Improvements in a Combined Portable Bill and Letter File and Perforating Appliance.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in a Combined Portable Bill and Letter File and
Perforating Appliance.
I, JOHN WALTER GRANTLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at
No. 1004 Green Street, in the City of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia
and State of Pennsylvania, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN A COMBINED PORTABLE BILL AND LETTER FILE
AND PERFORATING APPLIANCE, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statements :-
The principal objects of my present invention are first, to provide a simple,
light, efficient, inexpensive and portable bill and letter file and perforating
appliance; second, to provide an operating rod accessible from the exterior of the
main-frame for turning the curved transfer wires about the axes of their vertical
shanks, whereby accidental contact of the hands of an operator with the points of
the curved portions of the transfer wires is avoided and third, to provide a
combined bill and letter file and perforating appliance with receiving pins, transfer
wires and a chamber for the reception of the working parts of the device and with
a cover adapted to be applied to the chamber and having openings therein forming
guides for the transfer wires and with suitable trunnions connected with the main-
frame and forming pivotal supports for a detachable spring controlled swinging
perforating device.
My invention consists, in a combined bill and letter file and perforating appliance,
of a main frame having receiving pins, transfer wires provided with crank-arms
and having a rotary movement on or about the axes of their vertical shanks and an
operating rod connected with the crank-arms.
My invention further consists, in a bill and letter file and perforating appliance,
of a main-frame having receiving pins, transfer wires having a movement on or
about the axes of their shanks and a spring controlled operating rod suitably
connected with the transfer wires.
My invention further consists of a combined bill and letter file and perforating
appliance provided with a main-frame having a covered chamber and receiving pins,
transfer wires and means connected therewith for affording the transfer wires a
range of rotary movement on or about the axes of their vertical shanks, a swinging
frame pivotally connected with trunnions formed integral with or attached to the
main frame of the device and a spring controlled swinging-frame and complemental
dies and punches.
My invention further consists of a combined bill and letter file and perforating
appliance having a covered chamber, trunnions and dies, crank-arms mounted in
the chamber and provided with transfer wires having a range of rotary movement
about the axes of their vertical shanks and a spring controlled frame connected
with said trunnions and provided with punches; and
My invention further consists of the improvements hereinafter described and
claimed.
The nature, scope and general characteristic features of my invention will be
more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings forming part hereof; and in which
Figure 1, is a view partly in plan and partly in section of a portable bill and
letter file and perforating appliance embodying features of my invention and
portion of the housing concealing the working parts of the device
removed in order to expose to view the means for actuating the curved transfer
wires.
with a

page_text: Fig. 2, is an end elevation of Fig. 1, showing one of the transfer wires in a
closed position.
Fig. 3, is a transverse section on the line 3-3, of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 4, is a view partly in plan and partly in section of a portable bill and letter
file and perforating appliance of my invention with the cover of the housing
thereof removed in order to expose to view a modified form of means for actuating
the curved transfer wires.
In the drawings a, is the main-frame adapted for attachment to a panel, table or
other article and provided at the rear portion thereof with a vertical flange a',
forming the wall of a chamber a². band, are receiving wires projecting
upwards from the front portion of the main-frame a, and provided respectively
with sockets and 63, for the reception of the pointed ends of the curved transfer
wires cand c. a³, is a cover detachably connected with the flange a', by means
of a screw at. Adjacent to the front wall of the chamber a² and formed preferably
integral with the main frame are provided trunnions a' and a°. These trunnions
are adapted to receive the journals d and d', of the spring controlled skeleton
perforating device D, provided at its free extremity with punches and d³.
This perforating device is normally held in a raised position by means of a
spring d', suitably secured to position in connection with the cover a³ by means of
the screw a, and extending along and projecting outward so as to terminate in
eyes forming strippers and do, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The strippers
as so constructed are adapted to free the punches when the pressure exerted by
hand on the perforating device is released to permit the latter to assume its normal
inoperative or raised position ready to receive a document beneath the punches d³
and d³, when depressed for perforating the same and permitting of the removed
pieces or strips to be conducted through the eyes or punch dies a³ and a³, formed
in the rear portion of the cover a. The cover a³, is provided with apertures a¹0,
which form guides for the vertical shanks of the transfer wires c and c
and, are crank-arms located in the chamber a³, and provided with offsets f³,
forming bearings which are pivotally supported in seats all, provided in the main-
frame a, to receive them. The lower extremities of the shanks of the transfer
wires c and c', passing through the openings a10, in the cover a³, fit snugly into
suitable apertures in the crank-arms fand f, as fully illustrated in Fig. 3, so that
the curved portions of the transfer wires are afforded a freedom of rotary motion
on or about the axes of their shanks by means and in the manner to be hereinafter
more fully described. e, is an operating rod, the respective extremities of which
project through apertures in the side or end walls of the chamber a³, and this rod
is provided with handles e', accessible from the exterior of the main-frame a.
