US3013359A - Folding memorandum carrier for use on a desk - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 19, 1961 c. N. 02055 ET AL 3,013,359

FOLDING MEMORANDUM CARRIER FOR USE ON A DESK Filed Jan. 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l Whoa N 03 0mm raised tent Patented Dec. 19, 1961 3,613,359 FGLDHNG MEM IERANDUM CARREER FOR USE 0N A DESK Carroll N. ilross, Maitiand, Fla, and Cyril D. Hayhow,

Taunton, Mass; said Hayhow assignor to Ad-A-Day Company, inc, Tauuton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Ian. 15, 195% S95. No. 786,951 2 Claims. (Cl. 45-450) This invention relates to a folding desk top accessory providing an exposed memorandum pad or, desirably pad and calendar combined in one unit, and in its preferred form one having provision for inscribing other memoranda such as a list of telephone numbers on surfaces readily accessible, although not always in view. The completed article is attractive as well as convenient and may be economically manufactured, stored and shipped. It is contemplated that usually it will be distributed as a gift at Christmas time with the ulterior purpose of advertising, and it will prove a gift which, because of its pleasing appearance and practical utility, will be preserved and be a yearlong reminder of the donor. It might, however, be distributed to the members of an organization or as a souvenir of-some particular occasion or be personalized by an inscription applying only to the user.

A cardinal object is to provide a superior article of this kind and in particular one wherein the calendar or top sheet of the memorandum pad is exposed at an angle easy to read and easy to write on, and normally concealed matter such as the telephone index will be easily accessible and the surfaces on which the entries of numbers may be made will be convenient for both inspection and inscription, in both the erected and collapsed positions of the device.

The invention will be well understood by reference to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device in its erected form as it would stand on the desk top of the owner, and shows a calendar pad of the memorandum type;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

FIG. 3 is a similar view, showing a portion folded outwardly to disclose two of the interior surfaces;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the device completely folded or collapsed;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are plan views, respectively of three sub-units constructed of board which are utilized in the construction of the device shown;

FIG. 8 is a View of these three units individually folded up and assembled in line;

FIG. 9 illustrates diagrammatically how the units, assembled as shown in FIG. 8, may be secured together by a covering of sheet material; and

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the parts as seen in FIG. 4, but with the memorandum pad omitted and being on a smaller scale. The scale corresponds to PEG. 9.

The particular construction shown and whichwe are about to describe is made up from boards and flexible sheet material. By boards is meant material such as cardboard or binders board of considerable thickness and rigidity, as contrasted with freely flexible, more or less limp material such as cloth, ornamental papers, imitation leather, and so on, which will herein be referred to as sheet material.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated at least the surfaces of the boards which are outwardly exposed, viewing FIG. 1, are covered with sheet material which, besides providing an attractive finish, is advantageous in that it may be utilized for connecting certain of the parts hingewise, as will be described. Especially if the boards are finished on one or both surfaces the covering may be dispensed with, but generally the resulting structures would be considered of lower grade.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device comprises three units, a first unit A, herein termed a panel, and which in use may be compared to the top of a slant top desk, a second unit B forming a supporting leg (see FIG. 2) and a forwardly presented display surface exposed above the rear edge of the desk top (panel A), and a third unit C which is a cooperating leg which, when the parts are erected as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, forms a dihedral angle with B. B and C then resemble the surfaces of a gable roof, and it will be convenient to call the two a gabled support and in particular a folding gabled support. In the example shown they are hinged together along a line corresponding to the ridgepole of such. a roof. This language, however, does not imply that they necessarily both terminate at the ridgepole, although that is illustrated. Usually their angle to the vertical will be equal and small. As will appear, the length of the eaves or bottom edges which rest on the desk top or other supporting surface need not be of the same length. A tie connection 4!), conveniently of a form hereinafter described, limits the spreading movemerit of the parts B and C, and it preferably issuch that merely pressing together two parts at points remote from the ridgepole when they are in the position of FIG. 2 will cause them to collapse together to the position shown in FIG. 4, and pressure at similar points will unfold them from the latter position.

Preferably the tie 40 is organized completely forward of the back face of C, and rearwardly of the front face i of B, and it is of such form that it is not necessary to manipulate the tie itself in erecting or callapsing the support.

It will now be convenient to describe in detail each of the units as shown. The particularity of the description however does not imply that the particular construction shown and described need always be used.

