Improvements in Binders for Papers and Documents.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Binders for Papers and Documents.
I, HARRY EDWARD DADE, of Mount Vernon, in the County of Westchester,
and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, and whose Post
Office address is No. 51, Franklin Street, New York City, N.Y., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement;
This invention relates to binders of that class wherein the sheets are held
removably in place by posts. The invention seeks to provide in such a binder a
follower for holding the sheets compactly together however few may be their
number. It also seeks to provide a lock of improved construction and arrange-
ment and in general to improve the various features of such binders for the
purpose of attaining simplicity, durability, security and compactness with
economy of manufacture.
In the drawings forming part of this specification and in which like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts, I have shown an expansible binder in
which my invention is embodied.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the binder with the covers and sheets removed,
parts being in section and re-removed.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, the sheets and follower being in place and showing a
modification in two of the sheet posts.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of Fig. 2, with certain parts omitted for the sake
of clearness, and on line 3-3.
Fig. 4 is a central transverse section of Fig. 2, and
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the follower.
Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmental details in section.
Referring now to the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the
drawings, 1 and 2 are respectively the upper and lower strips of an expansible
binder, between which the sheets are held in place and carrying respectively tele-
scoping back sections 3 and 4. The strip 2 in Figs. 2 and 3 has the posts 5
and 6 secured thereto at their lower end, their upper end being free and extend-
ing toward the strip 1 in alignment with the apertures 7 and 8 formed in the
strip 1 and in the filling strips 9 and 10 fixed upon the strip 1
The free ends
of the posts 5 and 6 are preferably tapered so as to find their way the more readily
through the holes in the sheets. The strips 1 and 2 have also telescoping
extensible posts of which the posts 11 and 12 are secured to the strip 1 and the
posts 13 and 14 are secured to the strip 2. By making the posts 11 and 12
each of substantially uniform circumference throughout its length and securing
them to one strip, and by making the posts 5 and 6 each of substantially uniform
circumference throughout its length and securing them to the opposite strip, as
shown, I am enabled to make the posts 5 and 11, as one pair of sheet engaging
posts, and the posts 6 and 12, as another pair of sheet engaging posts, subserve
the useful purpose of keeping the sheets 15 at all times in accurate alignment.
The sheets 15 have open apertures 16, 17, 18 and 19, which respectively snugly

page_text: fit the posts 5, 6, 11 and 12, and as a result of the construction described each
sheet will always be engaged by at least two posts snugly fitting its apertures
and the sheets will thus be kept in accurate alignment. The sheets near the
top strip will be engaged by the posts 11 and 12 and the sheets near the bottom
strip will be engaged by the posts 5 and 6, while the sheets near the middle will
be engaged by all four posts, if the strips are, as shown in the drawings, in such
ncar approach so as to make the posts and 6 overlap the posts 11 and 12. In
the preferred construction, as herein shown and to be presently described, the
expansibility of the binder is preferably limited so that when the strips 1 and 2
are at their extreme limit of separation the posts 5 and 6 will to some extent,
at least, still overlap the posts 11 and 12, thus ensuring at all times the engage-
ment of the middle sheets by at least the upper or lower posts. In Fig. I the
posts 56 and 57 perform all the functions of the posts and 6 and in the same
way. Instead however of leaving them free at the top they are arranged to
telescope with posts 58 and 59 secured to the strip 1.
20 and 21 are extensible telescoping posts secured to the opposite strips and
designed primarily as means for connecting the strips and to steady the strips in
their movement to and from each other and to give rigidity to the structure.
They preferably are provided with coiled springs 22, which tend to keep the
strips apart. These springs 22 are omitted from Fig. 3 for the sake of clear-
ness.
