US2463117A - Posting tray - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1949. A; G. LOTTER 2,463,117

POSTING TRAY Filed Dec. 1 19 44 s Sheets-Sheet 1 A. G- LOTTER POSTING TRAY March 1, 1949.

3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1944 A. G. LOTTER 2,463,117

POSTING TRAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 1, 1949.

Filed Dec. 16, 1944 Patented Mar. 1, 1949 POSTING TRAY Adolph G. Lotter, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Stationers Loose Leaf Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 16, 1944, Serial No. 568,439

8 Claims.

This invention relates to posting trays of the type used in connection with bookkeeping machines to hold for ready accessibility a stack of loose record sheets upon which various data is kept.

In posting trays of this type the record sheets are generally held in an upright or slightly rearwardly inclined position clamped between a longitudinally adjustable backrest adapted to be releasably secured in any of a number of longitudinal positions of adjustment and a front pressure plate capable of being withdrawn from the front of the stack of sheets to provide access thereto for the entrance of data and other information thereon.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a posting tray of this general type with a front pressure plate mounted in a novel manner within the tray so as to improve the accessibility of the record sheets upon withdrawal of the pressure plate to an inoperative position.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a front pressure plate for posting trays of the character described with a novel clamping and withdrawing action enabling the plate to be advanced from a forwardly tilted inactive position to a rearwardly tilted clamping position cooperating with a backrest to clamp a body of sheets therebetween in an upright rearwardly inclined position.

A further object of this invention is to connect the front pressure plate to a posting tray of the character described by a novel locking hinge to enable the plate to be actuated to and from a locked clamping position with respect to a bank of record sheets.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a posting tray equipped with the novel front pressure plate of this invention and shown with the same in perative clamping position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the pressure plate in its ret a te position and with one side of the tray swung open so as to provide maximum accessibility to the stack of record sheets;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a portion of the interior of the tray looking toward the front end thereof;

Figures 4 and 5 are longitudinal cross sectional views illustrating the manner in which the pressure plate is actuated to its operative clamping position; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view ofthe interior of the tray showing the latch mechanism by which the hinged side wall of the tray is releasably held in an upright position closin one side of the tray.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral Ill designates generally the tray of this invention which comprises front and back walls II and 12 respectively, opposite side walls It and I4 and a bottom wall l5. The tray is preferably provided with laterally spaced longitudinal raised bottom sections IB providing a false bottom for the tray, the top surfaces of which are fluted for the purpose of minimizing slippage of record sheets normally held in a rearwardly inclined stack l1 between a backrest l8 and a front pressure plate I9.

The backrest I8 is preferably of the automatically locking type in that it may be moved longitudinally forwardly toward the front of the tray at will but in that it requires releasing from clamping position on a guide rod 20 for motion toward the back of the tray.

This type of backrest is well known in the art and hence further description thereof is deemed unnecessary, it being sufiicient to note that the backrest is guided for such longitudinal motion by means of a channel member 2| secured to the bottom of the tray with its back flatwise engaged therewith and having flanges 22 at its sides to hold the false bottoms l6 separated. The upright flanges 22 have inwardly directed rails 23 bent therefrom to overlie the back of the channel in spaced relation thereto and which cooperate therewith in the formation of tracks in which rollers 24 on the backrest are received.

The channel member 2| may extend the full length of the tray to terminate adjacent to the front wall II, and if desired, may act to guide the front pressure plate IQ for motion between its retracted and clamping positions.

In the present instance, however, a separate guidewayis provided for this purpose similar to the guideway 2i and consists of a relatively short channel shaped member 25 mounted with its back fiatwise against the channel 2| and having upright flanges 26 at its side edges spaced inwardly from the flanges 22 of the outer channel member. The flanges 6 are also provided with rails 21 bent inwardly therefrom to overlie the back of the channel and cooperate therewith in the formation of tracks for the reception of rollers 28 carried by the front pressure plate 19 at its bottom portion.

Inasmuch as the bottom edge of the front pressure plate terminates just above the false bottoms it it is necessary to provide a central downward extension 29 having bifurcations 30 disposed to either side of the guide rod 29' and provided with forwardly directed ears 3! upon which the rollers 28 are pivotally mounted. The tracks for the rollers 28 thus provide for sliding motion of the pressure plate longitudinally of the tray and pivotal motion about the axis of the rollers 23.

