Filing device for papers

A ring binder device for a file serves to hold documents and to provide a means whereby the file can be suspended spine uppermost between two carrier rails, the device having slidemounted suspender members which can be set, by moving their slide mountings, to protrude beyond the edges of the file ready for resting on the rails, and the slide mountings incorporating locks operative when the suspender members are protruding to prevent the binder opening.

PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
Priority, Federal Republic of Germany, Sept.24, 1974 application No. P 24 
45 451.1 and 
Priority, Federal Republic of Germany, Jan. 17, 1975 application No. P 25 
01 721.4. 
The present invention relates to filing devices for papers. 
More particularly, the present invention relates to filing devices which 
incorporate ring binding mechanisms attachable to the inside of a 
protective file cover. 
Prior filing equipment of this kind can be stored in a standing attitude or 
laid flat, but cannot be employed in a hanging storage system because the 
ring parts, which are held together simply by the spring load of the 
mechanism, can open if the documents on file spread out and exert a 
greater opening force on the ring parts than the resisting spring loading. 
The object of the present invention is device equipment of the ring binder 
type which is simple in construction but which can nevertheless be 
suspended on carrier rails if wished without risk of the binder opening 
under load produced by filed documents. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a filing device 
comprising a ring binding mechanism for attachment to the inside of a 
protective file cover or the like, wherein the mechanism includes a spring 
cover, associated ring carrying elements and ring components carried 
pairwise thereby for rocking movement allowing the mechanism to be opened 
and closed, and a slide at each end of the ring mechanism capable of 
limited displacement along the ring mechanism, each slide incorporating a 
locking element engageable with the ring carrying elements to secure the 
ring components of the ring mechanism against opening when the slide is 
displaced to an operative position, the slide having an outer end formed 
into or incorporating a suspension element which, in the operative 
position of the slide, extends beyond the corresponding end of the ring 
mechanism and enables the device to be rested upon a file carrier. The 
invention also comprehends a file incorporating such a device. 
With filing equipment embodying the invention it is possible, by a simple 
pull-out movement of the two slides, to place these in an operative 
position in which the ring components of the ring mechanism are reliably 
locked to secure them against any inadvertent opening, and in which the 
filing equipment is adapted to be suspended from carrier rails. A simple 
action of sliding back the slides into an inoperative position, is 
sufficient to unlock the ring mechanism (and return all the components of 
the mechanism to within the profile of the protective cover so that the 
filing equipment can be handled and stored upright or flat in the same way 
as a conventional ring binder file.) 
Advantageously, the slides each comprise a flat main section displaceably 
assembled beneath the ring mechanism and possessing an upstanding 
hook-like tongue serving as the locking element, the free end of the 
tongue facing towards the outer end of the slide. Such a design 
facilitates particularly simple guidance and housing of the slide, with 
reliable locking and unlocking of the ring mechanism. 
Devices for attachment to the spine of a file cover can employ the outer 
end of the slide itself, when in the operative position, as the suspension 
element, and if lateral upstanding edge flanges are formed on the main 
section of the slide, then the top edges of these flanges can define the 
support zone. The support plane then extends parallel to the plane of the 
main section of the slide and therefore parallel to the spine of an 
associated file cover. This makes it possible to suspend the file between 
two parallel carrier rails, the wide support zones formed by the ends of 
the slides counteracting a tendency for the file to tilt should the filed 
documents exert an off-centre load: the entire unit can then adopt a 
positionally stable, vertical suspended attitude. Alternatively, the outer 
end of the slide could incorporate a separate or an integral suspension 
element which is angled in relation to the plane of the main section of 
the slide, with a support zone thereof facing one of the narrow sides of 
the slide. The filing device can then be attached to the back cover 
section of a file cover instead of to the spine, thereby allowing the file 
to be suspended with its spine facing upwards. 
If a file suspension system is employed which utilises a single strip or 
rail-type suspension carrier, then filing equipment embodying this 
invention can be suspended below such a carrier if the suspension element 
is formed by a suspension bracket which is pivotally assembled on the 
bottom edge of a transverse flange formed at the outer end of the main 
section of the slide, pivoting taking place about an axis parallel to said 
edge. It is advantageous for the suspension bracket to pivot through about 
180.degree. from an inoperative position to a suspension position in which 
it extends along the outside of the transverse flange and for a support 
zone of the bracket to project beyond the transverse flange (and beyond 
the external profile of an associated file cover). 
