Temporary Binders.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
Temporary Binders.
We, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KENDIG and EDWARD COLEMAN, both of 91, Liberty
Street, in the City, County and State of New York, U.S.A., Manufacturers, 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:―
Our invention relates to temporary binders and bill holders generally, and
designed also for use as a loose leaf ledger for filing away letters, bills, and the
like, and holding maps, architects' drawings, and the like in such a manner that
any particular leaf, map, drawing or paper may be removed from the binder
without disturbing the relation of the others already in the binder, or others
inserted in any desired place among those already in the binder, and our inven-
tion consists in operating mechanism for the fingers on which the papers are
impaled, and in the construction and adaptation of the fingers themselves, whereby
the fingers are opened and closed by a bar which may be moved to and from
the back of the binding; that is to say the fingers, operating in opposite pairs,
are curved and knuckled together adjacent to the back of the binding so that by
moving the knuckle away from the back of the binding the points of the fingers
are opened for inserting or moving papers and on pressing the knuckle back
towards the back of the binding the points of the fingers are closed for securely
retaining the papers, and the like.
While in practice we use a bar at the knuckles of the fingers as above mentioned,
somewhat after the manner of a hinge, we do not limit ourselves to this use in the
device as it may be possible to devise a substitute for the bar or in some way
contrive to omit it.
Another feature of the invention consists in joining the covers to the back by
intermediate double hinged sections to which the fingers are loosely connected
by staples so that when the binder is opened the weight of the covers will be
thrown on the fingers at about the centres thereof for holding them in opeй
position.
Our invention also consists in certain details of construction as hereinafter
described and specified in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings to which reference is made and which form a
part of this Specification,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the binder in open position;
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same;
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the binder closed;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the binder in open position;
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the end pieces:
Fig. 6 is an inside view of the same.
In the drawings 2, 2. represent the covers and 3 the back of the binder The
covers 2, 2 are connected to the edges of the curved back 3, by intermediate
sections 4, 4, and double hinges 5, 5" which allow the weight of the covers
when open, and while being opened, to be thrown upon the binding fingers

page_text: and 7, for opening them. The said fingers are attached to the sections 4, 4 by
staples 8, 8 or other fasteners which permit them to move in the arc of a circle
independently of the sections 4, 4, but we do not limit ourselves to this arrange-
ment, for the fingers may be attached to the cover or back, but not with the
same advantage as when the sections 4 are used. In this manner, that is, when
the double hinges 5, 5" are used, when the binder fingers are closed as shown in
Fig. 3, the covers 2, 2 may be operated on the hinges 5, but when the binder
fingers are open as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the intermediate sections 4, 4 act to
pull the fingers back to open position and at the same time they act to lift the
inner ends of the fingers outward and away from the back 3.
The back is continuous and of stiff material, and has secured to its inner
concaved side near its ends the keepers or end pieces 9, 9. These keepers or
end pieces are preferably of metal provided with lateral lugs 10, 10 through
which rivets or screws 12, 12 pass for securing them firmly to the back 3. In
cach of the end pieces 9 is formed a straight slot 13 and a short opening or
curved slot 14, in which latter the handles or knobs 15 of the pivoted locks 16
operate.
17 is a rod or bar the ends of which are held in the said straight slots 13 on the
end plates 9. To this rod or bar are hinged the inner ends of the fingers 6 and 7
which are curved so that the rod 17 in being pressed down towards the back 3
in the slots 13 will pull down the inner ends of the fingers 6 and
and conse-
quently close their outer free ends together as shown in Fig. 3. When in this
closed position the locking devices 16 are pushed over the said rod or bar 17 by
springs and thus lock the fingers 6 and 7 and the sections 4, 4 in closed position.
By pressing back on the knobs 15, 15 the locks release the bar 17, whereupon
the springs 19 will tend to throw the fingers 6 and 7 outward and thus lift the
bar 17 in the slots 13; but the springs 19 may be dispensed with for the reason
that the act of opening the covers 2 causes the fingers 6, 7 to be pulled back,
and being curved and loosely bound by the fastenings 8, 8 they automatically lift
the rod or bar in the slots 13, 13.
The fingers are by preference made of a single piece or wire of metal in the
form shown in Fig. 1; that is to say, a straight rod is first bent to form the two
lateral knuckles or eyes 20, 20, which embrace the rod or bar 17 and then from
these eyes the hooks are formed at right angles to the straight central portion 21.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A temporary binder in which a pair of curved holding fingers are hinged
or knuckled together so that they may be opened and closed by moving the
hinged or knuckled ends to and from the back of the binder, substantially as
described.
2. A temporary binder in which the fingers are opened and closed by a rod or
bar adapted to be moved to and from the back, substantially as described.
3. In a temporary binder, a back for the covers, keepers or end pieces secured
to said back, a rod or bar held by said keepers, and curved fingers secured to said
rod or bar and to said covers, substantially as described.
4. In a temporary binder, a rod or bar held to move vertically in the supports
for said rod or bar in combination with oppositely arranged curved fingers
attached to said rod or bar and adapted to be opened and closed by the
movement of the said rod or bar, substantially as described.
5. In a temporary binder, the combination with the covers and the back, of an
intermediate section connecting each cover to its edge of the back, substantially
as described.
6. In a temporary binder, the combination with the back, the covers and inter-
mediate sections connecting the covers with the edges of the back, of end pieces
secured to the back, a rod or bar held to move in slots in said end pieces, and

page_text: opposite curved fingers attached to said rod or bar, and also attached to said
intermediate sections of the cover, substantially as described.
7. In a temporary binder, the combination with the back, of keepers secured
to the concaved surface of said back by rods or screws entering bracing pieces
applied to the back, substantially as described.
8. In a temporary binder, curved fingers connected to the covers by staples or
loops formed in a rod entered in the covers, substantially as described.
9. In a temporary binder, a pair of fingers formed of one piece of metal formed
with knuckles to receive a rod or bar, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of June 1899.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow.
Agents for the Applicants.