Patent GB-703014-A (GB)
Title: An improved sheet supporting device for use in data collation
Inventor: CHANDLER REGINALD WILFRED
IPC: A47B63/06
Filed: 1951-04-30
Abstract: 703,014. Line and column indicators. NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. July 30, 1952 [April 30, 1951], No. 10151/51. Class 16 [Also in Group XVI] A device for holding sheets to expose the required 'data to view includes a number of square bars 2 spaced by gaps 3 so that a sheet of paper 4 can be half wrapped round each bar and a single column 5 on each sheet is exposed to view from the front of the device. The bars 2 are secured to a bottom rail 1 provided with spacing blacks 14 for mounting a guide pillar 13 on which slides a cursor 15. A plate 7 is hinged to the bottom rail 1 so that it can either be folded up against the rear faces of the bars 2 or it can be lowered and held in position by a strut 9 to support the sheets 4. Rubber feet 12 are mounted beneath the bottom rail 1 and on a bar 11 beneath the plate 7. The free end 15b of the cursor 15 is movable in a slot 18 between a frame member 19 and a batten 20 secured at its lower end to the rail 1. The batten 20 terminates short of the upper limit of movement of the end 15b of the cursor so that the latter may be disengaged from the slots 18 for rotation away from the bars 2 to facilitate the insertion of the sheets 4. The cursor 15 can be adjusted vertically by a handle 21 to register with the appropriate row 6 on the sheets, the data appearing on the selected row 6 in each column 5 being read off and noted as desired. Different columns 5 can be brought into view by rotating the sheets round corresponding bars 2. Fig. 4 shows a modified form of cursor in which the upper part 15a is detachable and is provided with graduation marks 16b, and the handle 21, Fig. 1, is replaced by finger grips 21a. The plate 7 may carry a number of spaced subsidiary bars to support the rear portions of'the sheets 4, each bar being hinged to lie, when collapsed, against the back of the plate 7.. In an alternative arrangement for effecting the disengagement of the free end of the cursor the batten 20 is hinged to the frame member 19 so as to be capable of swinging about its outer edge to release the cursor 15. The frame member 19 is retained in its cursor retaining position by a catch. Two sheet holding frames can be connected side by side by screw members having oppositely threaded ends which engage correspondingly threaded bushes in the side members 10, 19. of the frames. The cursors of the two devices are preferably joined by detachable brackets. When using a large number of frames they are arranged in an arc of a circle, the front faces of the bars 2 of each device being preferably arranged to present a smooth concave surface. In a further embodiment, Fig. 10, a number of narrower bars 2<SP>1</SP>, to accommodate sheets having columns of varying width; are mounted on a common pivot rod 34 which is fixed between side frame members 10, 19 so that the bars can be swung forward as shown at 2b, or backwards to overlie the plate 7. In a further modification, Figs. 11, 12, the sheets 4 may be turned mechanically by spindles 35 having top and bottom friction rollers 36 which are located in front of each pair of bars 2 to grip the sheets 4 and rotate them round the bars 2. Each spindle 35 is stepped in bearings 37 in the upper and lower walls of a boxlike rigid frame 38 which forms part of the bottom rail 1. A sprocket 39' is secured to each spindle 35 for engagement with a punched flexible tape 40 which passes round end wheels 41 and is engaged by a spring-loaded jockey wheel 42 to keep it taut. One of the end wheels 41 is provided with a knurled thumb wheel 43 which is accessible through a cut-away 44 in the side frame member. To facilitate loading of the sheets 4 the friction rollers 36 may be moved away from the bars 2 by sliding the rigid frame 38 bodily forward, the jockey wheel taking up the deflection of the tape 40. The cursor may be pressed up at 15c, Fig. 11A, to engage the spindles 35 and press them inwards to maintain the friction rollers 36 in contact with the sheets 4.