GB2033302A - Portable filing system and record holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable filing system has record cards 2 individually hinged to a flat carrier 3 so that the bottom edge 4 of each card is exposed. When the cover 8 is opened back, it forms a rigid co-planar extension of the carrier 3 for writing on the backs of the cards. Each record card 2 comprises a folded record sheet with its two portions 18a, 18b clipped at their outside edges 18d, 18e in a gripper 17 to cover opposite sides 15c, 15d of a backing sheet 15, with the fold 18c in a gap 16 between a steel rod 13 and the adjacent edge 15a of the backing sheet 15. The portions 18b are clipped in place by two clips 14 which join the top corners of the backing sheet 15 to the rod 13. The hinges 9 are formed by two plastics members 11 with two respective series of integral clips 12 in fixed positions to receive the rods 13. Because the clips 12 are fixed on each member 11, the record cards do not bunch up. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Portable filing system and record holder This invention relates to a portable filing system for a series of record cards and also to a record holder.

As seen from one aspect of the invention there is provided a portable filing system for a series of record cards comprising a substantially flat rigid carrier adapted for the record cards to lie thereon with one edge of each record card (except the topmost record card) projecting out from beneath the corresponding edge of the record card immediately above it and with the opposite edges of all the record cards detachably attached to the carrier so that selectively one or more of the record cards can be turned over to expose the underside of the upper one and the topside of the lower one of any selected pair of adjacent record cards, and a flat cover hinged to the carrier for selectively covering and uncovering the topside of the topmost record card, characterised in that the carrier is provided with a series of hinge devices each adapted to be detachably attached to a respective one of the record cards to hinge the record card to the carrier, with means to maintain the series of hinge devices spaced apart from each other, to avoid bunching of the record cards, and in that the cover is rigid and is adapted to be hinged to a predetermined open position in which it forms a substantially coplanar extension of the carrier, providing a support for the one or more turned-over record cards to rest upon and (at least for some selected pairs of record cards) for the underside of said upper one of the selected pair of cards to be written upon.

As seen from another aspect of the invention there is provided a record holder comprising a backing sheet, a folded record sheet having two portions joined together by a fold and overlying opposite sides of the backing sheet, so that the fold extends alongside one edge of the backing sheet, first means for clipping and unclipping said two portions to and from an opposite edge portion of the backing sheet and second means for hingedly mounting said one edge of the backing sheet.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a portable filing system for a series of record cards embodying both aspects of the invention; Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 of part of the portable filing system with its cover in the open position; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line Ill-Ill of Figure 2 of part of the filing system of Figures 1 and 2 with the cover in the open position; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views from opposite sides of one of several record holders or record cards in the filing system of Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 6 is a sectioned side elevation of the record holder or record card of Figures 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a portable filing system 1 for a series of record cards or record holders 2. The filing system 1 comprises; a substantially flat rigid carrier 3, of plastics laminate or aluminium, adapted for the record cards or record holders 2 to lie thereon with one edge 4 of each record card 2 (except the topmost record card 2a) projecting out from beneath the corresponding edge 4 of the record card 2 immediately above it and with the opposite edges 5 of all the record cards 2 detachably attached to the carrier 3 so that selectively one or more of the record cards 2 can be turned over to expose the underside 6 of the upper one and the top side 7 of the lower one of any selected pair of adjacent record cards 2.The filing system 1 also comprises a flat cover 8, also of plastics laminate or aluminium, hinged to the carrier 3 for selectively covering (as in Figure 1) and uncovering (as in Figures 2 and 3) the top side of the topmost record card 2a.

The portable filing system 1 is characterised in that the carrier 3 is provided with a series of hinge devices 9 each adapted to be detachably attached to a respective one of the record cards 2 to hinge the record card 2 to the carrier 3. The hinge devices 9 incorporate means, described hereafter, to maintain the series of hinged devices 9 spaced apart from each other, to avoid bunching of the record cards 2.

Referring in particular to Figure 3, a rigid flat plate 3a is fixed securely to the flat carrier 3 as shown, to provide a back rest for the cover 8 when the cover 8 is hinged to the open position shown in Figure 3, the arrangement being such that, in this position, the cover 8 forms a co-planar extension of the carrier 3 and provides a support for the turned-over record cards 2 to rest upon.

Whilst the lowest record cards 2 may not reach up to the cover 8 in its open position as shown in Figure 3, even when turned over, the upper record cards 2 will certainly do so and for these cards the cover 8 provides a support for them to rest upon and for the underside 6 of said upper one of the selected pair of cards to be written upon. Two conventional hinge devices 10 hinge the cover 8 to the carrier 3. The hinge devices 9 comprise two moulded plastics members 11, one at each side of the filing system 1, with a series of integral clips 12 spaced apart along the members 11 in fixed positions, into which steel rods 1 3 are clipped, each steel rod 1 3 forming a part of a respective one of the record cards or record holders 2.By virtue of the fact that the clips 12 are in fixed positions, they are maintained spaced apart so that the record cards or holders 2 cannot become bunched together.

