US3680969A

US3680969A - Pocket-folder and binder

Info

Publication number: US3680969A
Application number: US60869A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph Gorman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-08-04
Filing date: 1970-08-04
Publication date: 1972-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-01

Abstract

A folder for holding papers is made from a single sheet, and includes first and second side pockets which fold about a common center line and have their respective openings disposed on opposite lateral edges of the folder. Each pocket is provided with a flap which folds inwardly so that they seal their associated pockets when the folder is closed about its center line. A binder member may be secured along the center line of the folder for holding papers between the pockets which serve as a cover for the papers held in the binder.

Description

United States Paten Gorman [54] POCKET-FOLDER AND BINDER [72] Inventor: Joseph Gorman, 8815 Golf Road,

Des Plaines, II]. 60016 [22] Filed: Aug. 4, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 60,869

[52] U.S. Cl. ..402/3, 40/359, 281/31, 402/75, 402/18 [51] Int. Cl ..B42f 3/00, B42d 3/18 [58] Field of Search....28l/31; 402/18, 3, 75; 40/359 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,912,710 6/1933 Kennedy ..281/31 1,755,604 4/1930 Kline ..402/17 1,048,577 12/1912 Pazdue ..40/359 3,371,850 3/1968 Gorman ..40/359 X 1 Aug. 1, 1972 303,346 8/1884 Vernon ..281/31 Primary Examiner-Jerome Schnall Attorney-Dawson, Tilton, Fallon & Lungmus 57 ABSTRACT A folder for holding papers is made from a single sheet, and includes first and second side pockets which fold about a common center line and have their respective openings disposed on opposite lateral edges of the folder. Each pocket is provided with a flap which folds inwardly so that they seal their associated pockets when the folder is closed about its center line. A binder member may be secured along the center line of the folder for holding papers between the pockets which serve as a cover for the papers held in the binder.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures POCKET-FOLDER AND BINDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to folders and binders for looseleaf papers; and in one particular aspect, it relates to a pocket-folder and binder which bears its own indexing tab for filing.

2. Known Commercial Folder The most widely accepted commercially available folder or looseleaf papers, for example, 8 A in. by 11 in., includes two outer panels which are joined along a center fold line extending in the longer dimension of the folder. Pockets are formed on the inside of each outer panel by a partial inner panel which extends about one-third of the way in the longer dimension of the outer panel and is joined to the outer panel at three edges, leaving an opening for receiving the papers.

In this folder at least half of each paper held by a pocket extends out of the pocket and there is nothing that seals the pocket. Thus, if the folder happens to be dropped or jolted, the loosely held papers may become dislodged from a pocket or even fall out of the folder. Further, this type of folder is not well suited for incorporation into a file because adjacent folders must be separated by individual dividers in order to suitably classify'the filing information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The folder of the present invention is preferably made from a single sheet of heavy paper, cardboard, plastic, chipboard, leatherette, vinyl, etc.; and it includes first and second side pockets which fold about a common center line and have their respective openings for receiving papers disposed on opposite side edges of the folder. That is, when the pockets are folded together, the openings of the pockets are brought together.

Each pocket is provided with a flap extending from the outer panel of each pocket which folds inwardly to seal the opening when the folder is closed. .When papers are placed in either of the two side pockets and the flap is extended to cover the opening, the possibility of papers falling from the pocket is much less than with the known prevailing type of folder.

In a preferred embodiment a series of tabs perforated on three sides are provided along the fold line of each flap so that the tab may be removed along the perforations from the flap and extend in the plane of the outer panel of its associated pocket to serve as a filing index, if desired.

Further, a binder member including first and second elongated tabs folded about a center line may be secured to the inner portion of the folder with the center line of the binder member extending along the center fold line of the folder. Looseleaf papers may be bound into the binder member by means of a brad extending through the papers and locking the two flaps of the binder member together.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment accompanied by the attached drawing wherein identical reference numerals will refer to like parts in the various views.

