US2470884A

US2470884A - Distribution board

Info

Publication number: US2470884A
Application number: US482655A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bromfield St Clair
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-04-10
Filing date: 1943-04-10
Publication date: 1949-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1966-05-24

Description

May 24, 1949. ST. CLAIR BROMFIELD 2,470,834

DISTRIBUTION BOARD V I s Sheets-Sheet .l

Filed Apri? 10, 1945 Q &

ATTOffA/E'YS 1949. ST. CLAIR BRCSMFIELD 2,470,884

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ST. CLAIR BROMFIELD H DISTRIBUTICN BOARD 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fi5l ed A il 10, 1 943 IINVENTOR. d'm/kflroufieza ATTORNEYS Patented May 24, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE DISTRIBUTION BOARD St. Clair Bromfield, Jackson Heights, Long Island, N. Y.

Application April 10, 1943, Serial No. 482,655

12 Claims. I

This invention relates to card index systems and. more particularly to a container for cards and sheets in which the cards or sheets may be arranged in overlapping arrangement whereby identification and selection of a sheet is readily made and entries on such sheet may be made with facility. More particularly, the invention relates to so-called' peg-boards, although not so limited.

Herein, the cards, sheets or other element on which entries of pertinent data may be inscribed are generically referred to as sheets.

One object of the invention is th disposition of a plurality of sheets in minimum space such that aporti'on of each sheet i visible to facilitate location of the sheet desired. Accordingly, the sheets are arranged in progressively overlapping arrangement.

Another object of the. invention is a disposition of sheets such that the sheets partially covering that. sheet which it i desired to examine, may be readily separated therefrom and displaced to permit entries on the sheet thus located or selected. To this end, the free extremity of a sheet overlappin the selected sheet may be readily raised to expose the selected sheet by placing the thumb or forefinger under a corner of the sheet above that desired, thereby enabling the desired. sheet beneath to be exposed for the entry of information thereon or forexamination.

A further object of the invention is a device of the character described providin an increased capacity for entries compared to that heretofore obtained with the so-called peg-boards of the prior art. tion into efiect, sheets are so constructed and arranged a to make provision for a relatively large number of entries and the sheets are superimposed in stacks or banks which are so disposed on a supporting surface as to provide for a total number of entries on sheets carried on a board readily attended to' by a single operator.

It is also an object of the invention to so hold and position sets of superimposed sheets on a working surface to provide the advantages hereinhef'ore enumerated. In carrying this aspect of the invention into effect, a plurality of stacks orbanks of sheets may be positioned laterally of one another at closely spaced intervals across a board in such position as to be readily manipulisted for entries thereon.

Still another object of the invention i a pegboard whereon the sheets may be shingled longitudfna'll'y and transversely of the board.

Yet another object of the invention is sheets In carrying this aspect of the invenof minimum size for disposition inv the aforesaid manner havin the maximum number of subdivisions for the reception of entries.

The invention also seeks to provide a structure employing sheets on which entries may be made, such that, after all entries for a predetermined period are completed, such entries appear at a free end of the sheet. Such entries may be brought together by causing all of the sheets. to align themselves and then all such entries may be simultaneously cut off and the remaining portions of the sheets restored to their original shingled relation for replacement on the board; For this purpose, a container may be provided in. which the stack of sheets are placed and which. on tilting, wiil cause the used parts of the sheets to align themselves for subsequent severance Then, upon tilting the container in the opposite direction, the sheets return to their original relative position. Desirably at this time, new sheets may be added to the bottom of the set andthe unusable portions of the uppermost sheets may be discarded, thus effecting minimum. Waste.

In peg-boards heretofore known, the. entire upper or lower or side edge of the sheets have: been exposed in order to afford the necessary visibility. A still further object of the invention is a pegboard of the character described upon which stacks of sheets capable of receiving a greatly increased number of entries can be used while still further retaining the advantage: of: visibility. To this end, the stacks are so disposed and the several sheets in each stack are so staggered that only a small fraction, say anarea adjacent one corner, is visible for identification.

