US2827199A - Unit sheet dispenser for currency holders - Google Patents

Description

March 18, 1958 I E. A. BASKERVILLE 2,327,199

UNIT SHEET DISPENSER FOR CURRENCY HOLDERS Filed Oct. 31,1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 18, 1958 E. A. BASKERVILLE 2,827,199

UNIT SHEET DISPENSER FOR CURRENCY HOLDERS Filed Oct. 51, 1952 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Edward A Buskerville v ATTORNEYS v I? F EGIQA.

March 1 8, 1958 E. A. BASKERVILLE 2,827,199

UNIT SHEET DISPENSER FOR CURRENCY HOLDERS Filed Oct. 31, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 I 2 'IIIIII 111111111111 1101/11/11),

FE G, 580

v INVENTOR Edward A. Beskerville ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent UNIT SHEET DIPENER FOR CURRENCY HOLDERS Edward A. Baskerville, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 31, 1952, Serial No. 317,973

6 Claims. ({3}. 221-34) This invention relates to currency holders for cash drawers, and particularly to a holder that will dispense paper money, one bill at a time, by finger touch, and also instantly provide for release of the entire contents.

Very little has been accomplished in this field, to meet the great need. Either the paper money is stacked up loose in the cash drawer, or it is held down by a weight or spring. Cash drawers are sometimes equipped with a weight on a U-shaped wire member, that pivots at its open end at the rear of the drawer. This device serves no useful purpose except weighting down the bills. A spring loaded device, to aid in dispensing, quite similar in principle to paper napkin holders commonly used, appeared on the market, but has not met with much favor. This device keeps the bills, therein, forced upward against the detents at the top. Because of this, and the bills being confined only at the mid-point with no restraint near the ends, bills are frequently caught in the cash register. When the cash drawer is opened, a bill caught by the under side of the drawer compartment, is peeled off the pile, and it drops down behind the drawer, and is forced into the back of the register, when the drawer is closed again. Shortages remain a mystery until this fact is discovered and are then a continual nuisance. The great need for a reliable currency holder, that is self-acting in receiving the paper money and securely holding same, while still positively dispensing one bill at a time by finger touch, must be apparent.

An important feature of my invention is a holder for paper money having surfaces adapted to hold currency by frictional contact and into which holder bills may be placed in fairly compact stacked arrangement and from which stacked arrangement bills may be instantly removed one at a time by finger touch.

Additional features of advantage pertain to specific frictional means whereby currency is held down in the holder and from which the uppermost sheet may be removed independently of the sheet next below it.

One of these features involving specific frictional means pertains to projections which serve to intercept the edges of the currency, thereby trapping the sheets and keeping them fairly compact and in a manageable state without the use of springs or weights resting on the surface of the uppermost sheet.

Another specific improvement relates to the separator device whereby the uppermost sheet may be removed by finger touch and the sheet next below it is restrained from being withdrawn when only the uppermost sheet is desired by the person withdrawing the top sheet of currency.

Another feature of the invention relates to the holder from which the entire contents may be instantly released.

Another feature of this invention relates to a holder that may be built in inte rally with the cash drawer, or be insertable therein with an adjustment for different lengths of drawers.

Another feature of this invention is a holder, which although capable of functioning with the minimum of effort by the user, can be economically manufactured.-

Other distinctive features and advantages will be apparent from the following description and claims when considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the holder not illustrating a separator device;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a cabinet, with holders equipped with separator devices in the top tier, and with compartments below for packages of currency;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the forward end of the holder in plan, showing a separator device applied thereto;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view of the holder taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the separator taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the side wall showing point projections projecting from the side wall and below which projections the edges of currency sheets are adapted to be confined, the projections being carried by a vertical plate common to all the projections;

Fig. 9 is a view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing a modification of the point projections illustrated in Fig. 8, and according to which the projections are arranged in a vertical row projecting directly from the inner surface of the side wall of the holder;

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the point projections, in which ribs extending horizontally outwardly from the side walls are widest at their middle point and recede in width toward their end, the ribs being formed integrally with their supporting member which is affixed to the inner wall of the holder;

Fig. 10A is a plan view of the ribs shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 11 is a view looking downwardly and diagonally at a holder having point projections such as shown in Fig. 9, and showing also a separator device with diverging ribs located at the upper end of the forward wall;