Referring to FIG. 5 the panel A is herein shown as formed of three plies of board which may be parts of a strip of boa-rd divided in three areas by slits 16 across the greater portion of the width, and perforations 18 at the ends of the slits provide hinges so that the three sections may be folded up zigzag in a three-ply structure as shown at the left of FIG. 9. it is folded over and down 011 12 and 14 under and below 12. These hinges are not of functional significance in the completed article and may even be broken when the device is completed. The three sections are herein of similar area except that a rectangul-ar area 29 is cut out from the free edge of the section 14 as seen at the right, for a purpose which will appear. The faces of the sections 10 and 12 which appear in FIG. 5, and which oppose each other when folded over, preferably have, or later haveapplied to them, a finished sur-- face suitable for inscription for reasons which will appear.

Referring to FIG. 6, the forward leg unit B comprises a piece of board divided into a front board 22 and a rear board 24, forming the leg proper, the two boards being defined by slits 26 and perforations 28 corresponding to 16 and i8, and permitting the board 22; to be folded (away and down viewing FIG. 6) to underlie the upper portion of the board 2 The rear board 24 is of greater altitude viewing FIG. 6, than the board 22, as it constitutes the leg pro-per and is of a dimension necessary to extend the full distance from ridgepole to caves in the Referring to FIG. 7, which is the cooperating leg C, this herein is likewise a two-ply structure comprising two parts 32 and 34 defined in a strip of board by a slit 36 and perforations 38 corresponding to the numerals having the same last digit in FIGURES and 6. 34 is folded upwardly and rearwardly viewing FIG. 7 to lie behind 32. When folded, the double structure forms the rear portion of the gabled support and the half altitude of the strip as seen in FIG. 7 is such that it extends from ridgepole to caves.

The connecting tie 40 which has previously been referred to and which prevents the parts B and C from spreading furt ier than is seen in FIG. 2, may be of a construction substantially identical with that disclosed in our Patent No. 2,916,236, dated December 8, 1959.

Referring to FIG. 6, the part 24 is provided with a weakened hinge line 42, parallel to the upper edge of the part and cuts 44 extending therefrom form a tongue 4% which may be bent out of the plane of the board 24 and is so bent in FIGS. 2 and 3. Spaced but aligned perforations or similar weakening lines 46 adjacent the end of this tongue are joined by a three-sided cut defining an area 43, the cut extending to the hinge line 42. The tongue 40 thus has pivoted at its distal end a crosshead which embodies a part (the extreme distal upper end of the tongue viewing FIG. 6) which extends at one side of the hinge line 44 and another 48 bounded by the three sided cut extending at the opposite side of that line.

Referring to FIG. 7, the board 32; is provided with a slot 50 of a width to pass the tongue 40, and when the parts are assembled the board 24 overlies the board 32 face to face and the tongue 34 is passed up through the slot and extends toward the upper edge thereof, shown in FIG. 2. The tongue is received between that forward face of the board 32 and what in FIG. 7 is the rearward face of the board 34, which is folded over on top of it. The boards 32 and 34 are fastened together so that this central area is unobstructed and forms an interstitial space in which the tongue is received and in which it can work in the erecting and collapsing motion of the parts. When the stand is opened the tongue is pulled downwardly and rearwardly in a direction to remove it from the slot. The two boards retain the hinged crosshead in the plane between them. The part 48 slides past the lower margin of the slot 5t: and the distal part remains behind the upper margin and the two legs, 24-0, of the support stop in the position of FIGS. 2 and 3.

In the present instance however slits 52. are provided at the upper side of the slot 59 freeing that margin thereof, and also slits 54 at the lower margin spaced at a distance slightly greater than the width of the part 48. These two portions of the margin of the slot thus are in the nature of stiff springs. They are not functional in the normal use of the device, but if undue opening pressure is applied the parts between the slits 54- may yield and permit the part 43 to escape before the tongue is torn apart. If it has become separated in this way the slits 52 permit the area between them to lift slightly, thus to facilitate the introduction of the wider portion of the crosshead through the slot and to the further face of the board 32.

The three units thus described may be assembled in line as shown in FIG. 8, with the portion 24a of part B extending into the recess 20 of the board 14 in the manner shown in FIG. 9, the adjacent edges of the board it) and the board 22. being suitably spaced and the opposite edges of the unit B and the edge of the unit C likewise being suitably spaced.

in FIG. 9 there is shown diagrammatically a covering 60 of sheet material being drawn from the roll and being applied to the upper surfaces (viewing FIG. 8) of this assembly. It is adhesively secured to these faces and unites them in the relationship shown in FIG. 8. it is of such width that the edges of the material may be folded over and secured along narrow zones at the opposite faces of the units bridging the open edges which are seen in FIG. 9, and uniting the superposed parts of each unit. The covering provides a hinge 62 between part A and part B at the lower edge of board 22 and part way up the leg 24, so that when the device is erected the panel A lies at a low angle to the horizontal. It also provides a hinge 64 between units B and C along the line of the ridgepole. lit will be noted that the three sides which are uppermost in FIG. 8 will be those which are outwardly presented in FIG. 1 and they display the attractive covering material.

