Improvements in or relating to Card-files, Indexes, or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1896-Accepted, 25th July, 1396
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Card-files, Indexes, or the like.
1, CARL FERDINAND LOMB of 44 Chatham Street Rochester, in the County of
Monroe, State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a device for keeping lists on separate slips or cards-
such for instance, as lists of names, catalogues of books, accounts etc.-where
regular arrangement, alphabetical or otherwise, is to be preserved and frequent
changes may be made in it; and it has particularly for its object to improve the
construction and operation of those devices in which the cards are provided with
apertures near their lower ends co-operating with a rod or bar which is thicker in
one direction than in the other—that is, flat, or substantially rectangular or elliptical
in cross-section-and which when turned in one direction will permit the removal
of any one of the cards from said bar, but when turned in a direction at right
angles thereto will prevent such removals.
The drawer or casing in which the index or list is arranged may be of any
suitable construction; but I prefer to employ a suitable cabinet or casing in which
slides a drawer having a partition and adapted to contain two of the indexes,
one series of cards being on each side of the partition. The cards are each provided
near the lower side with an enlarged recess and a narrow slot and a rod or bar
on which the cards are held, is flattened or wider in one direction than in the
other and is capable of being turned into a vertical position, when the cards may
be slipped upon it vertically, and may also be turned substantially horizontal,
when the longest diameter of the rod will project across the slot and prevent the
removal of the cards; or it is otherwise rendered capable of locking the cards
when turned one way and releasing them when turned in the other. This rod in
the present construction is provided at its outer end with a knob and at the back
of this with a shoulder, which is arranged within an opening in the front of the
drawer, and between said shoulder and a plate on the front of the drawer is
arranged a spring, the function of which is to keep said rod normally pressed
backward. The rear end of the rod is provided with a cylindrical portion, having
a bearing in the rear end of the drawer, to which latter is secured a plate, having
slots arranged in the form of a cross, said slots being. of approximately the shape
of the end of the rod.
From the above it will be seen that normally the rear end of the rod will be held by
the spring in engagement with the horizontal portion of the cross slot and the rod will
be prevented from turning and releasing the cards; but when it is desired to remove
any of the cards it is only necessary to pull the rod outward against the tension of the
spring by means of the knob until the shoulders at the rear end, formed by reducing
the rod, are disengaged from the horizontal portion of the cross-slot and then turn the
rod on its axis and allow the spring to move the rod backward and engage it with
the vertical portion of the cross-slot, where it will be held from accidental movement
and the cards can be inserted and removed, and when desired the rod can be turned
back to horizontal position and locked by engagement with the horizontal portion of
the cross-slot.
Arranged upon the rod and adapted to slide longitudinally thereof is a follower,
having an inclined front side, serving to support the cards when the index is not full,

page_text: and ordinarily it is not necessary to provide other means for locking the bar from
rotation than one.
which is capable of operation from the front; but sometimes, as
when the index is used to contain signatures at savings or other banks, it is desirable
that the follower be prevented from backward movement, so that the removal of the
cards may be prevented, and also that a locking means be provided to prevent the
unauthorized changing of any of the cards, and this I find is best accomplished by
providing a lock upon the follower, which shall not only prevent the movement of the
latter, but also prevent the turning of the rod, and to this end I arrange upon the rear
side of said follower a suitable lock adapted to be operated by a key and embodying,
preferably, a vertically-movable bolt, adapted to co-operate with the upper side of
said rod when in its horizontal position and prevent its being turned so as to release
the cards. Suitable friction devices are also provided in said lock for engaging the
rod and preventing the backward movement of the follower, said devices consisting in
the present instance of a plate, bent at an angle, and arranged beneath said rod, the
central portion being cut away for the accommodation of the rod when turning an
when in vertical position; but when said rod is held down by the bolt of the lock it is
held against said catch, which then operates as a ratchet, preventing the backward
movement of the follower, but permitting its for war.l movement or toward the front.
The under edges of the rod may be milled or roughened, if desired, and though it is
nt necessary that this forward movement be permitted I prefer it.
The particular construction of the lock is immaterial as long as it embolies a
movable bolt; but in the present embodiment I prefer to extend the upper end of the
bolt out through the casing and arrange a small spring between the bolt and the partition
in the lock-casing, the tendency of said spring being to disengage the bolt from the rod.
The bolt is also provided with a reduced portion with which co-operate spring arms,
the tendency of said arms being to approach each other, and a suitable key, when
inserted between said arms and turned, will separate them, allowing the spring to lift
the bolt. When the bolt is pushed down, the arms will engage the reduced portion
and secure the follower to the rod. A lug may be provided on the casing of the
lock to prevent the complete rotation of the locking-rod, and when the elge on
one side of the bar are roughened for the engagement I prefer to employ this in
order that the roughened side only will engage the plate; but it may be dispensed
with, if desired.
