IM- PROVEMENTS IN FILES OR BINDERS FOR HOLDING LETTERS, BILLS, AND OTHER PAPERS OR DOCUMENTS
Year: 1879

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 13th day of June 1888, amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
[The Amendments are shown in erased and italic type.]
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FILES OR BINDERS FOR HOLDING LETTERS, BILLS, AND OTHER
PAPERS OR DOCUMENTS." A communication from abroad by James Sancks
Shannon, of Downer's Grove, Illinois, United States of America.
Sealed the 26th September 1879, and dated the 29th July 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th July 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILES OR BINDERS FOR
HOLDING LETTERS, BILLS, AND OTHER PAPERS OR DOCUMENTS." Communicated
to me from abroad by James Sancks Shannon of Downer's Grove, Illinois, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to a file or binder adapted to conveniently receive letters
and other papers, and to permit the removal of any one of their number after filing,
or the insertion of a paper among or between those already filed, without removing
or deranging the latter.
The said Invention consists, first, in combining with a suitable base, a fixed
receiving wire and a vibrating transfer wire, the latter having a straight portion
springing from the base and a vibratory movement in the axis of this straight por-
tion, also having an arched or curved portion by which its point may be brought
into contact with or swung away from, the point of the fixed or receiving wire when
the said transfer wire is vibrated.
The construction and arrangement above described afford a continuous wire
adapted to be opened for the insertion of a paper on the fixed wire and to be closed

page_text: in Figures 5 and 6, completes the removable base and holds the operative mechanism
entirely unclosed and in proper working position.
Figure 8 shews the form of the point of the receiving wire particularly when the
latter is tubular, which kind of wire I prefer to employ as and for the reasons
hereinafter fully set forth.
Figure 9 is a side view of the bevelled end of a tubular receiving wire having its
extreme point bent inward or filed off to form a continuous surface with the transfer
wire in order that the papers may be returned from the transfer wire to said
receiving wire without catching or enlarging the punctures.
B is the base of the file to which is attached the vertical puncturing or receiving
wire R and the vibrating transfer wire T.
The latter is vertical for a part of its length and curved or arched for the
remainder to bring its point in line with the receiving wire R as shewn in the
several Figures of the Drawing.
The wire R is rigidly fixed to the base while the wire T is so pivoted thereto as
to rotate in the axis of its vertical portion. By means of this rotary or vibratory
movement of the wire T the point thereof may be moved into contact with the free
end of the wire R as shewn clearly in Figures 1, 3 and 4, or moved away from it
as indicated by the dotted lines of Figure 3. When the points are in contact the
file is said to be closed; and when they are separated it is said to be open.
The operation and use of the file as so far described are obvious. To apply a paper
the file is opened to permit the sheet to be forced down upon the wire R. When it
is desired to move an intermediate sheet from the papers contained on the file, those
above such sheet are lifted and thrown over upon the wire T. The latter is then
rotated to open the file when the sheet wanted being on the top of the papers on
wire R is easily removed. The file is then closed and the sheets that were trans-
ferred to the wire T are returned to the wire R. In a similar manner a sheet may
be inserted beneath a quantity of papers already filed without deranging or removing
the latter.
The object of making the transfer wire T straight to the height of the receiving
wire R and giving it rotary movement in the axis of its straight and vertical
portion is that it may turn freely when made to contain a large number of papers;
for, if not straight, or if the axis were not in the straight part, a bodily movement of
the papers thereon would be produced in rotating the wire, which would impede its
free action.
At the base (and preferably beneath or within the same) the wire T is provided
with an arm or eccentric C which is arranged to bear against a spring S in such a
manner that the "dead centre" of the eccentric is passed during the throw allowed
the latter.
By this arrangement the point of the transfer wire T is held stationary either in
meeting with the wire R or when removed therefrom as may be desired. Any
suitable form of a stop may be applied for the purpose of limiting the vibratory
throw of the wire T as shown at t Figure 2.