Fig. 12 is a view taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11 looking rearwardly in the direction of the arrows, the point projections extending directly from the inner surface of the side walls of the holder;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing one modification of the point projections, according to which the projections are formed integrally with a rubber supporting base mounted on the side wall;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view showing another modification of the point projections wherein a piece of textile goods is mounted on the side walls, the textile piece having bristles projecting therefrom and which bristles serve to hold down currency sheets;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the forward end of the holder shown in Fig. 11, this being a modification of the separating device shown in Fig. 5, illustrating the mounting of the separator device on the forward flexible front end wall of the holder, and showing in dotted lines the position of the separator device ribs when pressed from above:

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary view looking down on the flexible portions of the front end wall showing the slots other desired finish, if the holder is of metal.

. of material used.

and drawers, the drawer itself can be constructed so as described in the following.

. 1949, Unit Dispensing Currency Holders, now abandoned, and the present improvement involves some of the features of that application with the addition of certain improvements which will be explained in the following specification.

Figs. 1-7 inclusive of the present application were illustrated and described in said application Serial No. 97,271 and the present improvements are to some extent related to the features shown in those figures. As a background whereby the improvements herein may most readily be understood, there will now be described the essential features of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive.

As means for receiving and containing paper currency, the holder includes substantially essentially a bottom wall 1 and a forward wall 2 constituting that wall from which currency is normally withdrawn sheet by sheet. In the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, the forward wall 2 is provided with an upwardly inclined curve having its rear portion merging with the bottom 1. (See Fig. 2.) The side walls which are parallel to each other are indicated in plan view at 3 in Fig. 1, and the rear wall or back end is shown at 4 as being substantially vertical. The sides 3 are similar except for right and left hand construction. It will be observed that the sides 3 have extensions forwardly for a distance approximately to the front end of the upper end of the forwardavall 2, so that the holder may rest firmly in a "receiving cabinet or larger drawer having substantially the same length and width as the holder of the present invention. Also the respective sides 3 have extensions projecting rearwardly beyond the wall ,4 and which extensions may be bent so that the holder may be firmly held in, place by the pressure of those extensions 7 against the inner face of the rear end of the cabinet or whatever container is used for the reception of the holder. The forward end 2 with its curved surface provides a satisfactory contour for the ready removal of currency sheets.

The side wal1s'3, as shown in Figs. 1-7 inclusive, have narrow right'angle flanges 5 extending inwardly at their tops at regions intermediate the opposite ends of the holder. .These flanges provide a smooth finished top and also a protecting and supporting edge for the holding "and releasing elements, to be described. The several parts are preferably permanently joined at .the corners and edges, and provided with a plated, enameled or Optionally the holder may be formed of any suitable material, including plastic, and the principal portion of the holder structure may be cast or molded depending on the type In the manufacture of cash registers to contain the holding and releasing elements yet to be Among the important features of the device'of this invention are the means for retaining currency bills in a stack and means for enabling the person operating the device to remove one bill at a time with some measure of assurance that a'second'bill will not inadvertently For the convenience of Y Fig. 2, it will be observed that a series of parallel horizontal ribs are indicated at 6 and these are grouped in two separate areas on the side walls of the respective sides 3. The edges of currency bills are adapted to project in between the adjacent ribs and thus be held down. Thus the stack of bills is maintained in reasonably compact condition. Such ribs 6 may be of plastic or rubber afiixed to the material of the side wall or such ribs may be formed directly in the material of the side wall. The use of vertically extending ribs as shown at 7 in Fig. 2 may serve to some extent as frictional means to prevent the endwise movement of currency but vertical ribs are not to be considered the equivalent of horizontal ribs or of the point projections to be described hereinafter.

