US1444811A - Portable filling case - Google Patents

Description

Feb. l3, 1923.-

J. P. TARBGX PORTABLE FILING CASE Filed June 4, 1921 2 v sheets-sheet l 5 WueM-to a Feb. 13, 1923.

J. P. TARBOX PORTABLE FILING CASE I Filed June 4, 1921 '2 sheets-sheet 2 FIGS lllllllfllllvr. V

um-wrote Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

JOHN P. TARBOX, OF GARDEN CITY,- NEW YORK.

PORTABLE FILING CASE.

Application filed June 4, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. TARBox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garden City, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Filing Cases, of which the following is a specification.

The class of filing case to which my invention relates is that adapted especially for desk and portable use. Primarily the invention was made to take the place of the multiple letter boxes and baskets which are commonly used by business]. men on their desks for the purpose of assortment and distribution of Working papers. The filing basket and boxes in common use are open to a number of objections such as space required when distribution into a number of groups is necessary, the fact that papers need to be weighted'to make them positively proof against being blown out and scattered by the wind, the fact that the topmost letters are always exposed to be read by passersby, the lack ofclosures preventing removal of papers or indeed of the entire baskets and boxes themselves, and the fact that the papers need be removed entirely from the baskets or boxes in order to be put in suitable compass to be placed in desk drawers or safes for safe keeping, or to. be put in shape to be carried any distance or for any length of time. All of these objections are overcome in the unitary device of my invention and at the same time the scope of use of the device is greatly enlarged. A much larger number'of divisions is possible, the size of the divisions is freely adjustable, especially convenient means of marking each division is provided, papers in any division are instantly accessible in entirety, papers are individually much more readily filed and much more readily picked out, the unitary device is instantly with its entire contents closed, locked and ready for placing away or to be carried along, is similarly when in this condition equally ready to be placed upon ones desk and instantlyopened for work, and finally whether open or closed occupies but a minimum of space and presents an especially neat and attractive and indeed ornamental appearance.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the principal form of the desk filing caseof my invention which I term the port- Serial No. 475,018.

folio type as distinguished from the box, book or envelope type.

Of the drawings Figure 1 is a threequarter front perspective view. 7

F'gure 2 is an end view showing the device closed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged end vie-w partly in section of the bottom portion of the device.

Figure 4 is a similar view of thepart shown in section in Figure 3 still further enlarged and in further section.

Figure 5- is a longitudinal section approximately on line 55 of'Figure 3.

Figure'G is a section approximately on line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a detail of a fastening device used in connection with a partition.

The portfolio comprises complemental front and back cover members 10 and 11 respectively.- In the form shown the front andback cover members are actually made of one piece of leather, being connected at their inner sides for extensive relative angular movement by bottom portion 12, and the 'back cover 11 has an extension 13 con-' stitutin a top closing flap, the extremity of whic is provided with one or more locks 14 for fastening 'to the front cover 10.

The opposite and corresponding edges of the ends of the front and back cover members are connected together by plaited extensive and collapsible gusset members 15. These gusset members are cut to rectangular pattern but uniformly plaited so that when one end is restrained the other may be'opened like a folding fan. The inner or bottom ends of these gussets 15 as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, are held together by flexible strong binding posts 16, or other contractile and extensible or lost motion devices, and are restrained from opening or extending movement by reason of the connection of devices 16 with the front and back cover members 10 and 11. These devices 16 at the same time prevent extended lateral displacement of the plaits, yet they permit relative angular movement of front and back cover members between open and closed positions, and also permit expansion and contraction of the thickness of the filing case at the bottom from a. minimumdeter mined by the retracted dimension of device 16 to a maximum determined by the extended or taut dimension of the bottom 12. In

such extension the gussets at the bottom may be extended in greater proportion than the angle subtended by the cover members and any thickness of papers. acoommodatable at the mouths. of the pockets when the case is closed will be likewise acco-mmodatable at the bottoms. Crowding of papers resulting in rumpling, creasing, or catching and limitation of capacity, are thus effectually eliminated.

