Improvements in Files for Patterns and Documents.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Files for Patterns and Documents.
I, ROBERT JOHN EWIG, residing at the corner of Baker and Vaughn Streets
in the Town of Morton, County of Delaware, State of Pennsylvania, United States
of America, Tailor, 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 a class of devices employed to secure and retain a
number of garment patterns, documents, newspapers, or similar articles, when not
in use, in which the several articles are pierced and engaged by a shank or needle,
as opposed to the class of files in which the articles filed are secured by being
enclosed or boxed.
It is the object of my invention to provide a file adapted to support or bind
together a number of documents not in use, and so arranged that any selected one
of the documents may be removed without removing others.
In the drawings I show and herein I describe a preferred form of a convenient.
embodiment of my invention, the particular subject-matter claimed as novel being
hereinafter definitely specified.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, and partly in section, and Figure 2 a view
in front elevation of a device conveniently embodying my invention.
Figures 3 and 4 are views in detail of modified forms of latches.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the file is shown as
made in the form of a hanging device adapted to be supported upon a wall; it is
obvious, however, that it may equally well be constructed as a standard or plate to
rest upon a desk.
In the drawings, A represents a base plate, provided at its upper extremity with
a panel a embodying apertures for fastening screws, which panel affords a
convenient space for the application of a label to indicate the character of the
documents supported by the file. B is a fixed shank, rigid, conveniently integral
with, and shown as projecting horizontally from the lower portion of, the base
plate A.
C is what I term a movable shank, the same being conveniently of about the
same length and diameter as the fixed shank, and mounted for support upon or
formed as a part of a swinging arm D, the arrangement being such that said
movable shank is normally maintained in axial alignment with, and in contact with
the end of, the said fixed shank. The upper end of the swinging arm D is
pivotally connected to the upper portion of the base plate, which preferably has, as
shown in the drawings, a forward extension, a*, the outer extremity of which
constitutes a convenient situation for said pivotal connection. The movable shank
and the arm are together adapted to swing or move upon said pivotal connection d*
as an axis toward and from the fixed shank.
As an expedient of construction, the projecting stud a* is of about the same
length as the fixed shank, and the upper portion of the arm D is curved and carried
in to meet it. When the swinging arm and the movable shank are down in their
normal position as shown in full lines in Figure 1, the movable shank and fixed
shank form practically one continuous shank, and upon these shanks are to be
seated or threaded the patterns or documents which it is desired to file.
To place documents upon the file, the arm is swung slightly outward to carry
the movable shank away from the fixed shank, and the documents, which are

page_text: assumed to embody suitable apertures, are inserted between the opposing
extremities of the shanks and threaded or seated upon one of said shanks,-
whereupon the arm and, movable shank are restored to their closed position.
When a number of documents are in place upon the file and a selected one of
them is to be removed, all documents upon one side of the selected one are pushed
over into position upon the shank other than that upon which the remainder upon
the other side of the document rest, leaving the selected document free to be
withdrawn between the extremities of the shanks which are slightly separated to
allow of said withdrawal.
It will thus be seen that any document, no matter what position with reference
to the other documents it may occupy, may be withdrawn at will without removing
said other documents. The arm D not only operates to support the movable
shank but also serves, with the base plate, to confine the mass of the documents
upon the shanks and against removal in a manner other than that specified.
My invention further comprehends the provision of means by which the movable
and fixed shanks may be latched or secured together in their closed position to
prevent the accidental opening of the device and dislodgment of its documents.
In Figure 11 show the shanks B and C as embodying bores bc respectively,
which bores register with each other when the shanks are in closed position. The
bore c extends from end to end of the shank C, opening through the outer as well
as through the inner end thereof.
E is what I term a latch pin, provided with a suitable head e, and projecting
through the bore c and into the bore b. A spiral spring e¹, mounted in the bore c
to bear against a shoulder ex of the pin, and a suitable shoulder in the bore c,
constantly tends to force said pin inward until the inner end of said pin is within
the bore band the head e is in contact with the outer end of the shank C.
Inasmuch as the pin E and the bore 6 are straight, and the arm D and the
shank C by virtue of their pivotal connection with the base plate stud a* can only
move in a circular direction upon said pivotal connection as an axis, the mere
existence of said pin E within the bore b secures the movable shank to the fixed
shank.
When it is desired to remove a document, the pin E is withdrawn sufficiently to
carry it out of the bore b, whereupon the arm D and the movable shank may be
swung outward to allow of the removal of said document, and thereupon, upon
swinging the shank back into position and releasing the pin, the latter springs into
the bore band secures the file in closed position.
In Figure 3 I show a modified form of latch in which the bore 6 is provided at
one side with a stud 6x and the pin E provided at one side with a stud e². In said
Figure 3 the shanks are shown as locked in closed position by the engagement of
the stud of the pin behind the stud of the bore.
To unlatch said shanks said pin is simply rotated until the studs clear each
other, when said pin may be withdrawn.
In Figure 4 I show a modified form in which the bore is provided with a
thread and the pin E provided with a corresponding thread, and in this arrangement,
of course, the parts are latched in closed position, or unlatched, by rotating the pin
so that its thread engages with or disengages from the thread of the bore b.
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 combination, the base plate, the fixed shank, the curved swinging arm
pivotally attached to an extension of the base plate, the movable shank carried by
said arm, and means for securing the movable shank in engagement with the fixed
shank, substantially as set forth.
2. In combination, the base plate, the fixed shank, the movable shank, the
swinging arm pivotally secured to the base plate, a bore formed in said movable

page_text: shank, and a pin entered through said bore and adapted to be engaged with the
fixed shank, substantially as set forth.
3. In combination, the base plate, the fixed shank, the movable shank, the
swinging arm, a bore formed in the fixed shank, a bore formed in the movable
shank, a pin entered in the movable shank, provided at its outer end with a head,
and at its inner end adapted to enter into and engage within the bore of the fixed
shank, substantially as set forth.
Dated this Sixth day of April A.D. 1893.