Improvements in Files or Holders for Letters, Bills, or other Papers or Documents, and in Devices for Perforating the Edges of such Papers.
Year: 1894

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as required. by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 14th day of February 1896.
Date of Application, 13th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Files or Holders for Letters, Bills, or other
Papers or Documents, and in Devices for Perforating the
Edges of such Papers.
A communication to me from WILHELM BELLER, of 7, Weissfrauenstrasse,
Frankfurt-on-Main, in the Empire of Germany, Merchant.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 65 and 66 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in files or holders for letters, bills, or other
papers or documents, and in devices for perforating the edges of such papers, and it
has for its object novel methods of construction, by which any of the parts can be
removed from the apparatus without disturbing the other parts.
The improved apparatus consists of a board or foundation, upon which are fixed
two parallel dovetailed guiding plates, the rear ends of which project and are used
to act as a spring. These guiding plates, which may be made separate, or in one
piece, are arranged to receive slides, to which wires to receive the letters or papers,
are soldered or fixed in any suitable manner.
The slides are preferably forked at their back ends, so that, whilst they are held
in position in the guiding plates, they may easily be withdrawn at any time.
By means of a screw screwed into the bottom board, the spring ends of the guides
may be pressed more or less upon the forked ends of the slides, so as to clamp the
latter in the proper position, in which the vertical ends of the wires upon one slide
are directly below the ends of the wires upon the other slide, which are bent round
and down to meet them. After the vertical wires upon one side have been filled
with letters, or papers, a wire is passed through holes in the upper end of the wires,
and this slide, together with the papers upon it, can be removed, and a fresh one
substituted for it.
In a slightly modified form the curved or upper wires may be fixed directly to the
board below, by means of a plate, while the straight wires only are fixed to a slide
which can be withdrawn in the way already described.
The letter or paper files or holders described may also be provided with a device
for retaining the papers upon the vertical wires. This device consists of a plate
provided with two slots, enlarged at one end. To this plate is pivotted a hook, and
the wires are provided with notches at a suitable height. To retain the letters or
papers, the plate is passed first over the wires, and it is then pushed forward until

page_text: the narrow parts of the slots fit into the recesses of the wires. The hook is then
turned in front of the wires, so that the plate and the letters or papers are
retained.
The apparatus may also be provided with apparatus for papers, by which holes
are made in the proper position to fit upon the wires already described.
Upon the board or foundation is mounted the undercut guiding-plate, the rear end
of which acts as a spring, as already described. This guiding plate is adapted to
receive a slide, to which vertical punches are soldered or fixed in any suitable way.
These punches are provided with a conical or V-shaped recess in their upper ends,
and are surrounded by helical springs, the upper ends of which support a plate
provided with suitable holes directly above the punches. The plate is folded or
doubled along one edge so as to leave a space between the folds into which the
papers can be inserted, holes being punched in the latter, in the proper position by
pressing down the plate against the springs. The guide below may be provided
with an eye, through which an adjustable wire gauge is passed, in order to regulate
the distance of the perforations from the edges of the paper.
The slide supporting the punches and plate may easily be withdrawn when
desired, so that the several parts are interchangeable, and the apparatus can easily
be packed by withdrawing the slides and the parts carried by them from the board,
and then packing this part separately. The apparatus is not likely, therefore, to
be damaged, as is the case in perforating apparatus in which the punches cannot be
withdrawn.
As the lateral wire gauge may also be withdrawn, to any desired extent the
apparatus is applicable to files for letters or papers of different sizes and shapes.
Dated this 12th day of July 1894.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Files or Holders for Letters, Bills, or other
Papers or Documents, and in Devices for Perforating the
Edges of such Papers.
A communication to me from WILHELM BELLER, of 7, Weissfrauenstrasse,
Frankfurt-on-Main, in the Empire of Germany, Merchant.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, 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, and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in files or holders for letters, bills, or
other papers or documents, and in devices for perforating the edges of such papers,
and it has for its object more especially novel methods of construction, by which any
of the parts can be removed from the apparatus without disturbing the other parts.
In the accompanying drawings, which are in illustration of the invention,
Figure 1 shews its application to a letter-file,
Figure 2 is a side view of the same,
Figure 3 is a plan,
Figure 4 is a section taken on the line and