As the movement of the wire T as described, is lateral towards or from the wire
R, the latter is sharpened by being bevelled from one side to the other which gives
a cutting point or edge whether the said wire R is tubular or solid. In the case of
a tubular wire this mode of forming the point is obviously necessary. I prefer the
tube for several reasons. First, if properly bevelled it affords a recess or depression
into which the end of the wire T swings when the file is closed thereby better
holding the same in place; and secondly, by extending the aperture of the tube
through the base or tablet, it is easy, when the file is full, to transfer its contents to
a string or wire thrust through the said aperture. But a solid receiving wire may be
used if desired and provision may be made for stringing the contents from a solid
wire by cutting an eye in such wire near its point to admit the string. When the
point of the receiving wire R is bevelled and particularly when the said wire is
tubular the extreme point should be bent inward or filed off to form a continuous
surface with the transfer wire T as shown in Figure 9. Correspondingly the point

page_text: of the wire T should be so formed as not to protrude in order that papers may not
catch or be torn in passing from one wire to the other.
For most papers, especially those desired to be kept in regular order, I prefer to
make the file double and to provide a tablet or extended base to underlie the entire
body of papers. The double file consists of two single files arranged upon the base
in two vertical parallel planes as clearly shewn in Figure 3, wherein also a portion
of the tablet A is seen. To secure greater accuracy in filing I also provide fixed
gauge-wires G G set in a plane parallel with that of the puncturing wires, R, R,
against which gauge-wires, the upper edge of the sheet may be brought before
thrusting the same down upon the said wires R, R. The gauge-wires G if placed
beneath the arch as shown in Figure 3, are guarded and are quite out of the way.
They are of such length as to allow the sheet to pass over them when transferred
from one set of wires to the other.
The base B of the double file intended to be applied to a tablet A is shewn in
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 to be composed of the two parts B' and B" adapted to fit
one upon the other in definite relation and to contain the mechanism that controls
the moving wires T, T-B' is a flat plate having the receiving and gauge-wires
fixed thereto as shown in Figure 7-B¹ is a plate recessed on the under side to
form a box in which the mechanism mentioned is contained. This part of the base
more directly sustains the transfer wires T as shown in Figures 5 and 6; but where
the two plates are joined the said wires enter and are further supported by the
plate B as shown in Figure 4.
The two parts of the base are held together by a screw which passes upward
through the hole in the plate B' and enters the tapped hole n' in the plate B",
thus holding the working parts enclosed and in place. The entire base B is secured
to the tablet A by means of screws H or the equivalent of the same.
In the duplex file, the transfer wires are connected so as to be operated by force
applied to the curved portion of either one as shown in Figure 5 wherein are
cranks or eccentrics fixed to the wires T and joined by the small rod N. In con-
nection with one of the cranks C the spring S is arranged as indicated to hold the
file either open or closed; more effective action being given to the spring by the
curve e at its point of bearing upon the spring. By arranging the cranks C
opposite sides of the wires T as shewn in Figure 5, the arched portions and points
of these wires swing in opposite directions. I find it most desirable to have them
swing outward to open the file as indicated in Figure 3. In this case the wires R
are bevelled on their outer sides to form the points, by which construction they
tend to draw the paper out smooth between them.
on
The tablet A is of wood or other similarly light material and may be of any
desired size according to the special purpose of the file. By covering the under sur-
face of the tablet with plush or other papilated material it can be made to adhere to
cloth or clothing by friction alone in almost a vertical position, and by this
means the tablet provided with the file (which holds the papers always in perfect
order) is specially adapted to be held on the knee. This covering is shewn at fin
the sectional view Figure 4.
me
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
by my foreign correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it
understood that I am aware of various heavy or rough objects for use upon the desk
or table being covered with cloth to prevent marring the surface upon which they
rest or to make them noiseless-I therefore do not claim covering such articles with
cloth. Moreover it is obvious that forms of springs other than that shewn may be
used to control the vibrating wire and that a base adapted to be secured to the
tablet may be made of a single piece; therefore I do not limit myself to the precise
details above specified, but I claim,
First. In combination with the base and the fixed wire R the wire T, arched at
its top to meet the wire R and having a positive rotary movement in the axis of
its vertical portion as and for the purposes specified.
