Improvements in Telephone Directories or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 9th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telephone Directories or the like.
I, JOHN DOUGLASS BROWNING, of Reading, County of Berks, State of Pennsyl-
vania, U.S.A., Business Manager, 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 particularly to an improved holder or frame for telephone
directories or the like, and my improvements consist mainly in the general
construction of the frame, in the novel means provided for supporting the same,
and in the attachment of the cards or leaves thereto. The invention is fully
described in connection with the accompanying drawing and the novel features
are set out in the claims.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved device, showing two of the attached
cards or leaves, and representing a portion of the main panel as cut away so as
to show more clearly the wall supports.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on line 2-2 and 3-3 respectively of Figure 1.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 illus-
trating the attachment of the directory cards to the frame.
The supporting frame as shown is formed of sheet metal, and comprises a main
rectangular panel A to which the directory or index cards are attached, and side
panels BB of triangular form uniting with the main panel A. to form longi-
tudinally forward projecting ribs bb and having their acute angles bb upper-
most. These side panels are arranged at obtuse angles to the main panel,
spreading rearwardly so that the free inner edges 6262 are wider apart as they
approach the base as well as farther away from the plane of the main panel.
The latter is preferably formed with a top extension A arranged to lie in the
same vertical plane (5—5) as said edges 62 of the side panels; it also usually
extends below the attached directory or index cards F, and is provided with
transverse ribs 63 64.
The directory or index cards F are, in the preferred construction shown in the
drawing, loosely hinged to the main panel A. by means of top and bottom cards g,
cach of which is passed alternately through a transverse series of perforations a a¹
in the panel, and corresponding perforations ff' in the cards, thus forming loops
hinges g', as indicated most clearly in Figure 5. In order to avoid piling these
loop hinges directly one upon another, which interferes with the close arrange-
ment of the cards upon the supporting frame and also tends to produce undue
wear upon the cords, I preferably arrange the perforations ff' in the cards at
different distances from the top and bottom edges, in adjacent cards, to corre-
spond with the perforations a a³ in the panel. This causes adjacent loops to fold
down side by side instead of one on top of the other.
An important object of my invention is to provide for satisfactorily supporting
the complete directory or index so that it may conveniently be used, most
frequently is is wanted in position upon the wall adjacent to the telephone for

page_text: instance at other times it is preferable to have it upon a desk, in either case the
supporting attachment should be readily made and it is desirable that it should
be quickly changeable from one position to the other. In my improved con-
struction I employ an attaching device or devices fixed to the rear portion of the
frame between the side panels B B and entirely within the plane of the free inner
edges 6 of the latter. The attaching device C consists merely of a cross-bar
fastened at opposite ends to the side panels and located between the free edges 62
of the latter and the rear face of the main panel a. As shown in Figures 1 and 2
this cross-bar is in engagement with the inclined position d of a bracket B
suitably secured to the wall. In hanging the directory frame upon this inclined
bracket, its weight especially if assisted by a slight downward fall, serves to draw
the free edges 3 of the side panels tightly against the face of the wall, thus
insuring its being firmly held while at the same time permitting it to be readily
removed and replaced. The outward spread of the side panels gives a certain
amount of springiness to the connection which assists in firmly holding it in
position. It will be observed that the triangular form of the side panels causes
the main panel A to stand at an incline as shown thus making the reading of
the index cards more convenient and at the same time causing them to naturally
fall widely open to either one side or the other. The top extension A¹ of the
main panel rests squarely against the wall, being in the same plane as the
edges ².
When it is desired to have the directory upon a desk ready for convenient
reference I employ a suitable stand or plate, as E, having sufficient weight to
firmly support it when attached thereto. The directory frame may be attached to
the wall, as already described, by means of a cross-bar C adapted to engage it in
the same way that the wall bracket D is engaged; but I preferably employ a
separate attaching device D' fixed to the frame near the base of the latter between
the side panels, and adapted to engage a correspondingly shaped recess in the
stand E as indicated in Figures 2 and 4, whereby the frame is firmly held in a
similar position to that which it assumes when hung upon the wall bracket
previously described; to which latter it may be transferred by merely lifting it
out of the stand and hanging it upon the bracket.
Having thus described my invention in its preferred form and application I
do not desire to limit myself to the specific construction shown. Certain features
may also be used without employing others.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: —
1-A frame for teleplione directories or the like, comprising a rectangular main
panel, triangular rearwardly spreading side panels, and a rear cross-bar located
between said side panels and within the plane of the free edges of the latter, in
combination with a wall plate or bracket having an outwardly inclined portion
with which said cross-bar is adapted to engage and thereby firmly but removably
support the frame substantially as set forth.
2-A frame for telephone directories or the like, comprising a rectangular main
panel, triangular rearwardly spreading side panels, a desk supporting attachment
thereto near the base of the frame adapted to engage a desk plate substantially as
described, and a second supporting attachment above the first adapted to engage
a wall plate or bracket, both of said attachments being located within the plane
of the free edges of the side panels, substantially as set forth.
3-As a new article of manufacture a supporting frame for directories or the
like formed of sheet material and comprising a rectangular main panel adapted
for attachment of the index leaves, triangular side panels, and means for suspend-
ing this frame with the free edges of side panels in contact with a wall, substan-
tially as set forth.

page_text: 4-A telephone directory or the like comprising a supporting frame and a series
of cards or leaves each of which is hinged to said frame, the hinges of each card
being out of line with the hinges of the adjacent cards on opposite sides thereof,
thereby avoiding the piling upon each other of adjacent hinges substantially as
set forth.