An Improved Paper Clamp.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Paper Clamp.
I, WALTER COBHAM BOWRY, of Plant Street, Charters Towers, in the
Colony of Queensland, Journalist, 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 has been devised for the purpose of providing a cheap, durable,
and convenient clamp for holding newspapers, sheet music, Acts of Parliament and
other papers safely, and for keeping them clean and flat, and for enabling them to
be easily removed and replaced or added to.
It consists of the ordinary upper and lower bar or plate which may be made of
any suitable material, although I prefer to make them of wood. From the upper
face of the lower bar or plate there projects one or more spring filing spikes, which
hitherto have been made of some rigid material such as strong wire pointed at the
ends, but which in my invention are made of some material which will admit of
their being bent to and fro with little or no damage. I find such a material in
narrow flat steel springs, which admit of being bent to one side or the other, and
which when released automatically return to very nearly their original position by
reason of their resiliency. After these spikes have been passed through the edge
of the papers they are to file, they are passed through holes provided for the pur-
pose in the upper bar or plate, and the projecting part of them is bent down and
held close to the upper face of said upper bar. This may be accomplished by
various contrivances, but I prefer to use a sliding cap which embraces the top and
sides of said upper bar, and which forces down and covers the projecting ends of
said filing spikes, grooves being formed along the sides of said bar to receive
inwardly projecting flanges on the sliding caps. In order to ensure the filing
spikes being held tightly by the sliding caps, I prefer to fit adjustable set screws
under the place where they are bent over, so that by allowing said screws to project
more or less, the filing spikes will be gripped with more or less force.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,―
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and
Figure 2 a plan of the lower bar having the spring filing spikes secured to it.
Figure 3 is a cross section on line 3-3, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, and
Figure 5 a plan of the upper bar.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are sections on lines 6-6, 7-7, and 8-8, respectively,
Figure 5.
Figure 9 is an end elevation of the upper bar.
Figure 10 is a plan, and
Figure 11 an end elevation of one of the sliding caps which are fitted on the
upper ber
Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating the way in which papers are filed on
the spike.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the upper bar removed.
Figure 14 is a similar view to Figure 12, showing the upper bar in position, and
one of the sliding caps just after it has commenced to press down one of the filing
spikes so as to bend it over and secure it.
Figure 15 is another similar view to Figure 12, but showing the parts in the
positions they occupy when the operation of securing the papers has been
completed.
Figure 16 is a view illustrating a modified form of filing spike.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating the way in which papers are filed on
the spike.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the upper bar removed.
Figure 14 is a similar view to Figure 12, showing the upper bar in position, and
one of the sliding caps just after it has commenced to press down one of the filing
spikes so as to bend it over and secure it.
Figure 15 is another similar view to Figure 12, but showing the parts in the
positions they occupy when the operation of securing the papers has been
completed.
Figure 16 is a view illustrating a modified form of filing spike.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

page_text: A represents the lower, and B the upper bar or plate, the former of which is
fitted according to my invention with one or more projecting spring filing spikes C,
whilst the latter is provided with holes or slots 6 through which said spikes can be
passed. D represents one of the sliding caps which are adapted to slide to and fro
along the upper bar B, and are by preference formed with inwardly projecting
flanges d working within grooves or channels.d' in said upper bar. Stops E may
be provided upon the upper bar B, one at each end and one at the centre in order
to restrict the travel of the sliding caps D, the stops at the ends of the upper bar
consisting by preference of small plates which can be turned down out of the way, as
illustrated in Figure 9, when it is required to slide the caps D on to or off the upper
bar B. The holes b by preference have their upper edges eased or rounded off, as
illustrated in Figure 6, to reduce the sharpness of the bend of the filing spikes C
when turned over by the sliding caps D. Instead of providing stops, as above
described, the upper ends of the spikes C may be thickened somewhat like an arrow-
head so as to form a shoulder, as illustrated in Figure 16, in order that when the
spike C is bent over, the sliding cap D will bear against said shoulder, and thus be
prevented from further movement.
Set screws F (Figures 4, 5, and 14) may be fitted into the upper bar B in the
position shown, so that when the caps are pressed over the spring spikes, they will
hold said spikes more tightly.
The manner of employing my invention will be readily understood on reference
to Figures 12 to 15, the papers being placed upon the spikes C, as illustrated in
Figure 12 and said spikes being forced through the rear edge of the paper, after
which they are passed through the holes in the upper bar B, and then the caps D
are slid along, as illustrated in the lower part of Figure 14, until they have bent
down and firmly clamped the spikes C, as illustrated in Figure 15, when the papers
will be effectually bound together, as will be well understood.
I would wish it to be distinctly understood that although I have shown the
spikes C as being secured in their bent position by sliding caps D, they can be held
by other contrivances instead, if so preferred.
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 :-
First. The herein described paper clamp, consisting of two bars (such as A-B)
one. having a spring spike or spikes (such as C) and the other a hole or holes (such
as ) through which said spike or spikes can be passed, together with means whereby
said spring spike or spikes can be bent down and held firmly in position, substan-
tially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the accompanying
.drawings.
Second. In a paper clamp, the employment of spring filing spikes (such as C)
passed through the papers to be bound, then bent over and held firmly, substan-
tially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Third. In a paper clamp the combination with a spring filing spike (such as C)
secured to one bar and passed through a hole in another one, of a cap (such as D)
sliding upon this second bar so as to bend down and secure said spike, substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Tenth dex of Antohan Onn th
L
WALTER COBHAM BOWRY,
By R. Haddan,
Herbert Haddan & Co.,
.18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agent for Applicant.