Year: 1886

page_text: We ERNEST ALBERT KITTELL and BUDD PARK both of Waterloo in the county
of Black Hawk and State of Iowa, one of the United States of America,
Gentlemen, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in files especially adapted for use by
druggists for filing physicians' prescriptions and files or books for preserving
newspaper clippings, letters &c., and the novelty consists in the construction,
combination, and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter set forth, and
particularly pointed out in the claims.
Our invention has for its object the provision of a file which shall compactly file
away letters, prescriptions and the like, take up but a small space, permit of the
ready and convenient reference to any number prescription &c., cheap of manu-
facture, and simple and durable in construction.
We are aware that a file for letters, papers and the like has been used which
consists of a series of strips of paper or the like secured at each of its ends and
arranged one below the other down a page or base board, leaving an intermediate
space between each slip, below which the prescription is placed, leaving a smalt
portion thereof exposed; but this device soon becomes unsightly and bulky in
appearance, and will not compactly file the prescription, and does not permit of
the ready reference to the prescriptions, &c.
In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1. is a perspective view of one of the
sections of our file with the cover or leaf thereof extended. Fig. 2 is a like view
of an inclosing case containing a number of the sections shown in Fig. 1 indexed or
numbered for their convenient reference. Fig. 3 is a view showing one of the
sheets or slips of a two-sheet file section properly cut to be woven or locked
together with another sheet of like construction. Fig. 4 is a view showing one
step of locking two of the sheets or slips together of a two sheet file section.
Fig. 5 is a view showing another step of locking the two sheets together. Fig. G
is a view showing two of the leaves woven or locked together. Fig. 7 is a view of
one of the sheets of a three sheet file section. Fig. 8 is a view showing the manner
in which the first two sheets are locked together. Fig. 9 is a view showing the
manner of connecting the third sheet of the two previously locked sheets. Fig. 10
is a view showing the manner of weaving. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing
a three sheet file section locked or woven together.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings,
referring to which-
A designates the inclosing case, preferably rectangular in shape, and made of
wood, pasteboard or any other preferred material, and having a cover, A¹, hinged
or otherwise secured thereto.

page_text: B designates the file sections, a number of which are adapted to be compactly
stored in the case A, each section being numbered consecutively and provided with
projecting tags or indexes b, preferably secured at their upper outer edges in any
suitable manner.
Each file section B comprises, essentially, a base piece or board 61, and two or
more pages, b², the latter being connected together, as presently described, and
secured to one edge of the base board 61 by means of glue or in any other preferred
manner.
To connect the leaves or pages of the file section securely together, and to
prevent their loss or displacement from the section, we lock or weave them together
at one of their edges, leaving the other edge free. But it will be noticed that the
same result may be obtained by attaching the slips, cut entirely separate from each
other, one by one leaving a portion of each exposed, by glueing or pasting directly
to the base board without first weaving or interlocking the slips together as set
forth. While we prefer the first described method as being more substantial and
expeditious, we still claim the right to adopt the latter method as being within the
scope of our invention.
We take two sheets or slits to form a sheet or file section, CC, of paper, and
cut them as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings-that is to say, each sheet is cut into
a series of slips or sections, e, the cuts extending from one edge of the sheet or
slip nearly across the entire width of the sheet, as at e¹, and terminating at a
point, a, a short distance from the opposite edge, as shown. The sections or slips
are of equal width, and the cuts e¹ are equidistant from each other. Each of the
sections are provided at the edge e³ of the sheet, where they are connected to the
adjacent section e, with one incision or notch, f, when but two sheets or slips are
to be connected or woven together, thus providing tongues, g, to each section e,
and in order to connect said slips together they are laid one on top of the other, so
that the notch in the upper section of the top sheet engages the notch or
shoulder e¹, between the upper sections of the adjacent or lower sheet, the top
section lying a short distance from the upper edge of the lower section, as clearly
shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The second slip or section of the lower sheet is now
bent over the second slip of the top section, so that the notched shoulder h or
notch between the first and second sections thereof will interlock with the notch f
of the second section of the top sheet, thus assuming the position of the under
sheet, and these successive movements of interlocking the notches h with the
notches of the tongues g to the section e are repeated until the desired number of
sections e are woven or connected together. This arrangement leaves the slips or
sections of each sheet interlocked with and partially overlapping each other, being
successively and alternately exposed for one half their width on their upper edges
and faces, as will be readily understood.
To weave or interlock three of the sheets together, each sheet D D1 D2 is cut to
provide the slips or sections i, and at their connected edges each section or slip is
provided with two spaced apart incisions or notches jj, to provide tongues K K¹,
(see Fig. 7.) The second notch of the first or upper section of the third
underlying sheet D is interlocked with the notch e between the first and second
sections of the second sheet or slip D¹, thus causing the second notch, 71, of
the upper section, i, of the second sheet D¹ to register with the first notch j of the
upper section, i, of the third sheet. The inner edge l, of the first section i of the
first sheet D is now inserted in the registering notches j j¹ of the second and third
sheets D¹ D', respectively, and the second or intermediate sheet D¹ is folded over so
that the inner edge l, of the second section i thereof rests in the registering
notches of the second section of the two upper sheets D D. The lower
sheet D is now folded over so that its notch fits the registering notches j¹ j2 of
the sheets D¹ D3, thus causing each sheet and its contained sections to successively
assume, the positions of first, second or intermediate, and third or bottom sheets,
and when one of said sheets constitute the bottom sheet it is folded over its fellow
sheets to cause the inner edge, 7, between its adjacent sections i, to fit in the regis
--

