US3349774A - Loose-leaf binder and paper-punch combination - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3l, 1967 J. w. RYAN 3,349,774

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER AND PAPER-PUNCH COMBINATION Filed Sept. 9, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet Ayn-W701? JOHN W Pyfl/V Oct. 31, 1967 J. w. RYAN 3,349,774

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER AND PAPER-PUNCH COMBINATION I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1966 Avww w? //0 JOHN W PYA'A/ United States Patent Office 3,349,774 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 3,349,774 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER AND PAPER-PUNCH COMBINATION John W. Ryan, Bel Air, Calif., assignor to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Califi, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 578,274 1 Ciaim. (Cl. 129-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A loose-leaf notebook having hinged plates to which complementary binder ring portions are respectively fixed. The binder ring portions are each formed of sheet metal and an integral portion of each defines a generally flat plate portion facing and close to the corresponding plate portion of the other, both being within the ring portion. The plate portions are angled to lie in parallel planes extending axially of but not radial to the hinge axis, the plate portions being respectively provided with male and female paper punch means.

The present invention relates to a new and useful looseleaf binder and paper-punch combination and more particularly to a new and useful unitary loose-leaf binder and paper-punch.

A number of different types of prior art loose-leaf binders and paper-punch combinations are known. One of these priorart types comprises a conventional threering binder which is afiixed to a first plate carrying three, male punching dies. This first plate is hingedly connected to a second plate carrying three female punching dies. The second plate is connected to the inside of the back panel of a conventional binding case. While generally satisfactory, this type has the disadvantage that the ring binder and all of the pages of material boundthereby must be swung to an open position and then to a closed position during each paper punching operation. Another disadvantage resides in the fact that unwanted swinging of the punching mechanism to an open position may take place during use of the notebook in the usual manner.

Another prior art type includes paper-punch means in combination with a mechanism for lifting the punched paper so that the punched holes will be located opposite the ends of the binder rings. Separate and additional means are employed to mount the paper punching mechanism in operative association with the binder rings. While generally satisfactory, this type has the disadvantage that it includes a number of working parts increasing the first cost of manufacture ing the device in proper operating condition.

' In view of the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of loose-leaf binders and paper-punch combinations, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea new and useful unitary loose-leaf binder and papenpunch not subject to the disadvantages enumerated above and having a pair of unitary ring and punch members especially efficiently, safely and expeditiously.

and increasing the cost of maintain- Another object of the present invention is to provide a it paper-punch member are aligned with an integral paperretaining element and a female paper-punch member.

According to the present invention, a unitary looseleaf binder and paper-punch combination is provided. The combination includes a pair of associated hinge means and a pair of unitary ring and punch members mounted on the hinge means. One of the unitary ring and punch members is mounted on one of the hinge means and includes paper retainer means and a female paperpunch die means. The other unitary ring and punch member is mounted on the other hinge means and includes a paper-retainer means and a male paper-punch die means. The paper-retainer means are aligned so as to form aclosed retainer and the die members are aligned so that the male member engages inside the female member when the ring and punch members are in their closed positions.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a looseleaf binder and paper-punch combination of the present invention including a binder case which is shown in an open position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing the combination in an open position;

FIGURE 3 is a partial perspective view looking in at the bottom of the device shown in FIG. 1 and having parts broken away to show internal construction;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the combination in a closed position;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a first stamped blank which may be used to fabricate a first unitary paper-retaining ring and punch member of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the blank of FIG. 5 after it has been shaped to form the first unitary paper-retaining ring and punch member;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a second stamped blank whch may be used to fabricate a second unitary paperretaining ring and punch member of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the blank of FIG. 7 after it has been shaped to form the second unitary paper-retaining ring and punch member and in cluding a male punching-die; and

FIGURE 9 is a reduced elevational punching-die member of FIG. 8.

Referring again to the drawings, a unitary loose-leaf binder and paper-punch combination comprising a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated 10, includes a binder case 12 having a back panel 14 and covers 16, 18 which may be made up in the customary way.

The back panel 14 includes an inside face 20 to which a unitary loose-leaf binder and paper-punch means 22 may be affixed by suitable rivet means 24. The unitary. loose-leaf binder and paper-punch means 22, hereinafter sometimes referred simply as binder means 22, com

view of the male prises a hinge means 26 including a pair of hinge plates 28, 30 having inner edges 32 and 34 and outer edges 36 and 38, respectively. The inner edges 32 and 34 are maintained in operative association with each other by a first plurality of tab means 40 provided on the edge 32 for engagement with the edge 34 and a second plurality of tabs 42 provided on the edge 34 for engagement with the edge 32. The plates 28, 30 may be maintained in the substantially horizontal position shown in FIG. 4 or in the over-center position shown in FIG. 2 by a cover plate 44 which is substantially C-shaped in cross section and which includes a first lip 46 engaged under the edge 38 and a second lip 48 engaged under the edge 36. The cover 44 is provided with a plurality of elongated openings 52 for receiving associated pairs of unitary ring and punch means 54 mounted on the hinge means 26 in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Each pair of unitary ring and punch means 54 includes a first unitary ring and punch member 56 afiixed to the plate 30 by rivet means 58 and a second unitary ring and punch member 60 affixed to the plate 28 by a rivet means 62.

