Letters, Bills, Journals, and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1888
Specification Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
Letters, Bills, Journals, and the like.
I LUDWIG EDUARD HEITLING of No. 65 Möckernstrasse Berlin S.W. in the
Empire of Germany, Architect 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 to an apparatus for binding, fastening or holding letters, bills,
journals, and the like.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a plan view and Figure 2 a vertical
section of the apparatus. The Figures 3, 4 and 5 explain how the apparatus is
used and the Figures 6 and 7 represent a rule which may suitably be employed
in using the apparatus.
In these, a and b (Figures 1 and 2) are two rails, the one of which bis provided
with several cords, threads, or wires fixed to the rail b at definite distances from each
other. The other rail a carries on its upper side a certain number of sockets h, h, h,
which receive a shaft c. On one end of the latter is a handle e for turning the
shaft, and the other sido is provided with a button f to prevent the shaft from being
displaced in a longitudinal direction.
C₁
On the side of the handle e, the shaft c also carries a ratchet wheel g, which can be
stopped by a slide i secured to the socket in order to prevent the shaft rotating.
The above mentioned threads or wires which are secured to the rail b, pass through
openings arranged in a rail a, and are wound up on those portions of the shaft
which lie between the sockets h, so that the two rails can be brought nearer to each
other. By turning therefore the shaft c in one direction or the other the two rails
will either approach or recede from each other. In order to bind or hold together
loose letters, bills, journals and the like, I proceed as follows:-
The papers to be bound are provided on one side with incisions the distances
of which from each other correspond to the distances between the threads or wires
secured to the rail b. The papers are now placed between the two rails in such a
manner, that the threads or wires penetrate into the incisions. After the papers have
een put in this position, the shaft c is turned by means of the handle e until the
papers are tightly pressed together between the rails a and b. The slide i is then

page_text: pushed forward to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel so that the rails are
perfectly secured in their position. When more papers are to be added to the file,
the slide is disengaged, and the shaft e is turned back, whereupon the upper rail a is
lifted and moved into the position shown in Figure 3. The sheet of paper to be
bound is now placed upon the other papers, which are already bound, in such a
manner that its edge is flush with the edge of the rail b.
The upper rail a carrying the shaft c is now moved to the other side (see Figure 4),
whereby the threads or wires incise the sheet of paper. The thread or wire is then
wound up by turning the shaft c, and the upper rail a thus pressed upon the papers,
(see Figure 5).
In order to obtain a uniform incision made by the threads into the several sheets, I
preferably employ a rule such as represented in Figures 6 and 7 of the accoin-
panying drawing. This rule is provided with slits extending nearly to the middle
of the rule; the distance between these slits corresponds to that of the threads or
wires secured to the rail b. The rule is placed upon the sheet to be bound
(Figure 3), so that the slits are opposite to the threads. The rail a is then moved,
as above described, to the other side, and the threads, penetrating into the said slits
of the rule, mako incisions in the sheet lying under the rule, exactly on the right place
in the direction given by the slits.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A device for holding or fastening papers, letters, bills, journals, and the like,
consisting of the arrangement of two rails a and b, to one of which, b, threads or
wires are secured, which can be wound up on a shaft c carried by the other rail a,
so that the rails a and approach one another, and press together, or clamp the
papers placed between them, the papers or other documents being provided with
incisions, the positions of which correspond to the positions of the threads or wires,
and into which the said threads or wires penetrate.
2. In an apparatus such as described in claim 1, the use of a rule provided with
slits, the distances of which from each other correspond to the positions of the
threads or wires, the said rule being placed upon the papers to be bound, and serving
to draw the threads into the slits, whereby the papers receive, during the binding
operation, the necessary incisions, substantially as set forth and shown in the
drawing.
Dated the 12th day of March 1888