Patent GB-748743-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to loose-leaf binder mechanisms
IPC: B41J3/24
Filed: 1954-02-03
Abstract: 748,743. Loose leaf binders. SOENNECKEN. A. Feb. 3, 1954 [Feb. 3, 1953; March 18, 1953; Nov. 24, 1953], No. 3252/54. Class 146(1) Loose leaf binder mechanism ot the lever arch type with a pair of stationary pins fixed to and a pair of movable pins carried by a base plate, the movable pins being spring pressed to the open position, comprises lock means engaging the crank portion lying between the movable pins for holding the pins in the closed position and actuating means operatively connected to the lock means including a manually operable lever movable in one direction for both locking and releasing the movable pins and a spring engaging the lever for returning it to an idle position after each locking or releasing movement. In all the Figures the binder mechanism comprises a base plate 1, fixed pins 2a, 3a and movable arched pins 2, 3 joined by an integral member 6 turnable in tongued guides 4, 5 on the base 1 and having an offset crank portion 7 engaged by a leaf spring 8 fixed to'the base plate 1 tending to press the crank portion upwardly to open the binder. A manually operable lever 9 has a finger piece 10 and in the rest position lies substantially horizontal. A pawl 16a, pivotally mounted on the lever 9 cooperates with a movable part of the lock mechanism to unlock the movable part from a stationary part of the lock mechanism, the movable part carrying, a pin 15 engaging over the crank 7 to move the crank downwardly or to be moved upwardly by the crank 7 under the influence of the spring 8. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which show the closed and open positions respectively the lever 9 is bifurcated and the pair of side walls 11, 11a is pivotally connected by a pin 12 to the side walls 14, 14a of a U-shaped carrier 13 which also carry the pin 15. The pawl 16a is pivoted at 16 between the walls 11 11a and the free end 17 of the pawl extends in the closed position of the pins, into an opening 18 in a locking member 19 slidably mounted between the side walls 14, 14a of the carrier 13 and having a tapered end 20 extending, in the closed position of the pins, into an opening 21 in a stationary curved lock member 22 fixed to the base plate 1. The carrier 13 is pivotally mounted by means of outwardly bent portions 30, 31 extending through openings in lugs struck up from the base plate 1. A pin 27 fixed to the base plate 1 extends through an opening 29 in the lever 9 and has an enlarged head 28 to limit upward movement of the lever. A spring 27a surrounding the pin 27 presses the lever upwardly. A spring 23, fixed to the pivot pin 12, has one end 24 in engagement with the pawl 16a urging it towards the lock member 19 and the other end 25 fixed to the lock member 19 to urge it towards the lock member 22. To close the binder, the parts being as in Fig. 3, the lever 9 is depressed and the pin 15 is engaged by cut outs on the lever 9 to move the carrier 13 and lock member 19 and the crank portion 7 downwardly, the end 20 of the lock member 19 being spring pressed into the opening 21 to lock the binder and the pawl 16a entering the opening 18. The lever 9 is then returned by the spring 27a. To open the binder, the lever 9 is again depressed and the pawl 16a moves the lock member 19 out of engagement with the lock member 22, when the spring 8 presses up the crank 7 and the pin 15 to raise the carrier 13 and the lock member 19 to the position of Fig. 3, the pin 15 entering a cut out 26 in the pawl 16a to lift it out of the opening 18. The lever 9 is again returned by the spring 27a. As shown in Fig. 5, (open position) the lever 9 is of U-shaped cross section and is pivotally mounted by a pin 44 between lugs 43 on a guide member 40 fixed to the base plate 1. The lock member 19 comprises a flat plate, to which the pin 15 is fixed, and it is guided by openings in the guide member 40 and in a stationary lock member 39 also fixed to the base plate 1. the members 39, 40 having transverse portions 41, 42 respectively, defining the opening for guiding the plate 19. The lock member 19 has an inclined upper surface 19a, against which a roller 50 carried by the lever 9 presses, a cut out 53 for engaging the transverse portion 41 of the lock member 39 in the closed position of the binder, an extension 57 to engage the portion 41 in the open position of the binder and a cut out 58 for engagement by the pawl 16a which is pivoted at 16 to the lever 9. A spring 56 on the pivot pin 16 has one end engaging the pawl 16a to press it into engagement with the lock member 19 and the other end engaging the lever 9 to return it after depression, upward movement of the lever 9 being limited by the lower edge portion 59 engaging the base plate 1. On depression of the lever 9, in the Fig. 5 position, the lock member 19 is: moved by the roller 50 downwards and towards the lock member 39 till the cut out 53 engages the transverse portion 41. Depression of lever 9 from this position causes pawl 16a to move the cut out 53 of lock member 19 out of engagement, spring 8 then lifting the lock member as in Figs. 2, 3. As shown in Figs. 7 and 9 (closed and open positions respectively) the lever 9 is pivoted at 65 between two. plates 63, 64 pivotally mounted at 62 to a lug 61 fixed to the base plate 1, a tongue 76 from side plate 63 extending through a slot 75 in the lever 9 to limit movement of the lever. The pawl 16a is mounted to pivot between the plate 63, 64. by an enlarged head 66 lying in a mating cut out in the lever 9. The pin 15 is secured between the plates 63, 64 and is provided with a roller 38 to engage the crank por-- tion 7. A movable lock member 68 is pivoted at 67 between the plates 63, 64, the member 68 having a hook 69 to engage beneath a projection 73 on a stationary lock member 72 fixed to the base plate, a projection 70 for engagement by the pawl 16a, and a projection 71 to engage the pin 15. A spring 74 fixed between the plates 63, 64 presses with one end against the lever 9 to return it after downward movement and with the other end against the lock member 68 to urge it into locking engagement with the member 72. Stops 80 and 79 on the lug 61 are engaged respectively by a projection on the plate 64 and by the end 78 of the lever 9 to limit opening of the binder and upward movement of the lever 9 respectively. From the closed position of Fig. 7, depression of lever 9 causes pawl 16a to move the lock member about its pivot pin 67 to release the hook 69, when spring 8 will move the crank 7 and pin 15 upwardly to open the binder and move the plates 63, 64 and lock member 68 upwardly, the pawl 16a moving into a cut-out 77. Depression of lever 9 from this position pivots the plates 63, 64 about pivot pin 62, through engagement of lug 76 with the bottom 30 of slot 75, and the hook 69 slides over the projection 73 and is pressed into engagement therewith by spring 74, the pawl 16a moving back into position in the cut out 70.