Although there is shown in Fig. 2 the use of retaining areas by means of horizontal laterally projecting ribs 6, and the vertically laterally projecting rib 7 as means for providing frictional engagement with the edge portion of currency sheets, it has now been found that the point projection means shown in several forms in Figs. 8-15 inclusive function more perfectly. These latter improved means for holding the currency bills by their side edge portions will be described later in this specification. V

,Still referring to Figs. 17, inclusive,- and more -especially to Figs. 5 and 6, there will now be described the Separator device which assists the operator or user of the holder to withdraw the uppermost currency bill one sheet at a time while preventing the accidental removal This reduces withdrawing two or more bills where he intended only to withdraw a single sheet. As stated in said application Serial No. 97,271, tests have shown that between 1% and-2% of bills in a conventional cash drawer, :such as used prior to this invention, fail to separate, with the result that a second bill is frequently dispensed with the uppermost'bill. In such cases the error has usually. involved either two new uncrumpled bills, that :arecxtremely stiff and cling to each other, or two old bills that are of somewhat less width 'due to usage, and as a result make poor contact with frictional retaining elelnentsg assuming that such elements are in use. In establishments which make a practice of cashing checks,

and in banks and large department stores, where'large V separatoris shown broadly in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 7 in connection with-a device used on theforward and uppermost; end portion of thefrontend wall 2 0f the holder.

Referringto Fig.5, one form of such a separatoris shown applied to the holder. tit consists of an angular twin winged interceptor or separator 8 which may ,be of plastic or-metal and which may be constructed separately and added to the front end wall 2 or it may-be constructed integrally with the material of the front end'wall 2. The edges 9 which are the rearmost extending edges may be knurled or coated with rubber to j provide an .action. resistant to the endwise movement ofa currency bill. Thecenter portion 10, as shown in FigsfS and 6, should lie flat against the wall 2 and should provide a smooth'unbroken surface with the surface of the inside of the wall 2, whereby to provide .a path for the finger of the operator in removing the uppermost currency bill. The touch of the finger on .theuppermost bill pulls/it forward and the sheet-yields f to [the inclined .wings 8 of the separator, thus causing theopposite' edgesv of theuppermost sheetto-turn upward and away from the. sheet next .beneathandthus to be easily freed, as indicated by the dotted line in Figf7.

In Fig. 6, the uppermost sheet is indicated at A and the next adjacent lower sheet is indicated at B in dotted line arrangement, thus approximating the top two sheets of a stack of currency bills. The bill below, if it has any tendency to move forward, does not ride past the obstruction provided by the separator and is caught in a substantially fiat position by the edges 9 of the wings 8. It has been established that this separator device operates with uniform reliability, regardless of variations in the condition of currency bills being used.

Application Serial No. 97,271 also described and illustrated a device for instantly releasing all of the bills in a holder. According to that construction, an L-shaped spring lever 11 is provided. It extends downwardly on one side and across the bottom of the inside of the holder. See Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. This lever preferably is on the right side of the drawer looking forwardly toward the wall 2 but may be provided at either side. The upright arm of the lever presses against a side wall 3 and may be flexed about the point of juncture between the upright portion and the bottom of the L. The upper end of the lever 11 is accessible by means of a slot cut or formed in the flange 5 of that side of the holder. By pushing inwardly and then lifting upwardly, all of the bills may be freed from the friction elements extending inwardly from the side walls, and may then be instantly lifted upwardly and removed from the holder. This release lever 11 may also be secured by a pivot, but the spring construction, which when not acted upon, assumes its normal position against the side wall 3 and bottom 1, is deemed preferable.

Said application Serial No. 97,271 also showed a cabinet in which a holder or a series of holders such as that just described may be used. As shown in the perspective view Fig. 3, such a holder is indicated generally by the reference character 13. The cabinet contains a series of compartments 12 in the lower portion and in the upper portion there is provided four holders of the type described in the foregoing. In Fig. 3 also will be observed the separator device including the lateral extensions or wings 8. Thus far, this description has identified the essential features of construction of the holder shown in application Serial No. 97,271 together with the use of laterally projecting frictional means for engaging the edge portions of currency bills, and also the use combined with those features of a separator device as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8.

In the following, there will be described certain details which were mentioned in said application although not specifically illustrated. In said application, Serial No. 97,271, mention was made of point projections of various types which could be used in lieu of the ribs 6 of the drawings of that application. There will now be described a few specific examples of point projections which function satisfactorily for the purposes of this invention. There will also be described an improved form of separator device.

Point projections are illustrated in Figs. 8-15 inclusive. Fig. 8 shows a fragmentary view of a portion of a holder side wall on which is secured a rubber sheet 15', carrying point projections 14, and which projections extend substantially horizontally outwardly from the rubber sheet. Preferably two such strips of rubber base and rubber point projections are provided at spaced locations on each side wall, being substituted for the tiers of ribs 6, as shown in Fig. 2. According to Fig. 8, the point projections are round in cross section. Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 8 and illustrates the relative position of the rubber base 15 and rubber point projections 14.

