US2282565A - Loose leaf binder - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1942. w. H. CROWLEY 2,282,565

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Feb. l?, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, z2 Cfva /f Y',

ATTORNEY.

w. H.` CROWLEY A v2,282,565

LoosE LEAF BINDER l Filed Feb. 17, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTRNEY.

Patente-d May 12, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE LEAF BINDER William H. Crowley, West Springfield, Mass.v

Application February 17, 1941, Serial No. 379,208

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders.

An object of this invention is to provide a loose leaf binding unit which will hold and grip securely one or more individual sheets, and which may be used in multiple in a suitable back or frame in such a manner that any one binding unit may be removed from the frame or back without disturbing the other binding units.

Another object of this invention is to provide a binding unit for loose leaves which will securely grip and hold the leaves or sheets without requiring the leaves or sheets to be perforated or in any way prepared or formed for binding.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a binding unit which will securely hold and grip a plurality of sheets or leaves of the same or different thicknesses, in such a manner that any one of the sheets may be removed or replaced without removing or disturbing the other sheets in the binding unit.

Still another object of this invention is to provide, in combination, a plurality of binding units and a back plate or frame in which the units may be secured and locked in place, in such a manner that any one of the units may be removed and replaced without disturbing other units in the back plate or frame.

In loose leaf binders now in common use, it is customary to provide a back plate o'r covers equipped with split rings, bolts, bars, posts, or clamps requiring spaced perforations in the sheets to be bound. When made up into large catalogs or books, these constructions have many disadvantages. If rings are used, the books tend to be bulky and heavy, as only about half the diameter of the ring may be used for holding the sheets. Crowding results in torn sheets, which tear out at the rings, and may easily be lost from the book. In the case of binders employing posts, bolts, or the like, it becomes increasingly di'icult, as the number of leaves in the book increases, to' remove or replace a single sheet, as all the sheets on one side of the sheet to be removed must be taken off the posts to reach the required sheet. Furthermore, in the use of large catalogs or books, the sheets do not lay flat when the book is open. It is an object of this invention to provide a loose leaf binder in which the leaves or sheets may be divided into convenient sections, and each section separately and individually bound without the use of any registering devices in the binding units or sheets, and with the binding units so supported in the binder as to permit the removal of a single unit and its use, apart from the binder, if desired.

These, and other objects and'advantages of this invention, will be clearly and concisely detscribed and disclosed in the following specificaprovide gripping jaws for gripping one or more sheets of paper or the like, and a U-shaped spring clamping member slidably secured over the plates and normally forcing the plates into gripping relation, a binder or frame for receiving and supporting a plurality of the binding units, and

means for releasably lockingthe binding units in the frame or binder.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.I 1 is a perspective View of one of the binding units,

Fig. 2 isa perspective view of the lower jaw i of the binding unit,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view oi the upper jaw of a binding unit,

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the spring clamp for the binding unit,

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View, at enlarged scale, taken on the line 5 5 'of Fig.' 1,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.' 5, showing the relation of parts when a large number of sheets are gripped in the binding unit,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig'. 5, showing the clamp member removed and the unit open for receiving loose leaf sheets,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a back plate or binder for the binding units,

Fig. 9 is a View of the locking element or pin, Fig. 10 is a cross sectional vView illustrating the assembly of several binding units in the binder,

Fig. 1l is a sectional view, at enlargedscale, taken on the line I I '-I I of Fig.10,'and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view, taken on the line I2-I2 of FigLlO.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like numeral'srefer toV like parts throughout,

A binding unit I4 is made up of three parts, a lower jaw I5, an upper jaw I6, and a .spring clamping member I'I. The lower jaw I5 is angularin cross section, having a base I8,l back I9, and closed 'ends 20. The edge of the base I8 opposite the back I9 is formed with a lip 2| which is ground to provide a gripping edge. The

base I8 is also formed with a plurality of spaced, upwardly projecting spring leaves 22. The closed ends 20 of the member I5 are provided with outwardly projecting trunnions 23 for pivotal support in a binder or back plate. The ends 20 are also perforated at 24 to receive trunnions 25 on the upper jaw I6. The upper jaw I6 is also formed with a lip 26 which is ground or sharpened to provide a gripping edge complementary to the lip 2| on the jaw I5. The upper jaw I6 is formed with a downwardly extending back wall 21.

