Patent ID: 7950867

Claim:
A ring mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising: a housing; first and second hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting motion relative to the housing about a hinge; rings for holding loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring member being mounted on the first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate relative to the second ring member between a closed position and an open position, in the closed position the two ring members forming a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the rings to be moved along the rings from one ring member to the other, and in the open position the two ring members forming a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the rings; a lever pivotally mounted on the housing, the lever comprising a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion, the second portion being disposed to engage the hinge plates and move the ring members from the closed position to the open position; the hinge plates being supported by the housing so that at least one of the hinge plates is in continuous engagement with the second portion of the lever when the ring members are in the closed position for inhibiting play in the lever, said at least one hinge plate having an upper surface facing toward the housing and a lower surface facing away from the housing, the lower surface being in continuous engagement with the second portion of the lever.