Improvements connected with Card Index Drawers or Cases.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Card Index Drawers or Cases.
A communication from abroad by HERBERT ELBRIDGE DAVIDSON, of
146 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
Vice-President of The Library Bureau of Boston aforesaid.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to card index drawers or cases of the class having a
movable rod running through same, such rod passing through holes or slots in cards
or tablets which contain or form the index or the like.
It is desirable in this form of apparatus that the rod shall be readily removable
for the purpose of withdrawing or inserting a card or tablet, and the present
invention provides a couvenient construction to this end.
According to same the rod is provided with a suitable knob or handle having a
collar or projection which is secured to, or forms part of same, said collar being
preferably conical or approximately conical in shape, or it may be sloped on one
face, a deep groove being left between it and the knob. This groove is adapted to
engage with a wear or facing plate on the drawer or case, the plate having a
circular or eccentrically shaped opening for the purpose, so that the rod is held
when in one position, but may be readily withdrawn by first slightly lifting it, the
wear or facing plate being preferably provided with menus for preventing the rod
being lifted too far to enable it to be at once withdrawn.
Dated the 19th day of Februar 1895
Improvements connected with Card Index Drawers or Cases.
A communication from abroad by HERBERT ELBRIDGE DAVIDSON, of
146 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
Vice-President of The Library Bureau of Boston aforesaid.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention ard in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to card index drawers or cases of the class having a
movable rod running through same, such rod passing through holes or slots in cards
or tablets which contain or form the index or the like.

page_text: It is desirable in this form of apparatus that the rod shall be readily removable
for the purpose of withdrawing or inserting a card or tablet, and the present
invention provides a convenient construction to this end.
To clearly explain the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings
in which is illustrated one form of carrying same into effect.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 is a sectional clevation of a drawer fitted with the improved device.
Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section of the knob or handle of the rod and the
facing plate on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the facing plate, and
Fig. 4 is a rear view of same.
The rod a passes through a drawer, box or case, (a drawer being shown in the
present instance) which is provided with a block 6 forming a support for the rod
and for the cards or the like c. The front of the drawer on the inside may be
provided with a sloping face as at d, for the purpose of resting the cards on when
turning them over.
k
According to this invention the rod a is provided with a suitable knob or handle e
having a collar or projection secured to or forming part of same, said collar being.
preferably conical as shown (or it may if a projection, simply have a sloping face)
a deep groove or space y being left between it and the knob. This groove is
adapted to engage with the wear or facing plate (or it may be simply a ring or
projection) on the front of the drawer or case, the plate having a circular or other
suitably shaped opening therein. As shown this opening is eccentrically shaped,
the lower part being arranged to receive more snugly the neck on the handle
formed by producing the groove g, but other shaped openings will answer the purpose
which is to hold the rod in position. It will be seen that when it is required to
withdraw the rod for the purpose of removing or inserting a card thereon the knob
need only be lifted slightly to raise the grooved part from the facing plate h
when the rod may be withdrawn. In replacing the rod the conical face causes the
part it is applied to to pass easily into the opening i. This opening as shown is
preferably not central in the plate h in order that the knob may be central with
the plate when resting in same, the position of the knob then being shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 3.
To prevent the knob being lifted too far when about to withdraw same a guard
plate is placed on the inside of the plate on the upper side of the opening, said
plate being formed by turning up the metal or by securing a piece to the plate, or
said guard may be simply a block or projection.
It will be seen that the construction shown enables the locking member of the
knob to be inserted and lock when in any position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me from abroad by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what 1 claim is :-
:-
1. In a drawer, case or the like for reference cards or other purposes a rod
provided with a handle, a collar, projection or its equivalent at the rear of sane,
and means carried by the front of the drawer or case with which the collar or the
like on the rod engages so that by lifting the rod it may be withdrawn, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a drawer, case or the like for reference cards or other purposes a plate
affixed to the front of the drawer, and having an opening adapted to admit of the
insertion of the locking member of the knob in any position, and a rod having a
knob and a circular locking member, and a groove adapted to engage and lock,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a drawer, case or the like for reference cards or other purposes, the
combination of a plate affixed to the front of the drawer having an opening, said
opening being provided on its upper side with a guard piece with a rod having a

page_text: knob and locking member and an annular groove adapted to engage and lock
irrespective of the way it is turned with the plate, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated the 1st dov of Nozamber 1895
PHILIP M. JUSTICE.