AN IMPROVEMENT IN FILES FOR HOLDING PAPERS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cuthbert Furlong, of Lower Mount Pleasant
Avenue, Ranelagh, in the County of Dublin, in Ireland, Stationer,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN FILES FOR HOLDING PAPERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cuthbert Furlong at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th March 1872.
I, CUTHBERT FURLONG, of Lower Mount Pleasant Avenue, Ranelagh,
in the County of Dublin, in Ireland, Stationer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN FILES FOR HOLDING
PAPERS," to be as follows:-
My improvement relates to a file for holding letters, receipts, and
other papers with safety from falling off, and so that any of the
papers filed may be at any time removed without disturbing the
remainder.
The Invention consists of fitting to a small board (of wood, strong
millboard, papier maché, or like adaptable material) towards one side or

page_text: end of it two short upright rods with arrow points, the barbs or
flanges being arranged with springs to allow of their giving way and
lying close to the rods when the paper is being filed, and resuming their
position when the paper has passed over them, thus preventing the
paper from coming off, a rail guard of metal or other suitable material
fixed behind the rods to prevent any article not intended to be filed from
falling on the points; and the rods to disjoint about the middle to
allow of papers being removed without having to be torn off or taken
over the barbs.
The arrow point's with their spring barbs and the rail guard are the
portions which I desire protected, and I claim the right to use the arrow
points separately for single files.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Cuthbert Furlong in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CUTHBERT
FURLONG, of Lower Mount Pleasant Avenue, Ranelagh, in the County
of Dublin, in Ireland, Stationer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Cuthbert Furlong, Her special licence
that I, the said Cuthbert Furlong, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Cuthbert Furlong, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN FILES FOR HOLDING PAPERS, NAMED THE BROAD ARROW LETTER FILE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Cuthbert Furlong, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and

page_text: ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Cuthbert Furlong, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being made to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My improvement relates to files for holding letters, invoices, receipts,
and such other papers with safety and ease of reference.
The Invention consists of fitting to a board of wood, strong millboard,
papier macher, or like adaptable material, and of convenient size,
towards one end or size of it one or two short upright rods with arrow
points, the barbs or flanges of which are arranged with springs that
allow of their giving way and lying in close to the shanks when papers
are being filed, and resuming their original shape after the paper has
passed over them, thus preventing it falling off. A rail of metal or other
suitable material is fitted behind the arrow points and level with or a
little higher than them to protect any article not intended to be filed
from falling on the upright points. The shanks of the arrows are made
to disjoint about the centre to allow of papers being removed. The
arrow points are made of small tubes of brass, metal, or other suitable
material of convenient length and the thickness of an ordinary strong
wire file with two slits on opposite sides near the upper end into which
the barbs or flanges fit, and to which they are hinged with rivets at the
upper end. The hinged end of the flange extends slightly beyond the
rivet, and when the flanges are extended the upper ends cross each other
inside top of the tube and rests on the opposite rivet, which strengthens
them in their position. They are kept extended by a small spiral spring
inserted in the upper portion of the tube which presses slightly on the
crossed ends of the flanges. The spiral spring is kept in its place by
the pointed capping on the top of the tube. In some cases instead of a
tube with slits for the flanges to spring into as herein-before described, I
use a solid wire pointed at the upper end, near the top of which are
attached two slight spring flanges giving the same result, but I prefer
the hinged flanges as being stronger and which I sometimes fit with
springs underneath to extend them instead of the spiral spring.

page_text: The Invention will be well understood by referring to the accompanying
Drawings and to the following detailed description.
The Drawing represents several modes of applying the arrow points.
Figure 1 represents the the points used as a single docket file with the
slight attached spring barbs or flanges; Figure 2 shows the single 5
file with the strong hinged barbs; Figure 3 represents the single
arrow file fitted to a board with a rail guard, and Figure 4 gives the
appearance of the double arrow file fitted to a suitable size board, and
also with a rail guard at back.
In the foregoing Figures I have shown what I consider the best and 1
handiest as well as the most economical mode of applying my Invention,
but I do not confine myself to these methods.
And having now described the nature of the Invention, and in what
manner the same can be carried into effect, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. Making and fitting files for papers with spring barbs or flanges 1
representing the appearance of arrow heads as in annexed Sheet of
Drawings, and as herein-before described.
Secondly. Fitting one, two, or more of the arrow-shaped files herein-
before described to suitable sized boards for letter files as in annexed
Drawings, or fitting them to be used singly as shown in Figures one 2
& two.
Thirdly. Fitting a rail as shown in accompanying Drawings to protect
the points.
In conclusion I would remark that although I have shown the best
way in my opinion of carrying my Invention into effect, I do not in any 2
way limit myself to these modes or to fitting the flanges of the arrow
heads with any particular description of springs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cuthbert Furlong, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Fourteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy- 3
two.
CUTHBERT FURLONG. (L.S.)