In some situations, the suspension carriers are permanent fixtures in 
record office racks and office furniture etc. and are designed such that 
dimensionally they correspond with the larger document sizes. Desirably, 
equipment embodying the invention is adaptable to suit such fixtures and 
to allow smaller sized equipment to be suspended therefrom. Accordingly, 
an embodiment of the invention has slides designed as holders for 
substantially U-shaped suspension brackets which themselves can be pulled 
out and slid in with respect to the slides. This design, in which the 
suspension bracket forms a kind of telescopic extension of the slide, 
makes it possible to hang, for instance, a DIN A 5 standard size file on 
suspension carriers intended for accommodating files of DIN A 4 standard 
size. 
Another embodiment of the invention, has a substantially U-shaped 
suspension bracket coupled to the slide in order to move therewith, the 
bracket being pivotable relative to the slide about an axis which is 
parallel to the direction of displacement motion of the slide, and the 
bracket being disposed to one side of the slide. The slide can be 
relatively small and delicate, yet can be combined with relatively large 
and strong suspension brackets of the kind required when dealing with 
heavy units which impose particular loads on a suspension system.

The filing devices shown in the drawings are intended generally to be 
fitted to a protective cover, which has only been illustrated in full in 
four of the Figures. The cover is in the form of a file cover 1 having a 
front board 2, a spine 3 and a back board 4, the spine 3 being separated 
from the boards 2, 4 by folds 5, 6. 
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, there is a ring mechanism attached 
to the spine 3 of the protective cover 1, only the left hand half of the 
mechanism 7 having been shown. The basic structure of the ring mechanism 
is very well known and requires no detailed description here. It comprises 
ring components 8 which are held together in a closed position by the 
spring action of a springy cover strip 9, and which open when rail or wire 
coil sections 10, located inside the mechanism, are raised beyond a top 
dead centre point. Rivets 11 secure the ring mechanism 7 to the spine 3. 
The filing device furthermore comprises two slides, one at each end of the 
ring mechanism 7. The slides engage beneath the ring mechanism and are 
held between the latter and the spine 3 of the file cover 1, in such a 
fashion that they can perform a limited displacement in a direction 
lengthwise with respect to the mechanism 7 and the spine 3. Only the left 
hand one of the two slides is visible in FIGS. 1 and 2 and this has been 
marked 12. The detailed design of these slides, which are virtually 
identical to one another, can be seen in FIG. 3. The slide 12 has a flat 
main section 13 in which there is an elongated hole 14. The rivet 11 
passes through this elongated hole 14 and thus limits the extent to which 
the slide 12 can be displaced when pulled out or pushed in. In the 
neighbourhood of an inner end of the slide 12 there is a raised tongue 15 
acting as a locking element and, when the slide 12 is pulled out into an 
operative position for suspension from a carrier rack, the tongue slides 
over the rail or wire coil sections 10 of the ring components 8 in the 
neighbourhood of the juncture therebetween. This juncture defines a pivot 
axis about which the ring components move when opened and closed. When the 
slide 12 is pulled out, opening of the ring components 8 is prevented by 
the tongue 15. The tongue 15 faces with its free end towards the outer end 
of the slide 12 and has a wedge-like or tapered form, facilitating its 
sliding over the rail or wire coil sections 10. In contrast to the 
embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the tongue 15, as shown for example in FIG. 6, 
can be arranged upon a cantilevered section 16 of the slide having limited 
facility for elastic displacement out of the plane of the main slide 
section 13, so as to compensate for differences in the distance between 
the central zone of the rail or wire coil sections of the ring mechanism 
and the bottom marginal edges of the mechanism cover strip 9. 