The first unitary ring and punch member 56 includes an integral paper-retainer element 64 and a female paperpunch die member 66 and the second unitary ring and punch member 60 includes an integral paper-retainer element 68 and a male paper-punch die member 70. The members 56 and 60 are aligned and are mounted on the plates 30 and 28 in such a manner that each pair of unitary ring and punch means 54 may be swung from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the male paper-punch die member 70 engages the female paper-punch die member 66 for punching holes in notebook paper (not shown). The ring and punch means 54 may then be swung to their FIG. 2 positions so that the paper may be bound by engaging the punched holes over associated paper- retainer elements 64 or 68 and then closing or swinging the means 54 to their FIG. 4 positions.

Referring now more in particular to FIGS. and 6, each member 56 may be made by any suitable manu facturing process using any suitable material and is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as being made from a stamped metal blank 76 having an elongated, paper-tretainer-element-forming portion 78, a base-forming central portion 80 and a female paperpunch die-forming portion 82. The blank 76 may be provided with a first aperture 84 for receiving the rivet 58 and a second aperture 86 for receiving the male paperpunch member 70. The portion 80 includes equal and opposite, outwardly-extending wings 88 each of which includes a curved edge 90 and a straight edge 92. Each edge 92 is joined to the portion 82 by a plurality of fillets The blank 76 may be shaped to form the member 56 as shown in FIG. 6 by bending each member 88 upwardly along an associated fold line 96 after which the member 78 may be rolled by bringing an edge 98 thereof into engagement with an edge 100 thereof. The member 78 may then be shaped to have a somewhat elliptical cross section after which it is given an arcuate shape, as shown in FIG. 6, to form the paper-retainer element 64. The member 82 may then be folded upwardly along a fold line 102 after which the upper end 104 thereof may be bent slighly inwardly toward the paper-retaining element 64 along a fold line 106 to form the female paper-punch die member 66.

Referring now more in particular to the FIGS. 7-9, the member 60 may be made from a sheet metal blank 76a which may be identical to the blank 76 except that the aperture 86a provided in the member 8211 is of smaller diameter than the aperture 86 provided in the corresponding member 82. In addition, the blank 76a may be folded in identical manner to that used for folding the blank 76 to form the member 56 except that the member 82a is bent slightly outwardly from the paper-retaining element 68 along an imaginary fold line 106a. Additionally, the aperture 86a receives a shank 108 provided on a punching die 110 having a head 112 formed with a spherical radius 114. The diameter of the head 112 is matched with the diameter of the aperture 86 in the female punching die 66 so that the punching head 112 will pass through the aperture 86. The amount that the member 82a is bent outwardly from its associated paper-retainer 68 corresponds to the amount that the member 82 is bent inwardly toward its associated pa er-retainer 64 so that the two parts will mate when the means 54 is closed, as shown in FIG. 4. As will be obvious from FIG. 4, the slight bends at the fold lines 106 and 106a permit opening and closing of the punch members without having the cutting edge of the male punch member engage or hang-up on an edge of opening 86. The shank 108 is retained in position in the aperture 86a by peening the end 116 of the shank 108 to form a head 118, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 8. The blank 76a also includes an aperture 84 identical to that used in a blank 76 for receiving the rivet 62 which attaches the member 60 to its hinge plate 28.

The members 56 and 60 may be attached to their associated hinge plates 30, 28 after which the cover member 44 may be snapped into position with the lips 46, 48 engaging associated edges 38, 36 and with the elongated openings 52 admitting associated members 56, 60.

In use, the ring and punch means 54 may be opened to their FIG. 2 positions and a sheet of paper inserted between the dies 66 and 70. The means 54 may then be closed to their FIG. 4 positions punching the customary holes in the paper. The means 54 may then be opened sufiiciently to release the paper which is then drawn upwardly into engagement with associated paper- retainer elements 64, 68.

While the particular unitary looseleaf binder and paper-punch combination herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A unitary loose-leaf binder and paper-punch means, comprising:

a pair of hinge plate means pivotal about adjacent edges for swinging paper-binding means from an open position to a closed position;

first paper-binding means fixed to one of said hinge plate means, said first paper-binder means including a first generally C-shaped paper-binding portion and a first base portion, integral therewith at one end thereof said first base portion being affixed to said one of said hinge plate means and including a first plate portion having a female punching-die opening therein;

second paper-binding means fixed to the other of said plate hinge means in alignment with said first paperbinding means, said second paper-binding means including a second generally C-shaped paper-binding portion adapted to close upon said first paper-binding portion when said hinge means swings said paperbinding means to said closed position, said second paper-binding means also including a second base portion integral therewith at one end thereof and affixed to said other hinge plate means, said second base portion including a second plate portion opposed to said first plate portion and having a male punching-die means fixed thereon in position to penetrate said female punching-die opening when said hinge means swings said paper-binding means toward said closed position, said first and second paper-binding means each being made from a single sheet of stamped metal which is bent and rolled to form said first and second paper-binding portions, said first and second base portions and said plate poritons respectively,

5 said second plate portion being bent slightly toward 794,994 7/1905 Maurer 129-7 I said first paper-binding portion and wherein said 952,421 6/1910 Diehl 129- first plate portion is also bent slightly toward said 1,997,447 4/1935 Birbaum 129-2 first paper-binding portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 465,258 12/1891 Gildemeyer 129 -7 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

5 FOREIGN PATENTS 385,475 12/ 1932 Great Britain.

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