US858891A - Post-card album. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD JULY 2, 1907.

R. F. MORSE. POST CARD ALBUM. APPLIOATION FILED SBPTJB. 1906.

FIEIEI INVENTUR,

1n: NORRIS PETERS co., wAsmmzmu, 1:. c4

RODOLPH F. MORSE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BOST-CARD ALBUM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed September 13,1906. Serial Ila-334,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rononrn F. Monsn, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city and county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Post-Card Albums, of which the following is a specification My invention relates to improvements in albums, and more especially to the class termed souvenir post card albums, and it consists essentially of a plurality of superimposed integral units or holders proper, each formed from a thin sheet-metal blank folded so as to form slightly separated yielding sides or walls for frictionally holding the cards between them, front and back members constituting the two covers of the album, and means for securing or binding all the said partstogether; the whole forming what may be called a metal back extension album, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

One of the objects I have in view is to produce an inexpensive album in which souvenir or picture postcards or other uniform cards or sheets may be easily and quickly mounted or inserted and as readily detached therefrom when desired, the operation in no wise defacing or injuring the card.

A further object of the invention is to provide the album with means whereby a variable degree of resiliency may be produced at will, such variation to correspond say with the number of cards in the album at the time.

A further object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the parts of the album that it may be easily and quickly extended if desired, thus increasing its holding capacity. And a further object of the in vention is to produce an album having a series of independent holders, each capable of frictionally holding therein one or more cards, and possessing an additional advantage in that the cards are not liable to become accidentally loosened and drop out of the album.

Cards mounted in my improved album may be readily removed from the holders and rearranged therein at will, or other cards substituted without manipulating the binding device.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an album embodying my improvements, the front cover being removed and showing a post card mounted therein. Fig. 2 represents a top or upper edge view of the album in its normally closed position, one of the holders containing cards. Fig. 3 shows in elevation one of the holders detached, viewed from the inner or card-receiving edge, the cards being omitted. Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the holder with cards mounted therein. I

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a similar view,

taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 shows a modification in reduced scale. l

I may state that I am aware that what are termed loose-leaf binders have been devised and employed long prior to my invention and so arranged that individual leaves or folios may be detached from the binder proper or inserted therein. In such former devices, however, the leaves are usually perforated or otherwise specially a'dapted to cooperate with certain looking mechanism contained in the back of the binder. Binders of this class are comparatively quite expensive to manufacture owing to the mechanical features involved and the accuracy required in making and assembling the various members entering into their production.

My improved album A illustrated and described herewith, and forming the subject of this application forpatent, differs materially from said former devices or binders.

In carrying out my invention I use two ordinary stiff, fiat, boards or covers, 0 a, somewhat exceeding in size the card or leaf d to be mounted in the album. At the left side and near the corresponding edge of the said cover members, the latter are as drawn perforated with alining upper and lower small holes 0 the distance between the holes being greater than the height or width of thc card (1.

The binders proper or holder members a may be made of any suitable material possessing a degree of resiliency. I prefer to cut the blanks from strips of thin sheet steel; the blank is next folded longitudinally along the center thereby producing the pair of connected sides a a the adjacent longitudinal free edges of which are slightly separated to form the opening or space for the reception of the cards. The form of said opening, I), cross-sectionally, is substantially wedge-shaped, as indicated in a somewhat exaggerated degree in Fig. 5. The upper and lower ends of the holder a (see Fig. 1) are well rounded and pierced with holes a registering, when in use, with the said holes 0 of the covers. The two sides a extend from the back of the holder in a divergent direction, substantially as before stated. The width of the opening or deep groove 1) at the bottom is or may be equal to or slightly less than the thickness of a card d so that the normal resiliency or yielding function of the sides a serve to frictionally hold the card between them without injury. In case three cards are inserted in the holder the two outer cards will not enter quite so far in the groove as the first or middle one (see Figs. 4 and 6). The act of introducing the cards may operate to slightly expand or separate the sides a. See Fig. 6.

In assembling the units or holders a, the number of which is optional and obviously correspond with or have relation to the number of cards the album is to contain or normal capacity, the same, 'i. e., the holders, are superimposed on one another and the covers 0' placed in position to embrace them, the holes a of the latter then registering with those of the covers. This is followed by threading a suitable flexible or even an elastic cord or member m transversely through said holes, 0 e, at top and bottom of the album and securing the ends of the cord by tying or otherwise. See Fig. 2.

The album or book thus completed may be readily opened and closed; it isadapted to remain open in a flat state at any desired point or holder thus permitting the user to employ both hands if more convenient in inserting and removing cards. As cards are added the cord m may be loosened and retightened from time to time thereby increasing the lateral pressure upon the holders and the cards. The covers are practically nonyielding.

I may add that in inserting a card one of its ends is introduced in the opening 1) between the slightly separated sides of the holder until it becomes well wedged therein, the other end of the card then being lree. By means of this arrangement all the cards in each holder a may if desired be placed so that the principal or picture side of each becomes the front or obverse iace. When thus mounted the cards may be turned somewhat like the leaves of a book. In case two cards be mounted in a holder they may be placed back to back, thus forming as it were a double-leaf having a picture on its reverse face as well as on the obverse.

The holding capacity of the album may be easily changed by simply loosening the cords m and removing the l'ront cover, then adding more holder members if its capacity is to be increased or extended or by removing some of the holders if the albums capacity is to be reduced, followed by replacing the cover and securing all the parts together by the binding-cords m.

Minor changes or variations in the construction ol the album may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as for example,the holders may be elongated and the covers correspondingly increased in height or width, thereby producing say an album t vocard high or wide. In such case an additional bindingeord may be also used, the latter being located centrally between the adjacent edges of the separated upper and lower series of cards and passing transversely through the cover and holder members substantially in the same manner as the top and bottom or end cords, and as represented in greatly reduced scale in Fig. 7.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent As an improved article of manufacture, the postcard ul hum hereinhet'ore desuibed, the suine comprising lront. und renr covers or bucks c, :1 plurality otf independent snptlinh posed yielding" holders (I 01' sheotsmetul located between said covers, ench holder being integral and having two laterally separated sides (1 united at: the buck und forming :1 V-shuped opening or space I; between them for the insor tion of a card, and binding-cords passing transversely through registering holes formed in the upper illltl lower ends of the holders and the adjacent part. ot the covers; the distance between said he] longitudinally of the holders, exceeding the width or height: of the eurd so that the latter may be readily inserted in the holder to the bottom thereot without changing the normal form and appearance oi the curd.

Signed at; Providence. ll. l.. this 12th day otf September. 190Gv ltOllOlilll l MORSE.

Witnesses Gun. II. REMINGTON, CALVIN ll. Brown.

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