Toggles 17 one at each end of the filing case just outside the gussets 15 interconnect the front and back cover members 10 and 11 through the intermediary of cover stiffening members 18, as shown in the form of narrow angle strips. The toggles are set by the opening of the cover members 10,11 to hold the covers relatively in an open position; in which position the covers have been relatively moved angularly about devices 16 and bottom 12 which connect them together, and the plaited gussets have been extended from collapsed positions shown in Figure 2 to the full open position in Figure 1 in which the outer or top edges are more or less taut (being stretched substantially plane or substantially to the limit of their extensibility) while the inner or bottom edges remain in collapsed or full condition. There are thus formed a series of radiating plait furrows of a depth'increasing from the top of each gusset 15 to the bottom. The tautness prevents lowering and sagging of the partitions under load and maintains the partition spac mg.

At the bottom the collapsed plaits as shown in Figures 3 to 5 are in the form shown, though by no means necessarily, spaced apart by spacing washers 19 of fibre, fabric or any other suitablema-terial. Inserted in the furrows between the plaits and extending preferably to the bottoms of the furrows are a plurality of spacing partitions extending from gusset to gusset and virtually interconnecting the same. The gussets and the partitions form a plurality of open bottomed pockets. These partitions designated 20 preferably have their innermost corners cut away as at 21 (Fig. 6) so that the bodies of them may be projected near to the bottom 12 of the filing case without interference from the spacing washers 19, which latter insure free sliding of the partitions in and out of the bottoms of the furrows and regularity of spacing of the plaits. Near the top of each partition where the furrow grows shallow however, the partition is provided with a metal clip 22 having an enlarged bight portion 23 projected thru abuttonhole 24 in the gusset. The gussets are provided with button-holes near their outer or upper edges, one for each furrow whereby the partitions may be readily removed from" one furrow and re-inserted in another to adjust the dimensions of the spaces into which one furrow, inserting it in another and again buttoning it in place, is not only a simple operation but a very quick one.

Each partition is provided with a cut-' away portion 25 in its center to facilitate removal of the papers filed in entirety, the cutaway portion being preferably of a depth carrying the re-entrant edge of the partition below the edge of the most commonly used size of sheet filed. Moreover each partition isprovided with a celluloid or other form of changeable index tab 26. V

In use the device is placed upon ones desk or working table in open position shown in Fig. 1. The flexible flap 13 is folded under the device. In such position it tilts the front end of the device up slightly so that working papers are slid in and out of their positions readily and when in place have a tendency to remain therein. The device might be turned over and rested upon the front cover 10. In this event the flap 13 would be inserted behind the transverse strap 27 provided for that purpose. The device is most conveniently opened by grasping the lower halves of the toggles 17 by their lateral walls between the thumbs and first two fingers of the hand and imparting a backward twisting motion. The device is held open rigidly by the toggles 17 which are set by the opening operation. Having inserted the proper number of partitions in those furrows which give the desired filing space of each class, the device is ready for indefinite use in that condition or to be instantly changed for different condition if desired. At any time one has but to collapse the toggles by a converse grasp and motion to close the device, but to lift theflap and lock it to make it safe, and but to take it by the handle 28 on flap 13 to carry it along.

Obviously the invention is capable of many modifications. @ne of these of which I have made use consists of embodying the front and back cover members 10 and 11 in the form of a box instead of a flexible portfolio. In this case the side and end walls of the box enclose the gussets and partitions completely. The toggles are also connected with the end walls of the box, the gussets being spaced sufficiently from the end by blocking out to leave room for the toggles inside of the box.

Obviously also the form of the gussets and the partitions. may be varied, and the partitions themselves may be removable or nonremovable as desire If the box, or stiff-walled type, is chosen instead of the portfolio, or flexible type, the

fact that the end walls of the box confine,

\Vhat I claim is,

1. A filing case comprising a back cover member, a front cover member, means connecting the cover members for extensive relative angular movement, retaining means to hold the front cover member in extended relation, extensible and collapsible end members interconnecting the covers and adapted to be stretched substantially to the limit of their extensibility in said extended cover movement and held so extended by said retaining means, and a plurality of transverse partitions the upper portions of which are held inspaced relation by said extended end members but the bottoms of which are free to be variably spaced by the contents of the case.

2. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connected together atone side for extensive relative angular movement, means to retain them in extended relation, end connecting gussets constituting end walls adapted to be drawn substantiallyplane along their upper portions when the cover members occupy the extended relation and a plurality of partitions connected with the said upper portions of the gussets and angula'rly spaced apart thereby.

3. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connected together at one edge forextensive relative angular movement, means to retain them in extended relation, end connecting gussets constituting end walls adapted to be drawn substantially plane along their top portions when the cover members are in extended relation but full at their bottoms, extensible means connected with the covers to prevent lateral distension of the full bottoms of the gussets, and a plurality of partitions connected with the said top portions of the gussets and angularly spaced apart thereby.

4. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connected together at one side for extended relative angular movement, four-sided plaited foldable end gussets connected at two opposite sides to said cover members but separated therefrom and from each other at their bottoms, a plurality of transverse partitions extending from gusset to gusset and likewise separated from said cover portions and each other whereby a plurality of expansible open bottomed pockets are formed, the said pockets being expansible at their tops in substantial proportion to the angle of separation of said cover portions but in greater proportion at their bottoms.

5. A filing case comprising complemental cover members, plaited gusset members connecting said cover members together at opbers closing forwardly and opened in the opening of said cover members to hold said covers relatively in open position, and partitions between the gussets some adjacent ones of which comprehend a multiple number of-plaits between them.

6. A filing case comprising complemental cover members, extensible and collapsible end members connecting said cover portions together at opposite ends, whereby said cover members may be collapsed to close towards or extended to open away from each other, and toggles to hold the same in extended relation the lower branches of which are provided with lateral extensions tobe gripped by the fingers of ones hands to effect the opening movement.

7 A portfolio filing case comprising freely flexible front and back cover portions connected together at one side for extensive relative angular movement, end connecting members arranged to be collapsed and extended through such movement, stiffening means for otherwise freely flexible cover means for the ends of the cover portions,

devices connected with said stiffening means to hold the cover portions in extended rela-- tion, and plaited foldable end gussetsclosing the ends of said case and having their edges fastened under said stiffening means.

9. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connected together at one side for extensive relative angular movement, collapsible and extensible end connecting members interconnecting them, and removable and replaceable filing partitions extending between and spaced apart by said end connecting members.

10. A. filing case comprising complemental cover members, plaited usset members connecting said cover mem ers together at opposite edges, whereby the cover members may be collapsed to close towards or extended to open away from each other, means set by the opening of said cover members to hold said covers relatively in open position, the nature and extent of relative movement between said covers beingsuch that when the back cover approaches a substantially horizontal plane the center ofgravity of the device both when empty and when filled with papers lies within the perimeter of the back cover member. and aplurality of removable partitions extending from gusset to gusset and insertable between the plaits thereof.

' 11. A filing case comprising complemental front and back cover members, plaited gussets interconnecting corresponding edges at corresponding and opposite ends, a plurality of separately removable partitions insertable between the gussets thereof, and a separable fastening means between the gussets and the partition.

12. A filing case comprising complemental front and back cover members, plaited gussets interconnecting corresponding edges at corresponding and opposite ends, a plurality of separately removable partitions insertable between the gussets thereof, and buttoning devices between the partitions and the gussets arranged to hold the partition in inserted positions.

13. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connected together at one edge for extensive relative angular movement, a toggle at each end to retain them in said extended relation, plaited end connecting gussets constituting end walls adjacent said toggles, which gussets are drawn substantially taut at their tops when said covers are extended, and a plurality of filing partitions fixed in extended positions at their tops by said taut gussets but free at their bottoms to be variably spaced by the contents of the case, and some adjacent partitions comprehending at multiple number of plaits between them.

14. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connected together at one edge for extensive relative angular movement, means to retain them in extended relation, end connecting gussets constituting end walls drawn substantially plane along their top portions when the cover members occupy the extended relation but' full at their bottoms, and a plurality of removable partitions connected with the said top portions of the gussets and angularly spaced apart thereby.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN P. TARBOX.

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