MECHANISM FOR RIGID BINDER BACKS

Abstract: A binder back for a paper-filing binder comprises two pivotally interconnected, longitudinally extending back parts (10, 20), each including a back portion (11, 21) and a side portion (12, 22) substantially perpendicular thereto. The side portions (12, 22) have at their free edges means (51, 52) for fastening of binder sides and the back portions (11, 21) are pivotally interconnected in an articulation (4). According to the invention each back part (10, 20) consists of a sole piece of constant cross-section throughout its length, preferably an extruded piece of metal or plastic material. The back portion (11, 21) of either back part (10, 20) has at its free edge complementarily coacting means, articulation means (14, 24, 28) adapted to provide a pivot means (4) between the back parts. Either back part (10, 20) has internally throughout its length at least one longitudinal guide means in the form of a flange or a groove (19, 29, 43, 47), said guide means being adapted firmly to support binder details, such as forks (30) or binder locks (40). Either back part (10, 20) has, at the outer free edge of the side portion (12, 22), guide means (51, 52) for insertion of binder sides (6, 5).

Description: MECHANISM FOR RIGID BINDER BACKS. The present invention relates to a mechanism for a rigid binder back comprising two rigid, pivotally intercon¬ nected back halves, said binder back also comprising forks for retaining papers and documents inserted in the binder and a locking mechanism for holding together the back halve when the binder is closed. There is a great variety of bin¬ ders of this type designed for various purposes. The invention concerns, more particularly, binders intended for frequent use under hard conditions and in a troublesome environment, e.g. for price-lists and catalogues for stores of materials, supplies of spare parts, etc. Up to now such binders have been formed with back parts of pressed sheet metal. To permit these back parts to pivot towards one another they are often provided with a wire serving as an articulation which is alternatingly embraced by bent-over tongues of the two back parts along the wire and the back. The back parts include two portions, on one hand, a back portion on the edge of which articulating means are provided to permit the back parts to pivot towards and away from each other and, on the other hand, a side portion which extends substantially perpendicularly to the back portion of the back part and to the free edge of which a binder side is attached. The forks, which keep the punched papers, docu- ments, register leaves etc. in position in the binder, are also usually secured to the side portions. The forks are usually spot welded or riveted to the side portions. Co- acting locking means- for holding the binder back together in closed position are usually attached to the back portions. For the manufacture of binder backs of sheet metal several operations are required, such as cutting, bending, holing of the back parts and interconnection of these parts by threading a wire into the circularly bent tongues which serve as bearing means for the wire. After that the forks must be fixed in the side portions of the back parts, which usually takes place by riveting. The locking means for the pivoting motion of the back parts must also be mounted and the binder sides must be secured to the back parts, which usually takes place by riveting. The invention permits making a paper-filing binder bac by means of few and simple operations and by means of simpl tools. This makes the binder back inexpensive in spite of its high and robust quality. The above-mentioned advantages are obtained in that each back part consists of a sole piece of constant cross- section throughout its length, preferably an extruded piece of metal or plastic material, and that the back portion of either back part has at its free edge complementarily co- acting articulation means adapted to provide a pivot joint between the back parts. Each back part has also internally and throughout its length at least one longitudinally extending guide means in the form of a flange or a groove which is adapted firmly to support binder details for a fork device or for a binder lock. At the outer free edge of the side portion each back part has guide means for insertion of binder sides. The advantages with a binder back according to the invention are realized in that the articulation means of on back portion consist of pivot means and that the other back portion has seating or bearing means complementarily co- acting with the pivot means for rotatable accommodation of the pivot means. A bearing means has a longitudinally extending mountin groove with parallel walls situated at such a distance from each other that the pivot means can be introduced with a small play through the groove in the bearing means at right angles to the hinge, the radial orientation of the groove being such that introduction can take place only when the side portions of the back parts are swung with their free ends against each other, while the pivot means is prevented from running out of the mounting groove when the side por¬ tions of the back parts have been swung away from each other from the insertion position. According to one embodiment there is a flange carrying the pivot means while the articulation means has, at least at one point along the hinge, abutment surfaces at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the articulation and so arranged that they will coact when the back parts are swung from the mounting position in order to prevent rela- tive