It will be noted that if the cards are to be changed or inserted on the rod at
infrequent or stated intervals only, the longitudinal movement of said rod and the
locking-plate could be dispensed with and the lock on the follower, which serves to
prevent rotation of the rod, could be relied upon alone to secure it.
Dated this 28th day of December 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Card-files, Indexes, or the like.
1 CARL FERDINAND LOMB of 44 Chatham Street Rochester in the County of
Monroe, State of New York, United States of America, 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 a device for keeping lists on separate slips or cards-such,
for instance, as lists of names, catalogues of books, accounts, et-where regular
arrangement, alphabetical or otherwise, is to be preserved, and frequent changes may
be made in it; and it has particularly for its object to improve the construction and
operation of those devices in which the cards are provided with apertures near their
lower en is co-operating with a rod or bar which is thicker in one direction than in
.

page_text: the other that is, flat or substantially rectangular or elliptical in cross-section-and
which when turned in one direction will permit the removal of any of the cards from
said bar, but when turned in a direction at right angles thereto will prevent such
removals.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drawer and portion of a cabinet, showing my
invention applied thereto;
Figure 2 a longitudinal sectional view;
Figure 3a detached view of the locking-plate;
Figure 4 a perspective view of the rod or bar and locking-plate, showing the plate
in dotted lines ;
Figure 5 a sectional view on the line a x of Figure 2;
Figure 6 an enlarged sectional view on the ine y y of Figure 5; looking to the
left;
Figure 7 a rear view of the lock on the follower;
Figure 8 a view of one of the cards or tablets, and
Figure 9 a section on the line of Figure 5.
Similar reference-numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.
The drawer or casing in which the index or list is arranged may be of any suitable
construction; but I prefer to employ such an arrangement as is shown in Figure 1
wherein I indicates a suitable cabinet or casing; in which slides a drawer 2 having
a partition 3 and adapted to contain two of the indexes, one series of cards 4 being
shown on one side of the partition 3, and the cards belonging on the other side being
removed, so as to show the construction of the parts. The cards 4 are each provided
near the lower side with an enlarged recess 6 and a narrow slot 7 as shown in
Figure 8, and a rod or bar 8 on which the cards are held, is flattened or wider in one
direction than in the other and is capable of being turned into a vertical position, as
shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, when the cards may be slipped upon it vertically,
and which rod may also be turned substantially horizontal, when the longest diameter
of the rod 8 will project across the slot 7 and prevent the removal of the cards; or it
is otherwise rendered capable of locking the cards when turned one way and
releasing them when turned in the other. This rod 8 in the present construction is
provided at its outer end with a knob 9 and at the back of this with a shoulder 10,
which is arranged within an opening in the front 11 of the drawer, and between said
shoulder and a plate 12 on the front of the drawer is arranged a spring 13, the
function of which is to keep the said rod 8 normally pressed backward. The rear
end of the rod is provided with a cylindrical portion 14, having a hearing in the
rear end of the drawer, to which latter is secured a plate 15, having slots 16, arranged
in the form of a cross as shown in Fig 3, said slots being of approximately the shape
of the end of the rod.
From the above it will be seen that the rod being normally in the position shown
in Fig. the rear end will be held by the spring 13 in engagement with the
horizontal portion of the cross slot 16 and the rod will be prevented from turning
and releasing the cards; but when it is desired to remove any of the cards it is only
necessary to pull the rod outward against the tension of the spring 13 by means of the
knob 9 until the shoulders at the rear end, formed by reducing the rod are dis-
engaged from the horizontal portion of the cross slot 16, and then turn the rod on its
axis and allow the spring to move the rod backward and engage it with the vertical
portion of the cross slot 16, where it will be held from accidental movement and the
cards can be inserted and removed and when desired the rod can be turned back to
its horizontal position and locked by engagement with the horizontal portion of the
cross slot 16.
