US689966A - File. - Google Patents

Description

No. 689,966. Patented Dec. 3|, I901.

P. H. HOLMES.

FILE.

(Application flied Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Dec. 3|, 190i.

P. H. HOLMES.

FILE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.

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" irnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

PHILIP HENRY HOLMES, OF GARDINER, MAINE.

FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,966, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed August 22, 1900. Serial Nor 27,720. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP HENRY HOLMES, of Gardiner, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Files; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in files, and more particularly to such as are intended for temporarily holding letters, &c., the object of the invention being to provide a simple and efficient device which. can be cheaply manufactured and which shall be compact in structure.

A further object is to so construct a file or holder that letters and other papers can be systematically stored therein without puncturing them and so that they can be easily and quicklyinserted and seen rely held, so that any paper can be inspected without disturbing any other papers and so that any paper can be readily withdrawn without displacing any other paper in the file or holder.

A further object is to construct a file or holder in book form, so that as papers accumulate therein the device will become enlarged uniformly throughout.

With these objects in View my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the file or holder with the upper cover elevated. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 3 is a plan View, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a View illustrating a modification.

A represents the base of the file or holder, made, preferably, of heavy cardboard or other suitable stiff material and provided at one end with a strip 1 of wood extending from one edge to the other. The base 1 is covered on its exposed lower face with a sheet 2 of leather or similar flexible material, and at the upper end of said base the covering-sheet is extended, folded over the strip 1, and terminates in a flap 3, which extends a short distance over the base A.

The upper cover 4 of the file may be a sheet of leather or similar flexible material, and its upper end is placed upon the flap 3. Upon the upper end of the upper cover which overlaps the flap 3 a strip or plate 10 of stiff material, such as wood or metal, is disposed. This plate or strip is provided in its under face with a longitudinal groove 5, in which a coil-spring 6 is located and secured between its ends by a suitable fastening device 7. Cords 8 8 are secured to the respective ends of spring 6 and passed through holes 9 9 near the respective ends of the strip or plate 10. These cords then pass freely through holes 11 11 in the flexible cover 4, then through holes 12 12 in the flap 3, and thence through alined holes in a series of leaves 13, placed upon the base A and having their upper end inserted between said base and the flap 3. The free ends of the cords 8 S are passed through the base A and provided with buttons 14 14. or other suitable retaining devices. The indexleaves 13 are notched to form tabs at one edge of the file, and these tabs have produced thereon the letters of the alphabet. It will be observed that the index-leaves 13 are permanently secured at one end between the covers of the file or holder, and it is my intention to insert letters or other papers between said leaves in such manner that their upper ends will be held firmly by the action of the spring-actuated strip or plate 10.

The flap 3 above referred to constitutes a portion of the back of the file or holder, and as the file becomes thicker by the accumulation of papers therein this flap or back must accommodate itself to the increased thickness of the file or holder. To permita movement of the flap for this purpose, it is provided with slits 15 15 near its ends to allow said flap to move outwardly independently of the cords.

To insert a paper in my improved file, the

index-pages 13 are first turned to the proper or plate bearing firmly upon the upper edges of the index-leaves, and thus holding the previously-inserted letters or papers securely against displacement. When it is desired to examine any letter or paper in the file, the spring-actuated strip or plate 10 need not be disturbed, it being simply necessary to raise the flexible cover, which by reason of its being held at one end by the spring-actuated strip or plate 10 is, in efiect, hinged at its juncture with the inner edge of said strip. It is apparent that as papers accumulate in the file the spring-actuated strip or holder 10 will move in a direction at right angles to the 7 cover to constitute a hinged connection therefor with the spring-actuated strip or plate 10 said upper cover may be made of heavy material and provided at its upper edge with a stiffening-strip 15, connected to the springactuated strip or plate by hinges 16, as shown in Fig. 4. This form of my invention is well adapted for use on a desk for holding unanswered letters, and on account of the rough usage to which it may be subjected the corners may be provided with reinforcingplates 17.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a file or holder in which letters and other papers may be held and classified and the completed file or holder finally stored away.

The spring-actuated strip or holder 10 is preferably provided with a covering of leather or suitable material, and on this covering a holder 23 is secured for the reception of a card on which may be written suitable data indicative of the contents of the file.

It is evident that changes in the construction and relative arrangement of the several parts might be made without avoiding my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described;'but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a base, a rigid transverse plate over one end of the base, a coiled spring disposed longitudinally in said plate and a cord secured to each end of said spring, said cords passing through the base and permanently securing the plate and spring thereto.

2. The combination with a base and a cover, of a series of index-leaves between the base and cover, a strip or holder disposed on the cover and provided in its under face With a groove, aspringin said groove, cords attached to the respective ends of the spring, said cords passing through holes in the strip and through the base and permanently securing the indexleaves in place and retaining devices at the free ends of the cords.

3. The combination with a base and a strip rigidly secured to one end of said base and constituting a back, of a flexible sheet'secured to the base, extending around the rigid strip or back and projecting freely over a portion of base to form a flap, said flap having elongated slots, a plate disposed freely upon said flap, a spring disposed in said plate and cords attached to the respective ends of said spring and passing through the slots of the flap, and the base and permanently attached to the latter.

4;. The combination of abase, afiexible cov ering secured to the base and extending in the form of a slotted flap over the base, indexleaves disposed between the base and flap, a rigid plate disposed freely on said flap,a spring carried by said plate, cords secured to the re spective ends of said spring and passing through the flap, leaves and base and holding the leaves permanently in place, and a cover having a hinged connection with said plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP HENRY HOLMES.

Witnesses:

A. M. SPEAR, G. H. HILDRETT.

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