Means for filing documents

.[.A means for filing documents which is particularly adapted for open filing of various file folders, as for example legal size file folders, and wherein the folders are suspended on horizontal rails and freely slidable longitudinally of the rails, the files suspended below the rails being closely adjacent lower surfaces of a plurality of superimposed files and bars support the file folders on the rails slidably longitudinally thereof, the bars being provided with notches or bearings in their lower edges near their opposite ends so that the file folders, together with the bar, may be placed into a position between superimposed files, as for example, by placing one end of the bar underneath a first rail and then lifting the bar up at its far end and lowering it onto a second rail to engage a respective notch with the rail. The holder may then be pushed back together with the bar and the front end of the bar is raised up behind the first rail and pulled forward and placed over the upper portion of the rail so that the respective notch is engaged with the first rail at the outer side of the open filing system to suspendingly support the file holder and allow it to be slidably moved longitudinally along the rails as desired. The reverse procedure may be taken to remove a file holder and its supporting bar from the filing means of the invention, thus allowing a plurality of superimposed shelves to be utilized under which a pair of rails of the invention support a plurality of file or folder supporting bars, all readily movably mounted on the rails..]. .[.Further, the disclosure relates to an important modification of the invention having reinforced bar structure and novel document connection means especially adapted for holding large documents and groups thereof, such as maps, blueprints, or other large documents which may be suspended on a pair of rails in a similar manner to that hereinbefore described..]. .Iadd.A means for filing documents, such as maps, blueprints, legal files, etc., includes a horizontal supporting bar supported at opposite ends on spaced horizontal rails wherein the bar has a strip-like structure with an upper supporting portion formed concavo-convex in vertical cross-section throughout its length for nesting with adjacent supporting bars, and rail engaging notches near opposite ends of the bar with the notches being relatively long and the inner edges of the notches being spaced apart sufficiently less than the spacing between the rails so that one end of the bar can be moved freely between the rails inside of its respective rail while the other end of the bar is engaged by its rail within its notch. For smaller documents such as legal files, the bars support file folders for holding the files; such arrangement of rails, bars and file folders can be superimposed with similar arrangements or can have closely superimposed shelves. Further there is disclosed a plurality of flexible straps with head portions interlocking in spaced openings in each bar for supporting larger documents. .Iaddend.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various file folder supports of the prior art have utilized rails and 
folders suspended therefrom; however, such prior art devices have not been 
readily adapted for use in combination with open shelf filing cabinets, 
particularly due to the fact that most folder supporting rails and bars 
are so constructed that it is necessary to move the file folders and bars 
directly upward to a position above the supporting rails in order to 
remove the respective file folder from the file. 
Due to the economy of open shelf filing systems and due to the desirability 
thereof with respect to office space, there has been an economic trend 
toward open shelf filing. Most conventional open shelf filing systems have 
therefore been provided with superimposed shelves and file folders are 
merely stacked side by side and tend to fall over or lean against each 
other without proper means for suspending them. Additionally the proper 
filing of large documents such as groups of blueprints and maps have posed 
a problem since most of these documents have been placed in large drawers 
wherein the sheets are laid flat or such documents have been stored in 
cubby-holes in a generally rolled condition. Various other inconvenient 
means and methods have been used to support such large documents, as for 
example clamps and hooks have been used to hange these large documents; 
however, such means and methods have been inconvenient and relatively 
inefficient. 
.Iadd.More specifically, rail supported hangers with clamping devices for 
large documents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,210 and Great Britain 
Pat. No. 655,910 the latter disclosing a hanger with a pair of clamping 
rails formed with mating zig zag vertical profiles to securely grip an 
upper edge of a plan, drawing or map therebetween. In U.S. Pat. No. 