Again, an object of the invention is a peg-' board on which sheets, relatively wider than those heretofore capable of being used, and" all of constant width, afiord edge visibility.

Another object of the invention is to permit a summary of the amounts or quantities posted on the respective sheets when such sheets are in varying positions in a stack on the board.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a peg-board or posting board on which a greater number of sheets and a greater number of items can be posted to Visible identified units on one sheet, in contradistinction to the prior art where single strips of paper have been contemplated which overlap other strips of paper so as to expose the corresponding line on other overlapping strips.

It is also an object of the invention to post bility, the detail and the summary being all combined on a single sheet.

It is also an object of the invention to provide retaining means for the sheets, when arranged in stacks, which will permit sheets to be inserted in a direction from the operator toward the fastening means. In carrying this aspect of the invention into eifect, positioning means are provided for the sheets and locking pins are so disposed that, preferably, one pin holds an entire stack of sheets in perfect alignment even though the respective sheets of a stack overlap adjacent sheets in a stack.

Yet another object of the invention is the manipulation of the fastening devices either individually -or simultaneously.

It is also an object of the invention to secure a visibility of predetermined widths of, or portions of, each of a given number of units, say, three units. To this end, the uppermost unit is of a predetermined length, the second is of a greater length and a third unit or lowermost is of a still greater length so that all three bottom edge portions are visible.

Another object of the invention is the provision of fastening devices on a peg-board for sheets of the character described which permits the sheet or sheets covering a lower sheet to be bent back over the remote edge of the board to be out of the way and thus display the card underneath.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment by which the invention may be realized and in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in plan, showing the surface of the peg-board of this invention on which the strips of this invention are disposed;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, looking from th left in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail View of the positioning and fastening means for the strips of this invention;

Figure 3a is a fragmentary sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 3 having a modified cam;

Figure 4 is a view showing an aligning container whereby the respective sheets in a stack may be arranged so that used portions may be simultaneouslly cut off and, after additional sheets are added to the stack, all the sheets may be expeditiously moved to proper registering position for reinsertion in the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the aligning device taken in the plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View showing how missing sheets may be readily noted in a particular stack;

Figure 7 is a view, in plan, showing devices to sever the used portions of sheets;

Figure 8 is a View, in side elevation, of the device of Figure 7, looking from below in that figure on the line 88;

Figure 9 is a view, in perspective, showing a modified form of the peg-board of this invention;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the modification of Figure 9, parts being removed to show details of construction;

Figure 11 is a transverse, sectional view which may be considered as taken in the plane indicated by the line I |l I in Figure 10, looking in the direction of the arrows, but showing the cover closed and details of the mounting of the cover;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view showing details of the positioning and fastening means of the modified construction;

Figure 13 shows the fastening means in inoperative position;

Figure 14 is a transverse vertical view taken in the plane indicated by the line MM of Figure 12 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 15 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line i5l 5 in Figure 11.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is disclosed what may be described as a self-contained card indexing device comprising a flat surface I5, herein called a writing surface, which is preferably inclined to afford maximum visibility to a person sitting or standing before the device, but which is at preferably a sufficiently acute angle to the horizontal for convenience in inscribing information on the respective strips, sheets or cards It carried thereupon. This inclined board l5 forms the upper surface or top member of a cabinet shown, for purposes of illustration as having the side walls [1, the front wall l9 and a rear wall 2! which extends upwardly above the inclined board [5, as at 23, to serve as a support for the hinge 24 of a sectional cover indicated generally at 25 and 2B. The cover may be closed down to surround and enclose the sheets which are indicated as a whole at 29. The cover, in closed position, is indicated in broken lines in Figure 2. The sections are hinged together, as at 3!, whereby the section 26 may be folded back as illustrated in Figure 2 so that the free edge of section 26 will rest or engage a bracket 33 extending, if desired, from the rear Wall 2| to hold the cover out of the way when not in use. Obviously, other means of supporting the cover in open position may be availed of whereby the edge of the cover is not required to rest on the desk.