Along the lateral edges of the main section 13 the slide 12 is equipped 
with upstanding marginal flanges 17, 18 which embrace the mechanism cover 
strip 9 and guide the slide while it is being displaced. Adjacent an outer 
end of the slide 12, the marginal flanges 17, 18 are provided with notches 
19, and these notches define and delimit a support zone. The outer end of 
the slide 12 terminates in a transverse flange 20 bent up at right angles 
to the plane of the main section 13 and serving as a grip by which to 
actuate the slide 12. 
FIG. 1 illustrates the slide 12 in a pushed-in position in which, like its 
counterpart (not shown) at the right-hand end of the ring mechanism 7, its 
locking tongue 15 releases the wire coil sections 10 for movement allowing 
opening and closing of the mechanism and thereby allowing for the 
unrestricted introduction and removal of documents. At the same time, the 
slide 12 is wholly within the profile of the protective cover 1 so that 
the file can be handled just like any other file of this basic type. If it 
is intended to store the file suspended with its spine uppermost, then the 
slide 12 and its right-hand counterpart are moved into the operative 
position shown in FIG. 2, i.e. are pulled out into a position wherein 
their outer ends project beyond the profile of the protective cover 1. The 
notches 19 in the marginal flanges 17, 18, are then positioned to support 
the file upon carrier rails or the like. The support plane defined by the 
notches in the slides is generally parallel to the plane of the the spine 
3. When the slides are moved into the operative position, their locking 
tongues 15 slide over the wire coil sections 10 and locks them in a bottom 
dead centre position, correspondingly locking the ring components 8 
closed, so that said components 8 are secured against inadvertent opening. 
To restore the condition shown in FIG. 1, (allowing the mechanism 7 to be 
opened and closed) it is simply necessary to push the two slides inwardly 
towards one another, something which can be done with a single movement of 
the hand, in just the same way as the pulling-out operation. 
FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate an embodiment in which the ring mechanism, the 
design of which corresponds to that of the ring mechanism 7, is 
constructed for attachment to the back board 4 of the protective cover 1. 
As FIG. 4 shows, the mechanism extends close to and parallel with the 
spine 3. In order to make possible suspended storage of the file with its 
spine 3 uppermost, this filing device comprises two slides 120, 121 which, 
like slides 12, are virtually identical to one another; the slides are 
therefore mirror-symmetrical about a central plane passing traversely 
through the ring mechanism. 
The slide 120 at the top of FIG. 4 is illustrated in its pulled-out, 
operative position, in which its outer end projects outwardly beyond the 
profile of the protective cover 1. The pushed-in condition is demonstrated 
by the slide 121 at the bottom of FIG. 4, its outer end being located 
within the profile of the protective cover 1. As the illustration of the 
slide 120 in FIG. 6 shows in more detail, this slide is broadly similar to 
the slide 12. However, the slide 120, 121, is provided at its outer end 
with a suspension element which, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, comprises a 
transverse flange 21 provided at the transverse edge of the main section 
13 of the slide and disposed at right angles to the plane thereof. Flange 
21 has an edge 22, which is the bottom edge when the file is suspended 
(FIG. 5), bearing a suspension bracket 23, the latter being pivotable 
about an axis parallel to the said edge. In the illustrated example, 
where, as in the other examples, the slide is formed by a punching 
operation, the transverse flange 21 is formed by a folded flange on the 
main section 13, and the pivot bearing for the suspension bracket 23 
consists of a rolled zone 24 of the flange. The rolled zone 24 receives 
oppositely and inwardly directed ends of the suspension brackets 23. The 
brackets 23 are formed from round-section wire. 
The suspension bracket has been shown in an inoperative position in FIG. 6, 
which position it adopts when the slide 120 is pushed inwardly. This is 
the position which has been shown in an analogous way for the suspension 
bracket 23 of the slide 121 in FIG. 4. From this inoperative position, the 
suspension bracket can be pivoted through 180.degree. into a suspension 
position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in relation to the slide 120. In this 
position, the suspension bracket 23 extends along the outwardly facing 
surface of the flange 21 and a section 26 defining a support zone 25 then 
projects beyond the external profile of the associated protective cover 1. 