3,298,374 and Netherlands Pat. No. 6,706,044 there are disclosed hangers 
with opposite hinged portions extending on opposite sides of a document or 
group of documents with tongues or prongs from one portion extending 
through holes in the documents; the Netherlands patent showing a head on a 
prong interlocking with a horizontal slot in the opposite portion. U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,684,340 and France Pat. No. 731,238 disclose hangers for 
documents with lower planar portions having holes therein together with 
binding posts through the holes in the hanger and holes in a document, or 
folding fasteners extending through the holes in the hanger and holes in a 
document, to secure the documents to the hanger. These types of hanger 
arrangements have several deficiencies such as failing to occupy the 
minimum amount of space, being relatively more difficult to attach 
documents thereto, not offering adequate vertical and horizontal strength, 
or being relatively more expensive. 
In suspended file folder systems, U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,204 shows the removal 
of a pair of supporting bars and attached folder by moving the bars and 
folder toward the rear, tipping the front ends of the bars below a front 
rail, and then moving the bar and folder beneath the front rail from the 
filing system; however such bars must be lifted at both ends to disengage 
notches in such ends from respective front and back rails prior to moving 
the bar and folder toward the rear; the lifting of the rear end can be 
difficult when the bar and folder can only be gripped at the front and the 
folder contains heavy documents. A stiffening rib or flange formed by a 
folded back upper edge of a supporting bar is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 
2,749,915; such folded back edges increase the thickness of the supporting 
bars to more than twice the sheet material of which there are formed and 
thus take up extra space lessening the number of hangers per unit of 
horizontal space. The securement of edge portions of folders by strips 
integral with one half of the folder extending through horizontal slots in 
the opposite half of the folder is disclosed in Great Britain Pat. No. 
890,810. 
The prior art also contains various fastening devices which have little if 
any relevance to arrangements for hanging documents on rails; such 
fastening devices include U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,354 which illustrates a key 
secured by a strip including a head having opposite shoulders interlocking 
with opposite sides of an opening having a vertical slot portion, and U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,765,110 which discloses a plastic filament with end bars joined 
in a T-arrangement therewith to attach a tag to merchandise. .Iaddend. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a novel combination of means in a filing 
means for holding documents, the combination including .[.superimposed 
files and folder supporting rails spaced directly below each superimposed 
group of files, and.]. bars having notches in lower end portions thereof 
engaged with the rails for suspendingly supporting .Iadd.the documents or 
.Iaddend.file folders, and the notches in the lower edges of the bars 
which support the file folders are elongated so as to provide for removal 
of the bars and the respective file folders by raising the outermost ends 
of the bars above the respective rail at the front of the filing system, 
then sliding the bars backwardly until the outer ends of the bars clear 
the rail at the front of the filing system, then the outer ends of the 
bars are lowered and removed below the outermost rail as the rearward ends 
of the rail are lifted upwardly slightly to disengage the notches therein 
from the rearward rail and thus a file folder may readily be removed from 
open filing means of the invention without raising the file folder or 
supporting bar structure upward a substantial distance above the rails, 
and to thereby allow a superimposed group of files to be placed directly 
above the rails in close proximity thereto and to afford a plurality of 
superimposed groups of files between which file folders may be slidingly 
and suspendingly supported, and very conveniently removable and 
replaceable onto the rails. 
Additionally, the invention comprises novel construction of the 
aforementioned bars wherein a .[.pliable.]. .Iadd.strip-like 
.Iaddend.document holding structure is reinforced .[.by a reinforcing 
member.]. in a horizontal load carrying structure of the bar, and 
.[.wherein the reinforcing member may be substantially rigid relative to 
the relatively pliable document supporting structure of the bar, and.]. 
wherein the reinforcing portion of the bar is relatively concavo-convex in 
order to provide substantial structural strength as well as to nest with 
adjacent like portions of a plurality of such bars in order to provide 
compact horizontal relationship of the bars and the document holding 
structure in connection therewith. 
.Iadd.Further an arrangement for hanging a document on rails contemplates a 
bar with a document holding structure having a plurality of openings 
spaced between rail engaging ends of the bar together with a plurality of 
flexible straps adapted to secure the document and having heads for 
interlocking in the openings of the bar. .Iaddend. 