Along the rear edge portion of the writing surface, say, along the rearwardly disposed or back wall portion 23 extending above the writing surface, is placed a plurality of positioning members 35, preferably equally spaced along the inner side of this wall and conveniently extending from the board 15 upwardly to a height greater than that which is sufiicient to accommodate a pile or stack of superimposed sheets l6 of the number which can conveniently be used on the particular board.

Extending forwardly of the rear wall 2|, conveniently beyond the positioning members, is a ledge 3! formed, as shown in Figure 3, with a plurality of equally spaced vertically disposed apertures 39 in which are disposed lockin pins or plungers 4| of length sufficient to extend through the apertures 39 and enter cylindrical recesses 43 in the board 15. These pins are materially longer than the maximum thickness of a stack of sheets to permit freedom of movement of a group of uppermost sheets whereby an operator can turn back a group of uppermost sheets out of the way when entries are to be made on the exposed sheet.

The individual sheets or strips l6, as viewed for instance in Figure 1, are formed along their upper edges 45 with a plurality of recesses or slots 46. Each slot 46 is so proportioned and shaped as to receive one of the positioning members 35. The

number to the number of slots in all of the bank.

of sheets 29 extending along the width of the board. Intermediate the: slots 46, and in a position to register with the pins M, the sheets or strips iii are formed with a row of apertures; 41, preferably circular, to receive the pins 4| aforesaid. and be retained. thereby against displacement, There-is at least: one: pin or plunger for each sheet. A pile or stack of sheets or strips, with their side edges 52! and slotted end edges 45' in register; may be held in position by means of the pins 44 and positioning members 35.

To place the sheets in the desired fixed position. on. the board, the pins. M are raised a distance sufficient to permit the stack of strips to be placed thereunder with the notches 46 engaging the positioning. members 35 and with the the cam: surfaces '51, the flat bot-tom portions 59,

the vertical guiding edges GI and the fiat tops 62 ii present. The lower portion 59 and. the slope 5! of each cam is formed with a slot 63 to receive a pin M, the slots being so disposed as to register with both the corresponding apertures in the ledge and in the board so that the pins may reciprocate therein. The pins 4-! conveniently have cam follower heads 55 with which the cams engage and by which the plungers may also be individually raised by hand. Obviously the heads may be retained on the biased edges of the cams by friction or extremities of the saw-tooth shaped structure which may be made flat, as at 62, on which the heads may be supported as shown in Figure 3a.. Actuating means for the cam device are illustrated schematically at 58.-

Referring to Figure 9-, the peg-board there dis-- closed has a writing surface for the reception of the sheets It, (omitted from this view as unnecessary),. the side walls H, the front wall I9 and the rear wall which extends upwardly abovethe writing surface l5, as at 23, and serves as a support for the hinge construction 24- of the sectional cover indicated generally at 25' and 26 so that the cover may be folded back as shown in Figure 9 or swung downwardly over the writing surface l5= as shown in Figure 11 to restupon theside wall portion I'i. It will be noted that the inner endof the cover is formed in cylindrical shape to form one element of a hinge device and the rear wall portion 23 is formed to cooperate as by a shoulder forming a bracket 33 functioning as does the bracket of the previously described modification to hold the cover out of the way when folded back.

Along the rearwardly disposed or back wall portion 23- is disposed a plurality of positioning members 35-, Figure 11, preferably equally spaced along the inner side of this wall and conveniently extending from the writing surface it upwardly to a height greater than that which is sunicient to accommodate or pile a.- stack of superimposed sheets is of a number which can be conveniently used on a particular board. A. ledge 37 is disposed above the positioning members 35 and extending forwardly thereof. The ledge is formed with a row of apertures, 39; equally spaced and preferably intermediate the positioning members 35. Inserted in. the ledge to surround the apertures are friction washers 40 and slidable in the apertures 3.9 are locking pins: 41. The friction means 40 retain the locking pins: lil in any position: to which they are moved. In front of the position.- ing members 35 and at equally spaced intervals; preferably intermediate the positioning. members and in register with the apertures 39?, the writing surface is formed with a plurality of apertures A3 equally spaced. from one another and. at specings corresponding to those of the: apertures 39 in which. are disposed plungers 42'... These plungers are seated in a cam fol-lower: which is adapted to reciprocate vertically to raise the plungersi 42 mounted thereon from the position indicated in Figure 13 to the position indicated in Figure 12. Normally, the pins ill occupy the position shown in Figure 11, but when the plungers are elevated, the locking pins are raised, as shown in Figure: 12 where they are retained by the friction of the friction devices 4!] and when the plunger-s are lowered tothe position shown in Figure 13, the: locking pins remain in the position shown inFigure 13 which is the position at which the sheets are released for removal and replacement.

