Patent ID: 9676222
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: B42F

Claim:
1. A ring mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising: a housing having a central portion and sides extending downward from the central portion; rings for holding the loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, at least one of the ring members being movable relative to the housing and the other ring member between a closed position and an open position, in the closed position the two ring members form a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the rings to be moved along the rings from one ring member to the other, and in the open position the two ring members form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the rings; first and second hinge plates supported in the housing for pivoting motion relative to the housing, said one ring member being mounted on the first hinge plate; and a generally flat rectangular travel bar carrying a plurality of wedges that move the hinge plates to open and close the rings, the travel bar being secured to the housing in a manner that vertically supports the travel bar within the housing and limits vertical movement of the travel bar within the housing while allowing translation of the travel bar lengthwise of the housing between a locked position in which pivoting motion of the hinge plates to open the rings is blocked and an open position in which the rings are open, the travel bar being biased to remain in the locked position when it is in the locked position, the travel bar being free of forces tending to move the travel bar to the locked position when the travel bar is in the open position.