displacement of the back parts. In this embodiment the longitudinally extending bearing means may be cylindrical with a hook-shaped section while the pivot means consists of a round bar having a diameter corresponding to the inner cylinder surface of the bearing means, said bar being joined with the other side portion by means of a flange. In a developed embodiment of the invention the coacting articulation means are formed so that the articulation means of one back portion consists of a first cylindrical gear roll with outwardly directed, longitudinally extending teeth, while the articulation means of the other back por¬ tion consists of a second cylindrical gear roll with out¬ wardly directed longitudinally extending teeth adapted to mesh with the teeth of the first gear roll. There is also a lock piece adapted to hold the teeth of the gear rolls in mesh with each other, said lock piece being adapted to per¬ mit either gear roll - and, consequently, also either back part - to make a swinging motion of about 90 relative to the. locking piece. In another embodiment the lock piece has a longitudinal back portion including branches provided on either side of said portion and extending along it, said branches being adapted each to embrace one gear roll, and at its ends the lock piece has end walls adapted to overhang both the ends of the gear rolls whereby these rolls and, consequently, the back parts are prevented from sliding longitudinally rela¬ tive to each other. The various binder backs according to the invention may be carried out in such a way that the side portion of eithe back part has internally arranged flanges or grooves for th insertion of the forks of a fork device or such that the back portion of either back part has internally arranged flanges or grooves for fastening the lock details of a locking device for holding together the back parts in close or half-closed position. Other binder backs are so made that the back parts, preferably the back portions thereof, have external longi- tudinal grooves for retaining a label, a handle for with¬ drawal of the binder from a shelf or the like. The invention will be described more fully below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a view of a binder as seen from the back- side; Fig. 2 is a section through the binder on line II-II i Fig. 1; " Fig. 3 shows the articulation in Fig. 2 on a larger scale; Fig. 4 shows the same section as Fig. 2 when the binder lies entirely open on a plane table; Fig. 5 shows two back parts according to another embo¬ diment of the invention, where the parts are in position for being mounted together; _ Fig. 6 shows the back parts in mounted position; Fig. 7 is a section through the embodiment according to Figs. 4 a " nd 5 and corresponds to Fig. 2; Fig. 8 shows a detail on a larger scale of the articu¬ lation in Fig. 6; and Fig. 9 is a view of the articulation of the same binder back as seen from the inside. In Fig. 1, 1 designates the binder back with the back parts 2 and 3 which meet in an articulation 4 on the back of the binder. Binder sides 5 and 6 are attached to the back part edges facing away from the articulation. Fig. 2 shows a section through the two back parts 10 and 20. These extend throughout the height of the binder back and include back portions 11 and 21 which are connected - to the side portions 12, 22, respectively, by means of rounded transition portions 13, 23. The back portions 11, 2 are interconnected by means of an articulation 4 which has been obtained in the following manner. The back portion 11 has at its inner end facing the other back part a portion 1 shaped as a long, cylindrical gear roll with teeth extendin throughout the height of the binder back. The cylindrical gear roll has in its center a circular-cylindrical groove 15. The other back portion 21 has at the end facing the articulation a similar cylindrical gear roll 24 which en¬ gages the gear roll 14 by meshing teeth. Also this gear roll has a cylindrical groove 25 in the center of the gear profile. The design of the articulation is more clearly apparen from Fig. 3. The gear rolls 14, 24 are held against each other and in mesh by means of a lock piece 28 with branches 16 and 26 which are provided at their ends with round ele¬ ments which are rotatably mounted in the grooves 1 ' 5, 25. Th side branches 16, 26 are held together by bridges 17 ar- ranged at regular intervals along the lock piece 28. Betwee the bridges 17 the lock piece has openings 27, as is appa¬ rent from Fig. 4. Fig. 2 also shows how grooves or profiles 19 and 29 are arranged on the insides of the side portions 12 and 22, respectively, to accommodate a fork device 30. This device consists of two units, each comprising a fork plate 31 and 33 to which forks 32 and 34, respectively, are fixed and which coact with holes in the papers and documents inserted in the binder. The fork plates 31, 33 of the fork device are inserted in the ' fork grooves 19 and 29, respectively, in the respec¬ tive back parts 10 and 20. The fork plates may preferably have indentations or recesses at their edges into which the flanges of the grooves 19, 29 are bent down to retain the fork device on the desired level in the binder back after they have been carried to " this position from one end of the binder. /-BUR£4 Different countries apply different standards for the punching of paper and for the fork means adapted thereto. Thus, the forks may be arranged in two pairs at a distance from each other, two forks being attached to the same fork plate on one side of the binder and the other two forks in a corresponding way on the opposite