Improvements in Letter and Bill Files.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter and Bill Files.
I, WILLIAM OTTERBEIN GOTTWALS, of 46 Queen Street, of the City of
Ottawa, in the County of Carleton, and Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of
Canada, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to letter and bill files.
}
The object of my invention is a simple and inexpensive contrivance answering the
purpose of a letter and bill file, but which is specially adapted for use as a file for
a binding case.
Fig. is a perspective view of my improved file, as forming a part of a binding
case and showing the arches open.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the file showing the arches closed.
Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse and longitudinal sections through the base, showing
manner of attachment and separation, and
Fig. 5 is a detail showing the connections of the arch with the posts or standards.
A strip of sheet metal, A, has its ends, a, turned up and down to form bearings
for the lower cross shanks 3 of the posts or standards, the latter being either left to
turn snugly in said bearings or secured in place by solder or other convenient
means. The standards B B are of stout wire or tubing, bent to form two uprights
or posts on a cross shank 6, the rear one holding the arch and the front one being
the file wire. If made of wire, the upper end of each post or upright is drilled so
as to be made tubular a short distance down, adapting said ends to receive the ends
of the arch, one, b, to form a bearing and the other, ", a catch, the latter being
bevelled off on the inner edge to form a semi-tube or notch. CC are the arches ;
they are of wire of such a thickness as to fit the tubular ends of the posts. One
end, fitting the rear post, has an annular groove, c, cut in it and when inserted in
the post the metal of the edge of the latter, having been previously pointed or
bevelled, is pinched in so as to form a burr or collar to enter in said groove and
prevent said arch from being lifted out, while being free to turn or swivel. The
upper tubular end of the file wire, being bevelled off, forms an open notch
convenient to receive the free end of the arch, a little sideward pressure and
guidance between the thumb and finger being sufficient to lock or unlock, i.e. engage
or disengage them.
D is a clasp, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in section, which is secured to the file board
or backing E. It consists of a piece of strong tin or other sheet metal bent up on
one edge at a right angle to form a rim or flange d, and then about one half of the
remaining part is doubled over to form a cover d', the width of the flat base or
space between the front rim d and upturn of the cover being just equal to the width
of the file base or strip A. Two ends, d", are left on the base part for insertion in
slits in the wood or millboard forming the file back E, the length of the cover
being of course just equal to the distance between the two bearings a. In this
clasp the base A of the file is readily inserted and retained after pressing down the
cover d¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a letter and bill file, the combination of a metallic base A having its ends
turned up to form a bearing for the posts the posts B hent to form two unrights on

page_text: a cross shank secured in said bearings and having its ends made tubular, the
arches C each having one end provided with an annular groove and inserted in a
rear post and secured therein by having the edge of the tube upset to enter the
annular groove, and the front posts having their ends bevelled, a clasp D having a
rim d, doubled over cover d' and ends d" adapted for insertion in slits, and a
backing E holding said clasp, substantially as set forth.
2. In a letter and bill file, the combination of a metallic base having its ends
turned up to form bearings a, two pairs of posts or standards B formed of a pair of
tubes or wires each bent to form two posts on a cross shank b secured in said
bearings and having the tubular ends and 6" and two arches C each having one
end grooved annularly and inserted in a tubular end of a post and the metal of the
latter closed in upon said groove, and the end bevelled on the inside to receive
the other end of the arch, substantially as set forth.
3. In a letter and bill file, the combination, of two posts B connected by a cross
shank, a tubular end 6 and a tubular end & bevelled off from the inside to form a
notch, and arch C having one end grooved and inserted in the bearing 6' and the
metal of the edge thereof closed in upon said groove and the other end adapted to
fit said notch, substantially as set forth.
4. In a clasp to hold the base of a letter and bill file, the combination of a piece
of sheet metal D corresponding to the base of the file it is to hold, a turned up
edge to form a rim or flange d, a turned over portion d¹ and ends d" forming
extensions of the base and adapted to be inserted in a wood or millboard backing,
· substantially as set forth.
Dated this Fourth day of March A.D. 1893.
WM. O. GOTTWALS,
Per A. Harvey,
His Agent.