Immediately in front of the cam follower 55 is a cam block 5'5 formed witha; plurality of camslots 51 forming cam surfaces, the low spot of the cam. surface being to the left, as viewed in Figures l4 and 15, and the high spot being to the right as viewed in these figures. Pins 93 mountedv on the: cam follower 55 project into the cam slot 5! whereby, as will be understood, when the cam block is moved to theleft from the position. shown in Figure 15 to the position shown in Figure 14,. the block and the plungers thereon are caused to. travel upwardly from the position shown in Figure 15 to the position shown in Figure 14, thus elevating the cam follower and the plungers 4-! to the position shown in Figure 12. Then the cam block is moved in the opposite direction. to the position shown in Figure 15 which is the position for unlocking the sheets. The locking pins are frictional-1y held in the position shown in Figure 13" by the friction device 1583. Thus when theplungers M are raised from the position shown in Figure 11. to the position shown in Figure 12, the locking pins are moved upwardly to the position shown in Figure 12. Then, when the cam block moved to the position shown in Figure 13, the sheets are released to permit their removal or to permit ad-- ditional sheets to be inserted.

normal circumstances, an operator cannot handle more than one pile of sheets at a time and it is contemplated, therefore, that the locking, pins be individually operated by the finger of i the operator so that they may be selectively moved downward through the apertures in the sheets into registering relation with the plungers 4| tothc position shown in Figure 11.

In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end of the plunger 42 is formed with a conical re.- cess Q5 and the lower end of the locking pin is formed with a taper 91 to fit therein for GOIIVGIIT- ience in registration and operation.

To operate the cam block 56', a lever 99 is provided the free end of. which extends through a slot H13 in the front wall [9 of the board. This: lever is shown in side elevation in Figure 111 as pivoted, as at ltl, intermediate its ends conveniently ona depending member Hi2 on the lower part of the writing member It. A convenient handle N33 is formed on the: end; of the operating lever 99 which extends through the slot tilt in the front wall it of the cabinet, while the rear end I is pivotally' connected, as by the stud we to the cam block 56 whereby; when lever end I03 is grasped by the operator and moved, say to the right, as viewed in Figures 14 and 15, the cam block is moved to the left as viewed from the position shown in Figure 15 to the position shown in Figure 14 and causes the locking pins 4| to be elevated, and when the lever is moved in the opposite direction the cam block 56 is returned to the position shown in Figure 15. Then after removing and/or inserting sheets in selected piles, the operator may individually selectively press down the locking pins through the apertures in the pile of sheets attended to to retain them in position.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sheets are illustrated as superimposed in groups or stacks or piles of a given number of sheets, here for purposes of illustration only-as a group of three. Obviously, any number of sheets may be included in a group depending upon the capacity of the apparatus or the size of the sheet used. Each H sheet of such group is progressively longer than the sheet immediately thereabove. In the embodiment illustrated, this added length is obtained at the top of the sheet. For instance, the shorter sheet indicated at 61 in Figure 1 has at its uppermost end a space 58 which may be considered as one-third unit length. This space 68 is formed along its edge with the notches 45 and the apertures 47 for the positioning members and locking pins, respectively. The sheet immediately therebelow, which is indicated at III, has two such spaces 68, one above the other, as shown in Figure 1. This results, of course, in the lower edge portion 80 of the sheet Hi extending downwardly below the sheet 51 a distance corresponding to one unit length. The sheet immediately therebeneath, which is indicated at M, is formed with three such spaces indicated at 88, whereby again the sheet I4 extends down- Wardly below the lower edge of the sheet ID by a distance equal to one space 68 there disclosed. This distance is designated as a unit length. The next group of sheets there indicated at 16, TI and i8 is similarly respectively provided with the single, double and triple spaces 68. In addition, while the sheets 61, 10 and 14 are each provided with a single or unit area 12 on which entries may be made, the three sheets of the next group are provided with two such areas I2 and for the successive sheets, the subsequent groups of three sheets have areas progressively increasing by one area until the lowermost Sheet of the group is provided not only with three spaces 68 but a total. say, of five areas I2 on which entries may be made, as well as the areas 80 therebelow which may be exposed and contain identifying characteristics to permit the desired sheet or groups of sheets to be readily located. Thus, by locating the desired sheets by inspection of the various areas 80, the thumb or finger need only be placed, in the embodiment illustrated, upon the lower left hand corner 82 and the finger slipped under the corner of the sheet immediately thereabove and all of the sheets above the designated sheet may be lifted up together to display all the area of the selected sheet and permit entries to be made thereon or information to be obtained therefrom.