.[.The.]. .Iadd.Still further the .Iaddend. document holding structure of 
the bars .[.being.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.made of pliable material and 
.[.having.]. .Iadd.has .Iaddend.punched out document holding elongated 
straps having enlarged head portions which may be lockingly connected in 
slots from which the straps are punched out, to thereby provide a bayonet 
locking arrangement and whereby an intermediate portion of each strap 
extends through an opening in a large document such as a large blueprint 
or a group thereof, or through maps or other large documents, as desired. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel 
rail and supporting bar structure which is adapted for use in open shelf 
filing system for filing small documents such as legal file folders may 
contain, and further the invention is adapted for use in supporting 
relatively large documents such as blueprints and maps or the like, either 
in small numbers or in groups, as desired. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf, rail and bar 
mechanism for removably supporting file folders in an open filing system 
to provide the utmost convenience in removing and replacing files from 
rails in close proximity to the underside of superimposed groups of files. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bar construction 
which is adapted to suspend documents on a pair of spaced apart rails, 
said novel construction comprising an extrusion of pliable material having 
a generally channel shaped cross section wherein a reinforcing member of 
relatively .[.high.]. .Iadd.rigid .Iaddend. material is readily slidably 
positionable therein by sliding the reinforcing member longitudinally in 
the generally channel shaped structure of the pliable member, all of which 
affords simplicity of construction, economy of manufacture, and structural 
rigidity of the bar for holding substantial loads such as may be imposed 
by groups of large documents such as blueprints and maps or the like. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the 
following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the filing means of the 
invention is provided with a frame 20 which may include a cabinet having a 
back wall 22 with end walls such as the wall 24 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of 
the drawings. Thus the frame of the invention may comprise a back wall 22 
and a pair of spaced apart end walls 24 which support first and second 
.Iadd.horizontally spaced-apart .Iaddend.rails 26 and 28. These rails 26 
and 28 are provided with basic load carrying structures 30 and 32, 
respectively, and are provided with rail portions 34 and 36, respectively. 
The rail portion 34 is provided with an outer side 38 and an inner side 40 
while the rail portion 36 is provided with an outer side 42 and an inner 
side 44; .Iadd.the inner sides 40 and 44 facing each other.Iaddend.. 
Opposite ends of the rail structure 26 and 28 may be supported between end 
walls of the box-shaped frame such as between a pair of spaced apart end 
walls 24, while the rail 28 is disposed adjacent an inner side 46 at the 
rear of the frame 20 which is generally a box-shaped cabinet having an 
open front 48 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and this front 48 may be enclosed 
by suitable sliding or other doors, if desired. 
A .Iadd.horizontally elongated strip-like .Iaddend.document supporting bar 
50, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, is provided with a normally lower edge 
.[.portion.]. 52 .[.having.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.notches 54 and 56 therein 
which are recessed upwardly above .Iadd.the lower edge 52 proximate the 
opposite end edges of the bar 50 but leaving .Iaddend.first and second 
.Iadd.downward extending stop-portions or .Iaddend.ends 58 and 60 of the 
bar 50 .Iadd.forming the outer boundaries of the notches 54 and 
56.Iaddend.. It will be seen that the first and second .[.notch 
portions.]. .Iadd.notches .Iaddend. 54 and 56 are of a length extending 
longitudinally along the bar 50 which is substantially greater than the 
width of each of the rails between the inner and outer sides thereof, as 
for example the rail portion 34 is quite narrow between its outer side 38 
and inner side 40, and the notch 54 is substantially longer longitudinally 
along the bar 50 than the overall thickness or width of the rail portion 
34, and this relationship also exists with respect to the notch 56 and the 
rail 36 so that the bar 50 may be slidably moved with the notch 56 
engaging the rail 36 such that the end 58 may clear the inner side 40 of 
the rail 34 and be moved upwardly in accordance with an arrow A in FIG. 2 
of the drawings to a position above the rail 34, whereupon the bar 50 may 
be moved in the direction of the rail 34 thereabove and lowered thereonto, 
into the position as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. It will be noted 
that the rail 36 is spaced from the inner side 46 of the back wall 22 a 
distance substantially greater than the length of the notch 56 so as to 
permit clearance of the end 60 of the bar 50 when moved to the position 
shown in FIG. 2. 
