Improvements in Paper or Bill Files.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1889-Accepted, 22nd June, 1889
CUALE DELE
Improvements in Paper or Bill Files.
I, ARTHUR JAMES WELLS of No. 46 West Onondaga Street in the City of
Syracuse and the State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER OR
BILL FILES" and in what manner is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists in Improvements in Paper or Bill Files, and has for its
object the production of a simple portable file-rack which may be set up on the desk
or in any desired position, and which may be readily adapted, by reason of its
adjustability, to any suitable dimensions for the use required of it; and to this end
the invention consists, essentially, in a knockdown adjustable paper file or rack
having a base provided with grooves or rabbets and slides provided with tongues
adapted to slide in the grooves or rabbets of the base, whereby, when the slides or
partitions are joined to the base, adjustable compartments are produced, into which
the papers or bills may be filed.
It consists, furthermore, in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts,
all as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.
In specifying my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming
a part of this specification, in which, like letters indicate corresponding parts in all
the views.
Figure 1 is an isometric view of a detached portion of my paper file set up for use.
Figure 2 is a transverse section illustrating the relative construction and arrange-
ment of the base, and one of the slides provided thereon.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of a modified form of my invention.
Figure 4 is a like transverse view of a further modified form of the bill file.
Figure 5 is a transverse view of a form of the bill file in which there is but one
longitudinal groove between the opposite edges of the base engaged by a-T-shaped
foot provided upon the partition.
Figure 6 is a transverse section of a still further inodified form of my bill file.
Figure 7 is a top plan view of a bill file, in which the groove is provided in the
side or back of the file, and the partitions slide vertically therein, and
Figure 8 is a detail of a modified construction of the grooves provided in the file
for the engagement of the partitions.
A-represents the base of my improved paper file or rack, which is intended for
use on tables or other supports where it can abut against a back of some kind, and
when such abutment is not available, I prefer to provide the base-A-with a
back B, as shown in figure 7.
C-is a slide or partition provided with a base-d, and a tongue-e,—which
tongue rides in the grooves or rabbets-a-a-extending lengthwise of the base of
the file.
The peculiar arrangement of the file base and partitions allows the partitions to be
readily shifted along the file, and the base-d-prevents the partition from rocking,
and together with the tongue-e-holds the same securely in place.
To render the movement of the file more easy, and to prevent too great a strain
upon the tongue-e,-I provide the rod--having its opposite extremities secured
to the base.
The feet-e of the partitions-C-are provided with apertures which are guided
along this rod as the partitions are adjusted.
It will be observed that each rack is made up of the base and a number of these
partitions or slides-C-and that, for convenience in shipping and portability, the
slides may be taken off of the base and packed within a small compass. At the

page_text: .
same time, however, the important feature in respect to my improved paper-file
consists in providing the adjustable slides or partitions, which may be readily shifted
on the base, so as to adapt the rack or file to any purpose, as desired. Thus, when
the file is used in a counting-room or mercantile office where there is a large
correspondence, and it is desirable to temporarily file away letters awaiting the
filling of orders or for any other purpose, by my invention a file is produced
whereby the compartments may be adjusted to readily suit the circumstances
of the correspondence, and the file also may be so located as to keep the corre-
spondence in convenient position where the same is not liable to be overlooked, and
thus a, very desirable acquisition to an office outfit is provided. Furthermore, the
improved paper-file is exceedingly simple and durable in construction and sus-
ceptible of an elegant finish at a small expense, and is accordingly very desirable
in this respect.
:
My invention is susceptible of several modifications in construction, and hence I
do not limit myself to the specific construction illustrated in figures 1 and 2.
At figure 3 I have illustrated a modification in which the rod--is dispensed
with, and the adjustability is procured by means of the feet-e-sliding in the
groove-a. In this figure I have shown a portion of the body of the partition-C-
struck out forming pen racks—c.
At figure 4 I have shown a slide or partition formed of wire with bends-e,—
which serve the function of the feet or tongues-e.
At figure 5 have shown the groove as in the central part of the base instead of
the edges thereof as in figures 1 and 2. The groove is preferably-H-shaped, and is·
engaged by an- -H-shaped piece of sheet metal, the lower part of which forms the
tongue e-riding in the groove-a, and the upper part of which is secured to tho
base-d-of the partition.
At figure 6 I have shown a modified construction of the file, in which the feet
are not prevented from upward movement by their engagement with the groove, but
are prevented solely by means of the apertures-c-engaging the rod-b
At figure 7. I have illustrated the back of the file-B-as provided with the
transverse groove-a,-and the feet-e-as provided upon the rear edges of the
slide-C.
When the grooves are provided transversely of the base as illustrated in figure 7,
I prefer to form the same of strips-f-figure S, having the rabbet-a-cut on
the opposite edges thereof, and 1 secure such strips to the back-B,-thus forming a
cheaply constructed groove.
my
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1-In a paper or bill file, the combination of a base, of a series of detachable
partitions adjustable to and from each other, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
2-In a paper or bill file, the combination with a base formed with longitudinal
grooves in its edges, of a series of partitions provided with tongues to engage said
grooves, whereby the partitions are readily adjusted to form a series of compartments
of various sizes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3-The combination with the longitudinally grooved base-a,-of the metallic
slides or partitions-C-provided with tongues-e-to enter the grooved edges of the
base, substantially as shown and described.
4 The combination of the base-A-having the groove or rabbet-a-extending
lengthwise in the edges thereof, a rod--secured to the base, and slides-c-
having depending feet through which the rod-b-passes, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
5 The combination of the base-A-having the groove or rabbet-a-extending
in the edges thereof, a series of partitions provided with tongues engaging said

page_text: groove or rabbet, the rod--secured to the base-A-and passed through eyes in
the partitions-0,-substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 30th day of March 1889.
ARTHUR JAMES WELLS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.