Viewing the stacks of sheets as displayed on the board as a whole in Figure 1, two spaced sets of stacks are shown. They represent stacks of sheets in which the sheets in the individual stacks are shingled from front to rear and these individual stacks are also arranged in shingled relation with respect to one another from left to right. In this disposition of stacks, a plurality of stacks, the sheets of each stack being longer than the one above by one unit length, are mounted on the board beginning at the left and the next stack is superimposed on the stack already in place so that the left column of the first stack is exposed and the third stack is similarly superimposed to the left a distance sufficient to expose the left hand column of the second mentioned stack, and so on across the board. Obviously, the stacks could be shingled solely from front to rear. In the latter event, the sheets do not overlap sheets in stacks on either side.

When entries have been made on all of the lowermost unit areas disposed on each of the sheets, in a group, for a given period, the areas or units I2 at the lower part of each sheet may be removed. This may be conveniently done by placing all of the sheets in what may be called an aligner, such as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 and, as viewed in Figure 4, by inclining the aligning box to the left as viewed, the lower part 12 of all the sheets are brought together so that all of the corresponding areas are aligned as illustrated in Figure 4. The lowermost unit I2 on each sheet in the pile is then cut off, conveniently by some such instrumentality :as that shown in Figures 7 and 8, which severs the lowermost unit 12, by a knife or other cutting device. To realign the top edges preparatory to replacing the pile on the board, the pile is placed in the aligner, which is then tipped in the opposite direction to shift all of the sheets against the wall at that end and thus align the top edges of the pile of sheets for return to the board,

they being by the last mentioned maneuver in alignment at that end.

The aligner shown in Figures 4 and 5 is illustrative of any aligner suitable for the purpose at hand. Generally, it is an elongated rectangular box-like member, one side 84 of which is conveniently open to facilitate the insertion and removal of a pile of sheets and to visibly note the correctness of the position of the sheets in the series as well as to note the absence of a sheet indicated by a signal on the sheet. As shown, the base or bottom 86 is substantially the width of the sheets. In length, the bottom 86 is materially longer than the longest sheet contemplated to be used. The side wall 8'! is provided with an upwardly and inwardly directed lip member 83 which serves to retain the sheets as they are reciprocated in the aligner. Both ends are closed by end walls 90 and 9| respectively. If desired the aligner may function as a drawer, as shown in Figure 2, to be stored when not in use Within the cabinet beneath the writing surface.

A convenient severing device to simultaneously cut off the respective registering end units after they have been aligned in the aligner is illustrated in Figures '7 and 8. The base II I of such severing device may be disposed in the cabinet as a drawer, which can be pulled out for use as needed. The front wall carries a knob II3 for this purpose. The front wall II5 serves as a stop by which the ends to be severed may be aligned. The knife I I1 is positioned at such distance from the stop H5 as to sever the end unit areas I2.

