US646330A - Card-filing case. - Google Patents

Description

No. 646,330. Patented Mar. 27, I900. r. w.- TUBEY.

CARD FILING cAsE.

(Application filed Aug. 7, 1899.) N 0 ll 0 dal Flag.

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NTTED STAT S V PATENT FFICEE.

FRED w. TOBEY, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

CARD-FILING CASE.

srncxrrcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,330, dated March 27, 1900;.

Application filed August '7, 1899.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. TOBEY,'a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gard-Filing Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and novel device for retaining lists of all kinds on separate slips or cards such'as'cardboard, sheet metal, celluloid, &c., or of any suitable com bination of materials+and I provide such cards, preferably, with notches or slots in order to facilitate the engagement of the retaining-strips with the cards'for the purpose of retaining such cards in place when the strips are in their normal position.

The objects of my invention are, first, to enable the user with one hand to withdraw the drawer containing the cards from the case and at the same time to free the cards from the retaining-strips, so as to enable him to remove one or more cards; second, to enable the user to readily and quickly'lock the 'retaining-strips so that they will not retain the cards in position, and, third, certain other objects particularly pointed out in the claims. These objects I accomplish by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View of a drawer constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the inner surface of the front end of a drawer and the mechanism for operating the retaining-strips. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional View through the center of the drawer, illustrating the relative position of the push-rod,'the locking device which is connected with the handle of the drawer, and the locking-strip.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout both views.

A represents the'front end of the drawer.

13 represents the sides of the drawer.

0 represents the push-rod, constructed, preferably, as shown in Fig. 2, having the bent portion at the upper end, making a convenient thumb-rest for depressing the rod when the drawer is removed or partially removed from the case. The push-rod slides vertically at the inner side of the front of, the drawer, and about midway between its Serial No. 726,469. (No model.)

.the ends of two opposite swinging card-retaining strips F, which extend lengthwise of the drawer sides at or near their top edges.

drawer, and they can swing outward or to-' ward the drawer sides to lie against the same, and thereby release the cards. The ends of the cardretaining strips are-provided with lateral lugs F, extending inward and carrying pivots or pins F which engage and'can move in a slot in the end of the transverse bar or plate D.

G represents a metal strip which is used on the top of the sides of the drawer and which is constructed as shown in Fig. 2 and secured by suitable screws or rivets to the drawer.

E shows a button which is made rigid with the shank of the pull K. The pull K is provided with a shank extending through the front of the drawer, as shown. The push-rod O isslotted and the shank of the pull passed through the slot. The object.of this construction is to enable the user to push down the push-rod without moving the button E.

I shows the bottom of the drawer.

J shows a spring, preferably a thin strip of metal, placed beneath the lower end of the push=rod O and below the button E.

L shows a rod at the bottom of the drawer,

used as a way or guide for any ordinary sliding strip or movable partition. The sliding strip or movable partition, however, is not shown, as the same forms no part of my invention.

The draweris made of sufficient size tocontain a series of cards, and usually the person using the same desires merely to remove one card at a time, and one of the main objects of my invention is to so construct the device that the user can with one hand remove the drawer from the case and at the same time temporarily loosen the cards by means of turnin the bindin -stri as hereinafter de' scribed. In taking the drawer from the case the fingers of one hand would naturally be .These strips serve to engage the cards in the placed beneath the front of the drawer, while the thumb would be placed over the top of the drawer and rest upon the top or bent portion of the depression-rod 0. By pressing down on the depression-rod O the springJ is depressed and at the same time the crossstrip D is carried downward, turning the retaining-strips down close against the sides of the case, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This will relieve the cards placed within the case from the retaining-strips, and the user with his other hand can take out any one or more cards, as he may desire. Should the user accidentally drop the drawer, the cards would not be spilled, but would remain in the drawer, for the reason that as soon as the thumb is removed from the push-rod the retaining-strips are immediately returned to normal positionby the action of the spring J.