End .[.portions.]. .Iadd.edges or boundaries .Iaddend.62 and 64, 
respectively, of .Iadd.opposite ends of a lower generally planar portion 
of the bar 50 between .Iaddend.the notches 54 and 56 are adapted to extend 
downwardly between the respective rail portions 34 and 36 adjacent the 
inner sides 40 and 44, respectively, thereof, and the ends 58 and 60 of 
the bar 50 are disposed to engage the outer sides 38 and 42 of the rail 
portions 34 and 36, respectively, to limit longitudinal movement of the 
bar 50 on the rails so as to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof 
when the bars 50 are moved longitudinally of the rail portions 34 and 36. 
.Iadd.The length between the edge 64 and the end edge of the bar 50 at the 
end 58 is less than the space or distance between the inner sides 40 and 
44 of the rails to permit the free movement of the end 58 past the inner 
side 40 of the rail 34 while the rail 42 is engaged in the notch 56; 
similarly the length between the edge 62 and the end edge of the bar 50 at 
the end 60 is less than the space between the rails 34 and 36. .Iaddend. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the 
.[.rail.]. .Iadd.bar .Iaddend.50 disclosed in FIG. 1 at its end 58 may be 
removed from the rail portion 34 and tilted downwardly to the position 
shown in FIG. 2 whereupon the end portion 60 may be raised slightly to 
clear the rail 36 and the bar 50, together with documents .[.66, and.]. 
.Iadd.79.Iaddend., may be removed from a position below the rail 30 in the 
direction of the arrow B, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. 
When replacing the bar 50 relative to the rails 30 and 32, the reverse 
procedure is followed such as to first place the end 60 of the bar 50 
below the rail 30 and move it oppositely relative to the arrow B to a 
position wherein the end 60 is above the rail portion 36, whereupon it may 
be lowered into the position as shown in FIG. 2. Then the end 58 of the 
bar is moved upwardly in the direction of the arrow A to a position above 
the rail portion 34 and then moved in the direction of the arrow B until 
the end 58 is disposed beyond the outer side 38 of the rail portion 34. 
The bar 50 may then be lowered to the position as shown in FIG. 3 wherein 
it suspendingly supports documents .[.66.]. .Iadd.79 .Iaddend.therefrom. 
Such documents may be heavy blueprints or maps, or groups thereof, as 
desired. 
The procedure for engaging the bar with the rails, as hereinbefore 
described, applies to the species of the invention as shown in FIGS. 9 to 
14, as will be hereinafter described in detail. 
The .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.cross sectional shape of the bar 50, as shown 
in FIG. 4, comprises a .Iadd.upper .Iaddend.load carrying .Iadd.portion or 
.Iaddend.structure 66 and a .Iadd.lower .Iaddend.document supporting 
.Iadd.or carrying portion or .Iaddend.structure 68. .Iadd.The width of the 
strip-like bar extends in the vertical direction. .Iaddend.The load 
carrying structure is integral with the document supporting structure 68, 
as shown in FIG. 4, and this load carrying structure 66 is generally 
concavo-convex, having a concave side 70 and a convex side 72 
.Iadd.throughout the length of the structure 66.Iaddend.. It will be seen 
that the cross section may be angular or curved, as desired, however, this 
structure is so arranged to provide stiffness in both vertical and lateral 
directions in order to support heavy documents in connection with the 
document supporting portion 68. This portion 68 is provided with holes 74 
therein, through which a clip or staple 76, as shown in FIG. 8 may be 
inserted. Alternatively, a staple 77 may be machine installed through the 
document supporting structure 68 to hold a document, as indicated by 
broken lines 79, in suspended relation to the bar 50. 