Second. In combination with the base, fixed wire R and arched vibrating wire T

page_text: having the eccentric, the spring so arranged with reference to the said eccentric and
to the direction of the curved portion of the wire T as to hold the file either open
or closed, as above described.
Third. The combination, in a file, of two fixed puncturing wires R and two
vibrating transfer wires T arranged upon a common base or tablet to form two
continuous arches in parallel vertical planes as shown, and adapted to be opened
and closed for the purpose of receiving, transferring, and discharging the papers as
above set forth.
Fourth. The combination in a double file with the two fixed wires R, R, and the
two vibrating arched wires T T, of the crank-arms, the connecting rod, and the
spring whereby the points of the wires T may be simultaneously swung to or from
the wires R and held in either position as above described.
Fifth. In combination with the fixed receiving wire R and the arched transfer
wire T, the fixed gauge wire located beneath the arch and of such length as to
allow papers to pass over it in being transferred from one wire to the other, as
shown and described.
Sixth. The combination with the two fixed wires R and the two arched wires T,
of a metallic base, consisting of one or more parts, the said base independently holding
the said wires and their accompanying mechanism in working position and being
adapted to be removably applied to any tablet by means of screws, as and for the
purposes set forth.
Seventh. The tablet having a paper holding device on one side and a plush, flock,
or other like covering on the other side, substantially as described and for the pur-
poses specified.
Eighth Seventh. In the tubular receiving wire R of a file, the point bent or
curved inward on the outer side so as to lie close upon the transfer wire arranged
to enter or bear against the inner wall of the tube and to thereby form a continuous
surface with the said transfer wire, as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty ninth day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
DANT
T
הדר

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FILES OR BINDERS FOR HOLDING LETTERS, BILLS, AND OTHER
PAPERS OR DOCUMENTS." A communication from abroad by James Sancks
Shannon. of Downer's Grove, Illinois, United States of America,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th July 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILES OR BINDERS FOR
HOLDING LETTERS, BILLS, AND OTHER PAPERS OR DOCUMENTS." A communica-
tion from abroad by James Sancks Shannon, of Downer's Grove, Illinois, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to a file or binder adapted to conveniently receive letters
and other papers, and to permit the removal of any one of their number after filing,
or the insertion of a paper among or between those already filed without removing
or deranging the latter.
The said Invention consists, first, in combining with a suitable base a fixed
receiving wire and a vibrating transfer wire, the latter having a straight portion
springing from the base, and a vibratory movement in the axis of this straight por-
tion; also having an arched or curved portion by which its point may be brought
into contact with or swung away from the point of the fixed or receiving wire when
the said transfer wire is vibrated.
The construction and arrangement above described afford a continuous wire,
adapted to be opened for the insertion of a paper on the fixed wire and to be closed
to retain the same on the file, and also to permit a paper to be transferred to the
vibrating wire to allow of the removal of an underlying paper if desired, providing
the rotary movement of the transfer wire in the axis of its straight part permits the
said wire to turn freely on its axis without bodily moving the papers contained
thereon.
Secondly. The said Invention consists in arranging two such pairs of wires upon
a common base and in parallel planes vertical to the base, so that a paper filed upon

page_text: wire, in order that the papers may be returned from the transfer wire to said
'receiving wire without catching or enlarging the punctures.
B is the base of the file to which is attached the vertical puncturing or receiving
wire R and the vibrating transfer wire T.
