US984051A - Record-cabinet. - Google Patents

Description

R. M. VICK. RECORD CABINET. APPLIOATION FILED 00126, 19110.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

RESIDENEE- "la DA YR.

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OCCUPATION cumvmlmm', or

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R. M. VICK. RECORD CABINET. A' ffeATIoN FILED 00T. 26, 1910.

984,051 a Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROLLO 1u. vromlor DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RECORD-CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Tocll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROLLO M. VIoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at De troit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Record-Cabinet, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for the systematic and convenient filing and keeping of, records of various kinds, the records being made upon cards or slips and arranged -in the device in the manner hereinafter 'more fully described.

More particularly the invention relates to arecord cabinet and its parts, including the record slips'and folders arranged in a drawer somewhat after the manner of a card index. The objects of the inventionA are to generally improve devices of the character mentioned, to provide a record cabinet in which vcharge slips or other records may be conveniently kept in such way as to facilitate the insertingof additional or new .records and the linding "of any particular record when desired. 'v

A furthe-r object of the invention is to hold the various records spaced from each other insuch way that the individual records may stand outiclearly and be readily found when desired, certain portions of the record cards being also visible when filed 'so that it is unnecessary to remove the charge slips or memorandums from the drawer in the cabinet in order to learn the most important fact concerning that record.

These objects, together with other objects l readily apparent to those skilled in the art, I attain by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, although my Vinvention maybe embodied in other forms.

embodying my invention, showing the samej provided with a physicians credit record.. Fig.- 2 is a perspective view of one of my A invented folders containing a physicians credit slip properly made out. Fig. 3 is a face view of one of the blank credit slips Such as intended for use by a physician.

Fig. 4 is a front perspective View of one of the division plates. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through a record cabinet Patented Feb. ill, 19ML. Application led October 26, 1910. Serial No. 589,256. y

drawer embodying my invention, a portion vof said drawer being broken away to reduce the size of the figure. I Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 showing one-of the division plates locked in the drawer. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view showing the division plate unlocked and partly removed. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View showing the front end of the drawer with the locking rod actuating device in locked position. Fig. 9 is a similarview showing the locking rod actuating device in unlocked position and with parts of the drawer broken away.4

Throughout the several views similar reference numerals indicate similar parts.

The numeral 1 indicates the front of the drawer, 2 the sides and 3 the back. The bottom 4 isfprovided on the inside of the drawer with a. median longitudinal channel 5 adapted to receive the lower projections on the division plates as hereinafter will apear. p Along the middle of the channel 5 extend the locking rods 6, 6 which are convexe-concave in cross section and arranged with`their convex sides adjacent, each rod being pivotally connected at its ends near the lower edge of the rod to the front l and the back 3 as clearly illustrated at 7 in Fig. 5. It will be understood that by a simultaneous rocking movement of the rods upon their pivotal connections the upper edges of said rods may be brought inwardly until the ,'convex faces off the rods abut and said rods stand as nearly vertically as possible or in unlocked position as in Figf 9 or said rods may be rocked to throw their upper edges outwardly, away from each other into the separated Vor locking position shown in Fig. 8. It will be noted that in said locking posi'- tion the two rods present a cross section of V-shape, with the sides of the V slightly inwardly curved toward eachother, and that in the unlocked position, said rods are turned so that their upper edges are as closely .ad-

jacent each other as their .lower edges are in Y the locking position.

'For the purpose of actuating the locking y vrods the latch 8 is provided, which latch .I

` in Fig. 8. It will be noted that the said lockthat.point, but the upper ends of the slots are stands vertically on the inner side of the front l and is attached to said front hy means of the screws 9 passing through a j vertically disposed slot 10, which permits the latch to be raised or lowered by a sliding movement. For the purpose of presenting a convenient finger hold, the upper end ot' the latch 8 is bent backwardly or away from the front 1, forming the finger piecell, i which, as readily seen in Fig. 5, may be conl l veniently grasped for the purpose of raising or lowering the latch 8. 4On the screws 9 intermediate the latch 8 and the front 1 are spacing Washers 12 for the purpose of holding the latch at a slight distance from the inner side of the said front. If desired a false front 13 may be arranged on the inside of the drawer, extending from side to Side of the same, covering the latch 8 and screws 9 and presenting a smooth even surface on the inside toward the records.

The bottom end of the latch 8 extends downward into the channel 5 and at the extreme lower edge of said latch two upwardly extending outwardly curved slots 14 are arranged. Said slots are joined at the edge of the latch, thus providing a common slot at considerably separated and a depending, curved-sided separating tip 15 results from the peculiar shape and arrangement of the slots. Where the slots 14 extend through the lower edge of the latch 8 the sides of the combined slots are sufficiently close to each other so that when the latch is raised to the unlocked position illustrated in Fig. 9 said side edges will engage the upper edges of the locking rods 6 and move them into the unlocked position. When, however, the latch 8 is moved downwardly the upper edges of the rods 6 will be permitted to separate and the aeparating tip 15 moving down between the upper edges of said rods will produce a positive movement of the same into the extended or locking position shown ing position will normally be maintained by reason of the fact that the weight of the latch 8, although small, will tend to hold the latch in its downward position and any unlocking movement of therods will be prevented by the tip 15 until such time as the latch 8 is raised.

