US980234A

US980234A - Card-index file.

Info

Publication number: US980234A
Application number: US53643410A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter T Field
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1910-01-04
Filing date: 1910-01-04
Publication date: 1911-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 1928-01-03

Description

w. :T. FIELD.

OABD' INDEX FILE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED J AHJ, 1910.

980,234, Patented Jan. 3,1911.

[111742177511 mlf r T 778/# WALTER T. FIELD, OF HINSDALE, ILLINOIS.

CARD-INDEX FILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

Application filed January 4, 1910. Serial No. 536,434.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVALTER T. FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hinsdale, in the county of Dupage and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Index Files, of which the following is a specification.

Card index files of the ordinary type are in the form of boxes or drawers which are designed to fit within specially constructed cabinets adapted to receive a large number of files and which frequently occupy considerable space in an office or library. This is especially true in large libraries where a card index is used for the purpose of classifying the books.

The object of the present invention is to construct a file which will furnish a perfect receptacle for a large number of index cards, and which will resemble a closed book in shape and general appearance, so that the file can be placed on a book shelf with the books of a library and be indistinguishable in general appearance from the books. This permits individual index files to be located in proximity to the particular library books to which the index refers, and obviates the necessity of employing specially constructed cabinets or the like for holding the files. By attaching to a fileof the present construction an inscription designating the subject matter contained therein, a systematic arrangement of a number of files can be accomplished, which will have the appearance of a set of books. These can be arranged in order upon a shelf or table and add to the general appearance of the office. Files of such construction have a further advantage in that they are more easily handled than files of a bulky boxlike construction.

The index file of the present invention furthermore is peculiarly adapted for use in that it may either be stored upon a shelf or set upon a desk, being rigid or self-supporting in construction and adapted to maintain an upright position, either on its end when it is stored away, or upon its inner edge when resting upon a desk or table. the main object being to construct a file which will be adapted to varying conditions and to the general arrangements of offices, libraries, or homes.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the file when closed; Fig. 2, a perspective showing the cover thrown back; and Fig. 3,

a cross section of the file when closed, with the cards in place.

The file consists of a base 4 and side walls 5 and 6, the base being of a proportion to enable the file to be self-supporting and to maintain an upright position at all times when placed upon a flat surface. The wall (3 is cut away as at 7 to leave the necessary opening for the manipulation of the cards. The file is provided with end walls 8 and 9, which may be finished on the outside to represent the edges of leaves in a book. The cover 10 is preferably'of a solid construction and has its upper surface slightly rounded as at 11 to present the appearance of the back of a book. Attached to said cover is a strip of fabric 12 which has one end 13 secured to the side wall 5 of the file and the other end 14 secured to a covering or flap 15 of equal dimensions with the side 6 of the file, which it overlies when the file is closed, thereby preventing dust from entering the opening 7 and settling on the cards on the interior of the file. A plurality of filing cards 16 are positioned in the interior of the file, the shape and arrangement of the cards depending on the nature of the work which the filing system is accomplishing.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the construction of file has all of the properties for a complete and practical card index file. It is provided with a firm and substantial foundation, so that when the cover is thrown back there will be no danger of tipping over; that the method of connecting the cover and flap together enables these two members to be thrown back, thus exposing the upper faces of the cards, which is of material advantage in examining the cards.

I claim:

1. In a card index file, the combination of a receptacle for cards, having bottom, side and end walls of a proportion to make the file self-supporting and enable it to maintain an upright position, and a cover for said receptacle, hinged at one side to one of the side walls and hinged at the other side to a flap adapted to contact and overlie the other side wall and extending to the lower edge of the file, whereby the file presents, when in closed position, a series of smooth faces from edge to edge thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a card index file, the combination of a self-supporting receptacle for cards, having bottom, side and end walls of a proportion to enable it to maintain an upright posi tion, the outside of the file being finished to represent the surfaces of a closed book, one of the side walls being cut away at its upper portion, and a cover for said receptacle, hinged at one side to the unbroken side wall of the casing and hinged at the other side to a flap adapted to contact and overlie the side wall having its upper portion cut away, said flap extending to the lower edge of the file, whereby the file presents, when in closed condition, a series of continuous surfaces e vtending from edge to edge thereof, sub st-antially as described. i

3. In a card index file, the combination of a self-supporting receptacle for cards, having bottom, side and end walls of a proportion to enable it to maintain an upright position, the outside of the file being finished to represent the surfaces of a closed book, one of the side walls being cut away at its upper portion, and a cover for said receptacle, having its upper face rounded, and hinged at one side to the unbroken side wall of the casing and at the other side to a flap adapted to overlie and contact the side wall having its upper portion cut away, said flap extending to the lower edge of the file,

whereby the file presents, when in closed position, a series of continuous surfaces extending from edge to edge thereof, substantially as described.

,1; In a card index file, the combination of a self-supporting receptacle for cards, having bottom, side and end walls of a proportion to enable the file to maintain an upright position when supported upon one end or upon its bottom, the outside of the file being finished to represent the surface of a closed book, one of the side walls being cut away at its upper portion to expose the cards within the file, a cover for said receptacle, having its outer face rounded, a strip of flexible material serving to hinge the cover to the edge of the uncut side wall, a flap adapted to contact and overlie the cut away side wall, said flap extending to the lower edge of the file, whereby the file presents, when in closed position, a series of continuous surfaces from edge to edge thereof and a strip of flexible material serving to hinge the flap to the free edge of the cover, substantially as described.

XVALTER T. FIELD.

lVitnessrs MARY It. Fnosr, SAMUEL W. BANNING.