As shown in FIG. 8, it will be seen that a plurality of the bars 50 may be 
utilized at opposite sides of a large group of blueprints or maps .[.66.]. 
.Iadd.79 .Iaddend.with the staple 76 extending through the holes 74 and in 
this manner a pair of the concavo-convex structures 66 may be nested 
wherein the convex portion 72 of one bar 50 is .Iadd.mated or 
.Iaddend.nested with the generally concave portion 70 of the adjacent bar, 
thus providing for horizontal compactness in the filing of the documents 
in connection with the bars, and also providing lateral stiffness of the 
bars both as to vertical deflection and horizontal deflection. 
In the modified bar 50, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the load 
carrying structure 66 is preferably made of a relatively hard material 
such as hard plastic, extruded aluminum, or the like, and a 
.Iadd.generally planar .Iaddend.lower portion constituting the document 
supporting portion 68 may be made of a relatively soft pliable material, 
and these relatively hard and soft materials may be integral with each 
other or bonded together at a transition 78, all as shown best in FIG. 5 
of the drawings. 
The pliable portion 68 may have the same characteristics as a pliable 
document supporting portion 80 of the structure shown in FIG. 6, wherein 
.Iadd.flexible .Iaddend.document supporting .Iadd.fasteners or 
.Iaddend.straps 82 .Iadd.with head portions or segments 96 interlocking 
with enclosed openings 108 in the supporting portion 80 .Iaddend.are 
utilized for supporting the documents .[.66.]. .Iadd.79.Iaddend., all as 
will be hereinafter described. 
Accordingly, it will be understood that the flexible portion 68 of the bar 
50, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, may contain the straps 82 as shown 
in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
As shown in FIG. 6, the pliable .Iadd.planar .Iaddend.document supporting 
portion 80 is .[.provided with.]. .Iadd.integrally affixed or joined at 
its upper boundary with a lower boundary of a central segment of .Iaddend. 
a generally concavo-convex channel structure 84 forming a part of the 
load carrying structure of the invention. This portion 84 is provided with 
channel portions 86 and 88 which retain generally upper and lower edges 90 
and 92 of a metallic reinforcing member 94, It will therefore be 
appreciated that the portions 80 and 84 may be extruded of soft pliable 
material such as plastic, and the reinforcing member 94 may be made of 
sheet metal or the like. 
Punched out of the document supporting portion 80 is a plurality of the 
straps 82, hereinbefore described. Each strap 82 is .Iadd.elongated and 
.Iaddend.provided .Iadd.at one end .Iaddend.with an enlarged head portion 
96 having oppositely directed .Iadd.horizontal abutments or .Iaddend.edges 
98 and 100 which .[.overlie.]. .Iadd.interlock with .Iaddend.respective 
opposite edges 102 and 104 of a .Iadd.lower elongated vertical 
.Iaddend.slot .Iadd.portion of the opening 108 .Iaddend.from which the 
strap 82 is punched out. .Iadd.At the other end, each strap 82 is integral 
with or remains unsevered from the portion 80. .Iaddend. 
Inasmuch as the strap is pliable, it may be inserted through openings in 
blueprints .[.66.]. .Iadd.79, .Iaddend.these openings being designated 106 
in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The straps 82, when inserted through the 
openings 106, may then be inserted through the .Iadd.enclosed openings or 
.Iaddend.slot portion 108 from which the head portion 96 is stamped and 
the opposite portions 98 and 100 .[.overlie.]. .Iadd.engage .Iaddend.the 
opposite edges 102 and 104 of the slot, thereby captivating the strap 82 
in a loop shaped arrangement as it extends through the openings 106 of the 
document .[.66.]. .Iadd.79, .Iaddend.all as shown best in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 
of the drawings. Thus, heavy documents and large, long documents such as 
blueprints, maps, or the like, may be held either singly or in groups on 
the bar 50 of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings. 
