Loose-leaf binder

Dec. 28, 1937.

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P. O. UNGER

LOOSE LEAF BINDER

Filed June 26, 1933

2,103,307

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Dec. 28, 1937. p. q. unger 2,103,307

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed June 26, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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INVEN 1 OK.

PAUL O. UNGER

BY

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Patented Dec. 28, 1937

2,103,307

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,103,307

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER

Paul O. Unger, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to WilsonJones Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Massachusetts

Application June 26, 1933, Serial No. 677,534

Claims.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders and more particularly to a trigger adapted to operate the prong plates to open the sheet retaining rings.

It is an object of this invention to provide a 5 trigger that can be manufactured inexpensively and assembled with a minimum of time and labor. It is a further object of this invention to provide a trigger capable of operating toggle plates to open rings held in closed position under extremely 0 heavy tension. It is a further object of this invention to provide a trigger with a rounded foot portion to prevent disengagement of the foot portion and toggle plates. It is a further object of this invention to provide an abutment for the heel .5 of the trigger to prevent the trigger from slipping.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a trigger with means to prevent the trigger from rattling. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following de,θ scription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section ,_r showing the trigger mechanism when the rings ^J’^J are in closed position;

Figure 3 is a cross section through the ring metal and back looking toward the end cap when the rings are in closed position;

_}0 Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the trigger mechanism in its ring opening position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the trigger mechanism in its ring opening posi,_r tion;

” Figure 6 is a detail perspective of the trigger;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the binder back with the end cap and trigger removed;

Figure 8 is a detail perspective of the end cap and spring; and

Figure 9 is a bottom elevation of the end cap and trigger.

In the drawings, the reference numerals 2 and 3 indicate a pair of covers connected to a back member 4 by means of hinges 5, 6. The back member 4 includes a back plate 7 and a hinge plate 8. The back plate 7 is provided with a covering 9 of leather or suitable fabric to match the covering -₀ material on the covers 2, 3. The hinge plate 8 is provided with a projection 10 for a purpose hereinafter described. Although the projection 10 illustrated is formed integral with the hinge plate 8 by embossing a portion thereof adjacent 55 the end, it is obvious that the projection might be (CI. 129—24) formed by providing an extension on the end of the hinge plate and bending it into suitable shape, oi’ a separate member might be secured to the hinge plate by welding or riveting.

A binding mechanism or ring metal II is se- 5 cured to the back member 4 in any suitable manner. The ring metal includes a plurality of rings 12 adapted to retain a plurality of sheets 13 in the binder. The rings 12 are anchored to a pair of toggle plates 14 which are embraced by a 10 spring back 15. The spring back 15 does not extend the full length of the toggle plates. A cover plate 16 completes the ring metal assembly.

An end cap 17 encloses the end of the ring metal i i. The bottom wall 18 of the end cap is 15 provided with a slot 19 having an enlarged portion 20 adjacent the end wall 21. The end wall is provided with a recess 22 communicating with the enlarged portion 20 of the slot 19. The recess 22 is of less width than the end of the enlarged portion 20 with which it communicates so that ⁴portions of the end wall 21 project beyond the edges of the enlarged portion 20, as indicated at 23, Figure 9.

A trigger 24 is assembled with the end cap 17 before the end cap is positioned over the end of the ring metal 11. The trigger is provided with a thumb, piece 25 of any desirable configuration, a substantially upright portion 26, a heel 27 adjoining the lowermost extremity of the upstanding portion 26, and a foot portion 28 extending at ⁶approximately right angles to the upstanding portion's. The trigger is notched, as indicated at 29, Figures 6 and 9, so as to provide a pair of flanges 30 at the inner end of the foot portion 28.

When the trigger 24 is assembled with the end ⁰⁰cap 17, as shown in Figure 9, the notches 29 interengage with the projections 23. The flanges 30 flare outwardly beyond the projections 23 to prevent the trigger from being separated from the end cap after the slot 19 and its enlarged portion 20 are closed by contact with the back member 4. When the end cap 17 is positioned over the end of the ring metal II, the side walls are staked, as indicated at 31, Figure 1, in registration with a pair of notches 32 in the edges of the cover plate 16 to secure the end cap rigidly to the ring metal.

As shown in Figure 2, when the end cap is positioned on the end of the ring metal, the heel 27 of the trigger is fulcrumed on the back mem- ₅₀ber 4 against the abutment 10 outside of the end cap 17. The abutment 10 also prevents the trigger 24 from slipping out of operative position. The spring back ! 5 is shorter than in conventional ring metals so that the edge of the spring back can- _5g

2,103,307 not interfere with the proper functioning of the trigger. The fulcruming of the heel of the trigger outside of the end cap increases the ease of assembling the trigger, cap and ring metal. A 5 spring 33 secured to the inner end wall of the end cap by the rivets 34 engages against the foot portion of the trigger and exerts pressure against it to urge the foot of the trigger downwardly. This downward pressure also pulls the upstand10 ing portion 26 of the trigger against the end cap and prevents the trigger from rattling.

The foot portion 28 of the trigger 24 is rounded, as shown at 35, Figure 2, and terminates in a downwardly extending lip 36. When the thumb 13 piece 25 is pressed downwardly, the heel 27 slides slightly along the seat provided by the rounded abutment 10, and the foot portion 28 moves upwardly against the action of the spring 33 until the rounded portion 35 engages the toggle plates 20 14 and moves them to the position shown in Figure 4 to open the sheet retaining rings 12.

As shown in Figure 4, the downwardly extending lip 36 is beyond the normal range of contact between the foot portion 28 and the toggle plates 25 14. This makes it impossible for the foot portion to become disengaged from the toggle plates so as to cause the trigger to become inoperative. The position of the trigger in Figure 4 is the extreme opening position, before the spring 33 has 30 forced the trigger back to its upright position.

A comparison of Figures 2 and 4 will show that the ratio of the effective length of the foot portion of the trigger, that is from the point of contact of the rounded portion 35 with the toggle plates i 4 35 to the point at which the heel 27 is fulcrumed, to the length of the upstanding portion of the trigger from the fulcrum point of the heel 27 to the uppermost edge of the thumb piece 25 is less at the instant the trigger moves into contact with 40 the toggle plates than at the completion of the ring opening movement. This is true because the rounded heel and foot portions of the trigger cause the points of contact to move closer to the lip 36 and the upright portion 26 of the trigger 45 during the movement of the trigger in opening the rings.

The change in ratio between the effective length of the foot portion and the upstanding portion of the trigger results in a greater application· of 50 force at the start of the ring opening operation even though constant pressure is exerted on the thumb piece 25 throughout the ring opening operation. As shown in Figure 3, the toggle plates 14 abut at a point slightly below the horizontal plane 55 when the rings are in closed position so that more force is required to move the toggle plates to the horizontal plane than to move the toggle plates from the horizontal plane to the open position shown in Figure 5. Heretofore, triggers for open60 ing rings in loose leaf binders have usually been provided with fixed fulcrums so that it has been impossible to regulate the application of pressure so that the greater force is applied at the start of the ring opening operation when there 65 is need for it.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrative rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified 70 or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described, except as limited by the appended claims.