Improvements in Files for Letters and other Papers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Files for Letters and other Papers.
I, THOMAS WARING, of the City of Camden, in the State of New Jersey,
United States of America, Hospital Superintendent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said 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 so construct a file for letters or papers that while
said papers are properly confined in the file when the same is closed, they are, when
the file is open, properly supported and more readily accessible than in files now in
use with which I am familiar, the file, moreover, being such that it cannot be readily
overturned by preponderance of weight upon either side.
This object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to
the accompanying drawing, in which ;-
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of my improved file showing the same closed.
Fig. 2, is a perspective view showing the file open;-and,―
Figs. 3 and 4, are perspective views on a smaller scale illustrating modified forms
of my improved file.
The file consists of opposite leaves or covers A, B, and a back D, to which said
leaves or covers are suitably hinged so that the file can be closed, as shown in
Fig. 1, or opened as shown in Fig. 2, the back D, of the file being flat and by
preference, rigid, so as to serve for the support of the file when the same is opened,
each of the leaves or covers A, B, then projecting upwardly at such an angle from
the back that while the papers may be laid against either cover and will naturally
retain their position, the excess of weight on either cover will not cause the file to
tip over.
Suitable stays a, connect the covers A, B, and back D, in order to limit the
outward movement of said covers, or suitable stops or shoulders on the hinges may
be used for the same purpose, or, in some cases, one of the covers may be rigidly
secured to the back, and the other hinged thereto, in which case the stays may
extend from one cover to the other.
In order to retain the papers within the file when the latter is closed, the cover A,
of the file has, along its edges, guards F, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, consist
of simple loops of wire secured to the cover, the loops coming in contact with the
other cover when the file is closed, as shown in Fig. 1.
When the file is open, as shown in Fig. 2, the guards of the cover A, serve
to prevent any displacement of the papers resting against said cover, the stays a,
serving to prevent displacement of the papers resting against the cover B.
The file contains a series of index leaves, between which the papers are sorted
alphabetically as usual, and when the file is open, as shown in Fig. 2, the index
leaves are fully exposed so that ready access can be had to any of the papers in
the file, and, to facilitate such access, the index leaves are, by preference, discon-
nected from each other and from the back D, of the file at their rear edges, so that
any number of them can be turned against either cover of the file in order to gain
access to the desired papers.
In all cases, however, the index leaves are disconnected from the guards, and
also from the stays which limit the movement of the covers so that neither guards
nor stays will restrict the free movement of said index leaves.
In some cases, the guards F, may be formed partly on one cover and partly on
the other cover, and in this case but one cover may be stayed, as shown for instance
in Fig. 3, this cover being raised and the other allowed to lie flat, and if it is desired
to entirely enclose the papers when the file is closed the guards on the edges of the
covers A, and B, may consist of rectangular projections F¹, around the edges of

page_text: the cover, as shown in Fig. 4, these projections, when the file is closed, fitting closely
one to another so as to provide a complete enclosure for the papers, but being
separated one from another when the file is opened so that the papers can be
manipulated from three sides of the file, or the guards may consist of strips
extending completely along the side and ends of one or other of the covers in
some cases.
Any suitable means may be employed for securing the covers together when the
file is closed, for instance one of the guard loops may engage with spring fingers b,
on the opposite cover, as shown in Fig. 1.
I am aware that paper files have been made in which the opposite covers have
been connected at the ends by bellows folded strips which served to retain the
papers in the file and also restricted the movement of the covers, but such strips
were connected to the ends of the index leaves and hence prevented that free
movement of said leaves which is one of the features of my improved file.
I am also aware that a file has been devised which consists of a back and
opposite covers hinged thereto and connected by end stays, but in this case each
cover has to be divided diagonally so that the corner portion could be turned down
to serve as a leg or foot for the support of the file, the connecting of the opposite
hinged covers by means of stays not being sufficient to prevent the overturning of
the file when the bulk of the papers was thrown against one cover or the other. In
my improved file, however, the stays serve to connect the hinged cover or covers
with a rigid portion of the file, hence the file is self-supporting without the necessity
of such supplementary feet or legs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what. I
claim is:-
1. The combination in a paper file, of the flat back and the opposite covers, one
or both hinged to the back, and each capable of assuming a position inclined
upwardly and outwardly from said back, with guards around the edges of the file
for retaining the papers therein when the file is closed, but permitting access to the
papers both at the top and end of the file when the latter is open, and stays or
stops extending from the hinged cover or covers to a rigid portion of the file for
limiting the movement of said hinged cover or covers in respect to such rigid
portion when the file is open, said stops or stays being so located that they will
not prevent access to the papers at the end of the file when the latter is open,
substantially as specified.
2. The combination in a paper file, of the flat back and the opposite covers
hinged thereto, with guards around the edges of the file for preventing displace-
ment of the papers therein when the file is closed, but permitting access to the
papers both at the top and end of the file when the latter is open, and stops or
stays extending from the covers to the back for limiting the movement of said
covers in respect to each other when the file is open, said stops or stays being so
located that they will not prevent access to the papers at the end of the file when
the latter is open, substantially as specified.
Dated this 25th day of July 1893
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.