rod is interposed between the crank-arms fand f¹, and the cover a³, and is offset as
at 2 and 3, so that it may be afforded a freedom of motion or play in the direction
of its length. e and e, are pins projecting vertically from the crank-arms f and f',
and working in slots e and e', located upon opposite sides of the operating rod e.
These slots e and e', and pins e* and e', accommodate the throw of the crank-arms
when the rod e, is shifted in the direction of its length. The crank-arms are
disposed with respect to each other in such manner that the transfer wires c and c',
do not collide when the rod e, is shifted and this result is in the present instance
attained by locating the right hand pin e, farther from the axis of the crank-
arin than the left hand pin et is from the axis of the crank arm f, whereby the
right hand transfer wire is caused to lag behind the left hand wire.
is a suitable
form of spring device centrally or otherwise supported in and against the internal
wall of the chamber a', and adapted to engage with the edges or surface of the
crank-arms and, in the manner, for instance, as illustrated in Fig. 1.
ول
This
The means or devices shown in Fig. 4, for actuating the transfer wires c and c',
are the same as those illustrated in Fig. 1, with the following exceptions:-that
the crank-arms are connected with each other by means of a wire g, and the
operating rod es in the form shown in Fig. 1, dispensed with, by providing one of
the crank-arms f, with an arm h, either formed integral with or secured to the

page_text: same and extending therefrom through a recess a¹, formed in the flange or wall a',
of the chamber a. This projecting arm h, is afforded by such arrangement a
range of movement in a curved line or in the arc of a circle in the recess a¹³, in
order to actuate the transfer wires c and c', in the manner hereinbefore explained.
The spring s, in this instance mounted in the chamber a², is caused to engage with
or hug against the wall of the stud or screw bearing a', for the cover a³, and
extends longitudinally therefrom into engagement with the edges or ends of the
crank-arms and f¹.
Preparatory to filing a paper, it is perforated by inserting one of its edges
between the spring_strippers and do, and the punches d³ and d³, of the swinging
perforating device D, whereupon the latter is depressed, thus causing the punches
thereof to puncture two holes adapted for the reception of. the receiving pins b
and b. It being understood that the spring strippers d³ and de, serve to auto-
matically remove the perforated paper from the punches without danger of tearing
or mutilating the same. The operating rod or arm is then shifted or actuated
manually in such manner as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, to cause the transfer
wires c and e' to be turned inward towards each other and out of engagement with
the receiving pins b and b, and the springs, serves to maintain the parts in such
position. The paper is then placed on the file by passing the receiving pins
through the holes previously formed therein by means of the swinging perforating
device D, and its accessories. The operating rod e, of Fig. 1, or the arm h, of
Fig. 4, is then shifted or turned in a reverse direction, thereby causing the
transfer wires c and c', to be turned into contact with the receiving pins b and b',
and the springs, maintaining the parts in such assumed position, so that all the
papers on the file may be transferred to the wires c and c', in order to facilitate
the filing of additional papers in regular order and also to permit of a separate
examination of any or all of the papers on the file.
It may be remarked that the hereinabove explained combined portable bill and
letter file and perforating appliance possesses many advantageous features, for
example, it is self contained, that is, all the parts are connected with or carried by
the main-frame, and all danger of injury to the hands of the operative by accidental
contact with the points of the transfer wires is obviated, because the points are
turned inwards out of the way during the perforating operation, and are shifted by
means of the operating rod or arm as has been herein before explained. Moreover,
the cover of the chamber containing the working parts of the device not only serves
to conceal said parts from view, but also acts as a guide for the vertical shanks of
the transfer wires. The device arranged in the manner described is not only very
compact, but its cost of production is materially lessened as well as greatly
simplified; and moreover, the same may be handled by the most inexperienced
with case and satisfactory results.