Because of the low angle at which panel A is supported, viewing FIG. 2, it is easy to observe, being tilted up slightly into the line of vision of the one sitting at the desk on which it stands, and it is also easy to write upon as it would not be if it stood more nearly vertical. At the same time the leg 24:: of unit B makes a small angle with the vertical and the pressure of the writing instrument or the hand is taken up primarily by a direct thrust on this leg because of the construction of the gabled support, with no tendency to collapse it and without undue strain on the connection it In the preferred form of the invention the upwardly exposed portion of the panel A carrying the pad M is adapted to be displaced to disclose further memoranda, and in the present instance after the parts have been united as described in connection with FIG. 9, the board 10 and the covering over its exposed face may be severed along a line parallel to the hinge 64 extending to the same, releasing this portion liia of the board for movement about a hinge 66 provided by the folded over covering (see FIG. 3) from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. This cutting is performed in accordance with the practices of the art, without harming the subjacent surfaces. If desired a small portion '70 may be cut out from one corner of this area 10a to permit insertion of the finger to lift the same. The interior surfaces of the boards 10 and 12 which are thus exposed may carry memoranda or have memoranda added to them and conveniently they may be ruled to permit the inscription of telephone numbers thereon. They are easily inspected by opening the movable board from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3. In that position the slanting surface of the panel can be easily written on because its low angle remains and the back of the unfolded portion lies flat on the desk and can be easily inscribed. Moreover a mere pressure of the fingers on the two parts B and C collapses them to the position of FIG. 4 from the position of FIG. 2, and if the movable portion were then unfolded, both areas would lie fiat for inscription. It will be noted that the lower portion 24a of the front leg closes into the opening 3% of board 14. 24 and 14 lie in the same plane and 22 and 12 also lie in a common plane. The part C is flat and it extends across the part A throughout its width and supports A evenly. A rests on its own forward edge and the nearer edge of part C viewing FIG. 3 at a negligible angle. There is no jiggling or tilting when the parts are being written on. There are no projecting portions beyond the rearward surface of the part C which would interfere. Merely by moving the finger up between the parts B and C from the lower end of the latter, the folding support is erected to the position of FIG. 2, either before or after the part 10a is folded back.

We are aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and we therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in several matters from the description itself. Reference is to be had to the appended claims to indicate those principles of the invention exemplified by the particular embodiment described and which we desire to secure by Letters Patent.

We claim:

1. A folding gabled stand of the type comprising two hinged panels adapted to be erected to stand with the aoraaso panels angularly disposed in the manner or" a gable roof, one panel comprising a brace hinged thereto on an axis parallel to the hinge line of the panels, which brace comprises a body portion and a crosshead distally hinged thereto on a transversely extneding hinge axis and having portions extending to both sides of the hinge line, the other panel comprising an interior board having a slot of a length greater than the width of the head and a width less than the depth of the haed and a board exterior thereto defining therewith an open interfacial space to which the slot opens, into which space the end of the brace may enter and in which it may slide when introduced through the slot, said portions of the crosshead spanning the width of the slot and engaging behind the opposite margins of the slot on retrograde movement of the brace tending to withdraw it from said space, characterized by the fact that the margin of the slot behind which the proximal portion of the crosshead engages is slitted at either side of the position of said portion to provide a resilient latching element yieldable on undue strain to release the head.

2. A folding gabled stand of the type comprising two hinged panels adapted to be erected to stand with the panels angularly disposed in the manner of a gable roof, one panel comprising a brace hinged thereto on an axis parallel to the hinge line of the panels, which brace comprises a body portion and a crosshead distally hinged thereto on a transversely extending hinge axis and having portions extending to both sides of the hinge line, the other panel comprising an interior board having a slot of a length greater than the width of the head and a width less than the depth of the head and a board exterior thereto defining therewith an open interfacial space to which the slot opens, into which space the end of the brace may enter and in which it may slide when introduced through the slot, said portions of the crosshead spanning the width of the slot and engaging behind the opposite margins of the slot on retrograde movement of the brace tending to withdraw it from said space, characterized by the fact that the margin of the slot behind which the distal portion of the crosshead engages is slitted at either side of the position of said portion to provide a resilient latching element displaceable temporarily to enlarge the entrance to the space into which the crosshead is introduced to facilitate its entrance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 262,507 Thomas Aug. 8, 1882 825,053 Hoag July 3, 1906 1,292,720 Dawson Jan. 28, 1919 1,694,551 Meller Dec. 11, 1928 2,638,397 Wykoif May 12, 1953 2,902,785 Nichols Sept. 8, 1959

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