In case it is found desirable to unlock and to retain in the unlocked position all the cards, all that is necessary to do is for the user to turn the pull K and with it the button E until the button E stands perpendicular, when the spring J will be depressed and the retaining-strips closed against the sides of the drawer, and the cards may then be removed either one at a time or all together. Thus I have provided a double means for loosening the cards-'one temporarily by the mere depression of the push-rod O by the thumb and the other by depressing the pushrod and spring, together with the cross-piece D, by means of turning the button E. By using the latter method the retaining-strips are locked out of operative position until the button .E is again turned so as to allow the spring to raise the pushaod O, the cross-piece D, and also the retaining-strips.

The metallic plates G preferably project inwardly beyond the inner surfaces of the sides of the drawer, as in Fig. 1, to constitute bearings or rests for the card-retaining strips F, whereby these strips are strengthened and made more rigid.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a card-filing device,- the combination with a drawer, of card-retaining strips extending lengthwise of the drawer, a vertically-movable push-rod arranged substantially at right angles to said retaining-strips and constructed to operate the latter, and a spring arranged to urge the push-rod upward and normally hold it in its highest posi tion with the retaining-strips in engagement with the cards in the drawer, substantially as described.

2. In a card-filing device, the combination with a-drawer, of a vertically-movable push.- rod arranged on the inside of the drawer front and having its upper end in juxtaposition to the top edge of said drawer front to be depressed by finger-pressure, movable card-retaining strips extending along the drawer sides, a spring arranged to urge the push-rod upward and normally hold it in its highest position, and means for moving the said retaining-strips from engagement with the cards when the push-rod is depressed, substantially as described.

3. In a card-filing device, the combination with a drawer, of pivoted card retaining strips extending along the inside upper portions of the drawer sides to swing inward and engage and retain the cards in place, a vertically movable push-rod arranged on the drawer front and connected with and serving to swing said retaining-strips, and a spring normally holding the push-rod in its raised position and the retaining-strips swung inward, substantially as described.

4-. In a card-filing device, the combination with a drawer, of a vertically-movable push- 1 rod arranged on the insideof the drawer front and having its upper end in juxtaposition to the top edge thereof to be depressed by finger-pressure, pivoted card-retaining strips extending along the top edge portions of the drawer sides, a spring arranged to normally hold the push-rod in its raised position, and means for swinging the retaining-strips in an outward direction to release the cards when the push-rod is depressed, substantially as described.

5. In a drawer adapted to hold. cards, tw'o retaining-strips, each strip provided with a crank connection with a cross-bar, a cross bar rigidly connected with a push-rod, apush rod and a spring with which said push-rod engages for depressing the same, said spring adapted to raise. said push-rod when the pressure has been removed therefrom, and to return the retaining-strips to normal position, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a drawer, of a cardretaining strip, cranks secured to said strips,

a horizontal bar engaging with said cranks, a push-rod to which said'cross-bar' is rigidly attached, a spring placed below the push-rod and engaging with the lower end thereof, a handle provided with a shank extending through the front of the drawer and a button secured to the said shank and adapted when the handle is turned, to remove the retainingstrips from the cards, and to lock and hold the same in such position, substantially as described.

7. In a drawer for holding cards, the combination of the retaining-strips F F pivoted to the case, provided with the extensions or cranks F F, a push-rod O, a cross-bar D rigidly attached to the said push-rod, a spring J having its bearing against the bottom of the drawer, and adapted to be pressed downward by means of the push-rod C, said pushrod 0 at the same time swinging the retaining-strips out of operative position, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a drawer of two retaining-strips pivotally connected with the said drawer, each strip being provided with a lug F, said lug F being provided with pivots connecting the same with the cross-bar D, the cross-bar D rigidly secured to the push-rod O, the push-rod 0 adapted to bear upon and operate a spring, a pull K provided with a shank, the button E secured to such shank, said button E adapted, when turned, to depress the spring and hold the same depressed,

and at the same time to retain the retainingstrips out of operative position, substantially as described.

9. In a card-filing device, the combination with a drawer, of a push-rod on the drawer front, swinging card-retaining strips extend ing along the inside top edges of the drawer sides, metallic plates secured upon the top edges of the drawer sides and constituting bearings at their inner edges against which the card-retaining strips work, a spring for I normally holding the push-rod elevated, and

means for swinging the card-retaining strips outward when the push-rod is depressed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED W. TOBEY.

Witnesses:

EDWARD TAGGART, DORA B. PARKER.

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