Improvements in and relating to Letter-filles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 25'h Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by SAMUEL H. FISH, of Hinsdale, Du Page County,
Illinois, United States of America ]
Improvements in and relating to Letter-filles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :—
The object of my invention is to provide a bill and letter file for temporarily
holding miscellaneous papers and so arranged that any one of the sheets on the file
may be removed without removing the others, while at the same time all the papors
on the file are readily accessible for inspection without removal.
A further object of my invention is to provide in connection with a file of the above
character a punch or perforator by means of which holes may be readily made in the
papers so that they may be readily placed upon the receiving wire or wires of the file,
the movement of the file when it is open being effected by the same mechanism which
operates the perforator.
The bill files now most generally in use include as a part of their operative
mechanism springs; these springs frequently lose their proper tension or become
broken after a short time, thus rendering the file inoperative. The transfor wires in
some cases have been hinged so as to swing together; this feature in connection
with the springs necessarily employed rendering the files still more liable to injury
and resulting quite frequently in the torsion of the transfer wires to such an extent as
to prevent their meeting the receiving wires so as to form proper joints between them
as is desirable in order that the papers when once placed upon the receiving wires
may be readily slipped over the joints on to the transfor wires.
Punches and perforators have been placed in some cases upon the same base with
the file proper, but heretofore no satisfactory perforator has been devised adapted to
be used in combination with the mechanism for opening and closing the file.
By the use of my invention all springs may be dispensed with; the hinging of the
transfer wires to rotate together is avoided; the transfer wires are made readily
separable from the receiving wires, while a locking device is provided for holding the
transfer wires in position to form sinooth joints between them and the receiving wire,
thus permitting the free passage of the papers over the joints between the receiving
wires and transfer wires.
The receiving wires may be sharpened so as to readily pierce the papers as they are
placed thereon after the manner of spindles now frequently used for holding
memorandum slips.
I preferably use however as a part of my file a perforator co-acting therewith in
such manner that the sheets of paper may be readily perforated just before they are
placed on the receiving wires and, as it were, by the act of placing them thereon.
My invention as a whole is designed more especially for use in files containing twin
vertical receiving wires and corresponding arched movable transfer wires. It will be
observed, however, that certain features or parts of my invention as herein claimed
may be usefully and advantageously employed in files having only one spindle and
one corresponding arched wire; 1 therefore do not limit my invention to the
particular form of file and the precise mechanism herein described.
The principal features of my invention consist, briefly stated, first, in a fixed wire
or twin wires and a corresponding arched wire or corresponding arched wires in com-
bination with lever mechanism for moving the arched wire or wires away from the
fixed wire or wires and locking devices for holding them in position to register
therewith and form a smooth joint or joints between the same; second, in a band

page_text: lever mounted upon a vertical pivotal post, the connection between the post and lever
hoing a pin resting in an inclined slot in the lever, a sliding bar with which the lever
is connected, the guides for the sliding bar and a catch or stop under which the
lever may be inserted; third, in a lever pivotal to rotate horizontally, providual with
an inclined slot, a pin passing through said slot and locking or retaining devices, so
constructed and arranged that the lever in addition to its horizontal rotary movement
may be rocked upon the supporting pin and moved longitudinally and at the same
time slightly raised thereon to thrust the end of the lever under the locking device at
its extreme end; fourth, in a perforating device operated by the said lever mechanism;
and, fifth, in certain combinations and details of construction hereinafter more
particularly described and claimed.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bill and letter file embodying the principal features
of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the file closed the same as illustrated in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the file open.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my file provided with a perforator adapted to be
operated by the lever which sorves also to open and close the file, the further receiving
wire and its corresponding arched transfer wire being removed,
Fig. 5 is a similar side elevation showing the file open, the lever being thrown
forward and the puncturing and perforating device in position to admit the sheet of
paper which is to be perforated.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the file closed provided with the perforating attachments.
Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view of the lever in position, shown in Fig. 6, the
supporting pin being in the lower outside portion of the slot as is the case when the
end of the lever is thrust under the stop or catch as shown.
Fig. 8 is a detailed longitudinal sectional view, showing the lover in its other position
us illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5.
Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout the different
figures.
I will first describe my invention as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, without
reference to the perforator and will then proceed to describe the perforator as
illustrated in connection therewith in Figs. 1, 5 and 6.
My file is mounted after the manner of paper clips upon a huse u.
b
A fixed casting serves as a support for the receiving wires e and is provided with
the projecting lug d, against the end of which the side of the lever may rest as shown
in Figs. 1 and 2, or under which the lever may be retained as shown more clearly in
Fig. 3. The guide e may, if desired, be cast in the same piece with the supporting
piece b. To this guido e is secured as shown at a catch under which the end of the
lever may
be thrust as shown most clearly in Fig. 7.
The pivotal post is mounted upon the casting has shown; in the upper and of
this post is provided a seat or bearing for the lever h. In the lover his provided the
angular slot. The pin passes through the sides of the post as shown. The
slot being at an angle and of greater length than the diameter of the pin, the lever
may be raised and thrust forward so as to bring the pin into the lower outor portion
of the slot as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7; thus as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lovor
may be locked in position.
A finger provided upon the and of the lever rests in a slot provided in the
sliding bar this slot is of sufficient length to receive the lever when thrust
longitudinally through the same under the catch. When the lever is moved
horizontally about its pivot g the sliding lar kis rociprocated back and forth in
the guido e.
It is to this sliding bark that the arched wires are attached
and thus when the lover is moved forward under the lug d, as shown in Fig. 3,
the finger engaging with the slide k, carries said slide back and with it the
transfer wires connected therewith, thus opening the file.
When thus open the papers may be placed upon the receiving wires ec'.
When it is desired to close the file the lever h is thrown back by hand and

