Improvements in and in connection with Boxes or Drawers for Filing Cards for Indexing and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Boxes or Drawers for
Filing Cards for Indexing and the like.
I, WILLIAM EVARTS RICHARDS, of 203 Broadway, City County and State of
New York, United States of America, Patent Agent, 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 boxes or drawers in which index, catalogue, or other
cards are filed and held in position for ready reference, and which are herein-
after referred to as "card-holding boxes or drawers." In the particular class
to which my invention more especially relates, the card-holding box or drawer
is provided with blocks at the front and rear ends, and with a lock-guard-rod which
passes through these blocks and through perforations in the cards in such a manner
as to allow them to be readily examined, and yet prevent them from being removed
or displaced without withdrawing the rod.
My invention consists in certain novel details of construction of the blocks, the
guard-rod, and devices connecting or co-operating therewith, whereby the cost
of construction is much reduced, the operation is greatly facilitated, and other
advantages are secured, as hereinafter particularly described.
Referring to the accompanying drawing-
Figure 1 represents a front view of a card-holding box or drawer embodying my
improvements.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken in the line of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal section, taken in the line y y of Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a partly sectional view and a perspective view
of the guard-rod.
Figures 7 and 8 are, respectively, a top edge view and an end edge view of the
escutcheon plate.
In the various figures, A represents the card-holding box or drawer, B¹ B³ the
blocks, C the escutcheon plate, and E the guard-rod having a knob, G, attached to
its outer end.
In card-holding boxes or drawers as heretofore constructed, the guard-rod is
provided on its outer end with a screw thread, on which is fitted a sleeve having
both internal and external threads. The sleeve is screwed on the end of the rod,
and the knob is threaded and is screwed on the sleeve. In the front end of the
drawer is fitted an internally-threaded bushing concealed by the escutcheon
plate, which has an opening as large as the interior of the bushing. The rod
is passed through the escutcheon, the bushing, and the blocks, and is locked by
turning it so as to engage the external thread of the sleeve with the internal thread
of the bushing.
In my invention, the knob G is bored the exact size of the rod E, or so as to fit
tightly thereon, and is secured to the rod by simply driving it in place.
The knob G is formed with a flange f to fit against the escutcheon plate. From
the flange the shank g is continued in a cylindrical form for a length slightly
greater than the thickness of the escutcheon plate C, and at the end of said shank
is formed a button, h, of an acute or an elongated elliptical form in its outline, and
of a thickness about equal to the thickness of the escutcheon plate, or any other
suitable thickness. The knob, flange, shank, and button, are preferably all cast in
one piece of metal.
The escutcheon plate, C, has in its center an elliptical opening d, corresponding
with the shape of the button h, and large enough to allow said button to easily pass

page_text: through it. Extending back from the elliptical opening d, and in one piece with
the plate, is a circular rim l, on the edge of which are two cams, ii, diametrically
opposite to each other. Each cam is formed by the meeting of two inclined planes
or two sides of an isosceles triangle. The circular rim fits in a corresponding
opening in the front of the drawer, and the escutcheon plate is preferably secured
in place by screws.
The rod E is passed through the plate C until the elliptical button h is clear of
the corresponding opening d, and then, by simply turning the knob G in either
direction less than a quarter of a circle, the button h rides on the inclined surfaces
of the cams ii, the flange f bears closely against the escutcheon plate C, and the
guard-rod is securely locked in position. By a reverse motion of the knob, the rod
is unlocked and may be easily withdrawn.
By this construction, only three pieces are required in forming the guard-rod
and locking devices, instead of five pieces as heretofore; no screw threads are
required as heretofore, and only a slight turn of the knob for less than a quarter of
a circle in either direction is required for either locking or unlocking, instead of
several turns and the engagement of screw threads as heretofore.
The block B is preferably fastened to the front of the drawer by glue or
otherwise. The block B is movable back or forward, to accommodate different
quantities of cards; and it may be provided with dowels and pins or other
suitable means for holding it at desired points. Heretofore the holes in the blocks
for the passage of the rod have been simply straight or cylindrical throughout,
and this would cause difficulty and delay in passing the rod through the blocks
when in haste.
In my invention, the holes m in the blocks are made tapering in form, being very
wide in front and tapering symmetrically to the size of the rod at the rear side of
each block. By this means the guard-rod is sure to reach its proper place in the
block without difficulty or delay.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a card-holding box or drawer, a guard-rod provided with a locking device
consisting of a button and a cam or cams engaging with each other, and a handle
on the rod, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described.
2. In a card-holding box or drawer, a guard rod provided with a locking device
consisting of a button and a cam or cams engaging with each other, a handle or
knob G, provided with a flange f, bearing against the face of the box or drawer,
and a shank between said flange and the button h, substantially as described.
3. In a card-holding box or drawer, a guard rod having a knob or handle G,
having a button h, on the end thereof, an elliptical opening in the face of the
box or drawer for the insertion of the button and an escutcheon plate having a
rim l, provided with cam surfaces adapted to be engaged by the button, substantially
as described.
Dated this 16th day of June 1893.
WILLIAM EVARTS RICHARDS.
J. C. Chapman, C.P.A.,
70, Chancery Lane, London, Filing Agent.