When assembled, the upper jaw I6 is pivotally supported on the lower jaw I by engagement of the trunnions 25 in the holes or perforations 24 and, thus assembled, the lip 26 of the upper jaw I6 overlaps the lip 2| of the lower jaw I5, when the jaws I5 and I6 are in normally closed relation, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. This overlapping relation of the lips 2| and 26 tends to distort or crimp a sheet or sheets located between them, when the jaws I5 and I6 are forced together, and thus provides a rm, secure grip on the sheets to be held. The upper jaw I 6 may be raised, as indicated in Fig. 7, to release, replace, or insert sheets between the jaws, as indicated at 28 by dash lines representing loose leaves or sheets. The back I9 serves as a stop for the edges of the sheets, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The jaws I5 and I6 are clamped in closed and gripping relation by means of a U-shaped spring clamp I1 which is formed with its legs 29 and 30 converging toward their free ends. In use, the jaws I5 and I6 are closed on the sheets 28 and the clamp I1 slid over the jaws from either end. The back wall 3| of the clamp I1 is provided with one or more slots 32, into which the edge of a coin orthe like may be inserted to assist in sliding the clamp I1 on or 01T the jaws I5 and I6.

By means of the construction above described, a double grip is provided for any practical number of loose leaf sheets, for example, from one to fifty sheets of customary catalog weight. When the clamp I1 is assembled on the jaws I5 and I6, the spring action of the legs` 29 and 3|] forces the lips 2| and 26 into engagement, and the back wall 21 of the upper jaw I6 into engagement with the spring leaves 22 of the lower jaw I5. Thus, a single sheet 28, or any practical multiple thereof, inserted in the jaws I5 and I6 will be doubly gripped; rst, adjacent a side edge of the sheets by the wall 21 and spring leaves 22, and, second, on a line spaced from and parallel to the same side edge by the lips 2| and 26. The overlapping relation of the lips 2| and 26 tends to distort or crimp the sheets, as best indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, thus insuring a definite and positive lock for the sheets or loose leaves. As the number of sheets held between the jaws I5 and I 6 is increased, the spring leaves 22 of the lower jaw I5 deflect to accommodate them, and the spring legs 29 and 36 of the clamp I1 spread to permit opening of the lips 2| and 26, as will be readily understood by a comparison of Figs. 5 and 6.

In Figs. 9-12, inclusive. is illustrated a binder or frame for receiving, supporting, and holding a plurality of the binding units I4. A plate or band 33 is formed at each end into hollow posts 34 and 35 having outer walls 36, inner walls 31, substantially semi-cylindrical end walls 38, and closed ends 39. The inside wall 31 of the post 35 is provided with spaced holes 40 for receiving trunnions 23 at one end of the units I4, and the inside Wall 31 of the post 34 is provided with slots 4I for receiving trunnions 23 at the opposite ends of the units I4. The slots 4| are aligned with the holes 40, and extend approximately half-way around the end wall 38, as shown in Fig. 8, whereby, when the slots 4I are free, the units may be easily inserted into the binder by engagement of the trunnions 23 in holes 40 and slots 4I, and as easily removed. A locking pin 42 is journalled in openings 43 formed in the ends 39 of the post 34, and is secured in the post 34 by cooperation of a head 44 formed on the pin 42 and a collar 45 forced over the lower end of the pin 42 after its assembly in the post 34. The pin 42 is cut away at 46 to clear the ends of the trunnions 23 to permit their removal from the post 34. Thus, when the pin is in the position indicated in Fig. 12, the binding units may be easily removed from the frame 33, and when the pin 42 is in the position indicated in Fig. 11, it engages the trunnions 23 on that end of the units I4 and securely locks the units in the posts 34 and 35. With the pin 42 in releasing position, any one of the units I4 may be removed from the binder 33 without removing or disturbing any of the other units.

