IMPROVEMENTS IN FILES FOR LETTERS, BILLS AND THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, FRANK WIRTH, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILES FOR LETTERS, BILLS AND THE LIKE"
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to files of the class described in the specification of former
Letters Patent dated July 29th A D 1879 N° 3075 and comprises improvements as
hereinafter described.
The improved file is provided with a perforating apparatus and a slide.
By means of the former, letters, papers and the like, before being slipped onto
the gathering wires, are pierced with holes so as to avoid tearing the paper which
frequently happens when putting papers on in the ordinary manner. The said
slide has for its object to hold tightly against the bottom support the sheets placed
upon the gathering wires.
The perforating apparatus consists of a lower plate attached to the bottom
support, and of a second plate connected with the lower plate and acting like a
spring by means of the handle.
To the lower plate are firmly attached pins, and the upper spring-plate is
provided with perforations corresponding with the pins. The said pins are
surrounded with india-rubber rings, whereby the paper, upon the pressure being
removed, is moved away from the pins and a true and sharply-defined perforation
is obtained.
The sheet of paper to be operated upon is pushed in between the two plates and
a very moderate degree of pressure, or a slight tap upon the said handle, will suffice
to effect the perforation required.
Sheets perforated by means of this apparatus and placed one over the other upon
the gathering wires are adapted to be covered over with a cover or lid upon the
upper end of which is a metal plate, through which the gathering wires pass. To
the said plate is firmly attached a pin which fits into a slot in the said slide and
holds the latter against the metal plate, permitting, at the same time, the slide to
move backwards and forwards. The slot is not formed parallel with the sides of
the slide but is cut somewhat obliquely, so that the slide, when moved, presses like
Dion 623

page_text: a wedge against the gathering wires, thereby exerting upon the metal plate, and
the lid, a firm grip, whereby the sheets underneath are held tightly together as
though bound in a book.
At each end of the slide, equidistant from the wires, is a semi circular notch.
If, on moving the slide, the gathering wires penetrate into the notches, then the
pressure exerted by the said slide upon the wires will cease and the lid or cover
can readily be removed from the said wires when it is desired to insert or take out
a letter or sheet.
According to a modification of the invention, I fix on a metal plate gathering
wires or small tubes, while, by means of the hook-shaped flaps or sockets fitted to
the said metal plate, a wire is held against the said tubes.
The ends of the said wire are bent so as to enter the gathering wires and so
form, with these, a perfect lock. If, now, a sheet is to be filed or taken off, the said
wire must be seized at a bend between the flaps or sockets (which bend serves as a
handle) and pulled away from under the latter. By an upward movement the bent
ends of the wire can be disengaged from the gathering wires. If it be desired to
lock the apparatus again, the ends of the wire are again introduced into the
gathering tubes, and the other portion thereof is placed below. the said flaps or
sockets.
This apparatus may be used as a file independently of the lid or cover and for
this purpose it is provided with an opening to hang it on a wall, or it can be put
on a case or portfolio.
On the inside of the lower flap of a portfolio small metal plates can be fixed with
rivets or otherwise fastened. The said small metal plates are provided, at their
ends with grooves so that the apparatus can be pushed beneath them, and thus
connected with the portfolio.
Small projections upon the edge of the plate prevent the apparatus from slipping
under the small plates when the portfolio is hung on a wall.
•
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved. file with the perforating
apparatus attached thereto.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a piece of paper after being perforated.
Figure 3 is a transverse section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of a portion of the
perforating apparatus.
Figures 4 and 5 are views of modifications hereinafter described.
The improved file is provided with a perforating apparatus A and a slide E as
shewn in Figure, By means of the former, letters, papers and the like before being
slipped onto the gathering wires F. F¹, are pierced with holes a a' Figure 2, so as to
avoid tearing the paper, which frequently happens when putting papers on in the
ordinary manner. The said slide E has for its object to hold tightly against the
bottom support or plate, the sheets placed upon the gathering wires F F¹.
The perforating apparatus, shown in cross section in Figure 3, consists of a lower
plate Gattached to the bottom support of the file, and of a second plate B connected
with the lower plate G and acting like a spring by means of the handle (Figure 1).
To the plate G are firmly attached the pins g, and the upper spring plate B is
provided with perforations b' corresponding with the pins. The pins g are
surrounded by India-rubber rings g¹ whereby the paper, upon the pressure being
removed, is moved away from the pins g, and a true and sharply defined perforation
is obtained.
The sheet of paper to be operated upon is pushed in between the two plates and
a very moderate degree of pressure, or a slight tap upon the said handle of the
perforator, will suffice to effect the perforation required.
Sheets perforated by means of this apparatus and placed one over the other upon
the wires F F¹, are adapted to be covered over with a cover or lid D upon the
upper end of which is a metal plate D¹ through which the gathering wires pass.
To the said plate is firmly attached a pin e¹ which fits into a slot e in the said slide E
and holds the latter against the metal plate D¹, permitting at the same time the
slide to move backwards and forwards. The slot e is not formed parallel with the
sides of the slide, but is cut somewhat obliquely, so that the slide, when moved,
presses like a wedge against the gathering wires F F¹, thereby exerting upon the
plate D¹, and the lid D, a firm grip, whereby the sheets underneath are held tightly
together as though bound in a book.
At each end of the slide, equidistant from the wires F F¹, is a semi-circular notch.
If, on moving the slide, the wires F F¹ penetrate into the notches, then the pressure
exerted by the said slide upon the wires will cease and the lid or cover can readily
be removed from the said wires when it is desired to insert or take out a letter or
sheet.
According to a modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 I fix
on a metal plate H gathering wires or small tubes L L' while by means of the

page_text: hook-shaped flaps h h fitted 'thereto, the wire K.is held against the said tubes.
The ends of the said wire are bent so as to enter the gathering wires and so form
with these a perfect lock. If now a sheet is to be filed on the wires L, L', or to be
taken therefrom, then the said wire K must be seized at the bend between the flaps
or sockets h¹ (which bend serves as a handle) and pulled away from under the
latter. By an upward movement.the.bent ends of the wire, K can be disengaged
from the gathering wires L L', so that all connection between the former and the
latter is broken, whereby the desired operation may be performed. If it be desired
to lock the apparatus again, the ends of the wire K are again introduced into the
gathering. tubes or wires L, L, and then the other portion thereof is placed below
the said flaps or sockets.
This apparatus may be used as a file independently of the lid.or cover, and for
this purpose it is provided with an opening M (Figure 5) to hang it on the wall, or
it can be put on a case or portfolio as shown in Figure 4.
On the inside of the lower flap of the portfolio the small metal plates jj¹ can be
fixed by rivets, or be otherwise fastened. The said small metal plates are provided,
at their ends with grooves, so that the plate of the apparatus can be pushed
beneath them and thus connected with the portfolio.
Small projections upon the edge of the plate H-Figure 5-prevent the apparatus
from slipping under the small plates jj¹ when the portfolio is hung on a wall.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
I claim is
First A file for letters, bills or other papers, consisting of the plate H provided
with the fixed gathering wires L, L' and with the hook-shaped flaps h h¹ by which
the wire K (the ends of which are inserted in the wires L, L) is held on to the
plate;
and either in a portfolio or separate therefrom.
Second The application to the apparatus described, of a perforating apparatus
wherewith the several sheets can be perforated before being bound in with the
rest; as also the application of an arrangement by means of which the sheets may
be kept together, and which consists of the lid D the metal plate D¹ fitted with the
pin e, and the slide E having an oblique slot e, substantially as described..
Dated this 29th day of November 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.