A modification of the point projections as shown in 1 .ig. 8 is illustrated in the fragmentary view Fig. 9, which projections'16 are mounted directly on the side wall 3,

being either inserted in the material of the side wall or 6 formed of the material of the side wall. According to Fig. 9, the point projections 16 are shown as being round in cross section.

Another type of point projection is illustrated in Fig. 10 which is a fragmentary view showing a series of spaced ribs mounted on a side wall 3. According to this arrangement, the ribs 17 are formed integrally with their supporting panel 18 and the ribs project outwardly horizontally having their greatest projection at an intermediate point and gradually sloping to a lesser width toward the edge of the supporting panel 18. Two such panels with their projecting ribs are used in spaced locations after the manner of the structure shown for the rib 6 in Fig. 2 and point projections 14 in Fig. 8. The general contour of the ribs 17 are shown in plan view in Fig. 10A, which is a sectional view taken on the line 10A10A of Fig. 10.

Fig. 11 is a view looking downwardly and forwardly into the interior of a currency holder showing a round type of point projection on the adjacent side walls and also illustrating at the uppermost portion of the forward end a separator which will be described later on in this specification. Still referring to Fig. 11, it will be observed that there are two spaced groups of point projections such as shown in Fig. 9 on each opposite side wall.

Fig. 12 illustrates a difierent view of the point projections 16, such as shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a view taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows, thus rearwardly toward one group of the point projections.

In Fig. 13, there is shown a sectional view taken on the line 1313 of Fig. 8 and which illustrates the rubber sheet from the material of which the point projections 14 extend.

Fig. 14 illustrates a modification of point projections. In this figure, there is illustrated a panel member 19 of textile material from which project bristles 249. The panel of textile material 19 is positioned on a side wall 3 in substantially the same position as the point projections are used in Figs. 8 and 10. The edge portions of currency sheets when pushed downwardly into the holder are engaged by the bristles 2i and are thus caused to remain in a fairly compact orderly stack.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 10 and showing the ribs 17 at substantially their point of greatest width. It has been found that panel members 18, with the laterally projecting ribs 17, function satisfactorily when such elements are formed of a rigid plastic.

A modification of the forward end of the holder and a modification of the separator device, thus in contrast to the shape and arrangement of those parts as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, will now be described. It has been found that an advantageous result has been achieved when the forward end of the drawer, instead of being a continuous curve upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 6, is shown providing a somewhat shorter curve and an end portion which is quite flexible, as contrasted to the material of the bottom wall of the container. This extra flexibility serves to improve the action of the separator device, as will be described in connection with the construction shown in Figs. 11, 16, 17 and 18. Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on the line 16-16 of Fig. 11 and looking in the direction of the arrows. This view shows the front end portion of the Wall 2 as formed of two metal pieces involving the following details of construction. The forward wall at its upper end por tion is provided with separator ribs 21 which preferably are formed of rubber which are substantially wedgeshaped with their highest end uppermost adjacent the extreme end of the holder. These ribs 21 are analogous in their functions to the wings 8 of the separator de vice shown in Fig. 5 but have been found to function more satisfactorily. According to Fig. 16, the end portion of the metal wall 22 is provided with slots 23 which 7 r diverge toward their upper ends and which slots are "designed for the reception of the ribs 21 therethrough, On the forward and underneath surface of the part 22 there is mounted a resilient member 22 of steel or other flexible material which is relatively more flexible than the material of the part 22.. This flexible piece 22 is secured to the part 22 by rivets 25 (Fig. 16) which extend through rivet holes 24 in the part 22 and corresponding rivet openings 24 in theflexible piece 22 On the upper surface of the flexible piece 22 the ribs '21 are mounted, being positioned so as to be in alignment with the slots 23. Preferably the rubber ribs are formed as a unitary member with a common supporting base and the rubber assembly is securely afiixed to the upper surface of the flexible piece 2%.