In the .[.specie.]. .Iadd.species .Iaddend.of the invention as shown in 
FIGS. 9 to 14 of the drawings, a plurality of superimposed shelves 110 may 
be vertically superimposed in spaced apart relationship and these shelves 
110 are located in generally horizontal relationship to each other. Below 
each shelf are rails, in pairs, similar to that as disclosed in FIG. 1 of 
the drawings. These rails are designated 112 and 114 in FIGS. 9 to 12 
inclusive. Opposite ends of the rails 112 are supported on clips 116 in 
connection with vertical members 118 of the open shelf structure shown in 
FIG. 9 of the drawings. 
The rail 114 is provided with a bracket portion 120 which is secured to the 
inner side of a wall structure 122 of the open shelf means at the rear 
edges of the shelf structures 110, as shown best in FIGS. 11 and 12 of the 
drawings. 
It will be appreciated that due to the disposition of the shelves 110 
adjacent to the rails 112 and 114, that file folders 124 may not be moved 
upwardly above the rails in order to remove the folders from a position 
between the superimposed shelves 110. Accordingly, the same manner of 
operation as hereinbefore described in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings 
occurs with respect to the species shown in FIGS. 9 to 14 of the drawings. 
This structure, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises a pair of bars 126 which are 
functionally similar to the hereinbefore described bars 50 and these bars 
126 support a generally V-shaped folder 124 such that files or papers may 
be inserted between the bars 126 and between the opposite sides 126 and 
128 of the folders 124. 
A pair of the bars 126 is thus used to support the generally V-shaped 
folder 124, and these bars 126, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 of the 
drawings, may readily be operable in a manner with respect to the rails 
112 and 114 such as hereinbefore described, relative to the bar 50 and the 
respective rail portions 34 and 36. 
Each bar 126 is provided with a pair of notches 130 and 132 which are 
similar to the notches 54 and 56, hereinbefore described, relative to the 
structure described in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings. 
Outer marginal edges of the sides 126 and 128 are provided with tab 
supported openings 134, and these openings are arranged in straight rows 
and spaced apart equally so as to receive projections 136 at opposite ends 
of an identification tab 138, shown in detail in FIG. 14 of the drawings. 
It will be obvious that the projections 136 may be deflected and sprung 
into a pair of respective openings 134, and that the tabs may be thus 
vertically located in various positions so that tabs 138 of an adjacent 
folder 124 will not overlap or obscure each other in adjacent 
relationship. The tabs 138 are each provided with two designation areas 
140 and 142, as shown in FIG. 14 of the drawings, however, various labels 
and/or indicia may be carried by the tabs 138, as desired, for identifying 
subject matter in the respective folders 124. 
In the operation of the species of the invention as shown in FIGS. 9 to 14 
of the drawings, the removal of the bars 126, together with a respective 
folder 124, is accomplished in accordance with the disclosure of FIGS. 11 
and 12 which corresponds with the mode of operation described in FIGS. 2 
and 3 of the drawings, and thus the bars 126 and respective folders 124 
are capable of being removed from the rails 112 and 114 directly below a 
respective shelf 110 which prevents the folders 124 from being removed 
upwardly above the rails 112 and 114. Accordingly, this combination of 
elements affords means for providing a very efficient open shelf filing 
system of very compact high capacity, and which also provides for the 
slidable suspension of the folders between the shelves. Accordingly, the 
manner in which the bars 126 and the folders 124 are removed from the 
rails 112 and 113 in their close proximity to the superimposed shelves 
110, affords a combination of elements which is particularly advantageous 
for use in the open shelf filing system wherein files such as legal size 
files or the like may be disposed and stored. 
As shown in FIG. 15 of the drawings, a pair of rails 150 and 152 support a 
bar 154 and the rails 150 and 152 are carried by rail support means 156 
which may comprise a wall and/or a suitable frame, as desired. The rail 
152 may be supported by one or more vertical frame members 158 as shown in 
FIG. 17. 