There is of course always the possibility that one of the sheets in a stack may be misplaced. In order, therefore, to show whether or not a sheet is missing, indicia are placed on successive sheets to register with one another and indicate immediately the missing sheet. Examining Figure 4 and commencing at the left in that figure, it will be shown that all of the perforated areas 68 are provided with inclined lines PI, "that of the longer sheet of .a group of three having the line I I1 and a corresponding line I [9 a predetermined distance therea'bove. The shorter and intermediate sheet is provided with lines, similarly numbered, which in the position shown in Figure 4, are continuations of the lines on the intermediate sheet, and are correspondingly numbered. All of the sheets are thus marked. Thus, when the sheets are arranged in the position indicated in Figure 4, these i-ines should all run into one another and form continuous straight lines. If, however, a sheet is missing as indicated in the third sheet from the right in Figure 4, the missing sheet which actually occupies the space immediately therebelow will have lines which do not register with the lines on either side. The fact that a sheet is missin is at once apparent. As a further indication, ind-ici'a at one side of the top of each sheet is also provided, in this instance taking the form of the word out so that a quick glance will immediately show that the continuous line is broken and the word out will immediately indicate where the sheet that is missing should be. This type of signal is equally effective even where more than one sheet adjacent to another is missing. It will be seen that three sheets indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6 are provided with continuous lines but these lines do not form continuations of the lines above .and below. I'hus it indicates that three sheets are missing from this assembl'ance and the record "is not complete.

By the use of the summary strips, herein designated as sheets, visibility of a large number of accounts is attained within a relatively small area. For instance, in a space represented -.by a summary board twenty-five inches wide and eighteen inches high and providing that the lower corner portion of each sheet, one inch square, is visible, visibility of three hundred and twentyfive corner squares is afforded. Great convenience in use is afforded by the fact that it is merely necessary to place the thumb or finger under the exposed corner, say the left lower corner of the sheet above the selected sheet, to raise the group of sheets thereabove and expose the selected sheet for the entry of information. When all entries for a period are completed, the units at the lower part of each sheet may be brought into superimposed registering position by a simple manipulation and severed from the sheets in a single cutting operation.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the disposition, configuration and selection of component features going to make up the invention as a whole as well as in the use to which various features or combinations thereof may be put, and no limitation is intended by the illustrations in the accompanying drawings or description of features in conjunction with other features illustrated in the accompanying drawings except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing surface, said writing surface comprising means formed with a row of perforations, pins reciprocating in the respective perforations, cam means to elevate the pins, means to actuate the cams, and sheet positioning members disposed on the writing surface.

2. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing 10 surface, means in spaced relation .to the writing surface, said means being formed with a row of perforations having predetermined spacing, said writing surface being formed with a row of perforations registering with the perforations in the said means, plungers reciprocating in the respective registering perforations, said plungers being provided with heads, respectively, a slide reciprocable on the said means and formed with cam surfaces adapted to respectively engage the heads on the plungers to elevate the plungers, means to actuate the slide, and sheet positioning members disposed on the writing surface proximate the rear wall and in vertical planes intermediate the plungers, respectively.

3. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing surface, a rear wall extending above the writing surface, a ledge carried by the rear wall in spaced relation to the writing surface, said ledge being formed with a row of perforations having predetermined spacing, lockin pins in the perforations, means adapted to retain the locking pins in the perforations, said writing surface being formed with a row of perforations registering with the perforations in the ledge, plungers reciprocating in the last mentioned perforations and adapted to engage and elevate the locking pins, a cam follower actuating the plungers, a cam block, operative connections between the cam follower and the cam block to reciprocate said cam block, a lever, and means pivotally connecting one end of the lever to the cam block.

4. In a peg-board, in combination, a cabinet having a writing surface, ledge means carried by the cabinet in spaced relation to the writing .sur-

face, locking pins carried with the ledge means, friction means to retain the locking pins in inoperative position, plungers reciprocating with respect to the writin surface and adapted to elevate the locking pins, a cam follower .to actuate the plungers, a cam lock adjacent the cam follower, operative connections between the cam block and the follower, and means to actuate the cam block.