The support zone 25 of the projecting bracket section 26 forms a 
non-circular opening for the passage of a strip-type, rail-type or tubular 
suspension carrier 27. Owing to the shape of the opening, the file 
complete with its protective cover and any documents therein, always 
occupies a vertical attitude in which the boards 2, 4 and the stock of 
document pages extend vertically, in spite of any tendency for the load 
carried by the bracket section 26 to tilt the file. 
In order to fix the inoperative position of the suspension bracket 23, the 
slide 120 is provided at the corner of its main section 13 adjacent the 
bearing edge 22 of the transverse flange 21, with a stop formed in the 
illustrated example by an outwardly-displaced end portion 18' of the edge 
flange 18. The stop could equally well be formed by any other suitable 
projection, folded portion or the like. 
In normal usage when both slides 120, 121 are in the pushed-in position, 
the suspension brackets 23 are folded down as illustrated in the case of 
the slide 121 shown in FIG. 4. To place the ring mechanism in a condition 
for suspension, both slides 120, 121 are pulled out and the suspension 
brackets 23 are folded through 180.degree. to position them as illustrated 
by the top slide 120 in FIG. 4. In this position the ring mechanism is 
locked, so that the ring components 8 cannot open, by means of the locking 
tongues 15, in the same manner as already described with reference to 
FIGS. 1 to 3. In the operative position, the file together with the 
protective cover and any documents therein can be slid on to a suspension 
carrier 27, the carrier extending parallel to and spaced above the spine 3 
of the protective cover 1. 
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment which is broadly similar to 
that shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, with the exception of the design of the 
slides. 
The slides 220, 221, which are once again mirror-symmetrical one to the 
other, are distinguished from slides 120, 121 by the design of the 
external support or suspension zone. The suspension element shown in FIGS. 
7 and 8 comprises a transverse flange 28 upstanding from an outer end of 
the main section 13 and perpendicular to the plane thereof. This flange 28 
has an extension 29 which projects inwardly towards the middle of the main 
section 13 and presents a support surface 30 coinciding substantially with 
an imaginary, longitudinal central plane passing perpendicularly through 
the main section 13 of the slide. This support surface 30 is delimited 
towards the outermost end of the slide by a chamfer or inclined portion 31 
which extends from the support surface 30 to the edge 32, of the 
transverse flange 28. Edge 32 is the lower most edge of flange 28 when the 
file is suspended. The inclined portions 31 on the slides 220, 221, limit 
motions in the longitudinal direction of the ring mechanism 7, which a 
file suspended on two mutually parallel suspension carriers 33 might 
execute. Moreover, the portions 31 help to centre the file when suspended 
between the carriers 33. The width of the support surface 30, considered 
that is in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the main section 13, 
sufficiently large as to counteract tilting movements on the part of the 
file when suspended. The width is such, however, as not to impede exchange 
of pages of documentation which have been perforated and filed on the ring 
components 8. This purpose is also served by locating the extension 29 in 
the vertical longitudinal central plane through the main section 13. At 
the same time, a space is left between the top of the spine 3 and the 
support surface 30, this space taking account of the normal dimensions 
which conventional suspended files exhibit in this direction. 
The slides 220, 221 are made once again as pressings or punchings and the 
parts 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 are again created by folding a flange provided on 
the main section 13. Because the support surface 30 of each slide lies at 
the level of the aforesaid imaginary central plane, each main slide 
section 13 contains an opening or recess 34 located to one side of the 
support surface 30 so as to create the requisite access for the suspension 
carrier 33. The provision of this recess involves the omission of part of 
the main section 13 which would otherwise have surrounded one side of the 
elongated hole 14, the omission resulting in the cut edges 35 and 36. 
When it is desired to insert or remove papers, both slides 220, 221 are 
moved to the pushed-in position. To prepare the file for hanging, the two 
slides are pulled out in opposite directions by hand to the operative or 
suspension position, which is reproduced in FIG. 7 in the case of the 
slide 221, slide 220 being shown in the pushed-in position. When both 
slides are pulled out, the file complete with protective cover 1 and 
documentation, can readily be lowered onto two mutually parallel rails or 
similar suspension carriers 33 so as to be hung therefrom. 
The embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 6 and FIGS. 7 and 8, have a common feature 
wherein the alignment of their suspension elements in relation to the 
plane of the main sections 13 is such that the support zones 25 and 30 are 
each disposed across a narrow side of the slide. These arrangements make 
it possible to hang up the file if, when they are assembled in their 
protective covers 1, the main sections 13 are vertically orientated when 
suspended. That is, both embodiments are designed for attachment to the 
rear cover boards 4. 
Instead of the preferred design of the slides as punchings which in 
particular can comply with stringent strength requirements, it is also 
possible to make them, for instance, as injection-mouldings or castings of 
synthetic plastics material. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that 
where ring mechanisms whose ring components 8 extend beneath the mechanism 
cover 9 and do not pass through openings in the said cover, the slides can 
all be provided with openings in the neighbourhood of their edge flanges 
17, 18, as indicated in the case of the flange 17, by the broken lines 37 
of FIG. 8. 
The embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 again illustrates a ring mechanism 7, of 
the kind already discussed in connection with the preceding examples, 
attached to the spine 3 of the protective cover 1. 
The filing device of FIGS. 9, 10 comprises two slides 320, 321 which 
substantially correspond with the slides of previous embodiments, parts 
thereof in common with parts of the previous embodiments having the same 
reference numbers. The modifications made can best be appreciated from a 
consideration of FIG. 10, which illustrates the slide 320. The essential 
difference resides now in the fact that the slide 320, like its 
counterpart 321, forms a mounting for a suspension bracket 38, consisting 
of elliptical-section wire bent to a U-shape. Inward-pointing legs 39, 40 
of the bracket 38 secure and guide the bracket in relation to the exterior 
of the slide. To this end, the slide is provided with bearing bushes 40, 
42, 43, 44 which are arranged in pairs and spaced at intervals from one 
another on each edge flange 17, 18. In the illustrated example, the bushes 
are formed by lugs bent up or rolled from the top edges of the flanges 17, 
18. This makes it possible to form the overall slide as a simple sheet 
metal punching. The bearing bushes provide passages for the legs 39, 40 of 
the suspension bracket 38, the bushes being shaped to the cross-sectional 
shape of the legs 39, 40. Furthermore, the bushes are arranged in line 
with one another and so spaced from one another that the suspension 
bracket 38 can be pulled or pushed-in or out in a direction in which the 
slide itself is movable. The use of wire of elliptical-section keeps the 
overall width of the slide assembly to a minimum where the major axis of 
the cross-section is disposed parallel to the edge flanges 17, 18. In 
addition, such a wire section increases the resistance of the suspension 
bracket 38 to bending moments of the kind which occur when the laden file 
is suspended. The legs 39, 40 of the suspension bracket 38 define a 
support plane parallel to the main section 13 of the slide, which plane 
coincides in FIG. 10 with a plane containing the uppermost surfaces of the 
legs 39, 40. The outermost transverse limb 45, linking the legs 39, 40, 
lies to one side of the support plane, the legs being bent adjacent the 
limb 45 so that a hooked formation is produced. This construction secures 
a file suspended upon suspension carriers or rails from slipping off 
inadvertently. The innermost end 46 of the leg 40 is flattened to limit 
and determine the pulled-out position of the bracket 38 and at the same 
time to secure the suspension bracket 38 to the slide 320, 321 in captive 
fashion. 
FIG. 9 illustrates the slide 320 and its suspension bracket 38, in the 
pulled-out position, whilst the slide 321 with its suspension bracket 38, 
is shown in the pushed-in position. For suspension of the file, both 
slides are pulled out in order to lock the ring components 8. Thereafter, 
the file complete with the documentation therein, can be suspended upon a 
pair of suspension carriers provided that the gap therebetween is wide 
enough to accept the file cover. If the gap between the suspension 
carriers is greater than the spacing between the support zones of the 
brackets 38 when the latter are pushed-in, then the latter can be pulled 
out to the extent required to bridge the gap. This is particularly 
important in the case of files for DIN A 5 format documentation, should it 
be desired to suspend such files from suspension carriers intended for use 
with DIN A 4 format documentation files. The quoted format classification 
is, of course, merely exemplary. 
