Improvements in Files or Indexes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893-Accepted, 15th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Files or Indexes.
I, ALEXANDER JOSEPH RUDOLPH, of 1221, Filbert Street, San Francisco,
California, in the United States of America, Librarian, 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 files or indexes, the object being to provide what I call
an elastic book index, in which each entry is movable so that any number of entries
can be inserted before or after it, and every entry, whether new or old, is always in
its own proper place, the index being so constructed as to allow of practically any
number of leaves being introduced at any part of the book, whereby the book can
be indefinitely enlarged; or the book can be subdivided at any time to form new
volumes, if it becomes too bulky.
In carrying out my invention 1 employ a series of slip-holders adapted to contain
index or other slips, the said holders being hinged together at one edge, and capable
of indefinite multiplication or subdivision, the hinges being adapted to be easily
disengaged for that purpose.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a file or index constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a section of one of the slip-holders.
Figure 3 is a similar view of the back part of the file or index and,
Figure 4 is a perspective view drawn to an.enlarged scale of part of the covers of
the file or index illustrating the application thereto of a distinguishing label.
Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar parts.
A A are the slip-holders which are made of sheet metal or of card-board, or other
rigid material of sufficient width and length to form a book of the desired size.
For ordinary purposes it is preferable to have these cards of sufficient width to
form double columns by means of strips fastened upon opposite sides, and also down
the middle parallel with each other and having grooves or channels formed beneath
them for the reception of the slips to be placed therein.
The ends of the slip-holders are closed or made so narrow that no slip can be
pushed out or lost, and if only a part of the columns is filled up, an elastic stop
check a is inserted close to the edge of the last slip, and thus prevents its moving
out of place.
The back edge of each slip holder is hinged at D D to plates leaves or links C,
extending backwards some distance from the edge of the slip-holder and having
double hinges E upon their rear edges. These double hinges E as clearly shown
in Figure 3, consist of lugs or eyes made in pairs upon the edges of the hinge
plates or links C, and when placed together they are held by means of remorable
hinge pins F.
These pins may be made in any suitable manner. In the present case I have
shown them formed of two wires twisted together to form a length equal to the
distance between the hinges at the top and bottom of the book, single wires extending
outwards from the ends of the twisted wires sufficiently to pass through the holes in
the hinge lugs and thus hold them together.
By this construction any leaf can be detached by curving the twisted rod outward
in the middle sufficiently to allow the single wires to be withdrawn from the hinge
leaves or links C when the latter can be separated.
Any number of new leaves can be introduced between those that are already in

page_text: the book by simply unhinging those which meet at the required point, and introducing
the new ones, thus forming any desired thickness of book.
Covers G may be secured upon the outside and hinged to the first and last leaves
of the book in the same manner that the leaves A A are hinged together.
If several books are used, it is desirable to provide labels upon the outside which
will serve as guides to find the desired letter, number, or other subject contained in
the volume.
For this purpose as shewn in Figure 4, I fix inside the covers G, and between
the hinges, two or more, broad-headed nails or catches b, ba flexible piece c of
cloth, leather, or other substance adapted to receive the index letter or character,
having holes oi, slits made in its ends to removably fit over the said nails or
catches.
These strips are made of such a length as to just fit smoothly when the book is
closed, and when the book has been enlarged by the addition of any number of
leaves which make it too thick for the index back, a new one of larger size can be
easily substituted.
If a portion or a complete alphabet is used in one book, the letters may be
attached inside along the edges, as in other books.
For this purpose of readily finding any desired name, topic or other matter,
I employ numbers or catch letters as Aa, Ab, Ac, etc.
These letters are printed,
written or pasted on strips in bold type or colors, or in any other manner to easily
arrest the attention of the user and enable him to turn instantly to the topic or
matter desired, and they are also made movable in the same manner as the slips.
A book constructed in this manner can be opened out perfectly flat, no matter
how many leaves it may have.
It is capable of indefinite extension or contraction, and if it ever becomes too
bulky for use as a single volume it can be casily divided into as many parts as may
be desired, each part being complete in itself and having a new letter or index
character attached to its back..
It enables the librarian or other person desiring such an index or catalogue to
keep his work always up to date by the introduction of slips until the slip-holders
are filled, and to then introduce new holders in their proper position between those
already forming the book, the order being always exact."
It forms a great labor and time saving device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A file or index consisting of a series of slip-holders having parallel grooves or
channels upon their opposite sides, elastic slips fitted to and retained within the said
channels and capable of adjustment and rearrangement therein, plates or links
hinged to one edge of each of these slip-holders and having double hinge-lugs upon
'their rear edges, and hinge rods or wires adapted to fit in the said hinge lugs,
whereby a series of the slip-holders can be flexibly attached together, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. A file or index consisting of a series of slip-holders having parallel grooves or
channels upon their opposite sides, slips fitted to the said grooves or channels, and
capable of adjustment or rearrangement therein plates or links hinged to one edge
of each of the slip-holders, and having double hinge-lugs formed upon their rear
edges, whereby slip-holders can be flexibly connected upon opposite sides of any
other slip-holder, a removable hinge connection consisting of wires having their ends
adapted to enter the hinge-lugs and connect them together when the said wires are
-in a straight line, and to be removed by curving the wires in order to withdraw the
ends of the hinges, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
3. A file or index consisting of a series of slip-holders having parallel grooves or
channels, slips adjustably fitted to the said grooves or channels and capable of

page_text: rearrangement therein, hinges whereby any number of the said slip-holders can be
connected together to form a book, and means for identifying all of the books of a
series consisting of a label having an index character marked upon it the said label
being removably fixed to the inner edges of the book cover, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
4. A. file or index consisting of a series of slip-holders having parallel grooves or
channels upon their opposite sides, slips fitted to the said grooves or channels, and
capable of adjustment and rearrangement therein, and stop checks a whereby the
slips may be fixed in place in the slip-holder, substantially as hereinbefore described,
and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 13th day of June 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.