The frame 33 may be installed in suitable covers, as indicated by dash lines at 41, 48, and 49 in Fig. 10, or the frame 33 may be used independently, without covers, as desired. When covers are used, the frame 33 may be secured therein by any suitable means, such as rivets 50, and the cover 41 may be provided with an opening 5I registering with the head 44 of the pin 42.

Having thus described a preferred form of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A binding unit for loose leaves or the like comprising a lower jaw member formed with end walls, an upper jaw member pivotally supported on the end walls of said lower jaw member, said jaw members being formed with longitudinal gripping lips at their front edges and extending toward each other, said jaw members being also provided with cooperating gripping elements at their rear edges, and a U-shaped spring clamp member longitudinally slidable over said jaw members for forcing said lips into gripping engagement on one or more loose leaves inserted between them.

2. A binding unit for loose leaves or the like comprising a lower jaw member angular in cross section and having end walls and an upturned lip at its front edge, an upper jaw member also angular in cross section and formed with a downwardly turned front edge, said upper jaw member being pivotally supported on the end walls of said lower jaw member, gripping elements on said lower jaw member and cooperating with the rear wall of said upper jaw member for gripping a leaf or leaves located between them, and a spring clamp member longitudinally slidable and removable over an end of said jaw members for forcing said lips toward each other.

3. A loose leaf binding unit comprising a lower jaw member formed with an upwardly projecting rear wall and end walls, an upper jaw member pivotally supported on the end walls of said lower jaw member and formed with a downwardly projecting rear wall, the front edges of said jaw members being formed with gripping lips with the lip of the upper jaw member overhanging the lip of the lower jaw member, gripping elements on said lower jaw adjacent its rear wall and cooperating with the rear wall of said upper jaw member, removable spring means engaging said jaw members for forcing them into gripping relation.

4. A loose leaf binding unit comprising a lower jaw having an upwardly extending rear wall, a lipped front edge, and end walls, an upper jaw having a downwardly extending rear wall and a lipped front edge, said upper jaw being pivotally supported on the end walls of said lower jaw with its lipped edge overhanging the lipped edge of the lower jaw, said lower jaw being formed with an upwardly projecting spring leaf which tends to engage the rear wall of said upper jaw, and a longitudinally slidable U-shaped spring member removably secured over said jaws for forcing said jaws into gripping engagement, whereby a sheet or sheets located between said jaws will be doubly gripped, first, by cooperation of said spring leaf and the rear wall of said upper jaw, and second, by cooperation of the lipped front edges of said jaws.

5. A loose leaf binding unit comprising upper and lower jaws formed with cooperating gripping elements on their front edges, said jaws being pivotally connected on a longitudinal axis, said lower jaw being formed with a plurality of spaced spring leaves which extend upwardly and angularly into engagement with the rear edge of said upper jaw, a longitudinally slidable and CTI removable spring member, channel shaped in cross section, partially enclosing said jaws for forcing said jaws into gripping relation, and trunnions projecting outwardly from the ends of one of said jaw members for pivotally supporting said binding unit in a binder frame or the like. f

6. A loose leaf binding unit comprising two jaws pivotally connected on a longitudinal axis, said jaws being formed with cooperating gripping elements at their front and rear edges,

means for forcing said jaws into gripping relation.

7. A binding unit for loose leaves or the like comprising a lower jaw member provided with end walls, an upper jaw member pivotally supported on the end walls of the lower jaw member, cooperating elements on said jaw members for gripping a sheet or leaf adjacent the rear edge of said lower jaw member, and a spring clamp member slidably and removably secured over said jaw members for forcing the front edges of said jaw members toward each other, whereby a leaf or leaves will be gripped at .both front and rear edges of said jaw members.

WILLIAM H. CROWLEY.

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