Arranged upon the rod and adapted to slide longitudinally thereof is a follower 20,
having an inclined front side, substantially as shown in the patent above referred to,
serving to support the cards when the index is not full, and ordinarily it is not
ecessary to provide other means for locking the bar 8 from rotation than that shown,
which is capable of operation from the front; but sometimes, as when the index is

page_text: used to contain signatures at savings or other banks it is desirable that the follower
be prevented from backward movement, so that the removal of the cards may be
prevented, and also that a locking means be provided to prevent the unauthorized
changing of any of the cards, and this I find is best accomplished by providing a
lock upon the follower, which shall not only prevent the movement of the latter but
also prevent the turning of the rod 8, and to this end I arrange upon the rear side of
said follower a suitable lock adapted to be operated by a key and embodying,
preferably, a vertically-movable bolt 21, adapted to co-operate with the upper side of
said rod when in its horizontal position and prevent its being turned so as to release
the cards. Suitable friction devices are also provided in said lock for engaging the
rod 8 and preventing the backward movement of the follower, said devices consisting
in the present instance of a plate 22, bent at an angle as shown, and arranged beneath
said rod, the central portion being cut away for the accommodation of the ro 8 when
turning and when in vertical position; but when said rod is held down by the holt of
the lock it is held against said catch, which then operates as a ratchet, preventing the
backward movement of the follower, but permitting its forward movement or toward
the front. The under edges of the rod 8 may be inilled or roughened, if desired, and
though it is not necessary that this forward movement be permitted I prefer it.
The particular construction of the lock is immaterial as long as it embodies a
movable bolt; but in the present embodiment I prefer to extend the upper end of the
bolt out through the casing 19 and arrange a small spring 23 between the bolt and
the partition 24 in the lock casing, the tendency of said spring being to disengage
the bolt from the rod 8. The bolt is also provided with a reduced portion with
which co-operate spring arms 25, the tendency of said arms being to approach each
other, and a suitable key 26, when inserted between said arms and turned, will
separate them, allowing the spring 23 to lift the bolt to the position shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 5. When the bolt is pushed down, the arms 25 will engage the
reduced portion and secure the follower to the rod. A lug 27 may be provided on
the casing of the lock, to prevent the complete rotation of the locking-rod 8, and
when the edges on one side of the bar are roughened for the engagement I prefer
to employ this in order that the roughened side only will engage the plate 22; but it
may be dispensed with, if desired.
It will be noted that if the cards are to be changed or inserted on the rod 8
at.infrequent or stated intervals only the longitudinal movement of said rod and the
locking-plate 15 could be dispensed with and the lock on the follower, which serves to
prevent rotation of the rod, could be relied upon alone to secure it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. In a file or device such as described a flattened locking rod or bar adapted to pass
through several cards and capable of a rotary and a longitudinal movement in its
bearings in combination with a support having a slot or recess with which said rod
normally engages to prevent rotary movement and from which it is disengaged by a
longitudinal movement substantially as described.
2. In a file or device such as described a flattened locking rod or bar adapted to pass
through several cards and capable of a rotary and a longitudinal movement in its
bearings in combination with a support having slots with which said rod co-operates
to prevent rotary movement and from which it is disengaged by a longitudinal
movement and a spring for moving said rod longitudinally to engage it with its
support and lock it substantially as described.
3. In a file or device such as described a flattened locking rod or bar adapted to pass
through several cards capable of a rotary and a longitudinal movement in its
bearings and having the extended bearing end in combination with the locking
plate having the intersecting slots and the spring for moving said rod longitudinally.
and causing its engagement with the locking plate substantially as described.
4. In a file or device such as described a flattened locking rod or bar adapted to pass

page_text: through several cards and capable of a rotary movement in its bearings in com-
bination with a follower movable longitudinally of the rod and prevented from
rotating thereon and a detachable fastening device on the follower for engaging the
rod and preventing its rotation substantially as described.
5. In a file or device such as described a flattened locking rod adapted to pass
through several cards and capable of rotating in its bearings in combination with
a follower capable of a longitudinal movement upon the rod and prevented from
rotating thereon and a detachable securing device on the follower for engaging the
rod and preventing its rotation and also preventing the movement of the follower
longitudinally of the rod substantially as described.
6. In a file or device such as described a flattened locking rod adapted to pass
through several cards and capable of rotating in its bearings in combination with a
follower capable of a movement longitudinally of the rod and prevented from
rotating thereon a detachable locking device on the follower embodying a movable
bolt and a ratchet engaging the rod and preventing movement in one direction
substantially as described.
7. In a file or device such as described the combination of the flattened locking rod
the follower and the locking device on the follower embodying the movable bolt
co-operating with the rod and the catch plate 22 arranged and operating substantially
as described.
8. In a file or device such as described the combination of the drawer or receptacle
the flattened locking rod journatled at or near opposite ends in the drawer and having
shoulders a spring co-operating with the shoulders at one end to move the rod
longitudinally and a locking plate having a horizontal slot with which the shoulders
at the other end of the rod co-operate substantially as described.
9. The combination with a casing of a flattened rotatable rod arranged therein
partitions slips or cards having apertures or perforations through which the rod passes
and being provided with openings of less width than the greater diameter of the cross
section of the rod, and a follower adapted to rest against a part of the casing and
also having an aperture or perforation through which the rod passes and being
provided with means engaging said rod and preventing its rotation substantially as
described.
Dated this 14th day of May 1896
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.