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inner side of a folder incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the folder of FIG. 1 taken through the sight line 2-2 thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a single sheet from which the folder of FIG. 1 is formed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning first to FIG. 1 thereis shown a pocket-folder and binder generally designated by the reference numeral l0, and it includes first and second side pockets 11 and 12 respectively which are joined together along a center fold line 13. Preferablythe pockets 11 and 12 has a longer and a shorter dimension; and the center fold line 13 extends in the longer dimension of the pocket.

The pocket 11 includes an inner panel 14 and an outer panel 15 which are joined together along the opposite edges 11a and 11b. The edge of the pocket 11 which is opposite the fold line 13 (designated 11c) is left open for receiving looseleaf papers.

Similarly, the pocket 12 includes an inner panel 16 and an outer panel 17 which are joined together along the

edges

12a and 12b which extend in the shorter dimension of the pocket. The edge 12c which is opposite the fold line 13 is left open for receiving looseleaf papers.

The pocket 11 is provided with a flap 18 which is formed integrally with the outer panel '15 of that pocket along a fold line 19 which extends along the opening llc intothe pocket. The flap 18 is folded to extend inwardly over the inner panel 14 and toward the center fold line 13 of the folder to cover the opening to the pocket. Similarly, the pocket 12 is provided with a flap 20 which is formed integrally with the outer panel 17 along a fold line 21 which extends along the panel 17 adjacent the opening 120.

In a preferred embodiment the flap 18 is provided with a number of perforated tabs designated 25a, 25b, and 250 which are similar so that only one tab need be described in detail for an understanding of its structure and function. Turning then to the tab 25a, it is perforated along three lines designated 26, 27 and 28, its fourth edge 29 extends along the fold line 19 between the tab 18 and the outer panel 15 of the pocket 11. There is no perforation along the fold line. When the perforated portions of a tab are severed from the flap, the tab may be rotated about the fold line 19 and extend in the same plane as the outer panel 15 (see tab 25b). Hence, if it is desired to file the pocket folder, it may be placed into a file and a tab which is separated from the flap 18 will extend out of the file for indexing purposes. A number of tabs are provided spaced laterally along the fold lines 19 so that the filing clerk may select different tabs for adjacent folders and therefore more easily read the filing information. The flap 20 is similarly provided with a number of perforated tabs designated 30a30e.. The tabs 30a-30e, when separated from the flap 20, may be folded about the fold line 21 to extend in the same plane as the outer panel 17 of the pocket 12.

If desired a binder member generally designated by reference numeral 32 may be provided with the pocket folderolf it is provided, it preferably includes first and second

elongated tabs

33 and 34 which-are separated by a center fold line 35. The center fold line of the binder member 32 is secured to the pocket folder along its center line 13 by means of staples 36. Each of the

tabs

33 and 34 of the binder member are provided with a plurality of aligned apertures (see the pair designated 38) which may receive a conventional brad. When a brad is placed through a pair of aligned holes in the binder member and through a hole in a looseleaf sheet of paper to be held by the binder, the brad may be opened and ,lock the two

tab members

33 and 34 together in holding the paper in the binder.

A preferred method of making the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein a single sheet of paper is designated by reference numeral 40. A first transverse fold line 41 is formed in the die-cut piece of paper 40 which is preferably of a heavy paper or light cardboard. The fold line 41 defines the lower edge of the

outer panels

15 and 17 of the pockets, and a second transverse fold line 42 defines the upper edges of these pockets. The lower edge of the portion of the sheet 40 beneath the fold line 41 is provided with a line of adhesive at 45, so that when the portion of the sheet above the fold line 42 is folded downwardly and the portion of the sheet beneath the fold line 41 is folded upwardly, the glue line 45 will contact the upper tab 43 and seal therewith. The perforations for the tabs 25a-25c and 30a-30 may be formed on the same machine that die cuts the sheet 40, and the

fold lines

13, 19 and 21 may be formed after the glue is applied and the seal formed. 1f the pocket folder is to be provided with a binder, the binder member 32 may be stapled as shown in FIG. 1 subsequent to forming the seal and the fold lines indicated in FIG. 3.

