Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1887
Specification Accepted, 30th Sept., 1887.
I, BENJAMIN LAWRENCE, of the City, County and State of New York, United States
of America, Merchant, 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
-
Previous to my invention letter and bill-files and temporary binders of the kind
employing one or more puncturing-wires and one or more transfer-wires have been
made in a variety of ways.
In some constructions the transfer-wires have been
hinged; in others they have been arranged to rotate or turn about their vertical
axes and in others the puncturing-wires or the transfer-wires have been arranged to
slide bodily back and forth to open and close the file.
My invention relates more particularly to the last mentioned type of structures, and
has for its main objects to improve the construction and operation of the same, and
consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more
fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a letter-file embodying my invention, the lower
portion of the board or tablet being broken off to economize in space on the sheet of
drawings.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the same, taken at the left-hand side, and omitting the
board.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the contrivance with the top-plate or cover and the
transfer-wires removed.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section taken at the line a, a, of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a vertical section taken at the line Y Y of Figure 1.
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27
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a single wire file involving a modification of
my invention, the top-plate being broken away to show the construction.
Figure 7 is a top view of another modification of my invention, with the top-plate
of the file broken away.

page_text: Figure 8 is a similar view thereof to illustrate the positions of the parts when the
file is closed.
Figure 9 is a vertical section taken at the line 2, 3, of Figure 7, and
Figure 10 is a vertical section taken at the line 2', ', of Figure 7.
In the various views the same parts will be found designated by the same letters
and numerals of reference.
A represents the usually-employed board or tablet for supporting the letters, bills,
or other papers, and upon which the filing contrivance is secured.
B designates a bed-plate or support: Ca top-plate or cover:
or impaling-wires and E the transfer-wires.
D the puncturing
The bed-plate is provided with perforations 2, at suitable points to enable its secure-
ment by screws, 3, or otherwise to the board A.
The transfer-wires are curved at their upper ends as usual, and are connected at
their lower ends to a cross-bar, 4, which is adapted to slide longitudinally of the
board.
In
The puncturing-wires or tubes may be secured either in the board, the bed-plate
or the cover. In Figures 1, 2, and 3, the puncturing-wires are shown fixed in
perforated ears, 6, on the upper surface of the bed-plate at its front corners.
Figures 6 the puncturing-wire is attached to the cover, while in Figures 7, 8, and 10
the puncturing wires are mounted rigidly in the ends of a cross-piece, 7, which, by
means of rivets or screws, 8, is attached to the cover or top-plate.
9 represents a lever for actuating the transfer-wires, which vibrates in a plane
parallel with the base or board of the file.
Referring now particularly to figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, it will be observed that
the lever is pivoted to the base-plate at 10, and is connected at its inner, shorter arm
to the cross-bar 4, by a link or connecting-rod, 11. The outer, longer arm of the
lever projects preferably slightly beyond the side edge of the board and may be
provided at its extremity with an upright, post, or head, 12, to facilitate the opera-
tion of the lever. This outer arm of the lever is also preferably formed or provided
with a downwardly extending lip or flange, 13, for the purpose of directing the
papers or letters when upon the transfer wires over the top of the lever when the
latter is vibrated in the direction of the arrow at Figure 1.
The cross-bar, 4, is cut away or hollowed out between its ends to form shoulders
or bearing surfaces, 14, to slide against the parallel depending side flanges, 15, of
the cover C, and by which means the transfer-wires are guided in right lines in their
movements to and from the puncturing-wires. The cover, as will be seen, is made of
a width slightly less than the distance apart of the shoulders, 14, and in addition to
the side guiding flanges is provided with end flanges, 16, for its support, and with
perforations for the insertion of screws, 17, to effect its securement in position. The
point of the forward screw engages with the threaded hole a in the bed-plate, and
the point of the rear screw with the threaded hole therein, the back edge of the
cross-bar, 4, being notched out for this purpose. Instead of thus fastening the cover
it will be understood of course that it may be secured in position in some other way
or by different means.
In order to hold the points of the transfer-wires close against the puncturing-wires
when the two sets of wires are brought together, and thus avoid any liability of the
accidental opening of the arches during the transference of papers, I provide the
following means: A flat spring, 18, is made fast at one end, preferably to the bed-
plate and is formed at its opposite free end with a hole or perforation, 19, which
springs upon or over a conical pin, 20, projecting upwardly from the lever, 9, at the
termination of the stroke of the latter in the direction of the arrow at Figure 1, and
when the transfer-wires have been moved to engage with the puncturing wires as
indicated by the dotted lines at Figure 2. At the start of the lever to move in the
opposite direction, the conical pin readily raises the point of the spring and frees
itself from the perforation therein. I have found in practice that these simple devices
serve admirably the purpose for which they are employed.