Each document supporting bar is provided with a normally lower edge 160 
adapted to bear upon upper edges 162 and 164 of the rails 150 and 152. The 
rail 150 is provided with an outer side 166 and an inner side 168 while 
the rail 152 is provided with an outer side 170 and an inner side 172. The 
inner sides 168 and 172 face each other, all as shown in FIG. 15 of the 
drawings. Opposite ends 174 and 176 of the bar 154 are provided with 
downwardly extending stop portions 178 and 180, respectively, which are 
engageable with the outer sides 166 and 170 of the rails 150 and 152, to 
limit longitudinal movement of the bar 154 in a direction laterally of the 
longitudinal direction of the elongated rails 150 and 152, all as shown 
best in FIGS. 15 and 17 of the drawings. As shown in FIG. 15 of the 
drawings, the length of each stop portion 178 and 180 is disposed in a 
direction longitudinally of the respective bar 154, and this length of the 
stop portion 178, combined with the width of the rail, as for example, the 
rail 150 from its outer side 166 to its inner side 168, equals a distance 
A. Thus, the combined length of the stop portion 178 and the width of the 
rail 150 equals the dimension A as shown in FIG. 15 of the drawings, and 
the lower edge 160 of the rail 154 adjacent the respective inner sides 168 
and 172 of the rails 150 and 152 equals a dimension B, this lower portion 
160 being unobstructed for the distance B extending away from the inner 
side of each of the respective rails, and the distance B being at least 
equal to or greater than the distance A so that the bar 154, when in the 
broken line position as shown in FIG. 15, has its stop portion 180 in 
position to clear the inner side 172 of the rail 152 while the end 174 of 
the bar 154 is extended to a position wherein it is substantially spaced 
from the outer side of the rail 166 and the rail support means, namely, 
the wall 156 is spaced from the outer side of the rail 166 a sufficient 
distance to allow unobstructed movement of the end 174 of the bar to the 
broken line position shown in FIG. 15, to allow the opposite end 176 to 
clear the inner side of the rail 152. Additionally, it will be seen that a 
document support 181 or a document is provided with opposite edges 183 and 
185 which are spaced a distance B equal to the unobstructed distance of 
the lower edge 160 of the bar 154, and these edges 183 and 185 are 
normally spaced this distance away from the respective inner sides of the 
rails 150 and 152 when the respective stop portions 178 and 180 are 
closely adjacent to the respective outer sides 166 and 170 of the rails 
150 and 152. Thus the assembly of the bar 154 and the document holding 
means 181 provides an unobstructed relationship relative to the inner 
sides of the rails so that the bar 154 carrying the document holding means 
may be moved longitudinally of the bars and laterally of the rails a 
sufficient distance to allow one outer end of each bar to clear a 
respective inner side of a respective rail so that the removal procedure 
of the bar and the respective document holding means may be carried out, 
as herenbefore described, in connection with FIG. 11 of the drawings. 
With reference to FIG. 16, it will be obvious that the notch 130 in the bar 
126, as shown in FIG. 11, comprises an unobstructed area equal to the 
dimension B so as to provide clearance relative to the inner side of the 
respective rail, as hereinbefore described in FIG. 15 of the drawings. 
Accordingly, the clearence of an end 131 of the notch 130 is generic to 
the clearance described in connection with FIG. 15, whether it relates to 
the end of the notch or the edge of a document or a document holding 
means. 
In the modification as shown in FIG. 17, the bars 154 are in pairs and hold 
generally V-shaped document holding means similar to that described in 
connection with FIG. 10 of the drawings, and the rails 150 and 152 are in 
pairs, there being two superimposed pairs shown, each document holding 
means having a lower extremity 188 which is spaced sustantially above the 
next lowermost pair of rails 150 and 152 to allow clearance of said lower 
extremity 188 as the bars 154 are disengaged from the rails 150 and 152 
and moved outwardly therebelow in a manner as hereinbefore described in 
connection with FIG. 11 of the drawings. It will be thus understood that 
the removal of the bars 154, shown in FIG. 15, may be accomplished in a 
manner similar to that described in FIG. 11 of the drawings. 
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications 
of the invention maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of 
the invention.