Referring to Figures 4 to 6, each record card or holder 2 also comprises two plastics clips 14 in fixed positions on the steel rod 1 3. A semi-rigid backing sheet 15, preferably also of plastics materials, is held by its corners at opposite ends of an adjacent edge 1 5a by the clips 14 so that there is a gap 1 6 between the steel rod 13 and the adjacent edge 1 5a of the backing sheet 1 5. A transparent plastics gripper 1 7 is fixed to the backing sheet 1 5 to extend along the whole of the opposite edge 1 5b of the backing sheet 1 5.

A series of specially made folded record sheets 18 are provided, one for each holder. Each folded record sheet 1 8 has two portions 1 8a and 1 8b joined together by a fold 1 sic and overlying opposite sides 1 sic and 1 5d respectively of the backing sheet 1 5, so that the fold 1 8c extends alongside the edge 1 5a of the backing sheet 1 5.

The record sheet 18 is provided with two cut-outs, one at each side, so that the portion 1 spa is narrower than the portion 1 8b, to provide space for the portion 1 8a to be fed through the gap 1 6.

The edge 1 8d of portion 1 spa, opposite the fold 1 8c, fits into the transparent gripper 17, as does the corresponding edge 1 8e of portion 1 8b. The wider portion 1 8b is clipped in place by the two clips 14 in the region of the fold 1 sic.

An additional record sheet 20 can be clipped in the gripper 1 7 on either side of the backing sheet 15.

Using the individual record holders, each record sheet 1 8 can be quickly fitted through the gap 1 6 and into the clips 14 and the gripper 17, and just as easily removed when desired. Furthermore, it is a simple matter to fit the individual record cards 2 in the filing system 1 by clipping and unclipping the rods 13 and the clips 1 2. When using the filing system 1, any desired record card can be quickly located by means of a label which can be located in the gripper 17 along its projecting edge 4, and the cards above it can be unfolded to expose the selected card 2. Both sides of the card can be easily written upon, the cover 8 providing a firm unyielding support surface if the card when turned over projects above the carrier 3. Furthermore, as mentioned above, there is no tendency whatever for the cards to become bunched together or displaced in any other way, because of the fact that the clips 1 2 are fixed in position relative to the carrier 3.

The carrier 3 has a handle hole 19 for carrying the filing system around and a label holder 21.

Claims (8)

1. A portable filing system for a series of record cards comprising a substantially flat rigid carrier adapted for the record cards to lie thereon with one edge of each record card (except the topmost record card) projecting out from beneath the corresponding edge of the record card immediately above it and with the opposite edges of all the record cards detachably attached to the carrier so that selectively one or more of the record cards can be turned over to expose the underside of the upper one and the topside of the lower one of any selected pair of adjacent record cards, and a flat cover hinged to the carrier for selectively covering and uncovering the topside of the topmost record card, characterised in that the carrier is provided with a series of hinge devices each adapted to be detachably attached to a respective one of the record cards to hinge the record card to the carrier, with means to maintain the series of hinge devices spaced apart from each other, to avoid bunching of the record cards, and in that the cover is rigid and is adapted to be hinged to a predetermined open position in which it forms a substantially co-planar extension of the carrier, providing a support for the one or more turned-over record cards to rest upon and (at least for some selected pairs of record cards) for the underside of said upper one of the selected pairs of cards to be written upon.

2. A portable filing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the position of each hinge device on the carrier is fixed.

3. A portable filing system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each record card comprises a plurality of separate sheets joined together to form a unit so that selection of a record card in the system can be followed by selection of one of the sheets of the selected record card.

4. A record holder comprising a backing sheet, a folded record sheet having two portions joined together by a fold and overlying opposite sides of the backing sheet, so that the fold extends alongside one edge of the backing sheet, first means for clipping and unclipping said two portions to and from an opposite edge portion of the backing sheet and second means for hingedly mounting said one edge of the backing sheet.

5. A record holder as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising third means for clipping and unclipping the record sheet to and from the backing sheet in the region of the fold.

6. A record holder as claimed in claim 5 wherein said third means comprises two spaced apart clips.

7. A record holder as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein a rigid rod is joined to two corners of the backing sheet at opposite ends of said one edge and is spaced apart from said one edge intermediate the corners to leave a gap through which the fold extends.

8. A record holder as claimed in claim 7 as appended to claim 6 wherein the two clips comprising said third means join the rigid rod to the two corners of the backing sheet.