page_text: The operation of the file illustrated at Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, requires now
only brief description. In Figure 1 the file is shown open and the fixed wires adapted
for the impalement and removal of letters, bills, etc. To close the file, either for the
purpose of preventing the accidental detachment of the papers or to enable the user
to transfer the papers or a portion of them to the wires E, the lever is vibrated in the
direction of the arrow and through the connection described, the cross-bar and the
transfer-wires thereupon are slid along towards the puncturing-wires until the points
of the transfer-wires join or lap those of the puncturing-wires and the spring engages
with the pin upon the lever, all as represented by the full and dotted lines at figures 2
and 3. Should it be desired now to effect the removal of some paper below the top
of the pile, on the puncturing-wires, all those papers above it are lifted up and over
onto the transfer-wires. The outer arm of the lever is then swung downwardly and
its inner arm caused to push back ward the transfer-wires and the papers upon them,
whereupon the desired paper upon the puncturing-wires may be removed. To return
the transferred papers to the puncturing-wires again, move the lever as per the arrow
at Figure 1 to close the file and then turn the papers over and down upon the
puncturing-wires.
If the papers upon the transfer-wires extend all the way down to the cover and are
of a width approximating to that of the board, their outer rear portions or edges will
sag and would foul the lever in the last mentioned movement were not some means
provided for raising and directing the same over the top of the lever. The lip, 13,
obviates this difficulty effectually.
I have shown at Figure 6 as a substitute for the link, 11, a pin-and-slot connection:
the lever, 9, being slotted at 21, and the cross-bar, 4, being provided with a pin, 22,
to engage therewith. This view shows also, the application of my invention to a file
having only one puncturing-wire and one transfer-wire, the lower portion of the latter
being adapted to slide in a slot or opening, 23, formed longitudinally of the cover.
At Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, I have shown another form of connection that may be
used in lieu of the link, 11, which latter is, however, the means I prefer to employ.
The lever is slotted at 21, for the accommodation of a pin projecting from an arm 24,
that is pivoted or fulcrumed in the cross-bar 4. An arm, 25, is jointed at its inner
end to the arm, 24, and at its outer end is arranged to turn in a socket or seat in the
cross-piece, 7. At Figure 7 of the drawings, the file is shown open, and may be
closed by turning the lever in the direction of the arrow thereat, the arms 24 and 25
operating as toggles and moving into the position illustrated at Figure 8.
In the various modifications the cover is provided with side flanges 15, which guide
the cross-bar laterally and hold it against vertical movement, and insure the proper
reciprocation of the movable wires.
So far as the main feature of my invention is concerned, it is immaterial whether
the transfer-wires or the puncturing-wires be arranged to move. It is possible, though
in my opinion not so desirable to mount the puncturing wires upon a sliding cross-
bar, as 4, and arrange the lever to move the latter back and forth to cause the
puncturing-wires to meet and depart from fixed transfer-wires. It is also immaterial
whether the base-plate be used, because the puncturing-wires may be fastened to the
board, the lever pivoted directly upon the board, and the cross-piece carrying the
transfer-wires arranged to slide upon the board. And it is also immaterial whether
the cover be used, as some other means may be employed for holding the movable
wires in position and guiding them in their movements back and forth.
I prefer, however, to use the base-plate and the cover as they make a better structure
and enable me to pack and ship the files proper and the boards or tablets separate and
thus greatly economize in bulk and cost of transportation.
The main feature of my invention rests in the employment of the lever to effect the
reciprocations of the movable wire or wires, and thus avoid the necessity for pushing
or pulling directly upon the latter and the liability of destroying the alignment of
the puncturing and transfer-wires.
The lever employed by me is out of the way when the papers are on the puncturing-

page_text: wires and on the transfer-wires and affords a ready means for conveniently, quickly
and easily opening and closing the file, and requires the use of one hand only for the
purpose.
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
claim is
1. In a letter-file, the combination with a puncturing-wire and a transfer-wire, one
of said wires being adapted to slide back and forth, of a lever arranged to vibrate in
a plane parallel with the base or board and adapted to effect the reciprocations of said
sliding wire substantially as set forth.
2. In a letter-file, the combination with duplex puncturing wires and duplex transfer-
wires one set of said duplex wires being mounted in a sliding cross-bar, of a lever
connected to said cross-bar and adapted to reciprocate the same; substantially as
set forth.
3. In a letter-file, the combination with duplex puncturing-wires and duplex
transfer-wires one set of said duplex wires being mounted in a sliding cross-bar, of a
lever for reciprocating the latter, and means for guiding it in its movements, back and
forth substantially as set forth.
4. In a letter-file, the combination with duplex puncturing-wires and duplex
transfer-wires one set of said duplex wires being movable, of a lever for operating
the movable wires, and means for holding the two sets of wires together against
accidental separation during the transference of papers; substantially as set forth.
5. In a letter-file, the combination with duplex puncturing wires and duplex
transfer-wires one set of said wires being movable, of a lever for operating the movable
wires, provided with a lip for elevating the papers; substantially as set forth.
6. In a letter-file having duplex puncturing-wires and duplex transfer-wires, the
combination of the sliding cross-bar containing one set of said wires and provided
with bearing surfaces, and the cover or top-plate provided with depending side flanges
against which said bearing surfaces may slide; substantially as set forth.
7. In a letter-file, the combination of duplex sliding wires, a rigid cross-piece
forming a connection between said wires, and a lever connected to said cross-piece
and adapted to reciprocate the same in a plane parallel with the base or board of the
file substantially as set forth.
8. In a letter-file, the combination of duplex sliding wires, a rigid cross-piece
between said wires, a lever, and a connecting-link, as 11; substantially as set forth.
T1:1: acil 1
C
1007
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.