page_text: lifted so as to be locked in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7; in this
position as before stated the ends of the arched wires are brought opposite
the ends of the wires cc' respectively, and the sheets of paper previously placed
upon the receiving wires may be slipped over the arched wires or divided between
the receiving wires and the arched wires.
I will now. describe my invention as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 in connection
with the perforating device.
The frame or support b. the receiving wires c c', the lug d, the guide e, the
catch the pivotal post g, the lever h, tle finger i, the reciprocating or sliding
bark, the arched wires, the slot in the lever and the pin passing through the
same are constructed and arranged the same as hereinbefore described with respect
to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8.
I will therefore describe the perforating mechanism referring incidentally only
to the other parts of the file. Mounted upon the supporting piece I provide
upright pieces m, one under each arched wire; upon the upper end of each of
these standards m I provide a die n and a guide o. A cutter p is placed in cach
die. By a toggle joint arrangement of levers connected with the movable wires / l'
the cutter is reciprocated at each stroke of the lever whether to the front or to
the rear thus it will be seen that the link g is pivoted at the rear to the lower
portion of arched wire and extends forward preferably through a slot provided
in the standard m and is pivoted in front at g' to the centrally pivoted lever or link
The links is connected at its lower end with the lever and at its upper end
with the reciprocating cutter p. Thus by moving the lover in either direction, that
is, to the front or to the reur, the cutter will be forced up into their dies respectively
and withdrawn.
arm.
I will now describe the manner of using my combined perforator and letter file.
We will suppose the lever in the position shown in Fig. 6. The user first takes
hold of the handle of lever and presses it down and under the lug d. The file is
then in the position shown in Fig. 5; thereupon the sheet of paper is inserted between
the jaws of the guide o; thereupon lever his forced back by the right thumb of the
user; the cutters are thus reciprocated and perforate the paper; the holes thus formed
in the paper are then slipped over the receiving wires cc'; the lever is then lifted
again and brought to the original position shown in Fig. 6, also shown in Fig. 7.
A large number of sheets may be perforated and filed one after the other. If
several sheets are to be filed at the same time, two or three may be conveniently
inserted in the guide together, perforated and slipped over the receiving wires, the
operation being repented until all the sheets are filed before the lever his lifted so as
to be inserted under the stop to lock the wires together.
When the perforator is dispensed with the papers are simply forced against the
points of the wires c c³, so as to be pierced thereby, the file being opened and closed as
hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with the movable wire of a bill file, of a standard under the
same provided with a die and guide, a cutter in said guide and toggle joint
mechanism between the cutter and the transfer wire, whereby on moving the transfer
wire to the front or rear the cutter is reciprocated in the die, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
2. The combination with the rigidly connected movable arched wires, of a perforator
under each of said wires, the cutters of said perforators being connected with the said
transfer wires by linked levers, whereby the cutters are reciprocated on the movement
of the arched wires, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with the support carrying the receiving wires and provided
with a projecting lug, a lever pivoted near said lug and adapted to be forced under
said lug or to rest with its side against the end of the same, movable transfer wires

page_text: connected rigidly with a sliding bar, said bar being provided with a slot for tho
insertion of the end of said lever and perforating devices, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
The combination with the receiving wires cc', of the rigidly connected arched
transfer wires, the guides o under the transfer wires and a perforating device with
toggle joint mechanism for operating the same to pierce the paper when inserted in
the guides, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination with a fixed receiving wire, of an arched transfer wire, a lever
in engagement with a sliding bar & for moving said arched wire away from said fixed
wire and a catech near the end of the said lever under which the lever is adapted to be
longitudinally inserted whereby the file may be opened or the two wires locked in
position to form a smooth joint between them, substantially ns and for the purpose
specified.
6. A duplex file consisting in the combination with the receiving wires, of movable
arched wires, said arched wires being rigidly joined to a sliding lar, a guide for
said sliding bar, a pivoted levor having its end inserted in a slot provided in suid bar
and a catch under which the lover is adapted to he longitudinally inserted, whereby
en moving the lever in one direction the file is opened, while on moving the lever in
the opposite direction and raising the same the file is closed and held closed, substan-
tially us and for the purpose specified.
7. The support for the fixed receiving wires provided with the projecting lug and a
guide for the reciprocating bar, the transfer wires rigidly secured to said bar, the
lever mounted upon a pivotal post, the connection between the lever and post being
a pin passing through an angular slot in the lever in combination with a catch under
which the lever is adapted to be inserted, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
8. A mechanical device consisting of the lever
an angular slot provided in suid lover, a pin
mounted upon the pivotal post,
passing through the upper portion
of said post and through said slot, a fixed lug'd and a catch ƒ combined substantially
as shown and described.
Dated this 2nd day of Sunt 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, Lond on, Agents for the Applicant.