The latter is vertical for a part of its length and curved or arched for the
remainder to bring its point in line with the receiving wire R, as shewn in the
several Figures of the Drawing.
The wire R is rigidly fixed to the base, while the wire T is so pivoted thereto as
to rotate in the axis of its vertical portion. By means of this rotary or vibratory
movement of the wire T the point thereof may be moved into contact with the free
end of the wire R, as shewn clearly in Figures 1, 3, and 4, or moved away from it,
as indicated by the dotted lines of Figure 3. When the points are in contact the
file is said to be closed, and when they are separated it is said to be open.
The operation and use of the file as so far described are obvious.
To apply a paper
the file is opened to permit the sheet to be forced down upon the wire R. When it
is desired to move an intermediate sheet from the papers contained on the file, those
above such sheet are lifted and thrown over upon the wire T. The latter is then
rotated to open the file when the sheet wanted being on the top of the papers on
wire R is easily removed. The file is then closed and the sheets that were trans-
ferred to the wire T are returned to the wire R. In a similar manner a sheet may
be inserted beneath a quantity of papers already filed without deranging or removing
the latter.
The object of making the transfer wire T straight to the height of the receiving
wire R and giving it rotary movement in the axis of its straight and vertical
portion is that it may turn freely when made to contain a large number of papers;
for, if not straight or if the axis were not in the straight part, a bodily movement of
the papers thereon would be produced in rotating the wire, which would impede its
free action.
At the base (and preferably beneath or within the same) the wire T is provided
with an arm or eccentric C, which is arranged to bear against a spring S in such a
manner that the "dead centre" of the eccentric is passed during the throw allowed
the latter.
By this arrangement the point of the transfer wire T is held stationary either in
meeting with the wire R or when removed therefrom, as may be desired. Any
suitable form of a stop may be applied for the purpose of limiting the vibratory
throw of the wire T, as shown at t, Figure 2.
As the movement of the wire T, as described, is lateral towards or from the wire
R, the latter is sharpened by being bevelled from one side to the other, which gives
a cutting point or edge, whether the said wire R is tubular or solid. In the case of
a tubular wire, this mode of forming the point is obviously necessary. I prefer the
tube for several reasons, first, if properly bevelled it affords a recess or depression
into which the end of the wire T swings when the file is closed, thereby better
holding the same in place; and secondly, by extending the aperture of the tube
through the base or tablet, it is easy, when the file is full, to transfer its contents to
a string or wire thrust through the said aperture. But a solid receiving wire may be
used if desired, and provision may be made for stringing the contents from a solid
wire by cutting an eye in such wire near its point to admit the string. When the
point of the receiving wire R is bevelled, and particularly when the said wire is
túbular, the extreme point should be bent inward or filed off to form a continuous
surface with the transfer wire T, as shown in Figure 9. Correspondingly the point
of the wire T should be so formed as not to protrude, in order that papers may not
catch or be torn in passing from one wire to the other.
For most papers, especially those desired to be kept in regular order, I prefer to
make the file double and to provide a tablet or extended base to underlie the entire
body of papers. The double file consists of two single files arranged upon the base
in two vertical parallel planes, as clearly shewn in Figure 3, wherein also a portion

page_text: of the tablet A is seen. To secure greater accuracy in filing .I also provide fixed
gauge-wires G, G, set in a plane parallel with that of the puncturing wires R, R,
against which gauge-wires the upper edge of the sheet may be brought before
thrusting the same down upon the 'said wires R, R. The gauge-wires G if placed
beneath the arch, as shown in Figure 3, are guarded and are quite out of the way.
They are of such length as to allow the sheet to pass over them when transferred
from one set of wires to the other.
The base B of the double file intended to be applied to a tablet A is shewn in
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 to be composed of the two parts B¹ and B¹¹, adapted to fit
one upon the other in definite relation, and to contain the mechanism that controls
the moving wires T, T; B¹ is a flat plate, having the receiving and gauge-wires
fixed thereto, as shown in Figure 7; B¹¹ is a plate recessed on the under side to
form a box in which the mechanism mentioned is contained. This part of the base
more directly sustains the transfer wires T, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, but where
the two plates are joined, the said wires enter and are further supported by the
plate B¹, as shown in Figure 4.