In. the operation of this construction, the flexible piece 22 with the rubber ribs carried thereby is adapted to yield when pressed from above so that the plate 22 and the ribs may be depressed and may assume the position shown in dotted lines in 'Fig. 16. Thus when a person withdrawing a'currency note from the holder,

" and pressure by afinger of the operator is used on the note 7 above and between'the ribs 21, the resulting action may cause the ribs to be depressed. The'sh'eet which is next beneath the uppermost sheet, if it follows the upper- 'most sheet when the'latter is withdrawn from the holder, will move into engagement with the sloping resistant edge 'of the ribs 21 and be stopped in its forward motion, due to the friction applied on the forward edge and under surface of the sheets beneath the uppermost sheet and also because the friction-applied to the forward edge and underneath surface is greater than the friction on their upper surfaces caused by the pressure of the operators finger through the uppermost sheet.

In further explanation of the operation and use of the separator, it will be understood that the principle invokedis the same as that used when a person separates any sheet of paper from another. Primarily the user applies the index finger to the leading edge of the desired sheet. That sheet resists to some extent, after which the ball of the-thumb then is used to push against the under sheet which is not desired, thus stopping its forward motion by pressing the underneath sheet against the ribs 21. The thumb then assists the index finger in removing the desired sheet. The separator ribs of this invention are designed to perform substantially the same function, simulating the frictional action of the ball of the thumb;

In the construction as shown in Figs. 11 and. 16, the forward end of the holder is provided with a short curve from the level of the floor -1- up to the adjacent edge of the separator and from that point to the extreme front of' the holder theicurve becomes a contra-curve This which ends in a levelling gradually rising plane. specific curve 'and contra-curve-assist in making it poss'ible for all sheets to approach the separator ribs'from a similar angle. 7

'Whereas the separator wings 8 and resisting edges 9 of the separator shown in-Figs. 5 and 6 functioned to prevent-the inadvertent withdrawal of a currency sheet next adjacent the uppermost sheet, it was necessary for the user to exercise a limited amount of pressure for efficient results. However, the yieldable mounting of "the separator ribs as v.shown in Fig. 16 reduces to a minimum the degree of exactattention which must be OIlOthGI resilient means might be used to provide the "desired resilient action for the mounting ofthe separator and its ribs.

@In summary, it will be understood from the foregoing *thatthe presentinvention provides several-forms of hold- 7 7 most sheet.

ers which are characterized by two essentialfeatures,

first, the use of projections extending from the opposite side walls inwardly to intercept the edges of the currency so as to hold the sheets down and 'keepthe'fstack of sheets in a manageable state, and secondly,- the separating device located at the upper portion'of the forward wall of the holder whereby pressure on the uppermost sheet serves to bring the sheet next beneath into engagement of this invention is open at its top and compl tely openabove the curved front end both from 'side to side and lengthwise of said holder from the forward edge to the rear portion of saidcurved front end.. Thus when the holder is used to contain and dispense currency, the upper surface of a pile of billslis readily accessible to the hands ofa person using the holder.

I claim:

.1. A device of the class described comprising a holder fora stack of paper sheets of a specified size; .said holder 7 having a flat horizontal bottom, an upwardly curved front end, and two spaced vertical parallel sides between which a stack of sheets is adapted to fit with the edges of the sheets of said stack in vertical planes, and'aseparator device adjacent the top of the upwardly curved front end I and positioned substantiallymedially thereof with respect to said sides and spaced away from said sides, said separator device comprising two upstanding ribs spaced from each other and from said sides so as to permit the .end portion of a currency sheet to be slightly depressed between said ribs when being pulled thereover by the action of the fingers of the operator and each rib having a slip resistant surface on the upper-face thereof whereby any tendency of a second sheet from said stack to follow with the first sheet next above it isovercome when the second sheet engages said slipresistantsurfaceandis held back while the sheet above it, when pulled forward by a finger touch applied to its upper surface,-slips freely over 'the surface of said second sheet; and is readily moved upwardly and withdrawn, said holder being open at'its top and completely open above the curved front endlboth from side to side and lengthwise of said holder from the forward edge to the rear portion of said curved.front.end.

