Improvements in Letter and Bill Files.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter and Bill Files.
1, WILLIAM OTTERBEIN GOTTWALS, of corner of Ann and O'Connor Street,
in the City of Ottawa, in the County of Carleton and Province of Ontario, in the
Dominion of Canada, Manufacturer, 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 that class of bill-files which comprise a file-board and
arches secured thereon and adapted to hold letters, bills and other papers by
passing through perforations therein, said arches being composed of stationary
arch-inembers and movable arch-members, the latter being separable from the
former to permit the impaling or placing of papers on the arches.
It is the object of this invention to greatly simplify and cheapen the construction
of such files, both by reducing the number of parts of which it is composed and by
so shaping the parts that they may readily be manufactured with few operations.
Also by providing means whereby the stationary arch-members may be
expeditiously and firmly secured to a thin base-plate. A further feature of my
invention is to enable the base-plate with its arches to be securely fastened to the
file-board, this part of my improvement enabling thin file-boards, composed for
instance of cartridge or pasteboard, to be employed: To these ends an important
feature of my invention consists in so shaping the spring which actuates the movable
and oscillating arch-members that it forms a bearing for the cross shank of said
members, whereby the latter is held in place against the flat top surface of the
base-plate and the arch-members directed in their oscillation; the said cross shank
being made with a flat side or portion forming angles or edges at the sides one of
which rests upon said flat surface of the base-plate and is caused by the spring to
bold the arch-members in contact or apart. My invention further consists in a
perforated base-plate through the perforations of which the fixed arch-members,
provided with flat heads on their lower ends, are passed and their heads brought
into contact with the bottom of the plate. Said heads are then covered by a plate,
or with a body or film of solder which is caused to adhere to the plate. I am thus
enabled to use a very thin base-plate without providing it with bosses or increased
thickness around the perforations and can nevertheless, by the above mentioned
construction, firmly and durably fix the stationary arch-members in it. My
invention further consists in a flange on the base plate adapted to fit in a groove in
the file-board, and of catches or buttons for holding the plate against the face of
the board. I thus do away with the use of screws and may make the file-board
thinner and of softer material, such as pulp or book-binders' board,
Such being the general nature of my invention I bave shown in the accompanying
drawings means for carrying it into practical effect without limiting my improve-
ments in their useful applications to the particular constructions which, for the sake
of illustration, I have delineated.
In said drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved base plate with arches, secured to
a board and showing the arches closed.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showing one of the arches in elevation and
closed.
Figure 3 is a sectional view on a larger scale, on line 3, 3, Figure 1.
Figure 34 is a similar view, showing a different position.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the movable arch-members.
13
Lombare

page_text: י
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the combined spring and bearing-plate for the
movable arch-members; and
Figure 7 is a similar view of the base-plate.
Referring to the drawings, l' is a file board of wood, book-binders' board, or other
suitable material. To this board is secured a base-plate, 2, having perforations, 3.
Through the latter pass the stationary arch-members, 4, the lower ends of which
have flat heads, 6, adapted to engage and lie close upon the bottom of the base-
plate. 6 indicates a film, sheet or body of solder overlying the head 5 and adhering
to the bottom of the base-plate. This makes a very rigid and durable fastening
for the fixed arch-members, enabling a relatively thin base-plate to be employed.
7,7 are the movable arch-members, which may be either those portions having
the curves, or the straight impaling pins, as illustrated. These movable members
are formed with, or attached to, a cross shank or transverse rocking bar, 8, which
is provided at its lower side, with a cam or eccentric projection, preferably made
by flattening said-bar 8, as at 9. The flat side 9 bears with one of its edges upon
the base-plate and causes the axis of the bar 8 to'rise as the movable arch-members
are moved outwardly.
10 is a spring, plate, secured to the base-plate by rivets, screws or bolts, 11, and
bent along one edge to form a transverse bearing, 12. The latter is adapted to
receive the cross shank 8 and is lifted thereby as the shank turns and its axis rises,
as aforesaid. The pressure of the spring-bearing consequently tends to keep the
flat face of said bar in engagement with the base-plate, in which position of the
shank 8 the ends of the movable arch-members are in place against the ends of
the corresponding fixed members. When the shauk 8 is turned to carry the
movable members sufficiently away from the fixed members, the face 9 will be
upon what may be termed the dead-center, and will be so held by the pressure of the
bearing 12 without tendency to move in either direction." I prefer to 'limit
the motion of the movable arch-members when in this position, by forming in the
base-plate a transverse groove 13, which the edge of the face 9 will engage when
the arches have been sufficiently separated. A stop may also be formed, in
conjunction with or without the use of the groove 13 by forming the plate 10 with
alip, 14, forming the front edge of the plate and limiting the perforations, 15,
through which the upright shanks 7 pass, so that the latter may abut on the edge
of the perforation when sufficiently opened.
By the above described construction, I have lessened the necessary parts of the
device without impairing its efficiency, and caused the bearing iplato which contains
the transverse axis of the movable arch-members to furnish the spring pressure for
the control of Buch members. A great economy in the manufacture of the bill-file
is thus effected.
While various means may be employed to secure the paper-holding device to the
file-board, I prefer to effect its attachment by a flange 22 formed on the edge of
the base-plate 2 and adapted to enter a groove 23 in the file-board, thus keeping
the plate 2 from displacement in directions parallel with the board! 24 indicates
buttons pivoted on the file-board and adapted to be turned to overlap the side
edges of the base-plate, so as to hold the latter upon the surface of the board.
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 :-
... Ina bill-file, the combination of the stationary arch-members, a base-plate, a
spring plate secured to the base-plate and having a bearing, movable arch-membors
on a transverse bar or cross shank within said bearing and having a cam-portion
tending to rest on the base-plate, substantially as set forth.
9
2. In a bill-file, the combination of a base-plate, stationary arch-members
secured thereto, movable arch-members having a cross shank flattened on its lower
side and a spring plate having a concave bearing engaging and holding said uross
shank in place, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. In a bill-file, the combination of a base-plate having stationary arch-members
and a transverse notch, a spring plate having a concave bearing on its under side,
and a cross shank within said bearing having on its under side an angular portion
adapted to engage said notch and carrying the upright ends of movable arch-
members substantially as set forth.
4. In a bill-file, the combination of a file-board, a base plate carrying the arches
and provided with a transverse flauge adapted to engage a groove in the file-board,
and locking catches for engaging the base-plate to hold the same down upon the
face of the file-board, substantially as set forth.
5. In a bill-file, the combination of a base plate, stationary arch-members
secured thereto, a cross shank or bar having movable arch-members and its under
side cam shaped, and a spring plate having on its under side a concave bearing
pressing upon said bar and apertures through which the upright members pass,
substantially as set forth.
6. In a bill-file,. the combination of a base-plate, stationary arch-members
secured thereto, a cross shank carrying movable arch-members and having its
lower side flattened to form edges one of which bears on said plate, a journal
bearing or bearings enclosing the upper side of said shank, and a spring or springs
causing said cross shank to bear on the base-plate, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of September 1894.
WM. O. GOTTWALS,
Per A. Harvey, his Attorney.