On the outer side of the front 1 may be arranged a suitable pull 16 together with a label 17 if desired, said pull and label being of any well known `form of construction.

Arranged in the drawer from front to back is a series of division plates 18 preferably t'ormed from sheet metal having a lower projection 19 adapted to enter the channel 5. Said projection 19 is provided with a dove-tailed locking notch k20 opening through the lower edge of the plate and having upwardly extending, outwardly inclined sides adapted to be engaged by the locking rods (i when in the locking position, as illustrated in Fig. G, said locking notch at the extreme lower edge oi the plate, however, being of 7 sufficient width to permit the plate to be removed from the drawer when the rods 6 are in the unlocked position, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Each division plate is provided with a plurality of spacinglsprings 21, preferably four in number. Said springs should be turned toward the front 1 when the plates are in the drawer. lila/:h spring' consists of a small, curved strip of spring metal firmly connected at its upper end to the body voit-the division plate, curved outwardly and extending downwardly from the point of attachment, and having its lower free end formed rounding or curled so as tol present a smooth, rounding surface at its most extremely forward portion. The purpose of this construeticn is to permit the readyinsert-ion or withdrawal of records without thesame catching on the ends of the springs and causing inconvenience.

An inspection of Fig. 5 will disclose how the spacing springs 21 serve to maintain the division plates in spaced relation to each other and in vertical position, said springs being so distributed over the division plates as to give several points of contact for the springs of each plate against the plate or records immediately in front thereof.

Attention is nowy directed to the folders used in the drawer. Each folder comprises a back portion 22 and a frontI portion 28. The back portion and front portion are connected by an integra-l foldedy portion 24 along the lower edge. The back portion 22.

is of a width and height corresponding substantially to the width and height of the division plates 18. Formed integrally with the back portion 22 and extending above the upper edge` of the same is the name tab 25 upon which may be written the name of a patient, client, customer, month, class of merchandise or other distinguishing word or symbol in accordance with the use to which the record cabinet is put. In the drawings said tabs are shown as bearing the.

names of various patients as the credit slips illustrated are intended for the use of a physician. The front portion 23 is of less height than the back portion 22 so that when the folders are arranged in the drawer as illustrated in Fig. 5, the upper portion of the credit slip Will'extend above the top edge of said front portion.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated one of the blanlt credit slips 26 for the use of a physician. Said slips may be printed on paper, each slip being of a width substantially equal to lto the back portion 22. At the 'topfof the slip on the left hand side is a space 27'for the name of the patient. To the right of said space 27 are spaces adapted for the 'record of financial transactions between physician and patient including spaces for charge, credit, etc., and in the eXtreme upper right hand corner, a space 28, in which may be written the amount of balance due on account. Below the 'spaces at the top of the slip may be arranged appropriate spaces for the record of other facts concerning the case as maybe desired.

lVhen a slip 26 is made out the corresponding folder is readily found by reason of the alphabetical o r other systematic arrangement of the folders in the drawer and the said slip placed in its appropriate folder. In returning the folder to the drawer it should be placed immediately back of one of the division plates and pushed downwardly into place, the spacing springs 21 of the division plate immediately to the rear pressing forwardly upon the folder and holding the same in contact with the back of the next forward division plateas illustrated in Fig. 5. In this way each folder is main` tained in vertical position, the various folders bemg uniformly spaced from eachother so that the name `tabs 25 may be convenyiently read without necessitating the separating of the various records by the fingers of the hand as is usually necessary with card systems and other similar recording devices now commonly in use.

The various division plates should preferably have a cut-out portion 29 in their upper edges so as to permit the various folders and slips to be more. readily removed when desired, aswell as to permit the person using the credit cabinet to place his finger against the forward slip to separate the slips in the folder from the front portion 23 and the division plate when inserting an additional slip into the folder, thus'preventing the fil- 'ing of new slips back of slips already filed when in fact each new slip should be placed in, front of those previously filed. Anv additional purpose of the cut-.out portion 29 is to make visible a portion of the name space 27 of the credit slips in the folder immediately back of each division plate so as to readily detect any error in the filing of credit slips in the wrong folder. This feature is clearly illustrated at 30 in Fig. 1,

the folder bearing the name Elbert, R. L. being removed from said drawer and -the upper edge of the slip bearing'the name Elkins, B. M being visible as properly filed in the folder bearing the same nameon the name tab.

The upper right hand corner of each division plate is cut away at 31 to permit the various balance-spaces 28 to be plainly visible when 'the credit yslips are filed, as shown in Fig. 1. Y In said figure, for instance, vit may be'readily seen that the balance due upon B. M. Elkins account is $4.50, and that the balance due upon the account of F. L. Clark is $7.00. If preferred the division plates may be made of a height only equal to the front portion 23 of the folders so that the entire top edge of the front charge slip in the folder immediately back of each division plate would be readily seen. The preferable form, however, is that illustrated in the drawings wherein only the curved cut-out portion and the cut-out por# tion at 31 are employed.

