The morning call., 1893-01-10
IT'S JUST AS EASY.
The New Endexer at the
Free Library.
1t Works Like a Charm and Saves
BOok-HunterS a Great Deal
of Trouble.

In October last the directors of the Free
Library ordered twenty-one cases Of Ru-
dolph's Continuous lndexer. These cases
are now being delivered at the library.
They were made in this city. and are en-
tirely of oak. with good outside finish.
Eacn case consists of two revolving hex
agonal drums, over which is an endless
chain or strong board paper plates, or pages.
each plate corresponding with one OF the
faces of the drum. and each plate Ia "
ing the capacity of one royal octave page or
index. Each leaf or page of the chain can
be readily unlocked for the insertion OF
new ones.
Along the side of each leaf are tin metal
strips forming grooves for the insertion OF
the index names. These names are placed
on cardboard OF such strength that the name
OF book. even in nonpareil. can be inserted
and retain its place though less than an
eighth Of an inch in width. The constTuc-
ton is such that whatever material the
leaves carry the divisions or separate inser-
tions of 1t slide M and down ia the frame
edges at the touch Of the finger, so that new
matter may be introduced or matter re-
moved at will.
Atcertan intervals rods are fixed to the
edges of the leaves SO as 10 project slightly
beyond the end. At each end of the Franc
work are fixed yokes. These are placed
near the ends OF the cards so that the pro-
jectDg rods fixed to the edge of the leaves
drop aud slide down TO the lowest point.
The rods may he placed so as to hold be-
tween them any number Of the folded leaves.
AS the leaves pass over the drums an anti
friction roller placed between the drums
compel them to drop in the folds until the
arrival of the leaf that has the projecting
rods. Each revolution OF the drums pre-
sents four pages for Inspection under glass
cover. Each case Will carry 800 royal octave
pages aud these pages form at present the
endless chain in each case.
The whole device forms handsome locked
case with a glass top through which the
contents Of the leaves are inspected with
ease.
For the present all the addition to the
library since 1888 will be catalogued. The
names from tle old catalogues will be as
sorted and placed in the indexer under the
proper headings. When this Is done the
library will be completely cataOgued under
one alphabet.
At present the visitor is sometimes COM
PEELED TO search through thirteen alphabet
catalogues aud bulletins TO fud out whether
the book he Is seeking Is In the library or
not.
Within a year by the use of the indexer
the entire library will have been cata-
logued under one alphabet, and new books
Will be Inserted in their proper place for
the public the day they are received all
this will have been done a. an expense OF
about 5000.
The old way of cataloguing would have
taken about seven years, and an expense
of SIS, coo. 10 secure at best defective cata-
lOgue.
Mr.. Rudolph. the inventor, is a Califor-
MAN OF twenty-one years standing and has
been at the library since 1879. He has a
valuable patent. aud California eau claim
through him the first solution OF the very
troublesome matter of library cataloguing.