side. There is also a paper standard where the paper has only two holes. In this connection the forks may be half-round and fixed on the same level in the binder back to fit with one and the same hole in the paper. It is also directly obvious that all these variants can be realized with a binder back according to the invention, since the fork device can be given the desired appearance and be attached on the desired level in the binder without the other details of the binder being affected thereby. Fig. 4 shows a binder according to the invention lying entirely open on a table. As is apparent the side portions 12, 22 of the binder can be put right down to the base, and also the binder sides 5 and 6 can rest against the base and optimally support the papers and documents resting on the binder side and being controlled by the forks 32, 34. The figure also shows the design of the lock piece 28 with its branches 16, 26, bridges 17 and openings 27. To guide the back parts 10 and 20 longitudinally relative to each other and to hold the back parts right opposite each other the lock piece 28 is equipped with end walls 18 the left-hand portion of which is shown in Fig. 4 while the right-hand portion is cut off to show the gear roll 24. Provided on the other end of the lock piece is a corresponding device where- by the back parts 10, 20 are prevented from sliding relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the back. For mounting the binder shown the ready binder halves are laid down with their back portions 11, 21 applied against each other, as is shown in Fig. 4. In case the lock piece consists of a bent metal sheet the lock piece is pushed on from one end of the back until a bent-down tongue 18 will abut the ends of the gear rolls 14, 24, whereupon the flap in the other end of the lock piece is bent down outside the gear rolls. It has been found that binders with lock pieces of metal are not silent but rattle, which is caused by the play provided between the lock piece and the two gear rolls. To obtain a binder that is silent and nice to handle the lock piece may be made of plastic material according to another embodiment of the invention. In that case, when the binder is ready for mounting in the position shown i Fig. 4, one can press down the branches 16, 26 of the lock piece 28 over the gear rolls, whereby the branches are moved apart and thereupon snap into the grooves 15, 25 (Fig. 3), whereupon the lock piece 28, due to its elasti¬ city, holds the entire articulation structure together. Fig. 2 also shows the binder locking means 40 which comprises a lock plate 41 and a lock arm 42. The lock plate is inserted in a groove 43 formed on the inside of the back portion 11 and secured in the desired position by upset¬ ting of the edges of the flanges constituting the groove 43. The lock plate 41 extends inwards over the center of the binder and has a tongue 44 which is engaged by a click spring 45. The spring 45 consists of a resilient lock arm 42 which, on opening and closing of the binder back, is carried towards and away from the lock plate so that the click spring 45 is brought into and out of engagement with the tongue 44. The lock arm 42 is carried by a support 46 which is inserted in a groove 47 on the inside of the back portion 21 and is riveted in position for coaction with the lock plate 41 by upsetting of the flanges at the edges of the groove 47. It is obvious that locking means of various designs can be mounted in the binder in the manner described and also that more than one locking means can be used. In addition to the grooves already described in the back parts 10, 20 these parts have each one groove 51, 52 at the outer edge of the side portions 12, 22, as is apparent from Fig. 2. In the embodiment shown these grooves are round but they may as well be undercut dovetail slots or the like to accommodate a hinge element 53, 54 by means of which the binder sides 6, 5 are attached to the binder back. In the embodiment shown the hinge elements 53, 54 consist of a plastic profile which by one edge is inserted into the binder grooves 51, 52 and retained therein by jamming and a the other edge are secured to the binder sides 5, 6 by glueing or in some other suitable manner. To give the binder a better appearance the angular end surfaces of the back parts 10, 20 are covered by angular en pieces which, in Fig. 1, are designated by 51, 52 at the upper edge of the binder and by 53, 54 at the lower edge of the binder. The end pieces has 'tongues which may be inserte in the grooves 19, 43 on the back part 10 and in the groove 29, 47 on the back part 20; see Fig. 2. The tongues are riveted by bending of the edges of the grooves so as to be fixed in firm position. The height of the end pieces over the profile is preferably the same as the height of the end wall 18, whereby a smooth edge is provided along the entire binder back. The described back parts 10, 20 are preferably manu- factured by moulding or extrusion of a plastic material or metal, for instance aluminium. The resulting profiles may then be cut to arbitrary length to provide a binder of desired height. It appears from the above description that the same fork and locking means can be used for binders of different height and that the end pieces 51 - 54 can als be used independently of the height of the binder. The only part that has to be adapted to fit with the height of the binder is the lock piece 28. In case the lock piece consist of plastic material a simple forming tool is required while for the rest all the details required for the manufacture o a binder are identical or are cut to the desired length