Improvements in the Metallic Fittings of Letter Files.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Metallic Fittings of Letter Files.
We, WILLIAM WEST, Manufacturer, of 64, Spencer Street, Birmingham, and
JOHN WILLIAM SETTEN, Manufacturer, of 118, Livery Street, Birmingham, both
in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to those letter files whose filing arches can be
folded down flat onto the covers or flaps which enclose the letters, so that the
said letter files can be transported conveniently, and it consists in certain in-
provements in the construction, and mounting of the filing arms of the arch,
so that the folding can be more easily effected and the fitting more cheaply
produced.
According to this invention the filing arch is connected to a carrier plate
attached to the folding cover of the tile by the extreme ends of its base, which
carry the filing arms, engaging eyed projections standing up from the carrier
plate as aforesaid; the said extreme ends being rounded up or formed cylin-
drical. The middle portion of the filing arch's base is a half tube, or of an
inverted trough section, its one edge on the folding side being made to yield
slightly and constitute a spring to the filing arch's folding down when unlocked
or released from its upright position. One of the filing arms of the arch is
rigid with the base, and the other is hinged so as to be thrown back, it having
a spring fitted to its inner termination and located within the hollow base which
tends always to close it. The filing arch is locked or fixed in its upright or
projecting position against folding by a small bolt, which is transversely dis-
posed through a part of the filing arch's base, so as to be moved into and out
of position, so as to engage a stop or projection upon the carrier plate, as afore-
said, by a small arm or lever fitted with a spring, but preferably formed of a
spring, located within the one end of the filing arch's base, and to which the
said bolt is connected. The end of the small lever or arm protrudes through
the inner cylindrical tubular end of the filing arch's base, and has sufficient
lateral movement within the base to withdraw the bolt from engaging the pro-
jection or stop.
When the bolt as aforesaid is withdrawn from the projection the filing arch
can fold down flat on the one side. When the filing arch is lifted to project,
the bolt, as aforesaid, has a snap action onto the projection, and automatically
locks the filing arch in an upright position. We reserve the right to substitute
for the bolt and operating lever equivalent devices to give a snap action when
the filing arch is opened out.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in the Metallic Fittings of Letter Fres
We, WILLIAM WEST, Manufacturer, of 64, Spencer Street, Birmingham, and
JOHN WILLIAM SETTEN, Manufacturer, of 118, Livery Street, Birmingham, both
in the County of Warwick, 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:-
―
This invention has reference to those letter files whose filing arches can be
folded down flat onto the covers or flaps which enclose the letters, so that the
said letter files can be transported conveniently, and it consists in certain im-
provements in the construction, and mounting of the filing arms of the arch,
so that the folding can be more easily effected and the fitting more cheaply
produced.
A letter file fitting constructed according to this invention is shown in the
a front view,
accompanying sheet of drawings, Fig. 1 being a side view, Fig.
Fig. 3 an end view, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 cross sections on the dotted lines A B
and C Fig. 1.
In the said drawings the filing arch a is connected to a carrier plate (which
is fixed to the inside of the cover of the file) by the extreme ends, d², of its
base d, which carries the said arms, engaging eyed projections ², ², standing up
from the carrier plate as aforesaid; the said extreme ends being rounded or
formed cylindrical. The middle portion of the filing arch's base d is a half
tube, or of an inverted trough section, and its one edge d' is made to slightly
yield to constitute a spring to the filing arch's folding down when unlocked or
released from its upright position. The filing arm a² of the arch is rigid with
the base, but the other armis hinged thereto so as to be capable of being
thrown back; the said arm, ³, having a suitable spring fitted to its inner ter-
mination, and located within the hollow base, which always tends to close it.
The filing arch is locked or fixed in its upright or projected position against
folding, as shown in Fig. 1, by a small bolt e transversely disposed through a
part of the filing arch's base & so as to be moved into and out of position to engage
or be free of a stop or projection f upon the carrier plate c, by a small arm or
lever fitted with a spring, but preferably formed of a spring, located within
the hollow end of the filing arch's base, and to which the said bolt c is con-
nected. The latter slides in suitable cross holes in the walls of the filing arch's
base.
The end of the lever or arm protrudes through the tubular end of the
filing arch's base in order to be operated by the fingers, and the said arm or
lever has sufficient lateral movement within the said base to withdraw the bolt e
from engagement with the projection or stop f when the said lever or arm g
is forced back.
When the bolt e is withdrawn from the projection of the filing arch a can fold
down flat on the one side of the carrier plate c. When the filing arch is lifted
from a folding position to project as in Fig. 1, the bolt e has a snap action onto
the projection f, and automatically locks the filing arch in an upright projecting
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. In a letter-file fitting, the combination of a carrier plate e, a filing

page_text: arch a capable of folding bodily upon said carrier plate, and locking and releasing
devices e, f, g, or their equivalents, all operating substantially as described.
Second. A letter-file fitting, having its filing arch supported, mounted and
arranged to fold, and locked and released in the manner, and by the means,
substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 11th day of Tenuary 1900
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.