In the use of a credit cabinet such as deput into its appropriate folder immediately or laid aside until a number of such slips have been made out, when all of the same may be placed in their appropriate folders at the same time. In making out each slip the previous balance should be carried for- Ward from the last slip made out for the same patient. This forwarded amount should be placed in the. space marked F ord. at the top of the slip. The amount of the-charge should then be written in the charge space underneath marked Ch. and the total carried forward to the space marked Amt Any credit should be arranged in the credit space, marked Cn and the balance carried over into the space 28 marked Bal. The record in Fig. 2 will thus show that the previous balance was $26.50, that for a call on October 24, 1906, a charge of $1.50 was made, thaton the same day a payment of $10.00 was made, making the balance due $18.00. This balance will show up in the'drawer in such manner that it may be seen immediately when desired without removing any of the records from' the folder, the division plates being so sepa- 4division plates at 31 disclosing the balance on the most forward slip in the folder. It is of course important that the last slip made out should beplaced in front of all previous slips in the folder, so that the latest balance will show Without removing either folder or slips.

It will be understood that when all of the division plates 18 are properly in place within the drawer and the latch 8 is in the low ered, locked position, all of the said plates will be locked in the drawer, the various folders, however, being readily removed. By'the mere lifting of the latch 8, however, all -of the division plates are instantly unlocked, and any of the said plates may then be removed, thus making the changing about of records or the addition of new records and folders very easy. In the drawer shown in Fig. 1, for instance, if R. L. Elberts account has been closed and it is desired to remove that folder from among the active accounts not only the folder` and slips shown in Fig. 2 should be removed, but also the division plate immediately in front of theElbert folder should be removed. This will bring the 13. M. Elkins folder up to a position immediately back of the L. A.

` Dowling folder, and the records and division plates removed may be readily transferred to another part of the drawer or otherwise disposed of. New accounts are as easily inserted at their appropriate places in the drawer.l

lVhile I have shown the device as adapted to the use of a physician in the keeping of his accounts, itr will be apparent that the device is equally well adapted to a very large number of other purposes including the keeping of accounts in mercantile establishments as well as the recording of other facts where it is desirable to have the various divisions, folders or cards separated and easily found when desired.l

I claim:

1. A. record cabinet comprising a container, spring separated division plates arranged in series in said container, means adapted to lock said division plates in said container, record slips provided with record spaces at their top edges and adapted to' be arranged between adjacent division plates of the series and said division plates, provided with cut-away portions adapted tov permit said record spaces to be-seen when said slips are arranged between said plates.'

, 2. A record cabinet comprising al container, spring separated division plates arranged in series in said container, record slips provided with record spaces and adapted to be arranged. between adjacent division plates of`the serles, record space portions of said record slips extending above said division plates, and adapted to be seen when said slips are arranged between said plates in said container.

3. A record cabinet comprising a container, spring separated division plates arranged in series in said container, means adapted to lock said division plates in said container, folders adapted to be arranged between adjacent division plates of the series, said folders provided with back and front portions, record slips provided with.

record spaces at their top edges and adapted to be arranged in said folders between said back and front portions, said front poraway at their ,top edges, whereby, when said record slips and folders are between said division plates, said spaces on said slips may be seen without removing said slips or folders. 4

4. In a record cabinet, in combination with record slips provided with record spaces at their top edges, spring separated division plates provided with cut-out portions adapted to permit said record spaces to 'be seen' when the record slips are arranged between said division plates.

5. A record cabinet comprising a container, a plurality of transversely disposed,

vertical division plates arranged in series 6. A record cabinet comprising a container, a plurality of transversely disposed, vertical division plates arranged in series in said container, saidplates provided with spring means adapted to maintain the various plates in spaced relation to each other,

means for locking said division plates in.

said container, folders adapted to be arranged between the division plates'and record slips adapted .to be, arranged in said folders, each folder comprising a back portion and a front portion, said front portion being of less height than said back portion, said record slips being of greater height than said front portion andl said division plates provided with cut-out portions adapted to permit the upper portions of said-record slips to be seen when the said folders and slips are arranged between said division plates.- l A 7. A device of the character described comprising a series of division plates, each plate provided with spacing springs adapted to maintain said division plates in spaced relation and in vertical position, folders adapted to be arranged' between the various division plates, each folder comprising a back portion and a front portion connected at the bottom by 4an integral folded portion, said back portion bein of a height equal to the height of the division plates and having an integral name tab extending above the upper edge of said division plates, the front portion of a height less than the height of the back portion, record slips of a height greater than the height of said tions of less height than said record slips, l front portion but not greater than'the1 and said separated division plates being cut height of said back portion and provided v j at their upper edges with spaces for items of vhave hereunto subscribed my name in the record, and'said division plates eut away at presence of two witnesses. y their top edges whereby the said spaces on said record. slips are Visible without removi VROLLO, M V/ICK' 5 ingsaid folders or said slips from between i Witnesses: said division plates. v WILLIAM H. MILLER,

In testimony that I claim the above, I I RENE LUTz.

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