as is the case with the back parts 10, 20 and the binder sides 5, 6. In this way an inexpensive binder is obtained, which, however, is of very high quality, and does not require any large stocks or supplies of various parts for its manufac¬ ture. Figs. 5 - 8 illustrate another embodiment of a binder back according to the invention. Fig. 5 shows the two back parts 60 and 70 with back portions 61 and 71, respectively, which are connected with side portions 62, 72 by means of rounded transition portions 63, 73. The back portions 61, 71 are interconnected by means of a joint which has been made in the following way. The back portion 61 has a cylindrical open bearing member 64 which rotatably receives a longitudinal pivot means 74. The pivot means is connected with the side portion 70 by a thin flange 7. In the section shown in Fig. 5 the flange has a longitudinal aperture 8 through which the end of the cy¬ lindrical bearing member 64 is conducted as will be descri¬ bed below. Thus the back parts 60, 70 can swing towards and away from each other about the articulation 64/74. In Fig. 5 the two back parts 60, 70 are placed in po- sition for mounting to form a pivot joint 4. The back parts are moved as close as possible to each other with the flanges 68, 78 applied to each other and the pivot means 74 straight above a longitudinally extending mounting groove 9, with parallel edges,.in the cylindrical bearing member 64. The width and radial direction of the mounting groove 9 is such that the pivot means 74 barely can be introduced into the cylindrical bearing seat. A tongue-shaped axial portion of the bearing member 64 is introduced during mounting into an opening 8 in the flange 7 which connects the pivot 74 with the back portion 71. The width of this opening 8 is such that the bent outer portion of the bearing means 64 fits with a little play in the width of the opening 8. In the example shown the side portions 62, 72 are pro¬ vided at its outer edges with grooves 65, 75 for the forks of the binder. The grooves are formed of angular members 66, 67 and 76, 77 which extend along the edges of the side portions 62, 72. The outermost part of the side portion has flanges 68, 78 which are provided with grooves 69, 79 in which the binder sides can be inserted. By providing the back portions with undercut grooves, as is shown at 58, 59 in Fig. 5, it is possible to make grooves extending along the back for the attachment of labels , handle means for taking out a binder from a shelf , etc . Fig. 6 shows the position where the pivot means 74 is inserted in the bearing member 64. When the back portions 5 60, 70 then are swung from one another the bent portion of the bearing member 64 will enter the hole 8 and be turned upwards somewhat over the pivot means 74. This prevents the pivot means 74 from coming out of the bearing member 64. In the ready-mounted position shown in Fig. 7 the back 0 parts 60, 70 cannot be swung closer to each other since the prongs of the forks 81 are applied to the side portion 62 b holes in the rail for the opposite fork in the groove 65. This implies that the pivot means 74 cannot be withdrawn from the bearing member 64 through the opening thereof be- 5 cause the hook-shaped portion of the bearing seat prevents the pivot from being lifted upwards with reference to the figure. Fig 7 also shows a fork device 80 with prongs 81 which are fastened to a rail 82 which is inserted in the groove o 75. The prongs 81 are introduced from one end of the binder back and are simply locked in its correct position by a deformation of some of the angular members 66, 67 and 76, 77. Remaining reference numerals are the same as in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 shows on a larger scale the articulation 4 with 5 the bearing member 64 and the pivot member 74. From the figure it appears that these members may be separated only by displacement of the pivot 74 in the direction indicated by the arrow 84 relative to the bearing member 64. Thus it is clear that the back parts cannot fall apart during 0 normal use of the binder, i.e. when the back parts move fro the position shown in Fig. 7, when the binder is closed, to the position shown in Fig. 9, when the binder is open. Fig. 9 shows how tongues 85, 87 formed of the bearing member 64 are conducted through openings 86, 88 in the 5 flange 89 between the pivot member 74 and the back portion 71. Thus, it appears from this figure that the back parts 70 and 60 cannot be displaced axially relative to each other. Further openings of the type shown in the drawing may be punched out in the flange 89 and parts of the bearing membe 64 situated between the openings can be cut away to form tongues like 85, 87. The back parts of the two binder backs described above can be easily manufactured by extrusion of metal, e.g. an aluminium alloy, or of plastic material. This affords great freedom of choice concerning the design of " the back parts which can be formed with longitudinal patterns, recesses fo various purposes, etc * The embodiments described above re¬ sult in back parts which can be readily mounted together without tools, which can be swung to entirely open position for placing the binder on a table, which are axially non- displaceable relative to each other and which cannot fall apart. A great variety of designs of the binder back are feasible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Binder back for paper-filing binders, comprising two longitudinally extending, pivotally interconnected back parts (10, 20) each of which includes a back portion (11, 21) , and a side portion (12, 22) substantially perpendicular