The width of the

tabs

18 and 20, in the case of a folder for receiving 8 k in. by l 1 in. size sheets of paper is at least about 2 in. so that when the flaps are folded into their covering position, they will lie flat and thereby cover the pocket opening.

In one preferred embodiment wherein there is a single pocket on either side of a central binder, and the intended purpose of the article is for school work or the like, the sheet material used in making the folder/binder is No. l 10 index stock.

In a more elaborate embodiment, one or both of the side pockets may be made expandable by including bellows at the upper and lower edges (1 1, 11a and 12, 12a in the drawing). There may also be separators in each pocket for forming more than one compartment in each pocket, whether the pocket is expandable or not.

The apertured binder member 32 may be replaced by equivalents such as rings, metal or plastic spirals, etc.

It will now be appreciated that the present invention provides an economical pocket folder which is easy to manufacture in quantity yet which securely holds looseleaf papers in a closeable-pocket wherein the 5, 196 .In ad it' t b d rmembe a b, conven iently i nc liide d wi tl i v t A pocket f l d er i if desired.

Persons skilled in the art will be able to modify certain of the structure which has been described and to substitute equivalent elements for those which have been illustrated while continuing to practice the principle of the invention; and it is, therefore, intended that all such modifications and substitutions be covered as they are embraced within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim I. An article comprising a folder having first and second side pockets formed from a single sheet of heavy paper, each pocket including outer and inner panels joined along two opposite edges, said pockets being further joined together along a fold line extending between said two edges of each pocket, whereby said pockets may be folded about said fold line to bring the inner panels at each pocket toward each other, each pocket defining an opening for receiving papers at the edge opposite said fold line and including a flap extending from the outer edge of the outer panel adjacent said opening and foldable along said edge of said outer panel to cover its associated opening and extend over its associated inner panel toward the center fold line, each flap being provided with a plurality of tabs defined by perforations extending into an associated flap from the fold line joining said flap with the outer panel of the associated pocket, each set of tabs having a different number of tabs and being spaced laterally at different spacings whereby said tabs may act as file indexes when separated from an associated flap and folded to extend in the plane of its associated outer panel so that said folder may be filed with things of similar dimension and said tab will extend laterally of said stack for filing identification; a paper binder member having first and second elongated side tabs joined along a center fold line and defining a plurality of aligned apertures adapted to receive means for securing loose papers to said binder member and to said folder; and staples securing said binder member to said folder with the fold line of said binder member extending along the center fold line of said folder.

Claims

1. An article comprising a folder having first and second side pockets formed from a single sheet of heavy paper, each pocket including outer and inner panels joined along two opposite edges, said pockets being further joined together along a fold line extending between said two edges of each pocket, whereby said pockets may be folded about said fold line to bring the inner panels at each pocket toward each other, each pocket defining an opening for receiving papers at the edge opposite said fold line and including a flap extending from the outer edge of the outer panel adjacent saiD opening and foldable along said edge of said outer panel to cover its associated opening and extend over its associated inner panel toward the center fold line, each flap being provided with a plurality of tabs defined by perforations extending into an associated flap from the fold line joining said flap with the outer panel of the associated pocket, each set of tabs having a different number of tabs and being spaced laterally at different spacings whereby said tabs may act as file indexes when separated from an associated flap and folded to extend in the plane of its associated outer panel so that said folder may be filed with things of similar dimension and said tab will extend laterally of said stack for filing identification; a paper binder member having first and second elongated side tabs joined along a center fold line and defining a plurality of aligned apertures adapted to receive means for securing loose papers to said binder member and to said folder; and staples securing said binder member to said folder with the fold line of said binder member extending along the center fold line of said folder.