Year: 1888

page_text: I, ROBERT LANHAM of The Woodlands Theydou Bois, in the County of Essex,
Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved means of securing detachable sheets within
covers, whereby they are held with suitable. pressure in proper position however.
numerous or however few they may be.
I will describe my invention as applied to a manifold memorandum or sales book,
premising that it is equally applicable to holding sheets of music or any other sheets
within covers in such a manner that they may be detached or removed therefrom at
pleasure.
At top or bottom of the flexible back between the two leaves of a cover, preferably
at the top, I fix a coiled, helical or other suitable spring having a lever to which I
attach a cord, elastic, wire, or bar, intended to secure the sheets within the cover and
extending from this lever to a spring or other catch, at the opposite end of the back,
so arranged that the retaining wire rod, or bar, may be readily entered therein or
raised therefrom by the aid of a knob or extension of its end, or otherwise.
My coiled lever-spring terminates at each end in a straight wire, and I may attach
it by these ends to the flexible back of the cover by riveting them thereto, or in any
manner I may find more suitable, and these straight ends may extend from top to
bottom of the cover, or only partially down as I may find most convenient.
I prefer to use my coiled or helical lever-spring arrangement in combination with
a tube or plate of metal, or other suitable material, which I fix inside the flexible back
of the cover, preferably in its entire length, and which may be flat or convex,
breadthwise, on the face against the back but which will always be concave or flat
with stop, breadthwise, on the face with which the detachable sheets will be in contact.
When a tube is used I prefer to pass the straight ends of my coiled spring into or
through it, securing the whole to the cover by the same rivetings or fastenings.
Assuming a sales book to be provided with a coiled lever-spring according to my
Invention, together with a curved tube or plate as above described, and that a number

page_text: of detachable sheets are placed within the cover, their fold being in the concavity or
arch of the tube or plate; the retaining wire, rod, cord, elastic, or bar attached to
the lever of the coiled spring is brought down upon this fold and locked in the catch
provided for that purpose. In performing this operation the lever of the coiled
spring is pulled so that it compresses the coils and a continuous tension is thus brought
upon the retaining wire, rod or bar whereby as sheet after sheet is torn out or with-
drawn, the wire, rod or bar yielding thereto continues to press upon the remaining
leaves down to the last, and at the same time my curved tube or plate causes each
leaf to gravitate towards its longitudinal centre, instead of being drawn to the right
or to the left, as with ordinary arrangements.
I prefer to make my curved or arched tube or plate of metal but I may use any
suitable material; I may also give to the retaining wire a twist enabling it to give a
better grip upon the sheets, or I may roughen or make slight irregularities upon the
retaining rod or bar with the same object; I might also use a cord or band of suitable
material in lieu of a metal retaining wire, rod or bar ;.1 may also find it desirable to
apply a coiled lever-spring both at top and bottom of the cover, or I might use one
of such springs in combination with any other suitable spring at the opposite end of
the cover.
I prefer to obtain the lever of my coiled spring by twisting two coils so as to form
a projecting loop to which I may attach my retaining wire, rod, bar, cord, or band,
but I may apply a lever to the spring in any suitable manner.
I may also insert a coiled spring into the back or tube, which presses upwards
towards top of book, with wire attached to top which would have the effect of
tightening the retaining wire.
Dated this Twenty seventh day of March 1888.

page_text: be readily entered therein or raised therefrom by the aid of a knob or extension of
its end or otherwise. I may fix my retaining spring at top or bottom of the back of
the cover and I may use any suitable spring in combination with my retaining cord,
wire, rod, or bar, for securing the detachable leaves in the manner hereinafter fully
described.
My coiled lever-spring C terminates at each end in a straight wire D (see Fig. 5)
and I may attach it by these ends to the flexible back of the cover, by riveting them
thereto, or in any manner I may find more suitable, and these straight ends may
extend from top to bottom of the cover, or only partially down as I may find most-
convenient.
I prefer to use my coiled or helical lever-spring arrangement in combination with
a tube or plate of metal, or other suitable material, G, which I fix inside the flexible
back B of the cover, preferably in its entire length, and which may be flat or convex
breadthwise on the face against the back B, but which will always be concave (see
Fig. 2), or flat with stop, breadthwise, on the face with which the detachable leaves H
will be in contact.
When a tube is used I prefer to pass the straight ends D of my coiled spring into
it, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, or through it, securing the whole to the cover by
the same rivetings or fastenings.
Assuming a sales book to be provided with a coiled lever-spring C, according to
my invention, together with a curved tube or plate G, as above described, and that a
number of detachable sheets H are placed within the covers A A¹; the fold of these
sheets H being in the concavity or arch of the tube or plate G; the retaining wire,
rod, cord, elastic or bar E attached to the lever c of the coiled spring C is brought
down upon this fold and locked in the catch F provided for that purpose.
In performing this operation the lever of the coiled spring is pulled so that it
compresses the coils and a continuous tension is thus brought upon the retaining wire,
rod, cord, or bar, whereby as sheet after sheet is torn out or withdrawn, the wire,
cord, rod, or bar yielding thereto continues to press upon the remaining sheets down
to the last, and at the same time my curved tube or plate G causes each leaf to
gravitate towards its longitudinal centre, instead of being drawn to the right or to the
left, as with ordinary arrangements, and the carbon sheet will always be held in
proper position on the top of the bill head; rendering it unnecessary to handle it
and soil the fingers as with ordinary memorandum or sales books.
I prefer to make my curved or arched tube or plate G of metal but I may use anyo
suitable material; I may also give to the retaining wire E a twist to enable it to.
give a better grip upon the sheets, or I may roughen or make slight irregularities
upon the retaining rod or bar with the same object; I might also use a cord or band
of suitable material in lieu of a metal retaining wire, rod or bar; I may also find it
desirable to apply a coiled lever-spring both at top and bottom of the cover, or I
might use one of such springs in combination with any other suitable springs at the
opposite end of the cover.
1 prefer to obtain the lever of my coiled spring C by twisting two coils so as to
form the projecting loop c (see Fig. 5) to which I attach my retaining wire, cord,
band, rod or bar, but I may apply a lever to the spring in any suitable manner.
I may also insert a coiled spring into the back or tube, which presses upwards
towards top of book, with wire attached to top which would have the effect of
tightening the retaining wire.
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. Securing detachable sheets within covers by means of a retaining wire, cord,
band, rod, bar or other clamping device, in combination with a spring exercising a
constant pressure against the retaining or clamping device when this latter is holding
down the detachable sheets, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In combination with covers for detachable sheets, the coiled helical spring C
having the lever c and the cord or wire E, or its equivalent, attached thereto and
secured by the catch F, or its equivalent, substantially as described.
3. In combination with the flexible back B of the covers, the plate or piece G sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. The means of securing detachable sheets within covers herein before described
and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Twenty-fourth day of December 1888.