The two parts of the base are held together by a screw which passes upward
through the hole in the plate B¹, and enters the tapped hole n¹ in the plate B",
thus holding the working parts enclosed and in place. The entire base B is secured
to the tablet A by means of screws H, or the equivalent of the same.
In the duplex file the transfer wires are connected so as to be operated by force
applied to the curved portion of either one, as shown in Figure 5, wherein C, C, are
cranks or eccentrics fixed to the wires T, and joined by the small rod N. In con-
nection with one of the cranks C, the spring S is arranged as indicated, to hold the
file either open or closed, more effective action being given to the spring by the
curve c at its point of bearing upon the spring. By arranging the cranks C on
opposite sides of the wires T, as shewn in Figure 5, the arched portions and points
of these wires spring in opposite directions. I find it most desirable to have them
swing outward to open the file, as indicated in Figure 3. In this case the wires R
are bevelled on their outer sides to form the points, by which construction they
tend to draw the paper out smooth between them.
The tablet A is of wood or other similarly light material and may be of any
desired size, according to the special purpose of the file. By covering the under sur-
face of the tablet with plush or other papilated material it can be made to adhere to
cloth or clothing by friction alone in almost a vertical position, and by this
means the tablet provided with the file (which holds the papers always in perfect
order) is specially adapted to be held on the knee. This covering is shewn at f, in
the sectional view, Figure 4.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I am aware of various heavy or rough objects for use upon the desk
or table being covered with cloth to prevent marring the surface upon which they
rest, or to make them noiseless, I therefore do not claim covering such articles with
cloth. Moreover it is obvious that forms of springs other than that shewn may be
used to control the vibrating wire, and that a base adapted to be secured to the
tablet may be made of a single piece; therefore I do not limit myself to the precise
details above specified, but I claim,-
First. In combination with the base and the fixed wire R, the wire T, arched at
its top to meet the wire R, and having a positive rotary movement in the axis of
its vertical portion, as and for the purposes specified.
Second. În combination with the base, fixed wire R and arched vibrating wire T,
having the eccentric, the spring so arranged with reference to the said eccentric, and
to the direction of the curved portion of the wire T as to hold the file either open
or closed, as above described.
Third. The combination in a file of two fixed puncturing wires R, and two
vibrating transfer wires T, arranged upon a common base or tablet to form two

page_text: continuous arches in parallel vertical planes, as shown, and adapted to be opened
and closed for the purpose of receiving, transferring, and discharging the papers, as
above set forth.
Fourth. The combination in a double file, with the two fixed wires R, R, and the
two vibrating arched wires T, T, of the crank-arms, the connecting rod, and the
spring, whereby the points of the wires T may be simultaneously swung to or from
the wires R, and held in either position, as above described.
Fifth. In combination with the fixed receiving wire R, and the arched transfer
wire T, the fixed gauge wire located beneath the arch, and of such length as to
allow papers to pass over it in being transferred from one wire to the other, as
shown and described.
Sixth. The combination with the two fixed wires R and the two arched wires T
of a metallic base, consisting of one or more parts, the said base independently holding
the said wires and their accompanying mechanism in working position, and being
adapted to be removably applied to any tablet by means of screws, as and for the
purposes set forth.
Seventh. The tablet having a paper-holding device on one side and a plush, flock,
or other like covering on the other side, substantially as described, and for the pur-
poses specified.
Eighth. In the tubular receiving wire R of a file, the point bent or curved
inward on the outer side so as to lie close upon the transfer wire, arranged to enter
or bear against the inner wall of the tube, and to thereby form a continuous surface
with the said transfer wire, as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)