Longitudinally spaced stops 32 and 33 adjacent to the front wall II and the rearward end ofthe channel 25 limit such sliding motion of the pressure plate within the guide upon engagement of the bifurcated ends of the extension 29 therewith.

The pressure plate I9 is also connected to the tray by means of a hinge 35 having flaps 3t and 31 hingedly connected together as at 38 on a main hinge axis and having their ends h'ingedly connected as at 39 and 3-5 to the front wall of the tray and the back of the pressure plate respectively at substantially opposite points and substantially at the elevation of the top edge of the tray.

It is important to note that the hinge connections at the ends of the flaps are located-slight- 1yv below thehorizontai median plane of the pressure plate 19. This disposition of the hinges, in effect, renders the pressure plate 19 top heavy sothat'uponbeing withdrawn from its operative clamping position shown in Figure l the plate will remain in an overbalanced rearwardly inclined position until engagement of the bifurcations 30 with the stop 32 effects pivotal movement ofthe plate about theaxis of the rollers 28 to a position at which the plate overloalances in a forward vdirection to lean in a forwardlyinclined position. against the front wall H of the tray.

Due tothe combined action of the hinge 35, the tracks on the channel 25, and the top heavy condition of the plate the sarne will remain in this-forwardly inclined position resting against the top edge 4! of the front wall H of'the tray when moved to its retracted position as shown in Figure 2.

A handle- 42 carried by the hinge flap 3B and adapted'to be grasped between the thumb and second finger of the hand of an operator provides for shifting the hinge flaps and hence ac- --tuating the plate; 19 between its operative and retracted positions. This handle extends across the main hinge axis 38 to overlie the flap 3'! which engages therewith in'the operative clamping'position of the plate l9 to limit hinge motion of the flaps at a point such that the main hingeaxis 38 is disposed slightly below the plane joining the hinge axes 39 and 4t.

. The hinge 35 thus acts as a toggle to releasably lock the plate |9 in position against the front of the 4 stack of record sheets and clamped against the backrest 18.

In withdrawing the plate 19 to inoperative position by pulling on the handle 42 to swing the main hinge axis 38 upwardly and outwardly over the edge 4! of the tray toward a position at which the flaps 3B and 31 are folded upon each other, the top edge of the pressure plate [9 remains in engagement with the first sheet of the stack, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, up until the time the bottom of the pressure plate in being pulled away from the stack of sheets abuts against the stop 32 to initiate pivotal motion of the late about its rollers 28. Thi prevents the firstsheetsof the stack from followin the withdrawn plate.

It frequently occurs that during posting a number of record sheets at the front of the stack slump down to positions as indicated at 43 in Figure 4 due to frequent transfer of sheets from their rearwardly inclined positions resting against the backrest [B to forwardly inclined"'po sitions resting against the, retracted pressure plate. Unless manually restacked in their proper positions, these slumped down sheets 43 prevent proper closure of the pressure plate I!) and oftentimesare damaged by the clamping? operation.

In the present instance, however, thesesheets 43 are. automatically restacked by, advancement of the plate to its operative clamping position. As clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5, the .plate 59 has a hook formed on its back which 00- cupies a positiondirectly adjacent to the handle 42 in the retracted position ofthe plate.

- This hook is adapted to be engaged by the index finger of the operator as shown during actuation of the plate to its. clampingiposition to prevent prematurepivotal movement/of the pressure plate it about the axes of its rollers upon engagement of the bottom edge of the plate with the. displaced record sheets 53.

Hence, these sheets 13 are forcedbackwardly and upwardly by. the rearwardly: advancing plate until they are realigned withth'e upright sheets of the stack. The hook 44 is released as soon as. the bottom edge of the plate 59' abuts the solidlstack-of sheets, and'further application of pressure on the hinge 35 to bringits flaps to their outstretched locking position then efiects the necessary pivotal motion or the plate to bring the same to its rearwardly inclined clamping-position against the face ofthe. stack of sheets.