thereto, said side portions having at its free edges means (51, 52) for attachment of binder sides and said back por¬ tions (11, 21) being pivotally interconnected, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each back part (10, 20) consists of a sole piece of constant cross-section through- out its length, preferably an extruded piece of metal or plastic material, that the back portion (11, 21) of either back part (10, 21) has at its free edge complementarily coacting articulation means (14, " 24, 28) adapted to provide a pivot joint (4) between the back parts, that either back part (10, 20) has internally throughout its length at least one long guide means in the form of a flange or a groove (19, 29; 43, 47), said guide means being adapted firmly to support binder details for a fork device (30) or for a binder lock (40) , and that either back part (10, 20) at the outer free edge of the side portion has guide means (51, 52) for the insertion of binder sides (5, 6). 2. Binder back as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the articulation means of one back portion (71) is a pivot means (74) , that the other back portion (61) has seating or bearing means (64) complemen¬ tarily coacting with the pivot means (74) for rotatably receiving the pivot means, that the bearing member (64) has a longitudinally extending mounting groove (83) with pa¬ rallel walls situated at such a distance from each other that the pivot means can be introduced with a little play through the groove (83) in the bearing member (64) at right angles to the hinge, the radial direction (84) of the groove (83) being such that the introduction can only take place when the side portions (62, 72) of the back parts (60, 70) are swung with their free ends (68, 78) against each other while the pivot means (74) is prevented from leaving the mounting groove (83) when the side portions of the back parts have been swung away from each other from the inser- tion position. 3. Binder back as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that a flange (7) supporting the pivot means (74) ' and the bearing member (64) have, at least at one point along the hinge, abutment faces at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the articulation (4) and s arranged that the abutment surfaces are brought to coact when the back parts (60, 70) are swung from the mounting position in order to prevent relative displacement of the back parts (60, 70) . 4. Binder back as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the longitudinally extending bea¬ ring member (64) is cylindrical and of hook-shaped section while the pivot means (74) consists of a round bar of a diameter corresponding to the inner cylinder surface of the bearing member (64) , said bar being joined with the other side portion (70) by means of a flange (7). 5. Binder back as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the axial locking means consists of longitudinally extending openings (86, 88) in the flange (7 of the pivot member and tongues (85, 87) provided in the openings on the bearing member. 6. Binder back as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the coacting articulation means are so formed that the articulation means of one back porti (ID consists of a first cylindrical gear roll (14) with outwardly facing, longitudinally extending teeth, that the articulation means of the other back portion (12) consists of a second cylindrical gear roll (24) with outwardly fa¬ cing, longitudinally extending teeth adapted to mesh with the teeth of the first gear roll (14), and that a lock piec (28) is adapted to hold the teeth of the gear rolls (14, 24) in mesh with each other, said lock piece being adapted to permit either gear roll (14, 24) - and, consequently, also either back part (10, 20) - to make a swinging movement of about 90 relative to the lock piece (28) . 7. Binder back as claimed in claim 6, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the lock piece (28) is provided wit a longitudinal back portion (17, 27) including branches (16 26) provided on either side of said portion and extending along it, said branches being adapted each to embrace one gear roll (14, 24), said lock piece (28) having end walls (18) provided at its ends and adapted to overhang both the ends of the gear rolls (14, 24) , whereby these rolls and, consequently, the back parts (10, 20) are prevented from sliding longitudinally relative to each other. 8. Binder back as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the side portion (12, 22) of either back part (10, 20) has internally arranged flanges or grooves (19, 29) for insertion of the forks (32, 34) of a fork device (30). 9. Binder back as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the back portion (11, 21) of either back part (10, 20) has internally arranged flanges or groov (43, 47) for fastening of the lock details (41, 42) of a locking device (40) for holding together the back parts (10, 20) in closed or half-closed position. - 10. Binder back as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the back parts (10, 20) have ex¬ ternal, longitudinal grooves (58, 59) , preferably on the back portions, for retaining a label, a handle for with¬ drawal of the binder from a shelf or the like. 11. Binder back as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the side portions (12, 22) of the back parts (10, 20) have grooves (51, 52) at its outer edge adapted for insertion of the binder sides (5, 6) .

Inventors: AMBELIN ANDERS, AMBELIN, ANDERS
Applicants: ESSELTE DYMO AB
Application year: 1982
Main classification: B42F13
IPC codes: B42F13