page_text: Figure 10 shews the application of the invention to a perforating apparatus,
Figure 11 is a section of the same, taken on the line y-y, and
Figure 12 is a plan;
Figure 13 is a plan of a further modification;
Figure 14 is a side view of the same, and
Figure 15 a cross section, taken on the line wow, Figure 13.
In the modification represented in Figures 1 to 6, a is a board or tablet upon
which are fixed the parallel undercut or dovetailed guiding plates b, b', the rear
ends of which project, and are used to act as a spring.
These guiding plates, which may be made separate or in one piece, are arranged
to receive the slides c, c¹, Figures 5 and 6, to which the wires d, d¹ to receive the
letters or papers are soldered or secured in any suitable manner.
The slides c, c¹ are preferably forked at their back ends, so that whilst they
are held in position in the guiding plates, they may easily be withdrawn at
any time.
By means of a screw screwed into the bottom board, the spring ends of the
guides may be pressed more or less upon the forked ends c, c' of the slides so as to
clamp the latter in the proper position in which the vertical ends of the wires upon
one slide are directly below the ends of the wires upon the other slide, which are
bent round and down to meet them.
After having filled the slide e¹ and the wires d'd with letters or papers, a wire e
is passed through them, and this slide, together with the papers upon it, can be
removed and a fresh one substituted for it.
The slightly modified form shewn in Figures 7 to 9, differs from the first
described, only in that the curved or transfer wires d are fixed to the board a by
means of the plate b, while the straight wires d' may be withdrawn in a similar
manner.
The letter or paper files or holders represented in Figures 1 to 9 may also be
provided with a device for retaining the letters. As shewn in Figures 7 to 9, this
device consists of a plate k provided with two slots ¹¹ enlarged at one end. To
the plate is pivotted a hook 2, while the wires d' are provided with notches
(Figure 8). To retain the letters, the plate k is passed first over the wires d', and
it is then pushed, forward into the recesses of the wires d' from the right to the left.
The hook is then turned in front of the wires, so that the plate k and the letters.
or papers are retained.
Another modification of the invention is shewn in Figures 10 to 12. This
modification represents a perforating apparatus for letters or papers, which may be.
mounted upon the board a of the letter file if desired.
On the board a is mounted the undercut guiding plate b, the rear end of which
acts as a spring, as already described. This guiding-plate is adapted to receive the
slide C, to which punches d' are soldered or fixed, in any suitable way.
These punches are provided with a V-shaped recess in their upper ends, and are
surrounded by helical springs e connected to the plate g which is provided with
perforations directly above the punches. This plate is folded or doubled along one
edge so as to leave a space between the folds into which the papers can be inserted,
and they are perforated by pressing down this plate.
The guiding-plate bis shewn provided with an eye h Figures 10 to 12, through
which an adjustable wire gauge is passed, in order to regulate the distance of the
perforations from the edges of the paper. The slide supporting the punches and
plates may easily be withdrawn when desired, and in this way the following
advantages are attained :-
(1) The several separate parts may be removed and others substituted.
(2) The apparatus can easily be packed by withdrawing the main part from the
board, and then packing this part separately. The apparatus therefore cannot be
damaged, as is the case in perforating apparatus in which the punches cannot be
withdrawn.

page_text: (3) As the lateral gauge i may also be withdrawn to any desired extent,
the apparatus is applicable to files for letters or papers of different sizes and
shapes.
The modification shewn in Figures 13 to 15 may be attached to a wall and differs
from that described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, in the fact that only one
guiding plate b, and only one slide c, is used. To the slide c is secured a curved
wire d, the ends of which are provided with points d'. By means of these points
the letters or papers are brought into position without special perforating apparatus.
The
The wire d is provided with one or more holes for the passage of a wire e.
board a is provided with a hole a¹ or the like for hanging up the apparatus to the
wall.
--
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that I am aware
that it has been proposed to construct files or holders for papers in which guiding
plates have been provided, for receiving slides carrying the filing wires adapted to
be removed when filled with papers. I therefore make no claim for so constructing
files except in the particular manner set out below, but what I claim is :-
1. In perforating apparatus for letters, bills, or other papers or documents, the
combination of guiding plates fixed upon a plate and adapted to receive slides,
substantially as described.
4. The combination with guiding plates fixed upon a plate and adapted to receive
slides, of perforating punches d, connected with the slides, and a perforated plate f
provided with two springs surrounding the punches d², substantially as described
and illustrated.
5. The combination of a guiding plate 6 fixed upon a plate a and adapted to
receive a slide c, this slide being provided with a wire d having points d³,
substantially as specified, and shewn in Figures 13, 14, and 15.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1895
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.