The manner of actuating the Pressure plate described distinguishes from past constructions wherein the plate is merelyprovided with pivotal motion at a point adjacentto thebottom ofi'the stackof record sheets at'the frontfacethereof. In the present case, .it.is.to be. noted that the entire pressure plate" is slidableobodily, between the stop 32- and. the front. of. thestackof sheets and that forwardna-nd rearward pivotalmotion of the. pressure plate is effected upon engage mentor the lower portion of .the plate with-the stop 32 and the stack of sheetsrespectively. Be-

cause of the bodily sliding motion of. thepressure hinge 15 to swing. outwardly. a shown-.insFigure 2, The hinge 45 isrdisposed along. thebOttom of the wall anda latch mechanismHA-G cooperating with a suitable keeper 41 on the tray holds the wall I 4 in an upright position closing the side of the tray.

A pair of stops, only one of which is shown as at 48, carried by the side wall l4 engage stationary portions of the tray to limit outward swinging of the side wall so as to position a 1ongitudinal abutment 49 in proper relationship with the stack of sheets so that their withdrawal from the stack 22 is limited thereby.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that the novel manner of mounting the front pressure plate of the posting tray of this invention facilitates its operation and provides ample accessibility to the stack of record sheets; and that misaligned record sheets are automatically aligned vertically with respect to the stack by advance of the plate to the clamping position.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a posting tray of the type having longitudinally spaced front and back walls joined by a bottom wall and having a rearwardly inclined backrest adjustable longitudinally between said front and back walls to support a stack of loose sheets in the tray in a rearwardly inclined position: a front pressure plate cooperating with the backrest to clamp said stack of sheets therebetween in said rearwardly inclined position; cooperating means on said plate and the tray mounting the plate for sliding motion longitudinally of the tray in the front portion thereof and for pivotal motion about a transverse axis; a hinge having one of its flaps hingedly connected to the front portion of the tray near the open top thereof and having the other of its flaps hingedly connected to the pressure plate at a point thereon substantially opposite said connection to the tray, said hinge being adapted to swing from a position with its flaps outstretched to a position in which the flaps are substantially folded upon each other with the main hinge axis above said hinge connections to shift the pressure plate from an operative position spaced a distance from the front wall of the tray clamping a stack of sheets between it and the backrest to an inoperative withdrawn position adjacent to the front wall of the tray providing access to the stack of sheets; and a stop on the tray engaged by a portion of the plate below the hinge connection thereto during withdrawal of the plate from its clamping position to effect pivotal motion of the plate about its pivotal connection to the tray whereby the plate pivots from a rearwardly inclined operative position to a forwardly inclined retracted position spaced from the stack of sheets during actuation of the hinge to bring its flaps into substantially folded relationship.

2. In a posting tray having longitudinally spaced front and back walls joined by a bottom wall and having a rearwardly inclined backrest carried by longitudinal guide means on said bottom wall and adapted to be adjustably secured in any of a number of positions longitudinally of the tray: a front pressure plate movable from an operative rearwardly inclined position cooperating with the backrest to clamp a stack of loose sheets therebetween to a retracted forwardly tilted position spaced forwardly of the stack of sheets to provide access thereto; cooperating means on the plate and the tray mounting the same for sliding movement between its operative and retracted positions and for pivotal motion of the plate about transverse axes adjacent to the bottom of the tray; and means by which the plate may be actuated to its operative and retracted positions comprising a hinge, the flaps of which are separately hingedly connected to the plate and the tray at substantially opposite horizontal points thereon, said hinge being adapted to swing from a position with its flaps outstretched and its main hinge axis spaced slightly below said hinge connections in the operative clamping position of the plate to a position with its flaps substantially folded upon each other and the main hinge axis spaced above said hinge connections in the retracted position of the plate;

.; a stop on the tray engaged by a bottom portion of the plate during sliding motion thereof to its retracted position to cause the plate to swing from its rearwardly inclined position to a forwardly inclined position; and means on the hinge for defining the outstretched position of the flaps and for locating the main hinge axis slightly be neath the plane defined by said hing connections upon actuation of the hinge to place the pressure plate in its operative clamping Position.

3. The posting device of claim 2 wherein said last named means provides a handle for actuat ing the hinge and consequently for controllin the movements of the pressure plate between its operative and retracted positions.

