IMPROVEMENTS IN BINDERS FOR PAPERS AND THE LIKE WHICH ALLOW THE WHOLE OR PARTS OF THE CONTENTS TO BE REMOVED OR EXCHANGED
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Noah Mendal Shafer, of the City and County of
New York, in the State of New York, in the United States of America,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BINDERS FOR PAPERS AND THE LIKE
WHICH ALLOW THE WHOLE OR PARTS OF THE CONTENTS TO BE REMOVED OR
EXCHANGED."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Noah Mendal Shafer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 4th May 1867, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NOAH
MENDAL SHAPER, of the City and County of New York, in the State of New
York, in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BINDERS FOR PAPERS AND THE LIKE WHICH ALLOW THE WHOLE OR PARTS OF THE
CONTENTS TO BE REMOVED OR EXCHANGED," and have petitioned Her Majesty to
grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters
Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the true
and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Noah Mendal Shafer, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,.
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement,

page_text: reference being bad to the accompanying Drawings with letters of reference
marked thereon forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention is applicable to the binding of sheet music, periodicals,
engravings, or other pictures, and generally to the binding or securing together,
with or without protecting by covers at the side, any and all papers, prints,
pictures, or other thin and flexible sheets of material which may require to be
occasionally changed. It allows a portion of the sheets or leaves to be
removed and others put in their places without disturbing the remainder.
I will first describe what I consider the best means of carrying out my
Invention, and will afterwards designate the points which I believe to
be new therein. The accompanying Drawings form a part of this Speci-
fication
Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section, Figure 2 is a face view, and
Figure 3 is a cross section of the device entire; Figures 4, 5, and 6
represent details detached. Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in
all the Figures where they occur.
A is a strong casing of thin metal, which may be ordinary tinned iron, or
may be brass silvered, made with ends A', A³, which brace and strengthen it ;
B', B, are frames of metal fixed in the casing A, as represented, and deeply
indented or toothed. The indentations are adapted to receive the full depth
and width of the flat bars which will be described below. C is a flat plate of
the same or a different material soldered or otherwise firmly secured in the
casing, as represented; D is a pin of steel wire which extends through the
toothed piece or "comb" B¹, and forms an axis for a series of flat bars E
which retain the leaves; G, G, are the leaves, periodicals, music, or the like
in sheets folded, each fold embracing one of the bars E so as to be retained
thereby when the latter is in position; H is a sliding piece which straddles
or applies on each side of the head A³, and is provided with catches H³, H',
and a broad flange H³ arranged as represented. When the sliding piece H,
H', H, is in the position indicated in Figure 1 its flange H applies over the
ends of the entire series of bars E, E, and holds them all in their respective
places in the "comb" B*; this slide H, H, H³, is retained by the spring-
catch I which is riveted to the head A³, as represented, and may be pressed
inward so as to liberate the slide H and its connections by a suitable key
introduced through the hole a in the said head; this forms a lock, and a
wire or other device introduced through the hole a may be turned as a key
for opening this lock; more complex locks may be employed if preferred,
but this form gives the important qualities of great strength in a small
compass, with little cost and little liability to derangement. The operation

page_text: of my Invention will now be understood readily. When it is desired
to remove and exchange any of the sheets G a wire or analogous device
is introduced through the hole a, and the spring catch I is pressed inward;
while this is so held the slide H is removed. Now the sheet which it is
desired to exchange is drawn gently upward, which lifts the free end of
the corresponding flat bar E; it is now easy to remove the sheet of music or
other sheet E and substitute another, or if preferred the bar E may be
replaced without receiving any sheet; it is simply required to push the bar E
back to its place so that its end will be received as before in the "comb" B
and then to replace the slide H, H2, H3, and this slide will be locked by the
spring catch I so soon as it has come down to' its place. If a sheet G were
applied upon it while it was in an elevated position such sheet will now be
securely held by means which secure the other sheets. The flat plate C is
mounted at just such distance within the series of bars E as keeps the bight
or fold of each sheet brought closely up to the bar; it prevents the sheet
from moving inward too far into the case A. The bars E- may be made of
any material of sufficient strength and rigidity, but I prefer tempered steel,
say hoop skirt spring or clock spring material. It is not absolutely necessary
to hinge the bars E to the case A. Some of the advantages of my Invention
may be obtained by introducing the bars E under a prominent flange at that
end, or by otherwise locking them, as, for example, by locking them in the
same manner at that end as is represented at the other ends, but I prefer
to have them hinged; it avoids the liability of any becoming loose, and makes
the device generally convenient and servicable. I have represented the
casing A as a continuous or tight case; it will be obvious that it may be made
more open by introducing holes, and these holes may be made ornamental if
desired. The function of the ease A is to form a rigid frame or support for
the several parts. J, J, are hinged parts turning on the wires K fixed in.
the edge of the framing A, and which may serve as attachments for stiff
covers of any suitable material. I prefer to have the covers made of a
material, and so as to present the general appearance of the covers of a book ;
these covers make the whole device a book, in which the leaves are so bound
that they may be removed or exchanged at will. I do not consider it
absolutely essential to the success of my Invention that the hinges J and
attached covers be employed.
Having now fully described my Invention, what I claim as new and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:-
First, I claim the casing or fixed frame A, having a series of bars E
adapted to be locked or secured therein substantially as represented so

page_text: that the sheet or sheets G held by each may be separately removed or
exchanged without necessarily disturbing the others, substantialy as and for
the purpose herein specified.
Second, I claim in connection with the above the hinged joint D
connecting all of the bars E permanently to the casing, substantially as and
for the purposes herein specified.
Third, I claim the slide H, H', H', and spring catch I, and keyhole a,
'arranged as represented relatively to each other and to the series of bars E
and "" comb B' or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purpose
.herein specified.
Fourth, I claim in combination with the casing A and series of bars E the
means of confining and liberating the sheets. G and hinges J, K, adapted for
securing rigid covers for the said sheets, all arranged substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth 1
1
In presence of
THOMAS DREW STETSON,
Solicitor of Patents,
New York.
NOAH MENDAL SHAFER. (L.B.)