US2318431A - Ring binder - Google Patents

Description

May 4, 1943. w. L. SPARKS RING BINDER Filed Jan 26, 1943 CMIYAWENTOR.

Patented May 4, 1943 UNHTED STATES PATENT ()FFICE RING BINDER William L. Sparks, Hartsdale, N. Y.

Application January 26, 1943, Serial No. 473,585

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ring binders for loose leaf books and the object of the invention is to provide a ring binder embodying novel means for preventing accidental pulling apart of the two halves of the rings and to provide a novel and improved construction assuring complete closure of the rings because of the novel design of the ring bases and whereby other means such as springs, levers, slides or the like are unnecessary. In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention Fig. 1 is a plan view of the ring binder in position in a book and with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view showing a modification.

The binder comprises a base 5 which is secured to the back 6 of the book 1, l in any suitable usual manner. For example rivets as indicated at 8 in Fig. 2 may be used. The rings are as usual split in two semicircular sections. The section or portion I is suitably secured to the base by molding, soldering or otherwise depending upon the material used. The ring portions Ill are therefore fixed portions. The other ring portions II are secured to a blade M which is pivoted to the fixed base 5 at [5. The fixed base has a slot I6 inclined at an angle upwardly and outwardly from the center of the base and the blade I4 is adapted to lie within this slot when the binder is closed and to be swung outward therefrom when the binder is opened as will be understood. The slot is wider than the blade l4 so that as the blade is swung into the slot to close the binder the blade is stopped in its movement by the engagement of the ring ends I! with the ring ends I8. In other words the rings are closed before the blade reaches the bottom of the slot. The base is cut out as at to accommodate the ring portions II when the binder is closed. The blade has a finger piece at 22 to be gripped in operating the blade. The upper surface 25 of the base may be inclined as shown or it may be a plane surface.

The inclined slot H5 in the base is the distinguishing feature of the invention and is the means for keeping the rings closed against accidental opening. Were this slot horizontal or perpendicular to the force which tends to open the binder accidentally, the blade would slide out easily to the side and the binder thus would be opened. The inclined position of the movable ring base acts to resist such horizontal outward pull or tendency to open. Particularly when the book is open and one side may hang down or be downwardly inclined, for example at the edge of a table, the advantage of the inclined blade becomes obvious because the pull of the leaves, not shown, naturally tends to move the rings in the direction of the arrow 26 in Fig. 2 and this tendency is resisted by the inclined blade.

In use the blade I4 is swung to one side as shown dotted in Fig. 1 and the leaves placed upon the rings. Then the blade is swung back into the slot [6 and when the two sections of the rings meet and engage the binder is closed. Preferably the blade fits within the slot with a snug fit. 'It has been found that the rings engage and stay closed Without any further means for this purpose.

Fig. 3 shows a modification in which the fixed ring support is made from a strip of material 36 which is bent and folded to form an inclined slot 3| between itself and the base part 32. The several parts of the binder may be made of any suitable material, metal or non-metal. The binder according to this invention ofiers marked advantages over other binders in that when the blade is swung open the leaves are easily placed upon the rings or removed therefrom. Because of the inclined position of the blade M the tendency of the rings to slide out of the holes in the leaves is resisted and accidental removal or opening is prevented.

I claim:

1. In a ring binder a fixed base and a plurality of spaced binder rings each of which is divided into two semicircular sections, a blade pivoted on said base and adapted to be swung outwardly therefrom to open the binder rings and inwardly towards said base to close the binder rings, means for immovably securing the one half sections of said rings to the said base, means for immovably securing the other half sections of said rings to the said blade, a longitudinal slot in the base adapted to receive and contain said blade when the said rings are closed, said slot being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the center of the base, whereby to maintain the rings in closed relation and resist accidental opening of said rings.

2. A ring binder according to claim 1 including means for pivoting the said blade on said base at one end thereof within the said inclined slot in the base, said slot extending the entire length of the base.

WILLIAM L. SPARKS.

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