4. The posting device defined by claim 2 wherein said hinge connections lie beneath the horizontal median plane of the pressure plate so that the plate is rendered top heavy and remains in a rearwardly inclined position during retraction prior to engagement thereof with said stop, and so that the plate remains in a forwardly inclined retracted position after pivotal motion thereof upon engagement with said stop.

5. The posting device defined by claim 2 characterized by the provision of handle means on the hinge for actuating the same and consequently for controlling the movements of the pressure plate between its operative and retracted positions, and further characterized by the provision of other handle means on the pressure plate disposed adjacent to the handle means on the hinge in the retracted position of the plate adapted to be grasped simultaneously therewith by an operator during actuation of the hinge to advance the plate to its operative position to preclude premature rearward tilting of the plate about its pivotal connection with the tray in the event of interference with sliding thereof toward the stack of leaves to thereby insure proper positioning of slumped down sheets at the front of the stack during the clamping operation.

6. In a posting device having a bottom wall and upright side and end walls defining an open topped tray,'one of said end walls forming the front of the tray: means on the bottom wall of the tray forming a longitudinal guideway leading rearwardly from the front of the tray; a front pressure plate for said tray; means connecting the plate with the guideway for sliding motion longitudinally of the tray along said guideway and for fiatwise pivotal motion of the plate toward and from the front of the tray; a hinge having its flaps separately connected to the pressure plate and the front wall of the tray at points substantially on a level with the top edge of the front wall of the tray, said hinge being adapted to be swung from a substantially folded position with the hinge connections adjacent to one another and the main hinge axis spaced thereabove, to a; position at, which its flaps are outstretched withz thetmain hinge axis disposed slightly beneath said hinge connections tornove the plate between retracted and operative posi tions respectively; and a stop adjacent tothe forward end of said .guideway for limitingslid ingmotion of the plate therein during folding of the hinge to retract the pressure plate to thereby cause the pressure. plate to pivot during final closing. of the hinge to a forwardly inclined position resting against the front wall of the, tray; and said pressure, plate being so balanced about its hinge connection with the hinge flap adjacent thereto that the plate advances rearwardly away fromsaid front Wall of the tray while in said forwardly inclined position upon actuation of the hinge to bring its flaps to said outstretched condition untilrengagement of the bottom leading edgeportionof the plate with a stack of sheets supported in the tray in a rearwardly inclined position limits said advance and initiates rearward-tilting of the pressure plate during final motion of the flaps to their outstretched position.

7 The posting device defined by claim 6 Wherein said pivotal and sliding connection between the pressure plate and the guideway at the bottom of the: tray, comprises laterally spaced longitudinal tracks on the tray and rollers carried by the pressure plate and engaged in said tracks so as to permit sliding of the plate in the tray and. pivotal motion of the plate at any point between said stop and the stack of sheets.

8. In-a posting tray of the character described having a bottom wall and a front wall: a guideway on the bottom Wall of the tray leading rearwardlyfrom the front: wall of the tray, said guideway including laterally spaced upright each other, spaced from andoverlying thQ-bOt-x tom of the tray to form longitudinal tracks; a

iron-t pressure plate having rollers. on its bottom portion; engaged in said tracks constraining the plate; to sliding motion toward and from, said front wall and pivotal motionon axes parallel tothefront wallof the tray; stop means carried the tray for limiting sliding motion of the pressure plate in said guideway; and a: hinge having flaps hingedly connected to one; another and independently connected to the pressure plate and the tray at substantially horizontally opposite points with the main hinge axis defined by the hinge connection between the flaps adapted to beswung arcuately between elevatedand depressed positions spaced "above said hinge connections; and slightly" below the plane passing through the axes of said hinge connections respectively to carry the pressure plate from an inoperative retracted forwardly tilted position to anoperative position-, defined by the front of a stack-of sheetstto be clamped-entailing both slid.- ing of the platezin, said guideway. and pivotal motion thereof on its rollers,

ADOLPH G; LO ITER,

REEERENCES CITED,

Thesfollowingreferences are-oi record inthe fi-le. oizthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,609;570., Newman Dec. 7, 1926 1,610,710 Schade on I l, 1926 1,695,251 Ol'mstrand Dec. 1 1 8 1 831376 Gideon, Oct-411,, 1932

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