In the construction of the lock I provide a toothed arm 23 secured to the strip 1
and arranged to slide in a recessed slideway 24 formed in the lock casing 25,
which is secured to the lower strip 2. The pawl 26 is pivoted on the casing 25
with its head arranged near the top of the casing to engage the arm 23, and its
tail toward the bottom of the casing to be operated by a key inserted in the key-
hole 27. By arranging the head of the pawl 26 toward the top instead of toward
the bottom of the lock casing, the distance at which the strips 1 and 2 may be
separated and yet locked together by the pawl 26 is increased. It will be seen
that the strips 1 and 2 may be locked together at any desired point of their
separation. To limit the separation of the strips I provide a projection 28 on the
lower end of the arm 23 and a projection 29 on the inner side at the top of the
cover 30 of the lock casing. When the strips have been separated to their limit
these projections come together and act as a positive stop and prevent their
complete detachment from each other. The cover 30 is removably held in place
by screws entering the screw-holes 31 in the lock casing 25, and when removed
enables the strips to be easily detached from each other and permits access to
the interior parts of the lock for repair or otherwise. 32 is a removable sheet
engaging post designed to pass through the closed apertures or holes 33 in the
sheets 15. This post is made of two tubular telescopic members 34 and 35, so
as to be extensible. Within the post 32 is a spring 36, whose ends rest against
the plug 37 secured in the upper end of the member 34 and against the screw
plug 38 screwed into the lower end of the member 35. This spring tends to
extend the post. The post passes removably through a hole 39 in the strip 1
and at its upper end is secured to a piece 40 adapted to rest upon the strip 1
in a recess formed between the filling strips 9 and 10. When the post 32 is in
place, its lower end rests in a recess 41 formed on the inner side of the strip 2.
The members 34 and 35 of the post 32 are formed with circumferential
shoulders 42 and 43. to prevent their separation. In assembling the parts of
the post 32, the member 35 is inserted through the upper end of the member 34
and the plug 37 is then secured in place by suitable means. The spring 36 is
then inserted and the screw 38 screwed into the end of the member 35.
case the spring 36 wears out or becomes injured, it is only necessary to remove
the screw 38, when a new spring may be inserted. Secured to the piece 40 is a
toothed arm 44 passing freely through an aperture 45 in the strip 1, and into a
slideway 46 in the lock casing 25, which it snugly fits. A pawl 47 pivoted in
the casing 25 with its head upward and its tail near the key-hole serves to lock
In

page_text: the removable post 33 in place. A key inserted in the key-hole of the lock
retracts both of the pawls 26 and 47 from locking position and the spring 48
fixed at the middle by the screw 49 to the casing 25 and bearing at its ends
against the pawls serves to press them into locking position.
It is sometimes convenient to secure in the binder a less number of sheets
than will fill it at its minimum capacity, as for example, when the binder is
used as a transfer binder. In such cases it is desirable that the sheets be held
compactly together. For this purpose I provide the follower strip 50, adapted to
rest upon the sheets and press them against the strip 2. The follower is formed
with holes 51, 52, 53 and 54, through which the posts 11-13, 5, 6 and 12-14
pass and also with a hole 55 through which the post 32 passes. The follower
is pressed toward the strip 2 by means of a spring. In the preferred con-
struction I employ a coiled spring 56 on the post 32, the upper end of which is
detachably secured in a small hole in the post and the lower end of which
presses against the follower. When sufficient sheets have from time to time been
secured in the binder, the spring 56 for the follower is removed. This may be
done by withdrawing the removable post 32, the aperture 39 being of sufficient
size to permit the post with the spring 56 to pass therethrough, then detaching
the spring 56 from the post 50. The spring 56 is omitted from Fig. 3 for the
sake of clearness. The strips 1 and 2 of course have covers 52 and 53 hinged
to them in the usual manner.
While I have shown the various features and combinations thereof of my
invention in their best form and arrangement, it will of course he understood
that the precise form and arrangement shown and described may be varied
without departing from the scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, sheet-engaging
posts extending between the strips, a freely moving follower confined between
said strips, and means for yieldingly forcing the follower toward one of the
strips.
2. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips adapted
and arranged to move up and down to and from each other, sheet-engaging
posts extending between the strips, a freely moving follower confined between
said strips, and means for yieldingly forcing the follower toward one of the
strips.
3. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, sheet-engaging
posts extending between the strips, a freely moving follower confined between
said strips, and a coiled spring mounted on a post for yieldingly forcing the
follower toward one of the strips.
4. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, sheet-engaging
posts extending between the strips, a freely moving follower confined between
said strips and having apertures to receive said posts, and means for yieldingly
forcing the follower toward one of the strips.
5. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, sheet-engaging
posts of which at least one is removable extending between the strips, a freely
moving follower confined between said strips, and a coiled spring mounted on
a removable post for vicllingly forcing the follower toward one of the strips.
6. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, sheet-engaging
posts of which one at least is removable extending between the strips, a freely
moving follower confined between said strips and having apertures to receive said
posts, and a coiled spring mounted on a removable post for yieldingly forcing the
follower toward one of the strips.
7. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, sheet-engaging
posts extending between the strips, a freely moving follower confined between

page_text: said strips, means for yieldingly forcing the follower toward one of the strips,
and removable sheets engaged by said posts.
8. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, sheet-engaging
posts extending between the strips, a freely moving follower confined between
said strips and having apertures to receive said posts, means for yieldingly forcing
the follower toward one of the strips, and removable sheets engaged by said
posts.
9. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips adapted
and arranged to move up and down to and from each other, sheet-engaging
posts extending between the strips, a freely moving follower confined between
said strips and having apertures to receive said posts, and means for yieldingly
forcing the follower toward one of the strips, and means for locking the strips
together at any desired point of separation.
10. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips adapted
and arranged to move up and down to and from each other, sheet engaging posts
of which at least one is removable extending between the strips, a freely moving
follower confined between said strips, and a coiled spring mounted on a removable
post for yieldingly forcing the follower toward one of the strips, and means for
locking the strips together at any desired point of separation.
11. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips
adapted and arranged to move up and down to and from each other, sheet-
engaging posts of which one at least is removable extending between the strips,
a freely moving follower confined between said strips and having apertures to
receive said posts, and a coiled spring mounted on a removable post for yieldingly
forcing the follower towards one of the strips, and means for locking the strips
together at any desired point of separation.
12. In a binder, the combination of upper and lower strips, a removable
sheet-engaging post and permanent sheet-engaging posts extending between
said strips, a freely moving follower confined between the strips and having a
closed hole to receive the removable post, and a coiled spring mounted on the
removable post for yieldingly forcing the follower toward one of the strips.
13. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips
movable up and down to and from each other, a removable extensible sheet-
engaging post and permanent sheet-engaging posts extending between said
strips, a freely moving follower confined between said strips and having a closed
hole to receive the removable post, and a coiled spring mounted on the removable
post for yieldingly forcing the follower toward one of the strips.
14. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips;
sheet-engaging posts extending between the strips; a lock for locking the strips
together at any desired point of their separation comprising a casing having a
slideway and secured to one strip, a toothed arm secured to the other strip and
fitting and working in said slideway, said arm and the casing having correspond-
ing projections to limit the separation of said strips, and a key-actuated spring
pawl secured to the casing to engage the toothed arm.
a
15. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips; sheet-
engaging posts extending between the strips; a lock for locking the strips
together at any desired point of their separation comprising a casing having
slideway and secured to one strip, a toothed arm secured to the other strip and
fitting and working in said slideway, and a key-actuated spring pawl secured to
the casing to engage the toothed arm; and an extensible removable post 32
secured to a piece 40 carrying a toothed arm 44; and a key-actuated spring
pawl adapted to engage the toothed arm 44.
16. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips;
sheet-engaging posts extending between the strips; a lock for locking the strips
together at any desired point of their separation comprising a casing 25 secured
to one strip and having slideways 24 and 46, a toothed arm 23 secured to the
other strip and fitting in the slideway 24, the pawl 26 to engage the arm 23, the

page_text: removable cover 30 of the casing, the projections 28 and 29 on the arm 28 and
cover 30 respectively; the removable extensible spring post 32 secured to the
piece 40; the toothed arm 44 fitting in the slideway 46 in the casing 25 and
secured to the piece 40; the key-actuated spring pawl 47 to engage the toothed
arm 44, the pawls 26 and 47 being arranged on either side of the key-hole 27
with their heads upward.
17. In an expansible binder, the combination of upper and lower strips 1
and 2; fixed posts extending between the strips; an extensible, removable spring
post comprising the member 34 having the projection 42, the member 35 having
the projection 43, the internal coiled spring 36, a fixed plug at one end of the
post and a removable screw plug at the other end to hold the spring in place.
18. In an expansible binder, the combination of strips 1 and 2, a pair of tele-
scoping extensible sheet-engaging posts 11-13 and 12-14, and a pair of tele-
scoping extensible posts 50"-58 and 57-59 extending between the strips, the
members 56 and 57 being secured to one strip and overlapping the members
11 and 12 secured to the other strip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth,
means for locking the strips together at any desired point of their separation,
and a removable sheet-engaging post extending between the strips.
15
3
1
1000
HARRY EDWARD DADE,
By Herbert Haddan & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C.