Having thus particularly ascertained the nature and objects of my inven-
tion and in what manuer the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A combined portable bill and letter file and perforating appliance, comprising
a main-frame provided with receiving pins and a covered chamber provided with
punch apertures, transfer wires connected with crank-arms and afforded a rotary
movement on or about the axes of their vertical shanks, an operating rod or arm
accessible from the exterior of the chamber, and a swinging-frame pivotally
connected with said cover and having spring strippers and punches, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A combined portable bill and letter file and perforating appliance provided
with a main-frame having receiving pins, transfer wires provided with crank-arms
and having a rotary movement about the axes of their vertical shanks and an
operating rod or arm connected with the respective crank-arms and accessible from
the exterior of the device, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. A combined portable bill and letter file and perforating appliance provided

page_text: '
with a main-frame having receiving pins and a chamber, crank-arms journalled in
said chamber and having transfer-wires, pins projecting from said crank-arms and a
recessed operating rod mounted in said chamber and accessible from the exterior
thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. A combined portable bill and letter file and perforating appliance provided
with a main-frame having a covered chamber, receiving pins provided with sockets,
transfer-wires having a rotary movement about the axes of their vertical shanks, a
spring actuated swinging perforating device pivotally connected with the main-
frame and the extremities of the spring adapted to operate as a stripper, and guides
and punches interposed between said perforating device and the cover of said
chamber, substantially as and for the purposes set forth,
5. A combined portable bill and letter file and perforating appliance provided
with a main-frame having receiving pins, transfer wires having a rotary movement
about the axes of their vertical shanks and crank-arms connected therewith, an
operating rod, slots in said operating rod and pins in said crank-arms and one of
said pins being at a greater distance from the axis of its complemental crank-arm
than the other pin is with respect to the axis of its complemental crank-arm,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. In a portable bill and letter file and perforating appliance having a main-frame
provided with receiving pins and transfer wires having a rotary movement about
the axes of their vertical shanks, of an operating rod or arm accessible from the
exterior of the main-frame and suitable connections between said rod or arm and
transfer wires, substantially as and for the purposes set forth..
7. A. combined bill and letter file and perforating appliance provided with
receiving pins and transfer wires having a movement about the axes of their vertical
shanks and a spring controlled rod or arm suitably connected with said transfer
wires and accessible from the exterior of the housing, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
8. A combined bill and letter file and perforating appliance provided with a
main-frame having a covered chamber and receiving pins, transfer wires, means for
affording said transfer wires a range of rotary movement about the axes of their
vertical shanks, a swinging perforating device pivotally connected with trunnions
and spring strippers and complemental dies or guides and punches interposed
between the swinging perforating device and cover of said chamber, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
9. A combined portable bill and letter file and perforating appliance having a
main-frame provided with receiving pins and a chamber, crank-arms mounted in
said chamber and provided with offsets forming bearings which are journalled in
seats formed in the main-frame, transfer wires connected with said crank-arms and
an operating rod or arm accessible from the outside of said chamber, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
10. A combined bill and letter file and perforating appliance having a covered
chamber, trunnions and dies, crank-arms mounted in said chamber and provided
with transfer-wires having a range of rotary movement about the axes of their
vertical shanks and a spring controlled perforating device connected with said
trunnions and provided with punches, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
11. In a combined bill and letter file and perforating appliance having a covered
chamber provided with guides, transfer wires having means for affording the same
a range of rotary movement on or about the axes of their shanks and a spring
controlled operating rod or arm concealed within said chamber and accessible from
the exterior thereof for actuating said transfer wires, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
12. A combined bill and letter file and perforating appliance provided with
receiving pins, transfer wires, a chamber for the reception of the working parts of
the device provided with a detachable cover, trunnions, guides and dies and a spring
controlled swinging perforating device provided with punches and said device

page_text: detachably connected with said trunnions, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
13. In a combined bill and letter file and perforating device, crank-arms seated
in a housing and connected with each other by means of a rod and one of said
crank-arms provided with an arm adapted to be actuated from the outside of the
housing so as to cause transfer wires suitably connected therewith to engage with
and to be disengaged from receiving pins connected with the main-frame of the
housing, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
14. A combined bill and letter file and perforating device comprising a housing
with a detachable cover, crank-arms seated therein and connected with each other
by means of a rod, transfer wires connected with said crank-arms and guided by
said cover and one of said crank-arms having a rod or arm for actuating said
transfer wires and operated from the exterior of the housing, a swinging perforating
device provided with spring strippers and punches, and complemental dies or guides
in said cover, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
ni 1 il: ivl 1.
A T 1900
JOHN WALTER GRANTLAND.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.
JOHN WALTER GRANTLAND.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.