Improvements in Files for Letters and other Papers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Files for Letters and other Papers.
I, ISAAC NEWTON ADRIAN of Elgin, County of Kane, Illinois, U.S.A.,
Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to files or holders for letters, bills and other papers of
that class in which a series of compartments or pockets are formed by a number
of superposed division sheets. The invention consists in applying thumb pieces to
said division sheets out of line with one another and in forming the thumb pieces
out of one blank so that each thumb piece consists of a horizontal member for
attachment by prongs to the division 'sheet and of a vertical member for taking
hold of for lifting the division sheet vertically at its front or open edge and when
this is not the uppermost also lifting with the same thumb piece the compartments
or pockets above it.
Deted this 19th done of Mane 1900
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, ISAAC NEWTON ADRIAN, of Elgin, County of Kane, Illinois, U.S.A.,
Inventor, 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:-
This invention relates to files or holders for letters, bills, legal, and other papers
and of that class which consists of a series of compartments or pockets formed
by a number of superposed division sheets or webs united or connected together at
one or more edges and provided at one edge with thumb pieces by which said
edges can be raised to expose the papers below said sheets or webs.
The invention has for object to provide such a file or holder, with thumb
pieces possessing practical advantages over those hitherto in use.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a file or holder embodying the improvements of this
invention, shewing the same in a drawer, the index sheet or plate being removed.
Fig. 2 a section on line x-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 a detail view of one of the thumb pieces detached.
Fig. 4, a section on line y-y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 a plan view of the file removed from the drawer and shewing the index
sheet or plate in position thereon.
A, A', are respectively the top and bottom of the exterior case of the file. a is
a connecting web by which, in conjunction with a series of sheets B, are formed
a series of pockets or compartments.
The sides of the case and the division sheets B may be made of any suitable

page_text: material, form, and size, and the said sheets and case are connected at their rear
end, or sides, or both by any suitable means.
Each division sheet and the upper side or top A of the case is provided with a
thumb piece C, arranged to project beyond the front edge of the file and made of
such form as to be readily grasped without changing the position of the file to
raise the forward edge of such sheet and expose the papers in the pocket
covered thereby.
Each of the thumb pieces C is stamped from a single blank, and bent at an
intermediate point of its length to provide two members c, c', at right angles to
one another. The member c is provided with a series of integral spurs c², c³, e,
punched out of the body of the blank and designed to be pushed through the
sheet B to which the piece C is to be attached and bent down against the
opposite face thereof thus securing the sheet and thumb piece together.
The spurs c2, c, are formed at the inner end of the member c whilst c is stamped
from the central portion of such member adjacent to the point of union thereof
with the other member c. The outer upper end of the member c is bent upon
itself as at c, to give additional strength and body to this part of the thumb
piece, and the corners are inclined so that the spaces between the series of thumb
pieces increase in width at these outer upper ends.
The index for the improved file is preferably arranged upon a separate sheet
or plate D, adapted to be detachably held in place against the outer face of the
top of the file case. As shewn in Fig. 1, it is preferred to provide such top of
the case with holders or sockets E at three of its corners, into which the corre-
sponding corners of the index sheet can be placed. There being no holder at the
other corner the index can be readily removed and replaced by a new one if
desired. This permits the contents of the file to be readily changed and at the
same time the necessary changes in the index to be made. The holders E may be
made of leather or other suitable material.
As shewn in Fig. 2 the portions c¹ of the thumb pieces C extend upwardly along
the front of the case and have their upper ends lying in a plane above the top
thereof. This construction enables any desired thumb piece to be more readily
taken hold of and the pocket uncovered, than when the thumb pieces lie in the
same plane throughout their length as the sheet to which they are attached.
The thumb pieces as described may be also be used in connection with other
kinds of files.
The file of this invention is particularly applicable for use in drawers of a desk
or cabinet, as it is not necessary to remove the same from the drawer when with-
drawing or filing any paper. As soon as the drawer is opened, the index is
displayed and by taking hold of the proper thumb piece, whose upper end is above
the body of the file, the flexible sheet attached thereto is raised and the desired
compartment or pocket uncovered.
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
In a file case or holder, the combination with a case having its interior divided
into a series of pockets by suitable division sheets, of a series of thumb pieces,
each formed from a blank bent to provide two members c, c', the member c having
means for attachment to one of the division sheets, said thumb pieces being secured
to the sheets out of line with each other and the member e¹ of each piece extending
vertically across the front edge or open side of all the pockets above the division
sheet to which the member c is attached, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 11th day of February 1907
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.