US2452687A - Visible index - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2, 1948. F.'s. SCHADE 2,452,687

VISIBLE INDEX Filed May, 13, 1944 I ATTORNEYS atented Nov. 2, l l

nrrso STATES FFICE VISIBLE INDEX Frank Stanley Schade, Holyoke, Mass,

to National Blank Book Company,

assignor Holyoke,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to trays for supporting visible index records and has particular reference to improvements in the construction and mounting of the separating sheets by which the records are divided into groups, generally alphabetical.

The records for automatic bookkeeping machines are frequently arranged in trays having separating sheets with alphabetical or other markings, the records for a partitcular subdivision being made on cards located between the separating sheets in an echelon arrangement. Previous constructions have had the disadvantage that the separating sheets tended either to pile up on each other as they were turned or to offer resistance to turning due to the fact that they were in some way anchored in position. It is the object of this invention to avoid these difficulties and to improve the constructtion of the separating sheets and the method by which they are releasably held in the tray.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a perspective view of the tray of the type to which the invention relates;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the construction of the separating sheets and their holding mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the method of mounting the holding mechanism for the sheets.

The tray has a generally rectangular base I to which wings 2 and 3 are held by a hinge structure t. These wings are preferably supported by links 5 sliding in slots 6, although this detailed construction forms no part of the present invention. Seated on the bottom of the tray between the wings 2 and 3 are a plurality of separating sheets 1, generally of stiff cardboard and having on their tops suitable indexing means not shown. The opposite ends of the separating sheets are each provided with a small roller 8 extending a short distance inwardly from the end of the sheet and provided with a longitudinal cut in which the bottom edge of the sheet is secured as by a suitable adhesive. It is not necessary or even desirable to extend the roller construction throughout the entire length of the sheet as rollers an inch or two long at the ends of the sheet will give ample support. The function of the rollers is to cause a slight separation of the sheets one from another and to assist in the ease with which they can be swung through the angle determined by that between the wings 2 and 3. The bottom of the tray is preferably covered with a longitudinally corrugated soft material 9, such as corduroy, and is preferably raised in its central portion in to support the record cards.

It is desirable for several reasons, including that of preventing one sheet from climbing on the next when they are turned, to provide the sheets with an anchoring mechanism insuring that they will remain in substantial contact with the bottom of the tray. This means consists of a rod i2 at each end passing through slots iii in the sheets. It is preferable that this rod be removable so that the sheets may be taken out if desired. For this reason the rear end of the rod is located in a suitable recess (not shown) in the wail of the tray while the front end is located in an open recess in a plate it. The rod is held against endwise movement by a plate slotted at it and held in position for endwise movement on the tray wall by rivets ll extending through these slots. The plate has a hole it which, when the plate is slid to the left as viewed in Fig. 3, will be located in alignment with the end of the rod. The rod can then be removed and the sheets taken out or rearranged.

While the manner of supporting the individual record cards ll laterally is immaterial as far as the present invention is concerned, a simple way is to provide rods i9 extending from front to back of the tray at regular intervals. The record cards are provided with recesses it with the same spacing as these rods so that the cards can be arranged in any desired manner such as an echelon formation and will be supported in that ar rangement until lifted out and reset on the rods in a different position. This permits the cards to be regrouped in alphabetical formation as desired. The separating sheets are cut away as at 2! to clear the rods ii and the elevated part ll] of the tray bottom on which the cards rest.

I claim:

1. A visible index holding tray having end bot tom portions, the portion of the bottom of the tray intermediate the end portions being at a higher elevation than the end portion and continuous from end portion to end portion, a plurality of separating sheets having end portions the lower edges of which rest on the end bottom portions of the tray, the portions of the lower edges of the separating sheets intermediate said end portions being spaced above the elevated intermediate portion of the bottom of the tray, said elevated intermediate portion forming a continuous support for the lower edges of record cards positioned between the separating sheets, and rod means spaced above the surface of the elevated portion.

2. A visible index holding tray as in claim 1 in which the end portions of the separating sheets are provided with cylindrical roller members extending the full length of the end portions of the bottom of the tray, the supporting surface of the end portions being corrugated to receive said roller members.

FRANK STANLEY SCHADE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Vilas Dec. 7, 1897 Number Number Number Name Date Hagans May 14, 1918 Bowman Sept. 2, 1919 Hunter Apr. 9, 1929 Cooper Oct. 24, 1933 Roscoe Sept, 22, 1936 Bruen Apr. 29, 1941 Martin Aug. 10, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Netherlands 1925 Great Britain June 12, 1924 Great Britain 1930

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