The file and filing device shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 corresponds in many 
respects with those shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and corresponding items have 
been marked with corresponding references. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the ring 
mechanism 7 was attached to the spine 3, but in FIGS. 11 and 12, it is 
attached next to the spine 3, to the rear board 4 of the protective cover 
1. In this instance, the ring components 8 are not of circular form, but 
have a substantially rectangular shape. The slides 420, 421 each include a 
carrier flange 47 at the outer end of the main section, flange 47 being 
bent over towards the ring mechanism 7. This flange 47 contains 
leadthroughs consisting of openings for the legs 39, 40 of the suspension 
bracket 38'. These openings are disposed vertically one above the other 
and serve to dispose the suspension bracket 38' and the support plane 
defined by its legs at right angles to the main section 13 of the slide. 
The leg 40, in the illustrated example, is guided in a bush 48 formed by a 
sleeve attached to that side of the carrier flange 47 which faces the ring 
mechanism. The other opening is formed by an oval hole 49 in the carrier 
flange 47. The longer dimension of the hole 49 is parallel to the support 
plane of the suspension bracket 38' and hence is perpendicular to the 
plane of the main section 13. By making the hole 49 oval, compensates for 
certain manufacturing tolerances and avoids the need for uneconomically 
high precision in manufacture, so that this slide can likewise be 
manufactured as a simple punching or pressing prior to fitting with a 
sleeve 40 serving as a guide and bearing portion. 
The slides 420, 421 are each assigned to the ends of the ring mechanism 7 
in such a fashion that a straight edge 50 of the flange 47 is disposed at 
right angles to the plane of the main section 13 adjacent the spine 3 of 
the file cover. The edges 50 accordingly serve to support the spine 3 when 
the file is suspended. The opposite edge of each of the carrier flanges 47 
is provided with a cut-out delimited by the lines 51, 52 so as to improve 
access to documentation in the file. 
The suspension bracket 38' is similar to the bracket 38 shown in FIGS. 9 
and 10, but the leg 39 is now shorter than the leg 40 by approximately the 
axial length of the sleeve 48. 
In FIG. 11, the slide 420 and its suspension bracket 38' have been shown in 
the pulled-out position whilst the slide 421 and its suspension bracket 
38' have both been shown in the pushed-in position where they are 
contained within the profile of the protective cover 1. 
The embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 to 16 again comprises a ring mechanism 7 
of the basic design already described hereinbefore, except that instead of 
ring coil components 10, ring strip components 10' are used. These contain 
a punched-out opening 53 for the locking tongue 15 on the slides 520, 521. 
The slides 520, 521 in turn have a flat main section 13 with a locking 
tongue 15, and upright marginal flanges 17, 18. The slides are located 
beneath the ring mechanism and between the latter and the back board 4 to 
which the ring mechanism 7 is attached by rivets 11. The slides 520, 521 
which can perform oppositely directed motions towards the ends of the ring 
mechanism 7 into an operative position, perform a direct locking function 
upon the ring components 8 of the mechanism 7 but themselves always remain 
within the profile of a protective cover and also remain beneath the ring 
mechanism. 
Each suspension element is formed by a substantially U-shaped suspension 
bracket 55 which is coupled to the slide in order to displace the latter. 
The bracket is however, positioned alongside the slide and is arranged to 
pivot with respect to the slide about a pivot axis parallel to the 
direction of motion of the slide. The suspension bracket 55 is supported 
for displacement by a separate fixture plate 59 provided with longitudinal 
guides 56, 57, 58, the plate 59 in turn being attachable by rivets 60 to 
the spine 3 of a protective cover 1. The longitudinal guides 56, 57, 58 
are formed by rolled edge portions of the fixture plate 59, and between 
the guides 57 and 58 a space is formed at the level of which one bracket 
leg 61 facing its particular slide is provided with a cranked portion 62. 
The ends 64 of legs 61, 64 of the suspension brackets 55 are bent inwardly 
towards each other in order to limit outward displacement of the bracket. 