5. In a peg-board, in combination, a cabinet having an inclined writing surface, a rear wall extending above the writing surface, ledge means carried by the rear wall in spaced relation to the writing surface, said ledge means being formed with a row of perforations having predetermined spacing, locking pins in the perforations, friction means adapted to engage and retain the locking pins in the perforations, said writing surface being formed with a row of perforations registering with the perforations in the ledge means, plungers reciprocating in the last mentioned perforations and adapted to engage and elevate the locking pins, a cam follower supporting the plungers, studs carried by the cam follower, a cam block adjacent the cam follower, means guiding the cam block for reciprocation, said cam block bein formed with cam slots receiving the studs, a lever pivoted in the cabinet, means pivotally connecting one end of the lever to the cam block, the front wall of said cabinet being slotted to receive the free end of the lever.

6. In a peg-board, in combination, a cabinet having a writing surface, a rear wall extending above the writing surface, a ledge carried by the rear wall in spaced relation to the writing surface, said ledge being formed with a row of perforations having predetermined spacing, looking pins in the perforations, means to retain the looking pins in the perforations, said writing surface being formed with a row of perforations registering with the perforations in the ledge, plungers reciprocating in the last mentioned perforations and adapted to engage and elevate the locking pins, cam means actuating the plungers, a cam block, operative connections between the cam block and the cam means, a lever pivoted in the cabinet, and means connecting one end of the lever to the cam block.

7. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing surface, a rear wall extendin above the writing surface, a ledge carried by the rear wall in spaced relation to the Writing surface, locking pins carried by the ledge, means adapted to retain the locking pins in selected positions and means to actuate the locking pins.

8. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing surface, vertically reciprocal, substantially straight locking pins, means to position the locking pins in predetermined spaced relation along said surface, means to retain the locking pins in predetermined elevated position, and lever means to reciprocate the locking pins.

9. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing surface, a rear wall extending above the writing surface, ledge means in spaced relation to the writing surface, said ledge being formed with a row of perforations, locking pins in the perforations, said Writing surface being formed with a row of perforations registering with the perforations in the ledge, plungers reciprocating in the last mentioned perforations and adapted to engage and elevate the locking pins and cam means to reciprocate the plungers.

10. In a peg-board, in combination, a, writing surface, ledge means in spaced relation to the Writing surface, locking pins frictionally movable in said ledge, reciprocating plungers to elevate the locking pins, and means to actuate the plungers.

11. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing surface, vertically reciprocal, substantially straight locking pins, means supporting said locking pins for reciprocal movement, means to retain the locking pins in predetermined positions 12 spaced with respect to the surface of the liegboard, and means for reciprocating the locking pins.

12. In a peg-board, in combination, a writing surface, vertically reciprocable, straight locking pins reciprocable with respect to the writing surface, and lever means reciprocating the locking pins.

ST. CLAIR BROMFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 269,601 Sinclair Dec. 26, 1882 435,413 Fish Sept. 2, 1890 861,968 Gloe July 30, 1907 1,174,458 Wigginton Mar. 7, 1916 1,462,683 Bush July 24, 1923 1,588,279 Strickland June 8, 1926 1,588,947 Dinsmoor June 15, 1926 1,604,572 Hausheer Oct. 26, 1926 1,727,011 Heileman Sept. 3, 1929 1,819,429 Manzler Aug. 18, 1931 1,841,014 De Wael Jan. 12, 1932 1,844,744 Critchfield Feb. 9, 1932 1,958,743 Connor May 15, 1934 2,036,684 Dawson Apr. 7, 1936 2,061,878 Neimann Nov. 24, 1936 2,077,677 Dawson et a1 Apr. 20, 1937 2,140,207 Martin Dec. 13, 1938 2,142,786 Haskin Jan. 3, 1939 2,301,605 Zalkind Nov. 10, 1942 2,316,209 Zalkind Apr. 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 609,398 Germany 1935 613,912 Germany 1935 676,405 Germany 1939 815,866 France 1937