection oft bar 53 with therends ofthe binding posts. With; bar 53- fastened in place,- the-filing; unit isligidl andso-securedras-toprevent accidentall displace2- ment. while at. the? same time, the: bar may be:

, making entries.

of the drawer is preferably the one nearest the" iluickly and readily removed for additions or removal of filed matter. l

Each unit 40 is preferablyremovablyattached to the -rod 39 by a detachable connection com-' prising a downwardly hooked'lug' 59 rigidly sup-i portedupon'flange 43 of the angle member 4| the under edge of the hook conformingto the contour of rod 39 which for thesakejof providing a better pivotal connection, 'is' circular in cross-section. This connection is completed by'a slidable upwardly directed hook 6!! having flanges 6| provided with parallel vertical slots 62 engaged over the shanks of beaded studs 63 carried by fiangefit. One end, the upper of a coil spring 64 bears against the underside of the slidable hook 5D, the lower end being anchored against the upper flange of a lug 65 suitably rigidly secured to flanged? in alignment with hook 60.

Thus, between hooks 59 and 60 theyserve as opposed clamping jaws embracing rod 39; Due to the yieldability ofv jaw Bll,the gripping action is accompanied by only slight friction permitting" of ready pivoting of the unit 49 about rod 39 froma filing positionshown in Figure 3 to onewith the normally upper end of the unit in a position resting on the top of the "desk whereuponthe filed matter may be readily inspected. Since the-lengths of the posts may bevaried for convenience, the filed matter may be'loosely carried by the posts to permit of opening in the manner of a book for making entries, if necessary'or desired in the course of handling.

With the units 40 set-in the position shown in Figure 3, the rack as may be moved fromthe position shown in Figure 2, forwardly or'toward an operator or user to any desired proximity to such operator or user. Thus, inspection of or access to any of the files carried by the rack 3i! may be had just as readily by a person seated at the desk asby one standing adjacent to it. Since the rack may be moved away from the near edge of the desk to the far edge, with the filing units folded away, the major of the desk top is available for use in other routine matters.

To provide for readily concealable filing of matter or matter which need be inspected only infrequently, each of the drawers may alsobe arranged to receive filing units of the character above described. In adapting these units to such a drawer 29, it is preferable that one side wall lil extending the full height of the drawer while the opposite one ll be of an extent somesary entries or to withdraw or replace filed matter, any of the unitsmay be readily rotated out. of such position about the supporting rods when the carriersleither carrier 35) or drawers 29) are shifted to suitable access positions. Should it be desired to displace any unit for one reason or. another, this may be simply and easily accoin plished' by'shifting hook 6B and removing the unit from its associated rod. "It may well be desired that the units be of uniform size in which case they would be readily interchangeable from the exposed file to any drawer and vice versa.

In the event that the arrangement is employed in a business or enterprise where the filing units v must he often removed or replaced, there may be provided a simple readily accessible and operable connection such, for example, as shown in Figure 11. In this case, there is a rigid hook 8i! suitably secured to thesupporting element ll. Opposed to this hook is'a movable hook ill provided with barrels 82 carried on a hinge pin 83, carried in turn by a pair of ears or ba rels 84 extending from a supporting plate wl may be suitably secured to the element fi l. A-spring 8B is so interposed between plate 85and hool: 8i

aboutpin 83'to normally urge such hook toward 7 hook 8Q. The spacing between these 'hooksis sufficient toproperly embrace either rodfiil or "F2 as the case may be. Hook (ii is further pro vided with a rigid handleextension 8? which is of a suitable length to be readily presentable for access when it is desired to remove the associated file.

Although in both forms of connecting hooks spring means are employed, the gripping action in both cases on the rods 39 andlZ is of such frictional extent as to permit of ready rotation of the filing unit about its support rod and at the same time, ready longitudinal sliding of the unit 1 along the rod. Thus, any unit may be slid first what less than half the depth of the drawer although this may be varied as occasion demands.

A rod 12 similar in character to rod 39 of the exposed rack or carrier 30 is anchored at one end in a recess in the forward wall 13 of the drawer while the far end of the rod '52 may be removably nested in an upwardly directed notch 14 provided in a plate l'li secured to the inner face of rear wall it of the drawer. The file unit employed is in all respects like unit 45 and is normally disposed in filing position in the manner shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 9. When it is desired to have access to the enclosed or normally concealedfiling unit, the drawer is opened and the unit swung about rod l2 toward the user until the angle member ll and bar 53 rest upon the upper edge of the reduced wall H of the drawer when the unit contents or files may be separate or unfolded for perusal or access for Obviously, the reducedwall 4| userlsc that thiswould be the right wall of the left section of drawers while .it would be the left and then rotated or rotated first and then slid along the rod. 1 It should be noted that the rods 39 and 72 are sufficiently spaced from the opposite walls of the carrier and drawer to adequately clear such walls in rotation.

While there are disclosed several preferred forms of the invention, it is intended to be merely exemplary and not limiting. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations may be resorted to without departing from the essence and spirit of the invention.

What is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A filing desk comprising a, base and a top, guiding means carried by'said top, a carrier adapted to travel along said guiding means, a

drawer in said base, a rod carried by said carrier, a rod carried by said drawer, and filing mechanism including means adapted to be slidably connected with each rod for interchangeable disposition of said filing mechanism.

2. A filing desk comprising a base and a top; guiding means carried -by said top, a carrier adapted to travel along said guiding means, a drawer in said base, a rod carried by said-carrier and said drawer, and filing mechanism including

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