2. A. device of the class described comprising a holder for a stack of-paper sheets of a specified size, saidholder having a flat bottom, an upwardlycurved frontlend, and

two spaced vertical parallel sides between which alstac'k of sheets is adapted to fit with the edges of'th sheets of said stack in vertical planes, and a separatordeviceadjacent the top of the front end. and positioned substantially medially thereof with respect to said sides,.said separator device having Wing portions projecting upwardly from said front end and which wing portions diverge from each other progressively outwairdlyQsaid Wiiigpoftionshtving a slip resistant surface on their upper faces toprevent the free slipping of paper thereover, whereby any tendency .of a second sheet from said stack to follow with the'ffirst sheet next above it is overcome when. the second sheet engages saidslip resistant surface and is held back thereby while the sheet above it, when pulled forward by a finger touch applied to its upper surface, slips freely over the surface of said'second sheet and is many moved upwardly and withdrawn. a l

3. A device. as claimed in clairnZ, wherein the portions of. the separator devicev comprises two rubber ribs which project upwardly from thesurface ofsaidfrqnt end and the height of said ribs is greater adjacent their front ends than at their rear ends.

4. A device of the class described comprising a holder for a stack of paper sheets of a specified size, said holder having a flat horizontal bottom, an upwardly curved front end, and two spaced vertical parallel sides between which a stack of sheets is adapted to fit with the edges of the sheets of said stack in vertical planes, said front end having a flexible portion which is resiliently flexible for movement vertically and with respect to the bottom and side walls of said holder, and on which flexible portion is mounted a separator device, said separator device being adjacent the top of said front end and positioned substantially medially thereof with respect to said sides, and having wing portions projecting upwardly from said front end and which wing portions diverge from each other progressively outwardly, said wing portions having a slip resistant surface to prevent the free slipping of paper thereover, whereby any tendency of a second sheet from said stack to follow with the first sheet next above it is overcome when the second sheet engages said slip resistant surface and is held back thereby while the sheet above it, when pulled forward by a finger touch applied to its upper surface, slips freely over the surface of said second sheet and is readily moved upwardly and withdrawn.

5. A device of the class described comprising a holder for a stack of paper sheets of a specified size, said holder having a flat bottom, an upwardly curved front end, and two spaced vertical parallel sides between which a stack of sheets is adapted to fit, said front end having a flexible portion which is resiliently flexible for movement vertically and with respect to the bottom and side walls of said holder, said flexible portion having two slots extending from the upper face downwardly therethrough and which slots diverge progressively outwardly toward the front end of said flexible portion, and a separator device adjacent the top of said flexible front end portion and positioned substantially medially thereof with respect to said sides, and having wing portions adapted to move vertically within said slots, said wing portions having a slip resistant surface to prevent the free slipping of paper thereover, whereby any tendency of a second sheet from said stack to follow with the first sheet next above it is overcome when the second sheet engages said slip resistant surface and is held back thereby While the sheet above it, when pulled forward by a finger touch applied to its upper surface, slips freely over the surface of said second sheet and is readily moved upwardly and withdrawn.

6. A device of the class described comprising a holder for a stack of paper sheets of a specified size, said holder having a bottom, an upwardly curved front end, and two spaced parallel sides between which a stack of sheets is adapted to fit, said front end having a flexible portion which is resiliently flexible for movement vertically and with respect to the bottom and side walls of said holder, said flexible portion having two slots positioned substantially medially thereof with respect to said sides extending from the upper face downwardly therethrough and which slots diverge progressively outwardly toward the front end of said flexible portion, and a separator device mounted beneath said flexible portion of said front end and having wing portions adapted to project upwardly into and through said slots and to be resiliently yieldable to pressure on the upper surface of said wing portions, said Wing portions having a slip resistant surface to prevent the free slipping of paper thereover, whereby any tendency of a second sheet to follow with the first sheet next above it is overcome when the second sheet engages said slip resistant surface and is held back thereby while the sheet above it, when pulled forward by a finger touch applied to its upper surface, slips freely over the surface of said second sheet and is readily moved upwardly and withdrawn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 648,603 Whitehead May 1, 1900 1,349,527 Owen Aug. 10, 1920 1,391,082 Smythe Sept. 20, 1921 1,409,665 Butler Mar. 14, 1922 1,593,620 Chv-ojka July 27, 1926 1,795,152 Stewart Mar. 3, 1931 2,112,341 Klemm Mar. 29, 1938 2,462,789 Trollen Feb. 22, 1949 2,469,485 Weaver May 10, 1949 2,470,347 Gallagher May 17, 1949 2,594,653 Iertson Apr. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 504,158 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1939

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