An Improved Compressor for use on Letter Files and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Compressor for use on Letter Files and the like.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHAFER, of 15, Ropemaker Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Merchant, 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 relates to an improved device for compressing papers on letter
files and the like; its object being to provide for this purpose a device which
shall be simple, effective and of cheap construction.
According to this invention a cam-plate is attached to a base plate, both
preferably of metal, in such a manner as to be capable of moving relatively to
the base plate and by this motion to cause the wires upon which the papers are
filed to be gripped between or released from between the cam surfaces of the
cam-plate and perforations in or projections upon the base plate. The cam-plate
has preferably a sliding pivotal connection with the base-plate for the purpose
of causing the pressure to be uniformly applied to both collecting wires by the
cam surfaces; any tendency to inequality of pressure on one wire being auto-
matically counteracted by the rotational movement of the plate whereby
equalisation of the pressure is effected.
The accompanying drawings illustrate one construction of device according to
this invention :
Figure 1 giving a perspective view of the device as removed from the file; the
cam being in the " release position, and
"
Figure 2 a similar view of the device as applied to the wires of a file, the cam
being in the " grip" position.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The base plate is shown at A and is preferably fixed as indicated in the
drawings to a sheet of stout paper A. Two perforations B are provided in the
base plate for the reception of the wires E, of the file. The cam plate D is
provided with two cam surfaces D' corresponding with the perforations B and
is attached to the base A by a tunnel-like guide C. This tunnel is shown partly
broken away in Figure 2 in order more clearly to expose the cam-plate D which
is retained between it and the base-plate A.
A hump or projection D2 is formed on the edge of the cam-plate remote from
the cam-surfaces, so that the pressure on these latter is transmitted to the
guide C at the point D and the plate D is capable of oscillation through some-
what narrow limits about this point D2. The cam surfaces D' preferably
terminate in projections D³ which keep the cam-plate from being moved too far
when releasing the wires. One end of the plate is preferably bent up as at F
to form a handle by which the cam may be slidden within the guide C and a
projection G is formed at the other end to form an additional handle; the two
projections also serve to prevent the plate from being unintentionally withdrawn
from the guide.
The operation of the device is as follows:
---
The plate D being slipped into the position shown in Fig. 1 the device may be

page_text: placed upon the wires E as shown in Figure 2 and the plate D pushed into the
position shown in that figure, so that the surfaces I)' cause the wires E to be
gripped between them and the edges of the perforations B in the base A. One
wall of the tunnel guide C serves as a bearing surface for the hump D2 the
opposite wall serves to limit the oscillation of the plate D about the hump and
thus to ensure that the cams are always in a position to be readily applied to
the wires which would not be the case if the plate were free to rotate; and lastly
the roof of the tunnel serves to keep the plate flat on the base. Owing to the fact
that the plate 1) is supported against the pressures from the wires E at a point D³
about which it is capable of oscillation, the pressures on these two wires will
tend to be equalised and provided the point D² be equidistant from the two
wires E the pressures on the latter will be substantially equal.
This invention is not limited to the precise construction described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings in which construction various modifications
may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example
the wires may be gripped between the cam surfaces and projections or hooks on
the upper edge of the plate A; or the cam-plate D may if desired be pivotted
to another plate edge as a sliding connection with the base A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
66
1. In a compressor " for use on a letter file the combination with a cam
plate D having cam surfaces D¹ in one edge and a hump or projections D2 on the
opposite edge of a tunnel guide, substantially as described.
2. The "
compressor" for use on a letter-file substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of October 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.