US2626610A - Vertical-type file folder - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 27, 1953 J. s. MGTAVISH ETAL 2,626.610

, Filed Feb. 2, 1949 VERTICAL-TYPE FILE HOLDER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Inventors J OHN S- McTAVISH ALBERT H. PHAM by M to ney Jan. 27, 1953 J. 5. MOTAVISH EI'AL 2,626.610

VERTICAL-TYPE FILE HOLDER Filed Feb. 2, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET z Inventors JOHN s. ucTAvIsH ALBER'I n. worm by A Attorney Patented Jan. 27, 1953 2,626,610 VERTICAL-TYPE FILE FOLDER John S. McTavish and Albert H. Topham, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, assignors to The Olfice Specialty Mfg. Company Limited, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada Application February 2, 1949, Serial No. 74,204 In Canada November 1, 1948 6 Claims. (Cl. 129-1617) This invention relates to improvements in a vertical-type file folder and appertains particularly to the hanger rods therefor.

An object of the invention is to provide a vertical file folder with improved hanger rods that besides suspending the folder in the file cabinet drawer can also connect it with the file or files next to it, immediately to the front and/or rear of it in the filing cabinet drawer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hanger rod for this purpose that is releasably engageable with the confronting rod of the adjacent file, the rods being of identical form with alternate ones inverted.

A further object of the invention is to provide an interlocking type hanger rod for file folders that is formed to ride on the usual side rails of the file cabinet drawer in either its primary or inverted position.

' A further object of the invention is to provide hanger rods for vertical file folders that are .interlockable, to unite a series of files in accordion-like arrangement, and instantly releasable from such engagement by relative vertical movement yet securely held against accidental horizontal displacement.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a vertical file folder, and particularly the hanger rods therefor, of the nature and for the purposes set forth that is characterized by structural simplicity, durability and eificiency, ease of operation and low cost of production, whereby the same is rendered commercially desirable.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully described,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of the interlocking ends of a pair of rods, one being in relatively inverted position;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective elevation of these two rod ends locked together; and

Figure 7 is a plan of the rod end seen in Figure 4.

The file folders here shown are of simple or conventional design being formed from a rectangular sheetof fibrous material folded on its transverse median 2 and the free edges 3 of the leaves doubled back and marginally secured to the leaves to provide shallow open-ended channels 4 for the length thereof. Hanger rods 5 are threaded through these channels, being of a length to project from both ends thereof, and it is by these projecting ends of the rods that the file folders are suspended, as upwardly opening pockets, in the filing cabinet drawer on side rails 6 or similar supports set as a frame-work into the filing cabinet drawer or incorporated in the structure thereof.

This invention deals with these rods 5 and especially the formation of the opposite ends thereof. Formed as by stamping of a single strip of sheet metal the body 1 is relatively flat and thin, continuing unbroken for the length of the file folders hollow edge fold or channel 4 through which it passes. The ends 8 have companion recesses 9 on both top and bottom vertical edges by which they may rest with equal security like hooks on the side rails 6 in either vertical position, since it is desired that alternate rods'be relatively inverted.

Between the straight body portion 1 and the respective opposite rail-receiving recessed ends 8, the rod is laterally angularly ofiset as at In a distance not less and preferably substantially more than the thickness of the strip of material from which it is formed. Both ends are offset in the same direction and the body of the rod is of such length that the step or offset It. lies just beyond the file leaf channel through which the rod passes and serves therefore to prevent the accidental longitudinal displacement of the rod.

This offset ill on each end of the rod is then cut identical rods are used in both leaf channels of the file, only one is inverted in relation to the other. Furthermore, the rods are arranged in each case with the confronting ends offset outwardly so that contactable ends of interlockable rods of immediately adjacent files approach each other, actually spacing individual files a wee bit and facilitating the attaching of adjoining single files together in the so-c-alled accordion arrangement by a relative vertical movement hooking.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that an improved interlockable hanging rod for vertical file folders is provided that will fulfil all the necessary requirements of such a device, but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention may be constructed within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the said accompanyin specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitative or restrictive sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A vertical file folder for use with others in releasable, interlocked, concertina arrangement on spaced horizontal side rails and comprising a folder with rod-receiving means along a pair of opposite free edges, a pair of identical hanger rods one for each such edge, usable one in upright and the other in relatively inverted position respectively, said rods having ends projecting beyond the margins of said folder and laterally oifset, said oifset ends having recesses on both upper and lower edges to hook in the same manner on said rails in either primary upright or inverted position and vertical rod-receiving notches in said rods beyond the mar in of said folder and short of the recessed, offset ends, whereby the oppositely oifset ends of a pair of rods one'from each of adjacent file folders and one of which rods is upright and the other in relatively inverted position lie crossed over one another in looking embrace with said notches inter-nested.

2. For vertical file folders usable with spaced supporting side rails, a hanger rod having laterally oifset ends, rail-accommodating companion recesses on both top and bottom of said ofiset ends, the offsetting step between said rod and said offset ends being angular and laterally offsetting said ends a distance not less than the thickness of said rod and companion rod-receiving configurations associated with said angular offsetting steps whereby alternate hanger rods in relatively inverted position may be releasably joined by in- 4 terengagement of said rod-receiving configurations.

3. The combination with the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said interlockin means consists of a notch in the offsetting step at each end of the rod just wider than the thickness of the rod and extending for one-half the height thereof.

4. The combination with the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein the rods are used one in upright and the other in relatively inverted position and the ends of the rods are offset by an angularly disposed oifsetting step and wherein the interlocking means consists of a vertical notch in such angularly disposed offsetting step, so that the rod ends of adjoining file folders are vertically engageable in overlapping relation and with the companion recesses of opposite edges of the respective rods in registry.

5. The combination with the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein the ends are laterally oifset both in the same direction and for a distance at least as great as the thickness of the rod, by an angularly disposed offsetting step and wherein the interlocking means consists of a vertifical notch in such angularly disposed offsetting 5 ep.

6. A vertical-type file folder for use with a spaced pair of side rails comprising a folder with rod-receiving means along a pair of opposite free edges, a hanger rod for each such ed e having opposite ends projecting beyond the margins of said folder for support on said side rails, the ends of each rod having a laterally offset step offsetting them in the same direction and for a distance as great as the thickness of the rod and having beyond the offest step a rail-accommodating recess on both top and bottom edges whereby a rod may hook in the same manner on the side rails whether it be in upright or relatively inverted position, said rod also having a notch in the offset step near each end that extends for half the height of the rod and of a width at least equal to the thickness of the rod; said rods being useable in pairs having the same upright position when the offset ends of adjacent rods may nest or be useable with alternate rods in relatively inverted position when the offset ends of adjacent rods may interlock in crossed relation with the notches sliding into one another.

JOHN S. MCTAVISH. ALBERT H. TOPHAM.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,247,593 Weber July 1, 1941 2,318,077 Jonas May 4, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 53,341 Holland Oct. 15, 1942 112,585 Sweden Oct. 5, 1944 566,333 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1944

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