page_text: tering notches of the sections of the remaining sheets, and this method 19
continued until all the sections i have been locked or woven together.
The number of sheets employed can be varied to suit the requirements of the
case, the number of incisions and tongues corresponding to the number of sheets
employed, and the exposed face of each sheet or section is designed to receive a.
letter, prescription, or the like, and is indexed and numbered, as shown in Fig. 1.
The sheets or pages, after having been woven together, are secured to a base
piece or board by means of mucilage, glue or other devices, and the prescriptions
are secured to the slips or sections e to leave a portion of the same exposed, and
the sections are numbered consecutively from top to bottom, or vice verså, for
convenient reference thereto.
If desired, the slips or sections el may be gummed or have a dried adhesive
substance on their upper edges, to which the bills, letters &c., may be quickly
secured by moistening the said gummed portion.
•
Each section B may have covers B₁ secured thereon in any preferred manner,
and the baseboard b¹ is provided on its under surface with one or more strips, b³,
of paste or straw board or other material, glued or otherwise secured thereon, the
thickness of the strips being equal to the outer edge of the said board b', thus
causing the file section B to be of equal depth or thickness at both edges to present
a neat appearance and fit closely and compactly within the inclosing case A when
stored away.
Each page may have one or more rows of slips, 63, extending from the top
toward the bottom thereof, and when it is desired to employ two rows the sections
extend but half way across the base board, as is obvious.
In practice we prefer to employ four sheets, two of which are interlocked, as
described and extend half way across the base board, while the other two are
similarly connected and occupy the remaining outer half of the base board.
Each sheet is provided with twenty five sections, and, there being four sheets or
pages, the file section is thus capable of compactly receiving one hundred bills or
prescriptions. Each section may be made with a greater number of pages, or the
pages may contain a larger number of slips than that above described; and the
case may be made sufficiently large to contain from ten to any higher number of
the sections. It will thus be seen that a prescription, bill or other paper can be
readily and quickly consulted, the number thereof having been first ascertained
from an index book, and the section containing that number having been
withdrawn from the case A, the prescription can be readily found by merely
turning the leaves of the section, each slip of the page being numbered, facilitating
the finding thereof. By turning or folding over the slip below the one it is desired
to consult the whole face of the bill or prescription is exposed to view, so that
mistakes in putting up the compound will not be made by looking at another
prescription, as frequently happens when the prescriptions are placed on a wire, rod
or file, where those above are liable to fall down. In our device there is but one
prescription exposed to view, and that is the one that it is desired to consult.
In arranging our invention as a scrap book, the file sections made as described
are bound together in book form, each section having attached to its margin a
thick piece of straw board or other suitable material by a joint of paper or cloth or
both, in such a manner as to allow the sections to turn freely after being bound.
Strips of straw board or other suitable material may be attached to the base board
between the rows of slips, and at the outer margin of each section for the purpose
of adding strength to the book, for giving it a better form, and to remove the
weight as much as possible from the slips, which lessens the liability of their
sticking to each other, should they become unduly moist from any cause, when the
book or file is made of ready gummed material. A small reverse flap of straw
board with a flexible binge should be added to the lower end of each column of
slips to keep the scraps or papers from becoming displaced when the leaves or
sections are turned to and fro,

page_text: It will be observed that a file constructed in accordance with our invention. is
simple, cheap and durable, that the prescriptions &c., can be readily and quickly
filed away, and that they can be almost instantly found and consulted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1st. In a file, a file section comprising a base board and two or more pages cut
transversely nearly their entire width and interlocked at one of their edges and
secured upon the base board, substantially as described.
2nd. In a file of the class described, a section having a base board and two or
more pages secured at one of their edges thereto, the pages being cut into sections
adapted to overlap one another and interlocked together at their edges, substantially
as described.
3rd. As a new article of manufacture, a file section comprising a base board, two
or more leaves or pages suitably secured at one edge thereto, and a protecting
cover, each page being cut transversely into sections, and each section having a
series of cuts adapted to interlock with the cuts on the sections of the adjacent
page, substantially as described.
4th. As a new article of manufacture, a file section comprising a base board
having a strip, b, a series of leaves or pages arranged in two rows longitudinally
of the base board and secured thereto at one of their edges, and a cover, the leaves
or pages of each row being cut transversely into sections adapted to overlap one
another, and each section having a series of cuts at one of its edges which are
adapted to interlock with the next page substantially as described.
5th. In a file, the combination, with an inclosing case, of a series of file sections
normally inclosed within the case and adapted to be withdrawn therefrom, each
file-section having two or more leaves locked together at one of their edges and
having a series of overlapping sections which are adapted to receive a bill, &c.,
substantially as described.
6th. As an article of manufacture, a file comprising an inclosing case and a
series of consecutively numbered file sections normally inclosed within the case
and adapted to be withdrawn therefrom, each file section having a cover and two
or more pages interlocked together at one of their edges, and having a series of
overlapping sections to receive a bill, prescription, and the like, substantially as
described.
7th. A file section comprising a base and two or more sheets interlocked
together at one of their edges, and provided with overlapping sections to receive
a bill, letter, and the like, substantially as described.
8th. Attaching the slips, cut entirely separate from each other, one by one
leaving a portion of each exposed without first weaving or interlocking the slips
together substantially as described.
9th. The file sections bound together in book form each section having attached
to its margin a thick piece of straw board to allow the section to turn freely after
being bound, also a small reverse flap of straw board with flexible hinge to keep
the scraps or paper from becoming displaced substantially as described.