In the neighbourhood of the cranked portion 62, the leg 61 is engaged by a 
driver in the form of a transverse link 65 passing through punched-out 
openings in the edge flanges 17, 18. The link 65 has a bearing bush 66 
formed at one of its ends by a rolling operation, the bush pivotally 
receiving the cranked zone 62 of the leg 61. No relative axial 
displacement is possible between the leg 61 and the bush 66. 
The connecting link 65 is so accommodated in the associated slide 520 or 
521, that it can perform a small transverse movement, whereby a mobile 
coupling between the slides and their associated suspension brackets 55 is 
created. Then, the brackets can be made particularly strong and robust, 
and independent in design, and dimensions of the slide and the ring 
mechanism 7 beneath which the slides extend. At the same time, because of 
the transverse mobility of the transverse links 65 and the pivotal 
attachment of the cranked zones 62 of the suspension brackets 55, the 
spine 3 can fold or hinge freely and without binding relative to the back 
board 4 of the protective cover. 
FIG. 14 illustrates the parts in an operative position to which the 
suspension brackets 55 are the only parts to project beyond the profile of 
the protective cover, the slides 520, 521 being in the locking position in 
which they secure the ring components 8 of the ring mechanism 7 against 
opening. This locking can be seen particularly clearly by comparing FIGS. 
15 and 16, FIG. 15 illustrating the slide 520 in its unlocked position and 
FIG. 16 the components in the locked position. 
The embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 to 20, finally, is similar to that shown 
in FIGS. 13 to 16, and commences from a ring mechanism 7 which is provided 
with an underlying base plate 67. 
This base plate 67 possesses an external profile corresponding to the 
outline profile of the cover plate 9, and is held in position between the 
latter and the back board 4 of the protective cover by rivets 11. The base 
plate 67 has accommodating openings 68 for the slides 620, 621, the edges 
of the openings 68 guiding and limiting sliding motions of the slides 
therein. The slides 620, 621 consist simply of flat main sections 13 with 
upstanding locking tongues 15, and along one exposed, outer side of each 
bearing bushes 69, 70 are formed by rolled edge lugs. These bearing bushes 
69, 70 are arranged in line and spaced from one another, and in each case 
one leg 71 of an associated suspension bracket 72 is assembled in the 
bushes 69, 70. The brackets each possesses a shorter second leg 73. In 
order that the longer leg 71 of each suspension bracket 72 is supported in 
the bearing bushes 69, 70 for pivoting and not for displacement 
longitudinally, the leg 71 is provided with a cranked portion 74 between 
the bushes 69, 70. 
The base plate 67 has pocket-like extensions 75, 76 formed by folding 
operations, the extensions having a substantially U-shaped form. A pair of 
the extensions 75 and 76 embrace and guide the leg 71 of one suspension 
bracket 72, a second pair of extensions 75, 76 being provided for the leg 
71 of the other bracket 72. The end 77 of the leg 71 of each suspension 
bracket 72 is bent over or hooked and its dimensions are so related to the 
inside dimensions of the extensions 76 that when slide and suspension 
bracket are in the pushed-in position, the bracket can be pivoted into a 
plane parallel to the base plate 67, and also through 90.degree. into an 
upright position as shown in FIG. 17. To this end, the extension 76 has a 
shortened outwardly-facing wall, shortened as depicted by the edge 78. In 
order to pull out the suspension bracket 72 complete with its slide, into 
the file-suspension position, the suspension bracket 72 must be in a 
position in which it is perpendicular to the base plate 67, as shown in 
FIG. 17 in respect of the brackets 72 shown at top left, and in FIG. 18 in 
respect of the bracket shown at bottom right. In this position, the 
bracket 72 has its hooked end 77 fully engaged in the extension 76, and 
cannot therefore pivot. 
To prepare the file for it to be stored in suspended fashion, it is merely 
necessary to swing up the suspension brackets 72 and to pull them apart in 
opposite directions, the brackets 72 taking the slides 620, 621 with them 
and moving them into the position in which they lock the ring mechanism 7. 
The locking of the brackets 72 in relation to the base plate 67, in the 
suspension position, means that when suspended the file has a vertical 
attitude, whilst when the components are in the pushed-in position, the 
suspension brackets 72 can be freely folded down on to the spine 3, in 
which position they do not impede normal use of the file.